WOOD GRAIN: UNDERSTANDING STRENGTH + DURABILITY
Woodworking, like many things in life, is all about understanding the grain. Think of it as the natural fibers and strands that run through a piece of wood, much like the fibers in string cheese or the orientation of a beer can.
Depending on how you cut, shape, or use wood, you'll encounter different grain orientations, each with its unique properties. Here's the key: wood from standard lumber mills comes in three primary grain orientations – face grain, edge grain, and end grain.
Face grain is what you see on wide, flat planks. It's the most common and weakest grain orientation, often used in flooring and furniture.
Edge grain, found along the narrow sides of planks, is stronger but trickier to work with due to the standard lumber cuts.
End grain is the strongest and found at the tiny rectangles at the end of planks. It's the hardest to produce but worth the effort due to its durability and scratch resistance.
When it comes to making cutting boards, your choice of grain orientation matters. Face grain is easy but scratch-prone. Edge grain is more durable but still not the best. End grain, though challenging to craft, results in a cutting board that's incredibly durable, long-lasting, and resistant to scratches. These are the cutting boards favored by world-class chefs for their strength and aesthetic appeal.
At Outer Woods, we're committed to pushing the boundaries of design, patterns, and craftsmanship in our end grain cutting boards. We believe that every chef deserves the best, and that's why we're dedicated to creating cutting boards that stand the test of time.
