To the untrained eye, oak flooring is just that; however, every variety that is used to manufacture oak flooring is graded by the National Wood Flooring Association.
This grading system tends to determine the quality - and therefore the price - of the oak flooring.
We've produced a short, simple guide, detailing each of the grades applied by the National Wood Flooring Association to oak flooring:
Clear oak - This is the highest grade of oak flooring and is usually cut from the tree's centre. Clear oak is, for the most part, clear of imperfection, but will sometimes feature the signs of pin worm holes and bands of sapwood - the character marks that make oak such a popular choice in the home.
Select oak - In select oak you are more likely to find a variation in the colour. This type of oak usually features a greater amount of character marks. It will often feature small remnants of bark - that will need to be sanded away before installation.
No 1 common oak - Open knots, burn marks from machine processing and character marks are all extremely common in no 1 common oak varieties. For this reason it is much cheaper than select and clear oak.
No 2 common oak - The colour of no 2 common oak will display a greater contrast because of dark streaks. It will also feature large visible knots and is a popular choice amongst those who love a floor with a bit of character.
The latest flooring news, courtesy of Floors Online.
Date : 13/01/2012
Category: Flooring Industry News