Naturally, you'd assume that all wood is wood, right?
Well, when it comes to the world of cutting boards, there are some pretty big differences in the quality of the board based on whether it's an edge-grain, face-grain, or end-grain cutting board. If you've ever had your cutting board immediately littered with deep knife marks or peeling so bad it starts giving you splinters, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.
The good news is, there's a perfect solution to this problem: end-grain cutting boards.
The direction of the grain of a piece of wood actually holds different strength properties. You can always look at a piece of lumber and see which way the grain is flowing to determine what type of grain it is.
Edge-Grain and Face-Grain
Edge-grain and face-grain are pretty interchangeable. Edge-grain comes from the side of a piece of lumber while face-grain comes from the surface. Neither of these types of grain allow for much movement when cutting or chopping which causes them to dull knives. This is why these boards quickly chip or splinter with use.
End-Grain
End-grain can be found at the end of a piece of lumber. End-grain can be identified as the area of wood where you would count the rings of a tree. This grain type has an amazing trick where the grain will actually open when pressed into with a knife and then close back up. This is what gives end-grain it's amazing healing property. A small cut will literally close itself over time! Crazy, right?
Butcher Block End-Grain Cutting Boards
Butcher block end-grain cutting boards are the gold-star standard. Not only are they the most durable, have the ability to hide knife marks, and don't dull knives nearly as quickly as other options, but studies show that end-grain even repels bacteria better than plastic boards too!
These boards take more time to create and are typically thicker to ensure larger glue joints for long lasting durability. The natural designs within the wood that can only be seen from this viewpoint also create dazzling patterns, colors, and designs making each board unique.
Especially with holidays right around the corner, investing in a beautiful end-grain butcher block that will last for generations is the way to go.
At Black Rose Woodcraft we're now offering chunky end-grain cutting boards in a variety of different styles: Walnut, mixed hardwood, checkered ash and walnut, and maple.
Click below to shop now!