What to know about butcher’s board generally comes down to understanding that it is used in many kitchens these days as a tabletop or countertop surface and also more traditionally has a cutting board or chopping block. Most quality boards are created from extremely hard sugar maple, which is a wood prized for its durability and attractiveness. Butchers blocks first made their appearance in meat processing plants and butchers shops.

[I:http://www.food-on-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ArthurButler1.jpg]Of late, it seems that it is generally everywhere one would care to look in a home’s kitchen. There are usually two different styles of block known as edge grain and end grain. End grain is made by the gluing of wooden pieces so that the fiber is perpendicular to the chopping surface. Usually, these sorts of blocks in commercial use are at least 4 inches thick.

And end grain board is highly prized by most chefs because the board is able to stand up to endless knife blade impacts. The impact is absorbed by the surface, which allows the edge of the knife to penetrate between the wooden fibers. This helps to prevent the knife edge from becoming dull quickly and also helps the surface to stand up to gouges and nicks.

Edge grain blocks are made in pretty much the same way, which means that wooden pieces are glued together, but the difference is that the surface fibers are laid out parallel, not perpendicular. The block, as a result, is much easier to make and less costly for a consumer to purchase.

As far as refinishing of a surface, and end grain block can be done numerous times. Due to the less expensive nature of edge grain manufacture, it is generally the case that the board can be refinished only a certain number of times. Both boards undergo high-pressure gluing to keep the wooden pieces together. End grain is more durable than edge grain, and both will need re-oiling on occasion.

Today’s homes generally feature some aspect of the kitchen that features butcher’s block. This may be on all the countertops, or just a few areas such as tabletops. Countertops are usually where they are seen most often nowadays, though the traditional chopping board with legs is also seen in more expensive homes. A block is generally lower priced and can last equally as long as a granite surface.

Source: http://buybutchersblock.com

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