The question is—should you jump on the wide plank bandwagon? Will it enhance the beauty of your home for years to come, or will it appear dated in a few years? Is wide plank flooring right for every space? If not, when should it be used? Let’s take a closer look at this design trend so you can make an informed decision about whether wide plank hardwoods are right for your next project.

What Is Wide Plank Flooring?

The most common width of most hardwood floor planks is 2 1/4 inches, although they can obviously vary a bit in either direction. From a design perspective, we consider wide plank flooring to be any planking wider than 4 inches. The trendiest plank sizes currently range between 6-10 inches in width, and a few even go as wide as 20 inches. The wider planks tend to have more knots in them, which can look exceptionally attractive in rustic spaces. However, when you use select grade planks with fewer knots, they can enhance the look of modern and contemporary rooms, as well.

The Pros and Cons of Wide Planks

Like anything else, wide plank flooring has both advantages and disadvantages, and you’ll want to weigh these before making a decision.

The pros:

• Adds visual interest to both modern and traditional spaces.
• Fewer seams help the wood floor tie in better with the rest of the room.
• Adds a sense of space and dimension.
• Adds to the appraisal value of the home.

The cons:

• The cost—wide planking is considerably more expensive than standard planking.
• Availability—despite being a popular choice, wide plank flooring is scarcer and must often be special-ordered.
• More humidity sensitive. Wide plank flooring can be more susceptible to cupping and crowning due to changes in humidity levels. It’s important to maintain optimal humidity levels at between 35-45 percent inside the home.

Factors to Consider When Deciding on Wide Plank Flooring

How do you know if wide plank hardwood floors are right for your space? When making a decision, you’ll want to keep the following in mind:

• The size of the room. Wide planks create an airy sense of space in larger rooms, but they can make smaller spaces look cramped.
• The overall vibe of the room. Rustic spaces do very well with wide planks, especially when they are made from reclaimed wood. However, the wrong grade or shade of wood can conflict with modern or contemporary looks. For these, make sure you use select grade wood with fewer knots—preferably in a lighter shade or whitewashed look.
• Your budget. Wide plank floors are expensive to install and require extra effort to maintain. Make sure you’re willing to spend both the money and the time.

Will Wide Plank Floors Go Out of Style?

Will your wide plank hardwood floors look dated in a few years? No one can predict the future, of course, but in our opinion, it’s not likely that this trend will prove to be a fad like other design trends. In fact, wide planks were the norm in colonial days, which is why many wide plank projects are made from reclaimed wood. So even if the trends change with the times, your wide plank floors will likely continue to look attractive for many years to come.

Whatever type of hardwood floors you decide to use, Renaissance Hardwood Floors is your flooring company of choice in northeast Oklahoma. If you’re looking to install wood flooring in Glenpool, Tulsa, Coweta, Claremore, Broken Arrow or other parts of Green Country, call us 918-298-4477 for a free estimate.

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One of the first decisions you’ll make when choosing hardwood flooring for your home—and one that stumps many homeowners—is choosing between light and dark hardwood flooring. Is one more preferable than the other? Is one more stylish? More durable? The best answer really depends on a number of factors, including room size, your décor and even your personal style. That said, if you’re undecided, answering the following questions should give you some sense of direction.

Do You Have Pets and/or Children?

Pets and small children can definitely have an effect on the long-term look of your floors. Pet toenail scratches show up more easily on dark hardwoods; so do scratches from scooted chairs or toys being dragged across the floor. If you’ve got little ones or furry family members living at home, you might want to go with a lighter shade to mask those inevitable scratch marks. If you do prefer a darker shade, we might recommend going with a hand scraped or distressed finish where scratch marks blend in more easily.

How Often Do You Clean?

Believe it or not, family housecleaning patterns can play a role in determining the shade wood floor that’s best for you. If you keep a neat and tidy home and you don’t mind cleaning your wood floors frequently, you might do very well with a rich, dark shade of hardwood. On the other hand, if you prefer a lower-maintenance home, you’ll probably enjoy a lighter color of flooring. The reason? Dark floors show every speck of dust and dirt. Lighter floors don’t.

What Does “Home” Feel Like?

