Select Grade in Brentwood, CA
Posted on
5/17/2022
To find the perfect crafted hardwood floors for your home project, you first need to understand what the different grades of hardwood flooring mean. The hardwood grading scale helps consumers and professionals alike to determine and measure the number of character markings within a type of wood. These markings are the natural irregularities and other attributes that show up in lumber.
To find the perfect crafted hardwood floors for your home project, you first need to understand what the different grades of hardwood flooring mean. The hardwood grading scale helps consumers and professionals alike to determine and measure the number of character markings within a type of wood. These markings are the natural irregularities and other attributes that show up in lumber.
These character markings show off the natural, genuine look of hardwood floors. However, not everybody likes a rustic appearance for their home. For this reason, the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) developed a standard set of hardwood grading rules. These different grades have nothing to do with the wood's durability or structural integrity; instead, the grading scale helps consumers and contractors to find the best match for whatever design of floors they're searching for.
Clear Grade
Clear Grade hardwood flooring-- also occasionally called First and Seconds (FAS) by the NHLA-- refers to cuts of wood that are clear of almost all character markings. These pieces have very few, if any, knots or holes. They will also yield a regular color and grain from board to board. Therefore, many people in the industry consider Clear Grade hardwood to be the premium choice. The smooth, consistent look makes it ideal for tabletops, moldings, and various other projects that benefit from a strong, uniform look.
Select Grade
Select Grade hardwood is just a little off from Clear Grade options. They have few character markings, so the uniformity and consistency of color still largely exists. You could see some color and grain variations in Select Grade cuts of hardwood, especially in species that normally present these variations. Nevertheless, more noticeable character markings like knots and holes are few and far between. In General, Select Grade hardwood still provides consumers and contractors a pleasing, uniform look to enhance their designs.
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