End Grain Chopping / Cutting Board – Teak Hard Wood

A buddy of mine has started to make traditional Taiwanese cookery videos as I already described with a slight twist, which means they are not very traditional after all. He asked me if I would build him a chopping board, and I agreed to make the end grain variety from teak. The lumber had already been planed which meant I could cut the pieces on the table saw without worrying that a bow or bend in the material could deflect the blade. Teak is a particularly durable material to work with and naturally resistant to many chemicals.

Had we not been goofing around I’d have probably remembered that best way to make an end grain chopping board was using a two step processes. Firstly gluing the lengths together, then after cutting across the grain and finally re-gluing those pieces once upturned. But if there is an advantage the current method, it is the ability to choose the exactly size and combination of colours and patterns of the final board. I used Titebond ultimate III, which is a food safe glue with a slower drying time. This means a longer assembly time is available.

Using the method employed in this video, it will be important to make sure any gaps are filled with food safe glue and sawdust, however luckily this wasn’t too much of a problem for us. I began sanding the board with a belt sander, and moved on to an orbital sander. There really isn’t any need to over sand, as the advantage of the end grain is it hides scuffs that would normally develop over time and use. Between grits I am using mentholated spirit to clean any remaining sawdust off the surface.

To finish the board, I decided to use Danish oil, which is advertised as toy safe. There are plenty of account in which it is used to finish chopping board, or alternatively you could use worktop oil or Tung oil. It is important to allow the oil to cure properly, which means leaving it for a couple weeks or up to a month before the initial use.