Which way should I lay laminate in the hall?

agav

Hi all,
I'm planning to lay laminate flooring in my flat. I have read about it a bit and I agree that I need to lay the floor towards the window, along the long wall. It will work out well in both bedrooms and the living room. The problem is that 'I'm not sure which way to lay it in the hall.

Here is a quick description of the layout:
As you come into the flat you are in a hall with 2 bedrooms to the right and kitchen and living room to the left. There is a bathroom opposite the main entrance.

Standing in the hall and looking into both bedrooms, the windows are opposite the bedroom's doors (and hall).

Still standing in the hall and looking into the kitchen and the living room, the windows also are opposite the room's entrances and the hall.

So if I follow the rules and fit the flooring in all rooms from left to right (from door to window) do I lay the floor in the same direction in the hall or do I go from the entrance to the flat to the bathroom floor?

I hope I explained it clearly.
Any advice please?

Aga V

elvis86

So, as I understand it, as you stand at the front door, the floor will be running left to right in each of the rooms, and you wonder whether you should continue this (with the floor running across the hall) or lay the floor in the hall lengthways?

I've actually just laid laminate flooring throughout my flat luckily my windows are along the front and back walls, so the floor runs front to back throughout. We laid ours continually through the doorways (ie with none of those door bars) as the floors are all even, it was a little more fussy to do but it looks fantastic.

If you're able to do that, I might be tempted to suggest you lay the floor left to right throughout, even if this does mean lots of short boards in your hall, purely as it would look nice? But I'm a complete amateur, hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along soon and hopefully advise you better!

agav

Thanks for your advice Elvis. You understood me perfectly. I'm thinking of following the pattern throughout the flat, which might make sense. Just wanted to be sure, that this is the right way.
I thought that you shouldn't lay floors through the doorways as it's got something to do with wood shrinking and moving. I can understand that it must look quite nice without door bars but not sure whether it's the right way.
Thank you for your opinion.

elvis86

agav wrote: »

Thanks for your advice Elvis. You understood me perfectly. I'm thinking of following the pattern throughout the flat, which might make sense. Just wanted to be sure, that this is the right way.
I thought that you shouldn't lay floors through the doorways as it's got something to do with wood shrinking and moving. I can understand that it must look quite nice without door bars but not sure whether it's the right way.
Thank you for your opinion.

As soon as I read your thread and commented, I was frightened that someone would come along and tell me I shouldn't have done that..:( Definitely ignore me and my "experience"!:D

Errata

The laminate doesn't know it's going through a doorway, so I can't see there's any more reason for it to shrink or move there than it would in the rooms/hallway.

aliasojo

Errata wrote: »

The laminate doesn't know it's going through a doorway, so I can't see there's any more reason for it to shrink or move there than it would in the rooms/hallway.

It's more to do with the total length involved. Floor bars in a doorway insert a break and allow expansion space whereas if the floor is fitted throughout in one, then there might be expansion issues.

Depends on type of floor and length involved really.

I agree with laying it as described above.