Everyone aspires to make their “dream house” a reality sooner or later. This might be a little renovation or a whole new home design. Perhaps you’ve flicked through periodicals, read through library books, and seen a few TV episodes. Perhaps you already have an idea of what you desire. Or maybe you’re still undecided. However, you are aware of something: you desire a change! Something unique! Something different! Some beforehand information about the design and materials is one’s finest investment while designing a space. The goods and ideas that are put into the design of a house determine its style and decor, as well as the user experience it imparts. The floor, be it a wide plank wood flooring or anything else, the sky is the limit when it comes to defining the tone of a house through this element. The selected design language and the journey begins from the chosen floor.
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A Walk of Elegance on Wide Plank Wood Flooring
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Nothing matches the feeling of stepping into a space with hardwood flooring for the richness and beauty of the wood. The feel of wood beneath your feet is a unique sensation. Wide plank hardwood flooring is a great choice for many houses because of its traditional look and minimal care requirements.
Wood flooring is a timeless aesthetic that has stood the test of time. It’s all-natural, eco-friendly, and extremely long-lasting. It’s no surprise that people have been building wood floors for centuries. Wood is the most environmentally friendly floor covering available. It’s the only one that’s renewable. A solid wood floor has the potential to survive for hundreds of years. The majority of other floor coverings are made to be thrown away.
Choosing wood flooring materials used to be very easy. Everything was made of solid wood, with the only choices being species (think oak vs. pine) and how the wood was chopped into planks. There are so many alternatives nowadays that it’s difficult to sort through them all. While solid wood continues to be a popular choice, engineered wood, recycled wood, and other materials that mimic wood are all available in the market now.
What is Wide Plank Flooring?
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Solid wood flooring supplied in planks that are significantly wider than the 2 1/2- to 4-inch broad boards that make up the great bulk of the wood flooring industry is referred to as “wide plank flooring.” While there is a trend toward broader planks up to 4 inches wide for all hardwood flooring, genuine wide-plank hardwood flooring is a small subset of the hardwood flooring market, with boards ranging from 6 to 20 inches wide.
There was a period when wide plank floors were reserved for residences built in the nineteenth century or earlier. Wide boards meant less labour for both the lumberman and the carpenters back then. There were plenty of old-growth forests and huge trees to choose from. The boards could be utilized “as it is” without the need for extra machinery to cut them into strips once milled. Because the large boards covered more space fast, the carpenters working on the installations had less work.
Over-harvesting contributed to the dwindling availability of huge old-growth trees in a growing hardwood flooring business. The industry created a range of sizes in response to the shortage. Narrower strips were one answer to supply issues, and they gained market share throughout the world, thanks to clever marketing. While strip hardwood flooring continues to dominate the market, wood makers are seeing a resurgence in broad plank, which has an old-world charm and a contemporary twist of being “different.”
Pros of Wide Plank Engineered Wood Flooring
The key benefit of broad plank flooring in the western age is the appearance. The distinctive natural patterns and textures of the wood are more evident with longer and broader boards. Furthermore, larger wood planks require fewer boards to fill a space. As a result, there are fewer apparent joints to divert your focus away from the wood’s inherent characteristics. The longer, broader boards also give a feeling of openness, making a space look larger and more expansive.
A Challenging Adventure: Choosing the Best Suited Wide Wood Plank Flooring
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Choosing the correct flooring for your property may be one of the most gratifying and hard experiences. There are several alternatives available, and each decision taken will have a long-term influence on the appearance and feel of your house.
The sheer number of alternatives might make the selection process a little overwhelming at times. Here is a step-by-step guide to the major decisions that need to be made while choosing the wide plank wood flooring that suits you the best.
1. Select Your Favorite Wood Species
The most basic yet intimidating doubt is the wood species to go ahead with. This is arguably the most difficult aspect to answer as there are so many options to choose from.
The following factors should be considered when selecting a wood species: durability, grain preference, colour preference, and budget.
One of the first characteristics your eye notices when looking at a wood floor is the grain of the wood and the sort of pattern it has. As you glance over the floor, these provide the impression of movement. Pine flooring is known for its prominent knots, which give it a rustic, vintage character.
Finishes can change the colour of wood flooring, but if the original hue is considered and if you are contemplating a clear, water-based finish, the natural colour of your wood species is a very important deciding factor. Budget is the last deciding element in species selection.
2. Solid Wood Flooring or Wide Plank Engineered Wood Flooring?
The answer to this issue is mostly dictated by the area in which the flooring will be installed, as well as the sort of sub-flooring already in place.
Wide plank engineered flooring, which is a multilayer genuine wood flooring product, is the best option for installation in the basement or ground level. In situations with humidity and temperature change, it provides more stability and less movement than solid wood flooring.
Solid or engineered flooring can be utilized on the ground level and in upper rooms (above grade) with plywood subfloors, consistent humidity and temperature levels, and no susceptibility to excess wetness.
The ability to refinish solid flooring numerous times is its major benefit. Solid wood’s greater tendency to shrink/expand with humidity and temperature fluctuations, might be a disadvantage depending on the installation region.
3. Preferred Grade of Wood
Depending on the species, wide plank hardwood flooring comes in a variety of “grades.” The grades are used to identify certain planks and are based on the physical properties of the wood.
In terms of colour and look, a “premium” grade plank offers the maximum degree of homogeneity. It has the fewest character marks and has the most upmarket and professional appearance.
The planks of the “Select” category contain some natural colour variations and character markings, but they are mostly consistent.
A “character” grade plank has several character markings, as well as a variety of colour and grain looks. It has a more relaxed and rustic vibe.
4. Which Cut?
The look of the finished wood planks created from a log is greatly influenced by the manner it is cut. The most conventional cut for flooring is plain sawn (also known as flat sawn). When the log is sliced parallel to the growth rings, it produces a lovely open grain pattern with “cathedral” patterning.
Rift Sawn planks, on the other hand, are noted for their consistent grain look. When a log is quarter sawn, it produces rift sawn boards.
When a log is sawn perpendicular to the growth rings, it produces a quarter sawn cut. Straight grain and medullary rays (flecking) appear when the growth rings are perpendicular to the surface. The aesthetic components of plain/rift/quarter sawn methods are combined in live sawn boards, resulting in a complex grain pattern.
Also Read: Top Bathroom Flooring Ideas
5. Width of the Plank
Wood flooring is available in “strips” (lengths of flooring less than 3 inches wide) and “broad planks” (lengths of flooring greater than 3 inches wide).
There isn’t a formula here; it’s all a matter of personal choice. Random-width planks provide the impression of more floor space, making them a great choice for a compact area. They also have a more rustic appearance than a floor made of uniform-width boards.
6. Floor Finish
The finish of your wood floor is the last item to consider. A finish is crucial because it protects the wood over time while also deciding how glossy or matte your floor looks. Proper care, regardless of the finish you pick, is essential for enhancing the long-term beauty and function of wide plank wood flooring.
A Sustainable Makeover: Wide Plank Wood Flooring
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The environment’s effect has grown increasingly significant in today’s ever-changing world. Reclaimed wood makes up a large portion of wide plank wood flooring. Reusing this wood helps to preserve the natural resources of the forest.
Installation of wide plank wood flooring can add life to a space in an unmatchable way. A wide plank flooring, being the modern era’s sustainable choice, imparts a natural and classic look to the space.
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