NHLA Grades, Color Sorts, and Character Lumber
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NHLA grades measure how much clear, defect-free wood a board can yield. They do not measure how pretty the color is. Mill sorts like Prime, Superior, and Oak Rules tighten color and width on top of those grades. Character lumber grades for knots and variation on purpose.
When you read a tag that says “FAS cherry” or “#1 Common walnut,” that is a yield statement. When it says “Prime 9"+” or “Oak Rules,” that is usually a mill product name layered on top. Mix those two up and you get disappointed customers who wanted heartwood-only faces but only bought a grade.
More on clear cuttings and percentages is in Hardwood grades explained. Mill sort names live on Prime, Superior & Oak Rules.
NHLA utility grades (what the tag usually means)
- FAS (Firsts and Seconds)
- Top utility grade. Typically 6" or wider, 8' or longer, about 83⅓% clear yield in cuttings that meet FAS minimum size (4"×5' or 3"×7' on the graded face).
- Walnut exception
- Walnut FAS allows more sapwood inside clear cuttings than other species. That is the rule book, not the store being loose.
- FAS 1F / Selects
- FAS-quality best face. The back grades #1 Common. “Select & Better” on invoices is a trade mix, not an official NHLA grade name.
- #1 Common
- Often called cabinet grade. About 66⅔% clear in smaller cuttings. Excellent when you will cut into rails, stiles, and drawer fronts. You are not paying for wide clear faces you will rip away.
- #2 Common
- About 50% clear. Flooring, paint-grade, and character-forward work where defects become texture.
In the store, FAS packs cost more per board foot because you are buying clear yield. #1 Common can be the smart money for a kitchen full of face frames if you layout around knots instead of demanding wide clear boards.
Aesthetic sorting (above the grade)
- Prime / Superior
- Mill sorts for tighter color, width, or clarity than a standard FAS run. Exact rules vary by mill. Read the tag or ask.
- Rustic / character
- Graded for knots, color play, and wild grain on purpose. A different product, not failed FAS.
- Architectural / sequence matched
- Boards kept in flitch order for bookmatching panels and doors.
- Vertical grain (VG)
- Rings roughly perpendicular to the face. Stability and uniform straight lines. VG means vertical grain, not veneer grade.
Color sorts (heartwood vs. sapwood)
Color sorts specify how much heartwood vs. sapwood may appear on the graded face. For example 90/10 (about 90% heart / 10% sap) or asymmetric calls like 90/70 (strong heart face, more sap allowed on the back).
Steamed walnut uses steam to darken sapwood toward heartwood color. Less visual contrast, often less waste in glue-ups. Unsteamed walnut keeps the stark sap and heart boundary some makers want for contrast. Pick the look the project needs.