Determining the direction to lay/install Hardwood, Laminate, or Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- What direction to install my hardwood floor? A helpful guide for determining the direction to install your Hardwood, Laminate, or Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring.
Visit the link below for a helpful tool to help you visualize what your floor will look like prior to installation as seen in the video.
rewardflooring...
hallmarkfloors...
www.mannington...
www.roomvo.com...
californiaclas...
For the largest selection of quality Hardwood, Laminate, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), or Stone Polymer Composite (SPC) flooring visit our our store or online showroom.
Corona Hardwood
350 S Maple St., Suite A
Corona, CA 92880
www.CoronaHardwood.com
I love the enthusiasm
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I came here just for comments like this. 🤣🤣🤣
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If you are installing 3/4 inch thick nailed down hardwood flooring, as a flooring contractor, I was always taught that preferably, the floor is laid perpendicular to the joists for stability. Of course, the homeowner makes the final decision, but I always explain their options.
You are absolutely correct! Thank you for your expertise. This is something we don't consider much here in California since most of our homes are on a concrete sub-floor and are a glue down installation.
yup you beat me to it, I was strugglin for the word, but yup perpendicular !
@@CoronaHardwood LOL this is also true, I didn't think about that in my reply, txs !
I am not flooring i heard that perpendicular too
Yes! Whenever structural stability is required, lay plank floors perpendicular to the direction of the joists.
I was skeptical about the visualizers, but tried it anyway. SO much better than I expected. Thanks a bunch.
This was incredibly helpful. Thank you! I had not even thought of an app to preview the flooring direction! My poor husband kept laying down samples and then switching them for me! Thanks!
Thanks for the visualizer, we are about to lay flooring and we would have gone the wrong direction. Now we are confident in our selection and direction.
Corona Hardwood; these guys were ahead of their time
The bottom line is; It Doesn't Matter...it's your choice. The only factor that you might consider is the installation procedure and whether one direction presents more problems than the other. If your planks ends are terminating against the longest wall, you will have more end cuts to make during installation. In some cases, there may be more cuts, or more intricate cuts required to fit against doorways or other features if the flooring is laid in a particular direction. Its easier to make custom, odd shaped cuts into the end of the planks than to cut them into the side long length of the plank. Finally, it's more pleasing to the eye if the flooring direction in a room matches the same direction as the flooring in other rooms, that may be visible from the room you are flooring.
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Makes perfectly good sense Chris
Exposed ceiling beams can also decide the floor direction. It tends to give a strange impression, if the beams and the floor run in different directions.
Great point. I didn’t even think about that.
Most Helpful Video!! I’ve laid out tile for over half the room and still couldn’t decide 🤦🏻♀️ Thanks so much!
Thank you for your feedback. It means a lot to us.
Lance from nsync became a floor installer!
LOL
This video was really helpful! We hadn't thought about the problem that changing direction would cause. Thanks for posting this.
As a hardwood pro, lay wood perpendicular to the floor joists. Your'e welcome.
Agreed, if you have floor joists. 98% of our jobs on the West Coast are on a concrete subfloor. I would say a more precise statement is "always consult with your local flooring expert (installer). The installer is ultimately responsible for laying the floor properly.
Thank for the comment
Thanks a ton. My new flooring install is 4 weeks out so this video came out at right time.
This is a great video, thanks so much! I’m actually installing wood flooring in a doll house and wasn’t sure which direction to lay it-this video was a huge help.
Glad I could help with your project!
Thank you so much for this video and the links. In our situation, two different rules gave us opposite results. We uploaded a photo and were able to try out a flooring very similar to ours and the decision became very clear.😊
Seeing is believing! The visualizer is an amazing tool.
We were always taught to install by tradition, the same way that you would install hardwood floors which is perpendicular to the floor joists
Yeah, but in my house it would look like turds to run perpendicular. If you walked in, it would be the first thought to come to mind. Wow, the flooring would look much better if it ran the other way. I guess, what I'm saying is it may not be worth following the hypothetical rule of thumb if it looks terrible and it may never be an issue.
Blink once if they are holding you hostage.
😉🤣
California company! Homie-G approves. And thank you for that website that gives me an idea of how different floors might look in my house.
Where is the website, I didn’t see it
@@jeffyoyo8736 It's in the description.
@@homie-gtv322 appreciate
It’s up ur whang!!!
