A noodle board is a stovetop cover to hide the burners. Typically, people use noodle boards to create extra space on their countertops when preparing or serving meals.
Gas stovetops are harder to clean compared to electric stovetops. If you didn’t have a stove guard for your gas burners, spills, crust, and burned liquid are guaranteed to leave an unsightly view in your kitchen.
You can always scrub them off with an iron scrubber and chemicals. But, what if you don’t have the time -and energy- to do that?
A noodle board is your lifesaver.
What is a noodle board, you asked?
A noodle board is a stovetop cover to hide unsightly burners when you are hosting dining, or simply when you need extra space for meal preparations and serving.
It makes your kitchen look nicer without the dirty burners, it’s convenient, and you can customize it to suit your taste!
Why Is It Called a Noodle Board?
A noodle board got its name because back in the day, people use it to roll out the dough, cut noodles, and kneading bread or pastry dough.
Nowadays, since people rarely bake their own bread and prefer to have store-bought bread and pastry dough -except a few who are home chefs and professional bakers- noodle boards are utilized as stovetop covers.
Nevertheless, you can indeed use a noodle board to knead pie dough or making pasta, you will need a hardwood noodle board and a food-grade finish for the wood.
What Is the Purpose Of a Noodle Board?
Back in the day, noodle boards are utilized to knead the dough, make pasta, or prepare meals. It serves a purpose similar to a cutting board, but wider and larger.
These days, you may use a noodle board to cover your burners or stovetop. It creates extra space on your countertop when you’re preparing and serving meals, or hosting guests.
A noodle board hides the unsightly burners from your kitchen and makes it looks nicer and neat.
Are Noodle Boards Safe For Stoves?
Generally speaking, noodle boards are safe for stoves. But, there are possibilities where a noodle board may be unsafe as it can catch fire.
Practically, you can use noodle boards everywhere. On the countertop, kitchen table, or on top of a gas stove.
But, you need to pay attention to these 3 things when you use a wooden noodle board as a stovetop cover:
#1. Gas Buildup
A gas buildup can be a big issue if you install a raised noodle board on a gas range.
A stove cover may trap gas that could lead to a dangerous amount of flammable material in your kitchen.
To prevent this, make sure your gas is always off when you place the noodle board on top.
Generally speaking, as long as you always turn your gas stove off and wait for it to cool down, a noodle board on a stovetop is relatively safe.
#2. Pilot Light
On gas ranges, a small gas burner is kept alight permanently to light a larger burner. In short, there is a small light in your gas stove to ignite the gas burners. This is called a pilot light.
Typically, the pilot light remains on and always produces heat constantly.
Long-term exposure to heat from the pilot light may be dangerous to your noodle board.
However, not all gas ranges have pilot lights. If you own the latest model, your range may not have it.
Make sure that you check if your gas range has a pilot light before using a noodle board on your stovetop.
#3. Heat Exposure
Although noodle boards are made to stand the heat, long-term exposure to heat may cause damage to your noodle board.
If you are using an electric range, make sure that the light indicator has turned off before you’re placing the noodle board.
If you are unsure, wait for 20 to 30 minutes until your stovetop cools down completely.
Accidentally running an electric burner with a noodle board on top of it can be dangerous and can start a fire.
Where Do You Put Noodle Board When Cooking?
You can put aside your noodle board while cooking. Depends on your noodle board design and your range’s model, you may flip it and place it leaning against the wall, or slide it to the side.
You can also put it on the kitchen table as a serving tray when fits, or utilize it as a deco if your noodle board comes with a hook.
Personalized Noodle Board For Gas Stoves
You can get a personalized noodle board when you commission it to a professional. For example, Etsy provides a great variety of noodle boards you can select.
There are things you should know and decide before purchasing personalized noodle boards on Etsy. Here are some tips:
#1. Know what you need
How are you going to use your noodle board? Is it solely for covering your cooktops, or are you going to knead bread, pastry dough, or make pasta on it?
This helps you decide which material is good enough to mount heavy work and ensure that the seller uses a food-safe finish on the wood.
