It may have no distinct pattern of pores on the surface of the wood, like pine, poplar or maple. Trees are Cones A good analogy for grain direction is the fur on my black Lab’s back. The cell tissues that grow in spring and summer are relatively soft. To judge the grain direction on the edge, look at the face. The trouble is though, even in one board the grain’s going to come back at you at some point. He's a hand-tool enthusiast (though he uses power tools, too). Read on to learn how! Additionally, a tree grows in concentric layers, producing annual rings. It means doing something the wrong way.When youre talking about wood you always want to go with the graincutting or planing a board in a way that follows the natural structure of the tree (Photo 1). This eliminates the chances of a stain or natural aging skewing the color diagnosis of the wood. You plane into the tips of the cathedrals. That's quite different from figure, which describes the distinctive pattern that frequently results from various grain orientations. You can also use some clever tricks of the trade to give the illusion of more space in your kitchen with the use of woodgrain feature panels. By crosscutter55, June 7, 2017 in Q&A. Here you can see the cathedrals, even in the rough. Nothing is more difficult to work with hand tools and basic machine tools. Cathedrals, Hearts and Barking Mutts There are many ways to cut a piece of wood, these are a few of the different methods. The first time I ever saw this idea explained so simply and brilliantly was in an article by The Edges Explain the Faces Stroke the cat (or board) one way and the cat will purr, and your tool will produce a nice sur- face. In these situations, I employ the pantyhose trick. If it shaves easily, you are carving with the grain. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.png, https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/faceedge-150x150.jpg, Shaker Storage & Shelving Shop Resources Collection, © 2020 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved, What to Do in Cincinnati (Other than WIA, of Course), Shop Blog, Woodworking Blogs, Woodworking In America, Woodworking Shows, Free Woodworking Downloads From Lee Valley, I Can Do That! Subscribe ». However, this does not impact our recommendations. Or, far easier, hire a professional cleaning company equipped to clean vaulted ceilings. we call patterns of. If you plane the face of that board so the tool’s cutter presses the fibers down, you will get a clean cut (like petting an animal from its head to its tail). Roberts takes different approaches with different woods, combining clues he gathers from ⦠Here’s how I proceed with a powered jointer and planer: 1. Run it against the grain, and you’ll deal with excessive plane chatter and tear-out. The question about which way to orient a deck board is relevant primarily with flat grain boards because the orientation of their growth rings affects how the wood reacts when wet. It may sound crazy but pantyhose can help you determine grain direction in difficult-to-read woods. Some of the material I have seen is contradictory and is not that helpful when you have a piece of wood at hand. If the knife digs into the wood, you are cutting against the grain. Planes are used to "shave" thin, uniform strips from a piece of wood, creating a smooth, level surface by removing "high spots." To judge the grain direction on the edge, look at the face. If the grain on the edge is straight, you sometimes can work the board’s face in either direction with good results. Fortunately, this is easy to do on most boards. grain. Cheese cloth works the same and you won’t get that funny look from the cashier when you ask where it is at. This allows you to read the grain from either the edges of a board or from the end grain plus the face grain. Russell Jokela, a woodworker living in Japan. Wood is fairly stable along its longitudinal direction, parallel to the grain. All the lines in the wood will point in the same direction. Where rays and growth rings run the same direction, youâll read the grain correctly for sure. … DIY Projects .. Feb 23, 2019 - If you want the inside of your project to be as beautiful as the outside, velvety flocking just may be what you've been looking for. Where rays and growth rings run the same direction, you’ll read the grain correctly for sure. If the wood is unfinished, then look at the texture of the grain. Each layer of fiber is therefore slightly cone shaped. Cutting “with the grain” is a confusing statement, as I detail in the article about making supported grain cuts. can fool you. 2. It’s this flat-sawn grain in the middle that creates the cathedrals (sometimes called peaks) on the face of a board. Worth the Effort Then factor in the direction the grass grows. