MAPLE BOARDS
Guides to maple cutting boards: figure, grain and everyday use.
Guides to maple cutting boards: curly, birdseye, quilted, spalted and other figured maple, what each means for a board, and how to use one well.
What this site covers
Hard maple is the most common wood for cutting boards in North America because it is hard, closed-grained and light in color. Figured maple, the same tree with unusual grain, looks very different on a board and sometimes behaves differently too.
Start with the figure guides: curly maple, birdseye maple, quilted maple, spalted maple, ambrosia maple and wormy maple. Each covers how the figure forms, how it affects durability and care, and what to inspect before you buy.
We also cover maple boards for specific uses, like a maple cutting board for fruits and vegetables and a board for kids learning to cook, plus prep guides you can do on any maple board.