A recent trend in hardwood flooring is the use of long boards. Homeowners, home builders, and interior designers—inspired by European styles— have been increasingly attracted to the look created by length.
Long boards are actually nothing new. Before shorter boards came into style in the mid-20th century, long planks were common in the U.S.
For the rest of the century, however, most hardwood floor planks were less than 9 inches long. Some were as short as 2 inches.
Now boards from 9 inches to 8 feet are common, and some homeowners even want planks as long as 12 feet or more. As a design element, long boards are striking the right chord with many people.
I think the increased popularity of prefinished hardwood flooring is also a factor.
Unlike hardwood flooring finished on site by professional installers who can sand boards to make them an even height, most prefinished hardwood floors have a beveled edge to compensate for slight irregularities in the subfloor and small differences in milling thicknesses. With short (and narrow) boards, the beveled edges become very apparent and make a floor look too busy in many people’s eyes. Longer and wider boards help “hide” the beveled edges to create a more seamless look.
Whatever the reasons for this trend, there’s no denying that long boards are back in style! Are they right for you?
To see samples of long hardwood floor boards, please visit our showroom. Call 920.984.3383 or 800.354.9902 for an appointment, or just stop by. We’ll be glad to talk with you about the use of long boards or any other aspect of hardwood flooring.
