Wood Grain… Where to Begin...
So I brought my 3-year old into the shop with me the other day to show him what I have been working on. I had left a sanding block on the table, and that’s when the questions started. Now, if you have or have been around toddlers, you know that once the questions start, they just keep coming. But that led us into a discussion about sanding with the grain of the wood and showing him different types of wood grain. I like to think that he enjoyed this conversation and really learned something, but 5 minutes later, he was thinking about what type of dessert he was going to have after dinner. So maybe you will enjoy this post about wood, different types of grain, and their best application more than my 3-year-old………
GRAIN PATTERN
When it comes to choosing a grain pattern, I am a fan of the straight stuff. Curly and figured grain has its place in accent pieces, in my opinion, but to each their own. Life would be boring if we all liked the same thing, so choose the wood grain that speaks to you for your project and that you enjoy looking at. My preferred material is straight grain walnut (quarter or rift sawn), but I enjoy mixing different wood types in my designs for contrast and using those more decorative grains as an accent for doors and drawer faces.
GRAIN DIRECTION
Generally speaking, you want the grain to run the length of your workpiece. Now, why is that? Simply put, because wood moves, and we’ll talk about that next. But of course, as with many rules, there are exceptions. Some of these include using a waterfall or wrap-around grain pattern for the project, like many mid-century modern pieces. You can check out my “Modern Toy Box” or “Modern Stepstool” to see what that wrap-around grain pattern looks like.
When determining the grain direction for your project, you don’t want your wood grain to push joints apart by running them perpendicular to each other. When this can’t be avoided, you just want to allow space for some movement. An example of this would be breadboard ends on a tabletop. They restrict warping but still allow for wood movement.
SEASONAL WOOD MOVEMENT
I live in Virginia, where the humidity is off the charts so that seasonal wood movement always seems to be a thought in the back of my mind. For drier climates, this may not be as big of an issue. But, I feel like sometimes people (guilty as charged) worry too much about it. The truth is that over a span of 8ft, wood can move an ⅛ inch. This means that for smaller pieces, the wood movement is going to be negligible. So, how big is your finished piece going to be? However, (why does there always have to be a however?!) when gluing panels, you DO need to take wood movement into account. But let’s save that for another post on another day.
FINISHING TOUCH
There’s a reason that “going against the grain” is a phrase used for doing something the wrong way or at least a different way from the ordinary. And sanding, just like I was telling my son...sanding with the grain creates a smoother surface. It’s time to make that wood grain shine! It’s not as important to sand with the grain until the final sanding; though, but it is a good practice to keep. Everyone has those days when you’re sanding on autopilot, and if your autopilot is with the grain, then you’re good to go. You avoid those sanding marks and end up with a project that looks and feels professional. Sanding is one of the final and most essential touches to any woodworking project so doing it correctly can make or break your finished piece.
There are many aspects to grain direction but I hope this clears up a few questions you might have. At the end of the day, it is you, the maker that will ultimately decide what works and what doesn’t. The best way to learn is to go out and try a few different tests for yourself. Glue up a few boards and set them aside to see how the seasonal changes affect them in your area.
To see more woodworking projects, check out my YouTube channel at:
youtube.com/c/timberbiscuitwoodworks
