How to Choose the Best Wood for Cutting Boards

The best wood for cutting boards can be measured by the Janka Hardness Rating, porosity, and toxicity. These are the 5 best woods to use when making a wood cutting board and the toxic wood you should avoid.
Also check out my video on how I make a charcuterie board. • How to make a charcute...
How to Care for a Wood Charcuterie or Cutting Board www.blackdogurbanartistry.com...
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#bestwoodforcuttingboards #twoodsnottouseforcuttingboards #cuttingboardsforbeginners

[@lavvafimusic8618]

Wow, thank you so much. It was probably the best video I have seen in cutting board.

[@vmitchinson]

Back in the 1960's I was a meat cutter and all the butcher shops in western Canada used maple chopping blocks. These blocks were about 3' square and 2' thick. Then Health inforcement got involved. They decided that plastic was more hygienic. It was later shown that plastic harbored more bacteria then wood. Chopping block wood; maple and beech had a natural antibiotic activities. Testing showed lower levels of bacteria on wood then on plastic boards. I can not comment on other woods as my only experience is with Maple and Beech wood cutting boards.

[@GoCreateInspire]

I love this information. I thoroughly enjoy learning new things and you taught me something new today! Thank you for this gift.

[@blakepriebe5463]

😢

[@gayatri821]

Fantastic explanation! Thanks.

[@wile-e-coyote7257]

Very informative and helpful. Thank you!

[@kickstand11117]

FANTASTIC VID THANK YOU!🙏🏻🙏🏻✌🏻

[@rhshel]

walnut and maple outstanding contrast and usefulness.

[@zulmaortiz1353]

Great vídeo, learned so much, I have one made of Walnut and just ordered one made with maple, cherry, and walnut.

[@alsaffarstudios]

Very useful video, thanks for sharing it with us.

[@johnritchie3889]

I make and sell cutting boards. I am not trying to be cruel, but please do some research. I have never seen bamboo at any hardwood supplier, because it’s glued up strips of bamboo. The bamboo cutting boards you see are made from many strips glued up, and are mostly made overseas where the bamboo is harvested. The kind of cherry you’re talking about is black cherry, not sweet cherry. Also, there are two “o’s” in porosity. Birch is ok to use, it’s the favorite wood to use for spoon carving and is not toxic.

[@jeandorval6001]

Excellent, very valuable information

[@revolution6269]

Very knowledgeable love the video!

[@megsarna7429]

I have a small walnut cutting board since years, very handy and it's maintenance free. Yes they are the best with a pretty wood texture.

[@bradunruh9188]

I enjoy open discussions on most subjects. I watch other people doing what I do in order to get new ideas and also what tools can do. I have have been around wood for 30+ years and still see new things. If I see something I don't like or have other opinion on it,it goes out the other ear. Sometimes the comments are as interesting as the video.

[@mattbortz10]

People use purple heart and mahogany quite a bit in their cutting boards. Also white oak is perfectly fine to use as a cutting board, as tests show. It's not quite an open pore wood. Red oak is the one you really don't want to use.

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thank you for taking the time to add to the conversation!

[@clevewilks4312]

@@GoCreateInspire what about Western cedar. I made one and its so beautiful

[@demokanatasoy9861]

I recently started sharpening my knives at home so looking out to change the bamboo board. Haven't got much knowledge about wood so I was just about to go find a carpenter for advice. But now as got my advice from this video I guess I'll go with wallnut as well. Thanks. Informative content 👍🏻

[@GoCreateInspire]

I’m so glad it was helpful! Walnut and maple are my favorite to use for cutting boards. They also make a great contrast to one another!

[@homiesheet]

THANKS FOR THE INFO, GREETINGS FROM MEXICO¡¡¡

[@timplumey-fl5xn]

I'm in the Philippines and I use a lot of Mango, Apple and Pear.

[@2logj]

Hi Mischele ,thanks for the information about the choice of the wood to make cutting boards.I will love to use Cherry,maple and walnut.I love walnut for its beauty.just love walnut.when i become a good in wood woking i want to make a table with Walnut.

[@robbrown6667]

Nice Video. I also use Bloodwood and yellowheart on my cutting boards.

