Very good friend would like one of these things.

Cross grain will be the first thing to address. First off what is the proper name for these things? She gave me this photo and looked like it was in a small Mennonite place. I looked up under pastry boards, some have a strip of wood on the bottom so they dont push away, this one doesnt. I could make a removable thing as well.

To my thinking if a thing like this was made with dovetails at the back corner they should be on the side and not the back. Same as a drawer to work with the force direction.

3/4" thickness for the bottom? think so. 1/2" lighter but think best to have some meat there. Weight a thought and likely use soft maple as I have it here.

Cross grain expansion can think of a few ways but for sure it has to be allowed to move and not pull apart anywhere. O cam pin it in the middle and allow both the front and back to move, the back can have a rabbet there and if it pulls forward a bit wont matter. front a reveal so any movement doesnt show

Dont think they get washed maybe just wiped with a damp towel will ask.

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