According to National Oak Flooring Manufacturers
Association (NOFMA):
Flooring shall be Tongued and Grooved and End Matched (unless otherwise
indicated). Flooring shall not be considered of standard grade unless
the lumber from which the flooring is manufactured has been properly kiln
dried. The NOFMA standard is that flooring is manufactured at a 6% - 9%
Moisture Content with a 5% allowance for pieces outside that range up
to 12% Moisture Content, and to fit a "GO NO-GO" NOFMA flooring
gauge. NOFMA members are required to mark all bundles of standard grade
flooring with the grade and color (or species if applicable). Plank Flooring
designated by a grade name listed in this Grading Rule Book must conform
to that grade description. Members may manufacture Plank Flooring under
other grade names and descriptions which are registered with the NOFMA
office to qualify for Complaint Inspection Services.
Packaging:
To determine the (nominal) length of a piece of flooring, 3/4"
end match allowance shall be added to the actual face length when measuring.
Individual strips may range in length from 9" minimum to 102"
maximum. The average length as referred to in the Official Flooring
Grading Rules apply to the total footage of any one shipment consisting
of 1,000 sq. ft. or greater amounts. The percentages under 4', as referred
to in the Official Flooring Grading Rules apply to the total footage
of any one shipment consisting of 1,000 sq. ft. or greater amount.
Bundled flooring:
an individual bundle contains pieces from 6" over to 6" under
the nominal length of the bundle. Bundle lengths ranging from 1 1/4'
to 7' or 8', as the stock will produce, and placed (nested) end to end
in units (pallets) of 8' nominal length are designated "standard
packaging"; or units of 7' and shorter nominal length are designated
"shorter packaging".
Nested Flooring:
a nested bundle contains flooring strips positioned end to end continuously
in runs measuring from 6" over to 6" under the nominal length
of the nested bundle. For 3/4 x 2 1/4" Flooring- a 12 run, 8' nominal
length bundle, containing 24 bd. ft. of flooring is designated "standard
packaging". Nested bundles shorter than 8' nominal length are designated
"shorter packaging".
Shorter Nested Bundles or
Boxes:
bundles or boxes containing more or fewer runs of flooring are "non
standard packaging" and considered acceptable packaging where the
average length is maintained.
| SPECIES |
GRADE |
STANDARD
PACKING |
SHORTER
PACKING |
STANDARD
PACKING Maximum # of 9" - 18" pieces per bundle.
(Nested ONLY) |
| Oak |
CLEAR |
3 3/4' |
3 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
SELECT |
3 1/4' |
3' |
KH |
| KH |
NO. 1 COMMON |
2 3/4' |
2 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
NO. 2 COMMON |
2 1/4' |
2' |
KH |
| Maple Beech
Birch |
1 st |
3' |
3' |
8 |
| KH |
2 nd |
2 3/4' |
2 3/4' |
12 |
| KH |
3 rd |
2 1/4' |
2 1/4' |
42 |
| KH |
2 & better |
2 3/4' |
2 3/4' |
12 |
| KH |
3 rd & better |
2 1/4' |
2 1/4' |
42 |
| Hickory / Pecan |
1 st |
3 1/4' |
3' |
KH |
| KH |
2 nd |
2 3/4' |
2 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
3 rd |
2 1/4' |
2' |
KH |
| KH |
2 nd & better |
2 3/4' |
2 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
3 rd & better |
2 1/4' |
2' |
KH |
| Ash |
CLEAR |
3 3/4' |
3 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
SELECT |
3 1/4' |
3' |
KH |
| KH |
NO. 1 COMMON |
2 3/4' |
2 1/2' |
KH |
| KH |
NO. 2 COMMON |
2 1/4' |
2' |
KH |
|