If you’ve got your head into wood flooring research mode, it’s highly likely that you’ve come across the term quarter sawn wood flooring. A common question we get asked is “What does quarter sawn wood flooring mean and is the sawing method used important to me?”
As we all know, wood comes from trees that are cut down to be processed into a whole range of raw wood material. When it comes to sawing a wood log, there are three key ways of doing it. They are:
– Plain Sawing
– Quarter Sawing
– Rift Sawing
When it comes to wood flooring, the options that are made from quarter sawn wood will have slightly different characteristics to wood flooring made using the other two methods. In order to explain those differences, it’s important to speak briefly about each different sawing method and then outline what makes quarter sawn wood flooring different, so that’s what we’ll to do here. In order to understand the terms, it’s important to visualise the growth rings that radiate out from the centre of a log and the medullary rays that spread out from the centre like a sunbeam.
Plain Sawing
Plain sawn, flat sawn or tangential cut wood is the most commonly sawn type of wood that you’re likely to come across. Considered to be the simplest way of cutting a plank from a round log, this method of sawing can run either parallel to or perpendicular to the annual growth rings of the tree trunk. What this means is that when you look at the end of a board, you’ll see characteristic arch shapes of growth rings.
Quarter Sawing
Most commonly, logs are quartered when quarter sawing is being used, meaning that the log is cut into quarters, both across and up and down its length. Thereafter, the the boards are cut at 90 degrees from the straight end of the resulting quarter. What this means is that there are varying widths of board generated from each quarter, ranging from broad to relatively narros. The largest of these boards, which are called quartered boards and will typically be made up of a first board of about 8” wide and subsequent boards of around 6.5” depending on the thickness, reducing to a rift board (see below) of about 4.5”. Typically quarter sawn boards have the growth rings visible at an angle of between 60 and 90 degrees and the surface of the board shows the medullary rays quite clearly.
Rift Sawing
Rift sawing is the term used to describe cutting of logs radially into boards so they are cut at ninety degrees to the faces of the log. Effectively this means that the growth rings of the tree appear at right angles to the edges of the resulting boards. This term is often confused with quarter sawing, but is completely different and is a more expensive way of producing quality boards than quarter sawing because of the wastage involved. In rift sawn boards, growth rings are at an angle of 30-60 degrees and there is little visibility of medullary rays.
The two key advantages of quarter sawn wood flooring:
1. It’s more stable than plain sawn flooring. Thanks to the way the boards are cut, quarter sawn boards are less susceptible to expansion and contraction as temperature and moisture levels fluctuate. What this means is that they are less likely to develop gaps or to suffer from cupping once laid.
2. It’s cheaper than rift sawn flooring. Although quarter sawn flooring is more expensive than plain sawn flooring, it is cheaper than rift sawn flooring. This is because more boards can be recovered from each log using this method than rift sawing. Clearly, the more boards that are cut from each log, the lower the wastage and the better the price.
If you’d like to chat through the differences between quarter sawn and rift sawn wood flooring, why not get in touch? We’re here to help you make the right decisions for your project.
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FAQ
What does ‘quarter sawn wood flooring’ mean?
Quarter sawn wood flooring refers to a type of wood sawing method where the log is first cut into quarters, both across and up and down its length. Then, the boards are cut at 90 degrees from the straight end of the resulting quarter. This results in boards of varying widths, with the largest boards called quartered boards.
How does quarter sawing differ from plain sawing?
Quarter sawing differs from plain sawing in the way the boards are cut. While plain sawing can run either parallel to or perpendicular to the annual growth rings of the tree trunk, quarter sawing involves cutting the log into quarters before sawing the boards at 90 degrees from the straight end of the resulting quarter. This results in boards with the growth rings visible at an angle of between 60 and 90 degrees.
What is rift sawing?
Rift sawing refers to the cutting of logs radially into boards so they are cut at ninety degrees to the faces of the log. In rift sawn boards, growth rings are at an angle of 30-60 degrees and there is little visibility of medullary rays. Rift sawing is a more expensive way of producing quality boards than quarter sawing due to the wastage involved.
What are the key advantages of quarter sawn wood flooring?
The two key advantages of quarter sawn wood flooring are its stability and cost. Thanks to the way the boards are cut, quarter sawn boards are less susceptible to expansion and contraction as temperature and moisture levels fluctuate. In terms of cost, although quarter sawn flooring is more expensive than plain sawn flooring, it is cheaper than rift sawn flooring because more boards can be recovered from each log using this method.
Why should I consider quarter sawn wood flooring?
You should consider quarter sawn wood flooring if you want a more stable and cost-effective flooring option. This type of flooring is less likely to develop gaps or suffer from cupping once laid. Furthermore, the method used for quarter sawing results in more boards recovered from each log, making it a more cost-effective choice compared to rift sawn flooring.