Which Direction to Lay Laminate Flooring ?
Laminate flooring is one of the easiest to lay down in the home. If you’re doing it for the first time, you may open the box and realise you’ve no clue where to begin & even what direction the flooring needs to go in. Without getting confused about the grooves, plank design or anything other signs your laminate is trying to tell you, let’s help you get to grips with the first hurdle: knowing which direction to lay your laminate.
Which direction do you lay laminate?
So, where do you begin when it comes to putting laminate down? Live by the rule of the length of the room by the light of the window.
Move with traffic
Another view would be to install in the direction of the traffic through the area, i.e. the direction you walk through the room. Imagine you’re laying laminate down in your hallway. If you opened the front door and stepped in, would you want your laminate to run with the length of the board with you, or be “stacked” along the floor? Not only is it more aesthetically pleasing than walking across the width of the boards, but it also gives your floor a natural flow. It also avoids a lot of headaches from having to cut so many boards to fit.
How do I lay laminate in a narrow room?
If your room is narrow, it is best to lay the laminate horizontally. Imagine that by doing so, the laminate is trying to stretch the room to give more space. If you’re laying the same laminate down in hallways and rooms that all connect, it is common that the room runs long, the halls short. To avoid it looking like an odd connection, a decent door bar will come in handy.
Which direction do you lay herringbone laminate?
It varies by room, but you will typically lay herringbone/chevron laminate parallel to the length of the room. If you’re unsure if it’ll look right, think about the focal point of the room. For example, if you were laying herringbone laminate in your bedroom, have the flooring follow the same direction the length of the bed runs. If you were laying herringbone in your home office, sticking with the rule of by the light of the window to help give the room more space.
Having said this, if you are planning to have your herringbone laid within a two or three-strip border around the room, you can lay it down to your preference.
Keep yourself straight as you work
From a technical perspective, if you’re laying laminate as DIY work at home, begin the installation parallel to the longest wall of the room. Most often, this would be an exterior wall, as they tend to be the straightest built walls in the home. This will minimise cutting, leading to a more efficient installation and more of the floor on show without breaks.
What tools are needed to install laminate flooring?
Most of the laminate flooring we have in stock has grooves that let you connect the planks as you work, so no need for any special mallets or glue. If you’re doing this yourself, a decent laminate floor installation kit with spacers and tapping block won’t let you down.
Don’t forget that prep is important, so a hand saw, pencil, and measuring tape are needed too. Double-check you have everything you’d need in our Guide To Laying Laminate Flooring.