[@GoCreateInspire]

I’ve not looked at those! Would love to see what you make with them!

[@robbrown6667]

I don't make very many cutting boards anymore. However, I use these woods in my segmented turnings.

[@eugenejakubowski1403]

My favorite Woods to use are black walnut cherry and Maple but I have a question concerning some of the Exotic Woods like zebra wood blood wood Paducah and some of the others

[@user-mg9kc6gz8g]

Thanks for the informative video! I believe that the reds and purples that you describe in black walnut Is possibly unique to our area. ( I lived in north Missouri.) It also the most pronounced if the wood is air dried rather than kiln dried. Most of the kiln dried walnut I have seen is a uniform chocolate brown. This is a result of the wood being steamed to releave the stress in the wood fibers. I am fortunate to have a significant supply of air dried wood, sawn and stickered over thirty years ago, so I ow have something to keep me busy in my retirement. Thanks again for the great information. God Bless, Bob

[@user-tp1vj7dy9r]

Thanks, What do you think of Larch for cutting boards?

[@Mark_L]

Walnut of course! Mixed with maple is nice.

[@kodyjack337]

I’m personally saving up for a good quality walnut chopping board, but what do you think of acacia wood chopping boards? They seem to be very common nowadays.

[@FrederickWatson-iz7wf]

I live in New Zealand, would Macracarpa be a good woodfor acutting board?

[@uv4366]

Thanks.. can we use teak wood?

[@amberhubert2016]

Very good information for a newbie like me. Thank you for the video. I love working with Walnut, wish it was not so expensive. I did get a little distracted by the music in background. What do you think about end grain for a small counter top?

[@GoCreateInspire]

I think end grain for a small counter top would be beautiful. If you are going to use it like a butcher blog be sure to deal with butcher block oil. Regardless be sure to seal it well and often if it will be exposed to water a lot. Send me a pic if you do it! I’d love to see it.

[@juancarlosgomez4970]

Thank you for your advice now is more clear to me .questions I love purple heart can I use to give the pop color to the cutting board.

[@dwightl5863]

My experience with purpleheart is in pens. It is very pretty at first but over time, when exposed to light, it will darken to a brown. IMHO

[@aaronfoley8991]

This was hugely informative. Keep making content!! Subscribed 🙌

[@maxwelljohnson5388]

I'm a big fan of locust, even if it's a little hard on tools

[@jasonstemley1232]

The woods you named off that not good for charcuterie boards. Can they be usesd if sealed or covered with epoxy?

[@davidcmiller2980]

Black Walnut is by far my favorite wood for Charcuterie boards. Next would be Maple, with beautiful grain and delightful patterns. Hey from the NW Arkansas. Go Hogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@robertosgood961]

Good video, thanks. No Birch? I make birch syrup in the spring along with maple. What is the issue with this wood?

[@GoCreateInspire]

Birch produces a sap. Therefore has been known to cause allergies if it seeps into the food. I use birch a lot for other things. I just avoid using it on anything intended for holding food directly.

[@dellcomputeification]

What oil to apply to a new build board

[@jrx2662]

do you have a video on how to make cutting boards?

[@Wooden-things]

FYI--Walnut is also one of those woods that is toxic, never cut or sand on walnut without the use of a good breathing apparatus . I never shy away from any woods in my projects as once they are sealed, finished or oiled they are perfectly fine. don't be overly paranoid about the fresh toxic characteristics of these woods. Also once the straw like pores are filled with oil and wax nothing will penetrate them.

[@user-xs2tn4vo4b]

Is Osage Orange a good wood for cutting/charcuterie boards? Food Safety, Hardness, etc.

[@lancematthews9177]

How about Mesquite wood? Any thoughts?

[@woodsniffer]

Do you suggest End grain or face grain ?

[@markphillips5800]

I've been tasked with making cutting boards for Christmas gifts, and this was a GREAT resource for the most basic question: what to use/avoid? I have many saved videos of how to make the boards, but this is the only one I've found specifically discussing your topic. The best bit: I can save my purpleheart and mahogany for other projects!

[@GoCreateInspire]

That’s so great to hear! I would love to see what you made for Christmas gifts!

[@psychette8846]

Thank you for mentioning purple heart. The number of Etsy sellers and You Tube channels that push Purple Heart is insane.

