Ok...first things first: the installation. Where (in the world) are you located? What is your subfloor? How old is the current house? What type of climate are you in? Does your home have whole home humidity?
OK...now that you are on the 'back foot', I'll work forward for you.
#1. SUPER wide planks (8"-9") are expensive to install regardless of all of the above. They MUST have full glue application. The glue can and will add $2-$3/sf for the material costs (labour = $2/sf more). Just the glue+labour to INSTALL (I haven't gotten to prep yet) = $5/sf MORE than 4.5" wide planks. Nope. Not kidding.
Whatever wide plank you go with (5" or wider) you will have to budget the $5/sf for full glue spread.
If you have concrete, you must have a knowledgeable concrete specialist look over the slab to ensure it is sufficiently dry and properly sealed BEFORE the planks are glued. That's another $2-$5/sf (worst case scenario for concrete = $5/sf).
If you have a WOODEN subfloor, it MUST BE the more expensive plywood or HIGH END products like Advantec. If you need to resheat OSB subfloor (or any form of fibre board) you are looking at $2.50 - $3.50/sf FOR WOOD sheething. Yep. It is THAT expensive know. Labour is extra = $1-$2/sf
Remember these BIG numbers are for the glue down requirement because of super wide planks....or planks wider than 5" (all documented nicely in the NWFA Installation Guide for wood floors = $750 for a copy = purchased on line through their website: www.nwfa.org).
Whew! As you can see the 'bucks' you HAVE to spend on these massive planks = non-negotiable. They must be there or you will have massive problems...as in rip it out and start again problems. The 'bang' the glue down gives you = most stable form of install we have.
The bank account draining costs of glue down get worse if you have a bad installer who doesn't do EVERYTHING properly. If you have to pull a bad glue down = $3/sf to remove. Then you start again with the mouth dropping costs.
As for the material...it will be LESS THAN HALF of your flooring budget. An entry level, factory finished, wide plank wood floor (1/2" thick...engineered with 2mm wear layer) *should start at $7/sf. The solid stuff = $12/sf but you get the option of multiple widths.
Engineered wood is dynamically more stable than solid....but at this width it will still move quite a bit. That's why the home humidity really must be stable. I know you are OK with gapping and some cupping/crowning. I get that. And good for you for understanding what will happen to 'new' wood installed in an old way. But the humidity also changes the GLUE. And if that glue lets go, you are in BIG trouble.
Because you like the look of the older, deeper colouring of older finishes, I would recommend using an oil based finish or a Swedish Finish...or Conversion Finish. Yes they stink to the point of causing people to vomit and pass out (for the first 3 weeks) but once they have off-gassed you get the TOUGHEST finishes on the block. A decent oil based finish (done the old timers' way) = 30+ years of life. And in that time, it will age exactly as you want.
No need to stain (oil based gets darker as it ages). No need to distress it (it gets a patina in 5-6 years = all surface stuff....nothing wrong with the wood).
So...most bang for your buck: Engineered OR solid multi-width planks ranging from 3.5" - 5.5" in a CLEAT DOWN situation. These would then be site finished with the old-timer's finish of choice.
Any wider and you must use the glue...and that's when things move QUICKLY up the ladder. The benefit...not much more than a cleat installated plank.
And don't forget the humidity control. You need something with new wood. If you go with reclaimed wood floors from old houses = no need for climate control. No need for glue. Nail in place is just fine, thank you very much. Those old wood planks have LOST all the moisture they will ever lose. They ain't goin' nowhere.
See? Pay more for the reclaimed and SAVE on the installation costs....or SAVE on the wood and pay THROUGH THE NOSE for installation.
Start a spread sheet to start tracking your quotes. You will need to get 5-10 quotes to compare what the END cost will be...the material will be (almost) immaterial in the quote.
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Lime Gold Metallic
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