In order to select the board that's best for you, consider how you'll use the board as well as your budget.  If you will not frequently use the board for cutting, want a serving piece, or want it as a piece of art for your kitchen or dining room, face grain is for you.  If you want a board to use daily for chopping, end-grain is best for you.  Wooden boards will not dull your knives as quickly as plastic or glass cutting boards because it is a natural material.

​To understand the differences, let’s consider the grain in a piece of wood. All lumber has three surfaces that are referred to as:

1. Face grain: the large flat side

2. Edge grain: the side that is usually measured for the thickness of a board

3. End grain: the end of the board

Here we will consider face grain and end grain.  
For visual reference think of the wood grain as a
pack of spaghetti. Face grain would be like cutting 
across the noodles, while end grain would be
cutting into the “fibers” on the end.  The direction
and placement of the grain will affect the board’s
durability as well as its appearance and functionality.

​​​​Face Grain: this grain shows the most natural beauty of wood, and can be very striking and provide more visual interest wherever it's used.  It is also the most susceptible to damage, and has a tendency to dull knives faster than end grain.  While face grain boards can be used as a cutting board, they will also show knife marks faster than end grain boards as you are cutting across the board fibers as mentioned above. For these reasons many face grain boards are used as serving or charcuterie boards.

​End Grain:  this grain is more durable and forgiving on knives since you are cutting into rather than across the grain, and can be made into stunning designs.   End grain boards are “self-healing” since the fibers close back up after the knife cuts, hiding most knife marks. End grain boards tend to come with a higher price tag as it takes more material and labor to create.  They also require more frequent conditioning (with food-grade mineral oil, for example) to prevent drying, warping or cracking over time. This is a small price to pay for the pleasure of cutting on the silky smooth surface of an end grain board.

​Feet or no feet?

This is usually a personal preference. No feet will allow both sides of the board to be used, but may also require a towel under the board to prevent it from sliding on the counter while in use. Boards with  soft rubber feet attached  create a little gap so that you can lift it easily and so it doesn’t slip on your counter. It also helps to ensure that moisture isn’t trapped underneath the board which can cause warping. Arguments can be made either way but if you care for the board by cleaning and drying it after every use, it will last for generations.