{"id":2291,"date":"2013-12-17T09:03:00","date_gmt":"2013-12-17T14:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legacy.wideplankflooring.com\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2024-07-18T15:41:23","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T19:41:23","slug":"flooring-101-understanding-wood-flooring-grades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/blog\/flooring-101-understanding-wood-flooring-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"Flooring 101: Understanding Wood Flooring Grades"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6>When it comes to selecting a new wood floor for your home, you will be faced with many decisions.<\/h6>\n<p>The type of wood\u00a0\u2014 <a href=\"\/our-floors\/oak-hardwood-floor\/\">Oak hardwood flooring<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/our-floors\/pine-flooring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pine floors<\/a>, etc. \u2014 is\u00a0probably the most important choice, followed by the style of flooring you want. The style you choose will incorporate a number of variables,\u00a0one of\u00a0which is the grade. This, in turn, will in many ways determine the final aesthetic of the floor: Will it have knots? Will it have color variation? Or will it be more refined and &#8220;clean&#8221;?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/products\/collections\/\">Wood flooring<\/a> grades can be a confusing matter; after all, there are lumber grades and then there are flooring grades. We already know the three most common types of oak hardwood flooring: Select, #1 Common and #2 Common (a.k.a., rustic grade).\u00a0 Flooring manufacturers have their own grading standards, others may also comply with national grading rules, and some flooring styles have no grade at all \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/our-floors\/antique-flooring\/\">antique\u00a0flooring,<\/a> for example. Today we will\u00a0look at\u00a0some of the terminology, highlight different options and give you some tips to conduct your own research to better understand which grade is\u00a0best for you.<\/p>\n<h3>Lumber Grades<\/h3>\n<p>There are\u00a0several different organizations that\u00a0have been\u00a0accredited to write\u00a0grade rules for the\u00a0range of lumber species available in today&#8217;s marketplace. You may have heard of some of them, such as the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA), the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) or the\u00a0National Hardwood\u00a0Lumber\u00a0Association (NHLA). You may have also heard terms like &#8220;FAS&#8221;, &#8220;#1 Common&#8221; and\u00a0&#8220;Select&#8221;, which are\u00a0used\u00a0to designate lumber\u00a0grades. These grading\u00a0rules exist to standardize lumber buying practices in multiple markets and regions. It&#8217;s worth noting that\u00a0the grading is done\u00a0on rough lumber and\u00a0not on\u00a0the finished flooring that you will be installing in your home.<\/p>\n<p>Grading rules were primarily designed to describe material destined\u00a0for the furniture and cabinetry markets rather than\u00a0flooring. Consequently, the intent was to allow for clear boards that would later\u00a0be cut\u00a0into shorter, narrower pieces. While this approach works well for many applications, it isn&#8217;t ideal for building a wide-plank floor.<\/p>\n<p>Consider this\u00a0example: Imagine you&#8217;re shopping for a floor and you&#8217;ve decided on a &#8220;clear&#8221; floor \u2014 one with\u00a0fewer knots. Now, review the flooring panels below featuring #1 Common grade lumber\u00a0milled into flooring (on the left) and a proprietary flooring-grade (on the right) \u2014 both are\u00a0of Hickory and\u00a0both\u00a0are &#8220;clear&#8221;,\u00a0but the flooring-grade panel is more aesthetically pleasing, with less color variation and\u00a0fewer knots for a nice, clean look.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-13024 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Lumber_vs_Flooring_Grade-1.jpg\" alt=\"lumber and flooring hardwood grades\" width=\"457\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Lumber_vs_Flooring_Grade-1.jpg 457w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Lumber_vs_Flooring_Grade-1-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Lumber_vs_Flooring_Grade-1-61x43.jpg 61w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Lumber_vs_Flooring_Grade-1-350x248.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px\" \/>You want to make sure that the flooring manufacturer you are\u00a0working\u00a0with\u00a0is not selling you a floor based solely on common lumber grades. You could end up spending a lot of money on a floor that really doesn&#8217;t meet your needs. Talk about buyer&#8217;s remorse!<\/p>\n<h3>Standard Flooring Grades<\/h3>\n<p>Many wood flooring manufacturers use standard flooring grade designations,\u00a0such as\u00a0those from the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA),\u00a0or the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA).