Photo Courtesy of Ken Aschliman

Quarter sawn panels and solid trim were chosen to respect the original design of the 1913 library. Quarter sawn oak is more dimensionally stable and was preferred for interior millwork during the era. As drying technologies and interior climate controls improved, it became optional to use different sawing techniques. The visual effect in quarter sawn oak, known as flake, occurs when the saw cuts through the tree’s medullary rays, which carry water and nutrients out the center of the wood to the periphery.