There are various trends that ebb and flow in interior design and construction circles. For a long time, wood was the main building material in just about every culture in the world. Over time, newer materials replaced wood in many applications. However, people have begun moving back towards the timeless and classic style of wood. Wood evokes warmth and home when you see it used for flooring, countertops, tables, and much more. There has been another trend that has emerged as well; that is the trend towards live edge wood.
What is Live Edge?
The processing of a tree is fairly simple. The tree is cut down and transported to a mill. It might be allowed to dry as a whole tree or it might be cut first. Either way, it is then cut into boards. It can be cut in many different ways, but it is cut into planks. The planks are cut into perfect rectangles with square edges. They’re packaged, shipped, and sold. Live edge wood is wood that skips one of those steps.
Instead of cutting the boards into perfect rectangles with square edges, live edge planks have edges that are not actually altered. They’re kept in the same state as they were when the tree was cut down. It’s called live edge because it is the same edge the wood had when it was alive. Many people have chosen to use live edge for flooring.
Live Edge Flooring
Live edge flooring is the use of thin planks of wood for hardwood flooring but using live edge wood planks. The planks do not have regular square edges that fit together nicely. Instead, they’re uneven and unpredictable. That’s why they’re so popular. They look rustic, classic, and dynamic. They look like the flooring that was used in antique log cabins, plantation homes, and homes from older eras. There are some concerns about live edge flooring.
Since live edge flooring does not fit together like puzzle pieces, there are gaps between the different planks of wood. If you’re thinking of installing live edge flooring, you’ll have to consider some kind of subfloor that you can use. The subfloor could be a different type of wood.
Live edge flooring is one of the most reliable ways to create a unique and dynamic floor. It is timeless, rustic, and classic. You should seriously consider a live edge floor if you are replacing your floor.