The Ins and Outs of Lumber
Understanding wood grain is crucial when buying raw lumber, as it directly influences the strength, appearance, and workability of the final product. In the lumber industry there are three main cutting methods employed to extract planks from logs:
flat sawn
quarter sawn
rift sawn
Flat sawn lumber is the most common and cost-effective option as it involves horizontally cutting a log resulting in minimal waste. The planks produced in this manner showcase a distinctive grain pattern and are the most widely used. Below is an illustration depicting both the cutting method and the resulting grain pattern on a dining table.
On the other hand, quarter sawn wood is obtained by cutting a log into four equivalent pieces. The lumber is then sliced perpendicular to the growth rings. This method offers more stability and a unique straight grain pattern. However, this method of creating planks generates more waste than flat sawn lumber, so it is more expensive and time consuming to produce. Shown below is an example of what the cutting method looks like as well as what the grain would look like on a dining table.
Rift sawn lumber, with its unique cutting method, involves slicing logs at a slight angle to the radial plane. This technique produces straight, vertical grain patterns and is often used when a more uniform appearance is desired in the final product. This method generates the most waste out of the three methods, and is rarely used as it is rather expensive. Once again, we wanted to show what the cutting method looks like and how it would look used for a dining table.
In addition to solid lumber, plywood is a widely used material in various woodworking projects. Plywood is composed of multiple layers of thin wood veneer glued together with each layer's grain direction rotated perpendicular to the adjacent ones. This construction is what gives plywood its strength and stability. There is a misconception that plywood is a material of lower quality because it is not solid hardwood. However, plywood is a very dependable and stable material because the way it is assembled prevents it from being affected by the moisture in the atmosphere like hardwood is. This makes plywood reliable and long-lasting; depending on the type of furniture being built and where it is placed, choosing plywood for its construction can be a logical move. Besides that, plywood can also look very beautiful - especially if it is covered with a layer of elaborate veneer. We use plywood as the base for our sit stand studio desks. The use of plywood in crafting our sit-stand desks ensures the durability and functionality of the objects.
In our shop, we use our knowledge of wood grain and cutting techniques to select the most suitable lumber for our projects. Whether it's the cost-effective flat sawn lumber for general use or the precision and stability of quarter sawn wood for specific applications, our understanding of these factors allows us to create high-quality products such as our custom desks or cabinetry.
P.S. - This is just a fraction of the lumber we have in house at any given time!
