One of the most crucial design elements you can make when choosing the best material for your hardwood floors is choosing the width of the hardwood floor planks. Determining the width of your planks, along with the materials that work best for your home, will ultimately be determined by your desired aesthetic, as well as the functionality of the space. Of course, hardwood flooring is available in many different materials, each with vastly differing characteristics, which can make it difficult to choose the best floor width for your home.

The most important thing to remember is that the best width for your hardwood floor planks will ultimately be the width that makes you the happiest. Our team at Artisan Wood Floors will help you choose the best width for your hardwood floor planks to achieve the perfect look for your unique style.

Hardwood Flooring Materials and Style

Figuring out the desired aesthetics of hardwood flooring that works best for your home is one of the most fun parts of designing a space. When it comes to installing flooring in your home, we often recommend that you select the material for the flooring first. This can help you then decide on the appropriate plank width. 

The type of hardwood flooring styles to choose from are either:

• Prefinished flooring

or

• Site finished flooring. 

Certain types of wood flooring, such as prefinished planks, should be avoided in high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Flooring finished on site is raw wood, and aside from picking the best width, we will customize the color, texture, pattern and finish for your specifications.

Woodgrain

It is essential to take into account the wood grain when choosing which hardwood floor width is best for you. 

• For wide planks: Wood with a lot of grain and knots shows its character the best in wide planks. 
• For narrower planks: The consistent variations in species such as oak and maple make them excellent choices for narrower planks. 

If your heart is set on a specific species of wood, the characteristics of that wood, along with the availability in widths, may help you refine your options and help you in choosing the best width for you. Ultimately, the material you decide on will be determined by what flows best in your home and goes with your decorative style.

Narrow Planks

Classic hardwood flooring styles are generally 2 to 3 inches wide. The narrower sized planks are a timeless wood floor design feature that works in both traditional and modern homes. Narrow planks are also great for achieving patterned designs such as herringbone, chevron, or block parquet. 

Narrow hardwood floor widths may be best for rooms which are themselves small or narrow. You may find that the right pattern style, created out of narrow planks, can make a room feel larger. Accenting with gorgeous borders or medallions is another way our craftsmen at Artisan Hardwood Flooring can add exciting details to narrow hardwood floors.

Wide Planks

Although narrower planks are a classic go to, recently more people are shifting to wide-plank hardwood floorings. The standard size plank nowadays is 5 inches, but boards are available anywhere from 4, 5, 7, and even up 10 inches wide.

Does Wide Plank Flooring Make a Room Look Bigger or Smaller?

With fewer seams on the floor, a small room can look larger, and the broad planks can deliver an elegant flow to any space. The design possibilities of larger planks are endless, making them appealing to contemporary spaces and rustic style designs alike.

Random Width Planks

Random width boards are also growing in popularity and can be incorporated in any style décor. This varying sized flooring delivers an authentic look by integrating the natural variety of the tree widths. Because manufacturers don’t have to sort or trim these planks as much, random width flooring can also be less expensive. The versatility of this hardwood flooring option creates a stunning design scheme that adds warmth and character to any space.

So What Width of Hardwood Flooring is Best?

The best hardwood floor width for you is the one that works best with your design sensibilities. You can:

• Go for the rustic feel: Wide planks work best for rustic looks, especially with weathered or distressed styles. Historic woodfloor restoration is better for the environment and keeping things rustic will help your floors age gracefully.
• Make it elegant: Narrow or refined spaces often look best with slender widths.
• Give it some character: Wide hardwood floorboards will show off the wood’s grains and knots, highlighting the uniqueness of the wood. 
• Stay classic: The classic traditionalist style would be narrow planks between 2 ¼ inch and 3 inches wide. 
• Be modern: Modern designers are more and more turning to wide floorboards that can easily fit in with both modern decor or rustic historic homes. 

Other Considerations

There are a few other things to consider before setting your heart on a hardwood flooring design. 

• Keeping your budget in mind can help you determine the best hardwood floor width for you.
• Remember that larger planks are crafted from bigger logs and are therefore often more costly. 
• Keep the functionality of the space in mind as well. If you are planning on installing hardwood flooring in a kitchen or bathroom, your overall options will be limited to flooring that will maintain its integrity in that space.

Have Questions About Your Hardwood Flooring Project?

Picking the right width of your hardwood flooring is one of the essential design choices in your home. Take into account your décor, the shape and dimensions of the room, and the room’s use. The wood floor species, color, texture, and plank width are mostly based on what appeals to you and any budget considerations. Classic or contemporary, the width of your hardwoods should match your style and the unique characteristics of your home.

At Artisan Hardwood Flooring we’ll make sure to walk you through all of your options to create a stunning space that you love being in. Our expert flooring mechanics have years of experience and will craft a completely personalized aesthetic for you. For more information on PA hardwood flooring installation or to request a quote, fill out our form or contact us at (215) 515-7355 or request a quote.