How do you find out if wood flooring would look better laid front of the house to the back or side to side?

Question

Should the wood floor run from the front of the house to the back or from side of the house to the other side?

Answer 1

Simple, lay some of it out. Run it one direction then after looking, run it the other. That's the way I do it before I make a permanent install.

Answer 2

Rule of thumb is that you want the long side of the flooring strips to run parallel to the most prominent light source.

For example, if your the main light comes into your house from a window that is on the same wall as the door you want the flooring to run parallel to the wall with the door and window.

On the other hand, if your main light comes from a wall that is perpendicular to the wall the door is on you want the flooring to run perpendicular to the front wall.

Answer 3

Draw it out on a floor plan of your house. In mine, it was laid side to side as it had to join the kitchen and looked best that way. It also didn't make it look like some highway system.

Answer 4

If it’s a real wood floor, it has to run perpendicular to the joists. If the joists run side to side, the floor will have to run front to back so there’s something to nail the flooring to.

If it’s Pergo or similar “floating” floor, then whichever way you like – usually with the natural lighting to provide a larger look to the room.

Answer 5

I addition to what everyone else has said (which I find all to be decent advice). Don't discount installing the wood flooring on a diagonal (if you are able to do this with the materials/joist positions you are using). With certain rooms and layouts this can have a dramatic effect.

Answer 6

I like side to side rather than front to back, when you open the front door it would look funny to be looking at a straight line. Diagonal wouldn't be bad if you really can't make up your mind, but it's more expensive.

Answer 7

I had the same question when we did our floors. Most floor installers recommend that you have the seams run parallel with the light coming in the room.

Answer 8

i think that it all depends on you and weither you want your rooms to look longer or wider when people walk in the room. im not sure what light has to do with it all but i think it should be your choice, but just to be sure i would be sure to ask the place that it was purchased at or the installer if your haveing it professionally done, but call just to make sure. it might also have somehting to do with the main flow of traffic in the room too and how it will wear down first and all but just call menards or the home depot or lows for assistance