Now I am not talking about the bottom board that the whole cake sits on but the ones between tiers. I have heard conflicting advice so I am posing the question here.
I have heard that you must cover every board. Read to do it with contact paper and was taught to do it with cake foil. Couple reasons for covering; It makes the cake taste like cardboard, the moisture weakens the board and then the structure, and last the cake boards are not food safe and must be covered. I didn't think contact paper was food safe either but ok.
I think trying to cover the boards between would make it very bulky. How would you get it completely smooth so the tiers wouldn't be tilting?
Wondering what everyone else does.
TIA
Absolutely NOT! Those cardboard circles are MADE for this purpose. They do NOT make the cake taste like cardboard. They do NOT soak up so much moisture that they are "weakened". I have NEVER covered one and I'd money that folks like Indydebi and Leah don't either. As a matter of fact I do remember Leah responding to a similar post. She doesn't.
Like I said these circles are made FOR this purpose so there is absolutely no reason to cover them.
Like you said seems that covering the boards "between" tiers would cause it to tilt or could anyway. Contact paper isn't food safe. I do use it on the cake BASE when I cover one with fabric or wrapping paper but the bottom tier sits on it's own cakeboard so it doesn't actually touch the contact paper anyway. If you put contact paper on the circles that are between tiers it would most certainly touch the cake....which is a no no.
This really has been discussed ad nauseum on here.
The cake boards do not need to be covered.
They will not soak up enough moisture to compromise the support they are providing.
I've never found that they cause any sort of "off" taste to the cake at all.
If you choose to cover them, them use Press N Seal, but not foil which is easily cut so that little pieces of foil will get into the cake servings. Not cool.
Really, I've been baking for 50 years (not a typo) and have never, ever covered a single board. And I don't intend to start now.
Sometimes I use waxed boards, sometimes unwaxed. Makes no difference.
Just want to share a recent experience. I had someone send an SPS plate back to me in the mail. The cardboard (covered in cake foil) was still attached to the plate. Now, granted, this was over a week after the cake was assembled, when I removed the 6" cardboard it had the structural integrity of a Kleenex. I was really suprised, as it was covered in foil. Not sure if it happened in the heat of the USPS truck but I really would now be worried to send out a tiered cake with uncovered cake card boards between the tiers; or for that matter without using SPS.
I don't pretend to have anywhere near the experience LeahS does, so.... do you ladies have any insight as to why this was?
I'd say the fact that it WAS covered in foil. Any moisture that may have been on the cardboard was "sealed" by the foil keeping it damp.
I agree that cake boards do not need to be covered. They are made specifically for this purpose. In all the years I've been using them, I've never, ever seen one become soggy or unstable. Granted, I'm not always there after a customer cuts a cake. but I've made hundreds of cakes for friends and family where I was there for the cutting.
Also agree that if you do cover them, be aware that foil, plastic wrap, waxed paper, all can be shredded with the cake cutting and get into your servings.
Didn't mean to add to your nausea leah_s. Thank you for your response though. I was just reading the SPS sticky. I have my first big tiered order coming up. Three tiers for a 40th anniversary. I have done 2 two tiers and covered the board of one(had to it was for class and that's what they were teaching) and one for a birthday where I didn't cover the board and used dowels in both.
Does the SPS only come in round? I need square and only see round on Global Sugar. Maybe I'm not looking in the right spot? 
Wait- just found the squares
mamwrobin- I have read your posts about using straws. Do you then put a dowel through the middle of all of them?
Thanks fellow CCers 
I do not cover my boards in between they layers.....they are made for that very thing.
[quote="KakesbyKris"]
mamwrobin- I have read your posts about using straws. Do you then put a dowel through the middle of all of them?
Kris..sometimes I do but not always. If it's a two tiered cake I rarely do unless the customer is picking it up and I'm not delivering it. When it's a three tiered or more I usually do...but not always. Lucky for me I haven't lost one yet. 
Does anyone have a good source for the bubble straws? I ordered some from Thailand and got 50 of the 400 so far. I wish I could find them locally.
I'm curious what toedna has to say now. Her video on stacking a wedding cake specifically says you should put a wax paper circle over the cardboard so that is what I have been doing. I'm so confused now.
Don't be confused Just because it isn't necessary doesn't mean that you can't do it. If this is the way you've been doing it and it works for you...go ahead and do it . It just isn't "necessary".
