The All En Crafts™ Custom Board Process

How a board becomes a piece you’ll use—and keep—every day.

At All En Crafts™, a cutting board doesn’t start as a product.
It starts as an idea, a stack of rough lumber, and a commitment to doing things the right way—even when no one is watching.

While this page tells the story through the making of our custom boards, the same care, tools, and decision-making guide everything we build—from charcuterie and serving pieces to home goods and specialty projects. The material may change. The process does not.

It begins with an idea

Every board starts one of two ways:
a custom request from a customer, or a design concept developed for a show or collection. For custom work, a 50% non-refundable deposit secures materials and shop time. From there, the idea becomes a plan—dimensions, wood choices, grain orientation, and intended use all matter long before the first cut is made.

Selecting the wood (by hand)

Wood selection is never rushed. For domestic hardwoods, we first check availability with Heartland Timber, located less than ten minutes from our shop, where boards are hand-selected for grain, color, and character. If a specific species or dimension isn’t available, the search continues at Barrington Hardwoods.

For exotic species, Barrington Hardwoods is our first stop. Every piece is chosen with the final product already in mind—no mystery bundles, no shortcuts.

Preparing for glue-up

Each board edge is jointed to ensure a tight, seamless glue line. This step determines whether a board will remain stable for years or fight itself over time. Once prepared, the initial glue-up begins.

For boards wider than 12 inches, glue-ups are done in stages—never forcing too much width at once. This controlled approach keeps panels flat and stress-free as they cure.

Flattening and final assembly

After the glue cures, panels are run through the thickness planer to establish a perfectly flat surface. For wider builds, this is followed by a final glue-up and another careful flattening pass. Only when the panel is stable and true do we trim it to final dimensions.

Finishing: where patience matters

Finishing isn’t a single step—it’s a sequence.

Sanding progresses deliberately through multiple grits (40 → 80 → 120 → 150), refining the surface without rushing the wood. At this stage, the All En Crafts™ hot brand is applied—our mark of responsibility for the piece.

A final sanding at 220 grit prepares the surface for finish.

For cutting boards, the first coat of 100% food-safe Momma Bear Wood Honey is applied and allowed to absorb for eight hours. A second coat follows, then another eight-hour rest. The process finishes with 100% food-safe Papa Bear Wood Wax, with a second coat applied when the wood calls for it.

No timers are cheated. No coats are rushed.

Completion and delivery

Once finishing is complete, custom orders move to final payment. From there, pieces are either prepared for an upcoming vendor market or carefully packed for shipment—ready for kitchens, tables, and daily use.

More than boards

This process tells the story of our cutting boards, but it also reflects how we approach everything we make. Whether the final piece is meant for food prep, serving, display, or daily living, the same principles apply: thoughtful material selection, careful construction, patient finishing, and pride in work done well.

That’s the All En Crafts™ process—from raw wood to something made to be used, not just admired.