Types of Cuts for Wood Flooring
You’re finally getting rid of the carpet and installing hardwood floors throughout your house. That was the big decision but now come a whole host of choices regarding the details of your new floors. Will you go with oak flooring because of its timeless beauty and durability? Or, does your taste run more to walnut or maple? How dark of a stain will look best with your décor? Then there’s the style that results from how the individual planks are arranged. And when your contractor asks if you have a preference for quarter-sawn or plain-sawn, will you have any idea what he’s talking about?
How lumber is cut into boards makes a big difference in how it will look installed in your home. Wood grain is comprised of a series of concentric rings beginning in the center of each log and moving outward. The angle at which the cuts are made will determine how these rings will be displayed in the finished product.
The three basic cuts for lumber intended for flooring are rift-sawn, plain-sawn and quarter-sawn. Each has its pros and cons.
Rift-sawn planks are cut from the center of each log. As the length of timber is turned for each successive cut, a straight grain appearance results on the face of each board which creates a nice uniformity and very pleasing pattern. This technique results in arguably the most stable planks of all the cuts resulting in a product that stands up well to temperature and humidity changes. Rift-sawn, as you can see from the illustration, does have the disadvantage of generating far more waste than plain-sawn.
Plain-sawn is by far the most common of the cuts. Sometimes referred to as flat-sawn, this cut positions the tree’s growth rings parallel to the face of the board. This results in highlighting the character and swirls of the grain. There is less waste in plain-sawn lumber which not only makes it the most environmentally friendly method but also lowers the cost. The main disadvantage to plain-sawn is that it is less structurally sound than the other two types of cut and plain-sawn boards can have a tendency to cup or warp.
Quarter-sawn, while not as efficient a cut as plain-sawn, is very popular because it insures that each plank includes the rays of the tree as they extend outward from the center through the rings. This pattern can only be seen in a few of the center boards when the plain-sawn technique is used. Especially with quarter-sawn oak, each plank displays that special flecking and sheen that is so highly desirable for flooring.
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