# Soft maple for cutting board?



## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

I have some soft maple with nice figure. I'm thinking of using some in a cutting board with some narrow walnut strips. Will not be an endgrain board. Any opinions about soft maple in this application?







The second photo includes the walnut strip. 

Another question. I'm sure dimensions vary greatly, but what sizes are more common, and most easily manipulated? I am kitchen ignorant. Any help would be most appreciated. 


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## notskot (Feb 22, 2015)

"Soft" maple is actually fairly hard, and should be fine for a cutting board. End grain is a nice touch if you're willing to spend a bit more time on it.


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## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

Those will look nice together! I'm not a chef but I do like to cook, and my favorite board is about 12 X 18 - big enough for a loaf of bread or a head of lettuce, small enough to be easy to store. Most of the hand-made cutting boards I see for sale are about half that size, though.


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## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

End grain is, I think, in my future, but I like the figure in this maple. I want to showcase it. Thanks for the info about the maple. 


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## Hooked (Nov 1, 2016)

I used it in a couple I did recently with the walnut strips. They came out great.


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## Chris Taylor (Dec 19, 2016)

I say make a big one and a matching small one. 12x18, and a 6x12 when you don't need the big one. That should extend your maintenance period as well.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Chris Taylor said:


> I say make a big one and a matching small one. 12x18, and a 6x12 when you don't need the big one. That should extend your maintenance period as well.


6x12 is really small. What would you use it for? I would consider 12x18 to be a large small or small medium.

George


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## Chris Taylor (Dec 19, 2016)

We have one - use it for making little snacks for the little ones, or chopping up hot dogs for mac n cheese. Use it at get togethers as a sort of serving tray as well for dips n stuff. I can't imagine one any bigger than 12x18, but then again, I'm not chef - the most complicated thing I make is gumbo.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I also wondered how hard it was*



notskot said:


> "Soft" maple is actually fairly hard, and should be fine for a cutting board. End grain is a nice touch if you're willing to spend a bit more time on it.


Turns out it's pretty hard compartively speaking. Hard Maple is just short of "diamonds" by this scale:
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/differences-between-hard-maple-and-soft-maple/


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## Oakwerks (Mar 24, 2013)

I've made many with soft maple .... Biggest is 24x30, 1 1/2 inches thick .....


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## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

Wow! Lots of good ideas here. I think I'll go with about 12" x 18" or so. Thanks for the help. 
Good looking boards, Hooked. I really like the first one. 

Woodnthings, I assume that's the Janka scale? Your diamond comment struck me as humorous. 


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

the maple will hold up better than the walnut. in cutting boards it is a great accent wood, but otherwise open grained, and tends to feather after washing.


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## Hooked (Nov 1, 2016)

WesTex said:


> Good looking boards, Hooked. I really like the first one.


Thanks! That design was from Woodsmith Magazine and I found it online. Here's the link for anyone interested.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/media/pdf/208/cuttingboards.pdf


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## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

Got 'er done! First cutting board attempt. Soft maple & walnut. Finished with mineral oil. Will be part of SWMBO's Christmas.










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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> 6x12 is really small. What would you use it for? I would consider 12x18 to be a large small or small medium.
> 
> George


It just dawned on me that 6x12 would be about the size of a small cheese board.

George


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2012)

Soft maple, cherry, and walnut should be beautiful together, and are about the same hardness in my opinion. Walnut, however, is more porous than most people realize, but this is more an issue with end-grain cutting boards. One aspect all responders overlooked is the ratio of length to width. The perfect artists ratio is 16 to 10, or 1.6 to 1.0, or 1.0 to 0.6. That's just a ratio pleasing to the eye. Think pictures hanging on a wall. Relatively long cutting boards would be ideal for French bread or tubular meat like salami or dicing celery, slicing zucchini, etc. The smaller and squarish boards would be best for cheese balls or small items.


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