DIY newbie question

[Austin]

Good morning! In the next couple of weeks I will begin a flooring project in my basement. It currently is carpeted and has had water problems in the past so it needs to be replaced with something more suitable for a basement.

I went with vinyl wood look plank flooring that is said to be very water resistant and pretty durable. The planks are 6" x 48". I need some advice on which direction I should install the planks. I have attached a basic layout of the floor plan to help you visualize.

When you go down the stairs (S on floor plan), it opens to a living room. The room is long and narrow (about 26 x 15). On the right side is a hallway that leads to two 12x12 bedrooms on each side of the hallway each with a 5x5 closet.

I have read that you should install planks lengthwise long rooms and hallways, but that would mean I would have to change the direction of the plank when I transition from the living room to the hallway. My wife is against changing the direction and asked if I can just install the planks in the hallway perpendicular to the walls. Just need some guidance if this would be a wise idea and if I shilould consider alternating the direction. Also, which direction should I run the planks in the bedrooms?

Thank you!

 

[Nick]

Please post floor plan.

 

[Austin]

Sorry not sure why it didn't work the first time

View attachment Basement layout.pdf

 

[Jon]

I lay heaps of wood look vinyl planks and reckon you should walk along the lines not across them
I tell the customer to open a couple of boxes and have a play of which way the planks should run
Try running a planks different directions in the hallway and the lounge to see what it looks like
I tell the house owner the planks can be laid however they like as I go home and they have to live with it
I would probually run the planks across the hallway making the bedrooms and lounge going the same way

 

[Jon]

I lay heaps of wood look vinyl planks and reckon you should walk along the lines not across them
I tell the customer to open a couple of boxes and have a play of which way the planks should run
Try running a planks different directions in the hallway and the lounge to see what it looks like
I tell the house owner the planks can be laid however they like as I go home and they have to live with it
I would probually run the planks across the hallway making the bedrooms and lounge going the same way

Changed my mind
Would look at going the other way
Have a play with a few boxes and see how each way looks

 

[Austin]

Hey Jon thanks for the advice. Sorry for the delayed response I've been sidetracked but am now back on the project. I think I am going to go longways because the living room and bedrooms would both be long ways in the hallway would be the only one where you have to walk across the planks.

I do have another question that I didn't bring up the first time. Since this is in my basement and the sub floor is concrete do I need to put down underlayment or can I put the flooring directly onto the concrete?

 

[highup]

45 degrees would look good.............. and be a ton of fun also.

 

[Jon]

45 degrees would look good.............. and be a ton of fun also.

If doing the 45 make sure you have the 45 running into rooms Not running into a wall
To see what I mean lay some planks at both 45 ways to show the difference
Have you checked your concrete to see if its dry with a moisture meter?
I don't know about underlayments

 

[DaveO]

Cork underlay

 

[yiddo1982]

45 degrees would look good.............. and be a ton of fun also.

Herringbone would be funnier With border

 

[highup]

A herringbone with a double border of walnut and brass inlays between each.
............got bling?

 

[Dan]

A 1" walnut, 1/4" brass, 1" walnut border is bad to the bone.

The kicker is...it's really tons easier than it sounds. Install the 2.25" walnut border, then router out a 1/4"wide x 1/4" deep down the middle of it. Pop in the brass inlay that comes pre-drilled for nails and includes the nails. The brass is soft and sands with the floor. Brass nail heads sand right off. Yeah, a little caution is needed, but it's not rocket science.

It really makes a floor pop!