| When the Amish first arrived in the United States | | | | Quarter Sawn has a ray flake grain design and is |
| they settled in Pennsylvania. There are now | | | | preferred when making most types of furniture. It is |
| settlements in Ohio and Indiana that are the largest in | | | | highly durable and resistance to the effects of |
| the United States. The reason for this is the bountiful | | | | moisture. Creating quarter sawn oak, however, is a |
| forest lands that surround these areas. Other than | | | | lengthy process. The log is cut into quarters, and |
| farming the Amish occupation of choice is | | | | then the rounds are cut perpendicular to the growth |
| woodworking and they create some of the finest | | | | rings. The piece is rotated 90 degrees for each cut in |
| pieces in the world. The forests in the area provided | | | | order to create the furry grain look that is preferred |
| them then and to this day with a wide array of | | | | for quarter sawn. |
| wonderful woods to work with. These forests | | | | The wood is then stored and picked out by the |
| consist of White and Red Oak as well as Cherry, | | | | craftsman making the furniture. Each piece is custom |
| Maple, Black Walnut, and Hickory; they also have | | | | made, using the older method of furniture making |
| access to cedar and pine. | | | | involving mortise and tenon and dovetail joints. It is |
| In the beginning Amish furniture was only available by | | | | made in such a way that with proper care you will |
| direct purchase. Which means if you wanted to | | | | never have to refinish your piece. Creating a piece of |
| obtain a piece you either purchased it second hand or | | | | furniture of this type is a time consuming process |
| traveled to the Amish communities. The internet and | | | | and can not be mass produced. |
| business oriented middlemen have now broadened | | | | Most of the imported quality furniture that is mass |
| the selling base and the Amish can now sell to people | | | | produced is actually particle board and veneer. It is |
| all over the world. | | | | just higher quality to the kind you by in the |
| Since Oak is the primary choice of woods when it | | | | inexpensive furniture stores. This is why it is |
| comes to making furniture there are two different | | | | important to carefully inspect all furniture items to |
| types that are used. The first type is called plain | | | | make sure they are made out of real hardwood oak |
| sawn and the second is quarter sawn. Plain sawn | | | | and that they have all the traditional earmarks of a |
| involves a technique which produces a wide, long, | | | | hand crafted piece of furniture. Genuine Amish |
| open grain effect. This is actually a faster sawing | | | | furniture is an investment. It is possible for it to last |
| technique and it causes a series of dark lines within | | | | hundreds of years being passed down generation to |
| the wood that reveal the growth rings. This creates | | | | generation and can maintain its durability even with |
| a textured surface. It is often used for wide flat | | | | consistent use. |
| surfaces such as dining tables. | | | | |