The three cuts of a log
When a log is sawn into boards, the boards can be cut in three different ways relative to the growth rings. The cut determines stability, appearance, and price:
- Flatsawn (plain sawn): Most common and least expensive. Growth rings are roughly parallel to the face. Beautiful cathedral grain pattern. Cups and moves the most with humidity changes.
- Quartersawn: Growth rings are perpendicular to the face. Rays and flecks show prominently in oak (called "tiger stripe" or "flake"). More stable, less cup. About 2-3× the cost of flatsawn.
- Riftsawn: Growth rings at exactly 30-60° to the face. Very stable, no cathedral or flake pattern. Most expensive, least common. Premium look but minimal figure.
Which cut to use when
- Wide tabletops: Quartersawn for stability. If budget requires flatsawn, build the top with breadboard ends or accept seasonal movement.
- Drawer sides: Quartersawn preferred — they stay flat. Flatsawn sides will cup.
- Legs: Any cut works. Quartersawn for very thick legs (less checking).
- Raised panels: Flatsawn for cathedral pattern; quartersawn for straight-grain look. Both common.
- Rails and stiles: Quartersawn for stability. Frame-and-panel joinery depends on rails/stiles staying straight.
How to identify cut at the lumber yard
The end grain tells you everything:
- Flatsawn: Growth rings form an arc, less than 30° from the face.
- Quartersawn: Growth rings are roughly vertical (60-90° from the face).
- Riftsawn: Growth rings at 30-60° from the face.
Look at the end of the board. If the rings arc gently, it's flatsawn. If they form nearly vertical lines, it's quartersawn.
Why figured wood tears out
Figured wood (curly, quilted, birdseye) has grain that runs in undulating patterns rather than straight lines. As a result, the wood fibers dive below the surface and come back up, creating natural "ledges" that the planer or jointer catches. This causes tear-out — chunks of wood pulled up instead of sliced clean.
Tear-out risks by species/figure type:
- Curly maple: High tear-out risk. Needs sharp tools, light passes, and sometimes a final scrape or sand.
- Quilted maple: Even higher. Often requires card scrapers or sanding.
- Birdseye maple: Moderate. The eyes themselves create tear-out points.
- Interlocked grain (mahogany, sapele): Tears out when planing one direction, smooth when going the other way. Always test direction on a corner before planing.
- Straight grain (cherry, walnut): Low tear-out risk. The exception is when there's a slight runout — never assume.
How to minimize tear-out
- Sharp tools. Dull tools are the #1 cause of tear-out. Sharpen before planing figured wood.
- Light passes. 1/64" depth per pass, not 1/16". Multiple passes beat one heavy pass.
- Direction matters. Always try planing both directions on a corner first. Go with the direction that cuts cleanly.
- Use a backer board. When thickness planing thin figured wood, sandwich it between two pieces of plain wood. The backer prevents tear-out on the exit side.
- Card scraper as final step. For figured surfaces, scrape instead of plane. A sharp card scraper leaves a near-polished surface.
- Sand progressively. 180 → 220 → 320, hand sanding with the grain direction.
Quarter-sawing availability
Quartersawn lumber is harder to find and more expensive. Reasons:
- Yield is lower (more waste per log)
- Drying takes longer (boards are thicker off the saw)
- Fewer suppliers stock it
For oak, quartersawn is more available (called "QS oak" or "rift & quartered oak") because oak's flake figure is so prized. For other species, you may need to special-order or saw your own.
Frequently asked questions
Is riftsawn worth the cost?
For most projects, no. The straight grain is more "refined" looking but lacks the figure of flatsawn or quartersawn. Used in Scandinavian modern furniture where minimal grain is preferred.
Why does my lumber yard call everything "quartersawn"?
Some yards use "quartersawn" loosely to mean any wood with vertical grain orientation (including some riftsawn). Check the actual ring angle on the end of the board.
Can I plane figured wood with a hand plane?
Yes — and often better than a power planer. A sharp, high-angle hand plane (55°+) with a tight mouth excels at figured surfaces. Final smoothing with a card scraper.