Frequently Asked Questions

- Face Grain: The Face grain board surface is the top of the wood and is the most visible surface you see on everyday products. It is common for Charcuterie boards to be face grain. Some cutting boards are face grain and lower cost than edge and end grain boards. 

- Edge Grain: The Edge grain board surface is the long edge of the wood. The board is cut lengthwise, then flipped on its edge, then the faces are glued together. Some cutting boards are edge grain, but not common for charcuterie boards. 

- End Grain: The End grain board surface is the short edge of the wood. Many boards are cut to size, then glued together at the edge grain. Once the glue dries, the board is then cut again at its width with the same measurement. These cut pieces are then flipped on its end grain, then glued together again. End grain boards are best for cutting boards. 

End grain boards are the best choice for a cutting board because they don’t dull your knives as quickly as face grain boards. Also cutting into the grain makes the board more forgiving because it is self-healing. Which means, when cutting into the grain the grain will expand the retract after the cut and won’t show the wear of the board as quickly as a face grain board. If you use a cutting board often with good chef knives; we recommend an end grain board. If you use a cutting board on occasion, then any grain board will be sufficient. 

At Z-Wood, we use exotic species of wood imported from other countries. We also use a combination of woods to make your board more appealing. These woods cost more than domestic woods native to America. Most of our cutting boards are end grain boards requiring much more wood product and labor. All our boards are handmade with great detail and care as if they were made for our family. Our pricing is aligned with other high-end boards in the market. 

End grain boards use more material and much more labor. This is a multi-step process that takes time and patience. All boards must be cut to size and glued as if you are making a face grain board. Extra material is needed due to the length and height of the board. The thicker the board is then more material is needed. Once the glue is dry then the board needs to be cut again. Each piece needs to be cut the same width which becomes your thickness of the cutting board. All these pieces are then glued together after flipping each piece on its end. There’s a lot of sanding and planing that is involved to complete the process. 

This can be caused by too much water absorption from washing or soaking the board. Heat and humidity are also contributing factors. Store your board flat in a dry area, away from extreme hot or cold temperatures. Keep your board dry and frequently oiled Unfortunately, even a perfectly maintained board can warp due to several factors such as humidity, how long the timber was seasoned, or the type of wood. 

 Please refer to our Board Care page for detailed information: Board Care Instructions

Yes, it is possible to have custom engraving.  Please browse our products or examples or send us an idea of your own. 

Please message us on our contact us form and let us know which product you want to engrave and what you want engraved on it. There will be an up-charge depending on the design. 

Yes, as long as you have permission to use the design for personal or corporate use. We can’t be held responsible for any design that you did not receive permission. 

Standard Boards:

- ½” Plywood top decks

- Standard 2” x 4” sides

- Legs 2” x 2-1/4” standard pine

- ¼” Roundover on holes only

- 2 coats of triple thick polyurethane (if skin is added then 1 coat of poly is added to the board before the skin is applied and then 2 coats will be added over the skin)

- Skins can be added for an additional cost

Premium Boards:

- ¾” Birch Plywood top decks (instead of ½”)

- 1” x 3” Select Pine sides (nominal i.e. 3” is actually 2-1/2”)

- 1” x 3” middle crossbar underneath board deck (this gives more stability and less board bounce)

- 2” x 2-1/4” standard pine legs with 1” x 2-1/2” crossbar to connect both legs, using magnets to hold legs closed 

- Engraving on both leg crossbars with your choice of wording

- ¼” Roundover on holes and all 4 sides of top of the deck

- Skins can be added for an additional cost

- 2 coats of triple thick polyurethane (if skin is added then 1 coat of poly is added to the board before the skin is applied and then 2 coats will be added over the skin) 

Our premium boards are made with ¾” thick birch plywood for the decks and select pine for the remaining board. The 1” x 3” select pine is more appealing to the eye, less bulky, less overall weight to the board, and considered a premium pine over standard framing wood. The crossbar underneath the board will give the board stability and less bounce when bags hit. Legs are held closed to the board by magnets. Also, you get the leg crossbar custom engraved for no extra charge. We can create a new crossbar with additional engraving in the future if needed for an extra charge. All you need to do is unscrew the crossbar and screw in the new one.