People often have to prepare to begin the daunting process of shopping for the perfect hardwood flooring for their home, but they begin to breathe easy once they have the ideal sample clenched tightly in their hands. But what exactly are you going to do with that wood? Clearly you’ve thought about the type of wood and stain, as those factors most obviously affect the appearance of the room, but have you thought about the width of the board, the installation pattern, or the decorative touches…?
Do not panic. Keep holding your hardwood sample and read about your options. You will realize that you know what you want better than you thought.
Board width:
Board width can be divided into two categories, strips and planks. The strip is less than 3″ wide and the plank is more than 3″ wide, typically up to 7″ wide and sometimes even more.
strip floor It can be used to create almost any look by putting together the right combination of species, stains, installation pattern, and furnishings. Strip flooring creates a continuous, linear effect that, like a mirror or light paint colors, gives the illusion of a larger space. This makes it particularly appropriate if you’re trying to achieve a contemporary look in your room, especially if you choose a select grade hardwood with a consistent color. It is the most common flooring option seen in both commercial and residential applications.
plank flooring, with its wide tabletops, is most commonly used when trying to achieve a rustic or country look to the space. It also creates a linear effect in the room, but the width of the tables does not significantly expand the space. Although traditionally made of pine and considered to be the flooring used in old farmhouses or colonial homes, designers are beginning to recognize the beauty of this option for contemporary designs as well.
Installation Patterns:
The installation pattern you choose for your space can have as much weight in the resulting look as the actual wood you lay down. It will influence how the furniture will sit and movement in the room. Although there are not so many options, they are very different from each other, so choose wisely.
The most basic and common installation pattern is straight. Wooden boards are installed parallel to each other across the length or width of the room. This pattern is ideal for understated, contemporary designs, as well as any other design that wants to use the beautiful look of hardwood floors without flashy fixtures; this pattern lets the wood speak for itself. This is also the least expensive of the available installation patterns, as it is the simplest. All other patterns are more expensive due to the additional wood and longer installation costs.
Random Installation is also done in a direct parallel pattern, but uses a combination of floorboard widths. You can choose the ratio of wide to narrow boards, what widths you want to use, and how many boxes of each to buy. This gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of purchases and could save you money if, for example, you buy leftover boxes from discontinued series. These patterns often result in a rustic looking space, it adds a lot of movement to the room and gives it a feeling of energy.
diagonal pattern Installation adds a touch of luxury and formality to a room without straying too far from traditional drop-in installation or adding too much to your final remodel bill. The boards are installed parallel to each other but placed at a 45° angle to the walls.
parquet pattern the installation is somewhat of a lost art. Parquet installation is the laying of wood in a repeating geometric pattern, often resulting in a floor that has the appearance of a checkerboard, sometimes with more complex patterns within each checkerboard square. The pattern options are virtually limitless. This pattern gives the room a very distinctive and sophisticated look that is reminiscent of European grandeur. Traditional parquet installation is expensive and rare. It has now been replaced by prefabricated square modules with parquet patterns arranged in a wooden veneer.
in a herringbone pattern, strips of wooden flooring are placed in a zigzag diagonal plane that, as its name indicates. This pattern can be arranged in a traditional way or with square modules, like parquet designs. It gives the space a formal look reminiscent of old European flats, as well as museum halls.
Any of the listed installation patterns can be complemented or finished off with a perimeter edge or other decorative keys like mosaics. These can be made of wood, natural stone, or alternative materials like glass and metal shingles. The perimeter trim frames the room in which it is installed, a feature that works to separate the room from adjacent spaces and add formality. Inlays, like mosaics, add custom individuality to a room and help to significantly lean a room’s style toward the classic while still allowing you room to flex when choosing the royal mosaic medallion design or decorative border. .