FloorLayGuide

Planning the first and last row

The first row decides the last. Work out the row widths before you click a single plank.

Why it matters

If you start with a full-width plank, the last row gets whatever is left. That can be a 2 cm strip that is impossible to click in, looks bad, and breaks easily. Most manufacturers ask for a last row of at least 5 cm; a third of the plank width or more looks better.

The calculation

  1. Take the room width across the planks and subtract the expansion gap twice.
  2. Divide by the visible width of one plank (without the tongue).
  3. The whole number is the number of full rows; the decimal tells you how wide the last row will be.
  4. If the last row would be too narrow, take one full row off and split that row plus the remainder between the first and last row.

Example

Room width 350 cm, gap 1 cm each side: 348 cm to cover. With 19.2 cm planks: 348 รท 19.2 = 18.125. That is 18 full rows and a last row of 2.4 cm: too narrow. Instead use 17 full rows (326.4 cm) and split the remaining 21.6 cm: the first and last rows are both 10.8 cm.

The planner does this automatically and shows the result in the install steps.

Scribing to a crooked wall

Lay the first row loosely with spacers. Where the gap to the wall varies by more than about 5 mm, set a pair of compasses to the widest gap and run it along the wall, drawing a line on the planks. Cut along that line. The first row now follows the wall and the rest of the floor stays straight.