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The Hull Forest Guide to Styles of Wide Plank Flooring
By Mary Hull
Live sawn white oak planks in varied widths of 6-8″ warm up a white kitchen.
We custom mill all kinds of hardwood and pine wide plank floors to fit your look and unique style -whether the place you call home is a vintage farmhouse, a brand new home, or an urban apartment, we can make you the perfect floor. Use this style guide to inspire ideas for your next project.
Rustic
Wood with rustic character works well for a variety of spaces – it is a natural fit for log and timber homes, and it’s also great in modern interiors where it serves as the perfect foil for white spaces and sleek surfaces like glass, metal, and tile.
- Wood floors are an essential design element, comprising the largest visible surface area in your home. Think of them as functional art and embrace the one-of-a-kind look that comes from wood with natural character.
- Wood with natural character adds a warm, organic element to any interior.
- Our best-selling rustic wood floors are in the natural character grades of live sawn white oak, hickory, and ash. Some people may think of character marks as imperfections, but we think they make the most interesting and beautiful wood floors.
Modern to Contemporary
From mid-century modern to the present day and future, if your interior is informed by modernism, we have some ideas for wood floors that will complement your style.
- Planks featuring various curated widths, for example a mix of 5″, 6″, and 7″ face widths, instead of typical all 5″ widths, can create a bespoke look that indicates the flooring is custom made. Planks of all one width can also be used to give off a modern vibe.
- Long planks mean fewer visible seams on the floor, enhancing the sense of flow in open floor plans, particularly when the same species and style is used throughout. The flow is further enhanced with matching stairs.
- We see our wide plain sawn white oak, red oak, ash, and maple going into modern and contemporary spaces, often with a stain to make the wood look a particular way.
Traditional
Have a vintage or traditional home? We can make floors to mimic historic milling techniques, and our random width /random length wide plank floors evoke an earlier time.
- It doesn’t get any more traditional than old fashioned wide plank wood flooring.
- Long and wide planks & random widths are often associated with historic homes. In the old days, when all logs were sawn locally, people used the entire resource as it came off the log, and they would not have had floors that were all one width, or even all one grade. Rather, they had boards in a mix of grades. Our live sawn white oak is a great example of this kind of flooring.
- We see a lot of our varied width flooring, especially live sawn white oak, going into antique, reproduction, and farmhouse style homes. Because live sawn white oak is a mix of several grades and available in a wide range of widths (varied as well as single widths) it is a good fit for many different interiors.
Classic to Transitional
Classic tried and true hardwood flooring enhances your home’s resale value, works with a wide variety of decorating styles, and will look just as timeless in the future as it does today. The transitional style is a classic look that appeals to those seeking middle ground – it can be less formal than traditional style and less austere than contemporary style. Transitional style takes elements from the past and the present and mixes them together for a clean aesthetic that prioritizes comfort.
- Red oak is a classic choice, available in select, premium, and natural grades with plank widths from 3-12 inches and very long plank lengths of 4-12 feet with an average plank length of 7+ feet. Red oak takes stain easily, allowing for a wide range of finish tones, and red oak is less expensive than white oak. Red Oak is also rapidly renewable, making it one of the most environmentally conscious woods you can choose.
- White oak is another classic choice. Those looking to save money are often drawn to the natural live sawn cut of white oak. When the design leans toward a farmhouse vibe, live sawn white oak is a very popular choice.
- We see a lot of our select and premium grades of red oak, white oak , ash, and maple going into transitional style homes.
Browse more of our flooring photos to get inspired. Ready for your customized quote? Click below or call us at 1-800-928-9602 .
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2023 Sawmill Tour at Hull Forest Products

