FLOORING GRADE SPECIFICATIONS
for Canadian Mills
Click on pictures below for enlargements
Upper part of picture is Unfinished, Lower part of picture is Prefinished (clear).
 

species	Clear	Select & Better	#1 Common	#2 Common
Hard Maple Sapwood is ivory white with a slight reddish-brown tinge. Heartwood is greyish brown to dark tan. Close grain, uniform, polishes well.
Yellow Birch Sapwood is creamy white to light yellow. Heartwood is reddish brown.. Close grain, uniform, grain pattern similar to hard maple's but 25% softer.
Red Oak Light pink to dark reddish brown. Open grain, a porous and coarse-textured ring.
White Ash Sapwood is light creamy white. Heartwood is light to dark brown. Open grain, a porous and coarse-textured ring.
Beech Sapwood is white. Heartwood is reddish brown. Straight to interlocking grain, close textured
Cherry Sapwood is white to light creamy yellow. Heartwood varies from rich/deep red to reddish brown. Close textured. The heartwood grain and color impart feelings of elegance and refinement.
Walnut Sapwood is whitish to pale brown.. Heartwood is pale to chocolate brown. Close textured, diffuse pores.
Grades	CLEAR Best appearance. Selected for uniformity of light color. Slight variation in the natural sapwood color (sticker stain is not considered a defect). Limited small character marks. Pin knots allowed. Mineral streaks of less than 1/8" x 1" (3 x 25 mm). No checks or splits. Minimum length: 12" (30 cm).	SELECT AND BETTER Combination of clear and select grades. The most standard high grade hardwood flooring sold on the world market. Excellent appearance. Variation in the natural sapwood color (sticker stain is not considered a defect). Limited character marks. Sound knots of less than 1/8" x 4" (3 x 100 mm). No stains, checks, or splits. Minimum length: 12" (30 cm).	#1 COMMON Variegated Appearance. All color variations allowed. Sound knots less than 3/8" (10 mm), flags, worm holes, and mineral streaks allowed. No splits, holes, or voids. Minimum length: 10" (25 cm).	#2 COMMON Rustic appearance. All color variations allowed. All characteristics of the species allowed. A serviceable floor after knot holes, worm holes, checks, splits, and other imperfections are filled and finished. Minimum length: 10" (25 cm).

 

UNFINISHED	PREFINISHED
Clear Select & better #1 Common #2 Common	Select & better #1 Common

Thickness in. (mm)	25/32" (19,8 mm) 33/32" (26,2 mm)	3/4" (19 mm)
Width in. (mm)	1 Ѕ" (38,10 mm) 1 ѕ" (44,45 mm) 2" (50,80 mm) 2 ј" (57,15 mm) 2 Ѕ" (63,50 mm) 3 ј" (82,55 mm)	2 ј" (57,15 mm) 2 Ѕ" (63,50 mm) 3 ј" (82,55 mm)
High gloss	Semi-gloss	Matte
> 75% gloss	50 а 75% gloss	< 50% gloss