American White Oak is a very popular choice for a wood floor, it takes stain well and ranks high on the Janka Hardness scale. Due to its hardness, it is a popular choice for high traffic flooring areas. Available in different lumber cuts, Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn, Rift Sawn and Live Sawn. These cuts each refer to the way the boards were cut from the log, which gives the board each a unique appearance.
Plain Sawn, also known as flat-sawn, is the least expensive cut of white oak as it creates the least waste. This plank will have the commonly seen flame or cathedral pattern on the face.
An example of a Plain Sawn floor is Laurel Plank
Quarter Sawn white oak boards will contain 'flake' marks in the grain.
An example of a Quarter Sawn floor is Princeton Plank
Cathedral Cut, also known as Euro cut, French Cut, or Live Sawn is cut the same way that oak logs are cut in Europe. You will get the cathedral plain sawn grain in the center of the board and merging into rift and/or quartered characteristics towards the outer edges of the wider boards. The wider the plank the more pronounced this is.
An example of a Cathedral cut floor is Camino Real Plank
View all floors in our Cathedral Collection
Rift Sawn is the most expensive but also the most stable cut of white oak. These boards can be identified by the very straight and tight grain. Quarter sawn and rift sawn are commonly sold together as a rift and quartered white oak floor.
An example of a Rift Only Floor is Hartford Plank
An example of a Rift & Quartered Floor is Denville Plank