Was told that since I’m selecting Uniclick planks, they can’t be in 2 different directions. Since we have a galley kitchen, horizontal makes the most sense. Our condo I neighbor did horizontal and besides the better look in the galley kitchen, horizontal seemed to give it a cozier look.
Thank you for getting straight to the point. This was very helpful!
Great video with lots of helpful tips. Nevermind the haters. I tried all the room visualiser links and none of them want to work lol. Just my luck.
That is very strange. Might be the web browser you are using. We don't have any issues with using it on our phone or google chrome.
Dude, this is HUGE! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
My 1st floor is a large "L" and my planks are on a diagonal. It helps bring the eye around the corner. Significantly more waste, though. Every single plank has at least 8" of linear distance chopped off. (Piles of triangles in the trash.)
...You could turn the triangles into a (geometric) headboard. Not super easy, but you wouldn't have as much waste....
Exact problem I’m trying to avoid lol I’m thinking horizontal for me way more full boards plus I’m doing bedrooms too so I thinking might make it easier for the transfer into the bedrooms
The most important rule, is to run it perpendicular if you have joists,. however anything else, i.e. concrete is all good
With subfloors we have today that doesn’t matter, and most flooring adds zero strength anyway
@@morehp1
Not true at all.
Great content, and loved the visualizer tool. I need that for painting also, so this is awesome!
Thank you. My long hall leads to a living room which is long in the perpendicular direction. Sort of a T layout.
Wow thank you so mụch. It saves me from a lot of headaches.
Thank you for your comment. It means a lot to me. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks so much for the links to the visualisers. I'm pretty good at conceptualising designs, but it's really helpful to be able to generate some imagoes.
I have a galley kitchen with about four feet between the cabinets, ten-foot-nine long with a dining room at one end and a breakfast room at the other. I don't plan to do anything to the original oak floors in the dining room, but the kitchen suite currently has vinyl roll and it simply has to go.
I am leaning toward a vinyl plank product available at the home center, two versions of the same color available: straight-line or herringbone.
I like the interest with the herringbone for the more open breakfast room (there is a laundry closet and a pantry in this space as well), but was concerned that the herringbone in the long, narrow space would look like a hodge-podge.
I just looked at a picture of a kitchen that used the herringbone oriented to accent the length of the narrow aisle in a lengthwise zig-zag pattern as opposed to a chevron pointing the way, and I think that's the way I want to go.
Lot of flooring manufacturers recommend to run perpendicular to your floor joists
Very helpful. I guess some people thumbs down anything? Anyway big thumbs up
Thank you for the positive feedback. Glad you found it helpful
Rule #1 should be, what direction does the floor joist go? You want to run perpendicular to strengthen the floor and avoid cupping. If it doesn’t go the way you want, then install an additional layer of plywood.
Thanks for the comment. I have heard this from several others on here and have inquired into this with a couple of C15 flooring contractors in our area. Both stated that they haven't experienced any issues with running it parallel to the joists. With that said most of the work done here in California is glue down or floating over concrete. If it is on a raised foundation it is going over 3/4" plywood and again is either glued down or floated. Don't see how the direction of the joists would cause cupping, but it's an interesting thought.
Thanks man’s, the links were extremely helpful!
I had good luck with the first video answering my question, thanks!
Thanks for the video.Link to site to try out my flooring in different orientations made a huge impact!
most helpful video ever! Thx for helping me pick directions and the visualization tool.. omg
I agree man very specific. I have heard every single way width length vertical this was actualy helpful
If your installing your own floor,I . would think most people would look for the easiest way to do it. When you start changing directions it cost you more in extra materials and them VERY expensive transition strips
yea I know, the last time I bought a transition strip it was $3! ....VERY expensive.....
Easy isn't relevant. Most times it just means lazy.
@@mikebertinshurtow I agree 100%. Who cares what's easier when you have to look at it as long as you own the home? I want to do it the way that looks best.
These visualizer tools are amazing! Thank you!
disagree with some comments. if a house is narrow having the wood planks facing cross ways makes the space look bigger
Great breakdown a excellent details for a homeowner to consider.
Great video 👍🏼
Thank You for your support!
Thank you Mr. LNC
G UKjp re 633
Thank you! Very helpful advice.
Great content, straight to the point and very clear
Very helpful video! I love the visualization tool!
Thank you! I chose the correct way to lay my floor but I wanted to be sure!
