Size debate | Wide or narrow floorboards?

Choosing suitable floorboards for your home is a big decision. There are so many different options available, and you need to think about how they'll look in that space and how they'll stand up to wear and tear. When it comes to engineered wood flooring, you often wonder what size planks to choose. Do you go with wide or narrow wooden floorboards? If you are searching for advice, sometimes you will find contradictory statements. Both have pros and cons, but one may be better suited to your home than the other. Keep reading to learn more about the advantages of each type of floorboard, so you can decide which works best for you.

Ecoharwood engineered oak flooring. Width: 230mm. Colour: Extra White/3408. Surface texture: Sanded. Grade: Prime. Interior: Francisco Sutherland Architects. Photo: Anton Rodriguez 

Room size myth

A common myth is that narrow and short planks make small rooms seem larger. Wide boards, however, can give your room a greater sense of space, especially when they are light in colour, such as Ecohardwood light oak flooring shades: Naturale, White Transparent, Dunes, Ivory, Nordic White. Take a look at the wide range of colours we offer >>

Ecohardwood engineered oak flooring. Width: 230mm. Colour: Nordic White. Grade: Prime. Contractor: Tapu Construction. Project in Waterloo, London

In contemporary design, wide plank wood flooring in dark colours is often seen as a stunning flooring option suited to larger spaces. Ecohardwood offers an impressive range of dark wood floor>> options, including Deep Black, Cognac, Ebony, and Tobacco.

 You can usually get away with narrow or wide wood floorboards if a room is large enough. But while the wider boards provide an illusion of larger space, they can also decrease the size of a large room. It is a clever idea to mix wide and narrow boards in large rooms where you want them to seem more proportional. In the same way, you could create the border with the wide boards or vice versa. Planks running in the direction of the room's longest length also make it appear larger. Ecohardwood offers planks in 120mm, 145mm, 185mm, 220mm and 235mm widths.

Ecohardwood engineered oak flooring. Width: 230mm. Colour: Dunes. Surface texture: Brushed. Grade: Prime.

View the Ecohardwood projects gallery to see how different wood plank widths transform a space: Colours and Gallery >>

Visual appeal

Visual appeal is one of the biggest benefits of wide plank flooring. A wide plank floor will give you a feeling of stability and quality. It is particularly relevant with natural oak wood flooring, as wide planks can show off the wood's unique and natural grain, knots, spirals, and colour variations.

Because of their striking lines, narrow plank flooring can nevertheless contribute significantly to a room's design. In particular, a plank made from wood with a rich, warm finish will stand out. Narrow plank flooring with a light, neutral finish adds the right amount of texture to minimalist spaces. When narrow plank floors are laid parallel to walls, they visually lengthen the space.
 

Cost & Installation

Wider boards are usually more expensive. This is because larger boards are rarer since larger logs are more difficult to find. A narrower board is a great option if you want a traditional hardwood floor but you're on a tight budget.

Even though longer and wider boards cost more, they are easier to install than short and narrow boards. When calculating the cost of having the flooring installed, it's important to keep this in mind.

Maintenance

It is common for people to worry that wide solid oak floorboards will warp or swell over time. It isn't usually a concern when using modern engineered wood flooring boards, and the maintenance costs of wide versus narrow boards shouldn't be a major concern.

Produced in an environmentally friendly manner, Ecohardwood Symmetrical True Balanced Double Oak 3-layer Oak Flooring (top and bottom oak layers) construction ensures maximum all-dimensional stability and is ideal for underfloor heating. Depending on your needs, our wooden flooring is available in a variety of lengths, widths, and thicknesses. The flooring is available in a wide range of colours, grades, surface textures, and patterns. Due to its high structural stability, the product is perfectly resistant to temperature changes and will serve you for decades.

Which Is Better: Wide or Narrow Floorboards?

There isn't a right or wrong answer here. Instead, it depends on your specific needs and ultimately on your preference. Engineered oak flooring is generally very durable and easy to maintain, so durability shouldn't be the primary consideration when choosing wood flooring. You have to think of the look you are trying to achieve and the investment you are willing to make.

You can always ask Ecohardwood for advice if you're unsure of which type of floorboard to choose. We would be happy to guide you through the choices available by email, phone, or in person: Contact us >>