Quartersawn vs. Flatsawn

[Dan F]

Ok, educate me. This may be a slightly dumb question, but I really don't know. What is the difference is between quartersawn planks vs flatsawn?

I know that quartersawn resists cupping, and is generally more expensive, but what makes it quartersawn? And how is it that Norm Abrams/Tom Silva, or anyone else for that matter, can look at a floor and tell if it's quartersawn?

It's probably a simple answer, I know, but educate me!


Dan

 

[Bremen]

There are other terms as well, such as plain-sawn, through and through, rift-sawn and bastard-sawn. A lot of them mean the same thing. People can argue over the exact definitions for each, but the ideas are clear enough. It's all about the range of the grain angle to the face of the board, and the associated expansion/contraction directions and appearance.

Quarter sawn lumber has the grain nearly perpendicular to the face of the board, whereas plainsawn lumber does not.

Here's a few links, for more just search Google. I know there's better info out there but I can't find it at the moment. I have one of them bookmarked, I can find it when I get back home.

http://www.kmhardwoods.com/definitions.htm
http://www.westpennhardwoods.com/quartersawn/qtrsawn.php

 

[Dan F]

The links helped, thank you! You answered my question. The pictures made it very clear.


Dan

 

[Bremen]

Here is another neat page.. near the bottom it lists radial and tangential shrinkage for some species, but more importantly it has a cool picture illustrating the ways that different boards will deform when drying, depending on the sawing method.

http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/forestry/g60.htm

 

[geofore]

quartersawn

Generally more expensive? Don't be squimish about asking more for quartersawn. The amount log that was wasted to cut it justified the extra cost.

 

[scottr]

Quartersawn Flooring

Dan, when looking at a quartersawn oak floor the rays of the wood are exposed and have interesting patterns.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Re: quartersawn

Originally posted by geofore
Generally more expensive? Don't be squimish about asking more for quartersawn. The amount log that was wasted to cut it justified the extra cost.

youbetcha!

waste comes not just from the extra wane and small crap, but you end up with a lot of rift sawn boards going for QS.

Also there is added labor in properly doing QS lumber; cutting the cants, flipping them back and forth, extra grading..

Nothing beats the look of QS whit aok with a high flake! ( exposed medulary rays to the tree phys. people) Slik oak , or lace wood is one of my favorite to turn because the flake is so big.

White oaks are my mostest favorite, just for the smell of it.

 

[Gypo Logger]

In addition to the above descriptions, quartersawn, also known as edgesawn, it when the log is actually quartered as opposed to flatsawn and then sawed in a progression of sides.
Flatsawn is more interesting as the grain is more prominent showing fewer growth rings, while quartersawn is all growth rings standing on end, hence it's porosity for use in boat building
John

 

[scottr]

Boat wood

John, some canoes were made from sasafras because it is a durable , light weight and oily wood . The advantage of quartersawn wood in siding a boat is that it is more stable in width. Old Chris Craft boats were made of Mahogany that is also a oily wood that is very durable.