How to Read Wood Grain Before You Buy

Grain direction tells you more about how a piece will age than the species name on the tag. Straight-grain boards move the least across seasons, which is why we use them for tabletops that need to stay flat.

Rift-sawn boards split the difference: more visual movement than straight grain, more stability than flat-sawn. We use rift-sawn oak for anything with a joint that has to stay tight.

Figure, the wavy or curled patterns some boards show, is beautiful but less predictable. We reserve figured stock for smaller pieces like side tables, where a little seasonal movement will not open a joint.