How to identify quilted lumber.

[Guest Screamer]

If I want to buy quilted lumber from my lumber yard, what must I look for. The lumber is rough sawn, and that is the problem. And what type of wood has the most common quilted grain?

[Vic]

If your lumber dealer will allow it, take a block plane and a spray bottle of water. Other than that, it's sometimes obvious. For quilted your looking for patterned changes in surface grain.

[jlloydparks]

Maple and Mahogany are two of the more common woods that exhibit a quilted figure. I have had a hard time finding quilted mahogany lately so in all likely hood you will only encounter maple unless you have a large hardwood dealer.

Bubinga (another exotic) can also exhibit a quilt figure, but this is typically called waterfall figure.

In the rough you will usually be able to notice the grain changing direction. The more you see this in the rough lumber the more figure the board has. Curly wood usually has stripes that are real easy to see in the rough lumber. Quilt will have irregular patterns.

Vic has already mentioned to bring a block plane and a water bottle. Ask the yard manager if you can plane a small part to see the figure, they will usually say yes. Plane a small patch, I usually do 2"x2" up to 4"x4" to see what I want. Spray it with water and that gives an example of what the wood would look like with a clear finish.

Take a look at the veneer supplies Certainly Wood, they have a large selection of veneers and are a great place to look at the different figures available in wood.