What he fails to discuss in this video is something very important. If you have floor joists, hardwood floors should run across the joists for better support (not parallel) to them... CRITICAL!
What about laminate? We're putting ours down over plywood that's over the joists.
Very informative, and the app you referred to sounds so helpful. Can't wait to try it!
Awesomene video and lovely visualizer app. So happy to watch before starting my diy project. You are awesome mate
Thank you, appreciate the positive feedback!
@@CoronaHardwood where do you find the visual tool at again?
@@paulamiller1519 Hi Paula, You can actually find the flooring visualizer on our website now. Just visit www.CoronaHardwood.com and click the pop up link in the bottom right hand corner.
Thank you so much for this great video. Very helpful!!!
Exactly what I needed. Thanks
Thank you Cristina for the feedback!
I can tell my boy getting that paper ,ol chunky checks thanks for this video
Try laying it horizontal. Seems to work well for mine.
My wall is 1 and 1/4" difference in length from one side to the other. Running the boards the long way, the way of walking through the patio door, I will have over 1" correction along one wall. The other slight correction will be against the hearth of the fireplace which also isn't equal in distance from the wall on each side, making it look bad probably with my half plank in front of it. That's all that lines up well enough though. I feel I have to go this way because I have a lip on the kitchen which is right next to it that runs long, this same direction. I think it would be really silly to run that tiny lip the other way and probably not possible with LVP. Redoing old homes floors sucks! lol
Unfortunately new builds are not much better. Best of luck to you. I’m sure it will be beautiful when completed. Most likely you will be the only one that notices things aren’t a square in the house.
@CoronaHardwood Thanks. It worked out well. Hard to see the slight change, especially now with the furniture back in place. Also, my underfloor heating works really well! Baseboard does not fit correctly and I'll have to just do new baseboard from scratch next year.
Run it in the longest direction of the room.
great content, and loved the visualizer tool.
Thank you for your feedback
Thank you, that was super helpful!
Thumbs up. Liked the headline.
Thank you! I needed this tool!
Ben you were very helpful! Thank you.
So helpful, and to the point
Thanks alot
I thought it mattered if you run your floor perpendicular to the joist underneath for strength. The other way is weak, right?
It will all depend on the type of subfloor you have and the method of installation. Most homes on the west coast have a concrete subfloor. Upstairs the joists are usually covered with a 3/4" plywood. The primary method of installation is glue down or floating. If all of the above applies to your home as well then it doesn't matter what direction you are installing the flooring. I know in different parts of the country the flooring installed is primarily solid and nailed down. This would be a completely different installation then what we are used to out here. For this reason you should always rely on your local professionals for guidance.
Very helpful. Thanks Ben 👍
Thank you, the video and the website were very helpful.
It feels wrong to me for the floor to lay perpendicular to the front of the house.
Helpful video, thanks for posting.
0:44 not completely correct… manufacturers of engineered hardwood stipulate the planks should be laid perpendicular to the floor joists
If your staircase is located just a few feet from your front door, should the flooring lay in the same direction as the steps on your stairs?
Great question. I would not use your staircase as a reference as to what direction you run the flooring. Treat a stair case as a separate area. Rely on the other rules.
Thank you so much! This video really helped us!
Thank you so much for this video!
This was incredibly helpful
Thank you Cynthia for your feedback!
thanks for this information now i am even more confused and dont know which orientation i should lay
Sorry, I tried my best to lay it out as best as I could. It may be that either direction works in your case. Remember there is no wrong or right way. The right way is the way you choose to lay your floor. Love Trump with a beard by the way!
Awesome video thank you ❤
Thank you It helped me alot .
Helpful info, but stick with a camera angle. Really dislike this trend on CZcams with constantly changing the camera angles.
Great video. Did not even though of this issue
OMG Thank you for this!!!
So helpful! Thank you!
Loved the info. Thanks!!
I’m sorry, rule number 2 you said perpendicular, but said the flow is more natural parallel..
Helpful video. Thank you!
Best video ever
You never mentioned that the vast majority of contractors recommend installing hardwood and laminate flooring perpendicular to your floor joists and not parallel for the most strength and support?
Thanks for the comment. You are 100% correct. Most of our clients in California are installing flooring over a concrete subfloor so it's something I overlooked while making the video. Several others have pointed this out in previous comments. Great point though! Thank you
...my joists run N-S; light enters from the S (lots of windows); just so happens that is also my longest wall too, but current wood also runs N-S. Entry door is on the north wall. Hallway runs E-W...decisions, decisions...