For example, if you intend to use your noodle board for cooking, you need to tell your seller so they use hardwood.
If you only need your noodle board to cover your cooktops, then you have a wide variety of wood you can select from.
#2. Measure the dimensions
Gas ranges come in different sizes. Standard widths are 24, 30, 36, and 48 inches.
Refer to your ranges’ user manual to know the exact measurement and to avoid mistakes. When necessary, mention your range’s model.
IMPORTANT: If you are planning to place a noodle board on top of your gas range, make sure your personalized noodle board has holes to allow gas to escape. This prevents gas buildup in your kitchen that can be dangerous.
#3. Make sure you have time to wait
Personalized noodle boards from Etsy are Handmade and take time to craft.
Typically, a seller needs 3 to 5 business days to finish a customized noodle board before they can ship it to you.
Make sure you have enough time to wait for it to be made and shipping days.
Noodle Boards For Gas Stoves DIY
If you’re looking for a DIY noodle board, this YouTube channel from addicted2diy.com gives a great tutorial. The video teaches you how to build a DIY noodle board using scrap wood or store-bought wood.
DIY noodle boards mean you can customize them any way you desire.
According to the tutorial, to craft a noodle board for a standard dimension of a freestanding gas range, you will need:
- 2 – 1×6 boards @ 6′ long
- 1 – 1×2 board @ 8′ long
- 1 1/4″ pin (or brad) nails
- wood glue
- 220 grit sandpaper
- nail gun
- orbital sander
Cut List:
- 4 – 1×6 boards @ 28 1/2″ long
- 2 – 1×2 boards @ 22 3/4″ long
- 1 – 1×2 board @ 28 1/2″ long
25 Best Noodle Boards Inspiration For Gas Stove
If you know nothing about carpentry, you may want to get your noodle board commissioned by a carpenter.
Here are the 25 best noodle boards for your gas stove you can use as a reference when purchasing a customized stovetop cover.
#1. Custom Hand Made wooden Stove Top Cover – Personalized Noodle Board For Gas/Electric stove – Farm Style Kitchen Decor Serving Tray
#2. Raised Noodle Board / Stovetop Cover for gas stove
#3. Noodle Board/Stove Top Cover by
#4. Stove top cover, Custom made noodle board, stove cover by
#5. Noodle Board Stove cover by
#6. Noodle boards/stove cover by
#7. Southern Cow Creamery Stove Cover, Noodle Board, Stove Cover, Farmhouse Decor by
#8. Noodle boards by
#9. Monogrammed Noodle Board Stove Top Cover, Wooden Stove Tray, Stove Topper by
#10. Custom Made Noodle Board/Stove Top Cover by
#11. Custom Stove Top Cover, Rustic Tray by
#12. Custom built wooden Stove top cover by
#13. Noodle Board by
#14. Custom Anniversary Noodle Board by
#15. Stove Cover, Noodle Board, Farmhouse decor, by
#16. Customizable Noodle Board by
#17. Farmhouse Electric Stove Top Cover/Noodle Board/Kitchen Decor/ Cooktop Cover/Farm style Decor by
#18. Stovetop cover (noodle board) by
#19. Stove cover,Stove Top Cover, Noodle Board, Cook Top Cover by
#20. Hand made noodle board / oven cover by
#21. Farmhouse Stove Top Oven Cover Noodle Board, Stove Cover – Vintage Primitive Country Wooden Tray, Farmhouse Decor by
#22. Happiness is Homemade Noodle board by
#23. Farmhouse Stove Cover, Rustic Stove Cover, Farmhouse Noodle Board, Rustic Noodle Board by
#24. Noodle Board (Stove Cover) by
#25. Serving tray, Stove top cover, Stove cover, Customized by
The Bottom Line
Before purchasing a noodle board, make sure that you measure your range’s or stovetop dimensions correctly.
If you want to place the noodle board on a gas stove, choose the ones with holes or gaps between the wood. It ensures the gas can flow through and does not build up which can be harmful.
If you are unsure what to buy, consider talking to the seller to help you decide which noodle boards suit you best.