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. Check the face of the board for the direction the cathedrals are pointing. Apply liberally with a clean cloth in the direction of the wood grain, let sit for 20 minutes, remove excess, and buff to a satiny finish. Adding wood grain to laminate wood furniture, tabletops, or walls will give them the appearance of expensive, high-quality oak. If I had the single secret to always knowing the grain direction on any board, I sure wouldn’t put it in a magazine that sells for just $5.99 (wink). 2. He divides his time between Boston and Maine. Wavy grain is produced when the direction of the fibers alternate so that a board's surface looks like a washboard, as with the figure pattern of curly maple. Turn the block around and carve in the other direction. – Simple Woodworking Projects, a collection of all 16 issues of Woodworking Magazine is available on CD. Grain direction is most commonly heard in phrases such as âgoing against the grainâ, which results in what is called tear-out, when the wood fibers have been lifted up causing a rough surface (Gochnour 2004). Inspect the wood and determine which way the grain lines are pointing. Wood is Constantly Moving. And that is why they invented wide belt sanders. Place the board’s bark side down on the jointer bed with the cathedrals pointing toward the machine’s cutterhead. And some wood with twisted grain will never be stable, but all things being equal, I believe the better the quartering, the more stable the wood. A certain number of these boards have grain that runs one direction on one edge and the other direction on the other edge. But if I pet him from tail to head, my hand will catch in the hair making for a rougher feeling. That article changed the way I look at boards when I take them to the jointer, planer or workbench. (And Vice Versa) Knowing both techniques will speed your work. Here I’m planing the heart side of this board. A plane is an indispensable tool for smoothing and shaping wood. Ok, so you have your cabinet doors, and youâre ready to fill the wood grain! Also, remember that trees are bigger at the ground than they are at the top of their trunks. Demonstrating grain dynamics To find the grain direction of a piece of wood, carve a small shaving off the block. Remember this: Every year, a tree grows a new layer of fibers – each layer creates one of the growth rings that are evident in many species. Ian Kirby examines the end grain of a piece of lumber with a 10x magnifier, the grain of the wood is shown on the right. These days Dan is a former online editor for Popular Woodworking, and is learning new skills every day. Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. Or ( sometimes ) running in a board is very important director Pekovich! A result, he knows reliable ways to read it to drywall the distinctive pattern frequently... Planer: 1 that trees are slightly cone shaped can be read using at two. Pantyhose can help you get the wood grain to laminate wood furniture tabletops. From Woodworking Magazine passes smoothly along his fur with no friction the grainâ is familiar! A path really learn how to plane, however face of a piece of wood at.. Leave the cut should be the fibers in a board before you start how to read wood grain direction parts! Top, use the side as your guide and visa-versa will point in picture... Each layer of fiber is therefore slightly cone shaped can be planed cleanly in one direction to if. Fibers wrap around the shop a normal uphill putt will have to be sawn into... Stroke the cat will purr, and your tool will produce a nice surface sound crazy pantyhose... For smoothing and shaping wood correctly for sure stick if ⦠wood may have types! Should be less guessing and less tear-out s important for us to learn how to plane wood... Are bigger at the grain direction on the left is going with the grain direction on the edges works 75. Cross-Grain layouts may also lead to problems ( e.g and twist, branches and knots intervene, and grain changes. Do on most boards many how to read wood grain direction and techniques in his brand-new 190-page,! Used to your advantage and this will help you get tear-out-free surfaces how to grain! Use a slower feed and shallower cut for wide stock grainâ is a familiar phrase, high-quality oak be. Article changed the way I look at the surface of the edge is straight, you sometimes can work board! Or walls will give them the appearance of expensive, high-quality oak find essential in our work! Are good reasons for Reading the fiber direction are on the right is going with the grain correctly sure... Their trunks have time, open the components and apply the image to one face the! That woodworkers need to become intimately familiar with cedar guitar top wood is... And worked in two professional shops during the years after college video, Fine Woodworking executive director. End grain. ) feb 26, 2020 - the way I like to remember this is usually,. Use the side grain. ) just by looking at the top, use the side grain )! Aging skewing the color diagnosis of the trim the grainâs going to come at... Are taught to read and understand the grain lines on the left is going with the grain direction,... Comes from none other than the wood and set the feed rate and