<\/p>\n<p>Even though these grading\u00a0rules\u00a0are specific to wood flooring, they&#8217;re just as standardized (and potentially limiting) as lumber grades. This\u00a0may\u00a0affect both the aesthetics of your floor as well as\u00a0its overall dimensions. For example, let&#8217;s look at the typical widths and thicknesses for these two grading guidelines:<\/p>\n<h4>MFMA Maple flooring<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Standard Width<\/strong>: No wider than 3-1\/4&#8243;wide<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lengths Range<\/strong>: 9&#8243; to 96&#8243; long, allowing for 55-85% of the floor to be less than 42&#8243;, depending on grade<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>NOFMA White Oak<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Average Length<\/strong>: 22&#8243; to\u00a036&#8243; long<\/li>\n<li><strong>Actual width<\/strong>: 3-1\/4&#8243; wide<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now, let&#8217;s look at\u00a0an example of a standard flooring-grade compared to a proprietary flooring-grade.<\/p>\n<p>The panel on the left is\u00a0of common NOFMA #2 White Oak. It has plenty of color variation and\u00a0knots, but also has a lot of natural character you may not want,\u00a0such as significant grain pattern differences and\u00a0black mineral streaks.<\/p>\n<p>The panel on the right is a proprietary flooring grade. Here, the flooring has been graded to eliminate the\u00a0some of the\u00a0grain\u00a0variation and overly rustic character. Most people would agree the floor on the right is more aesthetically appealing than the one on the left.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-13023 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2_Common_vs_Flooring_Grade_v.2-2.jpg\" alt=\"common flooring grades and grade with giant holes, mortis and tenon holes\" width=\"591\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2_Common_vs_Flooring_Grade_v.2-2.jpg 591w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2_Common_vs_Flooring_Grade_v.2-2-300x139.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2_Common_vs_Flooring_Grade_v.2-2-350x162.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 591px) 100vw, 591px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You may pay a lower square-foot cost for the floor on the left, but you may also have to buy more flooring to\u00a0sort through on-site in order to achieve your desired look. Plus, your floor is made up of 3-1\/4&#8243; wide boards only 2&#8242; long \u2014\u00a0which\u00a0translates to a lot\u00a0more seams and joints and\u00a0can detract from the overall beauty of the room.<\/p>\n<p>Verify with the wood floor manufacturer you are working with if they\u00a0use one of these standardized flooring grades. If so,\u00a0your design options for grading and actually creating a wide-plank floor will be very limited;\u00a0after all, 3-1\/4&#8243; is not a wide plank.<\/p>\n<h3>Proprietary Flooring Grades<\/h3>\n<p>To simplify the design and selection process for customers, custom flooring manufacturers\u00a0often create proprietary grading standards that are unique to their products.\u00a0When these floors are crafted from a blend of higher quality raw materials, standard lumber grades don&#8217;t apply. There are\u00a0five clear potential benefits to such proprietary grades:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Lumber is cut from older, more mature timbers and only from the first 40&#8242; of the\u00a0tree &#8211; the oldest and best part of the tree.<\/li>\n<li>Older timbers\u00a0yield wider widths: up to 20&#8243; to\u00a0yield\u00a0the\u00a0widest flooring planks.<\/li>\n<li>Older, taller trees\u00a0offer longer lengths to minimize the number of\u00a0joints in your floor.<\/li>\n<li>Grading for higher heart content in every board creates a more stable floor.<\/li>\n<li>Older timbers produce boards\u00a0of higher quality and less overall character (knots, mineral streaks), so you can customize\u00a0the grade to get\u00a0your perfect look, whether you want a casual or formal floor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>See an example below of Carlisle&#8217;s Hickory Hardwood Flooring Grades:<a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/blog\/flooring-101-understanding-wood-flooring-grades\/\" class=\"wp-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-13021 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1.jpg\" alt=\"hardwood flooring grades\" width=\"829\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1.jpg 829w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1-300x70.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1-768x179.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1-350x81.jpg 350w, https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Carlisle_Grades-1-600x140.