Create Extra Kitchen Countertop Space With This Clever Burner Cover DIY

Countertop space is a hot commodity in a compact kitchen. From the process of prepping ingredients to the convenience of having key appliances within arm's reach, having sufficient countertop space is important for maintaining a smooth flow in the kitchen. A common way to create this extra space is to turn your sink and burner into flat surfaces by covering them with boards. 

These specific burner cover boards can be purchased in stores, but it's smarter to DIY so you can get them at a cheaper cost. In this YouTube video, the DIY enthusiast gives a great tutorial for making a board at home, but we found an easier method that doesn't need as much woodworking. The creator measures her stove top and goes to the store to buy a large plank of wood that she proceeds to cut into the pieces she needs for her new cover. 

While a great DIY project, it isn't really a woodworking project for beginners since it involves tools like clamps and a circular saw and cutting the board from scratch. The clever DIY burner cover alternative we found in a different video uses materials that are easier to use and cheaper to obtain. It requires six 29-inch 1x4 boards, two 22-inch 1x4 boards, felt pads, wood glue, and a box of 1 ¼ inch wood screws (via YouTube). You should be able to get all of these for under $70. 

Home Depot sells a 5-pack of red oak 2-by-4s for $34 and a 100-pack of screws for $12. Additionally, Walmart offers Elmer's wood glue for $8 and a pack of felt pads for $13. The creator lines up the 29-inch boards, places them side by side, and fixes the 22-inch boards on both ends with the glue. She then uses the screws to fasten all of them, paints the entire cover, and adds a personalized stencil design to the front. She chooses the side with the 22-inch boards to be right-side up, so she adds handles to those sides — making it easy to carry. Finally, she adds felt pads to the back of the board so it doesn't scratch the burner. This can be done by anyone with the equipment as well as basic DIY and woodworking skills.

An even simpler method is to convert one of your cutting boards into a burner cover. All you need to do is make tiny legs from a dowel rod and then glue and screw the legs onto the bottom of the boards. You will quickly have great new worktops for very cheap and with little effort. Just be sure you get the right measurements for your materials to fit your burner area. Also, be mindful of the materials you use. Wood is the typical choice for making these boards, but it is flammable and should always be used with care.