Hardwood Grades

Wood Flooring Grades

Rhodium Floors brings you a wide variety of products in all grading, making it easy to find just the right floor for your Project

WOOD FLOORING GRADING CRITERIA

Our floor is sourced mainly from Europe and the US, each having different grading rules and industry standards. So, to make it easier, we have combined the different aesthetics into 3 grading categories. Since oak is most widely used in our collections, we use it in our basic definition of expected grades.

Pictures attached depict the different grades and what you can expect from the rusticity and color variation. Please remember wood is a natural product and there is no set board variation, so our criteria is merely a guide, given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge.

SELECT GRADE

Known as either Select or “A” Grade, typically the planks will have a mix of almost prime boards with few, if any knots, and these will be of minimal size. There will also be a minimal amount of sapwood defects and filler, if any at all. Where filler is used its color is carefully selected to complement the wood rather than to match it exactly, and the color of the filler may vary from batch to batch. There will be a relatively little amount of color variation overall.

NATURAL GRADE

Known as either Natural or “B,C & D” Grade. This will include knots of varying sizes and sapwood, allowing for a wider range of color variation. Knots are larger and you should expect checks (cracks across the growth ring) and possibly some end shake (cracks between the rings). Filler will be used, the color of which is carefully selected to complement the wood rather than to match it exactly, and it may vary from batch to batch. (On custom floors we sometimes offer Custom wood filler if requested).

RUSTIC GRADE

Known as either Rustic Character Grade or B, C , D Mixed grade.  This allows a virtually limitless size and number of knots. Expect a lot of color variation, sapwood and filler; you should also expect checks (cracks across the growth ring) and possibly some end shake (cracks between the rings). Wood filler is not an essential part of choosing this floor as very often its delivered without knot filling (in the form of Reclaimed) to give a more authentic dated look.

SAPWOOD

Sapwood is the living part of the tree through which water and sap flow. It tends to be lighter in color than the heartwood, and certain fuming, smoking and coloring processes emphasize it since it doesn’t react to these treatments to the same degree. By definition sapwood contains more moisture, however this is no cause for concern since all Rhodium’ timber has been carefully dried and its stability is ensured especially in Engineered form.

KNOTS AND FILLERS

A knot is either the base of a side branch or a dormant bud around which the grain flows. A knot is sometimes replaced by filler and this may be of various colors: white, grey, brown, and black are shown here.

MEDULLARY RAYS, CHECKS AND SHAKES

These white, ribbon-like medullary rays are an indication that the plank has been crafted from quarter-sawn timber. Checks and shakes usually occur at the end of a board and may be cut off.

Hardwood Cuts