Wide plank flooring has certainly made a comeback. It is available in a variety of colors, widths and materials. There are price ranges to suit any person’s budget and styles to suit every person’s home. This type of floor lends beauty, inspiration, class and increased value to a home. You can find many varieties of wide plank flooring. The choices of materials include bamboo, wood and laminate just to mention a few.
There are advantages to each type and it will really come down to the type of household that you have. If you have pets and young children or a lot of traffic, perhaps you would benefit from the convenience and durability of laminate. As a connoisseur of early American tradition or timeless elegance, you may prefer the look and hand of classic wood. Maybe you are going green and would like the Eco-friendliness and sustainability of bamboo.
Whichever material you select the possibilities seem limitless. The width you choose, available from four to 20 inches with most manufacturers, can help accentuate the decorum of your house. With all the choices in color, take the opportunity to experiment. Talk to the salesperson about bringing home color samples. Test them out in each room and see if you “feel” the color working with your abode.
Keep in mind that if you are considering going with wood, you will have even more choices to make. Wooden wide plank flooring comes in a variety of species. Some of the selections include ash, cherry, pine, hickory, maple, oak, walnut, chestnut, cypress and mahogany. Combine these choices with the diverse assortment of stain and finishing products that are available on the market and you can have any floor of your dreams.
Unless you are an avid and experienced do-it-yourself-er, wide plank flooring installation should be left to the professionals. If this is truly an undertaking that you would like to tackle on your own, there are many varieties of books and articles available on the subject of floor installation. By no means will it be an easy task though.
The maintenance and care of your new floor will depend on the variety that you’ve installed. The manufacturer should provide basic cleaning and care tips. There are several things you can do to help prevent damage to your floor. Using felt pads on the bottoms of furniture legs and under the edges of heavy entertainment pieces help prevent dings and dents. Placing an area rug inside the door helps trap dirt, grim and sand before it can be tracked all over your gorgeous floor. An additional tip that will work for the household is to place a shoe rack or basket near the entrance doors. Have slippers or flip-flops available for guests to slip on after they’ve taken their shoes off. For those that really want to make sure nothing is tracked in, you can even purchase disposable shoe covers to keep right inside the door and have your company slip on over their feet when they come in.
The options for wide plank flooring really do seem never-ending, but start looking at your choices, make a decision and then take the plunge. Your neighbors will envy you and your home will thank you!