The realm of the cutting board is surprisingly diverse, with options in wood, bamboo, plastic, composite materials—plus glass. Even within each category, there are myriad choices. Do you want end grain wood or not? In plastics, do you want thin and flexible or thicker and rigid? And when would you choose bamboo?

A Few Guidelines to Help You Pick the Best Cutting Boards

Flat (or edge) grain Wood

These are versatile and come in many sizes and shapes. They are generally lightweight and easy to care for. Look for sustainable hardwoods such as cherry and maple. Thicker boards will resist warping over time. They are more prone to scratching, but an occasional light sanding can remove shallower cuts.

End Grain Wood

Formed by gluing pieces of wood with, as the name suggests, the end grain of the wood exposed. These are extremely durable and less prone to scratching than flat grain wood. The also resist deeper cuts as the grains are able to close up, “healing” themselves. Really large and thick ones get mighty heavy though, and they do require some maintenance.

Bamboo

In addition to being highly sustainable (bamboo grows unbelievably quickly), bamboo boards are generally less expensive. The surface is naturally hard, which makes it less prone to water damage and bacteria buildup. However, this hard surface can be rougher on knives, making them dull more quickly. Better for targeted use such as a small one at the bar.

Plastic

Flexible plastic boards are cheap and cheerful. These (often) colorful sheets are a great addition, even if you have a larger, “regular” cutting board nearby. You can chop ingredients and carry them directly to the sauté pan / mixing bowl / food processor. Most can be thrown into the dishwasher. And because they’re so inexpensive, it’s no crime if they get a bit stained.

Thicker plastic boards  are quite durable and (generally) easier on knives than, say, bamboo. Depending on the size, they can also go in the dishwasher, although are not as easy to fit in as their flexible siblings. They come in a very wide variety of sizes and shapes. They are also somewhat prone to staining but a scrub with hydrogen peroxide can help.

Our Recommendations for Cutting Boards 

Wood, Flat Grain

Maple Cutting Boards 2-1/4″ Thick (RA-Board Series) / John Boos

Boos makes a wide selection of beautiful boards, both edge-grain and flat. These maple boards are on the higher end, but will last forever.

Wood, End Grain

Rectangular End Grain Cutting Board / Crate & Barrel

An affordable yet substantial end-grain board available in three sizes and shapes, made from acacia wood and footed, which makes them easier to pick up.

Bamboo

Undercut Series Cutting Boards / Bambu

Available in two sizes, these boards are made from sustainable bamboo, laminated using formaldehyde-free adhesive and finished with food-safe oil.

Plastic Sheets

Simply Genius 8pc Plastic Cutting Board Set / Walmart

Slightly thicker and with non-slip backs, these are idealized versions of the flexible mat. Perfect for kosher kitchens and households with food allergies, vegans, etc.

Plastic

Black/White Cutting Board / Fredericks and Mae

These fun boards come in several colorways—from a confetti of bright colors to this stunner in black and white. A contrasting metal handle makes it easy to lift and carry.

Story by Stephen Treffinger

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A couple with an affinity for the great outdoors builds a new lakefront home in the Midwest with the help of Wade Weissmann Architecture and i4Design that feels as if it has always been there.

Wade Weissmann Brings Life to the Lake House

On a lot that once housed a dilapidated, three-story hotel from the 1800s now sits the charming home of a couple who enjoys spending time with their family as well as activities such as rowing and sailing in the summer, and  cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The four bedroom, five-and-a-half bath house has a myriad of views, places for their equipment, and room for their three grown children—who share their love of sports—to visit.

Building a Classic Aesthetic

“The clients liked the feel of the old hotel, with a grand staircase and wonderful views, so we brought that idea into the house, although we didn’t salvage or copy the original,” says Wade Weissmann, the architect. He began by setting up the facade to be rigorous, with bedrooms covering a porch and a large bay window off the end of the house. “I repeated that same shape for the kitchen and created a dramatic space. For anyone who has a lake house, it seems like all the gathering revolves around food,” says Weissmann. A large adjacent outdoor patio area means the owners can eat outside overlooking the water.

