Cutting Board Wood Guide
Edge Grain vs End Grain Cutting Boards
Edge grain, end grain, and face grain cutting boards all use wood differently. The difference comes down to which part of the wood grain faces up on the surface of the board.
This guide explains the difference between edge grain, end grain, and face grain cutting boards, which style is best for beginners, and how hardwood cutting board strips can be used to create different board styles.
Quick Answer
Edge grain cutting boards show the long edge of the wood strips on the surface. They are durable, attractive, and easier to make than end grain boards, which makes them a great choice for beginner and intermediate woodworkers.
End grain cutting boards show the ends of the wood fibres on the surface. They are often considered a premium style, but they are more advanced to build and usually require more cutting, milling, flattening, and layout planning.
What Is the Difference Between Edge Grain and End Grain?
The difference between edge grain and end grain comes from how the wood is oriented. In an edge grain cutting board, the long edge of the strip faces up. In an end grain cutting board, the board is made from many small blocks with the end of the grain facing up.
Edge grain boards are usually simpler to build and are a great first cutting board project. End grain boards can be beautiful and long lasting, but they are more complex and require more precise milling and glue-up.
The Three Main Types of Cutting Boards
Face Grain Cutting Boards
Face grain boards show the wider face of the wood on the surface. They often show more of the wood grain and colour variation.
With our cutting board strips, this is the face-up layout that creates an approximately 3/4" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Edge Grain Cutting Boards
Edge grain boards show the long edge of the wood strips on the surface. They are a popular choice for DIY cutting boards because they are strong, clean-looking, and beginner-friendly.
With our cutting board strips, rotate the strips on edge to create an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
End Grain Cutting Boards
End grain boards show the ends of the wood fibres on the surface. They are often built from many small blocks glued together in a pattern.
End grain boards are more advanced and usually require more cutting, re-gluing, flattening, and careful planning.
Face Grain vs Edge Grain vs End Grain Cutting Boards
Here is a simple comparison of the three main cutting board styles.
| Board Type | Grain Direction | Difficulty | Best For | Works Well With Our Strips? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face Grain | Wide face of the strip faces up | Beginner-friendly | Serving boards, cheese boards, charcuterie boards, lighter-use boards | Yes — face-up layout creates approx. 3/4" thickness |
| Edge Grain | Long edge of the strip faces up | Beginner to intermediate | Thicker cutting boards, daily-use kitchen boards, DIY projects | Yes — on-edge layout creates approx. 1.75" thickness |
| End Grain | End of the wood fibres faces up | More advanced | Premium cutting boards, checkerboard patterns, advanced woodworking projects | Possible, but requires extra cutting, layout, and glue-up |
Which Type of Cutting Board Is Best for Beginners?
For most beginners, a face grain or edge grain cutting board is the best place to start. Both styles are easier to plan, glue, flatten, sand, and finish than an end grain board.
Choose Face Grain If...
You want a thinner board, a serving board, a cheese board, a charcuterie board, or a project that shows more of the wood face and grain.
Choose Edge Grain If...
You want a thicker cutting board that feels more substantial and is still very manageable for a beginner or intermediate woodworking project.
Choose End Grain If...
You have more woodworking experience and are comfortable with extra cutting, re-gluing, flattening, and pattern planning.
How Our Cutting Board Strips Fit Each Board Style
Our cutting board strips measure approximately 1.75" wide x 3/4" thick and can be used in different orientations depending on the type of board you want to make.
For Face Grain Boards
Glue the strips edge-to-edge with the wider face showing. This creates an approximately 3/4" thick board before sanding and finishing.
For Edge Grain Boards
Rotate the strips on edge so the 1.75" dimension becomes the board thickness. This creates an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
For End Grain Boards
The strips can be used as starting material, but end grain boards require additional cutting, flipping, re-gluing, and flattening to expose the end grain on the surface.
Why Edge Grain Is a Great Starting Point
Edge grain cutting boards are a strong starting point because they offer a good balance of appearance, durability, and build difficulty. They are easier to make than end grain boards but still feel like a proper, substantial cutting board.
If you are using our cutting board wood strips, an edge grain board is created by rotating the strips on edge before glue-up. This turns the 1.75" dimension into the board thickness.
Read the Edge Grain Build Guide →Why End Grain Boards Are More Advanced
End grain cutting boards can look beautiful, especially when made with checkerboard or patterned layouts. However, they usually require more cutting, more glue-up stages, more flattening, and more careful planning than edge grain or face grain boards.
If this is your first cutting board, we recommend starting with a face grain or edge grain board. Once you understand layout, glue-up, flattening, sanding, and finishing, an end grain board becomes a more realistic next project.
Best Woods for Different Cutting Board Types
Maple, walnut, and cherry are classic choices for cutting boards. Exotic hardwood strips like padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, leopardwood, and black limba can be used as accent strips for colour and contrast.
Simple Beginner Board
Use maple, walnut, and cherry for a clean, classic layout that is easy to design around.
High-Contrast Board
Pair lighter woods with walnut or wenge for strong contrast and cleaner pattern separation.
Colourful Accent Board
Add padauk, purpleheart, canary wood, leopardwood, or black limba for more colour and visual interest.
For a deeper comparison, see our Best Wood for Cutting Boards guide.
How Many Strips Do You Need?
The number of strips depends on the finished board width and whether you are making a face grain or edge grain board.
- Face-up layout: each strip adds approximately 1.75" of board width.
- On-edge layout: each strip adds approximately 3/4" of board width.
- End grain layout: strip count depends on your pattern, block size, and additional cutting plan.
Helpful Cutting Board Guides
Shop Cutting Board Supplies
Choose your cutting board wood strips, plan the board style, then finish your project with the right sanding and finishing supplies.
Edge Grain vs End Grain FAQ
What is the difference between edge grain and end grain cutting boards?
Edge grain cutting boards show the long edge of the wood strips on the surface. End grain cutting boards show the ends of the wood fibres on the surface and usually require more cutting, glue-up, and flattening.
Is edge grain or end grain better for beginners?
Edge grain is usually better for beginners because it is easier to build, easier to flatten, and requires fewer glue-up steps than an end grain board.
Can I make an edge grain board with cutting board strips?
Yes. Rotate the strips on edge so the 1.75" dimension becomes the board thickness. This creates an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Can I make a face grain board with cutting board strips?
Yes. Glue the strips edge-to-edge with the wider face showing to create an approximately 3/4" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Can I make an end grain board with cutting board strips?
Yes, but it is more advanced. End grain boards require additional cutting, flipping, re-gluing, flattening, and planning compared to face grain or edge grain boards.
Which cutting board style should I make first?
If this is your first board, start with a face grain or edge grain cutting board. These styles are easier to build and are a better introduction to glue-up, flattening, sanding, and finishing.
Choose the Right Cutting Board Style for Your Project
Start with face grain or edge grain if you are new to cutting boards, then work toward more advanced end grain boards once you are comfortable with layout, glue-up, flattening, sanding, and finishing.
