How to Determine the Perfect Hardwood Grade for Your Home

Posted by in Fuzz Buzz Flooring on 3/20/2014

The following is an excerpt from Home Carpet One's guide titled "Choosing the Right Grade of Hardwood: What You Need to Know" For more expert tips on the different types of hardwood grades, and which characteristics to consider for your home, be sure to check out the full guide by clicking here.

Determining the Hardwood Grade

One of the most frustrating issues in flooring is having a beautiful new hardwood floor installed that doesn’t look like what you expected. Problems concerning the appearance of different grades of flooring are among the most numerous complaints that flooring contractors have to deal with.

Because the characteristics of wood species and types of wood flooring vary so much, there are no standard grades for all wood floors. Some wood flooring grades are determined by industry associations, such as the NWFA/National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association and Canadian Lumbermen’s Association. Much of the unfinished solid wood flooring from the United States and Canada follows the grading rules from one of those associations. Individual manufacturers also can create their own or proprietary grades.

Most wood flooring grades deal with the aesthetics of the floor, not the serviceability. All grades will perform equally well; it’s their facial appearances that vary. In this sense, flooring of a higher grade is not necessarily better. It is a matter of personal taste.

Most grading rules also dictate the average length of the boards involved. Higher grades of flooring usually have longer boards, so be prepared for many shorter boards if you order a lower grade of wood flooring.

The Different Types of Grades

An example of how grades work are the rules for one of the most common wood floors installed; solid, unfinished red or white oak. Most of those floors follow the grades developed by NOFMA. Under those grading rules, there are four levels of oak flooring; Clear, Select, No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common.

Download the full guide below to learn more about the different types of hardwood grades, and which characteristics to consider when choosing the perfect hardwood floor for your home!