Quartersawn oak is fumed to accentuate the wood's rays.
At the end of the 19th century, American artisans had plenty of old-growth oak and other hardwoods for their Arts and Crafts furniture and accessories. Unfortunately, the trees, some of which were hundreds of years old and measured more than 3 feet in diameter, were too large for their milling machinery. The answer to the artists' problem was an old technique called quartersawing. Does this Spark an idea?
Process
Quartersawn wood requires large trees for a worthwhile yield. After cutting the tree into 6- to 8-foot segments, the segments are split in half lengthwise and then quartered. Each quarter is processed, beginning with a cut 1-inch deep along one side of the inner cut. After turning, a second cut is made along the second side. Turning and cutting continues until all that is left is a triangular piece from the outside of the quarter. Another way to quartersaw is cutting all of the boards across the quarter parallel to a line from the tip of the quarter piece to the midpoint of the outer bark side. Because trees are not perfectly round, the first method is usually easier.
Appearance
A bundle of 6- or 8-foot lumber ranging in width from the approximate radius of the tree to a few inches results after trimming. Boards have uniform, straight grain with "rays," indistinct marks across the grain resulting from environmental conditions during growth. Viewed from the board's end, the grain may be perpendicular to the surface or arc to about 45 degrees, depending on the board's thickness and distance from the inside corner of the quarter.
Finishing
After drying, lumber is ready for use. Quartersawn wood absorbs stain less readily than plainsawn wood because it lacks plainsawed wood's open grain due to growth rings running approximately parallel to its surface. Sealer, oils, shellacs and varnishes work as well on quatersawn wood as plainsawed, but Gustav Stickley, master of the American Arts and Crafts movement, fumed his famous oak furniture. Exposure to ammonia fumes in a tent for a day to a week darkened the oak and accented the rays, making a distinctive finish for the fine furniture dubbed "mission style" from Stickley's Craftsman Studios in upstate New York. Fuming is still an accepted finish for quartersawn hardwoods and works best on woods like white and red oak with high tannin content.
Advantages
Quartersawn oak's use in Stickley's furniture earned it a reputation as a premium wood and distinguished its use as a mark of craftsmanship. Although it may shrink or swell slightly in width, it is less likely to shrink in length, warp or cup as it dries and ages. Quartersawn wood also makes superior flooring because of its strength and resistance to liquids.
Tags: Quartersawn wood, Arts Crafts