Unlike plastic, wood is more durable, especially the ones with grains perpendicular to the surface. Take red oak, for instance. Its soft surface ensures blades don’t get blunt too quickly.
But does red oak make a good cutting board? Having worked with it extensively for many projects, I’ll break down its characteristics, advantages, and potential drawbacks. Keep reading, and I’ll dive deeper into the details!
What is Red Oak Wood: Key Characteristics, Origin, and More
Red oak or Quercus rubra loves full sun and prefers to grow on rich and moist soil in Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. It is known for being heavy, dense, sturdy, and sustainable.
The heartwood of red oak has light umber color with flecks of red. Then it becomes paler on sapwood. It has straight grains with various red patterns and coarse, uneven texture.
Red oak is used on floors and has decent workability. However, it reacts when in contact with iron and is vulnerable to stain, decay, and moisture.
Advantages of Using Red Oak as a Cutting Board
Red oak is hardwood and popular for various projects due to its workability, hardness, and response to steam-bending.
Here are few reasons why people use it as cutting board:
Sturdy
Red oak has Janka hardness of 1290psi. Good cutting boards are within 900 to 1500 Janka hardness. Red oak has sufficient hardness to resist dents and scratches from butcher knives and heavy restaurant kitchen use.
Aesthetic Color and Pattern
Red oak board is cut with grain facing perpendicular to its cutting side. You’ll see honey brown or pinkish red cutting board with straight grains forming different patterns.
Woodworkers would always play with its patterns and color to spice things up. Either way, red oak will give you premium-looking cutting board.
Water and Scratch Resistant
When red oak dries, it has density of 44 lbs/ft3 that can resist scratches and dents. Properly finished red oak provides resistance to moisture, good enough for kitchen use.
Easy Sealing
Red oaks have notably large pores. These pores facilitate the movement of air molecules, entering and exiting with ease. This characteristic actually makes red oaks absorb sealants and finishes more effectively than some of the tighter-grained hardwoods out there.
When a sealant is deeply absorbed into the wood fibers, the sealing process becomes much smoother. As a result, finishes on red oak often appear richer, more lustrous, and have a longer lifespan.
Anti-Bacterial
Studies prove hygroscopic properties and extracts in oak inhibit bacterial growth and prevent bacteria like E. coli (commonly found in food) from penetrating and lingering on wood.
Disadvantages of Using Red Oak as a Cutting Board
To balance your understanding of red oak, it’s important to be acquainted with its downsides. That way, you’ll have clearer and more objective reasons for using it for your project. Its disadvantages include:
Tannic Acid
Tannic acid kills bacteria. As much as you’d love anti-bacterial on cutting board, tannic acid leaves bitter taste and is mildly toxic when ingested.
You squeeze out this acid when chopping. So, it’s best to clean your board thoroughly after use.
Porous
Due to large pores, red oak absorbs more water. It will suck fluid like sponge, especially its heartwood. Black stains easily grow, leading to decay if left unchecked.
The Smell Can be Bothersome
Red oak has awful scent, leaving stinking smell to your food. But it can be removed through sanding and finishing. Remaining residues are squeezed out when you use your cutting board, so clean it regularly.
How to Seal a Red Oak Cutting Board
Sealing red oak is what really makes it an effective cutting board. As mentioned, red oak is mildly toxic, stinks, and stain-absorbent.
Its advantages don’t offset its drawbacks. Maintenance alone won’t cut it. You’d have to go through all the trouble of sealing and sanding its surface to waterproof it and remove its stinking juices.
If you want to benefit from having a good-looking board made of red oak, here are four steps to follow.
Step #1: Get a Suitable Chopping Board Sealant
Chopping boards face a lot from sharp knives and cleavers. When choosing a sealant, you’ll want something that stands up to dents and pressure. From my experience with red oak, beeswax, mineral oil, linseed oil, and tung oil have proven to be effective choices.
Read Next: Finishing Wood With Beeswax
I’d advise against using varnishes, polyurethane, or lacquer on chopping boards. With regular use, these finishes tend to crack and, once they do, it’s a tough fix. Cracks can trap water and food particles, leading to unsightly stains down the line.
Step #2: Spread to the Board
To get things started, sand your wood. Make sure you clean it with dish soap and lukewarm water afterward. You can also use vinegar or lemon to remove foul smell.
Wood must be dry before you apply sealant. Spread oil evenly on the surface with microfibers or lint-free rags/cloth.
Wait for wood to absorb the oil. Mineral oil and linseed oil soaks for about 15-30 minutes, while some, like tung oil, takes one day.
