In recent years Rift and Quartered flooring, in White Oak and Red Oak, have become quite popular across North America.  Some like the calm straight grained look of the Rift boards, while others prefer the active, interesting look of Quartered. The combination Rift and Quartered is very beautiful as either a natural floor or with a stain.

Rift and Quartered White Oak is a hallmark of the Craftsman homes built in the early 1900’s. Used in built-ins and in wood furniture, the active grain of the rift and quartered cut is everywhere in these homes.

Very special cut – Rift and Quartered lumber results from a unique way of milling that maximizes the yield of lumber with vertical grain. Lumber that has been sawn using this method expands evenly and vertically, which also increase the structural integrity of the wood. The grain structure in Rift and Quartered is very different and unique.

Very Stable – because of the cut of rift and quartered this floor can go in locations and be more stable than a plain sawn floor. It is more tolerant of moisture swings – humidity in our area can be crazy low in the winter and very high in the summer.

There is one question we get asked: Why does Rift and Quartered Flooring cost more than Plain Sawn Hardwood Flooring?

When sawing Rift and Quartered lumber from a log the mill starts with higher quality, straighter log than when Plain Sawing.  While the log does not need to be large, it does need to be relatively straight and have its center roughly in the center of each end of the log.  If not straight, you get lumber that exhibits both Rift & Quartered and Plain Sawn characteristics.  These logs are 20-50% more expensive than Plain saw logs which contributes to the price difference.

If you have more questions about Rift and Quartered hardwood flooring, either Red Oak or White Oak, you should give us a call! Our Customer Service Crew can help you out or a visit to one of our showrooms is a great place to start as you are selecting the finishes for your new home or your remodel.

Disclaimer:

The information presented on musolfs.com is compiled from reliable sources.

That said, as a consumer, your main source of information regarding your hardwood floor should be your professional flooring installer.

Each home and installation project is unique and comes with its own set of considerations.

We are happy to present general information and tips here and hope that you find this helpful.