Are you working with engineered hardwood or solid? What type of wood do you have in the hallway? Engineered or solid?

When do you feel you will 'redo' the wood in the hallway? Can you load photos of what we are working with? Is this on a second level? Or is it attached to the living areas like living room, kitchen, entrance, etc???

In the hallway its solid hardwood - 3/14 x 3/4. We won't be doing anything with the hallway in the foreseeable future. A couple of photos are attached. I just don't know if we can put a completely different colour in the bedrooms and, if so, should the planks run perpendicular to the hallway? should the new wood be the same width as the old? this hallway is attached to the living areas in a raised bungalow and the dark hardwood runs throughout the rest of the space, except the kitchen. Thanks so much!

Pictures help a lot. You could definitely use a lighter wood floors in those 3 rooms. I say you could use any width board( 3-1/4", 5" or wider). I would consider the same thickness which 3/4" in solid or engineered floor. So no transition moldings are needed from hall to rooms. You will find most of the wood floors nowadays are in matte finish, some with wire brush texture. Diagonal installation is an option to think about. Hope my cents is helpful.

Millennium Maple Unik · More Info

OK...the solid hardwood is factory finished. That's fine. It means that you can choose a solid factory finish so that EVENTUALLY you can get all of this refinished at the same time AND STILL end up with the same floor throughout.

What you do is find the SPECIES of the hardwood and the width (and the thickness)...and if you can find the same grade/cut. Sure you can run it perpendicular to the hallway...so long as you are NOT on wood joists. If you have wooden subfloors the direction of the joists will dictate the direction of install.

Regardless. So long as you get the same species in solid, you can always sand/refinish everything at once = same floor throughout the home. You do not have to do it today...but it gives you the BEST option to do it later if you want...or just before you put the house up for sale.

Good points made! SJ. Looks like existing floor is prefinished red oak floor with semi gloss sheen. Below is an example of Red Oak Shadow from a Canadian Mill Mercier. With them, you may choose your floor 3/4" x 3-1/4" or 5" wide with semi-gloss or matte finish.

Mercier Red Oak Shadow hardwood flooring

to your other question: you usually can't change directions because flooring needs to be run perpendicular to the supporting joists. that depends a bit on your house and the install, however.

thanks so much everyone for your comments, they're all very helpful

Is the hallway the only area with the dark hardwood? If so, I would just rip it out and have the same flooring throughout that area.

If the hallway is connected to another area with hardwood already, then I agree with @SJ McCarthy

Hi, Jennifer. We are in the same situation now. Curious as to what you ended up doing?

Looks great! Thank you for responding and including photos. I'll feel more confident now about doing the thing.