First post here, I need some help figuring this one out. I'm about to start laying hardwood throughout my upper floor but I'm a bit unsure about planning the layout.

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m640/dirtmoverdh/upperfloorplan.jpg

Bedrooms 1, 2, 3 and the hall will have the same hardwood. The master will have a different wood and the bathrooms are ceramic so will have transitions in the doorways.

My main concern is the complexity of the hall and the angled doorways into bed 1 & 3 and the angle the stair hits the hallway.

I've come up with these options so far

1. Create a continuous surface running perpendicular to the joists.
2. Create transitions in the angled doorways by running a board straight across the opening and cutting the ends of the floor in the room at an angle to butt into this transition board. The same for the stairway. I was thinking about using a wider board for the transition.
3. Angle the entire hallway floor at the same angle as the stair enters and have the bedrooms run perpendicular to the joists. This would involve transitions into the rooms similar to option 2. My concern with this is that the angle of the stair and entry into bed 1 are close but not exact so will require some funky tapering at the transition to either bed 1 or the stair.
4. Same as 3 but angle at 45 degrees to avoid the tapering.


Other considerations:
- Bed 1 & 3 are ready to floor now but the others aren't
- I think I like the aesthetics of the continuous surface with only a transition into the master but I think it requires all the rooms to be ready to lay floor at the same time which still requires a lot of work and upheaval i.e. scrape & skim ceilings, painting, trimwork, subfloor prep etc.
- I'd rather not be working in all the rooms at the same time because we only have the 1 spare
- transitioning in the doorways has the appeal of allowing me to tackle each room in complete isolation
- my wife would like to see some progress i.e. completely finished rooms! She would be happy having a straight transition board across every threshold but I'm not 100% sure this won't look a bit odd.


BTW, I'm a seasoned woodworker and have the equipment and experience to make the transitions mate seamlessly so really I'm more concerned about the aesthetics and practicality.

What do you all think or any other suggestion on how to tackle this layout?

well, i would avoid "threshholds" at all the doorways, you want it all to be continouis, the master will need a turned board "threshold" for that turned board i would use the same material that you are using in the hallway, id space the end of it 1/2 way under the door, so when the doors are closed you dont see the floor from the oposing floor.

I would put the turned board in first, this way you could start off the the back of the hallway (by the bathroom) you can install the hall, working into bedroom 3, finish bedroom 3. then back to the hall and then working into bed number 1, finish bed 1, then finish up hall and on to bed 2, then do the master

I'd snap a line through the center of the hall, into the master and along the south wall of bedroom #3. Then use splines to go opposite directions. To bad you already have the other rooms ready. Time for plan B, sleep downstairs.

Thanks for the responses guys. You've confirmed what I already thought. I've decided to run it continuously through the bedrooms.

OK, I got the hallway prepped and am ready to lay some boards. I think I like the proposal from exquisite. When I run that first board mid field into bedroom #3 how do I install it? I'd rather avoid face nailing mid field if possible.

Do I simply nail through the tongue, put a spline in the groove side and nail through it as well?
Should I be drilling and hand nailing to minimise the possibility of movement?
Should I glue the spline?
Should I glue that first board to the subfloor?

Similar questions for the threshold into the master but I won't be reversing on it so it won't require the spline.

You need something to nail against that is solidly fastened to the subfloor to prevent movement of the plank your fastening. That is if your line allows the nailer room.