562-236-5744 16833 Edwards Road | Cerritos, CA 90703
Summitt Forest Products | PLAIN SAWN VS. QUARTER SAWN VS. RIFT SAW
673
page-template-default,page,page-id-673,page-child,parent-pageid-598,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode_grid_1300,footer_responsive_adv,hide_top_bar_on_mobile_header,qode-content-sidebar-responsive,qode-theme-ver-10.0,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-4.12,vc_responsive
 

PLAIN SAWN VS. QUARTER SAWN VS. RIFT SAW

One of the most common sources of confusion in the high-end of the wood flooring industry revolves around the topic of sawing methods, specifically plain sawn vs. quarter sawn vs. rift sawn. The graphics below, and the embedded video, do a nice job explaining the differences.

 

Feel free to email info@summittforestproducts.com with any questions!

Mark Summitt

NOTE THE GREATER WASTE FACTORS WHICH, WHEN COMBINED WITH A HIGHER LABOR COST, MAKE QUARTER SAWN AND RIFT SAWN PRODUCTS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PLAIN SAWN.

IN SUMMARY

 

PLAIN SAWN IS CHARACTERIZED BY “CATHEDRAL” OR “FLAME” GRAIN, BUT CAN CONTAIN ELEMENTS OF QUARTER AND RIFT GRAIN AS WELL

 

QUARTER SAWN WHITE OAK WILL CONTAIN STRIKING MEDULLARY RAY FORMATIONS, COMMONLY CALLED “RAY” OR “FLAKE”.

 

RIFT SAWN IS SIMILAR TO QUARTER SAWN, BUT WITH MUCH LESS OCCURENCE OF MEDULLARY RAY FORMATIONS.  PLEASE NOTE THAT WIDER PLANKS OF RIFT-SAWN WILL DEVELOP QUARTER SAWN GRAIN (TREES ARE ROUND!).