Prior to the 19th century, wooden floors could only be afforded by the wealthy. The use of larger trees allowed for wide plank floors.
Painting the planks and using wood from multiple species of tree were popular methods of decoration, as shown in some of the examples from American vintage home renovators/decorators Old House Online.
Back in fashion
Carpets overtook wooden floors from the mid-20th century thanks to the cheap manufacture of man-made fibres. However, interior design trends have brought wooden floors back to the fore on both sides of the Atlantic in recent decades.
With the improved technology for making engineered wood, there is now more choice for your floors than ever. Online outlets such as Ireland flooring company https://www.woodfloorwarehouse.ie offer a wide range of wood flooring products.
Considerations for wide floorboards
Environmental awareness has reduced the culling of ancient trees in favour of using sustainable wood from younger trees. This has made wide floorboards more expensive, although it’s possible to buy reclaimed boards. If you’re buying new make sure that your wood supplier is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, as this wood comes from managed forests.
Wider boards can be more difficult to maintain than narrower ones. Swelling and shrinkage are greater than with narrower boards, so to preserve wide boards you need to make sure the ambient temperature and humidity are controlled. Talk to your supplier about the dimensional change coefficient to help you choose which wood is best for your home.
