The Lay Out Direction of a Wood Strip Floor Over Concrete

Long Way

• The most common way to lay out a wood strip floor on top of concrete is to simply take the longest, most visible wall in the room and use that as your starting point. The wood is run along the length of this wall in a full strip then worked back, row by row, from that vantage point, with any necessary cuts made along the less visible walls that don’t catch the eye when you first walk into the room.

Diagonally

• One option for laying out wood strip hardwood floors is to use the diagonal method. You can choose the angle of the strips, but the most common method is to run the strips at a 45-degree angle with the walls of the room. The layout is centered in the middle of the room so you have the same size cuts along all of the perimeters.

Insets

• Another layout option is to use insets. You can do this one of two ways. The first is the straight lay inset pattern, where you have an inset that runs in the opposite direction of the rest of the floor, which runs off the longest, most visible wall. The second option is to have an inset within the diagonal pattern. In both cases, the inset itself is centered within the overall room or within an entryway area, for example.

Moisture Barrier

• The only limitation, when it comes to installing wood strips on top of concrete, is that a moisture barrier may be necessary. Since concrete breathes naturally, it is constantly taking in and expelling moisture. A good test is to take a 3-foot square piece of plastic and tape it down onto the floor, with all perimeters sealed by tape. If, after a few days, there is condensation, you need to put a layer of plastic down under the hardwood floor. If not, you can install the floor on top of the concrete without a barrier.