Have You Considered Wide Plank Live Sawn White Oak Flooring?
If you’re looking to refresh your home, it might be time to consider installing new wood floors. Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far for an on-trend, durable option; wide plank live sawn white oak flooring has taken the housing market by storm, and it’s easy to see why!
- Wide plank live sawn flooring is beautiful.
- White oak is timeless.
- The live sawn technique is environmentally friendly.
- Wide plank live sawn white oak flooring fits with numerous design styles.
What Is Live Sawn White Oak Flooring?
Also known as French cut, live sawn boards are cut straight across a log in one single direction at the sawmill, slicing straight through the outside bark and the interior heartwood.
This technique highlights the wood’s natural grade, characteristics, knots and grain pattern, producing a unique mix of plain sawn, rift sawn and quarter sawn boards all in the same floor. The live sawn sawing method also creates very little waste, making it one of the most sustainable options for wood planks.
Oak hardwood flooring (which includes both white and red oak) is the most popular choice globally, in part due to its classic yet modern look. In particular, white oak’s color often brightens interior spaces, and the species is known to be highly durable (able to withstand wear and tear from everyday life and heavier foot traffic).
The Basics of Wide Plank Flooring
Flooring planks with long lengths and wider widths allow the wood’s natural colors and characteristics to shine. And, while most natural hardwoods have variations in colors and grain pattern, live sawn provides even more diversity in the coloring thanks to using both heartwood and sapwood.
At Baird Brothers, our handcrafted hardwood flooring is available in 16” to 60” random lengths and 16” to 96” random lengths. (White oak live sawn flooring is only available in 16″-96″ random lengths.)
It’s important to keep in mind that all wood floors, especially wide plank flooring, need to properly acclimate to the environment before they’re installed. Wide plank flooring can be more prone to expansion or cupping due to the width of the boards and the presence of more growth rings.
Why Live Sawn White Oak Flooring?
Homeowners across the country are choosing live sawn white oak flooring. Why? Well, it’s versatile (due to its light color and neutral tones), it’s durable and the tongue & groove planks are easy to install – even if you’re not a professional!
1. Aesthetics
Nothing beats the look of natural wide plank white oak flooring. The neutral coloring and wide board widths give the illusion of a bigger space since there are fewer seams and breaks.
2. Durability
White oak falls at 1360 on the Janka Hardness Table, the scale by which hardwood durability is ranked. White oak is also resistant to excessive moisture, making it an ideal choice for flooring in high-traffic areas.
3. Less Time to Install
Wide planks are considerably quicker to install than their narrow-width counterparts. (It’s simple: wide plank flooring means fewer planks. With fewer pieces needed to cover each square foot, installation time is shorter.)
4. Timeless
White oak hardwood flooring has been used for centuries for a reason. Not only is hardwood flooring long-lasting, but it also allows you to update it with a new finish or stain should you want a fresh look again years down the road.
[Free Guide] Refinish or repair hardwood flooring to make it last for years to come!
5. Health Benefits
Hardwood floors can actually improve the air quality inside a home! Hardwoods help with allergies because they don’t harbor dust and dander as much as other flooring options. Plus, you’re able to bring a little bit of the great outdoors inside!
To learn more about the benefits of utilizing natural wood products and maximizing their benefits, check out our interview on American Hardwood Advisor!
Customizable Hardwood Flooring Options
Deciding to install wide plank live sawn white oak flooring is just the first step toward beautifying your home. Once you decide on the flooring species, then you get to add personalization to your new floor, including edge styles, stains and finishes.
Edge Options
Baird Brothers offers three types of edge style for flooring planks, including a square edge, micro bevel and V-groove.
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Square edge:
Each side is cut at 90 degree angles, resulting in a flat, seamless floor design. This edge style can not be pre-finished; it needs to be sanded and finished onsite.
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Micro bevel edge:
A micro bevel edge treatment creates a subtle v-shaped shadow line. Flooring with a micro bevel edge can be ordered pre-finished.
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V-groove edge:
V-groove floorboards have a chamfered (or sloped) edge. This means when the pieces are in place, a V-shaped groove and a more pronounced shadow line appear between the boards. V-groove flooring can also be pre-finished.
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Create a one-of-a-kind feel with your live sawn floor by hand-picking the finish and stain color offered by Baird Brothers. Both prefinished and unfinished hardwood selections are available.
Finish Options
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- Clear matte
- Clear satin
- Clear semi-gloss
- Stain & clear matte
- Stain and clear satin
- Stain and clear semi-gloss
Stain Color Options
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- Golden
- Light cherry
- Early American
- Traditional cherry
- Nutmeg
- Mahogany
- Danish
- Frontier
- Ebony
- Gunmetal gray
How to Maintain Hardwood Flooring
Before you invest, make sure you know how to care for your new solid wood flooring.
When sweeping, use a soft surface to combat dust. Avoid anything abrasive, including wire brush brooms. If your vacuum has a hard floor setting, use that instead of the carpet setting to avoid scratching the surface. You can also consider using furniture pads to prevent your furniture from scratching the floors if they move a lot.
While some types of wood can handle moisture more than others, it’s best to keep your hardwood floors as dry as possible. Continued or extensive moisture may cause the wood planks to warp. Similarly, choose a cleaner specifically for hardwood floors instead of soap and water.
Also, keep in mind that your hardwood floors can be refinished, as wear and tear becomes evident, to keep them looking brand new.
Find Your Next Hardwood Flooring
If you’re ready to elevate your home’s interior design with a flooring style that lasts for decades — and stays in style just as long – wide plank live sawn white oak flooring from Baird Brothers might be exactly what you’re looking for!
Reach out to our sales team to learn more about this unique and beautiful flooring option!
