Board grading.

Board grade is the visual character classification applied at the mill. It is not a quality rating — a rustic grade is not lower quality than a select grade, only visually different.

01Common classifications

Select or Prime — minimal knots, tight sapwood limits, uniform colour. Standard or Natural — moderate knots and colour variation within defined size limits. Rustic or Character — visible knots, sapwood and colour variation as design features.

Grades are defined by the manufacturer against a documented specification. Two suppliers offering a "select" grade may hold different tolerances; the specification should reference the grade definition, not just the grade name.