Quartersawn Red Oak and Baltic Birch 12" x 20" Hardwood Cradled Substrate

This marvelous one-of-a-kind 12" X 20" quartersawn Red Oak and Baltic Birch Hardwood cradled substrate will bring your next Masterpiece to life in a whole new way. You will love the unusual red fire appearance of this unique piece. Only Mother Nature could grow a tree that boasts such amazing flames and scales which only show when the log is quartersawn. You will not find this substrate anywhere else! Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The mirror like glossy appearance of the cradle brings out amazing movement and depth in this piece. Each side of this piece has its own unique texture providing wonderful depth and balance. Horizonal light honey brown descending strips mix with dark rich brown vertical straight grain patterns. This one has WOW factor or sure! No two boards are ever exactly the same making this a truly one-of-a-kind. 

This individually numbered substrate (SAS32) arrives to you ready to go out of the box. The only step you need to take is to tape off the Red Oak sides with high quality painter tape and you are ready to create. This cradle has been pre-sealed top, bottom and sides.  Next 4 coats of white hard-sandable gesso were applied on the birch top and hand sanded between coats. This step creates a nice hard flat surface to create on. Lastly, 4 hand rubbed coats of Marine grade varnish (which helps with UV protection) were applied to the Hardwood sides which seal, protect and finish the wood. 

Make you art stand out in a crowd with this very unique piece. All of our substrates are hand crafted, Heirloom quality and will last for generations to come. Unlike the warped, unlevel, low quality wooden cradles you find in craft stores and on-line, this cradle weighs in at an impressive 4 lb 1.8 oz and measures a true 20" x 11 7/8".  The gallery profile depth is 1 3/4" which include the 1/4" Baltic Birch top. The cradle is braced extra well on the back using six pieces of 7/8" thick Basswood including corner braces*. Unlike other "wooden" substrates on the market, ours do not contain any MDF, fiber pouring board, nails, screws or staples. We only use top-quality Baltic Birch, Basswood and sustainably sourced Premium Hardwoods.

Give your next Masterpiece a Superior Start! 

A little bit about Red Oak. Its scientific name is Quercus rubra and is native to NE United States and SE Canada. When Red Oak is quarter-sawn, it is highly desirable due to its prominent red fleck grain pattern. Quartersawn Red Oak is arguably the most popular hardwood in the US. This is due to is being widely available but only moderately priced plus the wood has nice workability properties. This handsome strong wood is used mainly for cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring and veneer. 

Quarter-sawing is a very time-consuming and expensive milling technique which involves turning the log 1/4 turn before each cut. This allows the wood's grain to show beautiful natural scales and flame patterns.

*Please be sure to read our Wood Disclaimer at the bottom of the home page.