Open grain

A wood surface whose pores are large and visible, so the texture of the fibres shows through as tiny pits and lines.

Porous woods such as mahogany, ash and rosewood need their pores filled before a gloss finish will be level, which is why manufacturers either use grain filler or choose a satin or thin finish that leaves the texture visible and feels more like bare wood. Open-grain finishes are popular partly for that tactile quality and partly because a thin coating is thought to affect the sound less than a heavily built-up one. The pores are also why these woods can absorb oil and darken unevenly.

Example: a satin open-grain finish on a mahogany body feels dry under the forearm rather than slick, and it will show its texture in raking light.

Open grain

See also