Click through for a compilation of all my blogposts on flooring w/links and commentary. For example, you can follow the direction of the main or most frequently used entrance of the room. Thank you! Because I like for wood floorboards to appear long, and I want them to run the length of the room or in a house (front to back so that it draws you through the house), I like to lay these rectangular tiles in the opposite direction, perpendicular to the length of the room. In our living room the tongue and groove ceiling and the floor will run the same direction (floor not yet installed). Also, should I install tile or carpet first? Replacing carpet with hardwood but next to existing hardwood and tile, Kitchen Flooring - Hardwood vs tile that looks like hardwood. Interior Designer: Jonathan Raith Inc. / Image source: homebunch.com. Check out how you can be featured HERE. 5. Can you email me the house drawings so I can study them a bit? As a designer our practice is the wider side of the material be it wood or tile should be parallel to the door opening. Which direction to run wood flooring | Home Builder: RTG Construction / Image source: House of Turquoise #woodflooring Need some help with your home with a quick, personal Q&A? It also serves to make the space feel wider, much like in the plan shown here. Big room. If your sub… So in a kitchen that is 10â x 20â, for example, I would lay the longer side across the 10â length. Most people don't have tile all over their house, from the front door all the way through. You typically do not like to see many little boards when you look at it. They would mostly face the sink, sit at the bar, cook at the stove, or look into the space from the living room; so, in this instance, having the pattern run the length of the space keeps the tile running horizontally, as you see the pattern most. As a general rule, you will want to run the boards in the direction of the light source. I have wood in my kitchen now and it is great. In many cases, where tile is used in a room, it’s located in the heart of the home or in an isolated space, usually in the kitchen or bathroom. There is no need to install additional subflooring material, providing you are not running the new hardwood flooring in the same direction as the old floor boards. The same general rule that applies to laying wood tile can’t be applied when laying tile. Jul 28, 2015 - Now that we’ve gone over the most appropriate direction to lay your wood floor, let’s now consider your tile. Another way to determine the best possible direction for your planks is by following the lead of your room’s features. My email address is jfrwhipple@gmail.com. That way you can get the 30 years out of a tiled floor (wood look or not). There will be hardwood everywhere else (6" wide red oak). And things are less likely to break when dropped on wood vs hard tile. Would you lay hardwood floors or tile that looks like hardwood? Our tile guys recommended it go lengthwise (bowling alley) saying that is how they would lay hardwood in the room. Some of it (if it is a higher end product...the finishes in the rest of the house will point in which direction that goes) can be sanded and refinished. Acacia Hardwood in Feather Grey, available at Avalon Flooring. These floors aren't old enough (10+ years is when things really start to look worn) for us to look back and say, "That was a great choice!" If engineered planks run in the same direction as ... regardless of which direction the joists run. The wide planked floors that you wish to introduce, are they going to be site finished? Old House - New Hardwood and Old Hardwood Floors. Hardwood is timeless, functional and easily changed to follow trends. Go for the hickory and the 3 inch might look more in keeping with the rest of the house. Sometimes the layout has to do with how you would look at the room, or where the main focus is in room, not where the entrance is. Inspired, personalized, creative interior design by Carla Aston. These are two separate spaces = allowed to have their own flooring. And, really, these are two different materials, so the direction needs to be considered in a different manner. That also puts it on the floor joists perpendicularly. I have am finishing a house and have a tile foyer and study (same tile - 12"x24: and dark colored). In many applications it is the only option if you want the look of wood (bathrooms, Florida, Texas, etc). OTOH maybe ceiling orientation should follow from floor orientation. Finger parquet can be quite thin. You won't get a perfect match. Mean spirited, derogatory comments will be deleted. Which Direction Should You Run Your Tile Flooring? It just makes for a more pleasing, harmonious layout that feels more comfortable in the room. Or will they be factory finished? (doors have a floor threshold so flooring would not be continuous and color probably won't be a perfect match) My starting point in the thought process was the ceiling orientation. That $10/sf just turned into $30/sf...'cause the floor has been laid 3 times in 25 years. The reason: you will probably get rid of it in a few years anyway (one project begets another, and so on and so on). However, when working with our now ever-popular rectangular tiles (12â x 24â is currently a popular size), I like to run the tiles in the exact opposite direction I would a wood floor, regardless of whether itâs laid in a brick pattern or stacked. Which direction to run the tile flooring, Kitchen Remodel | Designer: Carla Aston, Photographer: Tori Aston, Which direction