The Top Woods Used For Chopping Boards And Their Hardness Explained

Wood is the most used material for chopping boards. Even with so many other materials entering the market which are affordable and marketed to be durable, wood holds the largest market in the chopping board industry. Wooden boards are cheaper when locally acquired and vary from region, country, and often even between states or cities. In India, a wide range of wood is used to craft chopping boards. Even with so many local resources, some woods are imported for luxury cutting boards. This article explains some of the most common woods, both locally sourced and some imported to India to manufacture cutting boards.

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Teak Wood Cutting Boards

Teak wood stands at the top for luxury boards online. It is not the most popular wood for creating cutting boards due to its cost. But when it comes to aesthetics, antibacterial features, and water resistance, teak wood is one of the best. Teak wood has a Janka hardness of 1070 LBF, which is considered hardwood. Forest teak is stronger, dense, rich in natural oils, antibacterial, and beautiful. Unfortunately, teak wood is also one of the most expensive woods locally available.

Tamarind Wood Cutting Boards

One of the most underrated woods, tamarind wood is known for its hardness, clean, yellow looks with straight tight grains. Tamarind wood has a Janka rate of 2690 LBF, one of the strongest among woods. Tamarind wood is hard, water-repelling, strong, and durable. They are one of the best materials for chopping boards, especially for cutting heavy vegetables and meat. They can take heavy chops with grace and stand the test of time. It is reasonably antibacterial, mold and fungus resistant, and easy to maintain. They are also one of the most affordable woods available in India. Though considered an exotic wood in western countries, tamarind wood cutting boards are very affordable in India, especially the southern part of India.

Mango Wood Cutting Boards

Affordable, rustic, and the best option for cutting vegetables. With a Janka hardness rating of 1070 LBF, mango wood is relatively strong for regular use. They are not the best of woods due to their lack of oil content. They lack natural oil content, resulting in more fungal and mold problems. Mango wood is very affordable though and a sustainable option. They are not recommended for humid climatic conditions or where moisture is high. They are also not the perfect wood for cutting meat. Use mango wood chopping boards for regular use for vegetables only.

Acacia Wood Chopping Boards

Acacia wood is considered a hardwood with a Janka hardness rate of 1,100–1,750 LBF. They have relatively high oil content and are beautiful dark wood with 3–4% natural oil content. They are naturally moisture resistant, sustainable, and relatively good with knives. Acacia wooden boards are the most exported wooden chopping boards from India. Even with the high maintenance needs and susceptibility to warping and cracking, Acacia still demands a good price. They are prone to mold and fungal attack in humid and wet conditions.

Sheesham Wood Chopping Boards

Sheesham is a wood widely available in India. It is moderately high in oil content and its Janka hardness is 1660 LBF. The wood is moderately priced between 5000 and 8000 Rs per cubic foot. The wood is dense and resistant to dings and cuts. The grains are appealing and aesthetically pleasing with a golden brown to reddish tone. It is naturally resistant to pests and easy to work with. On the other side, it is sensitive to moisture and is prone to warping and cracking. Sheesham is a high maintenance wood and requires regular oiling. The wood is dense and thus heavy too.

Neem Wood Chopping Boards

Neem is not a widely accepted wood for chopping boards due to the aftertaste it leaves on the food. The bitter taste is often observed in neem wood boards, which makes the wood not suitable for cooking and food prep. Wood soaked in water before cutting for a few weeks reduces the aftertaste in the wood. Neem is highly antibacterial and antifungal. The wood is not water resistant and is prone to cracking and warping. At a Janka rate of 1270, neem wood is tough. Unfortunately, the drawback of bitter taste when food is cut on neem wood makes it less desirable and marketable.

