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