3 Types of Sawn Wood: Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn & Rift Sawn
Imagine for a moment you are looking at a log. One of the first things you probably notice about it is its growth rings. These growth rings are actually cells that are arranged in concentric circles. They are also called annular rings, as they show how much wood the tree has produced in one growing season.
Besides being helpful for determining the age of a tree, growth rings are helpful to sawyers when it comes to making different cuts. It’s the angle into which the annular rings are cut that determines whether it’s plain sawn, rift sawn, or quarter sawn. Each type of cut has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Plain Sawn
Also known as flat sawn, this is the least expensive way to turn logs into lumber. Plain sawn is simple for sawyers to cut, which means it can be cut very quickly. For these reasons, plain sawn is the most common cut.
Plain sawn is cut in long straight lines and perpendicular to the growth rings. This makes the growth rings at 0 to 45 degrees to the face of the board. Besides being less expensive there are other reasons many people choose plain sawn wood.
Some advantages of plain sawn wood include:
The surface appearance is not as affected by knots compared to quarter sawn wood.
When pitch pockets (cavities in wood that contained resin) are present, they extend through fewer boards.
It is not as likely as other cuts to collapse during the drying phase.
One more advantage of plain sawn wood is that it often contains a “cathedral” pattern. The cathedrals are actually ovals or ellipses that some people say resemble the pointed arches of Gothic cathedrals. Many people feel this gives lumber a unique look that is aesthetically pleasing for different kinds of projects. Plain sawn lumber is quite common in hardwood flooring and table tops.
There are also however, some disadvantages to plain sawn. This cut of wood tends to absorb more moisture than other cuts of wood. The moisture can cause unwanted movement and distortions. Sawyers can decrease the risk of this by putting plain sawn wood into a dry kiln to remove all the moisture content.
Quarter Sawn
Quarter sawn wood is cut into four parts (or quarters) at a radial angle. This makes the growth rings 90 degrees to the face of the board. The end of a quarter sawn board has the grain running straight up and down.
Unlike plain sawn wood, quarter sawn does not move as easily. This means it is not as prone to shrinking, twisting, or warping when humidity levels increase. In fact, when drying, quarter sawn lumber has half the shrinkage in width than plain sawn.
Other advantages of quarter sawn wood include:
The surface contains a more uniform grain pattern, which is ideal for many kinds of products.
Raised grain is not as pronounced as in other kinds of cuts.
It wears more evenly.
Due to less shrinking and lack of movement, it provides much more stability than plain sawn.
One more advantage of plain sawn wood is that this is the only cut that produces ray fleck in certain species. Large rays in the wood is responsible for the appearance of ray fleck, which many people find aesthetically pleasing. Quarter sawn lumber is often used for cabinets, flooring, table, and stringed instruments.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to quarter sawn wood, one of which is it produces much less useable lumber. This is due to the fact quarter sawn is more difficult to cut, which often produces more waste. It also takes more time to cut quarter sawn wood, which means it’s usually more expensive than plain sawn.
Rift Sawn
Rift sawn wood is cut at an angle, which makes the annular rings anywhere from 30 to degrees to the face of the board, although 45 degrees is optimum. People that want a nice hardwood without the ray fleck can choose rift sawn wood over quarter sawn. Rift sawn is considered the most elite cut of wood, and there are many advantages to using it.
Some of the advantages of rift sawn wood include:
It contains a very clean and straight grain pattern on the face of the board, which makes it ideal for many projects.
The end grain of the wood is perpendicular to the board’s face, which reduces twisting and cupping.
It is the most dimensionally-stable cut of wood.
Rift sawn is sometimes referred to as radial grain. It is used to make any kind of product in which the woodworker desires a sleek and uniform appearance. Rift sawn lumber is used for musical instruments, high-quality flooring, furniture legs, and sports equipment.
As you may have guessed, rift sawn is the most expensive cut of wood. This is due to the fact that it is more difficult to produce, plus it generates a significant amount of waste. Rift sawn wood also has the most difficult grain pattern to achieve. This is especially true for boards that are wider in width.
