Plain-Sawn

Plain-sawn (also flat-sawn) lumber is cut so the growth rings meet the board's face at less than about 30 degrees -- the most common milling method, since it's the fastest and produces the widest boards with the least waste from a given log. The growth-ring pattern shows up as the familiar cathedral or flame-shaped grain on the face of the board.

Because the rings run nearly parallel to the face, plain-sawn boards move more across their width and are more prone to cupping than quarter-sawn stock cut from the same log. That tradeoff is usually worth it -- plain-sawn lumber is cheaper, wider, and perfectly stable enough for the overwhelming majority of furniture and shop work.