Choosing hardwood is exciting, but the moment you start shopping you run into a question most people never expect: how wide should the planks be? Plank width quietly shapes the entire personality of a floor. It can make a room feel cozy and traditional or open and modern, and it is one of those small details that changes how a whole space feels once it is underfoot.
Wide plank vs. narrow plank: what's the difference?
At BA Flooring & Design LLC, we have helped families across Broken Arrow, South Tulsa, Tulsa, Grove, Afton, Vinita, and Bixby choose the right hardwood flooring for the way they actually live. The difference between the two styles really comes down to width. Wide plank boards usually start around five inches and go up from there, while narrow or strip planks tend to measure under three inches. Anything in between gives you a balanced, middle-of-the-road look. Wider boards mean fewer seams across the room, and narrower boards create more lines and more visual texture.
The bold look of wide plank hardwood
Wide plank floors have a relaxed, high-end feel that has become incredibly popular in recent years. Because there are fewer seams, your eye reads the floor as one open surface, which is part of why wide planks feel so calm and spacious.
They tend to shine when you want to:
Show off the natural grain and character of the wood
Make a large room feel open and seamless
Lean into a modern, farmhouse, or coastal style
Create a soft, uninterrupted flow between rooms
A collection like the Mannington Mountain View XL shows just how striking a wide board can be. If you love the look but want extra durability in busy or moisture-prone spaces, wide-plank luxury vinyl is a wonderful alternative worth seeing in person.
The timeless charm of narrow plank hardwood
Narrow plank hardwood, sometimes called strip flooring, is the classic look many of us picture when we think of a traditional wood floor. All those extra seam lines add rhythm and detail that feels warm and familiar.
Narrow planks are a great fit when you want to:
Capture a timeless, traditional, or historic style
Add texture and visual interest to a room
Make a smaller space or hallway feel longer
Match the character of an older home
Because the lines draw the eye along their length, narrow boards can make tight rooms and entryways feel more generous than they really are.
Which plank width fits your home's style?
Honestly, there is no single right answer, and that is the fun part. The best width for you depends on your rooms, your furniture, your light, and the feeling you want when you walk in the door.
Matching plank width to your rooms
Here is the simple way I like to think about it:
Big, open rooms usually love wide planks
Smaller or narrow rooms often feel best with narrow planks
Modern and farmhouse homes lean wide
Traditional and cottage homes lean narrow
If you cannot decide, a mixed-width floor like Shaw Pebble Hill Mixed Width blends both looks for a handcrafted, custom feel that works in almost any style of home.
A little about us
BA Flooring & Design LLC has been a customer-focused flooring company since 2019, and we truly love helping people love where they live. We serve homeowners, remodelers, and builders across the Tulsa metro with every kind of floor covering, along with the design help to pull it all together. You can learn more about us and even schedule our mobile showroom to bring samples right to your door, so you can see wide and narrow planks in your own lighting.
Let's find your floor together
Still not sure which plank width is right for your home? Our flooring experts would love to help you compare options side by side. Reach out to our team to visit us in Broken Arrow or book our mobile showroom in South Tulsa, Tulsa, Grove, Afton, Vinita, Bixby, and the surrounding areas. Let's find a floor you will love for years to come.
