Q: Are wide plank hardwood floors more expensive?

Tags: wide plank hardwood floors

Jean from
Timberlake Hardwood Floors
Mount Prospect, IL

A:

Wide plank floors are increasingly popular. They are more costly only in that all flooring goes up .10-.20/Sf as the board width increases inch to inch. You can find wide plank flooring in both solid and engineered styles. I recommend going with the engineered version and here's why.

The cross layered base of an engineered floor provides more structual stability. Wood contains a large percentage of water so with the changing humidty levels it will shrink or swell to some extent, this will occur in all wood floors, but much less movement ocurrs in an engineered floor. You also have many more choices in species and widths available when it come to engineered wide planks.
Just remember that when selecting a specie you should investigate how it with hold up to the climate in your particular region. Some exotics are extremely sensitive to humidty and just should not be installed in areas that experience freezing temperatures.

Jean from
Timberlake Hardwood Floors
Mount Prospect, IL

A:

Good morning Pam!
Contrary to what you have been told pine is not an unstable wood. It is softer and you will see denting, scratches, etc in the flooring. Most of this can be held to a minimum by simply following some easy rules. Keep your floors swept and put rugs at your doorways to trap sand and dirt and put protectors on the bottoms furniture that you move often such as chairs,to prevent scratching. Take your shoes off at the door. High heels are particularly hard on wood. There are many more things you can do to help prevent damage.
As with all wood you should keep a relative humidty level but your floor is not going to cup simply because it got wet. If you spill something, wipe it up. Never leave standing water and don't wet mop your floor.
If you can find a wide plank engineered I would go with it for the added stability factor. The chances of cupping in any solid floor increase the wider the board gets. I sell Authentic Pine and I know they have wide plank in both solid and engineered versions. (authenticpinefloors.com) Pine is a beautiful material and only gets better with age. If your still not sure how well they'll hold up go check out the floors in an old plantation and see for yourself.
As far as the rustic cherry goes it is pretty but I am not a fan of all the short boards you get in that grade of material. You can get it in longer lengths if your willing to spend the extra money for it but I like the pine.

Pam H
Fredericksburg, TX

A:

I am building a house and I am having a veryyyyyyy hard time deciding between yellow pine and rustic cherry for my living room, dining room and stairs. I do not want a formal look and I love the wide planks (7 inches). I have talked to manyyyyy people about pros and cons of pine. I am curious about what you have to say. The pine is much cheaper, and I like the way it looks. I've been told that it is an unstable wood and if it gets wet at all, it will cup. Won't the rustic cherry do the same? The floors are not in an area that has any plumbing but they are lined up with an exterior rock wall.
Please give me your opinion.
Thank you.