What Are the Differences Between Walnut and Maple Cutting Boards
- If you have any budget issues, then you must choose the maple because they are cheaper than walnuts; both of their...
- Now, let’s talk about the purposes and versatility; you will find maple boards suitable for cutting lightweight works or...
Full Answer
Why choose a maple cutting board?
The dark burns of the laser contrast with the light wood grain of the maple nicely. If you’ve got a bold statement to say, get a maple! Maple cutting boards make great housewarming gifts, wedding gifts for the bride, and Mother’s day gifts.
Are walnut cutting boards good for cooking?
Walnut cutting boards need some regular maintenance with oil. Otherwise, they can develop deep cracks, which make them unhygienic for preparing meals. The thick timber is heavy and won’t move around on your countertop, making it one of the safer options for cutting boards.
Is Maple harder than walnut?
Although maple is harder than walnut, both are equally sought-after in terms of looks and utility. If you need lighter, more contemporary looks, maple is a good choice. Walnut is a more traditional choice, and additionally, it carves well, too. Maple is an incredibly strong wood that stains well and looks good.
How do I choose the right wood for my cutting board?
Choose closed-grain woods (pores invisible to the naked eye) to keep liquid or bacteria from entering the cutting surface and cause mold growth, wood warping, or stains. The smaller, the better.
Is walnut or maple better for cutting boards?
1. Maple. Both soft and hard maple make for excellent cutting surfaces. But hard maple (1,450 lbf on the Janka hardness scale) is the industry standard among cutting board makers: It's more scratch- and impact-resistant than beech, teak, or walnut but not so hard that it will dull your knives.
Is walnut or maple better?
Walnut is a softer wood than Maple. The benefit of this is that a knife will be much less likely to dull when using this wood, but there is a tradeoff since the softer wood is easier to scratch or dent. Its medium to large pores offer some resistance to bacteria and moisture but not as much as Maple.
Is walnut OK for a cutting board?
Similarly, walnut is another hardwood that's an excellent choice in the kitchen. Its dark color is one of its main appeals, and although it's softer than maple it will still hold up well over time. Walnut falls in the “just right” category of hardness that's perfect for both board and knife maintenance.
Which is stronger maple or walnut?
John Boos & Co. As you can see in the accompanying graph, rock maple is the hardest of these four hardwoods - about 15% harder than red oak, which ranks second. Black walnut ranks third in hardness - about 20% below red oak. Cherry is another 5% or so softer than walnut.
What wood should not be used for cutting boards?
Avoid woods that are soft, porous, or toxic for cutting boards. Softwoods include balsa, cedar, juniper pine, redwood spruce, and Douglas fir. Porous wood includes mahogany, black walnut, butternut, oak, and ash. Toxic wood includes pine, birch, western red cedar, American mahogany, and rosewoods.
Is walnut darker than maple?
New walnut has a consistent dark brown color but as it gets older it does two things: 1: Unlike maple and cherry, it gets lighter, and 2: a rich honey color starts to come through the grain.
What is the best wood for a cutting board?
MapleMaple. Maple is the industry standard when it comes to wooden cutting boards — specifically hard maple or sugar maple wood. At 1,450 lbf on the Janka scale, it provides an excellent cutting surface that wears well against daily chopping but doesn't ruin a good cutting edge.
Is walnut wood antibacterial?
Like maple, walnut wood has a close grain that repels water and is naturally antimicrobial.
Is black walnut OK for a cutting board?
If you're looking for a board that will keep its structure, walnut is definitely the best option. Walnut wood is also totally safe for food as it is free of toxins that could eventually end up in your food as well.
Is maple good for cutting boards?
Maple is the industry standard when it comes to wooden cutting boards — specifically hard maple or sugar maple wood. At 1,450 lbf on the Janka scale, it provides an excellent cutting surface that wears well against daily chopping but doesn't ruin a good cutting edge.
Is walnut good for butcher block?
With proper care, we feel confident that the walnut species we love will be a fine choice for a butcher block countertop.
Why is walnut the best wood?