[@dfulf1]

if you are allergic to eating nuts should walnut be used in cutting boards?

[@hayesrutherford9415]

Worldwide birch is in the top 3 for use in cutting boards. It has a long history being used in toys and teethers(items a child might chew on) because it is not toxic. Although cool cutting boards(wild contrasting glue ups, odd shapes) are popular among avid home chefs and gift givers, pros prefer plain maple, birch , beech , sycamore, and avoid dark colors every time,

[@johndevilbiss6607]

Excellent info. Thank you, ma'am... But what about GLUES that are sometimes used to combine pieces of wood in order to make a "cutting board"?

[@GoCreateInspire]

Glues are fine as long as it is a wood glue that is a type 3. These glues are waterproof and your board shouldn’t break at a seam from water and use.

[@budfetterley6237]

I would argue that anytime you make an end grain cutting board, the fibers are oriented in such a way as to be porous. I’ve seen mineral oil move all the way through a 2 inch cutting board.

[@lasiv7]

Been using pine for over 20 years.

[@DAVIDMILLER-nc9vo]

Gabriel Janka devised his test for evaluating the durability of woods used for flooring. These original test were not done on end grain. Are there Janka tests of end grain? I don't know of any. So, how relevant is a wood's Janka number to an end grain cutting board? We don't know.

[@CD-hc5ds]

Thoughts on Teak?

[@Endtimesnow]

I am a family man own a ranch in California and have a lot of people to feed. I want/ need to start a business sell cutting board what in your opinion would be the two must common ones to sell. I really appreciate your feedback thanks.

[@ashtonstewart987]

I’ve done research in the past specifically regarding bacteria and wood cutting boards, and end grain boards are actually better since not only do they heal cut marks more easily, inhibiting a sliver of an area that would otherwise harbor and grow bacteria, but they more importantly trap and suffocate bacteria by absorbing it into the flutes of the fibers (into the depth of the wood), effectively making it much more superior to edge grain. The other upside is that it retains your knife edge much longer. The only downside is that it requires more frequent maintenance. Of course, I always implore people to do their own research.

[@michaeldequatro1012]

Great video. I'm going to start making a cutting board for the first time and I saw some beautiful pieces at Woodcraft. I was actually going to buy the purpleheart because I love the look of it. Now I won't. Thank you.

[@lamarclark2169]

Buy it. You won’t regret it.

[@martindonald7613]

Birch has an edible sap. Gere in Central Ontario, once the maple syrup season is done, the birch syrup season begins.

[@Trinity.Angel.in.Paradise]

Is Teak wood safe?

[@Bernardgrubb]

I've seen many boards with purpleheart in them but honestly I've never made any boards. I'm considering making a board for a dear friend out of African Blackwood. I have to do some research as to whether it's food safe. It's not widely used due to it's price ($150/bf) and it's harder than bamboo at 3670. All of my research says bamboo is about 1380 out of 4,000 so please check and see if you misunderstood the reference you used or if I did (lol). Thanks for the video, I look forward to seeing more...

[@karryhardman8735]

I have worked with bamboo, and would not use it myself for a cutting board. It splinters a lot. The splinters go everywhere, in your fingers, in your food, and I've heard of it getting stuck in mouth and throat.

[@susankildahlcreates8698]

I want to know what brand/color you used on your hair! Love the color!

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thanks! L’Oréal preferences dark auburn.

[@craigmellott6339]

What a great video, very educational. Do you have any experience using EPA (EE-PAY) I can get my hands on a lot of it for free.

[@GoCreateInspire]

I’ve not used Ipe personally. Brazilian hardwood is a janka ranking of 3510 which makes it extremely hard and dense. So it will be a very durable wood, but has a lot of resistant against your saw blade. It’s harder to work with than many other woods. In my research it also has a hard time being glued. Just like most walnut it will be beautiful. So if you decide to give it a go, I would love to see what you make.

[@mattbourbon9905]

I use purple heart on boards all the time and have had no issues what so ever. Not sure what issues you have had. Please elaborate. I would love to learn more.

