Standard Cutting Board Sizes And Styles For Every Kitchen

Cutting boards are an essential part of any kitchen. Many memorable home cooked meals start with prepping and cutting ingredients on one and they’re often used to build beautiful charcuterie boards for your family and friends.

If you are unsure about what size and type of cutting board is right for your household, we’ve gathered the most popular and common cutting board sizes as well as the different materials they come in.

Types Of Cutting Boards

There are many things to consider before choosing a board:

  • Will you be cooking for a large family?
  • Which cutting board is best for knives?
  • Which cutting board is most sanitary?
  • How thick should a cutting board be?

Cutting boards come in a variety of materials, sizes and shapes. The most common materials are:

1. Plastic

Pros: Inexpensive, thin, lightweight and easy to clean with harsher cleaning products such as bleach. They also come in a variety of colors for simple kitchen matching.
Cons: Unattractive and cannot be used with serrated knives.

2. HDPE – High Density PolyEthylene

Pros: Resistant to most liquids and alcohols, durable, very easy to clean and they don’t dull knives.
Cons: Visible cut marks and need to be replaced often because of wear.

3. End grain wood

Pros: Beautiful checkerboard pattern. Great for knives and they have self-healing fibers, which means less scratches.
Cons: Tend to be the most expensive.

4. Edge grain wood

Pros: Durable, thick, easy to maintain and affordable. Made of maple or walnut wood.
Cons: Will show significant marks that will not go away even with maintenance.

wooden cutting board with pineapple in half

5. Bamboo

Pros: Tough, easy on knives, water resistant and environmentally friendly.
Cons: They require a lot of maintenance every month with mineral oil.

6. Rubber

Pros: Slip-resistant, great on knives and extremely durable.
Cons: Depending on thickness, they can get very heavy and do not come in attractive choices. A good one will also be fairly expensive.

7. Stone

Pros: Sleek, can be matched to kitchen countertop and scratches aren’t visible.
Cons: Tend to damage knives and are extremely heavy.

8. Glass

Pros: Sturdy, easy to sanitize and wash.
Cons: Will dull knives and very noisy while cutting.

The thickness of a board will depend on the make and type of material that is being used. Standard thickness for cutting boards range from 1 1/4-inches to 2 1/4-inches.

Cutting Board Standard Sizes

cutting board size guide

Board Type Board Size (Inches)
Small8×10 in
Medium10×14 in
Large18×24 in
Extra Large20×30 in
Round10×10 in

Small Cutting Boards

drink with an orange in it

Small cutting boards are versatile, compact and easy to store. They are perfect for small jobs and small spaces. They are mostly used for cutting single-serve fruit for cocktails or snacks, mincing herbs and chopping onions. If you’re looking for a small cutting board, they usually come in wood or plastic. Consider including one in your home bar essentials. These are small cutting board sizes to choose from:

  • 4×6
  • 5×7
  • 6×9
  • 10×8

Medium Cutting Boards

woman cutting tomatoes on a board

Medium cutting boards are the most common since they are not too small or too large to store and are perfect for your kitchen countertop. They allow you to cut several items at a time. Wooden medium boards are best for veggies and bread, while plastic boards work best for meats, so consider owning a couple of these. When spring cleaning your kitchen, make sure to sanitize all your cutting boards with lemon or vinegar to help them last longer.

  • 10×14
  • 12×18
  • 15×20

Large Cutting Boards

cutting board with veggies and dips

If you’re looking for a uniquely shaped cutting board, larger boards tend to have longer and narrower options. Not only are these sturdy and great for cutting multiple items, but they can also hold small dishes for dips and appetizers for a veggie platter. Because of their size, large cutting boards are mostly kept on the kitchen counter, so finding one that goes with your kitchen decor is best.

  • 7×23
  • 18×18
  • 18×24

Extra Large Cutting Boards

cutting board with greens lemons and onions

Extra large boards are the perfect item to have in your kitchen for creating delicious sauces or dressings because they hold all of the ingredients in one place. They are often used in commercial kitchens for preparing multiple meals, as a platform for other tools such as mixers or grinders and for larger pieces of meat that require heavy duty knives.

  • 18×30
  • 20×30

Round Cutting Boards

personalized round cutting board with meats and cheeses

Round cutting boards are the most traditional. They’ are used for cutting a variety of cheeses and meats but until recently, they’areit is also being used as an alternatives to serving trays. The great thing about round cutting boards is that you can easily rotate them to make cutting a little easier. A personalized cutting board is the perfect anniversary gift idea and can make for a great conversation starter to any party.

  • 10×10
  • 16×16
  • 12×12

Now that you’ve read all about cutting board sizes, which one is right for you? Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for a great housewarming gift, luckily, you’ve got many options to choose from.