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You have questions, we have answers. Explore the most frequently asked questions about hardwood flooring below. Need assistance or want to know more? Contact Carlisle or call 800-595-9663 today to get all your inquiries answered.
Wide plank hardwood flooring will make a small room look bigger. With floorboards that are much wider and longer than standard commercial flooring, wide plank floors have far fewer seams and a less “busy” appearance. As a result, a room with wide plank floors will appear and feel more spacious. Wide plank floors installed on a diagonal can also create an illusion of more space in a room.
Wide plank flooring is made of solid hardwood or engineered floorboards that are 5” to 20” wide and up to 12’ to 16’ long. In contrast to standard commercial flooring that is no more than 3” wide and 4’ long, wide plank floors add a sense of spacious elegance to a room and allow the personality of the wood to be better seen and appreciated.
Because wider floorboards are harvested from larger trees and require more labor to produce, wide plank floors are inevitably more expensive than standard commercial flooring.
Explore and select from our gallery of our most popular finishes, specially categorized by the personalities and traits of the floor designs.
ExploreWide plank wood flooring can be cleaned and maintained just as any hardwood floor. Regular sweeping and vacuuming will remove dust and debris that can cause scratches. Stubborn dirt or grime can be loosened and removed by mopping with a light application of vinegar and water (1 or 2 ounces of vinegar to 2 gallons of water), a cleaning solution that is both effective and eco-friendly.
Yes. Texturing a wide plank floor gives the hardwood the appearance of a surface that has been lived on for generations. Common texturing techniques include hand-scraped edges that mimic the appearance of floorboards that were once prepared for installation by hand. Wire brush treatments wear away the softer grains from the wood to create the appearance of a floorboard that has been worn down by time and foot traffic. Texturing adds a sense of character and visual interest to any wide plank floor.
Aesthetic beauty is the greatest benefit of a wide plank floor. With fewer seams and more of the personality of the hardwood revealed in each floorboard, wide plank floors create stunning surfaces that are often the central design element in a room. Wide plank floors add value to a home and are easier to install since there are far fewer floorboards involved.
Many homebuyers prize hardwood floors and are willing to pay a bit more for them. Realtor.com estimates that hardwood floors may add up to 2.5% to the value of a home.[1]
Prefinished wide plank floors are made with boards that are cut, sanded, stained and sealed within the factory-controlled conditions of a manufacturing facility. Prefinished hardwood flooring is delivered to a job site ready for immediate installation – no sanding or sealants are required on site. This allows homeowners to avoid the mess of sawdust, the odor of sealants and the inconvenience of having to vacate the premises for several days while the floors dry.
The initial upfront costs of a prefinished wide plank floor are higher than the cost of an unfinished floor. But once you have factored in the costs for installing and finishing a floor on site, prefinished floors are usually less expensive.
Engineered wide plank floors are made with floorboards that have a veneer of hardwood that is glued to multiple layers or plies of backing material such as fiberboard, plywood or Baltic birch. With the grain in each ply running in different directions, an engineered floorboard has a stronger core that is less susceptible to expanding, contracting, warping or cupping when exposed to higher levels of humidity. For this reason, engineered wide plank floors are often installed over radiant heating systems, on concrete slabs or in locations below grade such as basements. However, engineered floors should not be used in environments where the relative humidity drops below 30%.
Engineered wood floors are no more prone to scratching than their solid wood counterparts. Engineered floors made with softer woods or finishes are more likely to scratch easily, while floors made of harder woods and finishes will resist scratches and scuffs.
As a leader in wide plank flooring since 1966, Carlisle Wide Plank Floors offers hardwood surfaces in a remarkable range of woods, textures, colors and grades. Unparalleled service and expert guidance at every step help to make the process of creating a wide plank a truly pleasurable experience.