Stewarding Local Working Woodlands & Manufacturing Materials for the Global Bioeconomy
Join us for our 2023 sawmill tour at Hull Forest Products and come see what we saw! Learn how our Connecticut forest-based business stewards local working woodlands and manufactures wood products, including green and kiln dried hardwood lumber, wood flooring, and timbers, for the global bioeconomy. Tour our modern sawmill and watch us make products from sustainably harvested local timber. Learn about woodland management, the local forest products economy, and how the sustainable use of forest-derived products can increase the economic viability of forests, securing their future. Find out how wood products reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon, and understand why it’s good to use wood, as well as how you can help forests to thrive in our region.
This event is free and open to the public on Saturday, October 21st, 2023, from 9 am – noon, rain or shine. 101 Hampton Road, Pomfret Center, CT 06259.
Email info@hullforest.com for more information or call (860) 974-0127.
Hardwood logs are tallied in the log yard at the Hull Forest Products sawmill in Pomfret, Connecticut.
Take A Sustainable Forestry Walk With Us!

Working Forest Hike in the Breakneck Woods, Sunday October 20, 2024, Sturbridge, MA
On Sunday October 20, 2024 from 10 am – 11:30 am, rain or shine, you are invited to join Hull Forest Products forest technicians for a guided 2-mile walk in Hull Forestlands’ Breakneck Forest in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This is a family-owned working woodland that has been formally managed for recreation, wildlife, and forest products for over 40 years. Participants will learn about the science of forestry and have a chance to observe forest management practices at this working landscape as well as several different forest types. We will also be looking at evidence of colonial settlement, early 20th century portable sawmill settings, and other historic features. Participants will learn how ongoing timber stand improvement work in this forest yields a sustainable supply of forest products for the local and global bioeconomy. This walk features moderate terrain with a few more challenging sections. Suitable for families with children. Leashed dogs are welcome. This walk is being held in conjunction with The Last Green Valley’s 2024 Walktober.
Come enjoy a fall day in the woods with us! Sunday October 20, 2024 10 am – 11:30 am rain or shine.
Directions: From Breakneck Road head toward the Sturbridge Transfer Station, and park along the roadside just before the transfer station. Look for walk signage on the left. For more information, contact Hull Forest Products (860) 974-0127 x 33 or cell (860) 933-8645.
National Biobased Products Day- Why Wood Is Part of the Climate Solution

March 8th is National Biobased Products Day and we are tallying the reasons why it’s good to #usewood ! The original biobased product, wood has the powerful attributes of renewability and carbon storage, which make it a superior, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly material. Wood products contain the least amount of embodied energy of any floor covering or common building material. That’s because most of the energy used to create wood comes from the sun, as trees harness solar energy to grow. Very little energy is expended in the manufacturing of wood products, which make up 47% of all industrial raw materials manufactured in the U.S. yet consume just 4% of the total energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. The forest products industry is also the leading generator and user of renewable energy in the United States.
The Substitution Effect
When wood products are used in place of fossil-intensive products (like plastics, LVT, tile, carpet, laminate, concrete, and steel ) greenhouse gas emissions are further reduced through the substitution effect. And no other building material provides as many ecological and community services as wood does while it is growing. As forests grow timber, they simultaneously provide wildlife habitat, air and water quality enhancement, recreational opportunity, rural jobs, green space, and carbon sequestration. Sustainably managed forests can provide all of these services in perpetuity while also producing timber the world needs. What’s more, when we manage forests carefully, we can increase their ability to regenerate and their ability to store carbon. Sound forest management also diversifies forest age and class structure, enhancing wildlife habitat and making the forest more resilient in the face of pestilence, wildlife, and climate change.
When you choose wood products from well-managed forests, you help to keep those forests as forests. Privately owned working forests provide 90% of the wood harvested in the United States. When the families who own these forests have strong markets for their wood, they are more likely to keep their forests as forests. Unlike far-flung parts of the world where there may be no environmental oversight or rule of law, the U.S. is a global leader in sustainable forest management and has a strong regulatory framework to deliver it.
Wood Products Are Part of the Climate Solution
The International Panel on Climate Change found that sustainably managed forests yielded the highest carbon storage benefit due to their ability to store carbon in harvested wood products long-term, and because management enhances a forest’s ability to store carbon as well. Wood products, when sourced from well-managed forests, are a safe, sustainable, biobased, environmentally friendly solution that you can feel good about using.
Join Us for Celebrating Agriculture Day on September 25!

