What are the different grades?
Mills that are members of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association sell unfinished oak strip flooring by the following grades: No. 2 Common, No. 1 Common, Select Plain, or Select Quartered, and Clear Plain or Clear Quartered. Clear flooring has a very tight color range and is virtually free of defects, but may have minor character marks. Select contains more natural characteristics, such as small tight knots and limited color variations. The Common Grades have a more variegated appearance (some say more character), because they contain more knots, color variations and other natural features.
