How do people make wide plank flooring work out?

[brdmkr]

Brdmkr: looks like you have competition :D. 

I suggest that boardmaker can type better than me.  Four less letters logs me on faster ;)

[RSteiner]

One of the issues I have seen with T&G is a little inconsistency with the face width can create gaps.  A friend installed a heart pine T&G floor that consisted of boards with face widths of 4",6",and 8" which he face nailed with antique looking cut nails.  The face width varied a little over 1/32" from board to board making it necessary to match each run to minimize gaps in the beginning.

With plank flooring if you had a slight variation, which I did on mine, I ripped those that needed it so they were all the exact same width.  Being a machinist I think I am a little too fussy about fit. 

I have 250 sq. ft. of 8" T&G heart pine I am going to install in the kitchen area soon which has been piled all winter in the house in the same room as the wood stove.  The humidity should be about average when I get to install it.  I didn't have any buckling issues with the antique oak floor although in the summer the floor is tight, not gaps. 

When it comes to durable finishes in a high traffic area what works good on a soft wood floor?  I think I will have to remind my wife that the floor is going to get distressed looking as time goes by.

Randy

[Dodgy Loner]

I think it's hard to beat a good oil-based polyurethane for durability and water-resistance.  A satin or semi-gloss sheen will show fewer scratches and imperfections than a high-gloss.