End Grain Board Care

How to look after your end grain board

Here at Choppa Block, we offer our customers an Intended Use Warranty on all our products, but there are some things you need to know about caring for your board

Pre-care – where possible, sharpen your knives for minimal scoring of the board. You will be surprised by how little the board will mark with a sharp knife.

​Moisture – never fully submerse your board in water. The best way to clean it is with a damp kitchen cloth or sponge. You can use kitchen sanitiser and surface wipes (we encourage the use of sanitiser provided). Don’t put your board under a running tap or apply excessive moisture – if this happens dry it with a cloth/paper towelling immediately to minimise the saturation of the wood.

​Temperature – keep timber in a constant environment. Occasionally boards need to adapt to their new environment over time. Do not keep your board near a heat source (such as a cook top) for any length of time. Don’t leave piping hot pans/trays/dishes on your board to cool. It is too much of a sudden shock to the timber and will damage your board. Likewise, don’t keep your board on the drainer as it will want to absorb moisture. Generally, the kitchen bench top is the perfect place to house the board.

​About Our Care Kit

Each care kit contains conditioner wax, application pads and food safe sanitiser concentrate. The food grade conditioner aids in closing any score marks. Conditioning depends on usage and environment, but for general domestic use start with a fortnightly application. Don’t be tempted to use your household cooking oils as these can go rancid, promote mould growth or become sticky, attracting dirt and dust.

If you need more Care Kit supplies, please visit our online shop or buy conditioner directly from Frapete. You can also use other products, like Gilly’s Food Safe Wax, which are easy to find at stores such as Bunnings. We’re happy for you to buy conditioner from anywhere, as long as you keep the board surface well maintained.

Moisture is the enemy of timber. The hard wax oil used in manufacturing is micro-porous which allows the timber to breathe naturally, but doesn’t allow moisture to penetrate the end grain pores.

The conditioner wax supplied for use at home primarily nourishes the timber beneath the score marks where the oil coating may have been compromised, in the main working areas of the board.

1. Ensure the board is clean and has been allowed to dry.
2. Place a small amount of wax onto the application pad and rub along the length of the board, on all surfaces (top and edges). Pay close attention to the centre, the most used working areas of the board and score marks (if any).
3. The conditioner will penetrate the board. Leave for 30-60 minutes and then remove excess with paper towelling.

Questions?

We offer support whenever you need it, just get in touch.