Just The Facts, Ma'am

Is it a charcuterie board, a cutting board or is it a butcher or chopping board? 

Many times, people lump these terms together to describe a cutting board. But in reality, they are distinctly different.  While all butcher/chopping boards can be used as either type, a board that is a cutting or charcuterie board should not be used at a chopping board. Many times, a charcuterie board shouldn't be used for cutting on at all.

Let me explain. Wood grain can be classified as end grain, edge grain, or face grain, depending on the surface's orientation relative to the tree's growth rings.

Face grain (also called plain grain) is the wide face of the board, showing U- or V-shaped patterns, but it is more prone to scratching and warping. Face grain is usually more beautiful and pleasing asthetically, but not recommended for cutting or chopping boards.  They make great charcuterie boards.

Edge grain exposes the long, thin sides of the wood fibers, is more durable than face grain, and is a good, affordable option over end grain. Edge grain boards can be used for both charcuterie and cutting boards.  They are less likely to warp over time as the face grain is glued together.

End grain has the tree's growth rings on the top surface, offering a self-healing quality and knife-friendliness. As you cut or chop on end grain, the knife actually cuts into and not against the fibers of the wood which allow the fibers to come back together and heal and show little to no damage.  End grain also has one other benefit over face and edge grain.  As you cut your veggies and meats, there's usually juices that will leak out. These juices contain certain types of bacteria. The end grain orientation of the fibers actually wic the juices and bacteria down into the wood where it chokes it off from oxygen therefore killing the bacteria. End grain boards can be arranged in many ways creating unique and visually appealing designs.  End grain boards are usually thicker and more expensive than face and edge grain boards.

What type of wood do you use in your boards?

At Dillon Custom Woodwork and Design, I always use hardwoods over softwoods when making boards. But what's the difference? Hardwood comes from deciduous trees that lose their leaves annually, while softwood comes from coniferous trees with needles. Hardwoods are typically denser, stronger, and more durable with complex grain patterns, used for furniture, cabinetry and flooring. Softwoods are generally lighter, less dense, and grow faster, making them more affordable and suitable for construction and framing.

The hardness of a particular species of wood is graded using the Janka scale.  The higher the number, the harder the wood. For example, softwood grades out between 320 to 900 while hardwoods grade out between 900 to 4500. 

What species of wood do you usually use in your boards?

The species of wood can have a direct correlation to the overall beauty.  For me I use a wide variety of woods, sustainably harvested from around the world. 

In many of my designs, you will ususally find some sort of American/domestic hardwood. 

• Black Walnut is a brown colored wood with beautiful grain patterns that has a timeless element to it. When walnut is properly oiled, the dark richness of the wood is showcased. Janke scale = 1010

• Hard Rock Maple or Sugar Maple is a lighter colored wood that is very dense, strong and durable. It usually has a very light visible grain pattern. Maple is used as a nice contrast todarker woods. Janka scale = 1450.                                                               
• Black Cherry is a medium colored wood with hints of brown and red usually found in the eastern US.  Cherry is a very durable hardwood used in many applications such as fine furniture, cabinetry and other applications. It usually has a nice visible grain pattern that is highlighted with stains or oils.  Janka scale = 950                         
• Osage Orange is a very dense and hardwood that is usually golden to bright yellow. It is found in the southeastern US. It is extremely durable and one of the most decay and rot resistent.  It is used in musical instruments, archery bows and other small wooden projects. Janka scale = 2760                                                                   

Exotic Hardwoods usually bring a more colorful element to my boards. The boards natural color of their heartwood is usually bright and very distinguished. 

• Purple Heart is a very durable hardwood found in Central and South America. When freshly cut, the heartwood is a dull greyish/purplish brown. Upon exposure to sunlight (UV Light), within a few days, the wood turns into a deep eggplant purple. Typical uses are flooring, fine furniture and boat building. Janka scale = 2520
• Padauk (pah-DUKE) is a beautiful redish/orangish wood found in central and tropical west Africa. It is decay resistant and very durable. As it is a very workable wood, common uses are flooring, musical instruments, and furniture.                  Janka scale = 1710                                                                                   
• Bloodwood is a very dense, heavy and hard wood. Found in tropical South America, this bright, vived red colored wood is very rot and insect damage resistent. Typically a higher priced wood, it is commonly used in carvings, furniture, guitars and knife handles.  Janka scale = 2900                                                                           

Other exotic hardwood I use from time to time are:

• Wenge - from the Congo (Janka scale = 1930)
• Sapele - from Nigeria (Janka scale =1410)
• Mahogany - from Mexico and South America (Janka scale = 900)
• Zebrawood - from Cameroon (Janka scale = 1430)