I’m sure you can imagine with a catering business how many cheese boards I put together in the run of a year. When you hand over a set of sharp knives to 200 people each week to have a hack at your precious display boards, I’m sure you can picture the outcome. At the end of the year my cheese boards look like I threw them through a wood chipper.
I needed to come up with a more affordable solution that wouldn’t break the bank… or my heart when I have to turf it!
I set out on a hunt for a pre-finished piece of wood that wasn’t crazy huge, but big enough to accommodate a variety of cheeses and a few pairings.
When I found some stair treads it was a eureka moment! However, because it is so long and narrow the board looked a bit awkward on an hor d’oeuvre table. I used some crates to elevate it for a while, but that took up a lot of valuable landscape. Then I came across a set of furniture legs at a thrift shop, I knew it would be the perfect solution!
The legs had a threaded rod coming from the top, so I popped by the hardware store and picked up the female side of the thread. I’d love to tell you what these are called, but honestly I have no idea (maybe a newel grommet?)
The only ‘carpentry’ work I had to do here is drill a hole in each corner of the stair tread to match the size of grommet. I popped it in the hole and as you twist in the foot the metal grommet tightens into the wood!
To finish and seal the wood, I picked up a bottle of mineral oil from the pharmacy. With an old rag I rubbed some oil into the wood. I repeat this every few weeks to keep the wood looking rich.
I love that this cheese board with legs really opens up the tablescape possibilities. Looks yummy, doesn’t it!
This DIY cheese board only cost about $30 to make, and when it gets too cut up, I can salvage the legs and grommets for the next!
The Annapolis Valley is full of wonderful farms that produce cheese, spreads, and meats perfect for my local cheese boards. Please check out their businesses and sample what they have to offer. Ran-Cher Ares, Fox Hill Cheese House, Holmestead Cheese, and Meadowbrook Meat Market.
Looking for another cheesy idea?
Ingenious, Virginia! I love it!
Fantastic, Virginia. I’m sharing this idea!
This is fantastic, Virginia! I love this! (And how awesome is this for parties at home when the table is slid up against the wall?)
Is the tread treated wood? Is that food safe?
No, natural and I treated it with linseed oil