Quarter sawn, or quarter sawing, refers to a type of cutting technique used when rip-sawing lumber. The lumber is cut at an angle so that the annular growth rings intersect the face of the board. The angle’s exact number varies between 45 and 90 degrees. When the lumber is cut, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters, hence the name. Quarter sawn lumber is more labor intensive to produce than plain sawn, but is often desired for its grain pattern, and dramatic flecking is present in red oak and white oak. It also exhibits almost no twisting, warping, or cupping.
