Hello,

We have 3 " solid red oak flooring on the ground floor of our bungalow-style home and in the foyer upstairs. We are planning to replace the upstairs bedroom carpet with the same type of hardwood. As a result, the new hardwood to be installed will adjoin the existing hardwood in the upstairs foyer.

What we've found is that 3-1/4" is now more standard -- 1/4" wider than what is existing. Should we pay a slight premium to get 3" to match the current or go with the new "standard" 3-1/4"?

We want the new hardwood to run lengthwise in each bedroom. For one bedroom, the new hardwood would change direction from the foyer with a board in the door threshold separating the old and the new. For the master bedroom, the boards will continue in a lengthwise direction from to foyer into the bedroom -- not sure whether there will be a board in the door threshold in between as the installer will decided.

Does anyone have recommendations -- should we stick with the same width or go with the new 3-1/4" standard? The existing was installed around 2003 and is natural color, not stained. I know that regardless of width, there will not be a perfect match between old and new. One impulse tells me to try to match as closely as possible...another one tells me not to fight the newer/wider standard.

Any advice will be appreciated!

Thanks, Carol

Hardwood Floor project · More Info

Hardwood Floor project · More Info

Hardwood Floor project · More Info