As you select your flooring, you need to be aware that there are a variety of grades available. The grade is based upon the type, location and number of defects found in a board that are seen. Grading allows us to have some control over the visual appearance of flooring.
Prime - allows only minor natural colour variation and small pin knots. More prominent natural hardwood characteristics are not allowed in the prime grade timber. This grade is mostly clear resulting in a fairly consistent appearance in the floor.
Natural - combines the natural beauty and unique characteristics of traditional grade flooring. Depending on the species of hardwood you will see some of the following characteristics in the prime grade; small knots, streaks, with a limited natural colour variation. Coloured wood filler is used on any open characteristics that occur in this grade to produce a smooth surface of flooring.
Rustic - contains all of the natural wood characteristics that occur in hardwoods such as; colour variation, knots of all shapes and sizes, mineral streaks, checks, worm holes and grain burls. Coloured wood filler is used on any open characteristics that occur in this grade to produce a smooth surface of flooring.
When it comes to hardwood flooring, the term "grading" is sure to come up. Grading
refers to the system used by manufacturers to assess the appearance of hardwood
floors.
The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association grades emphasise colour, grain pattern
and other markings that occur in wood. Colour is determined by what part of the
tree the wood comes from, and the grain pattern is determined by species and how
the wood is cut.
Colour
Heartwood, the oldest, most dense, innermost section of the log, is often
darker and richer in colour than sapwood, which lies closest to the bark. The colour
difference may be so pronounced that heartwood and sapwood from the same species
are marketed under separate names.
Cut
Boards can be cut from a hardwood log in several directions: tangent to the
annual rings (plain-sawn or flat-sawn), or radially, across the rings (quarter-sawn
and rift-sawn).
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