A good quality cutting board can be a beautiful conversation starter in your kitchen, and it can be a great way to turn your wood scraps into a lucrative side business.
In today’s post, we will discuss what to consider when choosing wood for your cutting board, which varieties are best to use, the different types of wood cutting boards, and whether there are any types of wood to avoid.
6 Things to Consider When Choosing Wood for Cutting Board
There are a few things to consider when choosing wood for a cutting board, which we will discuss below.
Durability
The very first thing to consider is the durability of the wood you choose. The nature of a cutting board requires the wood to stand up to abuse from knives, meat tenderizers, and other kitchen tools. A softwood like pine is not an ideal choice for such abuse, however harder woods like walnut and cherry are great options.
The ideal range for cutting board hardness is between 850 lbf – 1,600 lbf on the Janka scale. Wood that is too soft will take damage faster and need replacement sooner. If the wood is too hard, not only will it be challenging to work with, but it will also dull knives over time.
Grain
The grain of the wood is determined by how the wood fibers grow within the trunk of the tree. Straight grain is self-explanatory – the fibers grow straight upward in the tree. Grain can be diagonal when the log is sawed at an angle from the vertical axis.
It is interlocked when tree layers grow in opposite directions from one another, and wavy grain occurs when the direction that the fibers grow changes constantly.
The reason that this is important is that different grains will cut and finish differently. Cutting boards are planed to get a completely level surface, and the planing process can cause tear-out on interlocked, spiral, and sometimes wavy-grained wood. Knowing the grain of your wood can help you modify the process to avoid that issue.
Texture
The texture of the wood is determined by the size of the cells and pores. The cell size is described as the size of the grain, such as fine-grained, coarse-grained, etc. This is what causes the physical feeling of texture in the wood.
Pore size is often referred to as open and closed-grain in the woodworking world. It is especially important to pay attention to whether the wood you choose is open or closed-grain, as this determines how readily the wood absorbs moisture.
Moisture isn’t limited to water, however, as a cutting board can absorb moisture from the surface of uncooked meats and food, creating an environment that will retain and grow bacteria.
Knowing the texture of the wood will help you choose a finishing technique that can protect you against foodborne illnesses.
Desired Color
Knowing the desired color and tone of the finished project will help narrow down the choices available to you. Choose woods that are naturally closest to the color you want to be displayed in the final project; walnut for darker browns, maple for lighter creamy tones, or cherry for darker reddish tones.
The color of the wood being used is also an indicator of general food safety. Very bright or exotic colors in wood are not recommended for toxicity reasons, which will be explained more below.
Traditionally, cutting boards are not stained because food-safe stains were not readily available until after the 1970s. Food-safe stain is available today, but many woodworks still choose to showcase the natural color of the wood instead.
Natural Oils and Toxins
Not all wood is naturally safe to eat off of. Some exotic and tropical woods, like purpleheart, have toxic oils that can leach into food. Teak is debated upon, as some sources state that it is safe with proper finishing, while some say to avoid it.
A good general rule of thumb to follow is to choose wood from a hardwood tree that produces edible fruits, seeds, nuts, leaves, or sap.
Cost
As always, set up a budget before beginning a project. There’s a wide variety of hardwoods available on the market that are suitable for cutting board projects, though some are significantly more expensive than others.
Hard maple is a beautiful and durable option for a cutting board, but a similar look can be accomplished with beech for less money. Knowing your budget will help you plan out your wood, design, and time.
Maintenance
Some woods used in cutting boards are very low maintenance, while others need more frequent care. For example, maple needs more frequent conditioning than walnut does, but each requires continuous care. If simply using an oil sealant, most wood should be conditioned quarterly, though some that shrink more, like beech, need more frequent maintenance.
10 Best Types of Wood for Cutting Boards
With the criteria out of the way, let’s take a look at what some of the best options out there are.