Characteristics and Qualities of Walnut WoodStable and hard.Strong and durable, yet not heavy.Dense with good shock resistance.Easy to work with for turning and carving.Nails and glues well.Exhibits good bending qualities.Finishes well.A fine, fairly straight grain.More items...•
Where are maple cutting boards made?
They’re not only sourced from American forests in Virginia and Maine, but they’re also hand carved in Atlanta, Georgia. Maple and walnut cutting boards are also hardwood, meaning they’re perfect for kitchen use and totally food safe.
Is maple better than walnut?
Maple has some nice advantages. It’s generally cheaper than walnut for the same quality, and laser engraving shows up much better. The dark burns of the laser contrast with the light wood grain of the maple nicely. If you’ve got a bold statement to say, get a maple!
Walnut Wood
Walnut wood is considered one of the best woods, especially in Europe. They have very characteristic and appreciated tones and grain . In addition, it is very easy to work with and supports any type of finish very well.
Maple Wood
Maple or maple wood is one of the most versatile that exists, not only due to the number of uses of a wood of this quality, but also because maple syrup is obtained from it, which is very useful. widespread in the Anglo-Saxon area. Also maple ash to make soaps and is even part of the emblem of several American states.
Walnut vs Maple : Color
Walnut sapwood is ocher yellow in color in contrast to the light brown to dark brown heartwood. Its wood has a special shine and its grain is very pronounced, which makes it a highly valued wood for joinery work.
Walnut vs Maple : Hardness
Walnut is a hard wood and has very characteristic veins. Above all, the European walnut variety is more pronounced and forms patterns, the American walnut variety being the most homogeneous in its veins. It has a high cost, and in some cases depending on the veins it can reach very high prices.
Walnut vs Maple : Durability
The natural durability of walnut is quite good. If it is moderately resistant to fungi, it can, however, resist insect attacks. On the other hand, it is sensitive to termites.
Walnut Workability
It is also important to note that it is a wood that is easy to use and cut and with a strong resistance to actions such as screwing or joining, so it works easily and well with hand tools and machines .
Maple Workability
Hard maple wood dries slowly, with great shrinkage, which leaves it subject to yield variations. It is recommended to use the drill before nailing and screwing. With care, good results can be achieved with a mechanical process, with turning and gluing. Painted and polished, it offers an extraordinary finish.
Maple vs. Walnut
Maple is an incredibly strong wood that stains well and looks good. Its main attraction is the light, creamy color and smooth, tight, grain that offers a fine finish to furniture and flooring.
Maple: Background
You will find hard maple growing in the northern region of the United States and Canada. Other than its value for lumber, the sap of the maple tree is the main ingredient of maple syrup. And let’s not forget that the maple leaf is the main feature of the Canadian national flag.
Walnut: Background
You can find several varieties of walnut trees, only a few grow in the United States. The most prominent species and the one we discuss today is eastern black walnut, (Juglans nigra). We also call it American black or just American walnut.
Maple vs. Walnut: Appearance
Maple is best known for its light, creamy color with a fine, straight, and smooth grain. You may also get occasional waviness and a few knots which adds to the appeal of the wood if worked well. A unique variation of maple is spalted maple.
Maple vs. Walnut: Durability
Despite its hardness and fine grain pattern, maple has a low level of durability. Black walnut on the other hand has high durability in terms of resistance to moisture and rot. But it does not stand up to insect attacks.
Maple vs. Walnut: Workability
Maple and walnut share many common properties and they are both equally workable. They respond well to hand and machine tools. However, you may find some sections with irregular grain difficult to work with for both woods.
Maple vs. Walnut: Price
Maple is reasonably priced but hard maple tends to be a bit more expensive than the softer varieties. Specially figured maple like birdseye, curl, or spalted also cost more.
Maple
Maple (Acer) is a large genus (about 132 species) of shrubs or trees in the family Sapindaceae. About 70-80 species of maple are found in Asia and the rest of the species are found in Europe, Northern Africa, and North America.
Walnut
Walnut (Juglans) is a nut tree of the genus Juglans (family Juglandaceae ). Seeds are referred to as walnuts. Nuts are most commonly used as food. It is native to North and South America, southern Europe, Asia, and the West Indies. There are about 21 species of walnut. The properties of these species are almost the same.
