Ash for cutting boards?

[Jim Podsedly]

Can Ash be used for end grain cutting boards?

I realize maple is the most common but how will ash hold up.

Jim

[David DeCristoforo]

Not good. Woods with large open pores like ash, oak, hickory, etc do not make the best cutting boards regardelss of their ability to "hold up". Maple has been the wood of choice forever for two reasons. One, it's very hard. Two, it has a very tight, "closed" grain.

[Paul Zonneveld]

David I build about 10 of the cuttings boards from Wood Mag and used ash vs. maple as I had it laying around. So far it has held up very well and I have no complaints.

[Al Wasser]

I think you can use just about any hard wood for a cutting board. I have made them out of oak and used them for over 20 yrs and no health issues. I never one is from ash and so far it is holding up fine. I suppose that closed grain wood like maple is desired but I don't think it is mandatory. If you know someone has health issues or allergy issues with say walnut then don't use it. I think a lot of the pretty cutting boards are not used daily so the wood doesn't matter.

[Jim O'Dell]

I always thought the closed gran versus open grain wood choice was because of the bacteria that could hide and grow in the open grain woods. I guess if you were only doing vegetables, it wouldn't be as much of a problem. But doing chicken on it would scare me, and we feed raw chicken to the dogs everyday!! Jim.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Jim is right. Maple is choice for cutting boards not ONLY due to the tight grain, but also for the natural anti-bacterial properties in the wood. No, I'm not a health scientist, but I have had professional experience as a chef. As I recall, maple if the only wood surface that our state Board of Health alows for food prep.