# Slab cutting boards or chopping blocks



## flashhole

I tried searching this forum for related links but came up empty.

Has anyone made a cutting borad or chopping block from slab hard wood? If yes, what are the challenges? I have some oak, hickory and maple trunks that are waiting to be split for firewood and the idea crossed my mind to cut and finish a slab to be used as a kitchen chopping block.

All inputs are appreciated.

Thanks.


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## sb47

If you’re talking about it being a solid chunk, then it will probably split as it dries. If you want to cut and glue small pieces together then yes it will work. 
make sure you use food grade glue and finish on it.


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## wisewood

Hi,
you really need to use seasoned wood, or like already said it will split. I make a few from off cuts of kiln dried slabs, I try to keep at least one edge waney. If you have access to a thicknesser that is wide enough then that is the way to go with true-ing them up to take out any twist/cupping and then a damn good sand. I've made a jig to turn a router into a surface planer which gives a great flat surface to sand. Finish with food grade oil like mineral oil.
Here's some I made earlier:msp_biggrin:
View attachment 231994

View attachment 231997

Cheers,
Si


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## twoclones

I especially like the one with the live edge  May have to make one of those for myself.


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## wisewood

twoclones said:


> I especially like the one with the live edge  May have to make one of those for myself.



Thanks twoclones,
it's a great way to use up odd bits and they sell well too:msp_smile:


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## twoclones

About selling those cutting boards... 
I often have appropriate wood for making these. What do you consider to be a good thickness for a slab cutting board? I'd imagine it's a good idea to avoid walnut as it's somewhat toxic. Any other woods one should avoid?


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## wisewood

twoclones said:


> About selling those cutting boards...
> I often have appropriate wood for making these. What do you consider to be a good thickness for a slab cutting board? I'd imagine it's a good idea to avoid walnut as it's somewhat toxic. Any other woods one should avoid?


Sorry for the slow response, just got back from hols.
Mine vary from about an inch and a quarter up to about 2 inches, depends on the original slab thickness (most of what I get are 2") and how much you need to remove to get them to lie flat with out any wobble.
As for woods to avoid, the only no no I can think of is yew as it can be pretty toxic. I use oak a lot but the tannin may blacken the board if left damp and in contact with steel. Just need to dry your boards off and oil regularly.


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## Marine5068

Maple is the best of those for cutting boards.
Like said, make sure all products are food friendly.
I never cut any meats on the wood boards I own, but use synthetic plastic ones for that.
Just a tip from a Chef.


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## twoclones

*Cutting board trivia*

When my folks were able, we killed and cut all of our own meat. Kill one weekend (up to 3 steers or 6 hogs) and cut the next. With the whole family cutting, we often ran short of cutting boards and used make-shift ones. We quickly learned that plywood made a poor cutting board because it dulled the knives more quickly than a piece of lumber.


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## qweesdraw

I have made several of these boards using Black Walnut,Honey Locust and Maple.
This video is worth watching and tells you why end grain makes a better cutting board.
(nobody has gotten sick from walnut on my boards that i know of,including my family)

Make an End Grain Butcher Block Cutting Board | The Wood Whisperer
Mark


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## pdqdl

Some years back, my wife (prior to marrying me) was fond of plastic cutting boards, which I dearly hate. The notion for preferring plastic was that they were more hygenic with a lower bacteria count.

Naturally, I didn't just let anybody cast aspersions on my favorite without a fight, so I did some research. It turns out that plastic was widely believed to be a less hospitable place for bacterial culture than a porous, chopped up surface like a maple cutting board. Some bright researcher decided to test that belief, and they discovered that a wood cutting board actually has fewer bacteria surviving on it's surface than a smooth plastic, although the research paper I read at the time was only speculating as to why.

So...wood is better than plastic, and my wife has actually converted to using the same cutting board that came with the original package (me) 16 years ago.

I haven't done any fact checking on this for a long time; perhaps there are different opinions now.


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## flashhole

My daughter has a plastic one. She likes it because she can put it in the dish washer.

I bought a new cutting board so most likely won't explore making one. The one I bought is a butcher block construction 21"x15"x3" thick.


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