# Old Maple flooring for a cutting board....would you use it??



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

I acquired a bunch of old Maple gym floor cheap…..looking for opinions on whether you would use it for cutting boards. Of coarse all 4 surfaces would be cleaned up…....built a board with the material yesterday and finished it up today…










What do you think? Safe or not?


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Hmmmm, Would you wrap your sammich in a pair of sweaty gym socks???

I'm just saying…..


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

I cant see any reason why you couldn't use it. If no nails or holes remain, you should be good.


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Marty - I can't agree more…...but would the Maple care?

Thanks Shane…..that's what I'm thinking…....

So the Score is:

NO - 1 YES - 1

Tie game.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

As long as you don't use sweaty gym socks to apply the finish, I don't see a problem.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Birds pooped in the tree that wood came from.
Bugs had carnal knowledge in the same tree….
Cows often got cow poop all over them before they were turned into meat…...

And your worried about a few gym socks?

Hahahahahahaha!


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Bondo….....now that you mention it…..I do sometimes use old socks for finishing…....uh oh…..

Dallas…..you have a way with words…....

So the score is :

NO - 1 (Marty) YES - 3


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

I say go for it. Besides, sweaty socks may impart that special "je n'est ce quoi" to your food prep. lol


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Ain't nuttin' like a 'lil "je n'est ce quoi" to put the spice in your soup…..


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

I don't recall ever seeing people run around in their socks on the gym floor. If we use reclaimed barn wood why not reclaimed gym wood? Beautiful cutting board BTW.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Go for it.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Speaking from a TOTAL lack of experience….
I say go for it!
I think a little "toe jam", on freshly cut bread, is the bomb!!!


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

in a heart beat


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

All right…thanks folks….

The score is:

NO - 1 (Marty) YES - 8


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

I'm sure that you exposed all new wood surfaces in the milling process. I wouldn't hesitate to use it : ) 
Nice looking board : )


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## KelvinGrove (Mar 1, 2013)

While reading this to my wife I got down to Elizabeth's post…at that point she said, "well, if a woman likes it, that settles it". She then asked if it was pretty, so I showed her the picture. She says you probably don't want that in your kitchen and she will be happy to take it off your hands.


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Let's all try to picture that clumsy kid skidding across the gym floor in his jock strap while we're slicing and dicing those pizza toppings…..


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Well that's quite a contrast…..Thanks Dusty and Tim…...... and Marty…I don't think the Maple cares….

The score is:

NO - 1 (Marty) YES - 10


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

It's tough to buy a vote around here…..


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

I vote Yes twice - because I can.

Steve


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Steve! Double vote counted…..

The score is:

NO - 1 (Marty) YES - 12


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Jeff, Send me 4 of them when you get them made…..


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## MrFid (Mar 9, 2013)

My vote is yes, because at least you have a story to tell that annoying guest as they slather some brie from that board onto their cracker. Then, watch their face assuming you time it so that you get to the punch line just as they sink their teeth into it.


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

Got another yes…..the "sweaty gym sock" senario (even if there would be one) would go away when you mill the lumber….Great work, the board looks fantastic !


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks for the votes…..

The score is:

NO - 1 (Marty) YES - 14


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

I am wondering what kind of finishes would have been used on it over the years and how much of those chemicals may have been absorbed into the wood/


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Sure, give it to that relative, or co-worker that you don't like and sit back and enjoy a good laugh as they brag about it. Knowing it was made of wood that had stinky feet and Moses, Elijah and all the prophets knows what else. (Laughing)

I am with marty, that is a negative.


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

That's it Bill….I was waiting for someone to say it….what about the finish?


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## BurtC (Oct 30, 2009)

Sure, mill it down like others said and most DNA should end up in your dust collector


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## vipond33 (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm with Marty. Do you know how many balls have been bounced on this stuff and how many bad words have been heard by it? The angry teacher voices buried in the pores? Not to mention that the soaked up reverberations of echoing sound from an average gym will cause your joints to vibrate apart over time?


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Gene - you're talking basket balls right? I can take the bad words…


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

i vote no ,nobody wants one of an old floor i would get rid of it ,send it to me


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Eddie,
You broke the internet!!! You don't get no maple (ice cream)!!!


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

My army is attacking, Get 'em boys…..


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Marty's army is encroaching….


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

More like these guys. (laughing)


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Jeff, Hand over your maple and I'll call off the dogs…..


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

The maple was under a finish when it was a gym floor, right? And that finish is gone now, right?

I don't really see a problem with it, but maybe don't announce it was an old gym floor when you're serving at a dinner party with fancy people.


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Marty - that's no match for Charlie…....don't mess with his box…..


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

This is Marty's cat, I bet money Charlie gets out of the box. (laughing)


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Dang WB, That *IS* some good beer…..


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

(Laughing)


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)




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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Bill,
ROFLMAO!!!


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

How much of that maple do you have?

That "reclaimed hard maple cutting board" would sell at a high premium here to many Toronto urbanites.


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

redSLED - I would guess a hundred or more cutting boards worth…....I was considering making a batch of them just in case I ever decide to sell cutting boards….....thanks..


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## daltxguy (Sep 7, 2007)

Of course - wood is wood and maple is fine for cutting boards.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Jeff,
If you do make 100 CBs, I suggest that you DO sell them…
Soon to be ex-friends will tire quickly of recieving 10 CBs as birthday, holiday, house warming gifts!!!


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

*DIYaholic,* cutting boards for the kitchen are like clamps in the shop. You can never have enough????? (laughing)


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

go for it!


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

I have used reclaimed hardwood flooring for many jobs and even a cutting board. Go for it. Also a quick way to make a frame for a panel door.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

You could make this:


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

I dont like Martys vote being all alone so I'll add a NO to the total just for kicks -

do you know what that floor was finished with? wood is porous and the finish can be absorbed by the fibers deep below what you may think. so foreign chemicals could still be impregnated in that wood that I would think twice about introducing into a food preparation area.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

*Elizabeth: "...I don't recall ever seeing people run around in their socks on the gym floor…."*

Come folks! Don't tell me that I am the only one who remembers actually going to and dancing at a "Sock Hop" in the school gymnasium? I think the very last one we had was in 1964 or 1965. 
Those were the years…

Geez I'm gettin' old!...


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## sprucegum (Dec 6, 2012)

I would would use it. It would go great with my hunting knife that I use to slice steaks with at deer camp, I never miss a chance to tell everyone that I also clean my toe nails with the same knife.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

"a "Sock Hop" .

Hmmmm. Musta been before my time LMAO!


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Geez… is has been long enough that even I am wondering if it was "Sock Hop" OR "Soc Hop"… This gettin' old crap is for the birds… but I guess it beats the alternative…

Long live *Rock & Roll*...*;-)*


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