For all of you seasoned vets, what is my best best for a sturdy cake board? I was planning on making my own out of plywood, but is there an easier (or better method). Also, what is a good option for underneath a sheet cake so it stays perfectly flat and doesnt buckle at any point? Foamcore? Thanks!!!
For my really big/heavy cakes I use 3" styrofoam wrapped in white contact paper. It will hold the weight and if you have the need to you can stick decoration in it with wire, and you can dowel your cake into the board too. It works great for me. If you look at my pics you will see the lawn mower cake I did. I stuck the handle into the foam and was able to dowel into the foam at each corner to be able to cover the cake with seran wrap with out damaging the cake and it was covered for traveling.
I hope this helps,
Polly
Cake drums!
It is best to purchase these....BUT!....... don't use Wilton's 
You can make your own but....I could never get the foil covering to look nice It was worth the extra $$ to just buy them. I usually got mine from Country Kitchen.
Polly's idea is pretty good.........why did anyone else come up w/that? 
You can make your own with foam core. Its cheaper and sturdy. I buy the rectangle 1/2" and 3/16" at Hobby Lobby when they are 50% off (which is at least once a month). I also have a "Hot knife" that I bought at Michaels (w/coupon of course) - what a great gadget - it makes cleaner cuts that hacking at it with a regular knife or something serrated. Foam board is light and the 1/2" width size is sturdy.
If you are not good at getting the foil right. Check out these quick steps:
http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com/techniques/coverthecakeboardwithfoil.cfm
One thing though, unlike the picture in the link, dont cut each slit all the way to the board (backup the width of the board plus at least 1/4"). Slightly better instructions are on the Wilton Foil roll (bought at any Michaels).
Tip: I wait till right after x-mas and buy all the x-mas foiled wrapping paper I can find. They dont soak in the grease from the icing. The longer the width of the roll- the better- if you like to cover large boards like I do (for 3D cakes, large bottoms of wedding cake boards, etc). 
I use the foam under certain cakes that need it too--like a purse cake. You gotta stick the dowel into something that will keep it from falling over something that will give it a bit of stability.
Umm, just a friendly heads up on the wrapping paper deal-- I used to use it too but I found out that it is not only not food safe but some of it contains lead and other unpleasant things.
For all of you seasoned vets, what is my best best for a sturdy cake board? I was planning on making my own out of plywood, but is there an easier (or better method). Also, what is a good option for underneath a sheet cake so it stays perfectly flat and doesnt buckle at any point? Foamcore? Thanks!!!
I hot glue cake boards together to form a cake drum. Then I hot glue ribbon around the egde to tidy it up.
I'm lucky that DH is a printer, and there is scrap 'gray board' that he cuts for me. This is a thick kraft paper used to protect paper in delivery on pallets. Wonderful stuff, as sturdy as wood/MDF.
Check with a local printshop, see if they'll let you take some scrap off their hands. 
Pollymaggs -Smart idea with the styrofoam, and that lawnmower cake rocks!
KathyTW - I charge a deposit for the masonite board. If I get the board back, they get their deposit back. I had a coworker that darned near destroyed a masonite board, and I hadn't charged her a deposit because I know her. To make a long story short, she paid for a new board. I always charge a deposit now.
k8memphis - I use tissue paper covered with Contact Paper. I assumed that Contact Paper is food safe because you can use it to line cupboards. I guess I'd better check the label before I use it again.
just to clarify....my cakes never sit directly on the foil (regardless of which type I use). Each layer is either sitting on the thin foamcore (or cake plate) or even a large piece (which you can tell it is once fondant is applied) for a large bottom tier. I then take double stick carpet tape (bought at Lowes) on the bottom of the foamcore/plate (that has the bottom layer of cake on it) and stick it to the foil covered foamcore. Cool trick I learned here on CC!
Every single one of us uses something that could transfer miniscule amounts of whatever (ie, cake boards (white top part) is bleached to get it to be white, all types of plastics leach chemicals, the debate about dragees, Chernobyl Wilton fondant, etc). If I refer back to my College days the only thing that is inert is glass in our world. Personally, glassmaking is not my specialty.
just to clarify....my cakes never sit directly on the foil (regardless of which type I use). Each layer is either sitting on the thin foamcore (or cake plate) or even a large piece (which you can tell it is once fondant is applied) for a large bottom tier. I then take double stick carpet tape (bought at Lowes) on the bottom of the foamcore/plate (that has the bottom layer of cake on it) and stick it to the foil covered foamcore. Cool trick I learned here on CC!
