Rift Sawn vs Quarter Sawn
Rift sawn and quarter sawn are two lumber cutting methods that orient the growth rings differently relative to the board face. Quarter-sawn boards have rings at 60-90 degrees to the face, producing ray fleck and excellent stability. Rift-sawn boards have rings at 30-60 degrees, producing straight, consistent grain without ray fleck. Both waste more wood than flat-sawing.
In-Depth Explanation
Quarter-sawing involves cutting the log into quarters and then sawing each quarter so the blade runs roughly parallel to the medullary rays. This orientation exposes the ray fleck (desirable in species like white oak) and minimizes cupping because radial shrinkage is less than tangential. Rift-sawing cuts at an intermediate angle, producing boards where the growth rings cross the face at roughly 45 degrees. This creates a very uniform, straight grain pattern with minimal cathedral arches and without the prominent ray fleck of quarter-sawing. Rift-sawn lumber is preferred for table legs, door stiles, and other components where consistent, straight grain is important for aesthetic uniformity. Both methods yield less lumber per log than flat-sawing — quarter-sawing wastes roughly 15 percent more, and rift-sawing even more — which is why these products cost significantly more. The terminology can be confusing because some suppliers use quarter-sawn loosely to include both true quarter-sawn and rift-sawn material.
Usage Example
The cabinetmaker ordered rift-sawn white oak for all the door stiles and rails, reserving the quarter-sawn material with prominent ray fleck for the panels.