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Home Decorating

Which direction to run flooring planks?

6 years ago

We're going to be putting in some plank flooring in our main bathroom, but not sure which direction to lay the planks. Do we go perpendicular with wood floor in the room it's adjacent to, or can we go the other direction?

These planks are different from what is in the adjacent room-they're wider and a different material, but close in color. Nearly all the rooms in the house have the planks going in different directions it seems-the dining area, living room and hall way all go E/W but the room that is adjacent to them, and also adjacent to the bathroom goes N/S, as does the family room, which that room runs in to.

So, go N/S or E/W with the bathroom? The tub is E/W but the toilet and vanity are on the east wall-so if we go N/S with the planks they would run right in to the tub, past the toilet and vanity. Going E/W with planks they'd travel out the door way since the door is on the W wall. I hope this makes sense!

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Comments (2)

PRO
Lars/J. Robert Scott
6 years ago
My preference would be to have them go N/S like the adjacent room and perpendicular to the bathtub. I think that whatever calls the least attention to itself from the adjacent room will be the best choice - you are not trying to direct traffic or interest into the bathroom.
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Well, in part it depends on if you're on a subfloor or second floor, then you would run the planks so they cross the joice for support purposes. That's what we had to do when we laid our floors. However, if you're on ground level and have no support issues, I would run the boards so that looking in from the door, they run the length of the room. When you do I think opens up the room and it's more appealing to the eye, but here's a few samples of both directions from the door, which direction is more appealing to you?

Pic taken from the door boards in this direction seem to create a nice flow because everything is in the same direction.

These are also laid lengthwise from the door, (on right) but the room is wide verses long.

Another lengthwise from the door.

This one is from left to right from the door entry. To my eye, it makes the room look smaller

ETA: Sorry Neetsie, I'm not a N/S E/W kind of gal, for me it's all about what the end result will look like from the door.
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