Quartersawn, Rift cut and Zebrawood Design Trends

This month I will be discussing the concept of Linear printed designs:

1. Why are some woodgrains Linear?

2. How are Linear woodgrains relative to the market?

WHY ARE SOME WOODGRAINS LINEAR?:

Have you noticed that some woodgrains appear linear or "straight grained"? This is typically due to the cut such as in quartersawn and rift cut. There are also some species such as Zebrawood that are linear or "straight grained". I'll explain these three in more detail.

QUARTERSAWN:

The term quartersawn (quarter sawn, quarter-sawn) is properly used for wood that is cut exactly radially to the heart of the log which is at right angles towards the growth ring.

Wood that is cut in this manner is highly valued and more expensive due to the lower yields from the right angled cuts.

There are two main reasons to prefer quarter sawn boards:

1. Greater stability of form and size (less warping; and shrinking)
2. For Design Elements. Quarter sawn oaks show a prominent ray fleck. The "ray fleck", which is also known as "flake" or "figure" of a quatersawn board is the medullary ray of the log which emanates outward from the center of the log like spokes on a wheel. Quarter sawn sapele is likely to produce a ribbon figure which also gives a unique design element. Ash is often used but it doesn't give the "ray flake".

For the above reasons, quarter sawn woods are often used for wall panels, doors and cabinet doors in higher end applications.

However, as with any term referring to a desirable property, the term is often used more loosely, in any of a number of ways. It is sometimes confused with "rift sawn" or "rift cut".

RIFT CUT:

Rift cuts are where the orientation towards the growth rings is a little off a true right angle. Rift cut or "rift sawn" is a more expensive cut of the log however it is less expensive than quarter sawn because there is considerably less waste.

ZEBRAWOOD:

Zebrawood gets its name because the figuring of the wood reminds you of the striping on a zebra which has dark stripes on a light back ground. The specific species of wood is actually called microberlinia.

Microberlinia or Zebrawood is imported from West Africa which is Gabon, Cameroon or the Cogo. Zebrawood can also be a light brown with regular or irregular marks of a darker brown in varying widths. Although Zebrawood has natural linear design it is typically quatersawn to get the right look.

Zebrawood is a very coarse wood due to its wavy grain like most tropical woods. This can make the wood very difficult to work with.

It should be noted that Zebrawood is considered a threatened species in its native habitat. For this reason, designers typically prefer to specify a laminate version which gives the same look but without cutting an endangered wood.

DACKOR High Gloss Dark Zebra

DACKOR Italian Ebony Zebra

DACKOR Italian Zembrano

HOW ARE LINEAR WOOD DESIGNS RELATIVE TO THE MARKET?:

When quartersawn, rift cut or zebrawoods are used they typically create a more upscale environment. You may notice that many hotels and even fast food places looking to create a clean and urban look are using more linear , straight grained designs in their color scheme.

As mentioned above, quartersawn and rift cut woods can cost considerably more and in the case of zebrawood its an endangered species of wood. By utilizing a 3D Laminate thermofoil instead of natural wood it enables designers the capability to incorporate high end design with a budget that works.

As most of you are aware, I work for DACKOR 3D Laminates and we stock High Gloss Dark Zebra, Italian Zembrano, Fino and many other linear designs. As I've mentioned in other articles, 3D Laminates are also a green alternative because they utilize recycled wood chips for the core of the component's substrate. In addition, 3D Laminates reduce the amount of trees being cut down. And finally, much less energy is consumed in the production, transport and distribution of Kitchens and other furniture utilizing 3D Laminates.

CONCLUSION:

In summary, Linear woodgrain designs should be promoted more heavily in 3D Laminates because they create an upscale environment while being cost affordable, easy to care for and better for the environment.

You may visit www.dackor.com to look at the different linear color options or contact us to produce a custom design with an extremely low minimum.

I hope you enjoyed the article and that you help spread the market awareness of how 3D Laminates fill this market demand.

DACKOR FINO BRONZE