White Oak – Herringbone 15/3 x 120 × 600 Natural grade

Choosing the right wood flooring is easier when you understand the terms used on each product page. Below is a simple guide to the most common flooring terminology, including type, finish, grade, dimensions and construction.

Type

Type refers to the pattern or format of the flooring.

Plank
Long straight boards laid in rows. Plank flooring gives a clean, classic look and is one of the most popular choices for both modern and traditional interiors.

Herringbone
Small rectangular blocks laid in a broken zig-zag pattern. Herringbone creates a more decorative and traditional look. Each block is the same size and is fitted at right angles to form the pattern.

Chevron
Blocks cut at an angle and fitted point-to-point to create a continuous “V” shape. Chevron gives a more refined, geometric and elegant appearance.

Finish

Finish describes the surface treatment applied to the wood.

Unfinished
The flooring is supplied raw and must be sanded and finished on site after installation. This allows you to choose your own oil, lacquer, stain or colour.

Oiled
The flooring has been treated with oil, which enhances the natural character of the wood and gives a warm, natural appearance. Oiled floors may require periodic maintenance.

Lacquered
The flooring has been coated with lacquer, creating a protective surface layer. Lacquered floors are often easy to clean and offer good everyday protection.

Brushed
The wood surface has been lightly brushed to remove softer grain, giving the floor more texture and character.

UV Oiled / UV Lacquered
The finish has been cured using UV light during production. This gives a factory-applied finish that is ready to use once installed.

Grade

Grade describes the natural appearance and character of the wood. It is mainly about the amount of knots, sapwood, colour variation and natural features visible in the boards. It should not be seen as a basic quality rating; the structure and finishing quality of the flooring remain consistent, while the grade describes the visual character of the timber.

Prime / A Grade
The cleanest and most uniform grade. It usually has very small pin knots, minimal sapwood and low colour variation.

AB Grade
A clean grade with slightly more natural character than Prime. Small sound knots and narrow sapwood may be present, but the overall appearance is still calm and consistent.

AB² Grade
A selection from Prime and AB grade where small filled cracks may appear at the short end of the plank. These repairs are usually small and often blend into the grain after finishing.

ABC Grade
A more characterful grade with more knots, more sapwood and greater colour variation between planks.

ABCD Grade
Also known as millrun. This grade has a more natural rustic appearance, with larger knots, higher sapwood content and stronger colour variation.

Traditional / BCD Grade
A rustic grade with wider colour variation, more sapwood and larger knots. It may contain both sound knots and dead knots, with dead knots repaired using wood filler.

Allowable Missed Grade

Wood is a natural material, so grading cannot be completely robotic. In some cases, a small percentage of boards may contain features from a slightly lower grade where they do not affect the overall look or use of the floor. This is known as Allowable Missed Grade. The guidance provided shows Prime at 0%, AB at 3%, AB² at 5%, ABC at 5%, ABCD at 7%, Traditional at 7% and BCD at 7%.

Thickness

Thickness is the total depth of the board. For example, 15/4 mm means the board is 15 mm thick overall and has approximately 4 mm of real wood wear layer on top.

Wear Layer

The wear layer is the top layer of real wood on an engineered board. A thicker wear layer may allow for more future sanding or refinishing, depending on the product and condition of the floor.

Width

Width is the width of each board or block. For example, a product listed as 90 × 600 mm has a width of 90 mm.

Length

Length is the length of each board or block. For example, a product listed as 90 × 600 mm has a length of 600 mm.

Dimensions

Product dimensions are usually shown as:

Thickness × Width × Length

For example:

15/4 mm thickness/wear, 90 mm width, 600 mm length

This means the product is 15 mm thick overall, has a 4 mm wear layer, is 90 mm wide and 600 mm long.

Construction

Construction explains how the flooring is made.

Engineered Oak
Engineered oak flooring has a real oak top layer bonded to a stable base layer. This gives the look and feel of real wood while improving stability compared with solid wood.

Engineered Walnut / Ash / Other Species
The top layer is made from the named wood species, such as walnut or ash, with an engineered base underneath.

Profile

Profile refers to the joint system used to connect the boards.

Tongue & Groove / T&G
A traditional fitting system where one side of the board has a tongue and the other has a groove. This is commonly used for glue-down installation.

Click System
A locking profile where boards click together. This is often used for floating floors, depending on the product.

Bevel / Micro Bevel

A bevel is a small angled edge around each board. It creates a subtle line between boards once fitted.

A micro bevel is a very small bevel. It helps define each board while keeping the overall floor appearance smooth and neat.

Pack Size

Pack size tells you how many square metres are included in one pack. For example, if the pack size is 1.73 m², one pack covers approximately 1.73 square metres before wastage.

Starter / Short Planks

Some packs may contain shorter boards, often called starter planks. These are useful for starting rows, cuts and staggered layouts.

Disclaimer: Each pack will contain no more than 25% short starter planks.

Natural Colour and Clear Finish

Where a product uses the word Natural, this usually refers to the natural colour of the wood or a clear/natural-looking finish. It does not necessarily mean the product is unfinished.

Colour Variation

Wood is a natural material, so colour, grain, knots, sapwood and tone can vary from board to board and from batch to batch. Samples and website images should be used as a guide only.

Important Note Before Installation

Always inspect your flooring before installation. Once boards have been fitted, cut, glued, sanded, oiled, lacquered or otherwise altered, it may not be possible to return or exchange them unless there is a confirmed fault.