Flat-sawn wood (also called plain-sawn) is timber cut from the log so that the annual rings run predominantly tangentially — roughly parallel to the face of the board. The result is the familiar ‘flame’ grain pattern, with broad, cathedral-shaped figures.
How is flat-sawn lumber produced?
A log can be cut in several ways:
- Flat (plain) sawn — the log is cut into parallel boards; the rings run tangentially
- Quarter sawn — the log is split into quarters and boards are cut perpendicular to the rings
- Rift sawn — a hybrid between flat and quarter sawn
In flat-sawn timber, the annual rings stand at less than 30° to the board face, producing the typical oval, flame-shaped figure.
Properties
- Flame figure — attractive appearance, especially for furniture and panels
- Cheaper — less waste than quarter sawing
- More cup and movement — flat-sawn wood moves more across the width
- Asymmetric shrinkage — the bark side shrinks more than the heart side
- Heart and sap wood often both present — not always separable
Applications
Flat-sawn wood is widely used for:
- Furniture making — for the attractive grain
- Flooring — from economy to feature boards
- Sheet materials — veneer faces are often flat-sawn
- Structural timber — where movement is less critical
Compared to quarter-sawn
Quarter-sawn timber is more expensive and has a calmer, straight-line grain. It moves less and is more dimensionally stable, so it is used for windows, joinery and musical instruments.
Related terms
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