By admin 
Have you ever wondered what the ideal wood for a cutting board is?
The answer is… it depends!
Certain wood species are better suited to a specific type of cutting board, but the ultimate decision is entirely up to personal opinion. As an example, I believe Zebrawood looks fantastic in both end grain and face grain cutting board construction, but leaves much to be desired in edge grain boards.
American Black Walnut has been the most preferred wood for cutting boards in recent years, according to bespoke cutting board makers. My How to Build an End Grain Cutting Board article provides an excellent example. While solid Black Walnut boards are attractive and popular, another excellent choice is a Black Walnut board with exotic species utilized as accent wood on the butcher block’s border.
Hardwood or softwood for a cutting board?
In general, hardwoods are preferred for cutting boards. However, some softwoods can be used to make cutting boards, whereas some hardwoods should be avoided. Poplar, for example, is classified as a hardwood but is generally considered too soft for heavy cutting application. However, heart pine, often known as Old Growth Pine, is a softwood that is harder than many hardwoods.
To complicate matters further, oak is a dense timber suitable for use as a cutting board. However, it is a more permeable wood. Another point to consider is that Red Oak is more porous than white Oak. To see what I mean, try putting a chunk of each in a cup of water. Oak is likely to work well for a face grain or edge grain serving board. I don’t like using it (particularly Red Oak) in end grain cutting boards because it exposes the most porous side of the wood.
Domestic or exotic woods for a chopping board?
When someone begins to explore cutting board wood kinds, they will usually come across some data that suggests irritating levels, specific allergies, and other potential health issues with various types of wood. If you look into it, walnut is one of the woods that causes the most discomfort and allergies. Some argue that no exotic wood species are appropriate for use as cutting boards. This is erroneous information, and I encourage you to conduct your own investigation.
The majority of these issues are caused by sawdust generated during the cutting, routing, and sanding of the wood. Simply cutting food or serving on a wood board will not release these possibly dangerous particles into the air or meal. With that said, while grinding any wood, a suitable respirator or mask is required!
Padauk, Zebrawood, Goncalo Alves (Tigerwood), Canarywood, Purpleheart, Peruvian Walnut, Bocote, Ipe, Wenge, and many more are among the exotic wood species I commonly utilize in my bespoke cutting boards, which I am sure I am forgetting.
The Wood Database provides broad information on practically any kind of wood you can think of.
What is the best domestic wood for cutting boards?
The three most popular domestic hardwoods are maple, walnut, and cherry, and these are probably the greatest choices for a domestic hardwood cutting board. These three species are common in North America, come in a few distinct kinds, and all have the strength and density to form a good cutting board, whether end grain, edge grain, or face grain construction. Just be aware that there are soft Maple variants, and as with any wood species, density can vary from tree to tree or board to board.
Certain figured elements can be found in practically any type of wood. Some examples include Ambrosia, Curly or Quilted, Birdseye, Crotch Figure, and others.
What is the best exotic wood for cutting boards?
If I were to make a cutting board entirely out of one species of solid wood, I would definitely go with something that has properties similar to the most popular domestic hardwoods. This could be mahogany or Peruvian walnut. You can surely build a board out of Zebrawood, Purpleheart, or something similar.
So, what’s the greatest wood for a cutting board?
Again, it varies! So much of the decision about the species of wood to use to make a cutting board is personal, that I would be doing you a disservice to recommend a single species. If it were up to me, I’d have a board for each and every type of wood species! In conclusion, there is no single best wood for a cutting board, but rather an infinite variety of gorgeous wood species from which to create your one-of-a-kind cutting board.