What Can Cause Wood Boards To Warp and Possibly Developed Cracks?


​Unequal moisture content is the most common thing to cause issues with wood boards. The effects of a board having unequal moisture content on the top and bottom surface. When this happens the cellular structure in the wood expands on one side significantly more than the other. This causes the board to warp and if extreme crack because of the stress on the wood and glue joints. But what causes this to happen?


With so many variables once the cutting boards make it to their new homes it's really hard to pinpoint what may have happened during its stay, but these are most common-

Common Things That Can Cause A Board To Warp or Split

Think of an end grain cutting as always being in motion as weird as that sounds. The boards actually expands and contracts rather quickly considering it a pretty solid material. This all depends on the board's environment. Think of it as being somewhat similar to a sponge taking in liquid that causes it to expand while later shrinking as it dries out. 


  1. Sitting it flat on a wet counter (will cause the wood fibers to absorb moisture from the bottom and within the board as it is drying from the top only)
  2. Not drying after washing (will cause the wood to absorb too much water)
  3. Not washing or oiling both sides at the same time (causes uneven moisture content)
  4. Not oiling the board enough (causes wood to shrink and will stress the glue 
           joints to the cracking point)
          Heat from hot pans or being or being too close to a stove (causing glue to lose strength and release.

     6.  Putting it in a dishwasher (heat and water are a cutting boards weakness.

     7.  Storing it flat without feet for weeks will cause uneven moisture content and stress the joints causing issues since one side is              getting constant air flow and the other isn't adapting to changes the other is.

​     8.  Sitting in direct sunlight for too long

     9. Being stored against a wall or inside a cabinet with one side against a flat surface while the other isn't. Providing a slight gap on           both sides will help this situation.