Every single one of us uses something that could transfer miniscule amounts of whatever (ie, cake boards (white top part) is bleached to get it to be white, all types of plastics leach chemicals, the debate about dragees, Chernobyl Wilton fondant, etc). If I refer back to my College days the only thing that is inert is glass in our world. Personally, glassmaking is not my specialty.
Yeah for sure. I was just qualifying that for whosoever might have needed to know.
I use a foam insulation board I puchase at the local home improvement store. It is less than $10 for a 4' x 8' sheet and then I can cut it to whatever sizes I want. It is easy to cut, I even glue "feet" underneath (small pieces of the board to lift it slightly off the table - makes it much easier to get my fingers under the board of a heavy cake). I cover the board with either fondant or contact paper, and run ribbon around the edge. Makes for a very sturdy board even under multi-tiered stacked cakes.
k8memphis - speaking of boards, your fabric covered ones (seen on your site) are gorgeous...is that satin?
k8memphis - speaking of boards, your fabric covered ones (seen on your site) are gorgeous...is that satin?
Oh my gosh how sweet are you? Go ahead make my day.
But umm, yeah I use satin, crepe backed satin has more body to hold the nice folds but I use regular satin too. Even used paper once. Rosebud up on the top of the page is paper if memory serves--rosebud was a real fast cake. Maybe it was lace on top of typing paper? Something like that.
Thank you!!!
k8memphis - I swear I learn something new everyday here on CC - great idea about crepe backed satin.
All - Another type of board that you can use (its thin and mostly study but not as light as foamboard) is Luan board (bought on the cheap at Lowes) (come in big squares...its wood).
Just a quick tip I learned about covering a cake board:
Personally, I use cake drums or make my own from foamcore. After they are covered in foil, I roll the board on it's edge across my counter. This flattens the foil on the edge and makes a much crisper edge.
is foamcore the same as styrofoam?
what is a cake drum? anyone care to share a pic of it? is it made of wood?
what about cake boards that all of you put between your cake and the separator plates (esp for SPS), what are those made of?
forgive me if these are dumb questions...
mclaren~ THANK YOU for taking the plunge and asking these questions! I was clueless as to what was being talked about but it has to be something important!
This site is an overwhelming wealth of knowledge!
Mclaren hope these answers help let me know if you have any questions (I'll keep it layman terms - and no question is a dumb question):
Cake Boards = mostly thin pieces of card board with a white top (not grease resistant). Mainly (or only) used for one level (tier) cakes that arent very big. Admittedly, I sometimes use these to freeze-store only the cakes that are my smaller tiers (ex. 8", 10").
Foam Core = Tight small celled plastic-like styrofoam sandwiched between two "clay coated" poster boards. Two most popular sizes are 1/2" and 3/16." Light and sturdy they are wonderful, economical. 1/2" size can hold up a large cake with no problem. If want to sandwich two together with hot glue that should be fine (I have no problem with just the 1/2" size for my large heavy or multi tiered cakes). The 3/16" can be used on 2nd tiers (and up depending on weight of cakes) - personally I would NEVER use the regular thin cardboard cake boards between my tiers). Sometimes I do use the 1/2 in for my 2nd tier. If you have a sharpened center dowel (pencil sharpener works great) can easily go through multiple layers of foamcore. Go to Hobby Lobby or your local craft store and ask to see the Foam core section. HL will have the best supply. Wait till it goes on 50% off and stock up. Get a "hot knife" that helps to cut it too.
Note: I've left off of this post the hard plastic types and other arrays of pre-manufactured cake plates which I will assume you have see or read about.
SPS - there is an expert on CC about these...I'll have to see if I can locate her user name. Just remember its whatever you feel comfortable with economically, efficiency wise and that will lend the most creativity to you - everything has its ups and downs.
hello Leah - yes Mclaren has a question above about the separator plates used for SPS system
I make my own cake drums also. An easier way to coverthem and less of a PIA is to just pleat them. I was cutting the slits and felt they took forever. A friend at cake club said it is a lot faster and easier to pleat them. I have been doing them ever since.
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