Wide Plank Flooring Pros and Cons

Renaissance Hardwood Flooring — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:53:46 +0000

While wide plank flooring isn’t necessarily a new development in wood flooring design, it has seen a huge surge of popularity among homeowners and designers alike over the past few years. Indeed, wide planks can add a touch of elegance and drama to any room. However, like any flooring option, this trend is not for everyone. If you’re thinking about wide planks as an option for your next flooring project, let’s delve into some of the advantages and disadvantages.

What is Wide Plank Flooring?

Wide plank flooring typically refers to wood planks that are wider than the traditional 2 ¼ to 3-inch boards. Wide planks can range from 5 inches to as wide as 12 inches or more. These broader planks offer a distinctive look, showcasing the wood’s natural grain and texture in a way that narrower boards cannot. It’s essential to note that while wide plank flooring is often associated with hardwood, it can also be made from other materials such as engineered wood or luxury vinyl.

The Pros of Wide Plank Flooring

Let’s begin by looking at some of the advantages wide plank floors can offer.

Aesthetic Appeal

Wide planks are renowned for their stunning visual impact. The broader planks create fewer seams, allowing the natural beauty of the wood grain to shine through. This enhances the overall appearance of the floor, giving it a luxurious and timeless feel. The wide surface area showcases more of the wood’s natural patterns, knots, and imperfections, creating a unique and authentic look. Wide planks can also make a room feel larger and more open. The fewer seams can create a sense of continuity, making spaces appear less cluttered.

Variety of Styles

Wide planks come in various wood species, finishes, and stains, offering versatility to match any interior design style. Whether you prefer a rustic farmhouse look or a sleek, modern aesthetic, there’s a wide plank option to suit your taste.

Increased Home Value

Investing in high-quality wide plank flooring can add significant value to your home. This flooring type is often associated with luxury and durability, making it an attractive feature for potential buyers. Not only can wide plank wood flooring give you a great return on investment by lasting for decades with proper care, but homes with wide plank floors tend to stand out on the market, potentially increasing resale value.

The Cons of Wide Plank Flooring

For some homeowners, the drawbacks of wide plank flooring outweigh the benefits. Let’s look at some of the potential disadvantages.

Higher Cost

One of the primary drawbacks of wide plank flooring is the higher upfront cost. High-quality wide planks often come at a premium price, especially if you opt for rare wood species or custom finishes. In addition, installing wide planks can be more labor-intensive, requiring skilled craftsmanship to ensure proper fitting and alignment.

Limited Availability

Finding the perfect wide plank floors can be challenging sometimes as not all wood species and finishes are available in wide formats. This can limit your choices and potentially delay your project. In some cases, you may need to place special orders or wait for custom milling, which can extend the timeline for your flooring project. Availability can also be affected sometimes by supply chain limitations because they tend to be in high demand. This isn’t to say you can’t get the flooring you want–you just may need to exercise a little patience when ordering certain types of wide plank floors.

Installation Challenges

Wide plank flooring requires precise installation to avoid issues down the line. The installation process for wide planks is more complex, necessitating careful subfloor preparation and meticulous fitting. Ensuring a stable and level subfloor is also essential to prevent problems such as squeaking or uneven surfaces. In short, you want to be certain that you’re working with an experienced technician since not all wood floor installers have the experience or qualifications to work with wide planks. (And it’s certainly not something to attempt DIY.)

Are Wide Plank Floors Right for My Home?

Ultimately, choosing whether or not to use wide plank flooring comes down to personal aesthetic and budget. However, design experts will generally tell you that wide plank floors are best for big rooms and refined or minimalist design styles because they add a sense of space and formality. In small rooms, wide planks can actually highlight the limited space and make it feel more claustrophobic.

At Renaissance Hardwood Flooring, installation teams have extensive experience in quality wide plank installation, along with many other types of custom styles and designs. Over the past 40-plus years, we have built a solid reputation for quality and craftsmanship across both the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas. Contact us here to schedule a complimentary quote.

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Wide Plank Flooring: Is It Right for Your Home?

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 21:06:50 +0000

If you follow any of the home design trend publications or attend home improvement expos, wide plank flooring is one of those features you’re likely to see a lot of these days. Wide plank hardwood floors are becoming increasingly popular both in new homes and in renovated spaces. They have a keen ability to add visual interest and a sense of space in both contemporary and traditional/rustic settings.

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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