Hey all! 

1 - I was wandering if I decide to purchase a laminate floor that already has the underlayment attached to the laminate, could a person use "fan fold" under it as an additional underlayment?  It would be going on top of concrete and, of caurse, a moisture berrier.

2 - What are the determining factors in the direction of the laminate planks in a room?  Some of the guidleines I've heard are: the planks should run parrallel to any windows that imit the most light into the room; the planks should run parrallel to the longest wall.  Confused...

Thanks!!

LAF:

As far as question 1, I can't help you. I am not very knowledgeable about "fan fold'. someone else who is will be along soon.

As for question 2, lay out several pieces of flooring in different directions and decide which looks best to you. You have to live wth it: you should be pleased with how it looks. My personal preference is to have the grain parallel to the longest wall, but that is only my preference. Doesn't necessarily apply to anyone else.

If visually the direction doesn't matter much to you, do a little arithmatic and figure out which direction will minimize cuts (a good thing) and waste (another good thing).

Beer proves that God loves us - Ben Franklin

I do not know that a padded board would make an issue if using "fanfold". Although I doubt it.

As for the "recommended" layout, it is just that, their opinion. Lay the flooring out at a 32.5 degree angle if you want. As long as all instructions are followed, all should be good.

LAF,

I would be leary of using fan-fold under a system with the built-in cushion.  That built-in cushion doesn't go edge to edge and the system was designed to be supported in that way.  I believe the fan-fold would be best for full contact with the flooring, not contact, then gap, then contact, then gap...

As to direction, it is your call on what looks best to you.  I agree with the others in that regard.

I'm just gonna take the guys advice, have a couple of beers then any direction will look nice, if it still don't; I'll drink a couple more till it looks okay again. Then when the wife asks why I put the floor on the ceiling I'll just say it was intentional. Just kidding, I'll find the middle of the room and put out the floor and find the right way to go; shifting from my middle lines, as for fanfold I need to learn more about it. But the flooring has got me sold, and at $1.79 a sq. ft. isn't going to break the bank, but in the livingroom if I get rid of the rug for a floor, I think I still would like a real oak floor, I like oak and real is something I would rather have there. I have terrazzo, I don't like terrazzo, looks like someone puked with the different flecks in it, I wouldn't want to see that everyday.

Good advice guys. Hey kdow, I really like yours!!

This is just my personal opinion, In order for a laminate floor to look authentic it must follow the same guide lines as a hard wood floor. A hard wood floor is laid in such a way that nails (staples) can be driven into all floor joist, and not just one a board happens to land on.
If you have a concrete slab instead of floor joist, try to imagine which way they would be run if you did have them. This sort of makes everything uniform, if you know what I mean..

Is the room narrow and long??? If you install the flooring the length wise it will make the room look narrower than it is. Installing the flooring across the narrowest width will add the illusion of a wider room with the plank seams going across the narrow room.
Dry fit some of the material and stand back to see which way you prefer it to run. Ask family members for their opinion also.

Yes that's why fat people never wear stripe shirts with the strips going horizontally(makes them look fatter) only stripes vertically makes them look skinnier,remember; find the middle of what you've got and lay out the floor; from wall to wall in one line, shift the line to give you the best possible coverage and best line up with the walls, the less cutting you have to do the better,and do that from the other two oppose-ing walls also,  moving the previous line up or down to the best you've found now with this line, you'll then find your sweet spot for installing your floor.This method works for tile ,wood every kind of floor except the FLAW my wife says I have and will never get rid of ;my beer belly.

Ken, that's just your fuel cell - lol.

Who started this?  LAF?
 
Personal experience...if you are physically controlled by testorone....defer to that which is controlled by estrogen (wife, bride, etc).

Basically, which ever dimension of the room is greater /longest - that is the direction in which to lay the laminate.  Unless 'she who must be obeyed' wants somthing different. 

In that case, lower your left shoulder and hunch your right shoulder up and say  "yes mistress!' and do what she says. 
If you don't...woe upon you.

Oldman brought up a good point about the visual or optical illusion depending on the flooring direction based on room dimensions. This would fall to personal taste I think. I have yet to read any instructions from any sort of flooring (aside from sub-floor) that states having to be nailed into joists. Then I am not a professional floor guy either.

Craig, I has always told to just "Smile and Nod". So far seems to work fairly well and it stops them from picking up sarcasm too easily, lol.

Good advise guys. Makes sense Oldman. Yes, I agree, "Smile and Nod". Mamma ain't happy, no one is.

According to the directions on the flooring that I put down, you should start along the longest wall in the room. But if your room is not quite square, you might try going diagnal. You would never see any dicrepency.