douglas fir ok for cutting board?

[norvinl]

Hi,

I have some Douglas Fir I'd like to use to make a cutting board. Good idea? Bad idea?

TIA, NL

[dpb]

So-so idea. Not so bad as something porous like oak, not nearly as good as something fine-grained and relatively hard like maple...

[Leon]

A bit tooooooooo soft.

[Andy]

Theoretically, probably too soft. Realistically, probably fine, as long as you don't expect it to last many generations. I know maple etc. are supposed to be the best cutting board woods, but my parents used a "cutting board" for 10+ years that I made in jr. high shop class. This "cutting board" was a square piece of CX plywood. It used to have 3/4" dowels countersunk into it as legs, but those fell off almost immediately after they started using it (now I know the countersink was far too shallow, and gluing end grain doesn't have any strength...). My point is that CX ply isn't ideal cutting board material, but it was functional. My advice - make your cutting board, use it, and learn whatever you can from the process. If you at some point get some maple, walnut, and/or cherry scraps, make a new cutting board (any combination of those woods is beautiful). Assuming you're gluing up pieces, I'd definitely use something waterproof like titebond 3, gorilla glue, or epoxy. They're all "food safe" once they cure. Use mineral oil as a finish - you don't want something that hardens, as that could chip as you use it. Good luck and have fun, Andy

[J.]

As long as your pieces have straight clear grain and no knots it's okay. Probably better for cheese than for red meat. Flood the surface with mineral oil -- all it will take. Should last you for years.

J.

[e-mail] wrote:

[Doug Miller]

Bad idea. Real bad. Cutting boards should be made from hard, tight-grained woods that won't impart any taste to the food. Douglas fir fails all three specifications.

[Norvin]

I would suggest that a hard Maple be used for many reasons already mentioned. The actual cost of wood in a small project like this is very little compared to the build time and the use that you would expect from the project. I have made spoons, spatulas and stirring items out of maple and have never used any oil or finish on them.

Good luck Norvin