Meet the Preservation Collection: Inspired by our best-selling floors with an 8-week lead time.
×
White Oak hardwood flooring is a floor made with wood from White Oak trees, a hardwood species that is common throughout the Eastern United States. The term “quartersawn” refers to the way the timber is cut to create the boards which form the floor. The most common form of sawing trees is called “plain sawn”, in which boards are cut from the timber like a loaf of bread. This produces a wide variety of grain patterns in the wood. By cutting the wood at an angle to the outer surface, quartersawn techniques produce more stable planks with very straight grain lines and unique ray flecks that add to the dramatic beauty of the wood. The third approach to cutting timber is called “rift sawn.” Rift sawn White Oak, for example, will have the most consistent grain patterns because every board is cut at a 90° angle from the surface. Quartersawn White Oak tends to be more expensive than plain sawn boards because of the extra labor and because more of the timber is wasted during cutting.
Wide plank flooring is simply a hardwood floor that is made with boards which are much wider than traditional commercial floorboards. A wide plank floor may use boards that are as much as 8” to 20” in width, and that are up to 12’ long. Compare that to the typical commercial floorboard, which is usually only 3” wide or less, and 4’ long or less, and the difference is striking: a wide plank floor is much less “busy” and provides room for the grain and personality of the wood to emerge.
Whether you want a look that’s sleek, chic, or unique, we can provide a floor that fits your individual style.
Customers choosing quartersawn White Oak floors tend to want a more distinctive look – a floor that really stands out and serves as an elegant design feature in their home or business. Quartersawn White Oak boards also add additional stability and longevity to the life of the floor.
At Carlisle, our engineered white oak wood flooring and prefinished white oak flooring can be purchased with quartersawn timber. Reclaimed white oak flooring is not available in quartersawn boards, as the wood is salvaged from old buildings.
Because there is more labor and waste of the timber involved, rift sawn boards tend to be more expensive than quartersawn boards. Plain sawn boards are the least expensive, as the cutting method is the most efficient in terms of time and because it makes use of most of the timber.
Rift sawn timber is cut in such a way that every board is cut at a nearly perfect 90° angle from the outer edge of the tree. This produces a very tight and consistent grain pattern and inherently more stable boards.
Quartersawn White Oak will experience less expansion and contraction than a plain sawn White Oak floor; however, the density and durability will be very similar.
Quartersawn White Oak has a more consistent grain pattern than plain sawn timber, with more rays or flecks in the grain pattern than rift sawn timber.
Quartersawn White Oak is cut by first sawing the timber into quarters, and then slicing each quarter like a loaf of bread at an angle to the surface of the timber.
When you come to Carlisle for a quartersawn White Oak hardwood floor – or for any type of unfinished White Oak flooring – you can expect nothing less than the best. That applies both to the quality of your floor as well as your customer experience during the design, ordering, delivery and installation of your Carlisle masterpiece in wood. From your first conversation with our design consultants, we make sure that every detail is perfect and that your quartersawn White Oak floor reflects your sense of style and beauty and is a stunning and distinctive feature of your home or business.
For more than half a century, Carlisle has been a leader in providing distinctive floors of exceptional quality to homes and businesses throughout the world. Each Carlisle floor is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, lovingly and painstakingly crafted by artisans with a real love and feel for fine wood. Our flooring experts appreciate that every grain pattern and color variation tell a story, and they excel at bringing out the finest qualities in each board. Our attention to detail is legendary – from selecting the wood to finishing, texturing and staining it based on your flooring choices, we take every step necessary to ensure your finished quartersawn White Oak floor will delight and amaze you every time you walk through the door. CTA
