When installing a wooden floor, the choice of which direction to lay it in is entirely down to aesthetics and personal choice.
Hardwood floors can be laid across the room, along the room or even at a 45 degree angle if that is your choice. However, the most common way to lay a wooden floor is laying it lengthways in the light path from the largest window or light source. This is so that the light picks up on the smaller end joints rather than along the length joints, and helps to highlight the natural beauty of the wooden floor. Another tip is to lay the flooring along the length of the room, especially if you have a long, thin area such as a hallway, as this can help the room to look larger and is more aesthetically pleasing. The only time when the direction of your hardwood flooring is decided for you is if you choose to nail down your hardwood floor. In this case, you must lay your hardwood floor perpendicular to the existing subfloor for maximum strength and stability.
