Best suggestion I can give is if there isn't a solid straight surface then start a true line in the middle of the room with solid pieces of your cork flooring and then continue in one direction from there. Make sure u screw them beginner prices to the sub floor so that your true line dosent move when continuing to hammer peices together. When finished one side take up ur screw down peices and continue.. """"" make sure when u screw ur beginner peices screw down off the middle of your plank to a side that will be ripped when finishing your other side"""""" so you don't waste too much material..... But it will give a perfect tight installation.

What we have done is to snap a straight chaulk line parallel to the start wall, and screw in some straight woods strips to install off of, but make sure you measure for your courses correctly so you dont end up fitting little slivers and/or have to little room to fill in later (you need room to the start wall to make your finish cuts, align them properly, and insert them into the locking mechanism - sometimes this requires special consideration, especially at doorways where you may want to undercut the molding to slip the cork under - or you can remove moldings to make it easier). This keeps the courses straight and true, plus you dont get excessive movement when tapping that pulls other sections apart.

In my opinion, whoever told you, "it's supposed to be easy", has lied to you.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply to me. That night after I posted I started putting the planks in against the very narrow floor between the wooden floor of the dining room and the peninsula. My DH and I attached 1/8 strips along the noncabinet walls and behold it clicked. Literally! After dancing up and down with delight after the first two rows were put in DH went to bed. I stayed up and was able to finish 2/3 of it by knelling on the finished end after I angled it in place and then tapping it in. We ended up having to order more boards and will finish after they acclimate to the room. I left a few of our "old boards" to mix in with the new. We ran short because we'd cut boards for the first round and they don't fit into the new layout. The floor that is in is sooooo soft on the feet. I love the feel of it. We are dog-sitting this weekend and will find out how the floor holds up to LouLou a very active young dog.Thanks again!!

I'm considering cork for my kitchen as well. Can you post a picture? How did you make out with the dog? I'm very worried about how cork will hold up to pets.