Types of Cuttingboards
The most common of the 3 cutting boards is the face grain, Side Grain, and End Grain. Charcuterie boards are specific to only plating but added to this list for clarification. Here are the brief bullets on each type and use:
Face Grain: Great for serving, plating, and very limited cutting but better for no cutting at all. Perfect for serving and charcuterie
Side Grain: Medium use and special occasions. Limited cutting or medium strength cutting at the most. Will need to be care for at least once a month waxing and keeping oiled.
End Grain: The most heavy duty of the three, durable and can take cutting on a daily basis. Will need to be care for at least once a month waxing and keeping oiled.
Charcuterie Boards: not meant for cutting at all. All cutting boards can be used for charcuterie, the serving aspect but a Charcuterie specific board should not be cut on.
Face Grain Cutting boards are delicate but show a natural pattern to the wood these can be beautiful based on the species of wood and the shape of how the tree was grown. These should not be cut on too much unless scarring of the board is not an issue, the harder the wood the less scaring will happen. Scarring on this board is highly likely when cut on.
Usually face grain boards are the least expensive because the work that goes into them are less. Most people use face grain cutting boards as dining decoration, Charcuterie Boards, or as a serving platter.
Caring for this type of board is easy. If the board begins to dry, rub or soak in mineral oil and then wax seal with a cutting board butter. This should be done once every few months.
Side Grain Cutting Boards are exactly as they seem usually made with strips of different hard woods and glued together with a waterproof and food safe wood glue, clamped together until cured and then cut sanded down to shape and size. These boards can be used daily but will need more work as it will scar lightly but not as heavy as a face grain board.
The intricacy of a side grain cutting board is that many different types of species can be put together to make beautiful patterns. A side grain can be identified by the striped long patterns of the wood grain on the face of the board.
Caring for this type of board takes a little more work. If the board begins to dry, rub or soak in mineral oil and then wax seal with a cutting board butter. This should be done once every month as needed.
End Grain Cutting Boards are for people who cut on a daily basis and cut heavy. These boards are the most durable of the three common types. These boards need the most work to be made, cut into strips twice and alternated patterns to keep from warping, the beauty comes from the arrangements of the grains.
These are also the most expensive of all the boards. End grains will not scar as much as the other 2 and will last a lifetime with proper care. This is the type of cutting board that can be passed on for generations.
Caring for this type of board is very easy. If the board begins to dry, rub or soak in mineral oil and then wax seal with a cutting board butter. This should be done once every month as needed. This board will soak up 4 times as much mineral oil as the other 2 and usually results in limited care.