Maple
Hard maple, or sugar maple, is a domestic hardwood with a hardness of 1,450 lbf on the Janka scale. It has a generally straight, though sometimes wavy, closed grain with an even, fine texture. Maple wood ranges from white to creamy off-white in color. It is widely available but is high in price.
This type of wood is the most popular choice for cutting boards in North America. The benefits of this wood are its moisture resistance and durability, sustainability, and availability. Because of its closed grain, it is naturally bacterial-resistant and requires no special maintenance. It can be cleaned with warm, soapy water and should be re-coated with finishing oil once every quarter or sooner with frequent use.
Walnut
Chosen for its naturally rich, brown tone, walnut is another popular decorative choice for cutting boards. Most often, black walnut is used, which rates at 1,010 lbf on the Janka scale. With a mostly straight grain, this wood also features appealing wavy, spiral, and crotch patterns. It has a closed grain with a medium texture and is moderately priced.
Walnut is chosen for its hardness and moisture resistance, beauty, and workability. This is another board that is resistant to bacterial growth and requires minimal care. Periodic oiling is needed, and it can be cleaned regularly with warm, soapy water.
Beech
American beech is a light, creamy-toned hardwood that’s often used as a utility material. It has a straight, closed grain and rates at 1,300 lbf on the Janka scale. This wood is easy to find and is low to moderate in price.
Due to its hardness, light coloration, and low price point, beech is often used as an alternative to hard maple. It is durable, moisture-resistant, and easy to find. Caring for this material is very much the same as other closed-grain hardwoods: warm soapy water for cleaning with periodic recoating of a good quality oil or finish.
Learn more about using beech for cutting boards
Ash
With a prominent vertical grain, ash is a light beige to brown hardwood. It has an open grain of varying pore sizes, depending on the age of the wood, and has a medium to coarse texture. Rated at 1,320 lbf on the Janka scale, ash is a good sturdy choice, and is quite affordable.
This is an inexpensive option, albeit there is some lessened availability due to invasive insects. There is also concern over bacteria in end grain boards made using ash due to the open pores. Regular generous coatings of mineral oil should help protect the wood.
Learn more about using ash for cutting boards
Oak
Another open-grain hardwood is oak. This wood is incredibly versatile, with a mostly straight grain and occasional wavy and interlocked patterns. Oak is naturally beige to light brown in color and is a sturdy wood with a medium to coarse grain. Different species of this tree range between about 1,200 lbf to 1,500 lbf Janka hardness. It is easy to find and is in the mid-range of pricing.
Despite oak’s sturdiness and versatility, its open grain is a problem when it comes to moisture resistance. White oak is significantly more water-resistant than red oak, showing a slower and more limited rate of absorption, along with less warping. Oiling oak well helps limit warping and cracking, but doesn’t slow water absorption.
Cherry
Slightly on the softer side, domestic cherry wood rates at 950 lbf. Typically, the darker heartwood is used for cutting boards, which ages from pink to a dark reddish-brown over time. It has a straight grain with occasional areas of curly patterns. The texture is fine, and it has a closed grain. Cherry is sometimes purchased as a less expensive mahogany lookalike.
This wood is chosen for its beauty. Its softness means it can be damaged easier by knife blades, but this also means it doesn’t tend to dull the knife’s edge. It is cleaned with soap and water, but never submerged or soaked, and should be left to air dry on its side. Regular re-coating or oiling is necessary to avoid cracking and warping.
Teak
An exotic hardwood from Asia, teak is golden to medium brown in color with a straight, wavy, or interlocked open grain, with a coarse, uneven texture. It rates 1,070 lbf on the Janka scale and is higher in price than most of the woods on this list.
Not only is teak used because of its natural beauty, but also because of its extremely low maintenance requirements. Unlike other natural woods, teak does not require regular oiling, simply regular cleaning with warm, soapy water. It resists scarring from knife strokes, except with heavy use.
The cons of teak include that it is a somewhat controversial material due to political and sustainability issues related to its harvest. The wood also has a high silica content that can dull knives faster than other woods around the same hardness.
