We have a central foyer with a den and master bedroom off each side. The doors to each of these rooms are almost across from each other. It is possible to see across all three rooms.

Looking for comments on the layout for the new 3/4" x 5" wood planking.

1) Wood planks flow between rooms without any disruption or transition strips under the doors.

2) Transition strips under the doors with each room having different starting points meaning the planks could be offset between the 3 rooms.

3) Transition strips under the doors but all planking parallel across all three rooms.

My definition of transition, a plank the is under the closed door, fills the jamb area, it is perpendicular to all the other planks.

Current foyer has wood floor with transition pieces under the doors and carpet in the foyer and MB.

Pro and Con's?

Similar situation within the MB, hallway to bathroom has closets on either side, one bifold, one door.

 

What kind of installation, nail down, glue down, or floating? How big are the rooms?

 

Den is 10x10, Foyer is 8x12, MB (with 2 closets) is 16x24.

Den and foyer have common front wall, MB is forward by 4.

Planks are nail down.

 

Can you provide a diagram of the floor plan?

 

Check the manufacturer's recommendation. Some flooring cannot exceed 40 linear feet side to side without a transition strip. Otherwise, if it is 3/4" T&G installed with staples or cleats, you can change directions at the doorways if you wish, using the tongue and groove system. If you wish to continue the direction, you can do so. Just make sure it is square to the rooms. Sometimes a slight offset is needed to keep it all straight, thus a good transition piece is used. When flooring closets I find it necessary to use reversing splines. It makes it easier to install the flooring backwards into the closets.

 

Pretty sure I'm going with option 3, that is what I did at a prior house but it was just one large opening between the foyer and dining room but it was so long ago I cant recall if the boards were lined up between the two rooms.

So with this layout, if I want to keep the boards in line, after the den is finished do I work off that common line in the other rooms going in 2 directions or measure back to the starting wall?

 

Common line is running left to right? Use it as your starting baseline and work all rooms in both directions so that the board joints will 'line up' across the doorway transitions. Floor joists run top to bottom in your picture? Current foyer hardwood installed parallel to the red common line? Rule of thumb is that if a room is over 20 feet wide the boards should be layed in both directions....in this case your master bedroom will benefit from this.

 

Common line is running left to right? Yes

Use it as your starting baseline and work all rooms in both directions so that the board joints will 'line up' across the doorway transitions. Perfect, using splines!

Floor joists run top to bottom in your picture? Yes

Current foyer hardwood installed parallel to the red common line? Yes

Couple more questions I'm sure but this was the big question!

 

As I'm getting closer to start laying wood in the foyer & den I find a layout issue.

What my first layout did not show is in the den I have built in cabinets along the top wall so I have a toe kick to deal with.

In the den from the toe kick to the back wall it's 105 3/4" a perfect fit for 21 rows of wood).

When I transfer the pattern (to keep the joints in line) into the foyer (back to the front door) it's off by 1 5/8". Meaning a 1 5/8 strip will be needed in one of the rooms, yuck!

Another concern I did not think about is the front door. Originally I thought I would work from the opening between den & foyer toward the front door but now see that last piece has to be perfectly flush with the door frame as there is no opportunity for a 1/4 round trim under the door.

So, now I'm thinking option 2 is best, we laid out flooring with a stagger of 1 5/8' in different rooms and we all think it looks fine. Figure I just need to make sure the stagger between the foyer and bedroom is the same.

 

Instead of a 1 5/8 strip and a 5" strip, think about two 3 5/16 strips, one at each side of the room. Would likely look better than one narrow strip and all the rest wide. You can even slightly adjust the difference if needed to line up with something else (like a 3" strip and a 3 5/8 strip).

 

What my first layout did not show is in the den I have built in cabinets along the top wall so I have a toe kick to deal with.

In the den from the toe kick to the back wall it's 105 3/4" a perfect fit for 21 rows of wood).
You should have an expansion space under the toe kick....undercut the toe kick and notch the floor board around it .

When I transfer the pattern (to keep the joints in line) into the foyer (back to the front door) it's off by 1 5/8". Meaning a 1 5/8 strip will be needed in one of the rooms, yuck!

You could make minor adjustments in the middle of the field.....which is a lot of work or make adjustments to the last board against one or both walls....as long as you don't end up with real narrow or angled boards these won't look bad as they 'disappear' under the baseboard or shoe molding.

Another concern I did not think about is the front door. Originally I thought I would work from the opening between den & foyer toward the front door but now see that last piece has to be perfectly flush with the door frame as there is no opportunity for a 1/4 round trim under the door.

One way to make this work is to adjust your baseline so that it will take an even number of boards to reach the front door. Will the height of the new flooring be flush with the front door threshold? If not maybe a slight undercut for expansion. I'd be a little hesitant to have no expansion for a 5" plank.

So, now I'm thinking option 2 is best, we laid out flooring with a stagger of 1 5/8' in different rooms and we all think it looks fine. Figure I just need to make sure the stagger between the foyer and bedroom is

If you are ok with a staggered look then go for it. Seems to look 'off' when the joints don't line up across the perpendicular transition. My opinion only.

 

Den is done and came out perfect, got a little growth over the 21 boards as I installed 2 rows of spacers (using strapping material which does not even show) so just had to trim the tongue off the last board.

I laid out material across the two thresholds with the stagger between rooms and had everybody take a look and nobody even noticed. The darker wood does a good job of hiding the joints so no issue here!

 

Always glad to hear of a project that goes well!

 

Den and foyer complete, now onto the master bedroom!

All that floor and the Mr's just wants to cover it up with rugs! HAHA

 

Looking good! Hear you about the rugs, but they are a good idea in high wear areas like under a desk chair.