Traditional timber floorboards: A labour of love

The use of timber floorboards began during Colonial America where wide boards were traditionally used. This timber was sourced from the old forests that surrounded the landscape, and due to the age and size of these trees, their grain was incredibly dense meaning that the heartwood was often harder wearing and durable than their younger counterparts that we use today. Oak, Ash, Maple and Pine were laboriously hand-sawn and used to build solid structures and form hardwood plank flooring. During this era, the timber floorboards were sawn with squared edges, face-nailed into the underlying joists and left untreated and bare, smoothing over with time and use. Many homes today from this era will still have their original floorboards. It wasn’t until late into the 19th Century that polished timber floorboards became commonplace.

The Industrial Revolution brought with it the technology capable of machining floorboards at mass to a consistent width and length. Around this time, we were also introduced to the tongue and groove (T&G), which we commonly see in modern floorboards that are installed today. This allowed nails to be driven into the tongue, securing the boards in place whilst pushing them together and hiding the nail holes.

why choose timber floorboards?

Traditional floorboards are a style that is hard to overlook whether in a vintage or modern home! Like parquetry, solid timber floorboards are highly durable - and as suggested above - can last centuries. In addition to their durability, switching to timber flooring offers health benefits as they don’t trap unwanted allergens and dust. They can be laid over existing joists or battens, however our preference is to install them on plywood as they feel more solid underfoot, are more stable because they can also be trowel-glued in addition to secret nailing, and will remove some of the noise associated with flooring that is installed over cavities.

Timber floorboards come in a multitude of species to suit your look, with the installation of reclaimed or recycled timber flooring also an option when trying to achieve a vintage style. Lucky enough to have original floorboards in your home? Let us bring them back to life for you - we can even stain them so they fit in with your current decor. Timber floorboards come in differing widths, so it is important to consider the space you have as well as the look you are trying to achieve. Whilst keeping with a minimalist aesthetic, wider boards (130mm) ooze luxury and elegance whilst standard floorboards (80mm) will give your room the illusion of space.

Be inspired by some of our past timber floorboard projects in our gallery below or call us and we will happily talk you through your options!