Skip-sawn Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

Skip-sawn (also called skip face) refers to specific types of distressed texture given to hardwood floor planks using a saw mill. Whereas they were once accidental, today these marks are imposed intentionally to create a bold, rustic look that is also a nod to the past.

There are two saw-treatment options available in the skip-sawn category: circular sawn and band sawn (also called parallel sawn). Both of these impart rustic and somewhat rough texture to the plank face. However, unlike the rough-sawn planks of older times, today’s hardwood floors are sanded to smooth the surface and prevent splintering.

The circular-sawn treatment is produced with a circular blade and mimics the texture created with old circle sawmills. The resulted marks are curved and round. This is the more rustic of the two textures.

The band-sawn/parallel-sawn treatment is produced, unsurprisingly, with a band saw. The marks are linear and run parallel to each other. Though the marks still provide that “aged” feel, they are typically less rough than the ones made by a circular saw.

Skip-sawn material can come in several colors, from grays to browns. Two popular flooring choices for this treatment are hickory and oak. The natural dark colors in Hickory lend themselves nicely to skip sawn marks and are complementary to the warmth the texture provides. Dark stains (shades like walnut) will also bring out the circular- and band-sawn marks. Because oak takes stain so well, it creates a nice canvas to showcase the skip-sawn texture.

If you are in the market for prefinished skip-sawn hardwood flooring that delivers on quality and character, give Macon Hardwood a call!