In a straight lay all planks run parallel. "Random" does not mean careless: the end joints of neighbouring rows are kept a minimum distance apart, but they do not repeat in a fixed rhythm. That irregularity is what makes a plank floor look natural.
How the offcut method works
You lay a row until the last plank no longer fits. You cut that plank to length; the part you cut off becomes the first piece of the next row, as long as it is longer than the shortest allowed piece (often 30 cm for laminate). This keeps the joints shifting by themselves and leaves almost no waste.
The planner follows this method and tells you, for each row, which offcut to pick up.
The rules
- Joint stagger: end joints in neighbouring rows at least 30 cm apart for laminate, 15–20 cm for vinyl, more for long wood planks.
- Shortest piece: no piece shorter than the minimum, at the start or the end of a row.
- No H-joints: avoid joints lining up every second row. They read as a ladder across the floor.
- No staircase: avoid joints that shift by the same amount row after row, which makes diagonal lines.
Which direction?
Planks usually look best when they run towards the main source of daylight, so light does not cross the joints. In long narrow rooms, running along the length makes the room look longer; running across makes it feel wider. With a wooden floor over joists, solid boards should run across the joists.
Waste
About 3–5% in a simple room. Buy 5% extra to cover damaged planks.