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What’s the difference between an end grain cutting board and an edge grain cutting board? We’ll compare the two below, but first we’ll briefly explain wood grain. Any piece of lumber has three surfaces that woodworkers refer to as end grain, edge grain, and face grain. The drawing shows a log and a piece of lumber that has been been cut from it. The three types of grain are labeled:
End grain boards are made by cutting the piece of lumber into blocks, and gluing the blocks together with the end grain up, forming the top surface of the cutting board.
An end grain cutting board is always made of blocks.
End Grain Cutting Boards vs Edge Grain Cutting Boards
Edge grain boards on the other hand, are usually made of strips of wood. After the piece of lumber has been cut into strips, there is a choice of which grain to put facing upwards.
When the edge grain is up we have an edge grain cutting board. If the face grain is up we have a face grain cutting board. In the typical maple cuttingoard the strips of wood are glued together randomly, resulting in a mixture of the two types of grain. These are mixed grain boards. Sometimes they are called flat grain boards (flat grain is a term that can apply either to edge grain or face grain.)
Some chefs prefer end grain cutting boards because they show scratches less and are a bit kinder to the knife’s edge. On the other hand, edge grain is a little more resistant to staining and absorbing moisture. Here at Designer Cutting Boards we have no strong preference for one type over the other--in our experience the differences are marginal. Since we carry all types, we know that Designer Cutting Boards can always provide you with a cutting board that will meet your needs.
