Assuming, based off your prints, that the floor will be running east and west (or lengthwise) and not north south (or veritcle) I would run my first row from a point on the utility/kitchen wall that runs uninterrupted to the point it would meet at the living rm/M bed wall
that's if the wall lengths are correctly depicted on your print.

youre going to have to run a few string lines no matter what, like when you get down to the hallway. and once you are in each bedroom.

another tip, if you did not already, grab some Slip Tongue. a lot of it.

The line in red is what I was thinking

I would run the floor north/south. Board direction flowing forward-looking into the space and towards the windows or light. This is how I learned it, not just a personal aesthetical opinion. That also flows well, forward, as you walk into each room.

I would start in the foyer, probably the right wall but planning first to consider any cuts.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Sat, Oct 18, 14 at 8:01

Thanks for the replies. The floor will be running east to west so that it is perpendicular to the joists.

Gregmills, thanks for the line. That is one spot I was thinking to start as well. I'm assuming I would just blind nail that first run and start from both sides and work out? The other string lines you mentioned, would they come off the already laid floor? I guess I was assuming the boards would continue to be laid from the starting point. Hope that makes sense.

Yep, if you watch when you nail that first row, and toe nail it, then you wont have a line a nails in the middle of your floor...the slip tongue is where this comes in handy, because then you are assured that every board will have a tongue to seat in.
hopefully you can zoom in, the smaller red lines is where im thinking a string line will come in handy. because when you get thru a doorway to a bed room you wont have any flooring to butt into. and yes the string line would be off any floor you already laid.

Gregmills,
Thanks again. I guess my question revolved why the extra lines would be needed? I was assuming when I was working toward the foyer from the original run in the living room, I would continue down the hall and into the secondary bedrooms. Then I would use a slip tongue to go back into the master. Sorry if I'm confusing.

Also the first line would need to be squared up from the front and rear walls, correct? If walls are out of square a little, that first line would be adjusted?

ok so when you get into say the Master Bedroom, once you get that first board into the room, you wont have any flooring to butt into along the right side of wall. so that's where the string line would come in handy to make sure the row stays straight.

if you get that first board into the room you cant assume the wall is going to be square so you cant just butt the floor tight against the wall.

its a rarity to get a wall that is square. they all have some dips or bows.
but yes you want to check both the north and south walls to your line. if you are lucky enough to get a plywood seam close by then use that, they are pretty good at being straight. but always check.

You don't HAVE to use the extra string lines...its more for piece of mind...the last thing you want to do is have a room look crooked halfway into installing it.

the walls in the hallway wont be straight...guaranteed. and on top of that, every plank wont be straight either...they all have some sort of bow to it, some worst than others, so you cant rely on lining up the butt ends when making your first row down the hallway.

Thanks for the extra info. I used to build cabinets for a living but never put down any flooring. Thought I'd give it a go to save some cash. I guess I was thinking in the doorways when crossing the thresholds, the boards would have to be ripped to what size they needed to go along the wall. For instance, I cross the threshold and the board overlaps into the room 2 1/2". I would then rip the other boards 2 1/2" to match to go along the wall next to the doorway.

So the other lines you mentioned, would I start a new row on those and work back to the floor already laid? I know, I'm full of questions.

the 2.5'' idea would work under this condition...the walls were perfectly straight and every board you ripped didn't have any bends to it.

you wouldn't start a new row...going back to the 2.5'' analogy, you would continue along with a full width row and have .75'' or 1'' gap to back fill to that wall. hope that makes sense.

Yes that helps. The other lines would basically be used as a guidance to get those rooms as square as possible.

correct!