Yes. Every wooden board shows knife marks, even after the first use. Wood is softer than your knife's edge, and that's exactly why it's gentle on your knives and keeps them sharp longer. The marks are on the surface and don't affect how the board works.
How to keep them soft and even
- Recondition about once a month, on all sides, with a natural, petroleum-free wood conditioner, like a beeswax blend with plant oils. Conditioning helps the fibers close up, and light marks blend in.
- For deeper marks, sand lightly with fine sandpaper (220 grit) in the direction of the grain, wipe off the dust, let it dry and recondition.
- Use the whole surface and both sides, so the marks spread out instead of building up in one spot.
If the board arrived with scratches or cuts
A new board should never look used out of the box. See "My order arrived damaged, defective, or used" and we'll make it right.