# Best wood for cutting boards



## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Well I made a nice cutting board for My wife with the piece of maple I got from a friend and now I have orders for 4 as well as 2 Christmas presents... What would ya'll suggest as the best wood for a cutting board ????


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Maple is a commonly used wood for cutting boards. Evidently bamboo is also very good, because that's what I am seeing in the grocery stores. It is just a guess, but Ash may also be good for this application - it is inexpensive and great to work with.


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks, I guess I will try and find some Maple not sure if they sell bamboo around here it is hard enough finding anything other than basic building materials


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## MaxK (Oct 1, 2012)

Ash is a bit porous for a cutting board I believe, but I'd get confirmation on that first. I see purpleheart and walnut used fairly often.


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## Billy Boy (Mar 4, 2012)

*Cutting boards*

I use black cherry and black walnut for my cutting boards. Both are hard and usually dry well. Billy Boy


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## PaulsonJacob (Feb 19, 2013)

Can you show the pics?


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Maple with Walnut stripes. I tried to stretch the walnut as far as it would go.


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

I used maple and walnut cut in various shapes and sizes made 5 alltogether and they were purchased as Christmas presents as soon as I finished them


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## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

Usually beech on this side.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Mike (MTStringer), I get it: The pig is for PORK, the flounder is for FISH, what is the square one for? Square Pizza?
Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

@OPG3 - I also made a rooster, a cow and an apple.  They were for my wife and our four girls. They loved 'em all.

What I do is check the discount shelves at my local hardwood store and buy the maple for half price. The walnut wasn't on sale. :-(


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

JCJCJC said:


> Usually beech on this side.


Hi John

You've missed another traditional timber used forther north or west (at least of England, and I thought also of Ulster) where there are no beech trees - sycamore, or field maple as it's sometimes called up here

To the OP

Working chopping boards, _as opposed to decorative ones_, were traditionally made from light coloured, fine grained hardwoods. This means that timbers such as beech, sycamore, maple, the fruitwoods (apple and pear) and more recently rubberwood are common choices. Coarse grained timbers such as ash and oak have deep pores which harbour bacteria and so aren't hygeinic. Some timbers (notably oak, walnut and mahogany as well as the redwoods) contain tannin which will combine with moisture from foodstuffs to form tannic acid. This on its own can taint foods, but worse if the source of moisture is blood from meat or fish then any tannic acid can further react with the iron in the blood to form a black iron oxide residue which not only taints foodstuffs but can stain them as well. It's not just meat, either, because there are certain vegetables such as sun-dried tomatoes, fresh parsley and spinach which are iron rich and can react the same way. Some dark coloured tropical (e.g. purpleheart, ironheart, etc) are known sources of dyestuffs and should be avoided for that reason

Old advice, I know, but there are reasons why for hundreds of years treen-makers stuck to a very limited palette of timbers

Regards

Phil


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## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

OPG3 said:


> Mike (MTStringer), I get it: The pig is for PORK, the flounder is for FISH, what is the square one for? Square Pizza?
> Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


roadkill? ;-)


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I have recently made some end grain chopping boards using purpleheart, maple, tineo,
osage orange, sycamore, and claro walnut. The sycamore was hairy when milling. It had
some pullout when routing end grain during the flattening process. Also it really sucked up the mineral oil. The osage orange, and purpleheart made a really nice show. The tineo
was really nice to work with, smooth. The maple and claro walnut milled well also. I read up on the woods I used. I looked for good machining, finishing, glueing qualities. I stayed away from naturally oily woods and woods that had any adverse effects to humans,and contact with food. I personally do not use these boards to cut raw bloody meat on. I have teflon, and corian boards for that stuff. Hope this helps. The boards came out really nice.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Arcola60 said:


> I have recently made some end grain chopping boards using purpleheart, maple, tineo,
> osage orange, sycamore, and claro walnut. The sycamore was hairy when milling. It had
> some pullout when routing end grain during the flattening process. Also it really sucked up the mineral oil. The osage orange, and purpleheart made a really nice show. The tineo
> was really nice to work with, smooth. The maple and claro walnut milled well also. I read up on the woods I used. I looked for good machining, finishing, glueing qualities. I stayed away from naturally oily woods and woods that had any adverse effects to humans,and contact with food. I personally do not use these boards to cut raw bloody meat on. I have teflon, and corian boards for that stuff. Hope this helps. The boards came out really nice.


 
*pro column...*

hard maple (only wood FDA approved)
cherry
walnut
beech
teak
elm
mesquite
osage
locust 
locust (black/honey) is used for cutting/serving boards but not in end grain construction...
iron wood
purple heart
Hardwoods with tightly grained wood and small pores.....


