Basket weave hardwood flooring is a simple and beautiful way to add complexity and dimension to your hardwood floor. As the name indicates, a basket weave floor is one in which the wood looks to be woven like a basket. In a wicker basket, the individual strands run flow over and under one another. If you have been searching through social media and design blogs, you’ve likely seen some beautiful basket weave hardwood floors. They can be made from one or more different types of hardwood plank. They can be as simple or as complex as you want.
A Simple Weave
The simplest woven hardwood floor involves one type of wood plank. To create the look, measure the width of the plank. Multiply that by three. That will give you the length you need for each plank. For example, if each plank is three inches wide, three of them will be nine inches wide. So, you need to cut your planks to nine inches long. That will create a square that is nine inches by nine inches. Lay that nine by nine square down.
Then, you take your next nine by nine square and lay it perpendicular to the previous square. So, now you have two squares at a right angle to one another. The next square should be parallel to the first square, so it appears as if the wood dipped under the other square. That will create the illusion of a parquet floor. The dimension the weave adds can be very compelling.
The weave becomes even more compelling when you add in more woods.
A More Complex Weave
To make the more complex weave that actually looks like wood woven together, you need to create the illusion of depth. If you look at wicker furniture, you’ll notice that you can see space between the weaves. A tiny square of space appears where four strands don’t perfectly about. To recreate this, you should first measure the width of the plank. Multiply that by three. Cut the boards so that they are two inches longer than the width of three planks. So, if your three boards measure nine inches wide, cut them to be 11 inches long. Cut three more boards the same way. Line them up perpendicular to the first square and leave an inch of space on either side. Recreate the standard simple weave across the floor. That will leave one inch boxes wherever four boxes meet.
You can then use one-inch squares of a darker hardwood to mimic the look of depth. That’s the most convincing method for a basket weave hardwood floor.
Is basket weave right for you? Call your Portland hardwood flooring company, Treadline Construction, today to schedule your free consultation!