You want to stagger the seams not only for aesthetics but also the seam is the weakest point on the board. So if you are laying 3/4" tongue and groove wood you want to make all seams at least 8" apart for better structural integrity and reduced stress. Seams also should not meet for 3 boards on either side. For floating wood or laminate applications it should be 15" apart.
Stagger them
I would. Laminate flooring has many of the same patterns. If you don't stagger, it can give your floor a uniform look which many will agree doesn't look as good.
If you are installing a floating laminate floor, you can easily put it right over the tile.
Ask This Old House - 2002 Refinishing with Spray Paint Installing a Pre-Finished Wood Floor 10-26 was released on: USA: 31 March 2012
Ceramic tiles are normally laid on a cement base. If the floor has any flexibility at all, the tiles will wind up cracking. But if you do have to install tiles on top of wood, then yes, the wood has to be sealed because the grout is mixed with water, which can damage unsealed wood.
When installing a floating wood floor it is important to prepare the floor for instillation. It is important to snap a chalkline and nail guide-board, then proceed to lay the first row and complete it. Make sure to install the first plank on the second row. Continue with the last action until the floor is complete.
A laminate wood floor product is better since it uses less actual wood that an all wood floor does.
By most accounting rules wood flooring is a cap improvement, if it is a replacement floor there may be a depreciation schedule offset to the original to consider, but likely not. At this point it is more an GAAP question
Depending on the size of the floor that you are replacing, installing a vinyl floor can be a weekend project. There are a number of steps to take before actually installing the floor, such as removing the original flooring, and prepping the floor for the new installation.
There are many variables to this answer. It depends if you are installing the wood flooring yourself or having it installed professionally. The size of the area and the type of wood. There are wood flooring companies who offers workshops on installing wood flooring. A DIY course.
It is a good practice to put down a sub floor first. Use 1/4" luon (Might have spelled that wrong). Glue that down liqued nails subfloor glue, and nail it down with ringshank nails. Then you can install your wood floors on top of that
wood