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Buying hardwood

Prime, Superior & Oak Rules

Prime, Superior, and Oak Rules are mill color and width sorts — supplier specifications layered on top of NHLA grades like FAS. They are not house brands Fells Hardwood Supply invents. VG means vertical grain, not “veneer grade.”

When a mill sells “FAS,” it’s using the NHLA rule book. Separate from that, mills often offer optional sorts that tighten what’s allowed on the graded face: more heartwood, less sapwood, wider minimums, cleaner color, or a specific cut. Those product names show up on tags and invoices as Prime, Superior, Oak Rules, Ultra-White, VG, and similar.

Prime

Usually an “above book” clarity and/or width ask — more heartwood or cleaner faces than a standard FAS run. Exact meaning varies by mill and species; in our store it often pairs with a minimum width callout (for example Prime 9"+ or 10"+).

Superior

Another mill sort label for tighter yield and color than the base grade. On maple you’ll see Superior / ultra-white packs when customers need consistent pale sapwood. On poplar or canarywood it often means cleaner, wider, more graphic faces.

Oak Rules (walnut)

A walnut-specific mill sort inspired by oak grading practice: stronger heartwood presence and width expectations than everyday walnut FAS (which can include more sapwood under walnut’s NHLA rules). See our Walnut Oak Rules / Prime page for what’s on the floor.

VG — vertical grain (not “veneer grade”)

VG = vertical grain. People often read it as “veneer grade.” On hardwood tags it almost always means growth rings standing roughly perpendicular to the face — quartersawn or rift character — not a quality nickname for peeling veneer.

Vertical-grain faces tend to show tighter, more parallel lines and often move less across the width than plain-sawn cathedral grain. Quartersawn white oak with ray fleck is the familiar example; mills may also stamp VG on other species when the cut qualifies.

NHLA grade still answers clear yield (FAS, Selects, Common). VG tells you about the cut and the look of the face.

Color sorts (90/10 and friends)

Some sorts specify heartwood vs. sapwood on the graded face — for example 90/10 (about 90% heartwood / 10% sapwood). These ride along with Prime/Superior naming depending on the mill.

How to shop them at Fells Hardwood Supply

  • Read the tag — grade (FAS, F1F, Selects, Common), sort (Prime, Superior, Oak Rules), and cut notes (VG) are different fields.
  • Match the sort to the job: wide tabletops often want stricter color/width sorts; paint-grade cabinets usually don’t.
  • Check Inventory for what’s in the store, or ask us.

Hardwood grades (NHLA) · Wood species · Inventory