Seattle Maison

January / February 2017

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Wide-plank floors The look: The new machines of the Industrial Revolution gave owners of Italianate and Gothic Revival homes some of the first uniformly milled tongue-and-groove wood floors. Hardwood has ranked high on the charm list ever since, but the real thing isn't always a sensible choice in hardworking kitchens. The shortcut: Planks of porcelain tile shrug off scratches and spills and owe their realistic wood look to an ink-jet printer that uses two or three layers of glazing (depending on the wood species) to mimic flatsawn boards. To create the natural look of random- length wood planks, be sure to stagger the joints at least 12 inches course to course. The right species is important! • Some species are more dimensionally stable than others. For example, hickory moves more than oak. • Hickory planks don't sell wider than 5". Tip:

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