End Grain Cutting Board Build - Cherry & Purpleheart DIY Woodworking

If you walk into a professional kitchen, you won't see plastic boards (which harbor bacteria) or glass boards (which destroy knives). You will see massive, heavy, wooden End Grain butcher blocks.

Why?

Self-Healing: The wood fibers stand vertically (like a brush). When the knife cuts, it separates the fibers rather than severing them. When you wash it, the fibers swell back together.
Knife Friendly: It keeps your expensive Japanese steel sharp 10x longer.
Sanitary: Wood has natural antibacterial properties.

Today, we are building a stunning Cherry and Purpleheart end grain board.

The Challenge: The Double Glue-Up

Making a face grain board is easy: Glue strips together. Done. Making an end grain board is a process.

Glue strips together (Panel 1).
Crosscut that panel into new strips.
Flip those strips 90 degrees so the end grain faces up.
Glue them together again (Panel 2).

It requires precision. If your first panel isn't perfectly flat, the second panel will have gaps.

Material & Tools

Hardwoods: Close-grained woods are best. Maple, Cherry, Walnut. Open-pored woods like Red Oak soak up too much food liquid—avoid them.
Purpleheart: I used this for a vivid stripe. Note: Purpleheart turns brown if you overheat it!
Titebond III: It is waterproof and FDA approved for indirect food contact. Do not use Titebond I or II.
Planer: Essential for the first panel.
Drum Sander: Highly recommended for the second panel.

The Build Process

Phase 1: The Initial Panel

I ripped 2-inch strips of Cherry and thin strips of Purpleheart.

Glue-Up: I arranged them in a pattern I liked. I applied a heavy bead of glue and clamped them with cauls (boards across the top) to keep the panel flat.
Planing: Once dry, I ran this long grain panel through the planer to get it perfectly flat and smooth.

Phase 2: The Transformation

The Crosscut: I set a stop block on my table saw sled. I cut the panel into 1.5-inch thick strips. Now I have 20 identical strips showing the end grain.
The Rotation: I flipped every strip on its side. Suddenly, the long stripes became a checkerboard pattern! this is the "Aha!" moment.

Phase 3: The Second Glue-Up (The Stress Test)

This is harder. You are gluing end grain, which sucks up glue like a sponge.

Sizing: I applied a thin layer of glue to the end grain and let it sit for 5 minutes. This "sizes" the wood and seals the pores.
Final Glue: I applied the main glue layer and clamped it.
Alignment: You must fight the strips to keep the checkerboard aligned. I used a hammer and a block of wood to tap them into perfect alignment before tightening the clamps.

Phase 4: Flattening (Safety Warning!)

NEVER plan end grain in a standard planer. The knives can catch the vertical fibers and tear chunks out of the board, or better yet, explode the board and send shrapnel into your gut.

The Safe Way: Use a Drum Sander (which grinds slowly) or a Router Sled. I used a Router Sled—a simple jig that lets my router glide over the board to flatten it.

Finishing: The Mineral Oil Bath

Sand. Sand. Sand. 80 grit to 220 grit. Then wet the board to raise the grain. Sand again to 320. Then, the bath. I bought a gallon of mineral oil ($20 at the pharmacy/Amazon). I submerged the board. The thirsty end grain drank almost half a cup of oil.

Final Coat: I mixed mineral oil with beeswax (a paste called "Board Butter") and buffed it on. It creates a soft, satin sheen and waterproofs the surface.

Conclusion

This board weighs 15 pounds. It feels substantial. When you chop vegetables on it, there is a solid "thud" that just feels quality. It’s a project that requires patience, but the result is a kitchen tool that will outlive you.