Laying parquet horizontally or vertically is a fundamental choice, which complements those already presented in some of our previous articles, where we discussed some factors you should consider when matching wood flooring with furniture, walls or the home baseboards.

We have seen together that the choice of one or the other variety of parquet depends both on the characteristics of the environment you want to live in and on the tone and touch of personality you want to give it. Here, we will see how the reasons for preferring vertical laying over horizontal ultimately stem from considerations, ideas, and needs that are not too dissimilar.

Horizontal parquet laying: ideal for large and regular spaces

If your home or the space to be floored is large and characterized by a regular layout, then horizontal laying, that is, with boards running perpendicular to the walls, is certainly advisable for more than one reason. Because it further enhances the spaciousness of the rooms and gives them an extra touch of elegance. Such a layout is, not surprisingly, considered suitable for reception rooms or even ballrooms. Very common horizontal layouts are running or staggered layouts, regular or irregular. We speak of irregular staggered layout when the wooden boards are parallel to each other, but their end joints are staggered. We speak of regular staggered layout, instead, when the ends are positioned exactly halfway of those next to them.

With vertical laying, narrower spaces gain breadth

When faced with smaller spaces, perhaps with an irregular layout, vertical laying can be the most effective option. Here, the parquet boards run parallel to the walls, giving the whole a sense of airiness, spaciousness, breadth, and at the same time order. Where the irregularity of the layout is particularly pronounced, the recommendation is to opt for a slanted layout of 45-60 degrees relative to doors and walls, thus smoothing out the most obvious asymmetries. Strongly marked tones and strong presences such as teak, walnut, or even our Rovere Notte, often go hand in hand with vertical laying, which are then associated, due to their significant scenic impact, with herringbone or Hungarian point styles and designs.

Light: the true friend of parquet with both horizontal and vertical laying

Among the details to consider when choosing and laying a wooden floor, lighting is of particular importance. Ideally, parquet boards should always be positioned in the direction of natural light entering the rooms, in order to highlight the wood grain and finishes, while masking joints and irregularities.
A final tip you can always follow by orienting the boards in the direction of a balcony or terrace: use continuity of laying towards a balcony or terrace, you will manage to give the rooms an impression of greater spaciousness and make them even more welcoming.