What Is A Pizza Cutting Board?

The material

The material of the pizza cutting board that you choose will largely depend on your personal preference and the durability of the board. The main materials commonly used for pizza cutting boards are wood and plastic, but you will see other materials such as bamboo used a lot of the time, too.

To avoid damage and scratches to your cutting board, hardwood pizza cutting boards are generally recommended. Hardwood as a material is designed with longevity in mind, as it produces a very high-quality product that offers great durability over time.

Typically speaking, hardwood is easy to clean, and scratches and dents can be maintained with oil when needed. Hardwood is also generally better for your knives, as there is consistent pressure across the blade as you cut meaning that they are less likely to dull them.

Another great option that is commonly used for pizza chopping boards is bamboo. Although bamboo isn’t wood but is instead grass, it is actually considered to be a harder material than hardwood, making it a durable option to choose for your pizza cutting board. The fact that it's so fast-growing makes it a renewable resource and a great choice for the eco-conscious individual.

Plastic is generally cheaper to buy than wood pizza cutting boards and is often used in professional kitchens for hygiene purposes as it is quick and easy to sanitize.

However, plastic boards are seen as less durable and can be prone to developing scratches and grooves that over time can become unsanitary and will require replacing. This is because bacteria can get caught in knife grooves and are near impossible to clean out at this point, so it’s something to be mindful of.

Different types of hardwood

There are multiple different types of hardwood you can choose from when purchasing a new pizza cutting board.

The wood used to make pizza cutting boards tends to vary, but the most common types of wood that you will see are hardwoods that tend to last longer, a couple of which can be seen listed below.

• Oak
• Maple
• Teak
• Beech
• Walnut

The reason that hardwood tends to last longer is that it generally isn’t as easily scratched or marked as plastic, meaning that you won't have to replace it as often if you are diligent about its maintenance and upkeep.

Hardwood has a straight grain and is generally a dense type of wood that prevents moisture penetration, making it a very resistant choice when it comes to cleaning your cutting board and chopping wetter ingredients.

This means that you can wash and maintain your board for everyday use without worrying about whether the water is damaging its quality.

Hardwood pizza cutting boards also help to prevent your knives from dulling, because the wood will yield to their sharp edges. When you cut or chop on a wooden cutting board, the wood fibers break and leave a mark—which helps prevent the fine edges of your knives from rolling over and turning dull over time.

The size

The size of the pizza cutting board that you choose will largely depend on the size of the pizzas that you’re going to be cooking and the number of people that you’re going to be cooking for.

When choosing the size of the board, take into consideration the size of your family and think about the number of people you typically cater for. 

If you’re thinking of buying a pizza cutting board because you think it would be perfect for serving food at social gatherings, then you’re not wrong!

Pizza cutting boards are an excellent choice for serving and displaying food for larger groups of people, so you’ll want one that’s big enough to cater to a party of people. 

The size that you choose will also depend on whether you want to be using your cutting board exclusively for pizza or if you’d also like to use it for everyday cooking, too. If your answer is the latter, then you might want to consider buying a larger size pizza cutting board.

The shape

The two most common shapes of pizza cutting boards that you will typically find are round and squared. 

Occasionally, you also see pizza cutting boards in the shape of a pizza peel. However, it is important that you don’t cut your pizza on your wooden pizza peel, as this could lead to you damaging it and leaving deep scratches in it. 

Lots of round pizza cutting boards are made with grooves specially designed to cut pizza evenly and looks great when it comes to presenting the pizza to your guests.

However, if you want to invest in a cutting board that is multifunctional for all your cutting and chopping, not just for pizza, a square or rectangular board can be much more convenient as you can fit a whole lot more food on them.

Weight

Something to consider when choosing the best pizza cutting board is the weight of the board.

The heavier board the less likely it is to move around, making it a safer option to cut on, especially if you’re using a sharp knife as opposed to a pizza cutter.

You’ll often see chefs using a towel under cutting boards in order to secure the board to ensure that it doesn’t slip or slide around. However, the heavier that the board is the less need you’ll have to do this. 

