Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you're designing a custom board, choosing a finished piece from our Shop, or caring for a board you already own, we're here to make the process as straightforward as possible. Below you'll find answers to the questions we're most often asked about our handcrafted boards, customization process, materials, care, shipping, returns, and ordering. Simply select a question to view the answer. Still have a question? Visit our Contact Us page and we'll be happy to help.
What makes Charcuterie Life boards unique?
Every Charcuterie Life board is individually crafted from natural wood and finished by hand. Our Build Your Board experience allows you to select your board style, carved pattern, epoxy colors, layout, and other design options to create a piece specifically for you. We also offer a rotating selection of completed, one-of-a-kind boards in our Shop. This unique marriage of carpentry and epoxy artistry goes well beyond the common “river” boards or “beach” boards, and offers a truly one-of-a-kind customization engine.
What is the difference between a custom Build Your Board order and a finished board from the Shop?
Every Charcuterie Life board is individually crafted from natural wood and finished by hand. Our Build Your Board experience allows you to select your board style, carved pattern, epoxy colors, layout, and other design options to create a piece specifically for you. We also offer a rotating selection of completed, one-of-a-kind boards in our Shop. This unique marriage of carpentry and epoxy artistry goes well beyond the common “river” boards or “beach” boards, and offers a truly one-of-a-kind customization engine.
How long does it take to make and ship my board?
Custom Build Your Board orders typically ship within 10–15 business days after your order is placed. This allows adequate time for carving, epoxy work, curing, final finishing, and inspection.
Finished boards purchased from our Shop are already completed and typically ship within 2–3 business days.
Once an order has shipped, most packages are expected to arrive within approximately 3–7 business days, depending on the destination and carrier service. Tracking information will be provided when your order ships.
Can I choose the colors used in my custom board?
Yes. Build Your Board allows you to select from our available epoxy colors and, depending on the design, combine multiple colors in a variety of layouts. The interactive preview lets you experiment with your selections before placing your order.
Because epoxy is poured and worked by hand, the finished appearance will have natural variations in flow, blending, and pattern. These variations are part of what makes each board unique.
Will my finished board look exactly like the Build Your Board preview?
The Build Your Board preview is designed to provide a close representation of your selected board, carved pattern, colors, layout, orientation, and positioning. However, it is a design visualization rather than a photograph of the finished piece.
Natural variations in wood grain, color, knots, epoxy movement, blending, and other handcrafted characteristics will make every finished board unique. These normal variations are not considered defects.
What is a Carved Pattern?
Our Carved Patterns are designs physically carved into the surface of the wooden board and then filled with colored food-safe epoxy. Rather than simply pouring epoxy along a natural edge or channel, Charcuterie Life uses deliberately designed carved forms to integrate the epoxy artwork into the wood itself.
Our available Carved Patterns can be explored on the Carved Patterns page and experimented with directly in Build Your Board.
What is the difference between the Estate and Reserve Series?
The Estate and Reserve Series represent two different board styles to meet different needs. Estate boards, made with Acacia wood, provide our more accessible collection of handcrafted designs yielding finished thicknesses of about 15 to 17cm, while Reserve boards feature heavier, more substantial premium Teak boards and yield a finished board thickness of 35 to 40cm.
Both series can be customized through Build Your Board using the same available Carved Patterns and epoxy color options.
Are Charcuterie Life boards handmade?
Yes. Each custom board is individually carved, poured, cured, finished, polished, and inspected. Because natural wood and hand-poured epoxy behave differently from piece to piece, no two boards will be precisely identical.
Finished boards in our Shop are also individual pieces—the photographs on the product page show the actual board being offered for sale.
Are natural variations in the wood normal?
Yes. Wood is a natural material, so variations in grain, tone, figuring, knots, texture, and other characteristics are expected. These variations are part of the character of the material rather than manufacturing defects.
They also mean that even when the same board design and epoxy colors is repeated, the finished boards will still be individually distinctive.
Can I use my board for serving food?
Yes. Charcuterie Life boards are intended to be functional serving pieces as well as decorative works of craftsmanship. They are particularly suited to charcuterie, cheeses, fruits, breads, hors d’oeuvres, and similar presentations.
As with any fine wood serving board, proper care will help preserve its finish and appearance.
How should I clean my Charcuterie Life board?
Hand wash your board gently using a soft cloth or sponge with mild soap and warm water, then dry it promptly and thoroughly.
Do not soak the board or place it in a dishwasher. Avoid prolonged exposure to water, harsh cleaning chemicals, abrasive scrubbers, or extreme heat. Protect the sides and back of the board with cutting board oil or walrus oil.
Can I cut directly on the board?
The board is made for normal serving use, but we recommend avoiding cutting directly across the decorative epoxy and carved areas if you want to preserve their appearance.
For substantial chopping or repeated knife work, use a dedicated cutting surface. Treating your Charcuterie Life board primarily as a serving and presentation piece will help keep it looking its best.
Can I put my board in the dishwasher?
No. Charcuterie Life boards should never be placed in a dishwasher. The prolonged water exposure and high temperatures can damage natural wood, its finish, and the bond between materials.
Hand wash gently and dry promptly.
How much does shipping cost?
We use flat-rate shipping based on package size:
Small packages — $14.95
Medium packages — $19.95
Large packages — $24.95
The appropriate shipping class is assigned to the board and calculated automatically when you order.
Where does Charcuterie Life ship?
We currently ship to addresses within the 48 contiguous United States and Washington, D.C.
At this time, we do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, APO/FPO/DPO addresses, or international destinations.
How will I know when my order ships?
When your board ships, tracking information will be provided using the contact information supplied with your order.
Custom Build Your Board orders typically ship within 10–15 business days, while completed boards purchased from our Shop typically ship within 2–3 business days. Transit after shipment is generally approximately 3–7 business days, depending on destination and carrier service.
Can I return a finished board purchased from the Shop?
Yes. Ready-to-ship boards purchased from our Shop may be returned within 14 days of delivery, provided the board is unused, unwashed, unaltered, and in its original condition.
You must contact Charcuterie Life for return authorization before sending the board back. Unless the return results from our error, a workmanship defect, or shipping damage, return shipping is the customer’s responsibility and original shipping charges are non-refundable.
Can I return a custom Build Your Board order?
Because Build Your Board pieces are created specifically according to your selections, custom orders are final sale once production has begun and cannot ordinarily be returned because of a change of mind or dissatisfaction with design choices selected when ordering.
This does not affect our responsibility if your board arrives damaged, contains a workmanship defect, or was produced incorrectly because of an error by Charcuterie Life.
Can I cancel or change my custom order after placing it?
Contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or request a change.
A custom order may be cancelled for a full refund before production begins. Once production has begun, cancellation cannot be guaranteed because materials and labor may already have been committed to your board. Requested design changes are likewise subject to how far production has progressed.
What should I do if my board arrives damaged or incorrect?
Please contact Charcuterie Life as soon as possible and include your order number and photographs showing the problem. If shipping damage is involved, please retain the original packaging and shipping materials while we review the matter.
If the board is damaged, defective, or materially different from your order because of an error by Charcuterie Life, we will evaluate the issue and, when appropriate, arrange a repair, replacement, or refund at no additional cost to you.
How can I contact Charcuterie Life with a question about my order?
Use our Contact Us page for questions about an order, custom design, cancellation, return, damaged shipment, or other assistance.
When contacting us about an existing order, please include your order number so we can identify it quickly. For questions concerning a custom Build Your Board design, including your Build Reference when available will also help us identify the exact configuration you selected.