If you’re at the final stage of planning your wood flooring project, the chances are you’re wondering about whether you should invest in short, random or long length wood flooring boards. Short and long boards, if they are all the same size will come in packs where every board is exactly the same length. Short boards may be as short as 30cm and long boards could reach over 1.5m in some instances. Random boards come in packs with a range of board sizes in the same pack. Random length boards are more common than fixed length boards (long or short) and are typically cheaper. That said, short length boards will be cheaper than long length boards. So how on earth do you decide?
Your budget
If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t these days?), it’s a good idea to opt for either random length or short length boards (if you can find them). As we’ve mentioned already, you shouldn’t have any trouble tracking down random length boards, but fixed, short length boards at a similar price might be tougher to source. If price is no issue, then you will be able to opt for any of the three that takes your fancy. All of that said, it is most common for people to want to make their boards look random once they’re fitted, even if they aren’t, so before over-investing in fixed length flooring, do make sure that you’re not wasting your money J.
The size of your room
If you have a large room, then long, fixed length boards will reinforce the size of your room and may even work to make it look bigger. If this is what you want to achieve, then choosing long, fixed length boards isn’t an issue. However, if you want to make a cavernous room appear smaller, then there’s no getting away from the fact that either short, fixed length boards or random boards will achieve that objective better.
The impact of creating breaks in your floor, and particularly random breaks will help create interest in the floor and therefore attract attention to the flooring rather than to the size of the room. Clearly the opposite is true with small rooms whereby long, fixed length boards can cleverly create an illusion of space.
The look you’re hoping to achieve
When it comes to making the right choice, it’s worthwhile looking around at lots of different floors before making your final choice. Becoming a ‘floor spotter’ is a great way of determining what you like and what you don’t like, helping you avoid making expensive mistakes.
Even if you choose fixed length long or short boards, it’s normally advisable to lay your boards on a random basis to avoid creating an end result that seems fake. The joins in your floor create interest and charm if they fall in a random pattern. If however, they all fall in line, they can look boring and almost industrial; cold and lacking in charm. So, even if you’re looking for long or short boards, you should make sure that either you, or your installer fit them on a random basis.
Whether you’re fitting DIY or pro
On the basis that a floor should be fitted so that the joins of your floor fall in a random pattern, it’s worth considering who will fit your floor before choosing fixed length boards that are either short or long. If you’re fitting the floor yourself, making a fixed board floor have random joins isn’t particularly complicated and only involves cutting the first board on every row. However, if you’re not all that confident about your fitting capabilities, then boxes of random boards will help you achieve this result without needing to cut boards or over-plan your project. On the other hand, if you’re getting the professionals in, then you needn’t worry about this issue.
If you’re struggling to choose between short, random or long length boards and would welcome some help, then we’re here for you. All you need to do is get in touch using any of the methods on our website and one of our team will be delighted to advise you.
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FAQ
What are the differences between short, random, and long length wood flooring boards?
Short and long length wood flooring boards come in packs where every board is of the same length, with short boards being as short as 30cm and long boards potentially reaching over 1.5m. Random length boards come in packs with a range of board sizes.
How does the choice between short, random, and long length boards affect the budget?
Generally, random length and short length boards tend to be cheaper options. Fixed short length boards might be harder to source. Long length boards tend to be more expensive. However, regardless of length, most people prefer to make their boards look random once fitted.
How does the size of the room influence the choice of board length?
In large rooms, long length boards can enhance the size and even make the room appear bigger. If you want to make a large room appear smaller, short or random length boards can help achieve this by creating visual breaks in the floor. Conversely, in small rooms, long length boards can create an illusion of space.
How does the choice of board length affect the overall look of the room?
Choosing the board length depends on the look you’re hoping to achieve. Regardless of the length of the boards chosen, it’s often recommended to lay the boards in a random pattern to create an end result that seems more natural and interesting.
Does the choice of board length depend on who is fitting the floor?
If you’re fitting the floor yourself, random length boards can make it easier to achieve a natural-looking random pattern without needing to cut boards or over-plan your project. If you’re hiring a professional to fit your floor, you can choose any length without worrying about this issue.