A Little Bit About Quarter Sawn Oak

Today we listed one of smallest items to our catalog: the Petite Mod Clock. 

Made from quarter sawn oak, this clock is one of my favorites to look at. Why? It's the wood itself. Some people are tempted to think the appearance of 'streaks' on the wood is actually damage leftover from production, but it isn't. Those lines running perpendicular to the wood's grain are part of the tree and they even have a name. 

Medullary rays. According to the experts at Bailey Wood Products, 

The unique thing about oak is that it has very strong, well defined ‘Medullary Rays’ running from the center of the tree outward. If you look closely at the end of a sawn oak board you can easily pick out the rays. They look like fine, straight lines spreading out from the center of the tree, perpendicular to the grain of the wood. 

Want to know more about quarter sawn oak (also called quartersawn oak)? Visit their website for a quick and interesting read. There's more than one fun fact about this gorgeous and strange wood!