Benefits of Long Plank Flooring
You possibly know different types of wood for flooring. But have you given any consideration to plank dimensions? Installing the same wood in long wide planks or narrow strips can afford different benefits. So knowing which flooring wood measurements offer the most perks is vital.
Many Canadian residents prefer the uniformity of narrow strips. Meanwhile, some others find the classic feel of long planks appealing.
Yes, narrow strips are the current floorings saturating the market. But long wide plank flooring thrives in exclusivity.
The latter conjures a complete sense of quality, tangibility, artistry, and nativity. Every piece of wood passes through thorough inspection and hand-selection. And these quality checks are to ascertain millability into a worthy flooring craft.
Are you one of those asking yourself should I install long plank flooring? We understand your flooring concerns, and we’ll address them here. We’ll take you through the characteristics of long plank flooring and hit well on its benefits.
At the end of this article, you’ll be able to make a confident decision about long plank flooring. So, let’s dive into it!
How Do Long Plank Floorings Look?
Hardwood floors are a popular choice because of their value to a home. However, natural hardwood is also an excellent option for homeowners because it can create a balance between an antique and modern look. Meanwhile, it also adds a unique sense of warmth to any space.
When purchasing hardwood flooring, the most important considerations are usually stain, cost, colour, and grain visibility. But most people don’t realize the length and width of your wooden plank can significantly impact the final look.
Extra-long flooring planks have several benefits. And we’ll discuss them later in this article. But first, let’s briefly discuss the features of long plank flooring.
Introduction To Long-plank Flooring Characteristics
Solid and engineered wood planks longer than standard boards are known as long plank flooring. You may also call them long-wide plank flooring. Although most wide planks are 5-inch wide, you can find ones as large as 7-inches or more.
In addition to being thicker, these planks typically have a longer overall length. As a result, it’s possible to find long plank flooring in various wood species and grades, from hardwoods to softwoods.
Features of Long Plank Flooring
Long wide flooring planks have different fittings benefits. For example, it’s perfect if your commercial space is a farm-to-table restaurant. You’ll have a great rustic appearance.
This flooring doesn’t exist within traditional aesthetic boundaries. It also works beautifully for contemporary settings with darker finishes that evoke a sense of refinement and luxury.
Generally, planks provide a greater area. Therefore, more prominent wood textures and knots can offer an aesthetic flair to a business or home space.
Your customers or visitors will love these long wide flooring planks. In fact, your home could be a point of reference when they want to install their wooden floors.
A long plank floor won’t only cover dents and nails satisfactorily. But it’ll also make scratches and foot-triggered defects appear natural and enhance your space’s rustic ambiance.
Before moving to benefits, the following are critical features of long plank flooring:
- Larger planks take up space quickly.
- Need fewer pieces to be fit.
- Allows several patterns to be spread over a floor, depending on installation area size.
- A herringbone, double herringbone, cube, brick, and basket are pattern options for long plank flooring.
- Wide long planks create focal points in a small space.
- Extremely dent-resistant when joined with acrylic resin.
Benefits of Installing Long Plank Flooring
There are numerous reasons you should choose long plank flooring. They include the following:
Installation is a Lot Simpler
One of the long plank flooring benefits is it easily covers the space that’ll take two or more narrow strips to fill. Therefore, you require fewer planks for expansive coverage, resulting in a faster installation time.
This benefit won’t just save you money on labour and other installation-related costs. But it’ll allow you to enjoy your new floor faster.
It Gives You Several Choices
The term “long wide plank” refers to hardwood flooring that’s at least 3 inches wide. This definition may be a vast one. But it signifies wide planks are available in nearly every type of hardwood.
Long plank flooring is available in a wide variety of finishes, colours, synergies, and wood species. And this availability exhibits one of the most important long plank flooring benefits.
Durability
One known fact about wood floors is their long-term durability. In contrast to other flooring options, wood flooring can last for decades rather than just a few years. In addition, sweeping or vacuuming is all it takes to maintain your long plank floor’s pristine appearance for many years.
Likewise, you have no worries when you buy long plank flooring from reliable suppliers in Canada. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, high-quality floor, you can’t go wrong with a product that’s been around for generations.
Hygiene
It has become increasingly crucial to maintain cleanliness since the recent pandemic. Another long plank flooring benefit is its capacity to alleviate any concerns you have regarding sanitation.
