Manufacturers grade wood used for wood flooring into four different categories. These categories or grades don’t mean good or bad, they purely refer to the appearance of the wood, as well as the amount of sap present in the wood. Things like the number and the size of knots in the wood, the variation in colour it has and the amount of sap determines how it will be graded. Generally speaking, the smaller the knots, the more uniform the colour and the lower the sap content, the higher the grade and subsequently, the higher the price.
The four grades of wood are Prime, Select, Natural and Rustic. Although rustic is at the bottom of the list, this does not mean in any way that it is inferior to the others, it simply means it looks different and contains more sap. Rustic grade oak will typically show significant variation in colour, will contain a fair amount of sap and will have visible knots of up to 3.5cm in size. Often in rustic grade oak there are naturally occurring holes that some manufacturers choose to fill. This means that the finish will be reasonably smooth, but any hole filling is likely to be visible. It is this contrast and interest in rustic oak that makes it so charming. Add to this charm, it’s affordability and you begin to see why more and more people are considering this rustic oak option for their projects.
No matter which room in the home you’re looking to re-floor, rustic grade oak flooring will provide not only a practical and easy to maintain solution, but it is also an option that won’t break the bank. If you have decided that rustic oak flooring is right for you, whether you plump for solid oak or engineered oak, will depend to a large extent on which room in the house you’re re-doing. In bathrooms and kitchens, as well as in rooms where there is under floor heating, there’s no getting away from the fact that engineered rustic oak flooring is the very best solution.
Rustic solid oak flooring on the other hand is the perfect solution in any room of the home where there isn’t under floor heating or where you don’t anticipate significant fluctuations in temperature or moisture. When it comes to finish, you’ll find that rustic oak offers as many options as any other species or grade of wood, with hardwearing lacquered finishes at one end of the spectrum and natural, brushed and oiled at the other.
No matter whether you plump for solid or engineered oak, you’ll be able to achieve the look you’re seeking for your room at a price that’ll have you smiling all the way. At Wood and Beyond we have a great selection of solid and engineered rustic oak flooring with a whole range of finishes, at a broad range of prices. We make a point of keeping a good stock of rustic oak flooring at all times because we know it’s a flooring option which is always in demand.