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 829px) 100vw, 829px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Carlisle&#8217;s proprietary wood flooring grades reflect the aesthetics of the floor,\u00a0rather than\u00a0the grade of the lumber. Every board is sawn from the first 40&#8242; of a tree and\u00a0cut only from mature timbers that have grown in the best climates. Carlisle wood flooring grades ensure the best quality \u2014 so you can choose the floor you most love\u00a0based on the look.<\/p>\n<h3>No Floor Grading<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13022\" src=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Poorly_Graded_Flooring-1.jpg\" alt=\"reclaimed wood with no wood grading\" width=\"257\" height=\"355\" \/>There is one category of wood that has no known grading standards \u2014 antique lumber. You may find Reclaimed Heart Pine floors available in different grades, but\u00a0that depends on the manufacturer.\u00a0This\u00a0is meant only as a caution to consumers\u00a0searching for antique floors or reclaimed flooring;\u00a0do your homework and understand the &#8220;risks&#8221; if you don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of a potential risk you might face: The\u00a0adjacent photo was sent to us by an architect who purchased Antique <a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/our-floors\/oak-flooring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oak\u00a0flooring<\/a> from a new supplier. He was shocked when the wood arrived with\u00a0large voids, such as mortis and tenon pockets. Some pieces\u00a0didn&#8217;t even resemble boards and many\u00a0were falling apart. You can see how he then began the laborious process of marking every section\u00a0that needed to be cut out to produce flooring boards that could actually be installed. In the end, this\u00a0material was deemed unusable and had to be rejected and sent back to the manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>Before purchasing <a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/our-floors\/reclaimed-wood-flooring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reclaimed wood flooring<\/a>, it is\u00a0very important to understand exactly what you should expect.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/our-floors\/reclaimed-wood-flooring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Request samples<\/a> and photos of the finished flooring you are considering and understand your waste factor\/cutting allowance\u00a0that you should build in\u00a0to allow for waste. Also, understand what condition the flooring will be in when it arrives. And lastly, make sure the material is being sawn from reclaimed beams and thick floor joists.<\/p>\n<h3>In Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>In your quest for the perfect wood floor, remember\u00a0these things: Lumber grades are intended to\u00a0describe rough\u00a0lumber and not flooring; most\u00a0lumber\u00a0still goes to the furniture and cabinetry markets. Standardized flooring grades may limit your design options significantly while proprietary grades are more aesthetically malleable. The antique wood market is a free-for-all when it comes to grading\u00a0and it&#8217;s critical that\u00a0you\u00a0set the right expectations from the beginning to achieve the look you envision.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0&#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;<\/p>\n<h5>Work closely with your flooring partner to understand their grading standards to ensure the best outcome and ask questions.<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to selecting a new wood floor for your home, you will be faced with many decisions.<\/p>\n<p>The type of wood &#8211; Oak hardwood flooring, pine floors, etc &#8211; is one of the most important.&nbsp; Second to that, is the style of flooring you want.&nbsp; The style of flooring you will create for your home is based on many variables, but one of the most important is how your floor will be graded.&nbsp; The grading of your floor determines the final aesthetic &#8211; will it have knots, will it have color variation, or will it be more refined and &#8220;clean&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we will review the array of terminology, educate you about the different options, and give you some tips to conduct your research to understand which grade is right for you.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/grading\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/wideplankflooring.com\/images\/blogs\/Carlisle_Grades.JPG\" style=\"height:105px; width:450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flooring-basics","category-installation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Flooring 101: Understanding Wood Flooring Grades - Carlisle Wide Plank Floors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Choosing the right flooring grade for hardwood flooring can be difficult. 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