Cutting Board Needed

[Tom Bender]

For cutting cardboard, vinyl, etc I use a piece of hardboard paneling and a utility knife. It doesn't dull the knife too fast but the old board is getting pretty shabby. A replacement needs to be rigid enough to span the 4" gap in my split top bench. 24 x 36 would be good, or a little bigger. Any recommendations?

[Jim Becker]

See if you can get a solid surface remnant to use in the shop for your cutting surface. It, too, will be relatively easy on the blade and should last a very long time.

[Thomas McCurnin]

At least in our neighborhood, there are gobs of abandoned Ikea type furniture in alleys and streetcorners around garbage pickup day, Look for a desk or bisquit join a couple smaller pieces.

[Richard Coers]

You subject title made me laugh. Something about a cutting board shows up in hobby sites about every 15 seconds. On reddit, it's more like every 5 seconds. I used to be able to buy untempered hardboard at the lumber yard. The Menards in our city has a rack of damaged sheet goods. Sometimes full sheets with just a corner broken off. Homasote is also a great choice. A recycled paper product.

[Robert Hayward]

Have you ever used one of the self healing PVC cutting mats? Here is one example in the size you listed.
https://www.amazon.com/WORKLION-Healing-Cutting-Quilting-Scrapbooking/dp/B07MPB4GN4/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.1ee00060-41c3-4235-99a2-2f34178350f4%3Aamzn1.sym.1ee00060-41c3-4235-99a2-2f34178350f4&cv_ct_cx=cutting%2Bboards%2Bfor%2Bcrafts&keywords=cutting%2Bboards%2Bfor%2Bcrafts&pd_rd_i=B07NRVH9KD&pd_rd_r=1ee82fc3-a088-4eab-ba15-47f8ecfb8bed&pd_rd_w=qCce0&pd_rd_wg=AlMuw&pf_rd_p=1ee00060-41c3-4235-99a2-2f34178350f4&pf_rd_r=DAQH9BS5J7J87WESZR7F&qid=1672963719&sr=1-3-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTVpVS0JJVUZaUlNJJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDk5MjA0M1BDUzdGNEpKUlNDUCZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTYzMjgwNTcwWjJCUjA3UVpLJndpZGdld E5hbWU9c3Bfc2VhcmNoX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1J lZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

[johnny means]

Your local restaurant supply house will have large selection for reasonable prices. I'm lucky enough to be walking distance from this place. https://www.therestaurantstore.com/categories/27003/refrigeration-cutting-boards-and-worktops

[roger wiegand]

A self-healing cutting mat is really nice. I cut tons of leather and cloth with a rotary cutter on one and it doesn't dull the expensive wheel at all. Not so much a concern with a utility knife but the cuts are cleaner when the knife can slightly penetrate the substrate. I've been using my oldest one for at least 15 years now, pretty much daily, and it's still going strong.

[Ted Calver]

I keep one of the self healing cutting mats (https://www.joann.com/36x59-cutting-mat/2622033.html) from JoAnn Fabric on my bench, cut to fit, and will replace it with the same if it ever wears out. Unfortunately, I don't think any of these mats will be firm enough to handle the gap in your split top if you are putting cutting pressure on them. Maybe a combination of self healing mat over a piece of hard board?

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[David Buchhauser]

I use a piece of masonite (hard board) placed on top of my steel work bench, along with a utility knife. Been doing it that way for years. Cut cardboard, vinyl, fabric, foam, etc. with no problems.
David