Shakes are separations of the wood fibers, between growth rings, parallel to the grain.

Shakes are separations of the wood fibers, between growth rings, parallel to the grain.

• A. Checks
• B. Shakes
• C. Splits
• D. Wood Ray

Answer: (B)

Shakes are separations of the wood fibers that occur between growth rings and run parallel to the grain. This means the crack forms in the layers between the rings and follows the direction of the fibers, typically caused by drying stresses or other internal tensions that pull apart the wood along its length. This description directly matches the idea of a shake, making it the best fit. To place it in context, other types refer to different flaw patterns: a crack along the grain on the surface is called a check, a crack that runs through the wood from one edge to the opposite is a split, and a wood ray is a normal anatomical feature rather than a defect.

Shakes are separations of the wood fibers that occur between growth rings and run parallel to the grain. This means the crack forms in the layers between the rings and follows the direction of the fibers, typically caused by drying stresses or other internal tensions that pull apart the wood along its length. This description directly matches the idea of a shake, making it the best fit.

To place it in context, other types refer to different flaw patterns: a crack along the grain on the surface is called a check, a crack that runs through the wood from one edge to the opposite is a split, and a wood ray is a normal anatomical feature rather than a defect.