#1 Common Grade - Character Grade: #1 Common grade hardwood flooring is the most popular and widely used grade in the US market. This grade of wood has more visible knots, mineral streaks, and color variations than clear or select grade, giving it a more natural and slightly rustic look.
When it comes to the number 1 wood flooring, Hickory, Hard Maple, and White Oak often take the top spots due to their scratch resistance and durability. Hickory: Known for its toughness and scratch resistance, Hickory is ideal for high-traffic areas.
Like #1 Common Grade, #2 Common Grade continues to move away from the uniform appearance of Clear and Select grades. It has more knots, wormholes, and other natural character markings than the #1 Common Grade.
#1 Common: This grade of hardwood lumber has more knots, mineral streaks, and color variations than Select lumber, but is still suitable for furniture, cabinets, and other high-quality projects. #1 Common lumber has a minimum size of 3 inches wide and 4 feet long.
#1 is free of knots or defects and is straight defect free lumber for precise good clean projects whereas #2 has defects as in spots where the limbs grew and is more brittle but works just the same if you don't mind being not particular about your project.
The 1-wood, or driver, is the lowest-lofted, longest, and often lightest club in a player's bag, and is meant to launch the ball the longest distance of any club.
Teak is widely known for its durability and resistance to fire, water, rot, and fungi. It has a very smooth finish with an oily texture and straight grain. It is one of the strongest and most expensive woods for furniture making. So, if you want to make furniture that will last generations, teak is your best choice.
Prime grade or AB-grade wood flooring is the highest quality of hardwood flooring that you can find.
White Oak #1 Common is the high end of mid-grade lumber and is graded from the worst face for clear two face cuttings to maximize yields. Each board yields a minimum of 66-2/3% clear face cuttings with minimum cutting sizes of 3” x 3' or 4” x 2'.
White oak is one of the more durable domestic hardwoods available. On the Janka scale, white oak is rated at 1360, behind only hickory and maple. But durability is more than just hardness. White oak accepts finishes and stains quite well, which further protect it.
Both red and white oak are durable, but white oak feels slightly harder on the foot. Make your choice based on the level of foot traffic in your home. Think about how each type of oak interacts with stains and finishes. White oak generally works better with lighter stains, while red oak pairs well with warmer tones.
Each grade has its own particular characteristics and appearance. Especially pertaining to Oak hardwood flooring, the 3 most commonly used grades are: Select, #1 Common, and #2 Common, which is also known as “Rustic” grade, or “Builder's” grade.
#1 Grade: When appearance becomes more of a factor, #1 Grade will contain smaller, fewer, sound, tight knots and have less wane than found in #2 Grade. Keep in mind, that with the introduction of Prime grades, #1 Grade no longer contains some of the better grades that used to be included.
Hickory (1,820) is the hardest domestic wood species available. Its natural grain patterns do an excellent job hiding scratches and dents, so it's perfect for homes with kids and pets. Many manufacturers choose hickory specifically for their most durable flooring lines.
Typically, solid hardwood flooring is between 5/16 and ¾ inches thick. Those are pretty standard thicknesses that serve most needs. Engineered hardwood can come in different thicknesses but generally, it's about the same offerings as solid hardwood.
Looking at the current wood floor colour trends 2024 and potentially into 2025 we can see that natural browns and white wood floors are the most popular. Natural browns are the most popular wood floors followed by white wood flooring. Natural brown and white are hardwood floor colours that never go out of style.
It is highly sought-after for its durability, versatility and long life. For this, it has been a top requested species for centuries in both residential and commercial interiors. Below are 5 reason why White Oak is a great hardwood floor.
The major differences between a #2 Common Hardwood, #1 Common Hardwood, and a Select Grade Hardwood mostly have to do with the wood's appearance rather than its durability. Higher graded wood is typically more expensive due to its more uniform appearance, free of knot holes and other unique markings.
White oak is a timeless choice for your flooring and while it is trendy at the current moment, white oak represents a trend that will look good today and twenty years from now. So, you can feel confident in installing white oak hardwood floors in any room of your house.
Apply “The Rule of Three” to Home Flooring
This rule says you should use three flooring types at maximum throughout the whole home. For example, you might use hardwood in public areas of the house, except the kitchen and bathroom, where you use vinyl linoleum.
What Species Is Best? The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are readily available and — you guessed it — very hard. Oak flooring, maple flooring and cherry flooring are all good choices. Other species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany.
1 common oak. A flooring product characterized by prominent color variation that also contains prominent characters (with size limits) such as knots, open checks, worm holes, along with machining and drying variations. No. 1 Common is a tasteful floor where prominent variation is expected.
Sheesham Or Indian Rosewood
Dalbergia or Sheesam is the best wood to make furniture for both contemporary and traditional styles. Sheesham is not only tough and durable but the attractive wood grain craving can make your visitors want to order some furniture made of Sheesham wood.
In the modern day, the length and hardness of oak timber make it ideal for hardwood floors and exterior cladding. Because it is highly resistant to shrinkage, it is also prized in window frames, door-fitting and liquor-ageing in barrels.