Wide Plank Wood Floors

Home Additions

Wide plank wood flooring is gaining in popularity. Styles are constantly changing. This is true when it comes to flooring as well as in other aspects of home decor. Gone are the days of thin planks cut in short lengths. Today’s trends are leaning more and more towards the wider planks laid in long lengths. In fact, wide plank flooring accounted for 55% of flooring sales in 2016 according to the US Floor Report.

Wide plank wood floors are nothing new. Historians have been uncovering this type of flooring in historical homes that date back to over one hundred years ago. Many of these older floors had planks as wide as 18 inches cut in lengths over 12 feet long. The wide plank wood floors currently available have no set standard for their width. Some manufacturers consider anything over three inches to be wide. Most average five inches or more in width while companies like DuChateau offer 7.5 inch wide planks in The Terra Collection and The Heritage Timber Edition.

duchateau heritage timber trestle

The Popularity of Wide Plank Wood Floors

Wide plank wood floors are a new twist on a classic design. NJ home remodeling projects are seeing an increase in the use of wide planks in part because of how this new width gives a room the illusion of more space. Rooms simply feel larger.

Another reason for the spike in popularity is the way wider planks show off the wood’s natural characteristics so much better. The natural splits, knots, and mineral streaks can be seen much more vividly in wide planks as more of the actual board is visible. Narrow planks tend to cut these features short.

Unlike many flooring types, wide plank wood floors fit in with a rustic setting just as nicely as they do in an upscale modern space. This often has to do with the planks a homeowner selects. A consistent, clean, linear look is achieved by using all the same width boards where as a country appearance is easily created by using a combination of widths.

According to the National Association of Realtors, this is a trend that is adding value to homes. Wide planks in lengths of seven to eleven feet long are visually enhancing homes. The appearance of the main room done in wide plank wood flooring is certainly impressive to guests as well as prospective buyers. This is especially true when the softer woods like cork or pine are used in lighter colors that coordinate perfectly with the bright, bold colors being used in home decor.

Applications and Best Practices for a Good Installation

A minor benefit to installing wide plank wood floors is that the install time is quick. Wide planks cover more space per square foot than their smaller, three-inch counterparts. You will be enjoying your new floor sooner, and understanding the basics of installation will take the stress out of the process.

A pre-installation site survey will be completed through your home remodeling contractor before installation begins. Exactly how a wide plank wood floor is installed varies from one manufacturer to another, but one thing remains the same across all brands. This is how the floor will react to moisture.

The extent to which your plank floor will shrink or swell as it gains or loses moisture depends on the width of the boards. This is why each manufacturer will offer recommendations for installation specific to their product. Your contractor will follow them exactly for the best results.

Solid wood floors can be installed successfully on-grade or above-grade, but they cannot be placed below-grade. Your contractor should also be installing the planks perpendicular to the joists or else at an angle for single layer subflooring. It is important to ensure that the environmental conditions and the moisture content of the flooring coincide. There should be no more than a 2% difference in these figures.

The reaction to moisture is additionally handled by leaving a 3/4 inch gap for expansion along the entire perimeter of each plank. The only exception is when the edge of the board sits up against a wall. The length rarely changes. In cases where geographic location, interior climate control, and the time of year effects moisture, your contractor will recommend putting additional expansion features into the subfloor.

Some wide plank wood floors come in a glue down format. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) strongly suggests using a moisture control system for these situations. An adhesive that is approved by your floor’s manufacturer will be used, and your contractor will follow the installation procedure recommended, including any moisture test methods, open time, working time, trowel size, flash time, and use of rollers, straps, and tape.

You can trust the Trade Mark professionals to help you achieve your dream of a beautiful wide plank floor. With the quick install time, you will soon be enjoying a visually appealing look that gives the illusion of a larger space while adding value to your home.

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