Hull Forest Products will be exhibiting at Celebrating Agriculture Day at the Woodstock Fairgrounds, Woodstock, CT on September 25, 2021 from 9am -3pm. Bring the whole family to this free event to learn about all kinds of local agriculture, including forest management, logging, and the manufacture of sustainable wood products from local timber. Lean how using local wood sustains local forests, provides jobs, and promotes a strong ag economy. Free admission and free parking. See you at the fair!
For the Birds: A Forest Walk at Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Hoffman Reserve

Join Hull Forest Products forester Chris Casadei for a two-hour guided tour of Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Hoffman Reserve on Saturday October 17, 2020 at 10 am. Participants will view and discuss recent forest management activity designed to improve forest health and wildlife habitat. Tour areas of softwood plantation as well as native forest cover types, some managed and some untouched. Ample roadside parking is available and leashed dogs are welcome to join the hike. The location is across the street from 578 North Stonington Road, Stonington, CT. Please register in advance by emailing info@hullforest.com. Participants are also asked to wear masks and practice social distancing on the hike. This tour is sponsored by Hull Forest Products and is part of The Last Green Valley’s Walktober series of events. Hope to see you there!
Yellow rumped warbler
Red Oak Flooring – Durable, Classic, and Rapidly Renewable

Red Oak makes a durable, beautiful , and classic kitchen wood floor. Shown here in the quarter and rift sawn cut, select grade. Floor #317. Photo credit: Otto/Pete Aaron for RAMSA Architects.
Red Oak flooring is beautiful and durable, and Red Oak trees are the dominant hardwood species in the United States. Red Oak is also the the most rapidly renewable of all the American hardwoods: it takes U.S. forests just .57 seconds to grow one cubic meter of red oak! (That’s less time than it just took you to read these first two sentences.) Red Oaks do not grow in plantations – they grow naturally in forests throughout the eastern United States. If you are looking for a highly sustainable wood, there is no better choice than Red Oak.
Flatsawn (also known as plainsawn) Red Oak select grade wide plank flooring with Minwax Early American stain applied, floor #357, Norwich, CT.
Red Oaks are named for the color their leaves turn in fall. The wood itself has a distinctive grain and is exceptionally strong and durable. The sapwood is light brown and the heartwood is often, but not always, pinkish to reddish brown. American Red Oak takes stain and finish very well, making it a popular choice for flooring and furniture making.
Side by side, you can see the difference in appearance between these two unfinished flatsawn boards of Red Oak (left) and White Oak (right). The rays (the little dark brown streaks running with the grain) are shorter and less noticeable on Red Oak, whereas the rays in White Oak tend to be longer and more prominent.
There are significant regional differences to Red Oak. At Hull Forest Products we use northern Red Oak grown in New England within 100 miles of our sawmill. Because of the colder temperatures, Northern Red Oak grows slowly, giving it closer, tighter growth rings, finer grain, and a lighter and more consistent color.
A Northern Red Oak log sawn on our double cut bandmill reveals tight clear grain and consistent color.
Red Oak flooring is just as durable and beautiful as White Oak, but because it is so much more abundant, Red Oak is less expensive, making it a great option for those seeking solid wood flooring at a wallet-friendly price.
Learn more about grades and cuts of red oak flooring
Logging, Timber Harvesting, & Forest Management for Woodland Owners in CT, MA, and RI