Other floors like carpets are havens for mud, dust, and pet dander. But one of the long plank flooring benefits is not only to prevent allergens. Long plank floors don’t require expensive and time-consuming cleaning methods like steaming to remove debris.
Additionally, the fragrance of a freshly cleaned wood floor will make your home even more appealing. This characteristic is in stark contrast to carpets and other floorings that tend to retain stench.
Appears Amazing in Any Décor Theme
The ability to always fit in is one of the remarkable benefits of long plank flooring. Long plank flooring has a wide range of design options, making it an excellent choice for any room in your home.
Installing long plank floors means you don’t have to worry about future aesthetic changes in your space.
Additionally, you can choose from a wide variety of hues, tints, and species of wood flooring to match your decor. You don’t get a repeating pattern with real long hardwood plank flooring.
Adding uniqueness to your house is easy when you work with natural beauty that comes in a range of hues, swirls, and grains.
Boosts Property Value
Long wide plank flooring can be valuable in homes and workplaces. Its worth can equal or surpass that of wall paintings, roof replacements, and so on.
As a result, flooring is one of the most sought-after qualities in a new house. That’s why purchasers usually steer clear of carpeted homes. Carpets give breeding spaces to allergens, but long plank flooring doesn’t.
Installing long plank flooring is a huge selling point if you’re building a house. It can speed up the future resale of your home or the ability to take a loan on it.
Improved Sound Quality
Your present floor may be causing discomfort when you play music loudly, or your children are chittering aloud.
But the hollow sound and floor vibrations won’t disturb you if you install long wide plank flooring. This possibility is because you better have a room’s acoustics with hardwood floors.
Have you ever thought about why music, drama, or dance theatres use wooden floors? It’s because of the fantastic acoustics they provide for sound enhancement.
They’re Eco-friendly
Non-biodegradable vinyl is the common material for making linoleum flooring. Also, synthetic fibres are the primary makeup of most carpets. Therefore, the manufacturing and disposal of these two floors contribute to your carbon footprint.
On the other hand, one of the benefits of long plank flooring is its naturalness. It’s straight from trees that are continually in cultivation. The fact that wood is a derivative of renewable resources and grows year after year adds to its sustainability. Many organizations, including the Canadian Government, work to ensure that wood flooring supply is ethical and sustainable.
You may not intend to remove or replace your long plank flooring. But assuming you do, the wood will degrade and provide nutrients to the soil. And that’s better than just taking up space and contaminating the ecosystem.
In other words, if you care about the environment at all, long plank hardwood floors may just be the best option for you.
They’ll Never Go Out of Style
Over time, your hardwood floor’s colour won’t change. In fact, the longer you keep these floorings, the more they’ll add to the value of your home.
Keep them looking their best by cleaning them every week and refinishing them as necessary. In the long term, you’ll realize long plank floors are a sensible investment because it’s simpler and less expensive.
Improves Air Quality in The Home
You should install long plank flooring when you need excellent air quality in your home. Resultantly, your home’s interior will be healthier with wide plank flooring.
Long plank floors don’t have any fibres, grout lines, or embossments that can trap dust, particles, and other allergens. As a result, homeowners with allergies and a desire to improve their home’s air quality will find long plank flooring to be a superior alternative.
Stain Doesn’t Fade
Many carpets will eventually turn dingy thanks to wear and tear. Difficult-to-remove stains can also cause the colour to fade. Long plank flooring doesn’t have this problem. Hardwood lasts so long and rarely needs replacement.
A Refinish is an Option
One of the numerous benefits of long plank flooring is its refinishing possibility. Unlike alternative flooring options that need complete replacements, you can simply refinish long plank floors when you want.
Compared to the cost of purchasing and installing new flooring, refinishing is a considerable advantage. Benefits include radically altering your home’s feel and appearance without investing a lot of money.
You only need to re-stain it. That’s all there is to it.
Expansion of your Room’s Visual
For some reason, large tiles are becoming increasingly trendy. Stylish long plank floors can transform a laundry room or modest bathroom into a space that feels much larger.
Your eyes will process the room as larger if there are fewer crevices on the floor. Therefore, you’d love the illusion of largeness if you’re moving into a small room.
An Unprocessed Appearance
Long wide planks also afford you the benefit of a natural wood look. They have a more comprehensive range of wood grain patterns. In addition, because long plank floors are wider than three inches, they have a more natural appearance.
