# End-grain cutting board to fit over sink - viability? Minimum thickness?



## crampon (Apr 4, 2012)

Hi folks, I'm a novice woodworker who's working on a few small things that we need around the house. The first project I'm thinking of taking on is an over-sink cutting board. Here's a pic of the kind of thing that I have in mind.

I'd like to do this with an end-grain board, but I'm wondering if an end-grain board will be strong enough to span the sink and hold up over time. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? If it is viable, how thick would an end-grain board need to be to support itself? Note that the material will most likely be rock maple, but I'm open to other suggestions.

Thanks all for your input.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I would make the cutting surface a bit larger than the sink opening and glue it to a piece of plywood that fits down into the sink opening. I would guess the board should be about an inch thick and all put together with an epoxy glue. End grain boards are meant for chopping. If you are not chopping, I would lay up the maple strips in a horizontal pattern.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I'll come right and say, "I'm agin it." If you notice that is not an end grain board in the picture. The strength of the overhang on an end grain board would be too weak for this application and would be liable to break. I'm also not in favor of the plywood idea either as it doesn't take into account wood movement which would surely occur over and over again as the board is being used in wet environment and then drying in between uses. The photo shows the best way to construct this type of board, long grain.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

I like the look and design of the one in the picture, might be tempted to make one from some Red Cedar that I have taking up space?


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

Red cedar's not very hard. And the "aroma" (and the aromatic oils that produce it) might transfer to the food and modify the flavor of the food…

Herb


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## crampon (Apr 4, 2012)

Thanks everyone! Bondo Gaposis, your view was pretty persuasive, I'll do it like the picture, with the face grain up.

Thanks again to everyone for chiming in.


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