[@alejandroponce2136]

I've used purple heart as well perhaps one of my favorite wood

[@GoCreateInspire]

Purple Heart has a sap which can leach into food. With that being said it’s considered a sensitizer- meaning some people will have a reaction to it but not everyone. To some people it acts much like poison ivy and can give a skin irritation or even itchy eyes when touched. For others if it leaches into food can cause nausea. But since it’s not an allergen for everyone it may not be a problem for you or your family. Since I sell my boards I avoid woods with sap because I don’t know who the end user will be and would never want to inadvertently cause an allergic reaction. I do agree though that it is a magnificently beautiful wood.

[@mattbourbon9905]

@@GoCreateInspire ah ok. I've probably just been lucky then. Great information and much appreciated. I will definitely keep this in mind when making boards from now on. Maybe have a firm to fill out asking if they have any allergies or any type of sensitivity to woods before I make the board. Most of mine are made to order type deals so I can get very specific when making them.

[@13daniel1974]

@@GoCreateInspire I like your video and clarifications.

[@budfetterley6237]

I use Purple Heart too.because of its cost, I typically only use small amounts for contrast and visual interest.

[@paullampru3591]

Would it be safe to use Red Cedar in cutting board if it has a layer of acrylic epoxy all around? Seems to me it would be ok….anyone?

[@ralphiewigs2208]

I have about 200 bf of quarter sawn, old growth, 1 1/4" thick teak. It was the deck of the USS Los Angeles and my father in law bought it at a salvage auction in 1975. I've seen teak used in commercially sold cutting boards but I was always leery. Teak dust can be pretty irritating to skin and eyes. Any thoughts?

[@stefanfyhn4668]

Teak is safe according to EU standards so don't worry about it. This is for commercially sold boards as well.

[@ralphiewigs2208]

@@stefanfyhn4668 Thanks! It's dark and dense. Many of the pieces have growth rings that are less than 1/16" apart.

[@dusbus2384]

I wouldn't use it. Who knows what chemicals were used on a ship deck

[@billstrang2639]

Good video, thanks. The toxic chemical Juglone in Black Walnut is a sensitizer, mostly for woodworkers exposed to the sawdust. Once you react, you can’t use it anymore. Probably more of a risk to makers than users of cutting boards. Surprised that birch is a problem. My favorite cutting board is made from the softwood New Zealand Rimu, softish & very even grained, maybe most similar to our white pine or yellow poplar.

[@troybush5899]

What do you mean that Black Walnut is a sensitizer?

[@lillyflo5]

What about Acacia wood?

[@ACKSWOODPASTE]

Why is Birch on the do not use list??

[@scottkinsloe6470]

Not true that end grain is less damaging to knives as mentioned with cherry boards. A study was done where a robot cut various species of end and edge-grain boards 5,000 times using identical pressure and there was no difference in sharpness of the knives. Sharpness was measured incrementally after several hundred cuts up to 5,000. End grain boards do have some advantages but keeping your knife sharper longer isn’t one of them. Science trumps concept.

[@ken1817]

Thank you. Great information 5 out of 5 stars.

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thank you Kenny

[@jaysonprice9229]

Except her video was riddled with bad information.

[@Layput]

The Janka hardnes of bamboo used in cutting board is between 900-1500 lbf not a staggering 4000 lbf. That's only used for floors, which are treated.

[@bradharrison4657]

Just found you .Where inthe Ozarks are you?I'm in Branson West Mo

[@GoCreateInspire]

We are in Springfield! We love living in the ozarks. It’s such a beautiful place.

[@yeshidorji4524]

What about Taxus baccata 'Yew' as chopping board,

[@r.awilliams9815]

Given that most parts of the yew tree are toxic, it would not be my first choice for anything that was coming into contact with food.

[@gmel4967]

So isn’t end grain more pourus? Is a maple end grain cutting board less safe than the face grain?

[@vmitchinson]

End grain maple and beech have been used for years. These woods should be treated will food grade mineral oil to seal the end grain. To do the treatment put a layer of oil on the board, let it soak in for 15/20 minutes. Keep adding oil until the wood is saturated and does not absorb any more oil. After every use wipe the board clean. After a while the board will show dry areas. When this happens resoak the board. I have a beech board I made 50 years ago and it is still in good condition. If you decide to make a cutting board use water proof food safe glue.

