When someone asks me to recommend a wood for their product, the conversation almost always lands on maple or walnut. Both are beautiful, both engrave well, and both hold up to moderate beating. They just tell different stories once the laser hits them and when the oil goes on. I spent an afternoon running the same design on both species, then lived with them for a couple of weeks. Here’s what I noticed and how I’d help you choose.
Maple vs. Walnut at a Glance
How they look, and how they engrave: clear lines on maple, luxe mood on walnut.
Hard maple is pale and even, almost creamy, with grain that stays politely in the background. That blank canvas makes engravings pop without much effort. It’s especially kind to small text and intricate illustrations.
Walnut walks in with mood: deep brown to espresso with occasional flashes of lighter sapwood. Under the laser it often engraves darker than the base, but stays subtle, which looks upscale. Bold monograms always look great on walnut; ultra‑thin strokes may feel shy.
For the test, I used my Glowforge Pro with it's built in settings for each wood. I masked both boards and ran the same hand‑drawn illustration on each.
A quick note on masking: maple benefits from it almost every time. That pale surface is quick to halo and show smoke stains. Walnut is more relaxed; if I’m just scoring a small logo, I’ll sometimes skip tape and go straight to engraving. For larger fills or gift‑ready pieces, I mask for the highest quality results.
After engraving comes the moment of truth: peel, clean, and finish.
For maple, I do a light wipe with isopropyl on a soft cloth, let things cool, then flood with mineral oil for about fifteen minutes. The engraved lines jump from a soft gray‑brown to a warm, defined mark once the oil soaks in. Walnut needs less fuss. The peel is usually clean, and a flood of oil deepens the whole board from “rich” to “richer.” Because walnut darkens overall, I plan for slightly deeper engraves to keep the contrast where I want it. I finish both species with a beeswax/mineral oil conditioner and a quick buff to a soft sheen.
How do they live in a kitchen?
Maple is a workhorse. It shows knife marks a bit more readily, but it also brightens right back up with routine oiling and stays easy to read with it's deeper/darker engravings. It’s the board I reach for when I want a detailed design to be immediately legible.
Walnut excels as a serving piece and bar companion. It hides wear, looks refined on a coffee table, and turns a simple charcuterie spread into a small event. If you do a lot of chopping on a decorative engraved board, consider using the engraved side for charcuterie and displaying the board and the non-engraved side as the daily cutting surface. That is what I do and the art stays crisp.
So which one “wins”?
Personally, I always reach for the walnut boards, because I like the refined look with a subtle engraving. I find my artwork to be so busy that the subtlety creates a nice balances with the engraving. But in the end, it depends on what you want the piece to say. If you value high‑contrast readability and delicate art that feels airy and precise, maple is your friend. If you want warmth, depth, and that instant heirloom vibe, walnut will charm you every time. It's good to match the board to the room and the recipient: maple tends to compliment a bright, modern kitchen; walnut goes great in cozy spaces with brass and leather accents.
If you’d like to see both side by side, I’ve got them in the shop. The 12.5" Round Engraved Maple Cutting Board with Handle is my go‑to for detailed linework. The 9.5" Square Engraved Walnut Cutting Board leans into that moody, refined look.