Maple vs Walnut Wood Uses
Wood is used on the basis of its physical properties. Several species of walnut and maple are available. Each species has its own specialty, they are used on the basis of these characteristics.
Maple vs Walnut Wood Workability
Maple and Walnut are both hardwood species, the hardness of both is almost the same. Their workability is also almost the same. They are fairly easy to work with hand and machine tools
Maple vs Walnut Appearance
The color of the maple species is slightly lighter and the grain is generally straight, fine, even texture. Although some maple pieces may be wavy and knotty.
Maple vs Walnut Wood Pros and Cons
All wood species have some flaws and properties, it is important to be aware of their properties before using them.
Where are walnut cutting boards made?
Did you know that walnut cutting boards are American made? This type of wood is not only sourced from American forests in Virginia and Maine. It also hands carved in Atlanta, Georgia. Walnut is the most expensive of the wood cutting boards. Why? Because of its gorgeous look and durable material. With a dark and rich design, it looks stunning in your kitchen! Maple, walnut, and cherry are the big three domestic hardwoods that are most popular. And probably the best choice if you want a domestic cutting board. Walnut cutting boards need some regular maintenance with oil. Otherwise, they can develop deep cracks, which make them unhygienic for preparing meals. The thick timber is heavy and won’t move around on your countertop, making it one of the safer options for cutting boards.
What is the best material for cutting boards?
And in the last few years, bamboo has become one of the most popular materials for cutting boards due to its many benefits. And now it is a major seller with home chefs and here are the top five benefits of choosing bamboo for cutting boards. Bamboo is a low maintenance wood.
Why use bamboo cutting board?
For a cutting board that ticks all of the boxes, bamboo is a clear choice. These cutting boards are water-resistant, affordable, durable, and stunning to look at. With a bamboo cutting board, you’re not only keeping your countertops and knives safe from damage! you’re also getting an elegant serving platter for entertaining guests.
Why do you need mineral oil for cutting boards?
Having a dense wood is important, as it keeps out water, where bacteria can grow and live. However, even with high-quality wood, cutting boards usually require regular maintenance with mineral oil. It will help you to keep cutting board from cracking and warping.
What wood is best for cutting knives?
Cherry cutting board. A cherry cutting board, known for being durable but not too hard to the touch, is another popular wood variety. This softer texture will be helpful in protecting your knives from damage. But it may also cause more damage to the wood itself.
What is the difference between edge and end grain?
The pattern that can be found along the main length of the board is known as the face grain. The edge grain runs along the board’s narrow side, while the end grain runs along the board’s short side. Generally speaking, end grain cutting boards tend to be the strongest and most popular. Cutting boards that are made of the end grain tend to resist marks and cuts especially well. Edge grain boards are the next strongest option, while the face grain is the weakest of the three.
How thick should a wood cutting board be?
They are also heavier, which prevents slipping and sliding on the kitchen counter. When choosing a wood cutting board, search for a model that is at least two inches thick. You should be able to apply plenty of pressure on the board without it becoming marked easily.
What is the best material for cutting boards?
In other words, her go-to material for a cutting board is maple. “It’s durable, prevents the growth of bacteria, is easy on the knives and looks nice,” Sarah adds. Maple cutting boards are also great because they’re easy to clean and sanitize. But keep in mind, no matter which wood cutting board you use, all types of wood are fairly porous ...
What is the end grain of a cutting board?
The terms “end grain” and “edge grain” refer to which part of the wood is used to construct the board. End grain is the end of the wood (where you can see the rings) and edge grain is the side of the wood (where you see a familiar wood grain pattern).
Which is better, edge grain or end grain?
It all depends on your personal preference. End grain boards are a bit more expensive, but easier on your knives. Edge grain boards are more durable, easier to maintain and more affordable, but will cause your knives to dull faster.
Can you use a wood cutting board for raw meat?
But keep in mind, no matter which wood cutting board you use, all types of wood are fairly porous and are likely to absorb juices from raw meat. Instead, use your wood cutting board for table-ready foods like herbs, vegetables, fruit, bread and cheese.