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Character Grade vs. Select Grade Hardwood Flooring?

Character Grade vs. Select Grade Hardwood Flooring?

Are More People Looking for Character Grade Flooring vs. Select Grade?

Understanding the Shift in Design Preferences

In hardwood flooring, the grade determines more than just cost — it defines the overall look, personality, and mood of a space. While Select Grade flooring has long been considered the “premium” choice for its uniformity, Character Grade has surged in popularity in recent years, especially among designers and homeowners seeking authenticity and warmth.

1. What is Select Grade?

  • Appearance: Clean, uniform boards with minimal knots, mineral streaks, or grain variation.

  • Best For: Contemporary, minimalist, or formal interiors where a consistent appearance is key.

  • Perception: Often considered “luxury” due to the visual purity and the extra labor required to sort for uniformity.

2. What is Character Grade?

  • Appearance: Rich with knots, mineral streaks, color variation, and grain pattern shifts — each plank tells its own story.

  • Best For: Rustic, organic modern, industrial, farmhouse, or transitional interiors where texture and individuality enhance the design.

  • Perception: Increasingly seen as premium because it feels genuine, artisanal, and connected to nature.

3. The Shift in Popularity

  • Design Trends: Warmer, more organic interiors have replaced overly minimal styles, making Character Grade a natural fit.

  • Lifestyle Fit: Families and pet owners appreciate how Character Grade hides small scratches, dents, and daily wear better than ultra-uniform Select boards.

  • Sustainability: Character Grade makes use of more of the tree, reducing waste — a plus for eco-conscious buyers.

4. Pricing Differences

  • Select Grade: Higher cost due to limited yield and labor-intensive sorting.

  • Character Grade: Typically more affordable per square foot, but now in demand enough that pricing can be similar depending on finish and format.

Artistry’s Perspective:
At Artistry Hardwood Flooring, we offer both Character and Select Grade across many collections — and in some cases, the same design is available in either, allowing you to tailor the look to your project’s style. Our Authentic French White Oak showcases stunning character details in one grade, and clean, contemporary elegance in the other.


The “right” grade depends entirely on the design story you want to tell. Today, more people are embracing the individuality of Character Grade, but Select Grade still shines when a sleek, uniform look is desired.