Customer’s often ask this question during estimates and we thought our answer might be useful to others as well.
Customer: “Which Direction Should You Run Your Wood Flooring?”
There’s a ton of factors to consider when going to through the process of adding new hardwood floors to your home. Wood species, stain color, and board width, just to name a few considerations. One that homeowners are often clueless about is: “Which direction you should you run your wood flooring?” We thought our answer would help shed some light and be helpful for those going through the hardwood installation process.
To begin, it’s beneficial to understand that longer boards create a more captivating design and are preferred over shorter boards. Because of this, the cheaper the flooring, the shorter the boards. So you’ll want to include long boards in your layout so that it looks high-quality.
Therefore, the most popular and suggested way of laying out your long hardwood boards is to have them that run perpendicular to the front door. Ideally, you’ll want the plants to run all the way to the back of the house — similar to a bowling alley. Your chosen flooring professional will be able to help you customize the design by taking into account your home’s layout and the budget allocated for the project.
However, because every home is unique and presents different circumstances, there can be are many exceptions. A common exception to that rule would be if your interested in using a custom inlay, special design, or board — in which case, the direction of the boards would be impacted. Another exception would be if you’re installation will need to transition into existing flooring. Your local flooring pro will have differing recommendations depending on how these two areas of your home meet.
Ultimately the direction of your wood floor will depend on the architecture and layout of your home. The information we’ve provided is a brief introduction into the factors to consider. Your chosen hardwood pro will be able to office additional advice regarding the unique aspects of your home and how they influence the layout of your new flooring. And as we always recommend, be sure that your local flooring professional is NWFA certified and you can trust that they’ll be able to competently guide your through the design process.