Laminate flooring in front entrance

[Howie]

I have installed laminate flooring in our kitchen and hallway, the front entrance is next. The front entrance also has a closet which we will floor with the laminate as well. The closet has two mirror sliding doors with a track on the top and a track on the bottom (both tracks have wheels). The flooring panels are about 54" long and the closet/entrance is 72" wide, so I will have to use full pieces, plus 18" pieces to finish off the 72" length (54" + 18" = 72"). A length of flooring reaches completely into the closet, plus 18" inches left to the closet wall.

Should I put all the joins inside the closet? I'm not sure how I would do this considering that you are supposed to stagger the joins (8" I think) for strength... I would not have any vertical joints to worry about chipping in the traffic area of the main entrance...

Or should I just install it as I normally did with the rest of the flooring - a full piece, then a cut piece, then the rest of the cut panel to start the next row? I will probably go this way unless someone has a better idea. This will have staggered joints but vertical joints present in this traffic area.

Anyone care to comment? advice? suggestions? tips?

Howie

[Edwin Pawlowski]

In a high traffic area it is important to have the joint staggered. In a closet, who cares? You can lay down a 54 and 18, then a 54, 9 and 9 if you want.

If you don't think it will look natural with no seams in the open area, do a

54, 18 then a 18, 54, next a 9, 54, 9 etc.

I'd try the 54, 18 idea first though.

[Howie]

I don't think I should go 9", 54" 9" - I'll have two joins in a single row instead of one (or none)... anyone care to comment?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Sure. So what?

[longshot]

its a closet, throw some shoes over it & forget about it.

[Eric Tonks]

I would try to locate the end of the boards under the closet door track. This will prevent them from lifting up and also hide the joint.

[Howie]

would I have a weaker join area if they all the joins were aligned under the door track (no staggering)??

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Sure, but who cares? How much traffic walks on the track?

[Howie]

the doors are somewhat heavy...

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The won't fall through seam though.