# Ash for Chopping boards



## radicalwood (29 Nov 2006)

Hi All.

Have had a request for an Ash Chopping board. 
Is Ash a good wood for this or not?
Would Sycamore be better?

Thanks
Neil


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## Vormulac (29 Nov 2006)

I could be talking out of my hat here, so feel free to ignore me, but isn't Beech the traditional wood of choice for a chopping board due to it's inherent anti-bacterial properties? Looks quite nice too, IMHO.

V.


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## Scrums (29 Nov 2006)

Beech is traditional yes, mostly because of the volume of Beech kitchenware & boards in the market I suspect.

I think most close grain hardwoods would be suitable - Sycamore for instance was traditionally used for dairy utensils and butchery appliances etc.

Ash in my opinion however is a bit open grained and coloured in comparison.

Chris.


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## dickm (29 Nov 2006)

radicalwood":2wwsdxtr said:


> Hi All.
> 
> Have had a request for an Ash Chopping board.
> Is Ash a good wood for this or not?
> Would Sycamore be better?



I'd go for the sycamore too, 'cos of the ash being too open grained. Are you going to be using it end-grain on, or lengthways?


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## paulm (29 Nov 2006)

Beech would be my preference as a nice tight grained, hard timber, followed by sycamore.......

Cheers, Paul.


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## woodbloke (29 Nov 2006)

IMHO I think ash would be suitable as it is pretty neutral, that is food friendly (non toxic and no bad 'woody' smells), tho' it is open grained. The best timber for chopping boards is sycamore or maple as these timbers are completely neutral. The very last timber to make a chopping board from would be something like yew as _all_ parts of the tree are toxic - Rob


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## bobscarle (29 Nov 2006)

Just finished a simple chopping board. I used Sycamore and edged it 2 strips of Walnut to provide a contrast. You can also use hard maple, but I think that gets expensive.

Bob


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## Aled Dafis (30 Nov 2006)

Sycamore definately has some antibacterial qualities, I hadn't heard that of beech, but it's quite possibe. Heck, with the masses of beech and sycamore kitchenware about it must have something going for it.

Aled


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## Losos (30 Nov 2006)

Well I have to make one of these soon and looks like Beech or Sycamore is the wood of choice, but alas I have quite a lot of Ash around so I might just do one in this to see how it looks and performs in the dishwasher...........oops you're not supposed to put wood in the dishwahser are you?


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## radicalwood (30 Nov 2006)

thanks guys for the advice, I have been doing some chopping boards in Maple with black walnut and maple with Purple heart ,not end grain but flat, finished with mineral oil (ikea's own). Think I will make the Ash one then go back to sycamore and maple with different ends.

Neil


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## Wanlock Dod (30 Nov 2006)

I have read somewhere, not sure where, that sycamore is less likely to taint food than many other woods, but as to whether or not you could actually tell the difference in tainting I have no idea.

Cheers,

Dod


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## smiffy (1 Dec 2006)

Ok...Here is the 40mm Ash chopping board I made to go with Ash worktops. It would make a good prop for that advert for disinfectant. You know...that one where they say that your chopping board harbors more germs than your toilet bowl. :shock:







This one is 3 years old and at least the worktops are still in good condition, but I really must sand it and re treat it with oil. Maybe I could put some thick glass on top. Has anyone done this?

Ash does seem to stain with water too.

Cheers,
Ray.


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