While personal preference is a factor the direction in which you run hardwood flooring boards is governed by visual and structural guidelines.
How to lay wood flooring that is all one length.
Seat the end tongue and groove flooring into each other and push the two boards together for a tight seam.
Begin the first row of flooring by placing the planks with the tongue side facing the wall.
Nail down the board moving down the row until you reach the side wall.
Hold the block securely with your left hand and hit the block with a hammer in you right hand.
Align the edge of the board with the chalk line and drill pilot holes down through the hardwood plank and into the sub floor and joist.
When you come to the end of the first row cut the length of plank needed to complete the row.
Cut the last length to fit leaving a 3 4 inch expansion gap and nail it in place.
Some wood flooring comes with several lengths in the same package to help you stagger the seams.
If the room is wider than it is long laying the flooring on the vertical will help create the illusion of length in the room and balance it out.
Put the first board of the new row in place.
Use a wooden block to tap the next row of boards into the first.
Separate them by length so you can grab different lengths each.
Wood floors should always be laid perpendicular to floor joists across rather that in between them.
Slightly sloping floors which are common in older houses often worry homeowners who want to install new rigid floorings such as laminate ceramic tile or hardwood.
Install the second plank next to the first by aligning the tongue into the groove and press the plank down to snap it in place.
Vertical flooring is the most common orientation for wood floors.
Face nail the entire first row and remember to keep the board lengths random.
Face nail each board at the point of every joist and set the nail with a nail set.
The correct direction for laying hardwood floors.
Lay out your wood planks by size.
If the room is not overly small floorboards that are placed vertically will work just fine.
Pick one that is straight.