Walking through the Amish Originals showroom, it’s not unusual to hear customers exclaiming over the quality and beauty of the wood used to make our furniture. It’s hard NOT to run your hand over a sleek dining table or to marvel over the color and patina of the wood grain in one of our handmade desks.
Outstanding craftsmanship obviously plays a large part in the beauty of our furniture, but certainly, the quality of the wood must also be considered. Many of our Amish partners select quarter sawn white oak for their products. Quarter sawn oak, sometimes known as tiger stripe, is renown for its quality and durability as much as it’s known for its distinctive grain.
Quarter sawn wood is created by parallel cuts to the medullary (or glassy) rays of the tree, which creates unique, wavy lines in each board. No two cuts of quarter sawn wood will ever be the same.
Outside of its appearance, quarter sawn wood is actually more stable than plain sawn wood and is less likely to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity.
In post-WWII America, as mass furniture production moved overseas, quarter sawn oak fell out of favor because it was expensive and labor-intensive to produce. Today, however, quarter sawn oak is experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to consumer demand for quality, American-made furniture that will last.
Next time you’re in Uptown Westerville, stop by Amish Originals and we’d be happy to show you some beautiful examples of quarter sawn wood furniture in our showroom.
From our home to yours,
Amish Originals
Source: Expressions in Woodcraft; Winter 2014