How to choose the direction to lay the flooring?

The direction to lay the flooring

If you are considering which direction to lay the flooring – lengthwise or widthwise – it is worth considering the fitting it to the entire room in terms of dimensions. The direction to lay the flooring will be determined by the ratio between the length of a single piece and the size of the room. Thus, if in the case of lengthwise installation, a 15-cm-long pieces of plank remain, while in the case of a widthwise installation entire planks fit perfectly, it makes more sense to opt for the second installation method. In this case, if saving time and purchased material is important to you, installation perpendicular to the window or door is of secondary importance. Below, we will discuss the most important rules for laying the flooring to achieve a specific effect.

How to lay the flooring? Direction in relation to the door and window

There are a number of rules to determine a consistent laying of the flooring. The direction of the installation matters not only for the size or shape of the room, but also because of the location of the door or window. In the former case, care is taken to maintain the impression of harmony in the interiors, while in the latter case, to mask imperfections and joints in the individual rooms, taking into account the angle of the incidence of light. Below we describe how to lay the flooring in relation to the door and window.

The direction to lay the flooring in relation to the door

The principle of laying the flooring in relation to the door should be observed when the door divides two rooms with a floor where the flooring is installed. In this situation, it is advisable to ensure that the flooring is laid in the same way. This will create a harmonious effect in the interiors and make the floor look like a smooth lustre, which will add elegance to any room. In addition, both interiors will appear optically larger. In this case, it will be more important to maintain consistency than to adjust the direction in relation to the windows or considering the shape of the rooms.

The direction to lay the flooring in relation to the window

The location of the window is one of the most important factors that determines the direction to lay the flooring. The best solution is to lay the flooring perpendicular to the window, so that the angle of incidence of light is parallel to the flooring. This will make the joints between the elements less visible. This is important if you want to hide any imperfections or unevenness of the joints that may stand out. However, sometimes there are windows on different walls in the same room. In this case, the direction to lay the flooring should be determined by the window through which the most light enters the interior, i.e., is best exposed to the sun.

How to lay the flooring? The direction in relation to other factors

When deciding to lay the flooring yourself, it is worth considering all the factors that may affect the decision on the direction to lay the planks. The location of windows and doors is very important, but other factors, such as the shape of the room, decorative interior finish, or uneven walls and finishing strips can determine the direction of installation. Before making a choice, it is worth considering the effect you want to achieve, as well as the possibilities of a particular interior.

The direction to lay the flooring in the hallway

Hallways are usually narrow rooms that need to be adapted properly in order to functionally serve the household members and to look aesthetically pleasing. To create the effect of an elongated room, laying the flooring in a narrow corridor is best carried out by installing it lengthways. When laying widthwise, you can expect a lot of cutting and throwing away of already purchased material. In addition, the widthwise installation will make the room appear too ‘choppy’, which will affect the aesthetics of the interior.

Uneven walls and finishing strips

Modern construction allows for better conditions for installing the flooring. Older buildings are more challenging, where adjacent walls may not form right angles. Therefore, if it is difficult to align the walls, the best solution will be to lay the flooring in such a way as to maintain an adequate expansion gap along the wall. Strips and finishing accessories will allow such imperfections to be perfectly masked in the interior. The direction to lay the flooring is also determined by the installation method of the underlay for the flooring, which should be laid perpendicularly to the direction the flooring is laid.

The direction to lay the flooring vs. furnishings

The laying of the flooring can also depend on the decorative elements that are present in a particular design. For example, if there is a particularly decorative painting or mirror in the interior, it is worth for the direction to lay the flooring to be perpendicular to the wall on which the decoration is located. Thanks to this, you will achieve the effect of harmony, which will make the interior look extremely elegant.

Laying the flooring depending on the shape of the room

One of the factors to be taken into account is also the shape of the room where the flooring will be installed. In the case of a square-shaped room, the direction to lay the flooring will not matter much, so in this case it will be possible to take into account other factors. However, if you decide to lay the flooring in a rectangular, elongated room, it is worth giving it better proportions optically by laying the planks perpendicular to the longer walls.

Summary

Now you know how to lay the flooring. The direction you decide on should be well thought out. First of all, think about what design effect you want to achieve, whether you want to optically lengthen the room, achieve consistency with other interiors or perhaps emphasise decorative elements in a particular space. The choice of the direction to lay the flooring will also be influenced by the quality of the floor elements itself, as well as the possibilities provided for by the given room. Remember to choose the right underlay for the flooring and opt for the type of flooring that will allow to maintain appropriate comfort during use. It is worth knowing the rules, but when designing your own space, nothing stands in the way of choosing other solutions.