When selecting flooring product including hardwood, laminate, or luxury vinyl, the size of the plank is often overlooked, yet it has a monumental impact on the final look and feel of your space. The choice between narrow planks (typically 2-4 inches wide) and wide planks (6 inches or more) dictates the visual flow, perceived size of the room, and overall style.
Since the trend has shifted overwhelmingly toward wide planks for a modern, expansive feel, understanding how plank width works with your room size and style is essential to ensuring a successful flooring installation.
1. Wide Planks: The Modern, Expansive Look
Wide planks are currently the dominant trend and also recommended by the flooring professionals, favored for their clean lines and ability to complement open-concept living. Typically ranging from 6 to 10 inches wide, they are the go-to choice for homeowners seeking a contemporary aesthetic.
Pros:
- Creates Space and Flow: With fewer seams across the room, wide planks reduce visual clutter, giving the illusion of a larger, more continuous, and expansive area. This is ideal for large rooms and open floor plans.
- Modern Aesthetic: Wide planks lend a rustic, contemporary, and relaxed feel, often associated with high-end, custom homes and mountain retreats.
- Highlights Natural Features: Fewer seams mean you see more of the wood’s natural grain, knots, and variations, showcasing the material itself.
Cons:
- Dimensional Change: Wide planks are more susceptible to the natural movement of wood (swelling and shrinking) due to changes in humidity. In a dry climate like Denver, wider planks will show gaps more noticeably during winter. Solution: Choose engineered hardwood wide planks for better stability.
- Cost: Wider boards generally require more specialized milling and are often more expensive than narrow planks.
2. Narrow Planks: The Classic, Formal Look
Traditional narrow planks, typically 2.25 to 4 inches wide, offer a classic, busy, and visually detailed look.
Pros:
- Timeless Appeal: Narrow planks are the traditional standard and possess a more formal, classic aesthetic that works well in older or historic homes.
- Stability: Because they are thinner, narrow planks are inherently more stable and less prone to cupping or gapping, making them a safer choice in areas with slight humidity fluctuations.
- Hides Imperfections: The high number of seams helps camouflage minor flaws, slight variations in the subfloor, and small dents or scratches.
- Traffic Resilience: The high number of seams across the floor allows traffic wear to be spread over more joints, aiding in long-term durability.
Cons:
- Busy Aesthetic: In large, open rooms, the frequent seams can create a “busy” or distracting look, potentially making the room feel smaller.
- Style: The narrow look is less trendy in contemporary design, sometimes appearing slightly dated in ultra-modern homes.
3. Visual Tricks: Using Plank Direction
The orientation of your planks can dramatically influence the perception of a room’s size, regardless of the width you choose:
- To Lengthen a Room: Run the planks parallel to the longest wall. This draws the eye along the length of the room, visually stretching the space (ideal for long hallways).
- To Widen a Room: Run the planks perpendicular to the longest wall. This adds visual width, making a narrow room feel broader.
Conclusion: Matching Plank to Purpose
When making your final choice, always hold the sample in your room’s natural light and consider these rules:
Stability is Key: In variable climates, choose engineered hardwood or rigid core LVP over solid wood, especially if selecting wide planks, to better manage dimensional change.
Go Wide for Open Spaces: Choose planks 6″ or wider in open-concept homes or large rooms to create a clean, modern aesthetic. Prioritize engineered construction for stability.
Go Narrow for Tradition/Detail: Choose planks 4″ or narrower for a traditional, formal, or high-detail look.
Whether you choose wide or narrow planks, our Denver flooring shop is here to assist you in finding exactly what you are looking for.
