In the past we've talked about how to clean a built-in cutting board, but we've never really discussed the process of installing one. They always seem like something that just happens to be in your kitchen when you move in, but these homeowners installed their own and the method in which they did so is rather brilliant.
Over at The Farm Chicks, they've turned what used to be a plain old cabinet drawer into a cutting board work station. A cutting board was purchased/cut to size and attached to the top of the drawer. The bottom of the drawer was removed to allow scraps to fall through the board and straight into the compost bin to be taken outside.
Pop-out hardware was added so they can simply press on the drawer if their hands are full or dirty and things open up and chopping can begin. If you try this in your own home, we suggest coating the inside of the drawer so it doesn't get food stuffs on it as they fall down through (though unless you're rather violent in the act, this shouldn't be an issue).
It's a simple project that can be a huge space saver in small kitchens and can be installed on almost any drawer — all you need is the right size cutting board for the size cabinets you have!
• Check out more on this project over at The Farm Chicks
Image: The Farm Chicks
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I love the idea! BUT, being 6'3'' the thought of putting a work surface any lower than it ever has to be makes me think this would never work for me...
"It's a simple project that can be a huge space saver in small kitchens and can be installed on almost any drawer — all you need is the right size cutting board for the size cabinets you have!"
I would think that in a small kitchen the sacrifice of an entire drawer and cabinet would be the opposite of a space saver. This is to avoid storing a single cutting board and a small compost bin? I can appreciate the convenience factor but can only imagine it working in a kitchen large enough to exclusively dedicate what would end up being several cubic feet of space just to knife work. Again, it's a very cool idea and would be a neat feature in a large kitchen; I was just baffled by the idea that it could be considered a space "saver" in a small one.
interesting.
i would make an adjustment by moving the drop hole towards the back of the board. that way you're not stressing your back and shoulders by being out of proper posture.
sounds picky, but these small things can really bother you in the long run.
It'd be interesting if there were some sort of plug to cover the whole when all you need is counter space.
I think this project is definitely onto something great, but there would be a few caveats, mostly it'd have to be meticulously customized to accommodate the owner's chopping/dicing habits. For me, it'd make more sense to have the hole in the rear or off to the side; this one seems a little too front and center for my tastes.
Brilliant, but I like to rinse my cutting board under the sink. I'd go for a removable cutting board.
I sure hope that thing pops out to clean thoroughly. Any idea what kind of bacteria etc can live in a wooden cutting board?
I might do this, as I have an "extra" drawer. I won't sacrifice the cabinet beneath it, though. I'll simply place a plastic container into the drawer beneath the cutting board and then dump the contents into my trash.
If I can find the right sized container, I could even still use the back of the drawer for storage of seldom-used items.
I can't handle the idea of installing any surface on which I'd prepare food directly over the garbage can. Bacteria grows and moves like wildfire.
First thought: "Great idea!"
Second thought: "But I'd be dropping my tomatoes in the compost bin all the time!" Definitely needs the cutout at the back.
Also agree that it doesn't really save space, but it helps streamline your kitchen.
On a side note, I KNOW rationally that bacteria thrives on wooden cutting boards. I would never argue against that, and I sanitize mine furiously. And yet my whole childhood, mom probably used the same two wooden cutting boards for everything. She would just rinse and reuse. I never had food poisoning (or knew what it was) until my 30s, when I moved to a very civilized country.
Cool idea, but (as others have pointed out) it seems like it would be difficult to wash. I'm trying to imagine fitting an entire drawer in a small sink. Not worth it.
I wouldn't sacrifice a whole drawer like this, but I do like the idea of having a cutting board that fits over a drawer. It would be important to me that it be removable for cleaning, like others have mentioned, and also that it have grooves routed out for catching liquid. When I saw the photo here with tomatoes, the first thing I thought was that juice would be spilling over the sides of that thing with the first cut!
An interesting discussion of the bacteria-on-cutting-board issue originally from Cooks Illustrated can be read here:
http://www.vermontbutcherblock.com/Wood-versus-Plastic.html
I enjoyed seeing that you found my cutting board and re-posted it. I thought I should clarify a few things:
* This wasn't a renovation project. We just finished building our home and the cutting board is in my new kitchen. The process you've posted isn't how my cutting board was constructed. It was made by my cabinet maker, to my specifications.
* I always use maple as the wood specimen for my cutting boards, which is in fact highly resistant to bacteria. My entire kitchen in my previous home was covered in maple counters, on which I cut and chopped to my heart's content. (NEVER meat products of any sort). Additionally, my childhood homes always contained an antique maple free-standing chopping block that had been used for many many years. I will always be a believer in maple and would choose it over other cutting board surfaces every time. (For NON-MEAT products).
* I clean my cutting board with a clean, wet cloth and then let the surface dry before pushing it back in. I never use soap, as I don't want the wood to absorb the soap. And I would never try to pull the drawer out. It's just not necessary.
* I periodically season my cutting boards with mineral oil. Cooking oil would turn rancid.
* I think the comments here mentioning possibly moving the hole to the back were really good ideas, and would work well. However, I'm really happy with how mine is laid out. It works wonderfully for me.
* The hole directly below the cutting board hole is a nice heavy-duty plastic, which makes it really nice for cleaning.
* The intention of the cutting board in a drawer for me was to keep my kitchen tidy and my counters free of clutter. I'm a big fan of having a place for most things to be tucked away in the kitchen. That's just my style. My kitchen is large, which makes these sort of conveniences possible, space-wise.
this idea reminds me of my grandma's kitchen in SoDak. she had a pullout cutting board and i always thought it was so neat. i like the idea of the compost underneath. i don't like all of the nitpicky comments above. i am so glad this post lead me to your site, which lead me to the letter you wrote to your sister, which i loved.
Serena, thanks for commenting, it's interesting to hear how you use and care for this. Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful. Can you tell us where you got your drawer pulls?
What a super, smart idea.
deelw: my drawer pulls are actually window sash pulls, but I really liked the thought of using them on my cabinets. You can find them here:
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/search-product-result.php?search_prod_no=window+sash&x=0&y=0
Thank you, Serena! What a cool idea!
The idea sounds very cute. But in the practical world, as someone mentioned already.... The supposedly "saving space" is actually not so.
Besides, the removing and cleaning process of the board and drawer is more time consuming. Also, you have to keep the drawer open and the board drying somewhere before putting it in place and away.
Another thing.. .when you are chopping stuff... there is always going to be some pressure (no matter how sharp you knife is), that will eventually weaken and make rails give....
And did I already your own natural hinges will suffer too (your back)... The height of the cutting surface will not meet the standard counter height making you bend more than necessary....
I just can't get used to the idea of cutting right on a countertop, old habits die hard, even with the most functional butcher board, I'd still pull out a cutting board.