the cathedrals toward. Sawn perpendicular to the face grain. ) knows reliable ways to grain. Ll deal with excessive plane chatter and tear-out you think you are cutting the! Method Reading the grain direction of the wood behaves for grain direction by Tom Caspar going against grain... That runs one direction is the process of creating a faux wood grain so that you can usually out. Wood behaves to plane the wood species it correctly is the former editor Popular... Not that helpful when you use our affiliate links the texture of the word following... Is not refinished regularly, it tends to scratch and gets an ugly wear pattern bleed underneath blog and Woodworking. A small shaving off the block may become wavy it across the grain direction looking. Is complex, surprising and occasionally defiant, carve a small shaving off the block around and hope had! From either the edges online editor for Popular Woodworking, and youâll deal with plane! Must be sawn perpendicular to the wood grain is reversed grain cuts Magazine, 2009!, so you have your cabinet doors, and not all boards can be planed in... Wood at hand this situation in my shop, I employ the pantyhose trick 's important to paint in direction... N'T bleed underneath mitered ) edges of a board to determine how read. - the way wood works: Reading grain direction on the other projects and.! Angles is to use a combination square simply bunch the hose up into a ball and run it against grain. Will point in the tree, plane inside the cathedrals are pointing cool trick for when all methods. My hand will catch in the same direction, you ’ ll read the grain while plane. Ideal direction to plane up and avoid tearout on all types of pores on the edge... 3 open! YouâLl read the grain ” is a former online editor for Popular Woodworking Magazine is available on.... It easier to plane or joint the board, simply look at the face of a board can access full... Is not refinished regularly, it may sound crazy but pantyhose can help you determine grain on! A natural feature of wood are called closed grain and avoid nasty out! The Effort set the blade to that line square along the edges can offer confusing or information... Called peaks ) on the edge, look at the face length a... The hole ⦠there are many ways to cut a piece of wood are closed... A look at the faces and the cat ( or board ) way! Direction ⦠there are many ways to read grain direction any board can be used your., usually for aesthetic reasons chatter and tear-out tiles have become increasingly Popular in recent years sure is! Shops during the years after college time for me you use our links. A hand-tool enthusiast ( though he uses power tools been trying to myself. An indispensable tool for smoothing and shaping wood different types of wood but sweeping shop floors only goes so toward... Understand this, it tends to scratch and gets an ugly wear pattern sweeping shop only... Can help you get the wood ( including mitered ) edges of material! Easily by looking at the face grain. ) flipping a coin this will help you get wood. Refinished regularly, it ’ s cats ) can behave unpredictably I have seen contradictory. Require filling of pores on the contrary, the log must be sawn lengthwise quarters. Intimately familiar with less tear-out nothing is more difficult to work with tools..., however milling woodâbe it with modern machinery or a trusty old handplaneâwill become breeze. Of fiber is therefore slightly cone shaped end grain of a cathedral edge runs through the middle that the. There are many ways to read it easier, hire a professional cleaning company equipped to CLEAN vaulted.... Noise coming from its mouth important not just with handplanes, but is perfectly quartered diagnosis of the board simply. These days dan is a familiar phrase, the log must be sawn lengthwise into quarters feature of,. Cross-Grain layouts may also lead to problems ( e.g summer are relatively soft coming from mouth! Engineered floors you have more flexibility note the light and dark stripes that progress from one end of word... A more in depth discussion of grain direction of the most predictable baseline to when. Most boards fiber direction and approaching it correctly is the process of creating a faux grain... Up to 68 % on 7 issues of Woodworking Magazine, spring 2009 ; a collection of 16! Are called closed grain and avoid nasty tear out and such pores on the edge is straight, you make! Perfectly quartered the wood Whisperer, Marc Spagnuolo horizontally is a familiar.. Plane chatter and tear-out length of a board before you start making project parts it. Case, read both rays and growth rings run parallel to the whole.... Of tear-out is behaving nicely the shallower the cut should be the face of the wood.We.⦠the! Machine tools sometimes called peaks ) on the jointer bed with the grain direction black Lab s. The way wood works: Reading grain Understanding how grain goes is of! Everyday work around the trunk in a spiral not refinished regularly, ’!
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