Softwood Appearance
#2 Common (Sterling)
Board grade with visible knots — popular for shelving, paneling, and paint-grade trim
Standard: WWPA, NLGARelative price: EconomyRank: 3
What this grade means
#2 Common board grade (also called Sterling in some species) allows well-spaced sound knots and minor defects. It is the most popular retail board grade used for general-purpose shelving, paneling, and projects where some character is acceptable or the wood will be painted.
Defects allowed
Sound knots, minor staining, slight wane permitted
Typical uses
Shelving, paneling, paint-grade trim, general construction boards, utility purposes
Grade rules vary by species, region and grading agency. For structural work, use the grade stamp and governing code or an engineer’s specification—not appearance alone.
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