When you’re in the market for hardwood floors, it’s more than just a purchase; it’s an investment in the long-term elegance and durability of your home. Quality hardwood flooring is renowned for its longevity, and although it may not come cheap, it’s a one-time investment that can enhance your living space for a lifetime and beyond. In fact, some hardwood floors have been known to endure for centuries.
But amid the allure of hardwood, you’ve likely heard the occasional horror story of floors that buckle, warp, or fail soon after installation. The question then arises: how can you be certain that you’re investing in the good stuff, the kind that will stand the test of time?
At Brazilian Wood Depot, we take immense pride in offering the highest-quality Brazilian hardwood flooring, setting the bar for excellence in the industry. One of the key ways we ensure the top-notch quality of our hardwood flooring is through our association with the NOFMA Certification program.
Setting the Standards with NOFMA Certification
NOFMA, which stands for the National Oak Flooring Manufacturer’s Association, isn’t limited to just oak; the NOFMA standards program is administered by the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and extends to various types of hardwood flooring.
To attain certification through the NWFA-NOFMA program, the mill responsible for producing the hardwood flooring must undergo a rigorous inspection process. These hardwood flooring inspectors are highly trained, with a minimum of two years of comprehensive training, successful completion of a stringent examination, and submission of detailed written reports for review.
So, what do these diligent inspectors scrutinize during their mill visits? They evaluate critical factors such as configuration, average board length, moisture content, and grade, ensuring that each piece of Brazilian hardwood flooring leaving the mill meets the exacting standards for NOFMA certification.
Making the Grade
The grading process for wood is akin to the grading of essays by your English teacher in high school. Inspectors meticulously assess all aspects of the flooring they inspect, deducting points for any imperfections, ultimately assigning a grade to the overall product.
Is the wood consistent in hue and tone? Does it hold up under close examination? How many flaws can be identified? Are there knot holes, worm holes, or machining irregularities? All these factors are taken into account when determining the grade of the hardwood.
To get a visual sense of what the different grades look like, you can refer to the NOFMA grade pictures available on the National Wood Flooring Association’s website. It’s important to note that these grades primarily assess the appearance of the wood, not its hardness or structural integrity. The highest grades, Clear and Select, represent pieces with the smoothest and most even hues.
In contrast, grades like No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common exhibit more variation in coloring and feature character marks such as knot holes. For some homes, flooring with a wide range of colors and character marks provides a rustic, casual ambiance. In other settings, the near-perfection of Clear or Select is preferred for clean lines and a sleek appearance.
Regardless of the grade your Brazilian hardwood flooring receives, if it bears the NOFMA seal, you can rest assured that it’s a consistently superior product. Explore Brazilian Wood Depot’s extensive range of Brazilian hardwood flooring options, and make your purchase with confidence, knowing that our certified wood products are built to endure.
