Are Wide Plank Floors More Expensive?
Are wide plank floors more expensive than narrow floorboards, or other types of flooring? I love wide plank floors for the same reason as many people. It’s stylish and it can even make your rooms look larger. But, there are some downsides, including cost. Today, I’ll take a closer look at how the price of wide plank flooring compares to other flooring options.
Contents
- What is wide plank flooring?
- Is wide plank flooring expensive?
- Are wood plank floors expensive to install?
- How to choose the best plank hardwood flooring for your home
What is Wide Plank Flooring?
Wide plank flooring is wider than the typical solid wood flooring planks that make up the flooring market. Standard-sized planks can be anywhere from 2.5 inches to 4 inches wide. Whereas wide plank flooring starts off at around the 6-inch mark and can reach widths of 20 inches or more.
To create wide plank flooring, companies slice through the tree’s main tree trunk as opposed to larger branches which they would for standard-sized planks. The tree’s main trunk, which is, of course, the widest part of the tree allows the planks of wood to not only be as wide as possible but also considerable lengths.
Your Room Size and the Size of Your Planks
So which planks should you install in your home? One of the main deciding factors is the size of the room in question. Flooring can have a huge effect on the appearance of a room. So, if you’re trying to make a small room feel bigger, for example, installing wide planks could be the answer.
Your flooring can ultimately create an optical illusion of a larger space. However, planks too wide (over the 10-inch mark) may actually have the opposite effect and make the room look cluttered and small.
Are Wide Plank Floors More Expensive?
Wide plank flooring is typically more expensive than narrow plank flooring. That’s because there are a limited number of trees with wide enough trunks to create the wider planks. Trees with wide trunks take longer to grow. This increases their value and the value of the planks we create from them. And because the planks are so wide, the trees can only create a limited amount of them, which, again, increases their value even further.
Creating wide planks causes a significant amount of waste. To combat that, companies have now begun creating boards from reclaimed wood. The width of planks that we can make from reclaimed wood, however, is limited, as hickory, oak, and other hardwoods can only produce planks that are 10 to 12 inches at most.
Initially, the cost of wide planks can be off-putting, but because of their considerable width, you’ll need fewer planks to cover your entire floor space. It’s something to keep in mind when purchasing, as decking out a large room with narrower floorboards could end up being the more expensive option.
Is Wood Plank Flooring Expensive to Install?
Installing wide plank flooring requires the help of a professional to ensure that the planks are fitted correctly. If your floorboards aren’t installed correctly, you could face a whole range of issues, such as cupping, gapping, and a peeling finish.
When you compare the costs of installing wide plank flooring or installing carpet or vinyl, for example, the cost of the wide plank flooring will be considerably more. Many people are able to install carpet or vinyl themselves, which ultimately cuts the installation costs down to zero.
To calculate the cost of your flooring installation, you need to consider a few factors, the first being the area in which you live. Second, as with all industries, the more expertise someone has, the more expensive their services will be. And third, the type of flooring you choose will alter the installation difficulty level, potentially bumping the costs up even more.
Reclaimed flooring, for instance, requires skill to install. The planks are not only prone to cupping but they are also challenging to install without gaps between them. New wide plank flooring, on the other hand, will be far easier to install. They have tongue-and-groove edges that the installers secure together with finishing nails. Reclaimed wide planks don’t often have these tongue-and-groove edges. This means the installers would need to nail them into the floor joists.
How to Choose the Ideal Plank Hardwood Flooring for Your Home
We have already discussed how the size of your room can affect the type of plank flooring you choose, however, there are a few other factors that come into play, including the design of the boards and the humidity levels in the area in which you live. I’ll take a closer look at each of these next.
Plank Design
Vintage wide plank flooring won’t suit every home or every room, as it often has a grand appearance. Especially if it is textured or in a darker shade. With that being said, if you have a traditional home with rustic decor, then darker-shaded vintage wide plank flooring would be very well-suited.
For those with contemporary-styled homes, smooth, undistressed, and lightly shaded wide plank flooring will complement the space and the design perfectly.
Humidity Levels
Did you know that wide plank flooring is better suited to areas with moderate and stable humidity levels? If you install wide plank flooring in areas with fluctuating humidity levels, the planks will be extremely susceptible to shrinking and expansion. Wide plank flooring in areas that are dry and humid all year round, however, will have very few problems, making it a great investment for your family home.
Are Wide Plank Floors More Expensive?
Wide plank floors are initially more expensive than other types of flooring, but once you’ve taken into consideration the installation costs and the size of the room you’re fitting, the costs may actually equal out or be less expensive than narrow plank flooring.
In my opinion, the durability and appearance of wide plank flooring make the expense worthwhile. So, if you’ve been thinking about installing wide plank floors in your home, give it a try!