I do put a piece of wax paper BETWEEN my cake and the tier that it's resting on. I cut the wax paper the exact size of the "resting" tier and put it on the cake before putting the next tier on. It keeps the icing/fondant from sticking to the cake when it's removed for cutting and I can also center the wax paper so when I add my cake it's always perfectly centered the first time.
Covering the boards may not be necessary but I don't think cutting the cake to reveal that it's sitting on a greasy cardboard circle is very visually appealing. I don't think most people would readily know that the circles are food safe. While I've never had a problem with foil getting in the cake, I may try waxed paper next time instead.
Thanks mamawrobin - I think I did not understand what Edna was saying (she never actually showed it on the stacking video). I think she meant what you said - put the wax paper circle down first then the tier with the cake board on it. I was putting wax paper on both the bottom and top of the circle.
Yums iif you could that would be great! I ordered some from Thailand (opensesamii) for $2,50 for 200 and ordered 2 quantities and received 50 plus I paid 21.00 for postage. That was the best deal I could find, but won't buy out of states again. 50 isn't going to last long to that would be great if it's not too much bother. Thank you!
Thanks mamawrobin - I think I did not understand what Edna was saying (she never actually showed it on the stacking video). I think she meant what you said - put the wax paper circle down first then the tier with the cake board on it. I was putting wax paper on both the bottom and top of the circle.
If you are talking about her video showing how to stack cakes it is pretty clear that the cake rounds are covered in wax paper. The message that scrolls at the 5:27 mark (where she is separating the top tier from the board it is on) says:
"On every top tier there is a cardboard under each cake. Covered in wax paper on both sides."
If she meant put the wax paper circle down first then the tier with cake board I think she would have shown it (we see everything else). The video is not spliced, you see her move from cutting dowels, to creating the small well in the icing the tier will sit on, to her removing it from the board it sist on, to her placing it on the cake. Why would she edit out the placing of the wax paper if indeed that is what she meant?
What you describe as your current practice (placing wax paper on both sides) is exactly what she describes. She does not explain why she does it, it could be so the buttercream underneath does not come off when unstacked, food safety or both. But whatever her reason for doing so, I think the point is these steps are not necessary, but heck there is no harm in it doing so and maybe it makes things a little safer and easier.
I am going to totally piggy back this topic because I can't find answer on CC. As far as cakeboards go on the bootom (the visual one, what do you use for thick ones? I have seen ones that people put ribbons around the edge. what is that board made of!
I learned to cover all boards--including the 'drum' board (unless it's already got a moisture proof covering) with white Freezer wrap. The shiny side keeps all moisture at bay and it is very easy to clean up errant frosting and such around the base of cakes. It comes in a huge roll and lasts a very long time. I find it much sturdier than wax paper.
I am a total beginner as regards stacking cakes and the only one I have actually stacked is a topsy turvy one I was playing with. The boards did indeed soak up moisture from the cake and the dowels then pushed through the cake boards and the cakes were obviously not stable.
I don't cover my boards but I did start using foamcore in addition to cake circles because I had a cake fall over due to the cake circles giving because of moisture. So now I use foamcore with a cake circle on top so that the foamcore is not actually touching the cake. I put wax paper in between tiers as well. I use bubble tea straws for supports. I always travel with my cakes fully assembled and am proud to say I have not lost a cake yet using this method. (now where's some wood to knock on!!)
I am a total beginner as regards stacking cakes and the only one I have actually stacked is a topsy turvy one I was playing with. The boards did indeed soak up moisture from the cake and the dowels then pushed through the cake boards and the cakes were obviously not stable.
I have never covered a cardboard circle and I've never had this to happen 
What kind of recipe did you use for your cake? Was it extra moist? I stack 20 or more cakes each week using uncovered cardboard circles and I've never had one to collapase. I'm just curious what happened that would have caused your dowels to "push through the cakeboards". That's why I'm asking if your cake was extra moist or something?
I am going to totally piggy back this topic because I can't find answer on CC. As far as cakeboards go on the bootom (the visual one, what do you use for thick ones? I have seen ones that people put ribbons around the edge. what is that board made of!
Im with you on this one.
Those are really thick boards... I have some that are homemade from 2" Ply Wood(sturdy for any cake), but those are for my home use only, and i place my cake (on its cake board) on top of it...
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