Cutting board and counter extension

This is a simple improvement that takes about 10 minutes. We got this idea from others on the Lazy Daze forum. The only additional item of note is that we went with a large cutting board made out of bamboo. It's from Farberware, and the size we used is 21"x15". We picked it up at Wal-Mart for a little under $20.

It's a little tight to get around when it's up (but doable), and it sure does add significant counter space, which we find that very handy every day. Also, we made sure that it didn't interfere with the dinette seat when it is extended. We kept it close to the wall when we installed it.

And installation was easy: just unscrew the original plastic counter extension (leaving the hinges and bracket in place). Hold the new cutting board in position and mark the holes. And then, since the bamboo is so hard, use an awl to start the screw holes. You'll need new, shorter screws since the cutting board is not as thick as the original wood under the counter. And that's it.


Here you can see it folded down -- we think the bamboo looks pretty good against the woodgrain cabinets.