How To Make A Slant-Handled Bread Serving Board

A Slant-Handled Bread Serving Board is a fun way to serve a warm, crusty artisan loaf to dinner guests. No one can resist fresh bread, especially with a unique presentation.

So today we’re going to show you how to make a wooden bread serving board from 2 pieces of board, a screw, and some handy, dandy tools. The tools may be the difficult part, but maybe you have a neighbor like we used to. We’d hear his saws and planers almost any time we went outside. And sometimes inside the house, if it was a quiet day. I’m sure if you walked up to an open garage door with a man and his tools inside, you could talk him into doing a couple of cuts for you.

However, if that’s not possible, you can make our cheat version of this bread board, which will still be fun to use.

I didn’t have to make my bread boards. My nephew made a raft of them for a family wedding supper. One for each table. Obviously they couldn’t keep that many bread boards in their own kitchen after the wedding, so they gave two of them to me. I have really enjoyed them.

Just one note of warning: don’t buy those round loaves of French bread. They tend to take a little of the fun out of passing a bread board around the table. People get embarrassed if a loaf rolls into their plate as they send it on. Ask me how I know.

How to make a Slant-Handled Bread Serving Board

Supplies:

1″ x 6″ x 14″ piece of hard wood like walnut, maple or cherry
1.5″ screw
table saw, router
fine tooth saw blade, 5/8″ router bit, pocket hole jig
wood glue, sanding block
wood burner and/or food safe wood finishing oil

Directions:

Your board will actually measure 5.5″ wide x 3/4″ thick, even if you buy what they call a one by six.
Cut a 1.5″ wide piece of the board for the handle.
Set the table saw blade at a 15° angle, then cut the 12″ long piece for the main part of the bread serving board. Cut the board so the angles make the top of the board narrower than the base.
Cut one end of the handle at the same angle.
Straighten the saw blade, and set it to .5″ above the table. Place the fence 3/4″ from the blade. Cut a groove the long way across the 12″ piece of board. This will be a slot for the bread knife.
Cut a 2.5″ long slot from one end of the 12″ board at 1/2″ deep centered along the knife groove, with the router and a 5/8″ bit. This slot accommodates the handle of the bread knife.
With the pocket hole jig, drill so the screw will begin 3/4″ from one end of the board, on the bottom of the board. Center the hole to both width and height of the bread board.
Sand all the pieces smooth with the finest grit sanding block.
Glue the angled end of the handle to the bread board, then screw the handle to the board.
Finish the board. Ours are finished with woodburning. However, a beautiful wood like maple or cherry merely needs a food safe finishing oil to look its best.

Tips:

If you don’t have a table saw, buy your board at Home Depot or Lowes. Ask them to make the 1.5″ handle and 12″ cuts for you. I don’t know if they can do angled cuts, but you could ask. You can do the angles later with this router bit. Be sure to clamp wood securely.
If your bread serving board gets uglified from too many cut marks, sand it down again and re-oil. It will be good as new.
We like this knife for our board.
If you have a laser engraver, these would make amazing personalized gifts.