News & Opinion

Whether it’s cold hard facts or editorials by our professional staff, Pro Tool Reviews tells it like it is. We deliver a steady stream of power tool news for the construction and housing industry. Hopefully, this will keep you abreast of what’s happening in the construction industry. Our industry insights, articles, and editorials cover construction industry topics affecting professional tradesmen and business owners. If you’re in the construction business—no matter if you work on the jobsite or in the office—you need to know what trends and tools are shaping the work you do. Our team delivers both news & opinion to keep you up to speed and ahead of the curve. Because of this, you can be in the know with respect to OSHA regulations, modern construction methods, and therefore any other developments taking place that could affect your work. While our power tool reviews and hand tool reviews let you know what’s hot from the manufacturers. For everything else, you’ll want to stay tuned to our news and opinion editorial coverage.

What is Quartersawn Lumber?

What is Quarter Sawn Wood or Lumber?

There are several different ways to saw trees into usable lumber, and quartersawn (quarter-sawn) lumber is a particular method of milling trees that yields highly usable, very strong boards with a lot less waste than, say, riftsawn lumber. Quartersawn lumber is particularly popular for oak and maple, where the exposed grain in the wood is important and plays a part in its use within a project. Most lumber is made by a process called rip-sawing (plainsawn lumber), an efficient method that utilizes almost every square inch of a tree to make usable boards. The most hardy wood is made using a riftsawn method that makes sure all pieces of wood are aligned towards the center of the tree. This generates a grain that crosses the wood and allows it to expand only along its length-side. Quarter-sawing is like the happy medium, presenting a cut that takes more time and energy, but using more of the trees available wood than the riftsawn method.