I would just like to take a pole and see if everyone covers the boards before they use them under the cake. If so I'm curious as to what everyone uses. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my question and giving your advice.

I cover all my boards either in freezer paper or in press and seal wrap.

Yep - cut a cardboard round to the same size and hot glue it to the foam core on both sides

I cover mine with white Contact paper.

I do use it and I either cover with fancy foil or contact paper depending on the look I am going for.

So far I only use the foam core as my base board, so I cover with whatever paper coordinates best with my design. Just the other day I covered it with fondant to match my cake pattern. The cake itself is always on its own cake board before it goes on the base board.

Thanks for all the input so far, I look forward to seeing more ideas.

I saw some beautiful wrapping paper the other day and wanted to try that with clear contact paper over it. Has anyone had luck with that?

I have read that clear contact paper over wrapping paper works well. I am going to try this on my next cake. The dollar tree has clear contact paper!

I put the actual cake on a round, but then I like to cover the board with wrapping paper and then clear contact paper! It works great and you can find some pretty wrapping paper selections. I tried scrapbook paper, but there were always seems since the paper is usually too small.

Press and seal wrap between layers...and freezer paper as the baseboard.

I use 3/16th foamcore as my cake boards cut to the same size as the cake. I don't cover them--don't want saran, paper, or foil, coming up when cutting cake.

I sanitize by wiping with clear drinking alcohol or vanilla extract and I have recently begun melting some paramount crystals, cocoa butter, or edible soy was and wiping that on with a paper towel while it's hot in a very thin coat, making my own "waxed" cake board.

For the decorative base board, I use 3/16th for one tier, small cakes and 1/2 inch for larger, heavier cakes.

I often wrap in decorative paper and cover with clear Contact paper. Colored Contact paper and colored wrapping paper contain lead, so cake should never come in direct contact with either. I also cover boards with fondant--I love Duff's Fondant/Fondarific for this because it doesn't really dry and fingerprints, dings, etc., can easily be "buffed" out after days.

HTH
Rae

Thanks everyone, but I have a question. Does anyone know for certain if clear contact paper is food safe? I remember seeing a debate some time ago about that but never seen the outcome.

I contacted the Kitterich Company several years ago about clear contact paper.

No, it is not "technically" food safe--it contains phthalates that keep it very flexible. Those were found to be unhealthy several years ago and they are "released" when in contact with acidic and/or greasy foods.

There should ALWAYS be a barrier between the contact paper and the cake and/or other edibles.

Rae