I've got a commission for an 18x24 cutting board, but I'm a bit short on width. I have 3 inches of walnut and 12 inches of cherry to work with. I'm looking for a wood that would nicely complement the cherry and black walnut. I'm thinking of adding two 1.5-inch walnut stripes on the outer edges with cherry surrounding them. Any suggestions for the middle section? I'm heading to my local sawyer soon, but it's not a typical wood dealer, so I won't have access to exotic woods. My client just wants a durable cutting board; the design isn't their main concern.
3 Answers
Maple works great if you're sticking with domestic hardwoods. You can't go wrong with it paired with walnut and cherry!
A lot of people are recommending maple, and I totally agree. Just a tip though: go with hard maple instead of soft maple. Soft maple can get a bit chewy when you're working it down, and you might come across some color variations that aren't super appealing. Hard maple will give you a nice uniform look for your cutting board!
Thanks for the advice! Hard maple it is!
If you're considering something different, ash is also a fantastic choice. It's super durable, even used for baseball bats!
Interesting! I hadn't thought about ash. I'll consider it as an option.
Totally second this! Hard maple is definitely the way to go for cutting boards.