[@vmitchinson]

End grain is more poursous but does not splinter.

[@stefanfyhn4668]

@@vmitchinson mineral oil doesn't seal anything, it just occupies the wood pores, getting drained over time, replaced and pushed out when used and washed. "Food grade" mineral oil is still a petroleum product.

[@BICHETO]

Great information, chockful and to the point. The only thing, I found the "background" music loud and distracting, making hard to listen to your presentation. Good work.

[@MemeScreen]

If possible, shouldn't the hardness of the wood be tailored for the hardness of the knives that use it? If the wood is too hard our knives will be damaged and if the wood is too soft it will get damaged. I would think the hardness of the board should be just under the hardness of the softest knife you will likely use on it. Maybe use a table that relates the Janka scale to the Rockwell Hardness Scale to help with that.

[@davidmeyer7511]

how about apple wood?

[@ragcell]

Where are getting your info that bamboo has 4000 hardness? My info says 1510. The _real_ problem with bamboo is its high silica content.

[@dusbus2384]

Acacia seems all the rage right now. Didn't hear a mention in this vid. Also try mixing the music volume a little lower it's loud AF and distracting

[@megsarna7429]

Yes and mango wood, it's cheap

[@onetip3759]

What kind of toxins does it release on those woods?

[@nielshenriksen1043]

Good video but when you are talking then skip music or set volume on music lower.....

[@lvissering3355]

Great Video, you taught me some new terms that I didn't know. Janka Hardness Rating, porosity, and toxicity. Suggestion to you, I get distracted by music and the music over shines you and your words, turn down a bit or eliminate. You and your information is enough

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thank you so much! I will definitely keep that in mind. Glad the info was helpful!

[@MichaelBrown-kk6ck]

Also seemed overmodulated and was an echo.

[@mojoefelix]

Janka Hardness Rating: With a Janka Hardness rating of 1380 out of 4000, Natural Bamboo is in the mid-range for hardwood flooring options - slightly harder than White Oak and softer than Hard Maple.

[@ronin2963]

a table of contents or just a text list would be nice.

[@bigrich6750]

What about dogwood and live oak. Dogwood is one of the hardest woods there are and live oak is one of densest. It’s the wood they built ships out of.

[@user-rc9jf8ng2k]

What about African Blackwood? That stuff looks incredible.

[@r.awilliams9815]

Very hard and dense, it would beat up your knives pretty bad. It's also very expensive and restricted by CITES II. I do agree, it's beautiful wood, just not a good choice for a cutting board.

[@stuartphelps9407]

Great vidio, and not usr becuase am a fellow missouri wood wood hobbist.

[@HiFiGuy1]

I enjoyed this video, and found a lot of good information, but for the love of god, PORISITY is not a word. 😉

[@GoCreateInspire]

Yeah. Someone else pointed that out, too. I guess I’ll have to add it to the list of words we in the ozarks say weird 😢, like theater and realtor. I wish I could change it but KZbin doesn’t let you change an existing video.

[@ArgirisBothos]

Softwoods are the best

[@thehickorylanewoodshed2378]

What about hickory

[@GoCreateInspire]

Hickory is a beautiful wood. It’s used for a lot of tool applications because of its durability. As for cutting boards I would personally avoid. It is a medium to large open pore wood depending on the variety, therefore it could harbor bacteria.

[@SeeMooreVids]

Do you make cutting boards?

[@cindyrae2605]

por O sity. not por I sity

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thank you for the grammar check. Much appreciated!

[@josiahhill4993]

Well geez. All i have available is cedar. Sratch that idea.

[@donmiller8712]

I've read that walnut is toxic and should not be used in a cutting board. I was very disappointed since I agree walnut is beauatiful

[@GoCreateInspire]

I’ve not seen that in all the research I’ve done. Walnut is actually the most recommended. But I love learning new things. And would love to read the research you’ve found.

[@annapennock4345]

Walnut is toxic to horses. Especialy the leaves, and cherry.

[@megsarna7429]

All types of wood are toxic. Just use steel

[@3weight]

Hey, useful info but you’re competing with cymbal crashes and just way too dynamic music for a sound bed. Wanted to bail multiple times because it’s just fatiguing. It felt like trying to listen to someone on a construction site, just battling the noise. Hope you’ll tone that down in future videos so we can focus more easily on you and what you have to say.

