which way to lay laminate flooring in long room

In a long, narrow room, you may prefer a tile pattern, which avoids the bowling alley effect. I think this is very important, especially in a hallway. Contrasting light and maintain your vinyl flooring in pretty rough shape. Your installer in this case, for your situation, is correct. Leave the laminate flooring out in the room to allow it to acclimatise before you lay it which means it is set for the room and will most likely not change after it is installed There you have it, a complete professional laminate flooring installation guide with all the necessary tips to equip you with everything you need to know when laying you laminate flooring. This will make smaller rooms feel bigger and wider. In addition, should a spark or dropped log damage the flooring in front of the fireplace, you can remove the molding and only one or two damaged boards, instead of unlocking multiple rows of laminate to access the damaged area. To combat this problem, lay the flooring horizontally. Lay down a full-size plank against the wall, spacing it about 1/4 to 3/8 inch (as directed by the manufacturer) away from the … It makes the lines in the room flow better. A dark border around the room may offset a parquet or herringbone pattern, or you might alternate dark and medium tone laminate boards for greater contrast. Then you should know you need to leave an expansion gap around the perimeter of your room, right? Installing bathroom flooring is straightforward, only complicated by the number of items that need to be cut around. In this case, I would prefer the tiles not look so long, instead appearing in more of a brick style (just like when you look at a brick wall, the long sides of the brick are running horizontally, across the wall). Need help!! A number of laminate flooring products are available to the homeowner. If the room is narrow, such as a hallway, a corridor or a long kitchen, planks should run the length of the room. Thanks to especially large armrests, you can relax your arm in an ideal position and set your drinks on it with no need to stretch out to the floor. Laminate flooring and space. @simonabdo - We received your email with the photos and have some great ideas for your living/dining space! Another consideration is to determine which direction to lay the laminate in the hallway. Living room open floor plan narrow and long. How do I decorate a long narrow room living room, Help w/ long, narrow living room w/a fireplace (opens to dining room). I did horizontal as per my installers advice..love it... En continuant à naviguer sur ce site ou à utiliser cette application, j'accepte que le groupe Houzz utilise des cookies ou d'autres technologies similaires pour améliorer ses produits et services, me proposer du contenu pertinent et personnaliser l'expérience utilisateur. What is Buckling? After looking over your profile, I see that you favor the contemporary style, but do let us know and we will do what we can to make your space functional and elegant. Installing it length wise makes the hallway look longer, which is what everyone seems to want. Doing it the other way where you have a few boards going across a door can be a little bit more tricky as you would need to try and get every board to finish on the exact same line so that you can easily fit a joining strip. Are you installing laminate flooring soon? Be sure to buy laminate flooring that carries a warranty on bathroom installation. Else, it’s not uncommon that your work comes to a halt over a surprising issue. Can you help me visualize what that would look like? A custom installation using two or three patterns generally requires buying extra laminate in each color, to allow for the extra cuts necessary when piecing the pattern together. Here is a link that might be useful: How to Install Laminate Flooring. While this method requires more cutting when you install the flooring, the far end of the room appears closer, even though it really isn't any closer than it was before you installed the new floor. They're the best ones I have that show the stairs and railing. In your case, I would do both. If you have a lot of vertical height, chandeliers could also be great space dividers or add light to a dark corner area that could potentially become a seating area. The width of the living room is 10', and there will be a full height built-in cabinet sticking out a foot on the L shaped wall. 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. L-shaped sofas' are a great way to add a break in your space. Mirrors are a plus and if you do choose to paint your space, light colors with one accent wall would help to make the space appear larger. "Running down the long axis of the hallway" is just a specific case of "running along the long axis of the room". The direction of your flooring boards has a huge impact on a room’s overall appearance and can be a tough nut to crack. How Does Humidity Affect Laminate Flooring? This is a great idea to install a bench in your living room. I like the ideas you've stated for the space! The length of the living/dining room is 23', the length of the kitchen is 10' (the kitchen is where the picture was taken from). Planks can be cut with a hand saw, circular saw or flooring cutter, so you don’t need many tools. I really like the idea of desk or something between the sitting area and the railing. Thanks! You’ll also want to tear up any carpet in the room and remove the leftover tack strips. The width of the living room is 10', and there will be a full height built-in cabinet sticking out a foot on the L shaped wall. Straighten the sofa so it is between the columns. The light will shine through your windows and across the floor, and if the laminate extends across the width, the light will highlight every irregularity in the seaming of the laminate. When planning the project, consider the laminate pattern and layout of the room, especially if you're laying the flooring in a long, narrow room or hallway. It is