Wood Flooring Grades Explained

So you’ve decided you want wood flooring in your home – and we commend that choice! The next question is, “what do all the grades mean?”. Well you’re not alone in your uncertainty when it comes to wood flooring grades, this is a question that gets asked a lot. So we’ve teamed up with Luxury Flooring & Furnishings to create a guide on the differences in wood flooring grades.

Lets start with the crème de la crème of flooring grades; Prime. Wood flooring that is of prime grade tends to have few, if any knots and if it does they are usually really small and hardly noticeable. Prime grade wood flooring is perfect if you’re looking for more uniformed and clean-cut appearance. This grade is available in both solid and engineered wood, so don’t worry about having to make any hard decisions on that front! Whether you choose to kit your home all the way through with this beauiful grade or just use it as a design feature for a single room, this is a truly stunning addition to any home.

Next up we have what’s known as Select grade, this grade of wood is sort of like the middle child of the family. It isn’t as clean looking as the prime grade but it doesn’t have as many knots as character/natural grade. Sometimes select grade wood is also referred to as classic grade wood, which can be a little confusing but the two things are the same. This grade of flooring gives a really stylish edge and is ideally suited to more contemporary spaces as it offers a more minimalist approach in its appearance.

Making an appearance next is Character grade wood, this is another one that has two different alias’ as it is also known as Natural grade. This grade is ironically, more natural looking, which means that it contains larger knots throughout the board. There is more colour variation within the wood when it is of this grade, helping aid the ‘natural’ appearance of the grade. As with most grades, character grade wood is available in both solid and engineered wood. We believe that this grade of wood is perfect for transforming a lifeless room into one filled with character and comfort.

Finally we finish on what is probably the most popular flooring grade at the moment; rustic. Given the current trends in the interior design world, such as shabby chic and Scandinavian décor, nothing quite fits with them like rustic flooring. Full of character, knots and variation it oozes charm and can transform a room into anything from a contemporary design dream, right through to an old country farm house. It has a fantastic way of bringing warmth and depth into your home without really changing anything too much, so if you’re looking for a more traditional appearance then this is the grade for you.

Of course each grade offers something different to each home and the choice boils down to personal taste, but hopefully this guide will have provided you with a little bit of an insight when it comes to choosing the grade for your home.