Cutting Board Wood Guide
Best Wood for Cutting Boards
The best wood for cutting boards is usually a hardwood that is durable, attractive, workable, and suitable for kitchen board projects. Maple, walnut, and cherry are classic choices, while species like ash, padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, and black limba can be used to add contrast and character.
This guide compares popular cutting board wood species, explains what to look for in cutting board material, and helps you choose the right hardwood strips for your next DIY cutting board, edge grain board, face grain board, charcuterie board, or serving board.
Quick Answer
Maple, walnut, and cherry are some of the best woods for cutting boards because they create durable, attractive boards with a classic look. Maple is light and clean, walnut adds dark contrast, and cherry brings a warm reddish-brown tone.
Exotic hardwoods like padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, leopardwood, and black limba are often used as accent strips to add colour and contrast. For beginners, a simple maple, walnut, and cherry combination is a great place to start.
What Makes a Good Wood for Cutting Boards?
A good cutting board wood should be hard enough to handle normal kitchen use, but not so difficult to work with that it becomes frustrating to mill, glue, sand, and finish. The wood should also look good in the final board and pair well with other species if you are making a mixed layout.
For DIY cutting boards, many woodworkers choose hardwood strips because they make it easier to create custom patterns without starting from rough lumber. You can keep the design simple with classic species or add exotic wood accent strips for colour and contrast.
Classic Woods for Cutting Boards
Maple
Maple is one of the most popular cutting board woods because it has a clean, light appearance and works well in both simple and mixed-species boards.
Use maple when you want a bright, classic board or a neutral base that pairs well with darker accent strips.
Walnut
Walnut is a favourite for cutting boards because it adds rich, dark contrast. It works beautifully with maple, cherry, ash, and lighter exotic woods.
Use walnut for premium-looking boards, darker layouts, or accent strips that make the design stand out.
Cherry
Cherry has a warm reddish-brown tone that gives cutting boards a softer, more traditional look. It pairs well with maple and walnut.
Use cherry when you want warmth, subtle colour, and a classic hardwood cutting board feel.
Ash
Ash is a lighter hardwood with strong grain character. It can work well in cutting board projects when you want a brighter look with visible grain.
Use ash when you want a light-toned board with a bit more grain movement than maple.
Exotic Woods for Cutting Board Accent Strips
Exotic woods can add colour, contrast, and personality to a cutting board. Many woodworkers use them as accent strips rather than building the entire board from exotic species.
Padauk
Padauk adds a bold orange-red accent and works well when you want a colourful exotic wood cutting board design.
Purpleheart
Purpleheart creates a strong purple accent and is often used in mixed-species boards for visual contrast.
Wenge
Wenge is very dark and dramatic, making it useful for thin accent strips or bold contrast lines.
Canary Wood
Canary wood can add yellow, orange, and warm colour variation to cutting board layouts.
Leopardwood
Leopardwood has a distinct spotted grain pattern that can create a unique decorative detail in a board.
Black Limba
Black limba has a creamy base with darker streaks, making it a good option for boards with natural visual movement.
For a deeper look at colour, contrast, and exotic species, see our Exotic Wood Cutting Board Guide.
Cutting Board Wood Species Comparison
Use this simple comparison to choose the right wood species for your cutting board design.
| Wood Species | Colour / Look | Best Use | Good For Beginners? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maple | Light, clean, classic | Main board body, simple layouts, beginner projects | Yes |
| Walnut | Dark brown, rich contrast | Accent strips, premium boards, classic contrast | Yes |
| Cherry | Warm reddish-brown | Warm colour palettes and classic boards | Yes |
| Ash | Light with visible grain | Light boards with more grain character | Yes |
| Padauk | Bold orange-red | Colour accent strips and exotic wood layouts | Best as an accent |
| Purpleheart | Purple accent colour | Decorative contrast and colourful boards | Best as an accent |
| Wenge | Very dark, dramatic | Thin contrast lines and modern layouts | Best as an accent |
| Canary Wood | Yellow/orange colour variation | Warm accent strips and colourful layouts | Best as an accent |
| Black Limba | Creamy base with dark streaks | Unique pattern and decorative boards | Best as an accent |
Best Cutting Board Wood for Beginners
If this is your first cutting board, start with a simple hardwood combination. Maple, walnut, and cherry are a great beginner-friendly mix because the colours work well together and the final board has a classic look.
You can also use a mixed cutting board strip pack if you want a variety of species without choosing every piece one by one. Mixed packs are a good way to experiment with colour, contrast, and layout.
Beginner tip: Keep the pattern simple on your first board. A clean layout with a few contrasting strips often looks better than a board with too many competing colours.
What Woods Should You Avoid for Cutting Boards?
As a general rule, avoid wood that is too soft, too porous, unstable, heavily scented, oily in a way that causes finishing or glue-up problems, or not suitable for the type of board you are making.
For most cutting board projects, stick with hardwoods commonly used by woodworkers for kitchen boards and serving boards. If you are unsure about a specific species, use it as a small accent first or choose a more classic option like maple, walnut, or cherry.
Using Hardwood Strips for Cutting Boards
Cutting board wood strips make it easier to build your own cutting board kit. Our strips can be used in two different orientations depending on the style and thickness of board you want to build.
Face-Up Layout
Glue the strips edge-to-edge with the wider face showing to create an approximately 3/4" thick board before sanding and finishing.
On-Edge Layout
Rotate the strips on edge so the wider dimension becomes the board thickness, creating an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Best Wood by Cutting Board Style
Classic Cutting Board
Use maple, walnut, and cherry for a timeless design that works well in most kitchens.
High-Contrast Board
Use maple with walnut, wenge, or purpleheart if you want stronger contrast and cleaner pattern lines.
Colourful Exotic Board
Add padauk, purpleheart, canary wood, leopardwood, or black limba as accent strips for a more colourful design.
Serving or Charcuterie Board
Use face-up strips for a thinner board that works well as a serving board, cheese board, or charcuterie board.
Finish Matters Too
The wood species is only part of the final result. Once your cutting board is glued, flattened, and sanded, the finish will affect the colour, contrast, feel, and maintenance of the board.
Use a finish suitable for cutting boards and reapply it as needed to keep the board looking and performing its best.
Shop Wood Finishes →Helpful Cutting Board Guides
Shop Cutting Board Wood and Supplies
Choose your cutting board wood strips, plan your layout, then finish your board with the right sanding and finishing supplies.
Best Wood for Cutting Boards FAQ
What is the best wood for cutting boards?
Maple, walnut, and cherry are classic choices for cutting boards. Maple is light and clean, walnut adds dark contrast, and cherry brings a warm tone.
Can exotic woods be used for cutting boards?
Many exotic hardwoods are used as accent strips in cutting boards to add colour and contrast. Padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, leopardwood, and black limba are popular decorative options.
Is maple good for cutting boards?
Yes. Maple is one of the most popular cutting board woods because it has a clean, light appearance and works well in simple or mixed-species boards.
Is walnut good for cutting boards?
Yes. Walnut is a popular cutting board wood because it gives the board a rich, dark colour and pairs well with lighter woods like maple, ash, and cherry.
What wood is best for a beginner cutting board?
Maple, walnut, and cherry are a great beginner-friendly combination. They create a classic look and are easy to design around.
Should I use a cutting board kit or individual wood strips?
A cutting board kit can be convenient, but individual wood strips give you more control over the species, length, quantity, and layout of your board.
Choose the Right Wood for Your Cutting Board
Start with classic hardwoods like maple, walnut, and cherry, or add exotic accent strips for more colour and contrast. Use cutting board wood strips to build your own layout and create a board that fits your style.
