While searching around in different places for hard wood flooring to be installed in your premises, you would have come across a word ’Grade’ often. It is simply term, which helps you to know the quality of the wood. While evaluating the grade of the wood mainly its appearance is calculated. The wood without any knots, color variation, wane, worm holes are other qualities, which makes it a natural occurring product is considered before applying its grade.
Why the need to understand grade of any wood?
Grade of a wood initiates its cost, its durability, and its usage options. High graded wood is sure to last long for years. It can be maintained with ease, on the other hand low grade hardwood flooring needs lot of care, and the need may arise in few years to reinstall the floorings.
Highest grade is given to the hardwood which color doesn’t vary and its board length is longest. From 7’ to 10’ length is considered as perfect for flooring places. Lower grade wood will have ample color variations and the length of the planks will be shorter.
Few lines about general grading system done by manufacturers:
- 1st grade: The wood having this topmost grade are generally termed as flawless. They are cut from the centre of the log hence have light natural color variations and few knots. Even the sap content is quite low. Its polished appearance portrays cleanest vision.
- 2nd grade: This grade is even ranked in top and highly marketed. It has more wood characteristics. It has dime size knots and few worm holes. Minor imperfection features are present which can be easily removed while filling and finishing is done in warehouses. It comes in many natural color variations, a characteristic of natural good quality wood. The finished product after getting polished by machines looks wonderful and best to suit any kind of interior décor.
- 3rd grade: Multi colored wooden boards with all the usual features associated with natural wood can be seen. Even you can visualize the creamy sapwood. Bigger knots , large wormholes, split at ends, torn grains and tiny skip lines are few of the defects which make a low graded hardwood flooring. This kind of wood comes in shorter lengths and need regular maintenance. They are less shining and not evenly polished.
- Cabin/Tavern: This kind of wood may have better board lengths, the finished product have low grade qualities hence wastage percent may be of 10%. It is sold in affordable price and with a warranty. You can see lot of color variations and can expect unpolished quality.
- 4th grade: This grade has the shortest board lengths and has all the defective features of natural wood. Manufactures dint give you any warranty for this kind of graded wood and is lowly priced.
Grades of wood help in checking the quality of the hard wood flooring needed to be installed in any premises. Best graded wooden floorings are readily available in reasonable price like solid timber flooring Melbourne.