A Guide to Rift, Live Sawn, Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn, and Rift & Quarter Sawn

1. Plain Sawn (Flat Sawn) Flooring

• Visual Grain Pattern: Plain sawn is the most common wood cut, featuring the familiar “cathedral” grain pattern with broad, sweeping curves. This traditional cut is widely recognized for its aesthetic appeal.
• Dimensional Stability: Due to the way the wood is cut, plain sawn boards have more movement across their width, making them more susceptible to expansion and contraction with changes in humidity and temperature.

• Cost-Effective: Plain sawn is more affordable and readily available cut.
• Versatile Appearance: Its classic grain pattern works well in both traditional and contemporary settings.

2. Quarter Sawn Flooring

• Visual Grain Pattern: Quarter sawn boards display a tight, straight grain pattern with distinctive flecks and ray patterns, especially in species like oak. This gives the wood a refined, linear look that’s perfect for formal settings.
• Dimensional Stability: Quarter sawn wood is highly stable and less prone to warping or twisting, as the cuts are made perpendicular to the growth rings.

• Superior Stability: The cutting technique enhances the wood’s structural integrity, making it a great choice for areas with fluctuating humidity.
• Unique Aesthetic: The linear grain and flecking add a unique visual interest, particularly suited for high-end applications.

3. Rift Sawn Flooring

• Visual Grain Pattern: Rift sawn boards have a very straight grain with minimal flecking, providing a sleek and uniform appearance. The grain runs parallel to the length of the board, offering a more subdued, contemporary look.
• Dimensional Stability: Like quarter sawn, rift sawn wood is also cut to minimize movement, making it highly stable and resistant to warping.

• Consistent Grain Pattern: The straight grain pattern gives a clean, modern aesthetic, making it ideal for minimalist and modern design styles.
• Excellent Stability: Its resistance to moisture-related expansion and contraction makes it suitable for use in various environments, including those with more extreme temperature and humidity changes.

4. Rift & Quarter Sawn Flooring

• Visual Grain Pattern: Rift & quarter sawn flooring combines the best of both worlds—featuring both the straight grain of rift sawn and the unique flecking of quarter sawn wood. This blend results in a highly attractive and versatile flooring option.
• Dimensional Stability: This type of flooring offers superior stability due to its mix of rift and quarter sawn boards, which are cut in a way that minimizes movement and maximizes durability.

• Best of Both Worlds: Offers both the sleek, modern lines of rift sawn and the decorative, historical appeal of quarter sawn flecking.
• High Stability: Ideal for areas with significant climate changes or high humidity, such as basements or kitchens.

5. Live Sawn Flooring

• Visual Grain Pattern: Live sawn, also known as French cut, involves cutting straight through the log, incorporating all parts of the wood from the heartwood to the sapwood. This results in a mix of plain, rift, and quarter sawn grain patterns in each board, offering a unique and varied appearance.
• Dimensional Stability: While not as stable as rift or quarter sawn, live sawn boards are relatively stable due to the balance of different cuts within each plank.

• Rustic and Natural Look: Live sawn boards showcase a wide range of natural wood characteristics, including knots, color variation, and a mix of grain patterns, ideal for rustic or farmhouse designs.
• Maximized Yield: This wood flooring cut is efficient in terms of material use, reducing waste and providing a sustainable option for wood flooring.

Choosing the Right Wood Flooring Cut for Your Space