to run tile flooring | Interior Designer: Jonathan Raith & Co. / Image source: homebunch.com, Which direction to run the tile flooring, Kitchen Remodel | Interior Designer: Carla Aston, Photographer: Tori Aston, Galley kitchen, which direction to run the tile floor | Designer: Paul Corrie, Image source: traditionalhome.com, Which direction to run your tile floor | Image source: farmhouseurban.com, Which direction to run your tile floor |Builder: Graystone Builders, Which direction to run your tile floors? Horizontal If you have a room that is narrower than it is long, it can end up feeling closed in. The Direction You Choose Should Meet Your Needs. Take the time to visit a showroom and see how different hardwood flooring directions change the way that a room flows. So… The same general rule that applies to laying wood tile can't be applied when laying tile. Yes you should keep the hard woods all going the same direction. Cozy up with your family with these holiday gift ideas, MY NEW BOOK: How to Choose Perfect Paint Colors for Your Home, Advertising Privacy Policy, Comment Policy, and Disclaimer. The result can be uneven. While personal preference is a factor, the direction in which you run hardwood flooring boards is governed by visual and structural guidelines. The annoying thing is you can't find a replacement in 10 years. In this room below, I ran the long side of the tile parallel to the wood floor and entrance to the room, because of the direction one would be looking at the open kitchen from the living room and how one would be using the kitchen. Engineered hardwood or solid? Get a smooth transition from. The wood might look better depending on the choice of tile. My handy guide for planning your new bathroom! Narrow bathrooms can appear cramped or tight on space, even when there is plenty room to … Ceramic tile "wood look" is going to run into some issues which come with every ceramic/porcelain/stone/cement tile = chipping and damage. By that estimate, hardwood is some of the cheapest flooring you can purchase when viewed over the life time of the floor. Also, we have real wood in one house in our kitchen and tile in our other house's kitchen and the wood is so much nicer to walk on in bare feet. Materials bought at LL don't count. | Interior Designer: Tracery Interiors / Image source: House of Turquoise. I don't mind the wood tile in a bathroom as much, but I don't love it in a kitchen. But, generally installing the tile first would be better. It depends on how careful you are in the installation process. I have am finishing a house and have a tile foyer and study (same tile - 12"x24: and dark colored). Bold * Livable * Fresh Interior Designer & Design Blogger. On our original porch on older part of the house, as in most porches, the tongue and groove runs longways, the floor runs shortway, typical for an older home (though not always). Tile to Wood. In many cases, where tile is used in a room, itâs located in the heart of the home or in an isolated space, usually in the kitchen or bathroom. If the hardwood rows run parallel to the tile location, add the final plank in the same direction. That is when you have to shell out another $5/sf on materials + labour + removal of the old tiles...once again. There will be hardwood everywhere else (6" wide red oak). If it’s 5/8″ plywood or better, we’d be less concerned which direction the wood was running but would still be inclined to run the wood across the joists. The entry is a small area and you will not notice it that much. In my opinion, if you're going to do tile in your kitchen, then don't try to make it look like wood. And, really, these are two different materials, so the direction needs to be considered in a different manner. If you want "matte distressed", I'm going to guess this will be factory finished. Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look, Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? As for the tile....I would ignore it. Should flooring in den run same direction as LR or does it matter? Since hardwood floors don't have much of a joint, you don't want your tile to either. How to Make a Narrow Bathroom Look Wider With Tile. Apply the tile grout up to the edge of the hardwood. Not necessarily. 12 x 24 tile floor being laid across the narrow width of the room to make the room appear wider. With 5/8″ plywood or thicker, the plywood itself will grip the fasteners well enough to avoid the floor from pulling up, so hitting joists periodically throughout the installation is less of an issue. It might be different if you did not already have a room done, I would leave it and keep that direction going. Well... the most appropriate direction to lay your wood floor. The same general rule that applies to laying wood tile canât be applied when laying tile. Which do you install or have installed first, carpet or tile? Even if you opt for the buff & coat (mid-life pick-me-up around 15 years of age) the cost is $2-$3/sf (half of a full sand and refinish). If you are like many people who are thinking about installing new hardwood floors, you might have the idea that all of your floors should match. I am assuming the hardwood should run lengthwise (parallel with the front of the house). Subscribe to my blog featuring design tips & tools, delivered to your inbox weekly, that will have your home looking fresh and new in no time! I have a compilation of all my blogposts on flooring in a $5 downloadable pdf, w/links and commentary, right HERE. But not everyone agrees on the direction that hardwood flooring should be laid. If youâve got square tile, or tile to be laid diagonally or in a Versailles pattern, the direction isnât an issue. The direction you choose can impact the visual perception of the space inside the room. http://www.VideoJoeKnows.com Installing a hardwood floor: which direction should I lay it?....