All grades are equally strong and serviceable, yet afford the consumer different looks. The angle at which a board is cut makes big differences in how the finished product looks.
Wood flooring is either plainsawn, quartersawn or riftsawn.
Plainsawn is the most common cut. The board contains more variation than the other two cuts because figure patterns resulting from the growth rings are more conspicuous. Quartersawing produces less board feet per log than plainsawing and is therefore more expensive. Quartersawn wood twists and cups less and wears more evenly. Riftsawn is similar to quartersawing, but the cut is made at a slightly different angle.