How Wood is Cut to Make Cutting Boards

Cutting boards are an everyday essential. A lot goes into creating a simple cutting board. How the wood is chosen to the various type of cuts, there is a lot to know about these hardwood boards. Each board tells a different story.

From a Log of Wood

Wood surprisingly tends to expand and move after it has been cut, meaning it’s essential to understand it to avoid any unwanted misfortunes. A sawmill is what is used to turn a log into a board. Specific techniques are used to make the most of a log of wood. These are plain-sawn, true quarter-sawn and quarter and rift sawn. Plain-sawn is the most used technique.

The Types of Cuts

Cutting boards are made using 3 different kinds of cut. These cuts include the following.

Face Grain

The aesthetics of the wood which carry all the visible beauty of natural patterns is known as face grain. The edges of multiple narrow pieces of wood are glued together to create a face grain cutting board.

Edge Grain

An edge grain cutting board is when you glue together the faces of pieces of wood so that the cutting board surface is made from the edge grain side.

End Grain

End grain boards are made from lumber cut into blocks and glued together, keeping the end grain on the top side of the cutting board.

The Benefits of Each Cut

Face grain boards look appealing to the eye as they show the most grains. These work best for everyday kitchen work like slicing and dicing.

Edge grain boards are known for their durability and lower price. They tend to show fewer knife marks. They absorb less moisture and require little maintenance as well.

End grain boards are thick and have more weight and body than the other two types. They are the most durable and hide knife marks well.

The Best Wood Species

When it comes to choosing a type of wood for cutting boards, hardwood is the best choice. The common types of hardwood used to make a cutting board are maple, cherry and walnut. These are the most reliable ones. 

Are you finding it hard to decide which type of board to choose? Choose from an excellent variety of durable hardwood cutting boards at Bulk Cutting Boards. Decide what suits your needs the best, we promise there’s something for everyone!