There are industry grade standards… then there are Muscanell grade standards. When it comes to hardwood floors, the grade tells you everything you need to know about the quality. There’s not a single board of hardwood flooring that gets installed without going through a grading process. The grade can tell us information ranging from which part of the tree the wood comes from to how much character you can expect from board to board. Nearly 30 years ago, the team at Muscanell developed their own grades which took standard industry ones as a foundation and then built them up even further.
- Hacienda is the highest grade, almost free from knots/holes, and creates a refined look that is more consistent in color than lower grades. Expect a minimum 5’ average in most species compared to the 32” minimum average set by the industry.
- Upper grade flooring, like Hacienda, generally comes from lumber cut from the outer diameter of the log near the sap ring. Upper grades tend to have more sap than lower grades of flooring which generally comes from the center of the log. Hacienda will be more uniform in color overall with almost no knots or holes for a more refined look.
- Casa is comparable in look to #1 with much longer lengths. A Casa floor will have a rich grain pattern and require very little fill. Expect a minimum 5’ average compared to the 28” minimum average set by the industry.
- When it comes to Casa, which can be comparable with #1, you can expect more color variation than Hacienda with some open holes and sound knots.
- Madera is a semi-rustic grade. Since Madera is a combination of grades, it will offer the character of the more rustic grades in less frequency. Expect a minimum of 5′ average.
- Madera grade is a blend of grades, Mesa and Casa. With Madera, you’ll see a range of color, knots, holes, sound cracks. Madera follows similar rules to Mesa with less frequent character for an overall semi-rustic appearance. This can be similar to a mix of #1 and #2 grades.
- Mesa is the most rustic grade outside of textured flooring. It will contain color variation, knots, sound cracks, and other character marks. Expect a minimum 5’ average compared to the 24” minimum average set by the industry.
- If you see Mesa as a grade, you know you’re seeing character. Knots and holes are generally larger and more frequent than higher grades, cracks are allowed (so long as the integrity of the board isn’t compromised) and edge defect can be seen. Like other character grades, Mesa will have an overall rustic appearance.
While there are some similarities between industry grading and Muscanell grading, a Hacienda/Casa/Madera/Mesa grade floor will have a much longer average length. Muscanell maintains about a 5’ average in almost all species and grades compared to the industry average of 24”-32” depending on grade.