PROPER

TIES WOOD
OF
WOOD:
GRAINS
WOOD GRAIN
 What is wood grain?

The arrangement of a wood's fibers as a

result of a tree's growth is referred to as
wood grain. When the tree is cut, these
fibers reveal a visual pattern of relatively
darker and lighter wood, which is
commonly referred to as the grain or,
more precisely, the 'figure.' The texture of
sawn timber is also affected by wood
grain.
 The size, arrangement, and type of these fibers influence the
appearance of a piece of sawn wood. Different sawing
techniques can reveal different grain patterns; the most
common is quarter sawing, which involves cutting a log into
even boards that form parallel plains.

 Because of the way wood grows, each piece of timber has a

distinct grain pattern. With over 60,000 different types of
trees in the world, there is an incredible variety of grains,
figures, and textures.
 Hardwoods have a type of longitudinal cell
called vessel cells, which reveal pores when cut.
Softwoods, on the other hand, lack vessels and
pores. Because of this structural difference,
hardwoods frequently have a stronger, more
pronounced grain pattern — these pores have a
significant impact on the appearance of some
sawn wood.

 Of course, not all hardwoods are the same —

some have many pores that vary greatly in size,
while others have smaller, more consistently
sized, and more evenly distributed pores.
 When describing wood grains,
woodworkers, architects, and wood
technologists frequently use a variety
of terms. The most common distinction
between hardwood grains is between
'open' and 'closed' grains.

HOW TYPES OF WOOD GRAIN DIFFER:

TERMINOLOGY, SPECIES & EXAMPLES
OPEN GRAIN

 Open grain (or coarse grain, also known as

'ring-porous' trees) refers to hardwoods with
large pores. An open grain is characteristic
of trees that grow faster in the spring and
slower in the summer, resulting in variation
in cell composition and arrangement. As a
result, the grain patterns in these timbers are
often stronger and more pronounced.
 Oak and ash are two popular
open-grained woods. The patterns
in these woods can give off a
natural, homey, or even rustic
vibe. The grain of open grained
woods can be straight or irregular.
 Other open-grained woods, such
as Zebrano, an exotic hardwood,
can be used to create a daring,
bold design. Its unusual grain
produces wild streaks ranging
from cream to dark chocolate —
always sure to catch the eye.
 These natural characteristics, such as knots, can
become more abundant depending on the grade
of wood used. These woods can easily achieve a
very distinct appearance. To achieve a flat
surface, these timbers are frequently filled in
with a grain filler prior to finishing.

 American White Ash is a straight, open-grained

hardwood from the United States. Its cellular
structure produces a more figured, pronounced,
and bold visual pattern that adds warmth and
character.
 Zebrano is an exotic African hardwood with an open
grain that creates an extremely distinct, stripy pattern
that looks great in any luxurious, bold design.

 Red Oak: open-grained timbers with a wide range of

pore sizes. This tends to make these timbers coarser
as well as make their pattern more wild and
pronounced with swirls and deviations.
  It doesn't take a timber expert to tell you that
THE DISTINCTIVE STRIPES different types of wood have varying textures. Again,
OF ZEBRANO CAN PROVIDE this is a result of the grain of the wood — the
arrangement, size, frequency, and variation of the
A HIGHLY DECORATIVE fibers in a wood. When compared to closed (or fine)
grained timbers, open grained woods typically have a
APPEARANCE. coarser texture.
CLOSED GRAIN

 Other hardwood species have smaller pores

that do not vary in size as much — these are
classified as closed grain — also known as
'fine grain,' 'tight grain,' or 'ring-diffuse'
trees. These types of wood typically have a
straight grain due to tighter growth rings.
 This gives the wood a more
subtle, plain, and cleaner
appearance that can work in a
more polished, sleek, or airy
setting. Closed-grained
hardwoods include maple species,
which look great in Scandinavian-
style interiors, and many types of
fruitwoods, such as cherry.

 Other fine-grained woods, such as

holly and basswood, have almost
no visible grain pattern.
 American Hard Maple is a straight-grained hardwood with a more
uniform, sleeker grain pattern.

 Fruit woods such as American Cherry have smaller pores with less
variation in size, resulting in a more plain pattern and smoother
texture.
  Curly (or tiger stripe)
figuring in maple
wood.

