Care Guide and FAQ
The Care Guide
Our Richlite Everyday board is one of the lowest-maintenance materials in the kitchen. Here is how to keep it happy:
1. The Dishwasher is your friend
Unlike wood, our boards love the dishwasher. High heat and high pressure won’t hurt them.
2. The "Dry-Upright" Rule
This is the most important part! Because the material is so dense, it needs to dry evenly. Always dry your boards upright (in a rack or leaning against a wall). If you leave a wet board flat on a countertop, the moisture stays trapped on one side, which can cause the board to "cup" or warp over time.
3. No Oiling Required
Forget the mineral oil and the beeswax. Our boards are non-porous and never need to be seasoned. They are ready to go straight out of the box and stay that way forever.
4. Battle Scars are Normal
Our boards are designed to "give" slightly to protect your knife edge. This means you will see knife marks over time—this is a feature, not a flaw! It shows the board is doing its job. We believe they look better and better with age.
FAQs
Q. Are they really made of paper?
Yes! But not like a notebook. Layers of FSC-certified craft paper are pressed together under immense heat and pressure with a food-safe resin. The result is a material that feels like a dense hardwood but acts like a superpower.
Q. Will my board stain?
Our material is non-porous, meaning it doesn't soak up beet juice or raw meat smells like wood does. While very light surface staining can happen with heavy spices (like turmeric), a quick scrub or a run through the dishwasher usually clears it right up.
Q. Can I really put a hot pan on it?
Absolutely. Our boards are heat-resistant up to 175°C (350°F). They make excellent trivets for pans straight off the stove.
Q. Does the board have a scent when new?
When you first unbox your board, you might notice a slight "new material" scent. Don’t worry, this is completely normal for wood fibre boards and is a sign of the resin's strength.
The Fix: Simply run it through the dishwasher once or twice, or give it a good scrub with hot, soapy water. The scent will vanish completely after the first few uses, leaving you with a perfectly neutral, food-safe surface that won’t transfer any smell or taste to your ingredients.
Q. Is the material safe?
100%. Our boards are Food Safe, BPA-Free, and Micro-Plastic Free. We don't believe in shedding plastic into your family's dinner. If you want to see the test data and accreditation there are links to all of this in the last question.
Q. Why Bristol?
Because it's home! We are a small family business based right here in the West Country. Every order is checked, packed, and shipped by us from our Bristol HQ.
Q. My board has developed a slight wobble—what do I do?
Because our boards are made from a high-density natural wood fibres, they can occasionally react to uneven moisture. If a board is left in a puddle or dried flat on a countertop, one side may dry faster than the other, causing a slight temporary bend.
This is easily corrected: simply wet the board thoroughly on both sides and prop it up to dry vertically (ideally leaning it on the opposite side of the curve). As the moisture levels even out, the material will typically guide it back to its flat, stable state.
Q. Are all the claims you make actually true??
Absolutely! All the claims we have made on our website about our boards are backed up by independent testing. If you like getting into it then click each link below to see the data...
Low Chemical Emissions Greenguard Gold
Antimicrobial Activity JIS 2801
NSF/ANSI 51 Food Equipment Materials
Compliance with EU Regulation EU 2019/1021 (POPS Regulation)
The Final Verdict
Most boards force you to choose between protecting your knives or being able to use the dishwasher. We don't think you should have to compromise.