*con column........*

red oak (has large pores, so it retains dirt/food particles even after washing)

Your kitchen should have at least two cutting boards, one wood and one plastic. A wood cutting board is the best for prepping fruits and vegetables. Keep one on your counter and clean and oil it often. For preparing raw proteins, a plastic board is recommended, which should be washed often, preferably in a dish washer. If you like using a cutting board for carving cooked meats, you'll want to have a third cutting board, or you could do so safely on your vegetable board as well.

Epicurean boards, a brand of cutting boards that are made out of a material originally created for skate park surfaces. The cutting boards are made from a combination of different recycled materials including wood and plastic. These boards are safe on knives, safe in dishwashers and are completely nonporous, meaning no bacteria.

*and for cleaning them...*

don't soak them in water...
Keep them away from the dishwasher...
Hydrogen Peroxide is great for getting stains our of wood cutting boards as well as disinfecting them.
Avoid bleach...
Plain soap and water doesn't get them (wood ones) truly clean...


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

I would disagree with Phils advice that oak is not suitable.
Oak actually contains a natural antibacterial which is why it stays so healthy in wet conditions. Think of all the wine barrels made from it.
Also it's grain structure lends well to the reasoning behind end grain chopping boards and butcher blocks.

I may be crazy though because I also think the fact that I work 90% with oak, breathing in it's dust for the past 2 years, has kept me from getting even a cold let alone anything else.


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## Harryspur (Nov 22, 2011)

This


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

gav said:


> I would disagree with Phils advice that oak is not suitable.
> Oak actually contains a natural antibacterial which is why it stays so healthy in wet conditions. Think of all the wine barrels made from it.


Have you tried it in conjuntion with carbon steel knives and red meat, though?

Regards

Phil


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Harryspur said:


> This


????


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Warren I like to use Hard Maple and Walnut for making cutting boards. The other thing you may want to consider is making an "end grain" cutting board. By having the fibers of the wood on end it will allow the blade of the knife to slide in between the fibers and thus not dull the knife as quickly.

The wood whisper had an excellent video on making end grain cutting boards. You can down load the plans from his site or make your own for free! Woodworking #7- Make an End Grain Cutting Board Pt.1 - YouTube

Here are two I just made out of maple and Walnut end grain. I added a neat pattern to it for that special touch for myself and a friend.

I should add to use a glue that is FDA approved. I use Titebond III. DO not wash the cutting board in the dishwasher either. I finish it with a salad bowl oil made by Circa 1850. Swing Paints Terra NaturOil


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## Smokindog (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan; It looks like you have some feet on your cutting board. What did you use? I just finished up a couple. Smokindog


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

No feet yet but you must be reading my mind. lol

I was going to cut some using walnut or maple. I had planned on making some dowels and then just cut them off to be 1-4" - 3/8" thick and glue them on the bottom.

The other I have done is use the rubber stops for kitchen cabinets, the clear ones as legs. Makes for a soft bottom.


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

Phil P said:


> Have you tried it in conjuntion with carbon steel knives and red meat, though?
> 
> Regards
> 
> Phil


Admittedly I don't use my wood boards for meat, so I haven't encountered that problem. I also don't have a carbon steel knife. Maybe I should make one from an old saw blade. Now you're giving me ideas Phil.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

gav said:


> I also don't have a carbon steel knife. Maybe I should make one from an old saw blade.


Hi Gav

I have to admit that most of my kitchen knives are stainless steel, but I still have a couple of super thin carbon steel Sabatiers which will carve almost see-through thin slices in anything. Downside is that they rust and they have to be kept oiled at all times. I imagine the blades are made from very similar steel to that used for carbon steel bandsaw and hacksaw blades

Regards

Phil


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## jficke13 (Jul 17, 2013)

I can't post links yet, but you should google "Janka Hardness." It's a quantitative test for evaluating the hardness of different wood species.

Hard maple is one of the hardest North American affordable woods, and if you build the surface to be end grain up, then the board will be really durable. There's a wood database website that provides info re: Janka hardness for different species. It's worth taking a gander at if only to indulge your inner wood/science geek.


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## crabero (Nov 13, 2013)

i use arbutus wood .a very hard non porous ,hard to get outside the west coast.i use a woodmizer sawmill to cut into slabs and keep them dry for a min of 5 years before use.
that wood has a mind of its own if not cured properly.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Pat. Welcome to the forum.


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Many professionals who work in the kitchen say's that a not so hard fir is better than the hard ones. If The edge of the knife can penetrate the surface of the board then it's easyer or lighter to cut meet or fish. If your board is made from oak or similar hard wood the surface is so hard that the knife don't penetrate the surface. You have to use more force with a hardwood to clice beef than if you have a board made from a softer wood like alder or ash. With a board made of oak or maple you have to sharpen your knife more often than with a board made of alder or ash.
I have both types of cutting board's. The one I made from oak I haven't used in 15 yrs. A wooden cuttingboard is a hygienic choise even many consider a plasticboard or a glass board is better. Just you remember to clean it after the use...


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

+1 with Esko.


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