Hardwood Flooring Grades

This is meant only to give a general idea of each grade and not intended to be a complete list of all aspects of the grade.

Hardwood flooring grades. Edge grain hardwood flooring is specially selected and consists of pieces in which the annual rings range from 30 degrees horizontal to 90 degrees vertical. This grade is slightly lower than the clear still presenting uniform color and little to no knots and pinholes. For a more complete description please see actual products.

This is the best grade of hardwood flooring because there are few color variations board lengths are not widely varied and there are little to no visible knots or pinholes. With a dark stain much less noticeable. With a natural floor the differences in grades of oak are more noticeable.

This is thanks to the various different grading agencies and retailers giving different terms to essentially. Most customers don t realize that there are different grades of oak flooring. Select number 1 common and number 2 common.

Grading of hardwood floors is more prevalent with unfinished flooring as it is with prefinished. They just assume all oak flooring is the same. Select grade is generally considered the highest grade as it has the least color variation.

Are graded according to standards originally laid out by the national oak flooring manufacturers association nofma to help create consistency in the quality of oak flooring in the u s. Although there are only a few different grades that as a floor consumer you need to concern yourself with it doesn t help that each grade is often referred to in different ways. Here are some different grades of oak hardwood floors that we have installed sanded and stained with darker colors.

Northern hard maple flooring grading rules mfma rl random length first grade northern hard maple the highest standard grade. For oak flooring there are 3 main grades. Below is a general description of grades for other domestic species such as walnut hickory maple ash and american cherry.