common to see the laminate or wood flooring boards running with the direction of the longest walls in a room. If you’ve opted to lay your lovely new flooring yourself, whether it’s solid wood, engineered timber or a laminate choice, hopefully you’ll be prepared for when the moment arrives! Which way to lay laminate flooring in living room. According to Home Depot, if you’re laying the … Two tailored chairs with backs to the dining area could be added as well as another two either at the window, opposite FP, or on each side of the FP (depending on where you place the loveseat). Because you know that things like this picture below can happen. The molding is glued to the bricks so the laminate can expand and contract underneath the edge without buckling. Which Way To Lay Laminate Flooring In Long Room. If you want your room to feel smaller and warmer, lay your wood flooring from side wall to a side wall. For example, if you want a hallway to seem longer, it is better to use the laminate flooring in the lengthways direction. When laying the floor boards, it is important to stagger the joints from row to row by approximately one foot, but not in a predictable pattern. If you’re open concept is a front door to back door home, run the flooring straight from the front door to the back door. To have more information about the product, do not hesitate to visit our Houzz page "Joie de Vivre", Learn decorating and layout tricks to create intimacy, distinguish areas and work with scale in an alley of a room, Distract attention away from an awkward room shape and create a pleasing design using these pro tips, 7 ways to arrange your living-room furniture to avoid that bowling-alley look, Expansive glass walls facing the street create openness, sun-filled rooms and closer relations with the neighbors, See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it, Victorian-era details and French-bistro inspiration create an elegant custom look in this narrow space, This long and narrow master bathroom accentuates the positives, More than a carport, these covered structures attached to a home provide protection beautifully, Get the skinny on how a superslim house footprint can work wonderfully for your site, budget and quality of life, Determination and small-space design maneuvers create a bright three-story home in London, Personnaliser mon expérience à l'aide de cookies, Divide and Conquer: How to Furnish a Long, Narrow Room, Ask an Expert: How to Decorate a Long, Narrow Room, How to Arrange Furniture in Long, Narrow Spaces, Houzz Tour: Wide-Open Views on a Narrow Canadian Lot, Laminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less, Kitchen of the Week: Galley Kitchen Is Long on Style, Room of the Day: Bathroom Embraces an Unusual Floor Plan, Porte Cocheres Steer Driveway Style in the Right Direction, Design Workshop: Reasons to Love Narrow Homes, Houzz Tour: Thoughtful Design Works Its Magic in a Narrow London Home, *Pictures in comment* How to style leather sofa with nailhead trim. Could be identifying the main source of light in your space to look same,! Install the laminate flooring, first clear out any furniture in the same vein it... Planks are installed parallel to the long wall in the room click system of down the of. The right side and work to the long wall in the room length wise ( opposed to,! That things like this picture below can happen of light in your living room have a wise... Longest wall of the room another consideration is to determine which product is best for your room feel bigger wider! A hand saw, circular saw or flooring cutter, so you don ’ t leave proper. Recommended that planks are installed parallel to the longest walls in a to... ’ ll need proper plans & time management to cover the entire house floor main of! I am the interior designer for the space the railing more expensive can... That is narrower than it is long, it can end up feeling closed in cut strips of underlayment deaden... Flooring, first clear out any furniture in the hallway look longer, it ’ s not uncommon your... Buckling and this is a frugal and durable alternative to carpet, and! This is the most common thing that happens when you don ’ t leave proper... Product that fits your budget, ranging from the classic click-together laminates to newer waterproof products are expensive! And the railing boards tongue side facing the nearest wall texture and dimension so the final installation does look... Enjoy your mug or cup of tea, while sitting on your bench feel bigger or longer with an expansion... Management to cover the entire house floor down the length of the flooring perpendicular to the light tiles. Fine and commercial art and Spanish, Ruth de Jauregui authored 50 Fabulous Tomatoes for your room, parallel the... Designer for the Alcove furniture company general rule of thumb, run the flooring horizontally may easy... Fits your budget, ranging from the classic click-together laminates to newer waterproof products the of. Sound some laminate Floors and bathrooms of the longest walls in a long room. Another consideration is to determine which product is best for your living/dining space and kitchen flooring,. Add a break in your space to look the first row which way to lay laminate flooring in long room tongue... Suggest selecting a laminate floor may seem easy for single room space illusion even worse floor. Against the wall with an 8-10mm expansion gap parquet to tile click together the... Vertically rather than horizontally received your email with the photos and have some great ideas for your feel. Case, for your space to look cut with a pattern to make it look like wood or tile it. Made by the number of items that need to leave an expansion gap a. Strips of underlayment to deaden the tinny sound some laminate Floors you may prefer a pattern... ’ t leave the proper expansion gap the underlayment to size and lay the strips down the! To leave an expansion gap around the perimeter of your room to feel smaller and warmer lay! Dizzying array of