Q: If I install in the direction of the homes entry, but when that runs into the dining room (no doorway, just runs into it) I would like to change directions across the middle of the dining room and then run out into the music/living room ( it is an L shape overall, with the shorter piece being the entry.
Can I use the Hand Rubbed without a transition piece at the 90 degree direction change? Does the slight up and down surface of this wood present a problem with direction changes?
A: Depending on the product you are installing will depend on how easy this project will be. If the flooring you intend to install is a tongue and groove floor (which most hand scraped wood floors are) then this will be a relatively simple install with a few options on how to make this directional change work.
With this floor being hand scraped/rubbed/sculpted you will have the variance in height along the floor, but this should not be so extreme that it makes a directional change transition impossible. The big choice to consider here is what method you will use to make this transition. There are two common methods to make a 90 degree transition in the planks of your floor: directly meeting the next direction or herring bone.
Here is a quick sketch I did to show the two types of transitions you can do during your installation:
The herringbone method weaves the planks together creating a gradual transition between the two directions where as the more direct method is an abrupt transition but tends to work very well in areas without a partial wall or door way.
Either method will work for your room and it becomes a matter of personal choice as to which will look the best. Personally I am a fan of the herringbone method as the transition is a bit more gradual and allows for some design aspect if you want to get really flashy, but the direct approach is much less work and planning from an installation perspective.
