DIY Stove Cover / Noodle Board

Aloha!

Today we’ll be building a DIY stove cover (also called noodle boards)! Including handles, this project should only cost $20.

This is a super easy beginner woodworker project that only requires a drill and a saw to cut your lumber.

I teach some local woodworking and craft classes here on the island, and we’ve done these for two classes. The ladies have loved making them!

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These stove covers are for decorative use only. With the flat bottom, they are best suited for a glass cooktop and are for standard 30″ x 22″ surfaces. Please adjust the plans if your cooktop has different measurements

Supplies to build your stove cover:

You can visit my Amazon page to see what told and products I typically use.

Lumber (I used pine):

– 1 x 6 x 6 (2)
– 1 x 4 x 4 (1)

Hardware:

– 1″ screws
– 2 handles

Tools:

– Drill
– Countersink drill bit
-Phillips head bit
– Saw (I used a miter saw)
– Sandpaper (100 grit and 220 should be sufficient for this project)
– Wood glue

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Step 1: Cut your lumber

Before using these plans, please measure your stove top to make sure it will fit. The finished dimensions of this stove cover will be 30″ wide x 22″ deep.

You will need four 1 x 6 pieces cut at 30″ each. Once those are cut, lay them next to each other and measure the width of all four. It should be 22″, but I have found that different mills can vary the lumber width just slightly, so it’s always better to measure first.

Then cut your 1×4 pieces to the length you just measured. Again, this “should” be 22″.

Step 2: Sand and prep lumber

I prefer to sand my pieces before assembling and then again once assembled. This is a personal preference, but it will really help get in between the boards. I use a more coarse grit for this initial sanding, so start with 80 or 100 grit depending on what shape your lumber is in.

Step 3: Drill countersink holes

Lay out your pieces how you want them. Check for knots and where you’d like those to be on your boards, etc. Once you have it how you want it, flip the entire thing upside down, so the 1×4’s are upside down on the bottom, and the 1×6’s are upside down on top of them.

Now drill your countersink holes. You will only want them to go about 1/2 way into your lumber, so be careful you don’t go too deep. If you’re unfamiliar with a countersink bit or what it does, it’s used to carve out a small spot for the head of the screw to sit. That way it won’t be above the lumber and possibly scratch your cooktop.

I drilled four holes on each board (two on each side). Just make sure they will catch the 1×4 board below.

Step 4: Glue and assemble the stove cover

Now remove the 1×6 pieces, and make sure you keep them in the correct order, so you know how to place them back down when you’re finished gluing.

Glue:

Apply wood glue to the back of your 1×4’s. Make sure not to get too close to the edges as the glue will expand slightly.

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Attach with screws:

Place the 1×6 pieces back on top of the 1×4’s with the countersink holes face up. Align corners well.

I use drywall screws because they’re inexpensive and grab really well. They work great for a simple project like this. I found it easiest to keep it square by driving the first two screws into the front two holes on the front board. Then the back two holes on the back board. Then you can just fill in the rest!

Step 5: Attach the handles to your stove cover

If you purchased the handles I recommended above, attaching the handles is a snap. Since the screws are inserted through the front, you just need to make sure they’re centered top to bottom and left to right. The exact measurement I got for those Liberty brand handles was 9.25″ from the top of the 1×4 to the center of the top hole in the handle. Then 1.75″ from the side of the board to that same hole.

If you are installing a different handle that works like a drawer pull with the bolt going in the back, you will need to make sure to countersink your holes again to keep your cook top safe.

And that’s it! Now you can stain or finish it however you’d like. These are decorative pieces and not meant for handling food, so we did not use food-safe stain for our class.

A few ladies chose to do chalk paint (like me!) as a decorative touch. Just be careful placing hot pots and pans on them since the chalk paint can’t be sealed.

And I have to give a big thank you to one of my students for sharing pics of the stove cover she assembled in my class. Doesn’t it look amazing in her home?! You can visit Maggie’s Instagram feed here. 🙂