What to consider when deciding which direction should work for hardwood flooring. From visual aesthetics to structural integrity, including:

 

Focal Points of the Room: Whatever the main feature of the room you’re laying hardwood flooring in, it should be laid in the direction that naturally guides the eye to that focal point. Whether your focal point is a fireplace, bay window or other impressive architectural detail, make sure your hardwood floor leads to it.

Light Sources: Before you lay your hardwood floor, you need to consider how light will fall between the planks, which can shorten or lengthen the look of the room. Planks that extend outward from the room’s entrance will make the space appear larger, resulting in a more impressive impact.

Laying planks from wall to side wall will make the length of the room appear shorter, creating a more inviting space.

 

Floor Joists: A floor joist is a structural feature that supports the floor over an open area, such as a basement or crawl space. Many joists are installed side-by-side with subflooring nailed on top to create a large floor surface known as a floor system. Install hardwood perpendicular to the floor joists, rather than between them, so that the planks don’t end up separating.

 

Connecting Rooms: If you plan to put hardwood flooring in hallways or rooms, plan the flow of the hardwood. For an open-concept space, hardwood can be installed along one end to the other, while irregularly shaped spaces don’t allow for a continuous line of sight. To avoid awkward hardwood transitions, you can lay planks in a diagonal pattern or place a thin strip of wood at the threshold of each room where the direction of the flooring planks changes.

 

Hallways: Avoid a choppy look of hardwood flooring in hallways or narrow rooms by laying the planks away from the door.

 

Sight Lines: Positioning hardwood from the main entrance of a room toward the opposite wall can help make the space seem less cluttered by simplifying the line of sight.