Walk into any department store like Kmart, Spotlight and Woolies and there is a multitude of cheap chopping boards to choose from mostly made in Asia from bamboo or Acacia (Wattles). Did you know that Bamboo is technically a grass not a wood and it’s round so to manufacture chopping boards from bamboo the bamboo is crushed, steamed and the fibres glued together using glue which could contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Bamboo also has a high silica content whichwears down knife edges faster than wooden cutting boards.

There are hundreds of chopping and serving boards online so why choose a SAP Woodcraft board?

SAP Woodcraft is a family business located on the Mid North Coast of NSW that works with Australian hardwood timbers that have been sourced and harvested locally here in Northern NSW according to stringent government guidelines and environmental practices.

Our boards are made from Australian hardwoods, such as Spotted Gum, Blue Gum, Blackbutt, Ironbark, Tallowood and Brush Box which are extremely durable and have naturally occurring anti-bacterial properties. Hardwood's tight grain and small pores are best for chopping boards as they help to reduce the scoring of the chopping surface and absorption of liquid and are easy to keep hygienically clean.

A 1993 study from the University of Wisconsin found that bacteria multiples more readily on plastic, as opposed to a wood surface. When tested, their results revealed that bacteria didn’t survive on the wood board, but multiplied (and even thrived) on the plastic boards. In addition each time you cut on a plastic cutting board you are creating small slivers of plastic. A 2022 study found that chopping on these boards releases microplastics into meat and a similar study found that microplastics can be found on fish, chicken, and meat purchased at markets that use plastic boards.

The secret is in our manufacturing process. Firstly we select timber that looks amazing with a beautiful grain structure and appearance.

Once we have decided on the size of the board and whether it will be face or edge grain we cut and plane the timber to the required size, taking care to orient the timber to highlight the natural grain and features of each piece. Edge grain boards require further milling and processing to create a perfect board with no visable joins.

Knots or other “features” of the timber pieces are filled with resin to keep crumbs and liquids out of the board.

Then comes the long process of sanding and finishing the boards which ultimately is what ensures our boards last are durable and aesthetically beautiful, making it the perfect centrepiece for your kitchen.

Sanding involves working through the various “grits” or coarseness of the sandpaper up to 200 grit so the boards are as smooth as possible. Most commercial boards stop at 80 grit. Our boards are then wet with water to “raise the grain” then sanded again to ensure a smooth finish. This process ensures your cutting board won’t go fury after you wash it like a commercial board.

Finally, the cutting and serving boards are finished in a food-safe mineral oil to soak into the grain then buffed with a beeswax, carnauba wax and oil blend containing lemon oil to seal and protect the board and keep it looking great for a long time.

All this takes time which is why SAP Woodcraft boards are more expensive that other commercial boards but we know our boards will last and continue to look great for a very long time.

In fact, I recently had a client tell me at the markets that the chopping board she had purchased 18 months ago, still looks amazing and she uses it several times a day.

It’s this care to detail and professionalism that is what makes Woodcraft cutting and serving boards so special.