LAMINATE FLOORING STAGGERED ??

[madmopedracer]

I am about to lay some engineered wood flooring in my hall. I know that the joints should be staggered but the size of the hall is less than the length of the boards so do i need to cut them in half just to give staggered joins when no joints are needed .

[panlid]

nice manners

[big-all]

I am about to lay some engineered wood flooring in my hall. I know that the joints should be staggered but the size of the hall is less than the length of the boards so do i need to cut them in half just to give staggered joins when no joints are needed .

the way it works is

the off cut starts the next row
if the offcut would not allow 300mm overlap
then cut a second board to allow a joint to be placed more than 300mm away from the last
and use the offcut from 1 for 3
the ofcut from 2 for 4 ect

[madmopedracer]

Thanks for the quick reply
I understand the principle as you have explained it but I have a space 2m x 2m and the boards are approximately 2.7m do I still have to stagger the boards when I can complete the area with full boards with only joints along the length IE boards would not need to overlap to strengthen the joint.
I thought this would look neater as there would be less joints .
If this is not recommended I will bow to experience and overlap the joints

[tim'll fix it]

yes you can cut the long boards down and have no joins, it will be wastefull mind

but easier to lay

[big-all]

absolutely if you dont mind wasting all the offcuts [about 1 in 6 planks]

it has absolutly no effect on expansion or contraction and tecnicaly slighly stonger as you have no joints

[carhartt kid]

No cuts and no joints! The only reason to have a joint is if the space needs more than one lenght of board!