Which direction do you lay a wood floor?

[longerdays]

Choices choices. We want a floor leading from front door and narrow hallway through to a kitchen (rectangle) and a lounge (square) and off to one side a downstairs cloakroom. Which way do we lay the wood floor? I would do it north/south so it is away from you as you go through the door but we have been told if you lay across ways then it makes a narrow room seem wider? Are there any rules to this? Thanks

[Trills]

Lengthways down the hallway

[PurpleDaisies]

I think it would look really odd laid widthwise.

[EmmaC78]

Yes, lengthwise down the hallway.

[Ellypoo]

Def lengthways down the hall.

In other rooms, the general idea is to lay it horizontally/widthways away from the fireplace.

[bonjovigirl]

From a practical point of view, if you did the planks width wise you'd probably find that the hallway width is less than or just over a single plank. So, while fitting the floor you might have to cut almost every plank down to size to be fitted. Going length-ways down the hall would probably be more efficient and pleasing to the eye?

[wowfudge]

Having the flooring lengthwise down the hall will emphasise the narrowness. That's why it's been suggested you have it laid across.