& where should I start? And sorry for the long post - wanted to be as through as possible. How to approach this? Broken or damaged tiles always happen. If you run it against the light, you will see the joints in between the boards more prominently. I was thinking of keeping the same flow with the foyer tile placement -having the long edge run parallel to the front of the house. Whereas it would have been nice to have all one type of flooring in this instance, the slate tile blended with the wood floor much better laid the same direction as the wood floor, thus keeping a nice flow to the flooring materials. 15 Stunning What Direction Should Hardwood Floor Run If you are trying to try to find suggestions for 15 Stunning What Direction Should Hardwood Floor Run then this is the place to be. Builders Custom Flooring and feeny are correct. Bathroom or kitchen tile to the surrounding wood by using a transition strip designed specifically to bridge these two flooring materials. Today Is The Day For The Virtual Showhouse Debut! If you run them against the light, it can make the floor not look quite as good. Find out how to keep them that way, Know how to apply nail polish? And we have those wifi sensors that alert you if the temperature gets too high/low in the house and also if anything with water in it leaks or overflows. Sand and refinish of a hardwood floor is always cheaper than purchasing and installing a new floor...assuming you have chosen something that has value to it. Last, but not least, the direction that you lay your hardwood flooring should match your personal preferences. Agree with everyone's comments about the flooding - if you have a major flood, you will have to replace everything anyway and it should be mostly covered by insurance. I laid tile out both ways and agreed with them. See This Link For Advertising Privacy Policy, Comment Policy, and Disclaimer. Click through for more about this way to get an answer to your specific design dilemma. but if its glue down or floating floor run it anyway you want.also if you have a long narrow room run the wood in direction of shorts distance to make room look wider.its a very good idea to chance the directions of the wood when you can it gives it a lot more unique look. Also asked, should tile Run same direction as wood floor? I am assuming the hardwood should run lengthwise (parallel with the front of the house). The direction chosen to run the hardwood boards or planks should be based on two items: The subfloor and joist direction. Cuts will be peripheral so whichever way one lays should come to more or less the same. It may be most visually pleasing to lay the tile in the same direction as the hardwood if the floor space is continuous, open, elongated, the hardwood/tile color and style are similar, and the transition strip will give a “seamless” appearance. for a general rule if its nail down hardwood flooring you actually should run it cross the length of your floor joist. After that, I would ignore them. I think it depends, actually. Generally, tile is a much thicker product than a plank of wood or laminate. To get the most pleasing or dramatic impact, your planks should be laid in the direction that leads the eye to a certain focal point of the room—like your lovely fireplace or other big architectural details. Will the same principles used when laying your wood floor apply to how you lay your tile? In these instances, the hardwood floor planks are usually laid in parallel to the longest run or wall in the installation. By the time a hardwood floor requires a full sand and refinish (averaging $5/sf for this) the "tile" floors will have been bought, installed and removed as many as 3 times. Laying hardwood flooring vertically in this situation would make the illusion even worse. Therefore, the direction you lay hardwood floors in a new home is based more on aesthetic and design factors as opposed to the direction of the joists. @ Mbvv - I would like to tackle your questions for you but need a little more information. So, if you’re redoing the floors in the foyer, … Sometimes your room is square; and, in that case, I would run the tiles parallel to the entrance of the room, so that when you walk in you walk across the pattern laid out horizontally. Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank, There's more to a tile floor than the tile itself; how you lay out your tile can change the look and feel of the room, Rubber, cork, concrete and other materials are worthy options in lieu of hardwood or tile, Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor â and the one mistake you should avoid, Here's how to read a ceramic tile box and get exactly what you need, Clever Floor Accents Bring Color and Style to Entry, Courtyard and Bath, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Transition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors, What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor, Contractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors, 6 Alternative Flooring Ideas to Kick Up Your Style, What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors, Tile Rugs: Decorative Features for Your Floor, KraftMaid kitchen cabinets Madison natural maple.