Laying laminate flooring for maximum impact

Whether you are comfortable laying laminate flooring yourself or will be contracting an expert to do it for you, it is important to think about the direction in which you want the planks to run. You might think it doesn’t really matter – after all, it is the exact same flooring – but the direction in which the planks are laid can make a huge difference to the overall look and feel of your room. You might be surprised to learn that you can make your room feel and look far bigger simply by laying the planks in a certain direction.

While the traditional way to lay flooring is to run it in the direction of the main light source in the room, you will be amazed at how effective changing things around a little can be. There are three options when laying flooring, so let’s take a look at them:

Widthways

If you are laying laminate flooring in a narrow room, consider placing the planks horizontally across the shortest dimension. This can help to make the space appear wider, as the eye is naturally drawn to the lengths of the planks. This is a great trick in small rooms such as box rooms or home offices. Laying planks widthways is also a great trick to make a long room feel a little shorter if you want a cosier feel.

Lengthways

If you want to make a short space feel longer, lay the planks lengthways. This is especially effective in rooms in which there is a window at the end of the room, as the natural light will follow the direction of the planks.

In addition to using your laminate planks to change the feel of a room, the colour of your walls and decor can really make a difference; for example, light walls will instantly make a space feel larger.

Diagonally

This might be a completely new idea to you and it is certainly something a little different! As laminate becomes more and more popular, homeowners are always looking for ways to put their own stamp on their flooring. Laying your planks diagonally might well be more complicated than opting for widthways or lengthways, but it adds instant impact. This is perfect for large rooms, such as open-plan kitchen/diners. It is visually striking and is particularly effective when the planks are laid at a 45-degree angle. This trick also works in rooms that you feel are too big, as it can draw the walls in – especially if you paint them a dark colour.