Character-Defining Materials ~ The materials used to build historic houses are often as character-defining as the design of the houses. Different materials have come in and out of popularity with changes in technology and styles and some common materials have been available in different forms, including trapezoidal floor boards.
One of those basic materials is wood, which can have very different properties depending on how it is sawn from the log. One historic manner of sawing floor boards has gone completely out of use – that of sawing the edges to follow the natural taper of the tree.
As this illustration from Chapter 14 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” shows; the trapezoidal boards were laid in alternating directions, keeping the centerlines parallel while the edges tapered. In a time when people took maxims like “Waste not, want not” seriously, such frugality of was not uncommon.
As shown on the right (exaggerated for clarity), sawing a rectangular board from a tapering log results in wasted wood on either side of the sawn board. When trees were felled by axe and sawn in water powered mills or with pit saws, it was not only a waste of wood, it wasted of time and labor.
Preserving character-defining features, including materials, should be a priority when planning a rehab project.
This topic is covered in depth in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
Character-Defining Materials ~ Flat Sawn and Quarter Sawn Wood.
The materials used to build historic houses are often as character-defining as the design of the houses. Different materials have come in and out of popularity with changes in technology and styles and some common materials have been offered in different forms.
One of those basic materials is wood, which can have very different properties depending on how it is sawn from the log. The two most common sawing methods are flat sawn and quarter sawn.
As this illustration from Chapter 14 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” shows; a flat sawn board wastes less of the log but has a wood grain structure that allows the board to cup or crown. A quarter sawn board wastes more of the log and is more labor intensive to saw but has end grain on both sides making it tougher and much more dimensionally stable than a flat sawn board.
Flooring is one example of where this difference matters in the quality of construction. Better quality floors are made with quarter sawn lumber – whether hardwood or softwood. The exposed edge grain is resistant to damage and more attractive for a stained and varnished floor.
Preserving character-defining features, including materials, should be a priority when planning a rehab project.
This topic is covered in depth in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
#antiquehome #antiquehomes #traditionalarchitecture #historicalhomes #historicalhouse #historic #oldhousecharm #oldhome #oldhouse #preservation #preserveourhistory #houseandgarden #historicpreservation #homerestoration #houserestoration #historicpreservation #ownapieceofhistory #vintagehome #architecturelover #restoringyourhistorichouse #yourhistorichome #restoration #flatsawn