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Home Decorating

A Question about Hardwood Floors.

13 years ago

We are going to (finally) pull our carpet up and install hardwood floors. This is the first house we have lived in with carpet and between our allergies and our shedding, messy basset hounds the carpet doesn't work well for us. We *have* to use engineered hardwood since our house is built on a slab and I am okay with that! My question is this, we are undecided about whether to use the 3 1/4inch width boards or the 5 inch boards. I think I would like the 5 inch boards but the hardwood floors we have had in all of our houses in the past were narrower than that so I'm not sure how it looks installed. Have any of you opted for the 5 inch or the wider boards (I think there is a 4 inch) and do you have a photo to share? Any opinions? Thanks so much for any help! We need to make a decision and get them ordered.

Carol

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Comments (7)

chinchette
13 years ago
There is more chance of cupping in the wider planks. Depends on the wood species and how much it is prone to the cupping effect when there is too much humidity.
carolfm
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you. I,ll ask the flooring guy about cupping problems. If anyone has actually used them and has real life experience I would love to hear about it.
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sashasmommy
13 years ago
I'm not sure about engineered wood, but with real hardwood, the wider the board, the more you might see cracks in between the boards as they expand and contract due to humidity. I know this is an issue in Colorado but not sure if it's an issue other places.
juddgirl2
13 years ago
These pictures don't show too much of the floors, but I don't have a better one. I used 5" engineered hardwood floors in my daughter's room. We installed it over concrete slab 8 years ago and there's been no cupping or lifting.

DH installed it and he's a perfectionist, to say the least, so he was very particular with the prep, bonding material and strapping down and weighting the boards every few lengths or so.

It's Merbau, which looks similar to mahogany. Very hard - no dents like those covering the non-engineered soft wide-plank pine throughout the rest of the house!
stayn2busy
13 years ago
Our house is on a slab and we installed 5 inch 3/4 oak and we've not had any problem with cupping. I know it expands and contracts with the weather, but I've never seen any cracks between the boards. I know the floor was installed using the "floating" technique (two layers of plywood laid in opposite directions on top of a moisture proof barrier) so that might be the reason we've not had any problems with the wood. I love the wider plank look.
hoosiergirl
13 years ago
When we were hardwood shopping, we were told that it is better to get the wider widths in engineered wood because it is more stable and minimizes cupping, etc. I love the wide planks and would have had it in our home if our budget would have allowed it! Have fun shopping!
carolfm
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my post! I think I need affirmation that I am not making an expensive mistake.

Juddgirl2, your daughters room is precious and the flooring is beautiful. I am glad to hear that you have had it for that length of time without any problems.

stayn2busy, that is reassuring information. The guy who is putting the flooring in for us has been doing this for 30 years and has an excellent reputation so I expect good results. From talking to him, he plans on making sure that everything is done correctly from ensuring any potential moisture problems are addressed to ensuring the leveling issues are addressed as well. I'm sure your floors are beautiful. Do you have a photo? I love that look too.

Hoosiergirl, thank you. We are just relieved to be getting this carpet out of here.

Sashasmommy, thank you for bring that up, I researched the possiblity of that being a problem and talked to the flooring people. It is so helpful to know all the right questions to ask and all the issues that could arise.

Carol

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