Generally speaking, wood cutting boards are usually much heavier than plastic boards as plastic boards are typically much thinner, making it easier for them to slide around.

For safety, especially for teenagers and young adults just learning to cook, you should always take the weight of a pizza cutting board into consideration when making your choice.

Finishes

Many wood pizza cutting boards come with different finishes, which give the wood a specific color and are generally designed to make the board more durable.

A few of the oils that are food-safe and non-toxic that are used to finish pizza cutting boards and require frequent reapplication are listed below.

• Mineral oil. Although mineral oil is originally derived from petroleum, it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it a great option for your cutting board. 
• Walnut oil is pressed from the nuts harvested from a walnut tree. Walnut oil is also sold and marketed as oil to dress salads in health food stores and grocery stores.
• Raw-linseed oil is pressed from flax seeds and is not to be confused with boiled linseed, which contains metallic driers. Listed as a food additive by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 
• Carnauba wax is derived from the Brazilian palm tree as a harder and more water-resistant alternative to beeswax.

The best pizza cutting board all round 

So what’s the best pizza cutting board on the market?

The best all round pizza cutting board that we’ve found is this Daddy Chef End Grain Wood cutting board linked below on Amazon.

Daddy Chef End Grain Wood cutting board - Wood Chopping block - Large cutting board 18 x 12 Kitchen butcher block cutting board with feet - Kitchen Wooden chopping board (DT 18 x 12)

This is our top pick for the best pizza cutting board as it is a thick, good quality cutting board that is made out of a combination of hardwoods that are built to last, making it perfect for pizza cutting!

Daddy Chef use only FDA approved glue to create their professional cutting board, meaning that your knife will not cut the fibers during the cutting or chopping process.

The design of an end grain cutting board protects the blades from becoming dull, keeping your knives sharper for a longer time.

This cutting board measures 16in (40.7 cm) x 12in (30.4 cm) x 1.5in (4 cm) and weighs 7.5 pounds when it has been unpackaged, making it the perfect size to cut pizza for the whole family and to host large groups of people!

The Daddy Chef cutting board’s silicon feet are transparent and non-slip and don’t leave scratches, preventing the cutting board from sliding on the table when you are using it for serving.

How to clean your pizza cutting board

How you clean and maintain your pizza cutting board is subject to change depending on the material of the board that you decide to choose. 

As materials, both wood and plastic are prone to bacteria if not properly cared for and replaced, so the material that you decide on largely comes down to personal preference and longevity.

Whichever cutting board that you decide to buy, you will need to clean and sanitize your board after every use to ensure that your board is ready to go next time you wish to use it. 

It is worth mentioning that high-quality cutting boards should never be washed in the dishwasher. This is because hot water paired with a long dishwasher cycle can cause the board to warp and crack, meaning that you might have to replace your cutting board more quickly than you were expecting.

You should wash your cutting board in the sink, using warm water, and dishwashing soap paired with a brush or a sponge. However, be careful to not leave the cutting board to soak in the water, just give it a thorough scrub and then pat dry so it is ready for your next use. 

Maintenance

As previously mentioned, the majority of wooden pizza cutting boards come with a finish to help make the board more durable.

However, you need to maintain this finish by reapplying it regularly in order to make it last and to keep the board in the best condition possible. To do this, you’ll need to get your hands on some food-safe finishes to condition your board with (scroll back up to see a few options that we explored).

If you don’t apply oil or wax, you run the risk of your pizza cutting board drying out, and becoming brittle over time which can be a cause of cracking. Before conditioning your pizza cutting board you need to ensure that you have cleaned it and let it dry completely before you start. 

Apply your chosen oil to your pizza cutting board, and spread it out with a cloth or paper towel, taking caution to ensure that the whole board receives an even layer. If there is any excess oil once you have spread it out, be sure to wipe it off with a clean towel for an even coating. 

Always remember that the longevity of your purchase will boil down to the maintenance of your pizza cutting board. You could have the best quality board in the world and still need to replace it if you don’t properly maintain it, as a result, you need to take proper care of your board in order to get the best value for your money.