This may seem like an abstract question (and it is), but what feelings come to you when you think about home? Do you envision a place that is warm and cozy, or bright and airy? Is it a quiet retreat or a gathering place for friends and family? The color of your hardwood flooring will play a large part in making your home feel like home to you. Generally speaking, dark, rich hardwood floors can make small rooms feel cozy and larger rooms feel more elegant. Lighter hardwoods tend to reflect the light and make rooms feel brighter, airy and more spacious. (One common home selling strategy is to put lighter floors into the bedrooms to make them feel larger.) Choose a shade of hardwood that you think will create the best sense of home as it feels to you.

What’s in Style Right Now? (And Does It Matter?)

Some style-conscious homeowners want a look that makes their home feel “current” in line with today’s design trends. So which is more in fashion right now—light or dark hardwood flooring? The answer is both. In 2019, designers are leaning toward the extremes of light and dark flooring, while the middle “brown” shades are less in vogue for the moment. That said, unless this is an investment property, you’re the one who is going to have to live with these floors after your fashion-conscious friends go home. Thus, we recommend choosing a shade that is more in line with your personal tastes. After all, wood flooring tends to be timeless, no matter which shade you choose. If you happen to make a style choice in wood flooring that isn’t “cutting edge” today, the good news is it probably will be in a few years.

Whether you prefer light or dark hardwood flooring, Renaissance Hardwood Floors provides unmatched craftsmanship in making sure those floors will stand the test of time. For a free estimate in Tulsa, Jenks, Glenpool, Bixby and throughout Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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It might not even be that obvious. You might come to the end of moving day only to discover a whole series of scuffs and scratch marks on the floor that you swear were not there when you purchased the home. Either way, you’re barely a day in, and already your gorgeous wood floors are visibly damaged.

Thankfully, this nightmare is one that can be prevented. By implementing the following tips and tricks, you can safeguard your wood floors from damage during a move-in. Here’s what you need to know.

Make Sure the Floors are Clean First

Your floor’s number one enemy on moving day is not always heavy furniture. It’s actually a lot smaller, in the form of dirt, dust, sand and gravel. When workers or friends are busy maneuvering furniture—even if they’re being careful—their boots and shoes can scoot across the floor, grinding those tiny grains of dirt and sand into the planks and causing scrapes and scratches. So before you bring in a single box or piece of furniture, get those wood floors spotless. Go through with a soft broom or brushless vacuum (NO BEATERS) and get all traces of dust and dirt off the floor. This one step can reduce your risk of floor damage by more than half.

Use a Doormat and Cover Walkways

Once you’ve cleared the floor of dirt and sand, the next line of defense is to keep as much dirt and sand as possible from coming in on people’s shoes during the move itself. You can accomplish this with a two-step process:

1. Set doormats in front of all entrances (and make sure people use them); and
2. Lay protective coverings across all major walkways. (Some professional movers will lay down plastic for this purpose, but you can also accomplish this goal with strategically placed area rugs and runners.)

Be Careful with Wheels

Wheels and casters make heavy furniture easier to move, but that doesn’t mean they can’t damage your wood floors. Quite often, dirt and sand get lodged in these wheels and are ground into the floor the same as with the bottom of people’s shoes. Also, a caster stuck in the sideways position can do as much damage as dragging a furniture leg. Always utilize casters and wheels carefully, and go ahead and lift furniture whenever possible. When using a dolly, use one with inflatable rubber wheels rather than hard, solid rubber.

Lift. Don’t Drag or Scoot.

This one is just common sense: A furniture leg dragging on the floor is just asking for trouble. So is scooting any large piece with a heavy base, like a cabinet or large appliance. Always lift these pieces rather than drag or scoot them across the floor. If lifting is just not feasible for some reason, invest in some reusable gliders and put them under the legs before scooting.

If you do happen to get a few scratches on your wood floors during moving day, it’s not the end of the world; most scratches can be repaired by a trusted professional. If you live in Tulsa, Jenks, Catoosa, Glenpool or other places in Green Country, we are always happy to come out and evaluate the damage and give you a fair estimate for repairs. Give Renaissance Hardwood Floors a call at 918-298-4477.

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