You Need to Choose the Right Wood for Your Cutting Board
If you want to get maximum value for your money when you buy a new cutting board, you are going to need to choose the right kind of wood. This is because certain kinds of wood can be expected to last longer than others, thus enabling them to provide more value in the process.
What Enables Certain Kinds of Wood to Last Longer Than Others?
Generally speaking, most cutting boards are made from hardwoods. However, this can be a rather misleading term because a particular kind of wood being called a hardwood doesn’t guarantee its durability for the long run. Instead, different kinds of wood are divided into hardwoods and softwoods based on whether they are angiosperms or gymnosperms, which can be distinguished from one another by the fact that angiosperms are flowering plants.
Still, there is a reason that hardwoods are called hardwoods while softwoods are called softwoods. In most cases, hardwoods tend to be denser than their softwood counterparts, which has a couple of important consequences. First, this means that hardwoods are harder. Second, this means that hardwoods are tougher. Combined, these two characteristics are enough to make hardwoods superior choices to softwoods under normal circumstances.
Primarily, this is because cutting boards can expect a lot of wear and tear over the course of their existence. Whenever a knife’s edge comes down upon a cutting board, there is a chance that it will do so with sufficient force to leave a mark. However, a tougher wood means a smaller chance of this happening, meaning that the choice of material will cause a slow down in the rate at which the cutting board accumulates wear and tear.
As for why wear and tear is so bad for cutting boards, well, there are a number of potential explanations. First, more wear and tear results in a more uneven cutting surface, thus making the cutting board less and less effective for its intended function as it becomes more and more marked-up. Second, more marks on the cutting board mean more pockets that can harbor water. In part, this is a serious problem because the water can create more livable conditions for bacteria, thus making the cutting board less sanitary in the process. However, it should also be noted that excessive exposure to water can be very bad for cutting boards, meaning that this can shorten their expected useful lifespans. Third, a marked-up cutting board looks less pleasing than one that has managed to remain in relatively good condition, which can be a very important consideration for people who want their kitchens to look as presentable as possible.
With that said, there is one more factor that interested individuals need to keep in mind when choosing a wood for a cutting board that is supposed to last as long as possible. In short, it is interesting to note that different woods can have different-sized pores. Generally speaking, the smaller the pores, the more suitable the wood, which will be called “close grain” under certain circumstances. In contrast, a wood with bigger pores is a very poor choice for cutting boards because effectively speaking, they come pre-marked. After all, their bigger pores are just as good at harboring water as the cuts and scratches on used cutting boards, meaning that they are a poor choice from the perspective of durability as well as other important considerations.
Summed up, people who want to choose the right wood for their cutting boards should choose a hard wood with smaller pores. This is the reason that interested individuals can find plenty of cutting boards made out of maple, walnut, and teak. In contrast, oak is a much rarer choice of material for cutting boards even though it is one of the best-known hardwoods that can be found out there because its pores are too big for it to be a practical option.
What Are Some Other Factors that You Should Take Into Consideration?
Having said this, interested individuals can get too focused on the choice of material when choosing their cutting board. Certainly, the choice of material is a critical factor in the final usefulness of the cutting board. However, it is not the sole factor of importance, meaning that interested individuals need to put serious thought into the others as well. One example would be the thickness of the cutting board, which can make for a superior cutting surface that can be relied upon for prolonged use. Another example would be the design of the cutting board, with an excellent example being how end grain cutting boards tend to last longer because the knife’s edge won’t be coming down across the fibers but will instead be coming down against the end of the fibers. A unique characteristic that makes for an enjoyable experience.
Ultimately, if someone wants to get the longest-lasting cutting board, they will need to put serious effort into looking up not just wood options but also a wide range of other considerations. Luckily, so long as they have the time, they should have no problems finding the relevant information because there are plenty of sources out there to cater to plenty of interest in the topic.