When you’re ready to make a long, straight cut into your material, or if you’re planning on a crosscut, always put this underneath your cutting board before you begin cutting. It will catch the cut and keep your countertop from becoming scratched. The best material to use for underlay is plywood. Wood chips, though nice, do not do as good of a job as a solid underlay. And even if you do use wood chips you should still use a plywood underlay.

Always put this underneath your cutting board before your begin cutting. This is a very important tip. If you use materials that are too slick, like plastic, they won’t adhere to the countertop like they should. If you apply too much adhesive, like on some carpeting or wood flooring, the adhesive will leave a gritty residue on your cutting board and then you’ll end up scoring your material.

Always clean your cutting boards before you start using them. Use a solution of one part water and two parts vinegar. With kitchen knives or your own toothbrush, clean the cutting board with the solution. Once it’s clean, use your toothbrush to clean any areas that have debris on them. Then dry with paper towels.

Always put this underneath your cutting board before you begin cutting. Even if you’re just making a horizontal cut across the top of your material, always make sure the board is lined up under the material. You don’t want to try to cut through a material that’s already sliced into. This can lead to a lot of frustration. Just line it up before you begin so that your knife doesn’t scrape up the material you’re cutting.

Always hold the blade blades at an angle. This allows you to make long, even cuts across the board without having to worry about damaging your material. If you slice into something and break it, you could chip right into that area. Not only is this inconvenient, but it can also be expensive to replace pieces of wood or other material if you’re not careful.

Never cut your boards straight across. If you do, you’ll probably damage your material a lot. Always make long, even cuts around the perimeter of the board. Always put this underneath your cutting board before you begin cutting.

When you’re ready to cut out the material for the first time, lay the board down on a flat surface. Use your material knife to score the material on the board. This will help keep the pieces from slipping when you’re putting the boards together. Once you’ve scored the material, lay your cut board down over the saw blade and flip it over so that the board is facing up.

Slide the board out of the way and then cut all the way around. Always start on the bottom and work your way to the top. Then flip the board over and cut the material in the middle. Always lay the board down before you start cutting so that everything stays flat and even. These simple steps can help you to build up quite a collection of boards quickly and easily.