Why do most wooden counter top seem to be Quarter Sawn only?

[Tetsuaiga]

I have just been considering building a counter top and looking around online at images nearly all wooden ones seem to be made using quartersawn wood.

I can see that perhaps counter tops are going to be exposed to moisture more than a table. That seems to be about the only meaningful difference I can see which would make it any different to a table top and plenty of those are made using plain sawn wood.

I understand Quartersawn is more stable so a superior choice but is it really necessary? My impression from looking at ones other people make seems to be telling me that but I find it a bit strange.

Thanks

 

[keithkarl2007]

Quartersawn material will remain relatively flat.

 

[worn thumbs]

Its not strange at all.Given the width of most counter tops,you need as much stability as you can get hence the choice of quarter sawn.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Not sure what you mean by a counter top, but if if were a bar top with an opening flap (Only Fools And Horses style) Then the opening top may have nothing apart from the hinges to keep it flat. A table top is usually screwed down in some fashion to allow for movement but this also helps to hold it flat.

Cheers Peter

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Not sure what you mean by a counter top, but if if were a bar top with an opening flap (Only Fools And Horses style) Then the opening top may have nothing apart from the hinges to keep it flat. A table top is usually screwed down in some fashion to allow for movement but this also helps to hold it flat.

Cheers Peter

I'm mostly talking about kitchen types, perhaps Worktop is more accurate.

Maybe to make it clear, my question should be if plain sawn wood is good enough for a table top why not a worktop/counter top?

Even if it is wide you could alternate the plainsawn boards to help reduce cupping.

 

[Jacob]

Widest boards come from the middle when slab sawn so that is probably what you saw.
Properly quarter sawn is a bit special (musical instruments etc) as it's wasteful.
Nothing particularly quarter sawn about this lot here.

 

[woodpig]

Don't discount it looks nice as well.

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Jacob, most of the work/countertops are made of many boards though not single wide slab.

I couldn't remember the right term for wood which isn't quartersawn, so just though slab sawn would do. I know slab sawing does produce a few quartersawn pieces.

Perhaps because a lot of tops are made of many very narrow pieces it might make them appear more like quartersawn pieces when they aren't.

 

[blackrodd]

Jacob, most of the work/countertops are made of many boards though not single wide slab.

I couldn't remember the right term for wood which isn't quartersawn, so just though slab sawn would do. I know slab sawing does produce a few quartersawn pieces.

Perhaps because a lot of tops are made of many very narrow pieces it might make them appear more like quartersawn pieces when they aren't.

Down here in sunny Devon, we call that wood either through and through, (T&T cut, or CC) country cut,
As it's so difficult and therefore costly to be turning a large log the number of times for Quarter sawing,
That's the main reason It's costly, not because of any waste.
Regards Rodders

 

[Peter Sefton]

If the tops you are talking about are made from lots of smaller pieces then they have the option to turn the blocks so the majority of them are showing the quarter sawn face. This makes them more stable and uniform looking whilst being cost effective. All round winner.

Cheers Peter