Wide plank flooring is a common choice for modern, on trend homes.
Albany Woodworks specializes in beautiful Wide Plank Flooring in reclaimed Heart Pine. This is the Antique Heart Pine Wide Plank Chateau Collection available on our website installed in a customer’s home. The consistent quality of our flooring makes it look original to the home. It is perfect for remodeling a historic home.
From the Home Style Choices article Wide Plank Flooring:
Wide plank wood flooring may seem like something from a rustic cabin or a 200-year old historic home. It’s true that these types of homes often have this kind of floor, but it is know desired in the stylish modern homes. There’s more to wide plank wood flooring than just pine boards fit for an old cabin. Wide plank floors can be available in just about any type of wood, from softwoods to hardwoods, exotics to antiques. Wide plank wood floors aren’t every application, but they offer an alternative to the often-used narrow strip flooring.
Just What Is Meant By “Wide Plank”?
Wide plank means boards that are wider than about 3″. Anything narrower than that falls into the “strip” category of wood flooring. Beyond that technical definition however, wide plank wood flooring usually carries with it a ‘wider’ implication. ‘Wide plank’ usually means boards that are anywhere from 5 to 20 inches wide. It’s in these broader widths that wide plank wood flooring gains it’s drama and distinction over the narrow strip floors.
Are There Any Benefits To Wide Plank?
If you’re in the market for a wood floor ask yourself if wide plank wood floors offer any benefit over strip flooring. When floors were laid 150 years ago it made sense to use wider planks. The resources (larger, old growth trees) were plentiful, it took less time to lay the floor (fewer pieces) and using wider planks eliminated the effort of sawing larger boards into smaller strips.
In today’s world however, the real benefit is mostly the aesthetic appeal that comes with a wide plank floor. It reflects a style choice that’s still in the minority and from that standpoint, offers diversity. There are also a few considerations you need to think about with wide plank floors because of their size. Understanding these points will help you make a more informed decision about whether they’re right for your application.
Environmental Impact
One additional point to think about is the environmental impact. A lot of wide plank wood flooring is made from reclaimed lumber. That’s wood that has been saved from the waste stream and put to good use again. Some of the very wide planks originated from the large trees harvested from virgin growth forests nearly a century ago that were used as beams in factories and barns. Reusing this wood saves existing timber stands.
For more information about Albany Woodworks’ wide plank flooring, click here.