Does the plank width of hardwood flooring matter?

Style-wise, yes, and possibly even room size. Remember, the planks are wood flooring, so it depends on the vibe you want to create.

Wood floors add warmth, charm, and elegance to a home, and they come with many benefits, such as adding value to a property. Whether you decide to go with engineered or solid hardwood flooring, you’ll have many decisions to make, such as grain pattern, finishing–or plank width. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from each plank width.

Wide planks are where it’s at today

Anything from five to 12 inches is considered to be wide. These planks, which are currently trending, are warmer and more traditional. If you have rustic decor, a wide plank will fit in beautifully, especially since there's more space to show off grains, knots, and other features that make these floors so unique. They can also give a historical, antique-like appeal since they were mainly used in the mid-1800s homes.

Don't think for a moment; however, wide planks are not contemporary. But, especially in a lighter shade, they can give a room a more airy, open look and even visually expand it due to the fewer seams and fewer interruptions.

Narrow planks for a more contemporary look

Sometimes a narrow room can look cluttered and even smaller with a wider plank, so only narrow will do. Ranging in width from two to four inches, narrow ones have a long, linear look that can make the room appear elongated.

Get creative and mix them up

If your heart's set on wide planks, but the room seems too small, try combining wide and narrow (called "random width floors") to create unique patterns that will still give you the feeling of a wide plank but will lengthen the room. The experts at our hardwood flooring company will show you what you can do.

At MP Contract Flooring, we have several showrooms throughout The Greater Philadelphia Area with planks and strips of various widths in solid and engineered hardwood flooring versions. We work with homeowners, builders, and property managers in and around Bellmawr, Cherry Hill Egg Harbor Twp, Hackensack, Kenilworth, Lakewood, Lawrenceville, Plymouth Meeting, West Chester, Pennsauken Township, & Edison, NJ, Bensalem, Hatboro, Center Holmes, Lancaster, PA, Dover & New Castle, DE. So come in to see us and also get a free quote.