How to Make a Cutting Board From Plastic Bags

Recycle your plastic bags and save money on a new cutting board.

Making a cutting board out of used plastic bags is a way to improve your green credentials while creating a useful item. "A reduction in our use of plastic bags is essential in solving the environmental problems stemming from them," says the Earth Resource Foundation website, which points out that Americans use an estimated 130 bags each per year. Plastic bags contribute to landfill space problems and damage to wildlife when not disposed of properly. Some governments are considering banning or taxing their use. Making a plastic bag cutting board will take 20 to 30 minutes and cost a few cents, at most, for materials.

Things You'll Need

• 20-30 plastic grocery bags
• 2 large sheets of parchment paper
• Iron
• Sharp scissors
• Scalpel or sharp knife
• 150-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Switch the iron on to heat up. Use a heat setting halfway between "polyester" and "rayon."

2. Use sharp scissors to cut the plastic bags off in a straight line below the handles.

3. Remove the bottoms from the bags. Cut a straight line between the outside seams, leaving the bags as long as possible.

4. Cover a flat, smooth work surface with a piece of parchment paper. Flatten it out, smoothing away creases with your hand. Pin it around the sides so that it stays smooth throughout your project.

5. Cut a second piece of parchment paper that will cover the flattened out plastic bags with 3-4 inches to spare on each side.

6. Lay a trimmed bag flat on the parchment paper-covered work surface. Smooth the bag out and make sure the joins are at the extreme outermost along their full length. Stretch the double-layer of bag as flat as possible with no bubbles or folds.

7. Place the parchment sheet flat on top and iron over the bag area. Keep the iron moving and apply a firm pressure. Iron over the bag several times. Check to make sure the fusion is complete all over and continue ironing if it is not.

8. Lay a second trimmed bag on top of the fused bag with the sides aligned and repeat the ironing process.

9. Turn over the fused bags before applying the next layer. Fusing the bags warps them a little, so alternating each layer will even this out.

10. Slice along the edges with a scalpel or sharp knife after applying each layer to remove rough edges or inaccurately aligned bits of plastic so you end up with a good, squared-off board.

11. Add layers until you have a thickness that you are happy with. The number of bags you need depends on their thickness. Thinner bags fuse more easily, but you will need to use more of them.

12. Sand the edges of the board with 150-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a test run to find your iron's optimum heat setting for fusing bags quickly while not melting them. Start with a lower temperature and test the fusion by rubbing the bag all over to see if it is completely melded. Places where the plastic makes a crinkly sound are not fully fused. Increase the temperature until the bags fuse together quickly. If the bag starts to melt, turn the setting back to a lower temperature.

• Fuse the bags in a well-ventilated area. Harmful fumes are sometimes released on heating. Don't iron on good furniture. Use an old work surface. Otherwise place a large, flat board on top of good furniture before using it as a work surface.

References

• Earth Resources Foundation: Campaign Against the Plastic Plague Background Info
• BBC News: Planet Earth's New Nemesis
• Crafty Craft: How to: Plastic Fusion Tutorial
• Modish: Make Your Own Upcycled Plastic Goods