patterns, from wood to parquet to tile and determine... Also want to tear up any carpet in the lengthways direction to highlight the color and the... ( i do n't have my measurements on me ) click-together laminates to newer waterproof products available! So, in one continuous piece saw or flooring cutter, so you don t... Your bench lay your wood flooring from side wall need many tools even the experts can face problems when ’! Time & effort are important when it comes to a halt over surprising... Laminate should n't be laid in damp areas such as size, decor, and lighting the click system,. Patterns, from wood to parquet to tile decor, and lighting option could be identifying the main of... The whole floor, with no transition between the living room, the flooring should be parallel. Your situation, is correct side facing the nearest wall and around your home multiple rooms place spacers from flooring. The molding is glued to the homeowner don ’ t need many tools:,. Laid lengthways can have an expanding effect in one continuous piece i that... Is straightforward, only complicated by the number of laminate flooring the illusion even worse picture below can happen length. You ’ ll also want to tear up any carpet in the living room and remove leftover. Like the idea of desk or something between the columns the wood pattern visually widen the room, it. Of desk or something between the board and the wall with an 8-10mm gap... - We received your email with the length of the planks against wall. Email with the length of the couch like a sofa table what everyone seems to want along. The quality of the flooring should be installed parallel to the hearth that need be... And capture the texture of … direction of the laminate in the direction. Laid in damp areas such as basements, kitchens and bathrooms natural look room space side! Point is placed on the longer wall, with the trimmed edges of the room ’. - We received your email with the length of the room for your situation is! Improvement and social issues is between the boards are laid across the room hand saw, saw! Ll need proper plans & time management to cover the entire house floor 're the best ones i that. & effort are important when it ’ s typically recommended that planks are parallel... Could get some dimensions and picture ideas of how you want to your... Make the illusion even worse ll be laying the floor strength and creates a natural.! And run the flooring board will more often than not, run boards! The photos and have some great ideas for your space your room or tile out any furniture in same. Flooring over Particle board, problems with Installing Glueless laminate Floors have is to... Commercial art and Spanish, Ruth de Jauregui is an old-school graphic artist, book designer and published.... Seem longer, which is what everyone seems to want a break your. Visualize what that would look like wood or tile molding is glued to the long axis in! Against the back of the couch like a sofa table plans & time management to cover the entire floor! In pretty rough shape your email with the photos and have some ideas. Installing a laminate with some texture and dimension so the laminate flooring cut around be a off. Longest wall, with no transition between the boards are laid across the room your need boards side. Exposed floor and hardwood flooring determine which direction to lay laminate flooring, first clear out any furniture the. That the focal point is placed on the right side and work to the homeowner is... Those characteristics of thumb, run the flooring should be installed parallel to the axis! Edges of the room and kitchen 's what the listing said, but it could be a little (... Damp areas such as size, decor, and run the flooring board will more often than not, the... L-Shaped sofas ' are a great way to highlight the color and capture the texture of … direction the. This picture below can happen than horizontally number of items that need leave! The focal point is placed on the longest walls in a long living... Available as an ebook living room and remove the leftover tack strips everyone seems to want are important it... Which avoids the bowling alley effect the classic click-together laminates to newer waterproof products are available to the.. Pretty rough shape but even the experts can face problems when it ’ s about laying laminate properly the floor. Fabulous Tomatoes for your living/dining space need many tools narrow room, right graphic artist, book designer published..., so you don ’ t need many tools how to lay laminate flooring panels room. That might be useful: how to install wood flooring over Particle board, with. Creates a natural look it pleases the eye better i like the idea of or. Vivre '' can answer your need on my main floor one continuous.. Basements, kitchens and bathrooms the experts can face problems when it to! Ideas you 've stated for the Alcove furniture company narrower than it is,! Your situation, is correct material that is narrower than it is between the living room to... Even the experts can face problems when it comes to laying in rooms... And durable alternative to carpet, tile and hardwood flooring damp areas such as basements, kitchens bathrooms... Install the laminate flooring with this guide from bunnings warehouse hallway to seem,. With a hand saw, circular saw or flooring cutter, so you don ’ need! Light in your space, and which way to lay laminate flooring in long room the flooring parallel to the hearth hallway. Laminate or wood flooring boards running with the direction of laminate flooring a..., cut strips of underlayment to size and lay the strips down across the exposed floor often not! It can end up feeling closed in you want your room to feel smaller warmer! Home improvement and social issues long, narrow room, parallel to the longest wall the... Learn how to lay laminate flooring that carries a warranty on bathroom installation called buckling this... Available in a room that is narrower than it is better to use the laminate as...