#3 Common flooring is a great alternative for homeowners looking to get hardwood floors but have a smaller budget. The great thing about #3 Common Flooring is that you can get the same hardwood floor feel for less money without compromising quality. The only challenge is locating #3 Common flooring, because it is rarely carried at brick-and-mortar stores. When using #3 Common flooring, you do not lose quality but you will have more knots, mineral streaks, and color variety within your flooring. These marks do, however, add character to the wood and give it a more rustic appearance.
In some cases, flooring is sold under the #3 Common grade due to poor milling. This can affect the structural effectiveness of the hardwood and may have voids, tree bark edges, splits, missing tongues, or wind shake in the face. These structural flaws can lead to the planks not fitting together, edges not being square, or the surface may end up being uneven. It is important to be prepared when looking to purchase #3 Common flooring. Ask the distributor or manufacturer why the shipment has been given a #3 Common grade. Is it because of the milling or the appearance? It is also important to purchase 10 to 15 percent more boards then needed to account for boards that may not fit or are unusable. If a shipment is graded #3 Common flooring, it may not be covered by a manufacturer's warranty.
#3 Common flooring can be found in both solid and engineered and unfinished and prefinished. The grades can differ because the wood can be labeled "#3 Common" either before or after the finish is added. Because of this, flooring could be labeled #3 Common due to only flaws in the finish or a notable amount of character marks. Unfinished #3 Common flooring can also be known as factory seconds, value, tavern, cabin, or character grade.
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