I've learned so much from this video
Thank you for the info😀😀😀
Bro loves his job 😂😂
So helpful 💛💛💛
Great video. Thank you.
fantastic. hallway runs E-W, but has carpet. Most of the front of the house, to include entry, has 'wood' running N-S (light enters from south). If I replace the carpet w/'wood', I can continue the plank direction and run the boards down the hall N-S, but will have to cut every single board so they fit (the short, 36" width, but no staggered seams). plus, there are 4 doorways off the hall. Each doorway would have 5-7 ends each plus a transition piece to each doorway...or do I run the hallway E-W and put the boards down longways with a transition pieces at the living room -hallway start?
@SummerBRZ If you are able to change the direction in the hallway without the use of a transition molding, that is the only time I would change the direction in a hallway. Otherwise a T-molding in the middle of the floor will really kill the look. If you are not able to change the direction seamlessly then I would just continue running the flooring in the same direction N-S. It will flow better then having a speed bump in the middle of the floor. Hope this helps.
Very helpful
Thank you Paul. Appreciate the positive feedback!
Very helpful! Thank you!
Very helpful!
I'm moving into a place where they installed it the wrong way - cross ways in a long room - and it just feels wrong when you walk in there. How hard is it to pull it up and change the direction?
That is a very difficult question to answer without knowing the type of floor, how it was installer, is it just one room or is the floor connected to other parts of the home?
please help, if rule #1 contradicts rule #3, which one takes priority?
Rule #3 supersedes rule #1 in my opinion. Just remember that this isn’t a science and is just a guide. Every home is different and in some cases it may look more pleasing to your eye to break the rules. It’s your home, and you need to live in it, so go with your gut. Room visualizer really helps most people who have a hard time picturing what it would look like.
Good tips 👍🏻
awesome video man!
Thanks Mark, that means a lot coming from an expert.
Very helpful, thank you. I am considering luxury vinyl rather than wood flooring. I want the glossy shine. Can I get that with Vinyl?
Unfortunately there are no vinyl products that I am aware of that have a glossy finish. There may be some in the future if that trend comes back. For now matte finish European oak visuals are dominating the market.
Are you sure you want glossy floors? Glossy floors look really ugly to me. Just like glossy walls. But to each his own.
I want to install vinyl plank flooring and my house is 60' long. Obviously, I want to run the flooring parallel with the 60' dimension, but I've heard that installing the flooring in excess of 30' will cause cupping and such. Is there a rule for a maximum length?
You would have to check with the retailer/manufacturer of your product. Not all Vinyl floors are created equally, therefore the installation instructions will vary. We have some products that will only allow you to do a 30' run, while others that will allow you to go up to 60'. The store your purchased your flooring from should be able to help you out with this.
What is more imporntant laying my floors paralel to light/window and considering the longest wall or give priority to entrance....if I do the first option my floors will look like they are laying in the wide not long direction when I enter the room, because the windows and the doors are not exactly opposite on the wall..what should I give priority to? Im confused
It is difficult to give you advice without seeing the space in person. Keep in mind that this is just a guide, there is no wrong or right way. In some situations either direction will look aesthetically pleasing. With that said, I am a very visual person so seeing it helps me tremendously. I would direct you to the room visualizer tool found on our website www.CoronaHardwood.com. Just take a photo of your room, visit our website and click the link in the bottom right hand corner. You can now easily pick a floor and see it in your home in seconds. You are also able to change the direction with one click. This should help you get a better idea of what you would prefer to see in your floor. Hope this helps. For more info visit the link below.
czcams.com/video/QN7mlr8BLNw/video.html
Nice info thankyou
What if my house pertains to only rule #2 and 3? Are these rules ranked by importance?
If the choice is between rule #2 & #3 I would go with #3. Installers will typically work off of the longest run in the house to make sure that the flooring appears is layed as straight as possible, since we know that most home are not perfectly square. I hope that helps.
@@CoronaHardwood maybe I worded my question wrong. Sorry. So based on #1, I should lay them from back to front but based on #2 and #3, I should lay them from right to left. That’s the issue. Which rules should prioritize? What would you recommend based on the info I gave you now?
@@RobertRiol Ok I got it. In this case best 2 out of 3 wins. So I would go with rule #2 & #3.