The Three Types Of Lumber: Quarter Sawn, Rift Cut, And Flat Cut
Learn the three main types of lumber – quarter sawn, rift cut, and flat cut – and how they affect the look of your cabinet doors.
You’re getting ready to order cabinet doors, and everything feels straightforward until wood selection comes up. Suddenly, you’re hearing terms like quarter sawn, rift cut, and flat cut. You may find yourself wondering why some cabinet doors look calm and uniform while others show bold grain patterns, or why two doors made from the same wood species don’t look the same. Without understanding these differences, it’s hard to know what your cabinets will actually look like once installed.
This dilemma is a challenge we are familiar with. For over 20 years, our team at Cutting Edge has been producing custom cabinet doors using all three types of lumber. Over that time, we’ve worked with a wide range of wood species, milling options, and design expectations. That hands-on experience provides us with a practical understanding of how these lumber types behave, look, and when each option makes the most sense.
In this article, we’ll walk you through:
There Are Three Types Of Lumber Available
Every cabinet door starts as a log. What changes is not the tree itself, but how the lumber mill processes the log. Flat cut, rift cut, and quarter sawn lumber all come from the same raw material, yet each method produces a different grain appearance on the face of the board.
Understanding these differences is important because cabinet doors sit at eye level. The grain pattern, consistency, and movement over time all affect how your kitchen or bathroom will look and feel once the project is complete.
Let’s take a closer look at each type of lumber and what you can expect from it.
1. Flat Cut Lumber
Flat cut lumber, sometimes called plain sawn or flat sawn lumber, is the most commonly available option. The lumber mill cuts the log parallel to the growth rings, from one side to the other. This method exposes the widest part of the growth rings, which creates bold and expressive grain patterns.
Flat cut boards often feature wide arches or “cathedral” shapes in the grain. However, because of the cutting method, the grain pattern can vary significantly from board to board. This variation is not a defect; it’s part of the natural character of flat cut lumber.
Flat cut lumber creates a warm, organic look for cabinet doors. Many clients opt for flat cut wood in traditional, rustic, or transitional designs where natural variation is welcome. Because this cutting method produces the most usable boards from a log, flat cut lumber is also typically the most affordable option.
2. Rift Cut Lumber
Lumber mills produce rift cut lumber by cutting the log neither parallel nor perpendicular to the growth rings. The goal is to create boards where the grain runs in straight, tight lines from one end to the other.
The result is a much more uniform appearance compared to flat cut lumber. Rift cut boards show minimal grain variation, and you won’t see the cathedral patterns common in flat cut wood. This look makes rift cut lumber a popular choice for homeowners who prefer a cleaner, more controlled look.
In cabinet doors, rift cut lumber offers greater consistency, which can be especially important in large kitchens. However, rift cut wood is less common and usually more expensive because this cutting method creates more waste at the mill.
3. Quarter Sawn Lumber
When producing quarter sawn lumber, the mill first cuts the log into quarters. Then, the mill slices boards from each section, perpendicular to the growth rings. This approach results in boards with grain running more vertically through the wood.
Like rift cut lumber, quarter sawn boards have a straight grain pattern. However, in some species (especially Oak), you’ll also see distinctive visual features such as medullary rays or flecking, which appear as shimmering lines or flakes across the surface.
Quarter sawn lumber is known for its stability. It tends to move less with changes in humidity, which can be an advantage in certain environments. In cabinet doors, quarter sawn lumber is often chosen for its refined appearance and long-term performance.
What Is the Difference Between the Types of Lumber?
Although these lumber types look different, the only true difference between them is how the lumber mill processes the log. All three cuts come from the same tree, and none of them is inherently better or worse.
From a homeowner’s perspective, these milling choices matter because they directly affect appearance, consistency, and price. However, few wood types offer all three types of lumber.
Only Some Wood Types Have All Three Types of Lumber
Not every wood species shows clear visual differences between flat cut, rift cut, and quarter sawn lumber. In general, the more pronounced the grain, the more noticeable the differences between cuts.
In smoother, less grainy woods, rift cut and quarter sawn boards may look nearly identical. When that happens, mills often group them in a category called rift/quarter. Demand also plays a role. If very few people request a certain cut, mills are less likely to produce it.
Here’s how this plays out in common cabinet door woods.
Maple
Maple has a subtle, even grain. Flat cut Maple is widely available and commonly used for cabinet doors.
While rift/quarter sawn Maple does exist, it’s rare because the visual difference is minimal, and demand is low. For most projects, flat cut Maple meets both aesthetic and budget expectations.
White Oak
White Oak has a strong, open grain, which makes the differences between lumber types easy to see. Flat cut White Oak features bold grain patterns, rift cut offers straight and consistent lines, and quarter sawn is known for its prominent ray fleck. Because of the distinct variations, White Oak is commonly available in all three types of lumber.
Red Oak
Red Oak behaves very similarly to White Oak in terms of grain and availability. It also offers flat cut, rift cut, and quarter sawn options, with each cut producing a distinct appearance.
Walnut
Walnut is most commonly available as flat cut lumber. It has a rich colour and moderate grain that many homeowners find appealing.
Rift/quarter sawn Walnut is available, but it is rare due to limited demand.
Fir
Fir is an exception to many of the general rules. It’s most commonly available as rift cut, often referred to as Vertical Grain Fir. Flat cut Fir exists but is much harder to source, especially for cabinet doors.
As you can see, the availability of flat cut, rift cut, and quarter sawn lumber depends heavily on the wood species itself. In addition, each type of lumber and wood behaves differently. That’s why understanding these differences is especially important when it’s time to choose cabinet doors for your own home.
Why The Different Types Of Lumber Matter When Choosing Cabinet Doors
The type of lumber used in your cabinet doors affects more than just terminology. It directly shapes how your cabinets look, how consistent they feel, and what you should expect during the ordering process.
Visually, lumber type controls grain pattern and uniformity. Flat cut lumber shows more natural variation, which can add warmth and character but may result in noticeable differences between doors. Rift cut and quarter sawn lumber features straighter, more consistent grain, which many homeowners prefer in modern kitchens or larger spaces.
Lumber type also influences availability, cost, and timelines:
- Flat cut lumber is widely available and usually the most affordable
- Rift cut and quarter sawn lumber are rarer, which can reduce supply and increase cost
Finally, certain cuts – especially quarter sawn – tend to be more dimensionally stable as humidity and seasons change. This fact doesn’t make other cuts inferior, but it does make them different.
When you understand how lumber type affects appearance, consistency, availability, and performance, you can choose cabinet doors with clearer expectations and far fewer surprises upon installation.
Learn Why Different Types Of Lumber Appear During Machining
At the start, choosing cabinet doors may have felt overwhelming, especially when unfamiliar terms like quarter sawn, rift cut, and flat cut entered the conversation. Now, you have a clearer understanding of what those terms actually mean, how lumber mills create each type, and why not every wood species offers the same options.
When purchasing cabinet doors, you need to know the wood species you’re considering and the look you want to achieve. At Cutting Edge, we’ve spent over 20 years helping homeowners and contractors navigate these choices with clarity and confidence. Your next step is to learn why different types of wood can appear in your cabinet doors.