Are you interested in timber harvesting and forest management? We’ve been providing forestry and logging services for landowners in CT, MA, and RI for over 55 years, and our work has earned us awards from the EPA and the Sand County Foundation. We can help you achieve your objectives.
Our state-licensed foresters work with landowners in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island as well as southern New Hampshire and Vermont and eastern New York to help them manage their forest resources.
Whether your goals are to improve the long-term health of your forest, conduct a timber harvest, convert forestland to open land, increase recreational access to your property, enhance wildlife habitat, generate income, or a combination of these, we can help!
Contact our forestry department today to learn more about our forestry services at (860) 974-0127 extension 4, or email us at info@hullforest.com
Read reviews from our logging, land clearing, and forest management clients.
When we conduct a timber harvest, the wood is used locally at or mill to make a wide variety of products.
Contact us today 1-860-974-0127 extension 4 , or email info@hullforest.com
Board Edge Profiles

Edge profiles or treatments refer to the amount of “reveal” on the edge of each floor board. At Hull Forest Products, we can customize the edge profile of your wood flooring or paneling. We have a variety of edge profiles for you to choose from, and while the square (snug) edge is always the most popular option for unfinished floors, there are times when you might want (or need) to choose a different style. (Please note that for the sake of making the edge profiles visually clearer, the photos below do not show endmatched board ends; however, our flooring is endmatched unless otherwise requested). Read on to learn more:
A Square edge profile. The boards abut one another snugly.
The square edge profile is the most common edge profile for floors that will be finished on-site. With a square edge, the floorboards fit flush together, creating a completely flat surface. The floor boards abut one another snugly- there is no groove where the boards join together on the floor. The square edge profile is only available on floors that will be site sanded and finished.
The beveled edge, available as a microbevel or a larger bevel. A beveled edge is necessary on prefinished floors as it allows the floorboards to be installed without sanding.
A beveled edge is necessary on all four sides of the planks of any prefinished floors, as this allows the floor boards to be installed without sanding, accounting for any variation in milling tolerances. A micro-beveled edge is the smallest beveled edge available and will compensate for any minor differences in the thicknesses of the flooring boards, helping to make a smoother transition from one board to another. Because there is a tiny bevel, this can be felt when walking on the floor and the groove is capable of catching dust. A beveled edge also adds a subtle visual outline to the edge of each plank.
A V-match edge creates a deeper bevel, most often seen on wall paneling.
A classic for wall and ceiling paneling, a v-match or v-groove edge creates the look of a chamfered edge, where the edges of two adjoining boards slope downward toward the tongue.
A shiplap edge allows two boards to overlap via a rabbet cut into the opposite edges of the boards.
A shiplap edge is a traditional method of joining two boards that allows the profile of each board to partially overlap that of the board next to it, creating a channel that provides for weather protection and allows for some dimensional movement.
Other profiles not pictured above that we can do are beaded edge, bullnose edge, cove, and quarter round, which are popular on shoe or base molding. We can also make base molding to match your wood flooring. Give us a call today and let us know what you need. (800) 928-9602.
Hull Timbers Help Restore Tilden House

The circa 1725 David and Abigail Tilden House, Canton, Massachusetts. Photo credit: Canton Historical Society.
When the Historical Society of Canton, Massachusetts set out to restore the town’s circa 1725 David and Abigail Tilden House, they turned to hardwood sawmill Hull Forest Products for white oak timbers that could be used to replace rotted structural members in the first-period building.
Delivery day for a second shipment of white oak timbers from Hull Forest Products.
Hull Forest Products arranged the harvest of the white oak trees (from southern New England) and milled them into timbers that the preservation carpentry team at Tilden House could use to sister the old beams and replace the worn out timber sill.
The new white oak timber sill in place at Tilden House.
New meets old as new oak posts and beams are cut to join with extant parts of the orignial frame.
Hull Forest Products was excited to play a role in the preservation of the structure. Canton Historical Society has plans to use the restored house as a living history museum and study house to understand early construction techniques. You can learn more about the project at tildenhouse.org