Wide vs. narrow wood floor planks: Does it matter?

From a design point of view, yes, it matters. Any floor sets the overall tone of a room, and hardwood flooring is made of planks. The short, simple explanation is that wider planks tend to be more traditional while narrow ones are more contemporary. Still, more than that and you also need to take color and your overall style into consideration.

At our Calgary flooring company, you?ll see a large inventory of both solid and engineered wood flooring with names like Karastan Belle-Luxe.

Wide board hardwood flooring

These are currently trending and display characteristics, like knots and grains, better. It can also give an antique-like, historical look because mid-1800s homes often used wide planks.
Because they have fewer visual breaks, they can make a room look expensive.

While mainly associated with traditional decor, wider boards can also work well in a modern, contemporary atmosphere, especially when a species is selected in lighter tones with no knots.

If the room isn't sunny and has dark, saturated hues on walls, upholstery, and accessories, a wide plank can make it look smaller and, in that case, you might prefer narrow. Especially when in a lighter color, they can make a room seem larger, giving it a bright, airy look.

What are random width planks?

Trending hot, this is simply the use of different sized planks to create unusual arrangements. This can also give your home a historical look because random (mixed) width was built in the 1800s to reduce waste when cutting logs, making it common to see varied widths in the same room.

They work well in any decor, from modern to classic to traditional. It can be the best of all worlds; if your heart is set in a broader plank, but it doesn't seem as though the room's proportions will allow it, your designer can create a pattern using both, with a look that won't cramp the space.

Whether your installation is residential or commercial, consider hardwood flooring. It is elegant, warm, versatile, long-lasting, and very cost-efficient. Visit the Westvalley Carpet & Flooring showroom in North Calgary, AB, South Calgary, AB, or Westvalley Central (Calgary, AB), especially if you live or work in The Greater Calgary area. You'll be glad you came in and will walk out with a free hardwood flooring quote.