Beth Wangman, the interior designer, says the client wanted the space to feel like it had old roots, recalling the old hotel. They joked that, as a result, some of their choices were “imperfectly perfect.” For instance, there’re soapstone countertops and a wood-topped center island in the kitchen. Both are difficult to keep looking new, but that’s the beauty of it. “We used a lot of natural elements and a lot of wood throughout. I want to see the wear and tear and all that—so it didn’t feel like it was so polished,” adds Wangman. And because the kitchen is so voluminous, a regular hood would appear dwarfed. So, they brought in cabinetry to go with the range and faced it with stainless steel. “It looks like a much larger cooking vessel, and therefore seems appropriate for the scale of the kitchen,” Weissmann adds.

Keeping Comfort Essential

And while the vibe is definitely grown-up and elegant, “The owners wanted a home where people could feel comfortable coming in with their wet bathing suits. It’s not, for instance, like that living room you were never able to go in,” says Wangman. A cast concrete coffee table with a patterned top, brought from another home, anchors the area and adds a bit of unexpected texture. The fireplace mantle, another textural element, is made from reclaimed wood from a barn, as are many of the ceiling beams and door frames throughout the house. The furniture is subtly eclectic, in varying styles that come together to form an intimate space with lots of quiet character. Everything sits on a softly patterned rug that feels both traditional and contemporary at the same time.  

The multi-functional dining room sits in a large space between the kitchen and living areas. The table, something the owners also brought with them, started with a found door. The blue lighting fixture is a large custom piece that not only brings in some contrasting color, but also echoes the treated blue wood, painted blue walls, and rugs found elsewhere.

Wade Weissman Architecture Takes Advantage of Every Space  

The home offers many places for gathering—or capturing a quiet moment by oneself. Upstairs, outside the bedrooms, is a sitting area containing furniture from the owners’ former apartment. Wangman had it—and the chairs—reupholstered to match the new house’s aesthetic. “It’s a place they use for curling up and reading a book.” The circular chandelier not only provides illumination but helps offset the high ceilings; the dark blue rug likewise anchors the arrangement in the large space. Throughout the home, rugs are primarily patterned, which adds contrast to the wood floors—reclaimed wood in the downstairs to augment a boathouse feeling; elsewhere they are hand-scraped and, although new, look quite old. 

The primary bedroom, which features a commanding view of the lake, has a dry stack stone fireplace with a horizontal fireplace box. The silk and wool rug originally belonged to other clients of Wangman who were moving and selling a lot of their stuff, a happy coincidence that resulted in a lovely floral moment that contrasts nicely with the more industrial looking metal, glass, and lucite ceiling fan and light. 

Adding the Perfect Finishing Touches

A practical touch for such an outdoorsy family is a dedicated gear room with abundant storage space for all manner of equipment and clothing, plus large benches to sit on while swapping footwear. In addition, there’s an area under the deck for watercraft and other larger equipment.  

The woodwork in the gear room is quarter-sawn oak treated with steel wool and a vinegar mixture that transforms into a soft blue color. “It’s a chemical reaction. And I tell you it was a labor of love—it took about nine months and three painters before we got this finish.”   

The husband’s study, with herringbone floors and rustic wood walls, contains a custom desk handmade by the woodworker Wangman tasked with much of the house’s millwork. There is also more of the specially treated blue oak here, behind his desk and framing the bar area. A generously sized seating area with a large ottoman takes advantage of some of the best views in the house. The Corten fireplace, as it originally looked, was too perfect and polished, so they left it outside for three months in the winter to accelerate development of the oxidized finish. They would visit it once a month, see what it looked like, flip it or turn it or face it down. “It was a whole process,” says Wangman, but one she thinks has definitely paid off. “That is one of my favorite things in the whole house.”

Story by Stephen Treffinger / Photography by David Bader / Architecture by Wade Weissmann Architecture / Interior Design by i4Design

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