When buying engineered wood floor, what is the difference between rotary-cut veneer and plain sliced veneer? The plain sliced sure seems to be a lot more expensive, even for the same species.

This is a question that could make a whole semester`s worth of discussion. The short answer for here is: Flat cut or plain sliced veneer is a lot more work and a lot more involved from tree to veneer, so it costs a lot more. For rotary-cut veneer, envision a roll of paper towels being unwound from the holder. To cut the veneer, the log section (flitch) is mounted in something akin to a giant lathe. The knife is advanced into the spinning log a few thousandths of an inch per revolution (the thickness of the veneer required) and off comes the veneer in a huge continuous sheet. Just like a roll of paper towels being unwound, the log unwraps into yards and yards of veneer. Quick and cheap, but ugly.

As for the plain cut, the log is mounted onto a giant slicer and passed over a huge knife. Like a slicing machine at the local butcher shop cutting roast beef or cheese, each pass of the log cuts one slice of veneer. Each of those slices is caught and individually stacked in exactly the order it is cut from the flitch. Then it is all dried and graded to sell. Each slice keeps its place relative to its neighbor throughout the entire process. This is slow, painstaking and, hence, expensive. But it is much prettier!

For the rotary cutting veneer, the swirly grain pattern is pretty surreal. But, for some applications, like the center panels of the cabinet doors, I think the rotary grain pattern works OK. However, for fine furniture or floor, I sure wouldn`t choose rotary-cut veneer if the plywood is going to be showcased. I`d go with a flat sawn veneer even at greater cost per sheet. It just looks a lot more like edge-glued boards, doesn`t it? Sometimes, you almost can`t tell the difference in the finished piece.

Plain Sliced (or flat cut) veneer: Plain Sliced (or flat cut) veneer is the most commonly used to produce solid oak floors. In this method, the log is repeatedly sliced parallel to the center. It`s the same way most boards are cut, just in much thinner layers. Plain-sliced, which is also called flat-cut or plain-sawn, veneer, creates thin veneers that are about the width of the log with a pronounced repeating cathedral or arched grain pattern. The pieces can be combined to bring out the veneer definition and according to your preferences.

Rotary-cut veneer: Rotary-cut veneer is used to make many unfinished engineered hardwood planks. This veneer is created by spinning the log and peeling off a continuous sheet. Think of a roll of paper towels, and you get the idea. This is the least-expensive way to produce the veneer, and it can be laid onto the plywood core layers in one big sheet, so this type of plywood is usually the least expensive, as well. Rotary-cut veneer has wild, random grain patterns so please be aware before you purchase this type of flooring. As the wood is peeled from the outside to the center of the log it moves from sapwood to heartwood which can be very different in color. Heartwood and sapwood may be combined in one piece of veneer. The advantage of rotary veneers is that it is generally the least expensive cutting method, and can provide large pieces of veneer and [whole piece faces". The disadvantage is that rotary veneers can have a bland appearance and may vary widely in color within the same panel though this can be specified out. Not all species of wood produce logs that can be rotary peeled and decorative softwoods are rarely rotary peeled.