# Cutting Board With Thick Veneer: Asking for Delamination?



## nicholasrhall (Aug 19, 2012)

I saw a lovely quilted maple cutting board created by FJPetruso recently and I was really impressed. It got me thinking about using thick veneers on cutting boards. It takes less work to produce cutting boards using a thick 1/4" veneer, than it does to laminate a bunch of boards together, but it looks like a million bucks.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/103368#comment-1860526

I wonder whether or not there will be structural issues with it, especially delamination. Granted, using the same species with the same seasonal movement rates will help, as will ensuring that the grain matches (not putting quartersawn on top of flatsawn). That said, cutting boards take an enormous amount of abuse, with constant introduction of moisture through washing.

What do you folks think, are veneers likely to delaminate on a cutting board? If so, what can be done to mitigate the issue?


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

From my perspective when boards get that beautiful, they are not production workhorses that are going to get a lot of abuse. No board should ever be soaked or run through a dishwasher, and if the movement control measures you cite are observed and the board is regularly oiled I would say the board would last a lifetime.


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## Yonak (Mar 27, 2014)

It wouldn't hurt to enhance the bond using some sort of mechanical lock, such as shallow splines and/or tenons, as close to the edges as is practical.


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