Rooms with long plank floors benefit significantly from this exotic appeal. Wooden-wide planks will fit nicely in a variety of styles, including contemporary, Mediterranean, and rustic. But the fitting will depend on the hardwood type in use.
They’re a Cut Above the Rest
How long your hardwood planks are can enormously impact their visual appeal. Likewise, choosing the right flooring may significantly impact your home’s overall look and feel, especially if you’ll install it in each room.
Do you want your floors to have a sleek, contemporary look? In this case, you’ll need a plank longer than the typical length of three feet.
Unbeatable Quality
Pay rapt attention here if the quality of your hardwood planks is your primary concern. Grains, streaks, knots, and other identifying features are present in every piece of natural wood. Not even processing can erase them.
But manufacturers tend to erase these characteristics. They do this by making shorter boards of higher-quality wood.
Longer, lower-grade planks, on the other hand, are your best bet if you’re seeking extra-long hardwood flooring with those special traits. Aside from being more inexpensive, these long lower-quality planks are what you need.
You Get What You Pay For
As previously stated, you enjoy cheaper rates when using longer hardwood boards. As a result, if you’re short on cash, this can be worth looking into as a way to save some and still install top-quality flooring.
Related Article: Engineered Wide Plank Floors VS Solid Wide Plank Floors
Caring For Your Long Plank Flooring
Want to have your wide plank hardwood floors looking their best for years? Here are some tips to help:
The Sun and Moisture
Protecting your long plank flooring from key natural factors is the best way to keep them in good condition.
Temperature changes, extremely high or low humidity, and exposure to the sun are all part of these elements. Cracks can form if the temperature and humidity face rapid alterations.
Think of it as if your floors were alive and kicking. Therefore, maintain a steady temperature in your home to keep long plank floors from deteriorating over time.
Keep an Eye on the Finishing
Monitor your flooring. Floors that have seen better days should be sanded and given a fresh coat of paint. A re-coat is only an option if you can’t get by on a single coat.
A sanding machine can remove deep scratches from furniture, kids, or pets. After that, a second re-coat or finish will complete the refinishing.
Don’t Allow High Heels
You can keep your long plank hardwood floors in perfect shape with a no-heels policy. Tell visitors to leave their high heels and shoes at the door. This rule helps keep dirt, leaves, and other debris from trailing in from the outside.
You’ll also save time and effort in cleaning. Furthermore, you’ll benefit from germ-free flooring. In addition, you can place a modest mat or shoe storage rack to keep footwear and dirt out.
The Worst Fear of Wide Plank Hardwood Floors: Moving!
Moving can be a real issue if you have hardwood floors. It’s easy to damage the floor’s finish if you’re not careful when moving the furniture. Using felt, cotton or styrofoam padding to move heavy stuff helps.
Quickly Clean Spills
You should ensure you search and follow a comprehensive long plank installation method. Or better still, get a professional to install your flooring. Doing any of the two will ensure you apply polyurethane to seal and protect your floor from such spills. No liquids should penetrate your long plank flooring.
Always clean up spills with mild soap and water instead of harsh chemicals. They’re capable of drying out wood or eating away at any protective finish. Also, don’t use any cleaning products that the manufacturer doesn’t recommend.
Brooms and Vacuum Cleaners
Use brooms with soft bristles to avoid scratching your floor. On the other hand, vacuum cleaners are faster and less prone to damaging floors.
Avoid mopping at all costs! Harsh mopping chemicals can damage floors. Additionally, you don’t want to ruin your floors by flooding them.
Have a Pet?
Even though we all adore our pets dearly, their claws can cause significant damage to the wide plank flooring. Large carpets will function well in the play area for your pet. A rug is another excellent choice if you have massive furniture or children.
Related Article: Wide Plank Flooring – Pros & Cons
Summary
Apart from durability and quality, long plank flooring has several benefits. These include its value on long-term investment.
Long plank flooring also means it’s possible to spend more time on the things that matter. These floors afford you an easy-to-clean surface that’s both hygienic and requires less attention. But you need a trustworthy manufacturer to purchase good quality planks from and enjoy these advantages.
Three Trees Flooring offers top-quality long plank floors that offer the numerous benefits we describe above. Check our online collection of long plank floors or contact (416) 665-2624 to place your order now.