As a general rule, make sure to lay your floor in the same direction as the main light source in a room and in the same line as the most frequently used entrance.
"Generally it is laid parallel to the longest wall of the room — unless it needs to match up with flooring in an adjacent room." If you are laying the flooring in an open-plan space or throughout a series of connecting rooms, it makes sense to keep the laying direction consistent.
Parallel Planks
The direction you install your flooring makes an immense impact on the flow and spatial feel of a room. We recommend placing the planks parallel to the widest wall. This will create an elongated look by drawing attention to the longest portion of the space.
Typically, you orient the boards to run parallel to the longest wall (or down the length of a hallway) and parallel to the window in the bedroom (if just one window on one wall). Otherwise it looks off.
If the flooring in the adjoining room is carpet, it doesn't matter which direction you lay the vinyl flooring in, so other factors can help you decide. If the flooring in the room is another type of hard flooring and you want distinct transitions between the rooms, have the vinyl flooring put in the opposite direction.
To lay your flooring in a basic pattern, design experts recommend starting from the most visible wall of the room from the entrance. Lay your planks so that they run from end to end, parallel against this wall. It's recommended you start ¼ of an inch off the wall.
Vertically will elongate a room and works great if pointing towards a window, as it will follow the natural light. Laying laminate flooring horizontally will can make a small room appear larger. Most people prefer to lay their boards parallel with the room's longest wall.
Both are cut to micron precision so that they create a snug, interlocking installation. You will want to start in the left side of the wall you pick with the tongue on the long side of a plank facing the wall. The tongue against the wall should be removed.
We often recommend light colors to give the room an airy feel. For example, blonde, light brown, or whitewashed hardwood can make the room seem more open. Tiles and laminate in lighter neutral colors like light gray can also create that airy and bright feeling as they reflect rather than absorb light.
To get the most pleasing or dramatic impact, your planks should be laid in the direction that leads the eye to a certain focal point of the room—like your lovely fireplace or other big architectural details.
Although laminate flooring is great for use in all kinds of areas of your home, its one flaw is that it's not great when it comes to moisture. To avoid warping, discoloration, and bubbling, avoid installing laminate flooring in rooms that regularly see a lot of moisture such as bathrooms, kitchens, or utility rooms.
When installing laminate flooring, you must stagger the boards to enhance the stability of the floor. Not only does this strengthen the design, but it creates a beautiful finish for your home, mimicking the natural irregular pattern of wood.
Determining the Direction of Laminate Flooring
Traditionally, laminate planks are recommended to be installed in alignment with the longest side of the room to streamline the appearance and minimize cuts, which is particularly advantageous in long and narrow spaces.
As a general rule, make sure to lay your floor in the same direction as the main light source in a room and in the same line as the most frequently used entrance. If there are several doors and windows, then opt for the direction that's the easiest to install. Want to add some useful 'optical effects' to your room?
Begin the first row of flooring by placing the planks with the tongue side facing the wall.
For many uses, tongue and groove boards have been rendered obsolete by the introduction of plywood and later composite wood boards, but the method is still used in higher-quality boards.
Start your first row by placing the planks with the tongue side against the wall. You can also trim the tongue off the boards in the first row with a utility knife. However, because the baseboard will cover a bit of your first and last row, trimming off the tongue is not necessary.
Buckling or Warping – Laminate flooring is not waterproof. If you fit laminate in wet or moisture-rich areas, the floor can become damaged, often beyond repair.
Laminate flooring typically has a tongue-and-groove locking system that is designed to fit together in a specific way, ensuring stability and durability. Installing it backwards could compromise the integrity of the locking mechanism, leading to gaps, unevenness, and potential damage to the flooring over time.
Yes, changing the direction of hardwood floors between rooms is a common design choice. However, using transition strips or T-molding is recommended to create a seamless look where the planks change direction. You can also change direction using splines.
The path most traveled in a room also dictates a sensible direction for your vinyl planks. Laying the planks parallel to the main traffic flow does a couple of things. First, it creates a visual elongation of the space, making the journey through the room feel more direct and spacious.
The best direction is based on the shape of your house. There is no right direction, but the more accepted rule is that the floor direction should run parallel to the longer walls, but long hallways are exempt from this rule.
When you think of vinyl flooring, you may first think of kitchen or bathroom installations. While vinyl is an excellent choice for areas with regular exposure to moisture, it can also be a great flooring option for the bedroom for its enhanced comfort, soundproofing, and easy maintenance.