[@huntdooly9845]

Content was excellent, thank you! But the music was too loud and distracting, as well as unappealing. Music is so subjective, that I think it's best to leave it out of teaching videos.

[@live4aliving]

I've never heard so much "misinformation " mixed with basic information. closed&open grain make a difference in ENDGRAIN, NOT edgegrain. the information on toxic wood is off.unless u r eating the wood or using green material u are not getting sick.yes,u don't use softwood on cutting boards(pine,spruce,fir,ect) but rosewoods,purpleheart are all fine.i have over 30yrs in the business &this is what happens when people keep cycling &adding there own take on information.

[@GoCreateInspire]

Thanks for visiting my channel. I do like constructive criticism and learning new things. But there is an adult way to do it and a hateful way to do it. Not so much have time for hateful. Therefore I appreciate your time but move on to a channel you enjoy watching. Not every channel is for everyone. Have a good day.

[@enzprintco.8625]

@@GoCreateInspire Great video! I think more woodworkers need to know more about what they are working with. For example the janka ratings. I too saw reputable sources stating not to use open grain woods so I stayed away from them. However I saw that a study was done and that oak is ok to use. I still won’t but the ones who do fight tooth and nail that it’s acceptable. I believe most woods are ok as long as they are dry and you’re not ingesting chips (why I mainly only do end grain), but don’t quote me on that. Def gained a new subscriber! :)

[@richardcagle5475]

Yeah, the toxic wood stuff is a bit irrelevant. Cause you're not eating it or letting food soak on it all night. But she was pretty clear about why not to use open grain on end grain boards I thought. Bacteria isn't a real concern if you keep it clean, but I worry about splitting on this badass end grain ash board I just finished

[@linuskyle]

@live4aliving she sounded logical and reasonable with her explanations. I agree on her takes on those all info

[@linuskyle]

@@richardcagle5475 you cannot take for granted the toxicity of the wood . there are some that are inadverse or indirect effect to your health in the long run

[@blahblahsen1142]

See! I watch videos all the time with purple heart cutting boards and I work with that myself in guitar making, it;s oily and supposedly toxic but EEEeveryone wants the purple stripes and i refuse to do it. You want a guitar in purple heart sure, maybe dont suck on the guitar but I did not think purple heart was Okay. I also see a lot of Paduk, and it;s one of my favorite woods to use but it;s toxic as shit, that orange dust is nasty to breathe in, and when you use CA glue on it, the glue will turn red on the edges and that does not seem okay to me either. again, i have guitars covered in it, but they're all sealed in UV clearcoat so it wouldnt matter. i just refuse to put either in a cutting board.

[@a.j.simmonds6324]

Wow, so much wrong in such a short video.

[@savage6394]

Yet no mention of what was wrong. Interesting way of criticizing someone’s work.

[@michellefitton4949]

Plesase pronounce porosity correctly.

[@LizardHeadd]

the amount of toxicity in hardwoods when milled sanded and finished are so minute that it is not worth the consideration of not using them. This girl just needs to repeat what she heard from someone else probably California sweetheart.

[@Weebs76]

Just a little feedback for your video: I’m really interested to hear what you have to say, but I stopped watching because your background music is way too loud and competes with your voice so much that it’s stressful to the brain to listen to.

[@perniciouspete4986]

The best wood for cutting boards isn't wood. Ask the restaurants in cities where wooden cutting boards are banned.

[@joeschaefers597]

Why is it that women always tend to shout in a video. How come you don't relax? I gave up when it became hard to hear you over the music. Try again After taking your medicine, in a room without an echo and definitely without the annoying music. An interesting subject though. I believe a cutting biard should be between 900 and 1500. Bamboo is definitely too hard.

[@savage6394]

Bad divorce or breakup huh? Lol. Joe, you need to relax my friend.

[@markclauss2314]

This is picky I know but...the word "Porosity" is pronounced P O R O S I T Y POR (AH) CITY...NOT POR(IS) ITY....If a simple word like that is mispronounced, I instantly question the content.....did this creator just read a few pages in a book and then make the video...