Quarter sawn oak is an excellent wood choice for any dining area. At Upstate Amish, every dining table is heirloom quality and beautifully detailed. Each piece of solid wood furniture is handmade by expert Amish woodworkers in Ohio.
Their years of skill and detailed craftsmanship are evident in each table. This combined with the use of high quality domestic lumber make for durable, stylish Amish dining sets. Since each piece is handmade, customers can customize everything from wood species and stain to size and style.
Below, we will evaluate quarter sawn oak as a wood species and discuss its history in the United States. Then, we will highlight our favorite quarter sawn oak tables and chairs.
About Amish Quarter Sawn Oak Tables
Quartersawn white oak is well known as a high end cut of wood essential to classic Amish furniture styles. It differs from regular white oak in the sawing method. Instead of cutting the log flat and parallel to the center, loggers cut the white oak tree into four pieces of wood. Then, each quarter is sawn perpendicular to the growth rings.
This method unfortunately wastes more wood, but results in more durable furniture with unique patterns. Quarter sawn white oak wood is generally much more resistant to dents and scratches from daily wear than other common species like brown maple. Because of the way it is sawn, this white oak variety is also less susceptible to warping and shrinking.
The ray fleck pattern appears as ribbon-like, shiny lines and flakes in the wood grain. As for the wood color, quarter sawn oak ranges from light to medium brown. Olive and honey tones and tan or beige highlights are common as well.
Quarter sawn white oak wood has a long history in Amish Mission furniture. It gained popularity with the British Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 1900s. This was a reaction against Victorian era mass production and involved handmade, high quality furniture.
The Mission style is the American interpretation of this Arts and Crafts Movement. Handcrafted design, use of natural materials, and functional design are key elements. These agreed with Amish values of simplicity and functionality in furniture design.
Today, quarter sawn oak is the norm for Mission and Arts and Crafts styled furniture. This cut of wood is also popular in modern Amish Shaker style furniture for its unique grain pattern. Combine durability, beautiful patterns, and rich history in your solid oak quarter sawn table top.
Our Quarter Sawn White Oak Dining Tables
We offer a variety of dining table styles available in quarter sawn white oak wood. These range from traditional or formal to rustic and modern. We also offer tables in regular sawn white oak and red oak, so browse these collections online if interested.
Traditional
Our Heavy Mission Quarter Sawn Oak Dining Table is a popular choice. This table is a great example of classic Amish Mission style. The table legs are thick and sturdy with minimal detail. The parallel slats along the table ends provide added support for a functional, durable table.
A great round option is our Alberta Quarter Sawn Oak Pedestal Table. This style is available from 60 to 72 inches round with an optional extension leaf. This is because it features an especially wide, strong base that can support a heavier tabletop. Four thick legs connect through a central cross design for a more traditional look.
Other great options are the Ellington, Newport, and Traditional round tables in quarter sawn oak wood.
Formal
The Carlisle Quarter Sawn Oak Pedestal Table is an excellent choice for a more formal dining space. It features four legs that dramatically curve inwards and out again for an elegant look. The legs meet at a small central platform and the table top features a beveled edge. This style is available as a round or boat shaped table.
Another more formal, sophisticated option is the Biltmore Dining Table. This style features elaborate curves as well in both the legs and central support beam. The boat shaped tabletop also has a beveled edge for added detail.
Rustic
Our Whiskey Barrel Pub Table is certainly a unique choice. The base is an actual repurposed whiskey barrel with a black metal foot rail. The tabletop is quarter sawn oak with a circular glass insert to view the top of the whiskey barrel and its origin. This table with our Urban Bar Stools create a rustic, bar-like atmosphere in your home.
The Rowan Rustic Quartersawn White Oak Dining Table is another excellent option. This style features a double pedestal base with thick beams supporting the heavy, built down tabletop. The top also features rough, sanded edges for a country rustic look.
Modern
Our Lakeland Shaker Extending Dining Table has a simplistic, contemporary design. It features legs that taper from all sides in classic Shaker style. The tabletop edge bevels slightly for added detail. Storing leaves is easy with our extension mechanism in the center of the table.
Chairs to Pair with a Quarter Sawn White Oak Table
At Upstate Amish, we offer a wide selection of dining chairs that range in style. Any chair or table style is available in any wood species and stain we offer. Even though some of these styles are not online in quarter sawn oak, they are certainly available in that cut.
Most chair styles are available with or without arms. We recommend mixing and matching between our solid wood chairs, dining benches, and upholstered options.
Traditional
The Austin and High Bent Paddle chairs are both great compliments to a classic Mission or Shaker style table. The Austin features an arched chair back with two steamed and bent slats for comfort. The High Bent Paddle chair is a classic Amish design that features six detailed slats in the back and turned legs.
Other great traditional options are the Western High Back, Arlington, and Millcreek Windsor style chairs. Many or our chair styles compliment tables like the Heavy Mission and Alberta well.
Formal
For more formal tables like the Biltmore and Carlisle, chairs with matching elegant curves pair well. These include the Curlew, Belmont, and Kinglet style chairs. The Curlew is a popular, attractive choice for its graceful appearance. It features a bent back and matching legs while the chair top curves to a sharp point on either side.
The Belmont and Kinglet styles share similar features, but have straight front legs. The Hudson chair is another great formal option for its detailed, patterned back. Upholstered chairs like the Parsons and Emerson also look excellent in a formal dining space.
Rustic
Our Eagle style chair pairs well with other rustic style dining room furniture like the Rowan table. It features a wrought iron detail along the chair back for a more sturdy farmhouse feel. This style also compliments the Alexandria table with a matching iron detail in the base.
Modern
Mid Century Modern chair styles pair well with many of our more simplistic table styles. The Cordelle specifically is rather unusual, so looks great with a simple table like the Lakeland Shaker. The Laker style chair features clean, almost harsh lines and pairs well with the Monroe Modern Table.
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