 However, just because timber has a

closed-grain does not preclude it from
being exciting or characterful. Maple
species, for example, can display
unusual patterns such as bird's eye,
tiger stripe, and quilt figuring.
 Basswood is
a fine-
grained wood
with almost
no visible
grain and a
very subtle pattern
.
 Although the majority of woods can be
classified as either open or closed grained, some
timbers can be classified as intermediate,
exhibiting characteristics of both types. Black
walnut and mahogany are two common
examples. Walnut, in particular, is prized for its
character, which can include unusual figuring
such as burls.

 American Black Walnut: This species is popular

among designers and architects for its stunning,
decorative grain, which can range from
relatively plain to highly figured.
 Pores do not exist in softwoods. Color differences
between springwood and summerwood, which are parts
of the wood in the tree's growth rings, account for their
appearance. As a result, their grains are less prominent
and lighter. Softwoods can grow more quickly, resulting
in a wider grain pattern.

 Douglas Fir: Because softwoods have no pores, they have

less variation in the figure. However, there can be some
significant grain pattern variation in softwoods, as seen in
Siberian Larch.
Softwood Siberian
Larch
 Different types of wood grain are described
as straight, irregular, interlocking, wavy, or
spiral.

 Wood enthusiasts, architects, and designers

frequently use labels to describe the grain
of a wood. Among those you're most likely
to encounter are...
Straight —The wood fibers run consistently in a straight line along the cut piece
of timber.

Spiral — a type of wood whose fibers twist as the tree grows

Interlocked — Taking things a step further than spiral grain, this term refers to a
type of wood in which the fibers align in opposite directions.

Irregular — The fibers of wood run in irregular, varying directions, including

knots.

Wavy — describing a wood whose fibers constantly change direction

 European Ash has a distinctive straight, regular grain: its
fibers run up the trunk in a straight line.

 Many tropical hardwoods, such as Sapele (shown above) and

Zebrano, have an interlocking grain, which means that the
wood's fibers run in opposite directions. This can make them
more difficult to work with.
FIGURED WOODS
 Visual grain patterns in highly figured
woods can add a unique touch to any
project. These markings are usually the
result of how a tree grows and is sawn;
many of them are extremely valuable.
Among the most well-known are:

 Bird's eye — this is mostly found in

maple trees. It describes a distinct visual
pattern of tiny, bird-like eyes on the grain
of the wood.
 Burl — Also known as burr, this type of figure is caused by a
deformed, wart-like growth on the trunk or a branch of a tree
as a result of injury or infection. This results in a highly
distinctive wavy and twisted grain pattern. It is commonly
found in walnut, ash, European Elm, and poplar trees.

 Crotch — a Y-shaped pattern formed when a branch connects

to a tree trunk. It is most commonly found in mahogany and
walnut species.
 Curly — this term refers to grain direction contortions that
give the appearance of undulating waves and can refer to a
variety of more specific types of figures. It is common in
maple and birch trees.

 Fiddleback, also known as 'curly maple' and 'flame maple,' is

a maple feature in which the grain produces a wavy, flame-
like appearance. This type of figure is in high demand for
musical instruments.
 Quilted — a wavy, rippling, bubble-like pattern found in maple
wood that creates a three-dimensional effect.

 Silver grain — ray cells cause this type of silver pattern in quarter-
sawn oak.

 Tiger stripe — is a highly prized color variation found in oak. It is

caused by a fungal infection in a living tree, which results in darker
streaks.
 Tiger stripe figuring in maple.

 Figure in the shape of a bird's eye on a maple board.

 Figure out the flame pattern.

THE RELATION BETWEEN
WOOD GRAIN TO
WORKABILITY
 Straight grain woods are the easiest to deal with and produce
reliable, consistent results. Timbers with an interlocking,
uneven grain, on the other hand, are more prone to splitting,
cracking, and tear-out, which is known as 'checking.' As a
result, while working with these, additional experience, effort,
and attention may be required.

 Open-grained woods have a more uneven take-up when it

comes to finishing, which emphasizes the grain. Cherry and
maple, for example, have tight, closed grains that finish more
evenly.
THAN
K YOU!