Thread: Grain Orientation In Cutting Boards

Personally I reckon it depends on the wood. While most timbers I know split easier along the medullaries, others appear to split best between the rings. Old-growth oregon is one that pops to mind.

Not that I'd build a cutting board from oregon! :eek:

If it's thick enough splitting shouldn't be a problem. More prone to cupping if flat sawn, especially given the likelihood of exposure to water.

I like them with the end grain orientated vertically.

As Clinton1 said. Endgrain should be vertical. As per all butcherblocks.

If the board or block is thick enough. This will eliminate warping and will stop the the block splitting. As it won't be cutting across any grain.

Vertical grain is for a chopping board (as per butchers block) and needs to be relatively thick to prevent splitting in twain with enthusiastic use.

When SWMBO wants to quickly cut up some veges with a knife or slice some sandwiches without butchering the benchtop, she doesn't want to have to heft around a thing that weighs half a ton... she wants a cutting board, a nice, light little board maybe 18mm thick, that's purpose is simply to protect both the benchtop & knife-edge. It's secondary function is, apparently, use as a trivet. That's judging by the char-marks that I'm forever sanding out of ours.

Fine distinction, way different constructions.

Plain old crapiarta works well for cutting boards... no need to make a fancy one if SWMBO always burns it, and its nice and soft to protect the knife you just sharpened

How about this for a idea?
Make up a pine 9 ply from resawing scraps to 2mm thick, that'll take care of the warping while keeping the weight down.