Figure (wood)

Encyclopedia : F : FI : FIG : Figure (wood)

In wood, figure refers to the appearance of wood, as seen on a longitudinal surface (side-grain): a "figured wood" is not plain.

The figure of a particular piece of wood may be due to the cut, or to innate properties of the wood. A few of the tropical hardwoods, like the rosewoods, may have quite spectacular figure.

Colloquially "figure" is often referred to as "grain", which properly refers to the direction of the wood.

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