One more thing, since some of you guys seem to know a decent amount about construction.

I heard that laminate can't be run in super long lengths. It has to have a transition every 20 feet or so. Is that true? I was planning on running my floor the length of my apartment, so if you guys don't mind, can you take a look and let me know what the best idea would be?

Please, take a look at my floorplan...



I was going to install it lengthwise, all the way from the study, through the livingroom, through family room, through the hallway, through the kitchen, through the bedroom, and stop at the sunroom (sunroom is already laminated.) Now, firstly, I didn't know that laminate had a limit of how far it could be laid without a transition, this is news to me, and I'm glad you told me. i though running it my way would make the apartment seem HUGE, but I think you guys are saying that width is that matters (looks wise) and that I should lay the floor left to right instead right? Again, I appreciate any and all advice from everyone, as I know didly about this. I watched too much DYI network, and it gave me some balls to try it myself...in the words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be?"

P.S. Keep in mind...

1)The stairs are NOT in my apartment, they are the stairs of the building.

2)I am not going to do the closets

3)The only doors (regardless of what you see on the floorplan) in that long run are bedroom to kitchen. There are no other doors that entire run.

 

You should be able to get 40 feet on plank length and about 25 on plank width. If you go much beyond that you will have over expansion and possibly buckling of the flooring. It looks like your long run will be about around 65 feet.

I would run it crosswise with the floorplan and do a t-moulding between the familyroom/hallway for expansion. I might run the hallway lengthwise and drop in another t-molding before the kitchen, then go back to crosswise pattern.