Birch
A commonly available and versatile domestic wood, birch is a sturdy choice at 1,470 lbf. It ranges from a very light reddish-brown to nearly white in appearance. Its closed grain is straight to slightly wavy, with a fine and even texture and a mid-range price point.
Birch, being somewhat plain, is expensive compared to other woods similar in color, but with more interesting grain patterns and mineral streaking. Strength is its key feature, but a drawback of the wood is that it can crack when it becomes too dry. Birch should be oiled well and washed with warm, soapy water.
Learn more about using birch for cutting boards
Acacia
Arguably the most visually interesting wood on this list, acacia’s color has high variability, ranging from a medium golden color to a deeper reddish-brown. The growth rings often hold contrasting colors, creating ribbon-like bands. The closed grain is interlocked and sometimes wavy, with a medium to coarse texture. This wood rates around 1,170 lbf on the Janka scale.
As it is an exotic wood, acacia is affordably priced–surprisingly more so than maple and walnut. It requires little maintenance aside from simple quarterly re-oiling and gentle washing with soap and water. The strength, price point, and beauty of acacia make it an easy choice for cutting board material.
Learn more about using acacia for cutting boards
Bamboo
Slightly different than other options on this list, bamboo is a member of the grass family, native to Asia. It has a straight and closed grain, a medium to fine texture, and is very pale yellow in color. The strength of bamboo varies greatly, ranging from 1,410 lbf – 1,610 lbf.
Extremely strong and sustainable, bamboo can be a tricky choice for cutting boards. Because of its high variability in strength, some boards made from this material can be too hard, dulling knives quickly. It also has a tendency to shrink and can split when dried too quickly. Bamboo should be washed with warm, soapy water, and should be re-oiled monthly.
Choosing Wood for End-Grain vs. Edge-Grain vs. Face-Grain Cutting Boards
You may wonder if the type of wood used matters depending on whether you are making an end-grain vs a face-grain board, etc. The answer is that it might. See below for more details on the different types of grain for cutting boards.
End-Grain
End grain boards are made from several glued cross-cut strips of wood that are turned to show the end of the grain face-up. These boards are the least damaging on knives and tend not to show knife marks. End-grain is very time-consuming to sand, and the board has a tendency to crack if not glued together properly.
While these boards are the best choice for knives, they are also the most susceptible to warping and cracking. Since all of the end fibers are consistently in contact with moisture, special care must be made to keep the board maintained and well-sealed.
Choosing wood with a closed grain is the best choice for end grain boards, as they absorb moisture less readily than open-grain varieties. This includes maple, beech, cherry, and walnut.
Learn more about best types of wood to use for end grain cutting boards
Edge-Grain
Edge-grain boards are made from wood that has the side, or edge, of the wood facing up. These cutting boards are made from several strips of wood glued together and are very sturdy. Knife marks can be visible in edge-grain boards, and your knives may be dulled over time.
These types of cutting boards are often the most ornamental. Any type of wood with varying grain or coloration is a good option for this design. Because the wood is marred easily, softer variations like cherry and teak may be better substituted with walnut, beech, maple, or ash.
Face-Grain
Face-grain cutting boards are made from wood that has the face side facing up. This is typically the most decorative part of the board, and as a result, they can look quite striking. These boards can be made from a single piece of wood or from several glued together. They are easy to make, but they do tend to show knife marks easily and may dull knives over time.
Wood chosen for face-grain cutting boards is typically picked for beauty and the ability to withstand knife marks without dulling the blades. Acacia, walnut, and maple are good choices for this design. Teak is another interesting option, though it should again be noted that teak can prematurely dull your knives.
Making Wooden Cutting Boards: Frequently Asked Questions
See below for some commonly asked questions about wooden cutting boards.
What Is the Best Exotic Type of Wood for Cutting Boards?
By far, acacia offers the most value for a cutting board made with exotic wood. This is among the most affordable woods in this article, even less expensive than maple and walnut–two of the most common types of woods available for cutting boards.
