Cutting Board Types

We often get questions regarding the different types of wood cutting boards that are out there. Here is an informative article I came across on the web at www.sparksknives.com I found it to be very informative and it explains the differences between end and edge grain well:

What’s So Great About End Grain Cutting Boards?

If you’ve been shopping for a top-quality cutting board, you’ve probably encountered terms like “edge grain,” “composite,” and “end grain.” By now, you’re probably wondering what these terms really mean, and what advantages (if any) one style has over the others.

Well, here’s the 411 on these differing cutting board styles. Edge grain and face grain boards are cost-effective and do showcase the beauty of the material they’re made from. However, the grain pattern puts the material at sharp odds with your expensive knife collection. It’s a little unfortunate, right? Since the whole purpose of a
cutting board is to hold items as you chop them.

Since edge grain boards take a considerable amount of punishment from your knife collection, it’s highly important that you choose the right material. While bamboo is both strong and environmentally-friendly, its construction involves a high level of glues and resins which wreak havoc on sharp knives. Plantation teak, on the other hand, is extremely durable and gentler on your cutlery.

Now, onto the piece de resistance: End grain cutting boards and chopping blocks.

As its name implies, end grain teak cutting boards are made from top and bottom ends of a block of teak wood. The advantage to this design, as opposed to other popular construction styles is that the end grain has a slight “give” to it that reduces the wear on knife blades. As any serious cook knows, a sharp knife is worth its weight in gold, or at least silver.

Consider the grain pattern of a tree; is it easier to chop a log in half or split it? There’s a similar principle at work in the construction of cutting board – except that the purpose is not to split your cutting board, but to keep you knife collection sharp. When you cut across these end grains, your knife slides through the connective fibers rather than across them, causing less wear.

Another advantage for fans of sharp cutlery is the fact the end grain hides knife marks; an important quality when you have a beautiful teak cutting board that you love to show off. In the end (no pun intended), end grain boards last longer because the grain accommodates cutting, instead of resists it. That’s why these boards are more valuable: They’re incredibly long lasting and often become family heirlooms.

End grain isn’t just the best choice for serious home chefs, it’s a top choice for those with an eye for design. In general, teak cutting boards have a naturally eye-catching grain pattern. End grain blocks made from teak wood create a mosaic of contrasting grain patterns, alternating between the dark heartwood and the honey colored sapwood.

Choosing a material is crucial, even when you’re comparing end grain boards. Not only are some woods hardier and more durable than others, but many hardwoods are harvested illegally in poorly regulated forests in the developing world. Plantation teak, grown in an environmentally responsible manner, is as beautiful to the eye as it is to the earth.