Woodworking Project Guides
Cutting Board Wood Guides
Learn how to choose cutting board wood strips, compare hardwood species, plan your board size, understand cutting board kits, and build better DIY cutting boards with the right wood, layout, and finish.
This guide hub brings together our most helpful resources for cutting board wood, including hardwood strips, edge grain boards, face grain boards, exotic wood accents, beginner cutting board kits, strip count planning, and food-safe finishing.
Cutting Board Wood Learning Hub
Cutting board wood strips are pre-cut hardwood strips used to build DIY cutting boards, edge grain cutting boards, face grain boards, charcuterie boards, serving boards, and small woodworking projects.
Start with the guide that best matches your project. If you are new to cutting boards, begin with the Cutting Board Wood Strips Guide, then use the strip count guide to plan how many pieces you need.
Browse Cutting Board Wood Guides
Cutting Board Wood Strips Guide
Learn what cutting board wood strips are, how they are sized, which species to choose, and how they can be used to build your own cutting board kit.
Read the Strips Guide →Cutting Board Kits vs Wood Strips
Compare fixed cutting board kits, cutting board packs, mixed packs, and individual hardwood strips so you can choose the best option.
Compare Kits + Strips →Best Wood for Cutting Boards
Compare popular cutting board woods like maple, walnut, cherry, ash, padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, and more.
Read the Wood Guide →How Many Strips Do You Need?
Use our strip count guide to estimate how many cutting board strips you need for different board widths and thicknesses.
Plan Your Board Size →Exotic Wood Cutting Board Guide
Learn how exotic hardwood strips like padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, leopardwood, and black limba can be used as accents.
Explore Exotic Woods →How to Make an Edge Grain Cutting Board
Follow a beginner-friendly overview for building an edge grain cutting board using hardwood strips, glue, clamps, sanding, and finish.
Read the Build Guide →Edge Grain vs End Grain Cutting Boards
Understand the difference between edge grain, face grain, and end grain cutting boards so you can choose the right project style.
Compare Board Types →Where Should You Start?
If you are new to making cutting boards, start with the Cutting Board Wood Strips Guide. That page explains how the strips work, how they can be used, and how to choose the right species and layout.
After that, use the How Many Strips Do You Need? guide to plan your board size before ordering.
Shop Cutting Board Supplies
These are the main supplies and collections we recommend for DIY cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving boards, and small woodworking projects.
What Are Cutting Board Wood Strips?
Cutting board wood strips are pre-cut hardwood strips used to make DIY cutting boards, cutting board kits, edge grain boards, face grain boards, charcuterie boards, cheese boards, serving boards, and other small woodworking projects.
They are often made from hardwood species like maple, walnut, cherry, ash, padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, black limba, and other domestic or exotic woods. These strips let you choose your own layout instead of being limited to a fixed cutting board pack.
Depending on how the strips are oriented, they can be used face-up for a thinner board or rotated on edge for a thicker edge grain cutting board.
Two Ways to Use Cutting Board Strips
Our cutting board 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. This creates an approximately 3/4" thick board before sanding and finishing.
On-Edge Layout
Rotate the strips onto their edge so the wider dimension becomes the board thickness. This creates an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Cutting Board Wood Guides FAQ
What guide should I start with?
Start with the Cutting Board Wood Strips Guide if you are new to the product. It explains what the strips are, how they can be used, and how to choose the right wood for your project.
Are cutting board wood strips the same as a cutting board kit?
They can be used to build your own cutting board kit. Instead of buying a fixed pack, individual strips let you choose the species, length, and quantity you want.
What wood is best for cutting boards?
Maple, walnut, and cherry are classic choices. Exotic woods like padauk, purpleheart, wenge, canary wood, and black limba are often used as accent strips for colour and contrast.
Can I make a thick cutting board with these strips?
Yes. If the strips are rotated on edge, the wider dimension becomes the board thickness, creating an approximately 1.75" thick board before sanding and finishing.
Can I make a thinner cutting board with these strips?
Yes. If the strips are glued face-up edge-to-edge, the board will be approximately 3/4" thick before sanding and finishing.
Start Planning Your Cutting Board Project
Use these cutting board wood guides to choose your species, plan your strip count, compare layout options, and build a custom board with the right wood, finish, and supplies.