Step #3: Add More Layers if Needed
More layers are better. Let it dry to the touch before applying another layer. You can also sand it first.
Like step 2, wipe it evenly on surface.
Repeat the process until you are sure you fill and fully stuff every pore with oil. You’ll know you’re done when the wood can no longer absorb excess oils.
Step #4: Rub the Excess
Wipe off excess oil with a clean, lint-free rag or microfiber. You can sand it moderately with smooth sandpaper and wait for it to cure fully.
Linseed oil takes about 1-3 days to cure, while tung oil and beeswax need 2-3 days. Mineral oil cures faster with six hours curing time.
Reapply sealer every 2-4 months to prevent brittle, scratches, or dents from adding up. Do it monthly if it’s overused.
Best Finish Choices for a Red Oak Cutting Board
Mineral oil is a my go-to finish for this wood. It cures quickly and retains a clear appearance, ensuring that the wood’s natural beauty shines through. When it’s absorbed, mineral oil stays fluid and deeply permeates the wood fibers
You can pair mineral oil with beeswax for smoother, more solid finish and better water resistance.
Tung and linseed oil are also underrated choices I’d recommend. They’re environmentally friendly and turns into plastic-like barrier when cured. Unlike non-drying, these dry oils become polymers that resist water penetrating your wood and eliminate stinking smell and toxic acid.
Best Grain for a Red Oak Cutting Board
It’s ideal for strong and sturdy cutting boards to have end-grains. Wooden cutting board, regarding wood type, is more effective if grains on its cutting side are perpendicular to the surface.
End-grain surface reduces tendency of blunting, as opposed to edge side of grain where blades directly cut through grains dulling its sharpness.
Having end-grains [1] also maximizes sturdiness. It gives a smoother cutting feeling and denies scratches, dents, and knife marks.
How to Properly Wash and Maintain a Red Oak Cutting Board
- Wipe food residues, meat fibers, fish scales, or blood after use.
- Rinse it with water. Wash it using sponge/brush with dish soap. You can also use lemon and salt to remove remaining food odor. Bacteria can penetrate your board through scratches and knife marks, so scrub it properly.
- Optional: If you use it on meat and fish, soak it in bleach solution for no longer than three minutes. Wood tends to soften and swell if you soak it in water long enough. You only need sufficient time for the solution to kill off bacteria.
- To remove remaining foams of soap or bleach on your wood, rinse it with water once you’re done.
- Wipe it with dry clean rag and dry it completely before returning to its rack.
Can I Use Red Oak as a Butcher Block?
As a matter of fact, this is where red oak is best to use. That is if its surface is sealed with oil finish.
Red oak is dense, hard, and can absorb shock. When you apply proper finish and consistent maintenance, butcher block made of red oak is a practical choice and worth investing in.
Is White Oak Also a Good Option for a Cutting Board?
White oak works well as cutting board and should have same considerations and preparations as red oaks. Plus, it has natural properties capable of resisting water when exposed outside.
White oak is harder and denser. It has smaller pores but can be less gentle at preserving your blade’s sharpness.
What are Better Options to Use as a Cutting Board?
Laminated maple, walnut, and teak are better options to use as cutting boards. Materials like beech, cherry, and acacia are also great choices.
For instance, teak is the most durable hardwood. It can withstand harsh weather conditions and used as boat keel, let alone cutting boards. Walnut is the softest and best used to avoid blunting your knife.
Meanwhile, maple has more compressed grain and smaller pores. It is water resistant and sturdier. Hard maple even has Janka hardness of 1450 and is the best choice due to its resistance and overall quality.
However, it dulls your blade faster, making soft maple an alternative option because its quality doesn’t go far from hard maple.
Read Next: Is Red Oak Good for Outdoors?
Conclusion
Its sturdiness and natural look make red oak a good cutting board for butchering and material for large chopping boards in restaurants. Even if it requires extra care and preparation, having wooden cutting board is all worth the trouble.
However, make sure to have separate cutting boards for your meat, fruits & vegetables, fish, and spices. You don’t want cross-contamination, or your cornbread to taste like garlic and onion.
Robert Johnson is a passionate furniture maker & carpenter, sought after for his knowledge on the craft.
You’ve probably seen his down-to-earth wisdom in USA Today, Bobvila, Family Handyman, and The Spruce, where he has shared commentary and guidance on various woodworking topics.
Robert is the brain behind Sawinery, where he aims to share tips, tricks, and a passion for all things carpentry.
