When it comes to flooring materials, hardwood planks are virtually always a popular choice. It’s not difficult to understand why. Hardwood floors are known for being durable and long-lasting. They’re also an easy to clean option when compared to wall-to-wall carpeting. Hardwood flooring also makes a perfect foundation for a practically endless variety of different furniture pieces. It can be stained to go with classic décor, ultra-modern décor, or anything in-between. Last but not least, hardwood flooring looks gorgeous when it is well maintained.
Though hardwood flooring has been a consistent favorite for homeowners for the past several decades, particular trends in hardwood flooring styles continue to vary over the years. Whether it’s lighter or darker stains, specific wood species that go in and out of fashion, or different sizes of planks, there are plenty of choices out there for homeowners who want their home’s flooring to reflect the latest styles. In recent years, wide plank flooring has been getting a lot of attention in home design magazines and on online design websites. Predictably, this classy look has been picking up steam, particularly in the high-end remodeling market.
What Width of Flooring Plank is Considered “Wide Plank”?
The definition of “wide plank” isn’t set in stone. It varies from installer to installer. For a flooring plank to be considered “wide plank,” it will typically be wider than 4”. In recent years, much wider planks have been appearing both in new construction or remodeling projects, with measurements as wide as 12” or more. If you want to include wide plank flooring in your home, be sure to get very specific about your expectations. Not all flooring installers work with the very widest flooring planks on the market, so make sure whatever contractor you go with has the size of planks you hope to install in your home.
What are the Aesthetic Advantages to Wide Plank Flooring?
In large rooms, these wider wood flooring planks help keep the space from having a “bowling alley” look. They can actually greatly enhance the appearance of everything from large master bedrooms to dining rooms to living rooms. Those who are going for a rustic, log-cabin look tend to love wide plank wood flooring options, though they also work great in other styles of homes as well.
Wide plank flooring can also tend to make a room feel larger. The smaller number of visible lines on the floor gives the illusion of greater size to the entire room. This feature makes wide plank flooring a good choice for even medium and small rooms.
If you’re someone who loves the natural beauty of being out in the woods, wide plank wood flooring is an excellent way of bringing a taste of that rugged forest wilderness into your home. Wider flooring planks also allow for more opportunities for the wood in each plank to show off its unique character in the form of color variation, knots, and swirls.
We’ve looked at some of the upsides of wide plank flooring. There’s no question that it has plenty to offer in the wow-factor department. We’ll touch on a couple more of wide flooring plank’s advantages in our next article. Then we’ll tackle some of the challenges of working with wider planks and offer solutions to those challenges.
