Walnut chopping board

Features of a walnut chopping board

A walnut chopping board is medium-hard, which is exactly why knife makers enjoy working with it. Hard enough to last for years with proper use and maintenance, yet soft enough not to dull the edge of your chef's knife. The dark colour and calm grain make light signs of use less noticeable, although deeper cut marks will still be visible.

The way the wood is constructed also matters. A walnut end grain chopping board, for example, has the ends of the wood fibres facing upwards. When you cut, the knife edge moves between these fibres rather than cutting straight across them. This makes an end-grain board particularly gentle on your knives and helps small cut marks blend into the surface. The trade-off is that these boards are generally thicker, heavier and more expensive.

Size is another consideration. A large walnut chopping board gives you plenty of room when preparing several ingredients, carving meat or working with larger vegetables. Its extra weight can also make it feel more stable on the worktop. If you mainly chop smaller ingredients or have limited kitchen space, however, a small walnut chopping board may be easier to handle and store.

Do expect a higher price. Walnut wood grows slowly and is therefore more expensive than, for example, beech or acacia wood, so you are buying a long-lasting investment rather than a board for quick jobs.

Keep the wood dark and nourished with a monthly treatment with chopping board oil, and keep it out of the dishwasher. Without oil, walnut will turn dull over time. Would you like to compare the wood types side by side? You can do so in our range of wooden chopping boards.