laminate flooring - crosswise or lengthwise? Anyone looked at this?

[budeneighe]

I am going with Home Depot Traffic Master Allure Ultra resilient interlocking vinyl flooring to replace the very tired carpet. I bought a case each of the two choices I am looking at and just laid them in place in different ways to see which will look and work best.

 

I am considering a crosswise installation instead of the typical lengthwise technique because I think it will make the space feel wider and might also make replacing damaged planks easier if a slide gouges something. The gouge would likely not span multiple planks if it installed crosswise. It also seems to give more of a visual separation between the living and kitchen areas.

 

Has anyone looked at doing a crosswise installation of a hardwood looking floor?

 

[Clay L]

Crosswise would have been much easier in my motor home but we installed it (laminate flooring) lengthwise because my wife said it would look better. The instructions that came with it also indicated that it is preferable to install it parallel with the longest wall.

I have seen some installed crosswise and it looked fine to me.

[oldride]

Me I like the lighter look cross way. Like you said if you get a major scratch would be easier to fix. If the DW likes it use both to separate the kitchen and the rest of the area.Her side your side. Be very careful how you say that.

[skunk workz]

We're installing it in our fiver this week, and I'm going lengthwise since it's what we decided we like best.

 

I've seen it done both ways, and totally understand the argument for doing it crosswise.

 

In my opinion: it will work fine either direction, and looks fine either direction, so go with what makes you happy!

[Bobi and Dick McKee]

I've seen it laid on a diagonal and it completely changes the look of the area.

[phillyg]

I've laid a lot of floors and most were lengthwise based on factory recommendations, appearance and ease of laying. You'll have more cuts doing it cross-wise. Having said that, if YOU think it looks better cross-wise, as does your DW, who am I to disagree.

[wildmandmc]

i just finished my computer room in house, cross wise. The main reason was to give look of the different shades of the wood, going lenthwise you miss out on that .

[wildmandmc]

For the coach i would still do it cross wise.