End Grain Cutting Board — Care Guide

Your Board Arrived Ready to Use

Every Studio 5 board is fully finished before it leaves the shop — submerged in food-grade mineral oil until saturated, re-sanded, and sealed with Clapham's Salad Bowl Beeswax. We recommend leaving the beeswax coating undisturbed for 48 hours after delivery to let the wood acclimatize to your home before first use.

Daily Use

  • ✅ Use on any flat, stable surface
  • ✅ Flip regularly — both faces are finished equally
  • ✅ Rinse with warm water and mild soap after use
  • ✅ Dry immediately with a cloth — don't leave water sitting
  • ❌ Never submerge in water or put in the dishwasher
  • ❌ Never leave flat on a wet surface — always stand upright or use the rubber feet for airflow
  • ❌ Never put in direct sunlight or near a heat source

Re-Oiling (Every 1–3 Months)

End grain is thirsty. Regular oiling keeps the wood saturated, prevents cracking, and maintains the self-healing surface that makes end grain worth owning.

What to use: Food-grade white mineral oil. Available at any pharmacy. Do not use olive oil, vegetable oil, or coconut oil — they go rancid inside the wood.

How to do it:

  1. Make sure the board is clean and completely dry
  2. Apply a generous pour of mineral oil to the top surface
  3. Spread evenly with a cloth and work it into the grain
  4. Let it soak in for 20–30 minutes
  5. Flip and repeat on the bottom
  6. Wipe off any excess and stand upright to dry overnight
  7. Optional: finish with a thin coat of beeswax buffed in with a cloth

How to know it's time: The wood looks dry, lighter in colour, or feels rough to the touch. A well-oiled board has a deep, rich tone and a slightly smooth feel.

Beeswax Finish (Every Few Months or After Re-Oiling)

Beeswax seals the surface after oiling and adds a natural water-resistant barrier.

  1. Apply a small amount of beeswax to the surface
  2. Work it in with a cloth using circular motions
  3. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes
  4. Buff to a soft sheen with a clean dry cloth

We use and recommend Clapham's Salad Bowl Beeswax — available online and at most woodworking retailers.

If Your Board Gets Stained or Smelly

Sprinkle coarse salt over the surface, cut a lemon in half, and scrub with the cut side. The salt acts as an abrasive and the lemon neutralizes odours. Rinse, dry immediately, and re-oil.

If the Surface Gets Rough or Marked Up

Light sanding with 180–220 grit sandpaper followed by a full re-oil will restore the surface. End grain is self-healing — knife marks that look deep often close up after a good oiling.

Storage

Store upright or flat on the rubber feet — never flat on a wet or sealed surface without airflow. Avoid storing in a closed cabinet directly after washing.

A Board That Outlasts Your Kitchen

A Studio 5 end grain board, properly maintained, will last decades. We've seen boards passed down as heirlooms. The rubber feet, the full saturation oil process, the beeswax seal — none of it is for show. It's all there so your board ages the way good wood should: better every year.

Studio 5 Woodworking | Handcrafted in Canada | studio5woodworking.ca