GRADING AND PACKAGING - UaFloors

1 GRADING ANDPACKAGING 1999 NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATIONNATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL PUBLICATION No. A500 Price: $30 1999 NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION15 NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL PUBLICATION No. A500 NOFMA GRADESNote:The following rules are current as of the printing of thispublication. For the most recent rules, consult NOFMA s OfficialFlooring GRADING Rules. GRADING CHARACTERISTICS for OAK: PLAIN SAWN,QUARTER SAWN, RIFT SAWN, QUARTER/RIFT SAWNPLAIN SAWN: Flooring that is marked or specified as PLAIN SAWNor PLAIN, may contain any combination of the following types ofgrain classification: Plain Sawn, Rift Sawn, and Quarter Sawn.

2 QUARTER SAWN: Flooring thatis marked or specified asQUARTER SAWN orQUARTERED; at least 50% ofthe piece must containQuartered characteristics asdefined by NOFMA are: In crosssection the angle of the annualring tangent to the face of thepiece to be between 45 and90 . Grain lines to be mostlyparallel to the length of strips,and medullary ray flecks present and more than 1 16 SAWN: Flooring that is marked or specified as RIFT SAWN orRIFT; at least 75% of the piece must contain Rift characteristics. Riftcharacteristics as defined by NOFMA are: In cross section the angleof the annual ring tangent to the face of the piece to be between 30 to 60.

3 Grain lines to be mostly parallel to the length of strips andmedullary ray flecks less than 1 16 wide. QUARTER/RIFT SAWN: Flooring that is marked or specified asQUARTER/RIFT SAWN or QUARTER/RIFT, is a combination ofQUARTER SAWN and RIFT SAWN developing from theproduction FLOORING GRADING RULES(NOTE: Characters included in a higher grade are automaticallyaccepted in lower grades.)Clear OakA flooring product of mostly heartwood with a minimum number ofcharacter marks and discoloration, providing a uniformappearance while allowing for all heartwood natural admit the following: 3 8 bright sapwood entire length of strip orequivalent if not extending further than 1 for 1 3length of piece;small burls and fine pin worm holes; and equivalent characterssuch as small tight checks; inthe absence of these, one thinbrown streak 3 long to beallowed every 6.

4 Standard PACKAGING - Bundlesto be 11 4 and longer; Averagelength, bundled or nested, 33 4 .Shorter PACKAGING - Averagelength for 7 and shorterpackages, nested or otherwise,31 2 .Select OakA flooring product withcoloration variations producedby differences of naturalheartwood and sapwood, alongwith characters face may contain: unlimitedsound sapwood; slightimperfections in milling; a smalltight knot every 3 ; pin wormholes; burls and a reasonableamount of slightly open streaks should not extendthe entire length of a piece.

5 Two flag worm holes to every 8 arepermitted. Slight imperfections in face work (torn grain) intermittent, brown machine burn across the face not exceeding1 4 width admitted. Also, a slight quantity of bark on the back orsides admitted. Will admit pieces with 1 2tongue. Spot filling isgenerally required for open characters. Standard PACKAGING - Bundles to be 11 4 and longer; Averagelength, bundled or nested, 31 4 . Shorter PACKAGING - Average lengthfor 7 and shorter packages, nested or otherwise, 3 .No. 1 Common OakA flooring product whichcontains prominent variationsin coloration and following are not admitted:broken knots over 1 2 indiameter, large grub wormholes; and splits extendingthrough the piece.

6 Opencharacters such as checks andknot holes are admitted, buitmust be sound and readily more than 20 scant stock in thickness allowed to every 5 .Minor imperfections in machining permitted. Shall admit stickerstain; varying wood characteristics, such as flag worm holes,heavy streaks, checks, and worm holes; and an occasional darkmachine burn across the face not exceeding 1 2 wide, 1 64 deep andAPPENDIXOF FLOORING GRADESnot more than two each 3 . 1 4tongue allowed. Extremely darkpieces are not to be included. Standard PACKAGING - Bundles to be 11 4 and longer; Averagelength, bundled or nested, 23 4.

7 Shorter PACKAGING - Average lengthfor 7 and shorter packages, nested or otherwise, 21 2 .No. 2 Common OakMay contain sound naturalvariations of the forest productand manufacturingimperfections. The purpose ofthis grade is to furnish a floorsuitable for homes, generalutility use, or where charactermarks and contrastingappearance is following are not admitted:shattered or rotten ends, largebroken knots, excessive badmillwork, shake, advanced rot, and similar unsound machine burns exceeding 3 64 deep not admitted.

8 Knotholes and open characters which will readily fill are admitted. Alimited number of pieces with no tongue which may be facenailed are admitted. Standard PACKAGING - Bundles to be 11 4 and longer; Averagelength, bundled or nested, 21 4 . Shorter PACKAGING - Averagelength for 7 and shorter packages, nested or otherwise, 2 . 11 4 Shorts OakPieces 9 to 18 long are to be bundled together and designatedas 11 4 Shorts. Pieces graded NO. 1 COMMON, SELECT andCLEAR to be bundled together and designated NO. 1 COMMON& BETTER with pieces GRADING NO.

9 2 COMMON bundledseparately and designated as such. Although pieces 6 underand only 3 over the nominal length of the bundle may beincluded, the pieces must average 11 4 , which is achievedthrough the natural preponderance of longer lengths. PREFINISHED OAK GRADING RULESW hite Oak and Red Oak in STANDARD & BETTER Grades witha natural coloration, to be separated. All other colors andgrades may be mixed Red Oak and White Oak. Grades areestablished after the flooring has been sanded and finished. Prime Prefinished OakThis is the top grade and the overall appearance shall be face of strips shall be selected for appearance afterfinishing.

10 This grade includes characteristics found in theunfinished grades of CLEAR and SELECT following characters are admitted: Unlimited Sapwood andthe natural variations of color; Occasional small Burls; Lightbrown Steaks not more than 1 8 in width and 6 in length or the equivalent; an occasional very small tight 1 8 Knot; andlimited 1 32 fine Pinworm Holes, may be included in any onepiece when properly filled. Will not admit pieces with less than3 4full tongue. Minimum average length 31 4 . Bundles 11 4 and Prefinished OakThe face of strips may contain sound wood characteristics whichare even and smooth after filling and finishing.