Hi all -
Long time lurker, first time poster. I have installed hardwood flooring a number of times in simple floorplans. However, I am preparing to take on a larger project in our new home and was wondering where you would start.

You can find a rough floorplan here: http://imgur.com/a/V4e2tDn

I will be installing 3 1/4 inch solid red oak over the entire floorplan. Joists run from left to right. Let me know if I can provide more info. Thank you!

I would start on the living room side of the staircase. Run the flooring parallel to the kitchen wall. Then use spline so you can work through the other rooms. You can nail right through the spline, so when you are starting the first row fasten both sides of the planks. I use sub-floor adhesive under the first row.

Thanks, Pete!

I have always installed perpendicular to the joists. If I understand your reply, you suggest running the floor from left to right - which is in parallel to the joists. Is this acceptable? If you had to run the floor from top to bottom in the floorplan, where would you start? Thanks for your insight and the suggestion to nail + glue the first board.

I would start on the longest wall which is the one running along the MBR and WIC
and then use splines to reverse into the hall and wherever else you have to turn the floor around or you could use header strips into the BR and closet

Thanks, Jeff! I appreciate the feedback.