Edensaw Woods is the leading supplier of
high-quality white oak R/Q lumber domestic wood in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, serving local home builders, furniture makers, flooring, veneer, trim, moldings, and a variety of other businesses. Explore our extensive selection of domestic white oak R/Q woods and speak with our knowledgeable staff, who will gladly assist you in selecting the supplies you need for your specific project.
White oak (Quercus alba) is a hardwood species endemic to North America. The term "R/Q" refers to the riftsawn/quartersawn cutting process that drastically improves wood stability and showcases unique figure. This meticulous approach involves cutting the log at a radial angle to create boards with straight grain and uniform patterns, providing the lumber with several beneficial properties:
- Increased Stability: Quartersawn and riftsawn lumber are less prone to warping, twisting, and shrinking across the width than plain-sawn lumber, making them crucial for applications requiring extreme dimensional stability, such as flooring and fine furniture.
- Beautiful Grain Pattern: R/Q cuts of white oak uniquely expose the wood's prominent medullary rays, resulting in a striking flake pattern (quartersawn) or perfectly straight lines (riftsawn) that provide visual appeal when stained or polished.
- Higher Strength: Due to the vertical orientation of the grain, R/Q lumber is often stronger in its resistance to bending and is better at resisting surface wear compared to plain-sawn lumber.
Properties of White Oak Lumber:
- Color and Appearance: Light to medium brown with an olive tint. The quartersawn surface highlights the large, distinct ray fleck across the face.
- Grain and Texture: Quartersawn is characterized by the flake or fleck pattern; riftsawn has perfectly straight, linear grain. The texture is rough and uneven but takes finish well.
- Rot Resistance: Excellent. White oak's closed cellular structure makes the heartwood naturally resistant to decay, rot, and insects, suitable for exterior and wet applications.
- Workability: Works well with both hand and power tools, but can be difficult due to its hardness (Janka approx 1360 lbf). It glues, stains, and finishes nicely.
The choice of cut profoundly impacts dimensional stability, a key metric for professionals:
- Shrinkage Comparison: While plainsawn white oak exhibits high tangential shrinkage (across the width of the board, parallel to the growth rings), the R/Q cut minimizes this movement. Quartersawn lumber typically has tangential shrinkage of 10.5% and radial shrinkage (across the thickness) of 5.6%. The high radial orientation of the grain in R/Q cuts translates the majority of movement to the thickness, where it is structurally less impactful.
- Thicknesses Stocked: Edensaw Woods typically stocks white oak R/Q lumber in standard rough thicknesses (known as "quarters"), including 4/4 (1-in nominal), 5/4 (1-1/4-in nominal), and 8/4 (2-in nominal). Custom thicknesses may also be available upon request.
- Form Supplied: R/Q lumber is supplied both rough sawn (requiring professional milling) and often surfaced (S4S) for faster incorporation into projects. Always specify whether you need the raw material or pre-milled boards.
Riftsawn vs Quartersawn? The aesthetic difference between the two specialty cuts guides their application:
- Quartersawn Applications: Favored when the dramatic, reflective medullary ray fleck is a primary design element. Ideal for wide panels, cabinet doors, and architectural features in mission or arts and crafts styling.
- Riftsawn Applications: Selected when stability is required, but the medullary ray fleck is not desired. The perfectly straight grain lines make it the choice for columns, table legs, and vertical components where consistent grain on all four sides of a square component is necessary for a clean, contemporary look.
- Outdoor/Marine Use: Due to its excellent natural water resistance (tyloses), white oak R/Q is widely used in outside projects such as deck rails, pergolas, and structural components in traditional boatbuilding where stability is paramount.
Considerations for Buying White Oak R/Q Lumber:
- Higher Cost: Quartersawn and riftsawn lumber are more expensive than plain-sawn lumber due to the specialized, labor-intensive sawing process which yields less material per log.
- Fasteners: Use non-ferrous fasteners (stainless steel, brass, or silicon bronze) to avoid unsightly black staining caused by the high tannin content in white oak reacting with iron.
- Limited Availability: R/Q lumber is less widely available than plain-sawn lumber, often requiring sourcing from specialty suppliers like Edensaw Woods.
Woodworkers in the Seattle-Port Townsend-Tacoma area rely on Edensaw Woods (
Edensaw.com) as their local rough sawn & surfaced lumber supplier for specialized, durable hardwoods. Find top-quality white oak riftsawn/quartersawn lumber and other fine materials from our Port Townsend-Tacoma, Washington, location. We carry a wide selection of top-quality
domestic lumber and woods, specializing in the stable and moisture-resistant
white oak R/Q lumber. This wood is a reliable choice for marine applications, exterior work, and premium cabinetry across the Pacific Northwest region. Our comprehensive domestic wood inventory also features:
white oak,
red oak,
red oak R/Q,
hickory,
tennessee cedar,
eastern maple, and
walnut lumber. Explore our full list of available
products and custom
services. For expert advice, please
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