2 1/4 inch flooring

Plenty of folks still using it althoug. 3 1/4" and 3 5/8" are more in favor (currently). Boards get wider as the home price point goes up.

That's the story. Wider boards are more expensive (older wood is less plentiful). Expensive details go in more expensive homes. It's certainly possible that the reverse was once true; wider boards more plentiful and narrower boards require more surfacing. The costs, so preferences may have reversed. Some 19'th century homes had 6", or perhaps even wider, boards.

Maybe you're "different". ;-) In smaller rooms it might look better. Homes are far larger now than they were 100 years ago, too. Narrow boards tend to make large/long rooms look like bowling alleys.

There are many possible reasons for changes in preferences over time. Look at tile sizes. Over the past 20 years or so, bathroom floor tiles have gone from 1" mosaic, to 6", to 12", now sometimes 18" or

On 3/29/2010 12:09 PM Joe spake thus:

Izzat true? I know a lot of high-priced older homes around here (SF Bay Area East Bay) have so-called "matchstick" flooring that's even narrower than that.

I think it looks really good myself.