Imported Woods and Woods Less Used in Chopping Boards in India

Wood Species	Janka Hardness (lbf)	Water Resistance	Antibacterial Features	Oil Content Ratio (%)	Price Range (INR/cu.ft)	Thickness (mm)	Hygiene	Porosity	Durability	Ease of Cleaning	Knife Feel	Maintenance	Material Type	Toxicity
Teak	1,070 – 1,155	Very High	Moderate to High	~4-5%	8,000 – 12,000	20-40	Good but large pores can harbor bacteria	Moderate-High	Very durable	Moderate (needs oiling)	Medium (silica can dull knife)	Medium (semi-annual oiling)	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Tamarind	2,690	High	Moderate	Medium	6,000 – 9,000	20-40	Moderate	Medium	Very high	Moderate	Harder – can dull knives	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Mango	1,070	Moderate	Moderate	Low to Medium	3,000 – 5,000	20-30	Moderate	Medium	Moderate	Easy	Medium	Low	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Maple (Hard)	1,450	High (closed grain)	High	Low	5,000 – 7,000	20-40	Very hygienic	Low	Very durable	Easy	Good	Medium (regular conditioning)	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Maple (Soft)	950	Moderate	High	Low	4,500 – 6,000	20-30	Good	Low	Moderate	Easy	Good	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Walnut (Black)	1,010	Moderate	Moderate to High	Low to Medium	7,000 – 11,000	20-40	Good	Low	Durable	Easy	Good	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Acacia	1,100 – 1,750	High (oily wood)	High	~3-4%	4,500 – 7,000	20-40	Good	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Slightly harder than maple	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Sheesham	1,660	Moderate to High	Moderate	Medium	5,000 – 8,000	20-40	Moderate	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Harder than mango	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Bamboo (Natural)	1,380	High	Moderate to High	Low	3,000 – 5,000	15-30	Good	Low	Durable	Easy	Medium	Low	Grass (Composite material)	Non-toxic
Bamboo (Strand)	2,900 – 4,000+	High	Moderate	Low	4,000 – 6,000	15-30	Good	Low	Very durable	Easy	Harder, knife caution needed	Low	Grass (Composite material)	Non-toxic
Neem	1,270	High	High	Medium	3,500 – 6,000	20-30	Very good	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Cypress	510 – 1,700 (avg 1,360)	Moderate	Low to Moderate	Low to Medium	2,500 – 4,000	20-30	Good	Medium-High	Moderate	Moderate	Soft, gentle on knives	Medium	Softwood	Non-toxic
Cherry	950	Moderate	Moderate	Low	6,000 – 9,000	20-30	Good	Medium	Moderate	Easy	Soft, knife-friendly	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Beech	1,300	Moderate to High	Moderate to High	Low	3,000 – 5,000	20-40	Good	Low	Durable	Easy	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Hinoki	800 – 900	Moderate	Moderate to High	Low to Medium	6,000 – 10,000	20-30	Very good	Low	Moderate	Easy	Soft	Medium	Softwood	Non-toxic
Ash	1,320	Moderate	Low to Moderate	Low	3,500 – 6,000	20-30	Moderate	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Birch	1,260	Moderate	Moderate	Low	3,000 – 5,000	20-30	Moderate	Medium	Moderate	Easy	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
White Oak	1,360	Moderate	Moderate	Low	4,000 – 7,000	20-30	Moderate	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Red Oak	1,290	Moderate to Low	Low to Moderate	Low	3,500 – 6,000	20-30	Moderate	Medium-High	Moderate	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Hickory	1,820	Moderate	Moderate	Low	4,000 – 7,000	20-40	Moderate	Medium	Durable	Moderate	Hard	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic
Purpleheart	2,520	Moderate	Low to Moderate	Low	7,000 – 10,000	20-40	Moderate	Low	Very Durable	Moderate	Hard	Medium	Hardwood	Non-toxic

Maple Wood Chopping Boards

Maple comes in a wide range of hardness and it could vary from 950 LBF to 1450 LBF depending on the quality of the maple wood itself. Harder maple wood is close-grained. Sugar maple or hard maple has a close tight grain and is capable of taking cuts and is a knife-friendly surface. It is less porous, making it hygienic and the wood is neutral in color. This makes it easy to stain and discolor. The wood is also not water resistant and is not rot resistant compared to teak and acacia. Also, maple is a wood which has no color tones, making it plain and uniform, which may not be what most people look for in a wooden board.

Cypress Wood Chopping Boards

Cypress is not native to India and is often imported. Considered a softwood rather than a hardwood, cypress cutting boards are not as common in India. They are naturally antibacterial and have a pleasant aroma. Being a softwood, they are light and easy to handle and also gentle on the knives. But this also makes the wood soft and not durable. The wood is also highly porous and the natural odor of the wood, though pleasant, may sometimes affect the taste of the food. In terms of maintenance, cypress wood requires more maintenance to avoid cracking, staining, and warping. Oiling the boards regularly is important, and you will be required to keep the board dry at all times. Cypress Janka hardness scales from 510–1700 LBF with an average of 1360.

Walnut Wood Chopping Boards

Walnut is a prized wood which is expensive. The wood is known for its dark colors and beautiful grains. Walnut wood, though available in limited quantities in India, is mostly imported from China. The price is much higher in comparison to most other woods and is considered a premium, luxury wood. The wood has a Janka hardness of 1010 and has moderate oil content. The wood is moderately moisture resistant, naturally antibacterial, and durable. They are also knife-friendly. The cons are the high price and high maintenance. They are susceptible to scratches and dents, which may require frequent reconditioning.

Cherry Wood Chopping Boards

Not a common wood in India, cherry wood has a Janka hardness of 950 and is known for its rich reddish-brown hue, knife friendliness, natural antibacterial properties, and ease of maintenance. While it is cost-effective in the western countries where cherry wood is available in abundance, the price of cherry wood is much higher in India. The wood, being relatively soft, requires maintenance and is prone to scratches and dents. They are also susceptible to warping without proper care.

Other common woods which are imported include beech, birch, ash, white oak, and hickory. All these woods are imported either from China or the USA in very small quantities and are not very sustainable in Indian climatic conditions.

The Top Woods Used for Chopping Boards and Their Hardness Explained