Edge-grain·Maple & Walnut
The Asterley Chopping Board
— Small£145
In stock
Maple chopping boards, pale and close-grained.
Canadian maple is a pale, hard, close-grained wood with a long history in butcher's blocks. Its creamy colour makes food marks easy to see. Ewald makes these maple chopping boards one at a time at his workshop outside Selby, North Yorkshire, using British-supplied hardwoods. Each board is finished with food-safe oil and wax.
In this collection
Is maple good for a chopping board?
Yes. Hard maple is a practical choice for a chopping board. Its dense, close grain suits everyday food preparation, and its pale colour makes food marks easy to spot. That light colour also means stains from beetroot or turmeric show more clearly than on darker timber. Regular washing, drying and oiling help keep the surface in good condition.
How hard is maple compared with oak?
Canadian maple is about 30 per cent harder than European oak on the Janka scale. Timbermere's wood specifications list maple at 1,450 and oak at 1,120. The test measures resistance to a steel ball pressed into the wood. These figures compare hardness; they do not directly measure how chopping boards resist knife marks.
For timber specifications, see the Canadian maple and European oak pages. You can also browse the oak chopping boards collection to compare the grain and colour.
Why do professional kitchens use maple?
Hard maple has long been used for butcher's blocks because it is hard and close-grained. Many professional kitchens use colour-coded plastic boards as part of their hygiene routines, so maple is not a universal choice. Where it is used, its pale surface makes food marks visible. Any chopping board still needs thorough cleaning and drying after use.
A 2025 study in the Journal of Food Protection found that E. coli on sugar maple reached the test's detection limit after two hours under the study conditions. That does not mean a board cleans itself. Ewald discusses the evidence in the end-grain guide and in Wood, plastic or glass? What I have learnt about chopping boards.
Does maple stain?
Yes. Stains are more noticeable on pale maple than on darker woods. Beetroot, turmeric, berries and red wine can all leave marks. Keep the board oiled and wash it promptly after use. Coarse salt and half a lemon can help with stubborn marks. Some shallow stains can be sanded out, but not every stain will disappear completely.
Wash, dry and oil your board as described in the care guide. If stains or wear need more attention, the workshop can assess it for resurfacing through the Refresh Service.
Maple or beech: which should I choose?
Choose maple for a pale, even grain, or beech for a slightly warmer colour. Both are fine-grained hardwoods suited to everyday chopping boards, and Timbermere lists them at the same Janka hardness. The visible difference is largely in the colour and grain. Both need prompt drying after washing and regular oiling, whichever you prefer.
Compare colour, grain and hardness on the maple and beech pages. The Tadcaster is made from end-grain beech and is part of the butcher's blocks collection.