Acacia is highly varied in color, has a beautiful grain, and has naturally antimicrobial properties. It is very strong but may need special care during cutting and planing due to the tendency of its interlocked grain to cause tear-out. It can be sanded to a nice smooth finish and has a moderate care regimen.
Are There Any Types of Wood You Should Not Use for Cutting Boards?
Yes. There are some types of woods that you can proceed with caution with, and some that should be avoided entirely. Below is a quick overview of those. For a more comprehensive look at the topic, check this article.
Softwoods
Softwoods, or conifers, should be avoided almost entirely when creating cutting boards. There are a few softwoods that fall within the range of the Janka hardness scale that is best for this application, like cedar, however, most softwoods are too soft and have too much shrinkage. They will crack and warp with regular moisture exposure and drying.
Other softwoods, secrete natural oils and resins that contribute to their moisture and insect resistance. These substances can leach from the wood into your food, at best altering the taste, and at worse slowly causing toxic buildup.
Hardwoods Too Soft or Too Hard
Choosing a hardwood that is too soft is simply not ideal because of the frequency with which your cutting boards will need to be replaced. Even in a closed-grain variety of hardwood, boards that are laden with too many knife marks may also start harboring bacteria and become dangerous.
Wood that is too hard will dull and damage knife blades faster than those in the ideal hardness range. Depending on the wood chosen, it can also dull cutting and planing blades, being difficult in general to work with.
Exotic Woods
Some exotic woods, like teak, acacia, and bamboo are perfectly acceptable to use for cutting boards. In many cases, however, exotic woods are far too hard for this. For example, snakewood, a beautiful darker reddish-brown wood from South America with brown and black patches mimicking snakeskin, rates at 3,800 lbf on the Janka scale.
Some other brightly colored exotic woods, like cocobolo, pau ferro, rosewood, and wenge are considered quite toxic. Depending on the type of tree, the toxins can be found in the sap of the wood, the airborne particles during sanding, or leeched through the finished product in the wood’s natural oils. Exotic woods require caution and plenty of research due to potentially deadly effects.
Finally, many exotic kinds of wood are considered endangered species or are on their way to becoming them, like mahogany. Teak has skirted this line for many years, just recently becoming a more acceptable material to use.
What Types of Wood Are Professional Chefs’ Cutting Boards Made Of?
More often than not, professional chefs choose end-grain maple cutting boards. They choose end grain boards to preserve and protect the knife edge on their tools. This is because the microscopic end fibers in these boards gently split apart to make way for the knife blades, then close up when done.
Maple is a premier wood. It is moisture-resistant and very durable. It also has a fine texture that can be sanded to a smooth, shiny finish, which looks especially beautiful when paired with the natural luster of the wood.
What Is the Best Type of Wood for Butcher Blocks?
Maple is an excellent wood for butcher blocks. It can withstand wear from frequent use easily, all while maintaining its beauty. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, beech is a close second. Beech has many of the same appealing properties as maple but at a much lower price point.
What Is the Best Finish for Wooden Cutting Boards?
The most frequently used and accepted finish for wooden cutting boards is food or medical-grade mineral oil. It is easy to find, inexpensive, colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is easy to apply and reapply with no special steps needed. Mineral oil does not go rancid, making it a good shelf-stable finish.
For the best quality finish at a higher price point, raw linseed oil is the best option. It has fantastic water-repelling properties and brings out the best shine and luster in your wood. Being a natural oil, it is possible for linseed oil to go bad, but it decays at a much slower rate than all other oils. Some woodworkers claim that good quality raw linseed oil never spoils, or at least not before they run out of the product.
It should be noted that linseed oil should only ever be used in its raw form. Boiled linseed oil should never be used in products that come into contact with food, as the chemicals present are extremely toxic to humans.
Summary
Whether you’re planning a budget board or a high-end cutting board to last for years, you should now have enough information to start planning out your wood materials and what style of construction suits you best.