roughhewn

Roughhewn is an adjective used to describe material that has been cut or shaped in a rough, uneven manner, leaving a textured, unfinished surface rather than a smoothly machined face. It is commonly applied to wood and stone, where the goal is a rustic or sturdy appearance rather than a polished finish. In wood, roughhewn timber is typically produced with an axe or adze, resulting in visible tool marks and irregular faces; in stone, roughhewn blocks are roughly shaped with chisels or hammers and laid with minimal smoothing.

The term blends rough with hewn, the latter derived from Old English heawan, meaning to cut or chop. The combination has long been used in English to describe materials worked by hand or with simple tools, often emphasizing a traditional or artisanal method. Variants such as rough-hewn are common, especially in historical or literary contexts.

In architecture and design, roughhewn elements convey a rugged, natural, or time-honored character and are associated with vernacular, rustic, or frontier aesthetics. They emphasize texture, weight, and the impression of hand workmanship, and they are frequently chosen to evoke durability or authenticity. Roughhewn components can provide visual contrast to smoother, machine-finished surfaces and are often featured in log cabins, rural houses, and certain medieval- or pioneer-inspired styles.

See also rough-sawn, hewn, timber framing, and rustic architecture for related concepts and terminology.