Why Herringbone Pattern Hardwood Floors are a Must-Have

If you&#;re considering hardwood flooring for your home, you&#;ve probably stumbled across Herringbone as an option. But you may have a few more questions, like what exactly is the Herringbone flooring pattern? Or are you simply wondering why it is even called  Herringbone? 

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Well, we here at Matt Britton are hardwood flooring experts, and we&#;re here to help. So, let&#;s jump in and explain everything you need to know about herringbone pattern hardwood floors and why they are a must-have in your home. 

What is the Pattern of Herringbone Hardwood Floors? 

Herringbone hardwood floors are recognisable due to their unique pattern, which consists of rectangular pieces arranged in a V-shaped design. Each piece is laid at a perpendicular angle to the adjoining ones, creating a zigzagging effect that resembles the bones of a fish, hence the name &#;herringbone&#;. Herringbone Flooring is often confused with the Chevron flooring pattern, but unlike Chevron, the planks&#; ends are cut at a 90-degree angle.

What are the Pros and Cons of Herringbone Floor Pattern?

Now, if you&#;re contemplating adding herringbone flooring to your space, you should get to know the pros and cons:

The Pros of a Herringbone Floor Pattern

1. Timeless Style: Herringbone pattern floors have been around for centuries, dating back to Roman times and then being popularised during the Renaissance period in Europe. Since then, they have been a symbol of luxury and refinement, making the classic look never go out of style and creating timeless charm in your home.

2. Versatility: Herringbone pattern floors come in a variety of stains and finishes, making them a versatile option for any home décor. They can be installed in any room of the house, adding a touch of sophistication to your living room, dining room, or office.

3. Durability: Hardwood floors are known for their durability and longevity, and the herringbone pattern is no exception. We&#;ve found that European Oak is the best wood for herringbone patterns and, with proper care, can last for up to 15 years, making them a great investment for your home! 

4. Easy Maintenance: Hardwood floors are much easier to clean and maintain than carpets or rugs, and they don&#;t require frequent vacuuming or steam cleaning. All you need to do is sweep and mop them regularly to keep them looking their best. You can also sand and refinish your herringbone flooring, something you are unable to do with the likes of laminate flooring.

5. Increased Home Value: Herringbone pattern hardwood floors are a great investment for your home. They not only add beauty and elegance, but they also increase the value of your home. If you ever decide to sell your home in the future, you can be sure that your herringbone pattern floors will be a selling point!

6. Suitable for Any Room: Herringbone pattern floors are a versatile and classic choice that can complement any room. This style can add a touch of sophistication to a formal living room or dining room, while also providing a cosy and inviting feel to a bedroom or home office. Moreover, Herringbone floors work well with both modern and traditional design elements, making them a great fit for any style of decor.

7. The Illusion of Space: Lastly, the unique pattern of herringbone can help to visually expand a space, which is particularly beneficial in smaller or narrower spaces like hallways.

The Cons of a Herringbone Floor Pattern

Higher Cost of Installation: Herringbone flooring can be more expensive to install compared to traditional flooring patterns due to its intricate layout, which requires skilled labour. However, we guarantee the quality and the end result is well worth extending your budget for expert installation marginally. 

How to Layout Herringbone Pattern

Since the pros heavily outweigh the cons of herringbone pattern flooring, let&#;s discuss the installation process a little bit further. Because of the intricate design, herringbone flooring can be difficult to lay out, but here are some tips on how to lay the pattern:

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• Start by determining the centerline of the room and laying the first row of planks along this line, ensuring they are perpendicular to the walls. 

• Then, cut the planks to fit the edges of the room, maintaining the herringbone pattern&#;s continuity. 

• Next, alternate the direction of the planks in each subsequent row, aligning them at a 45-degree angle to the previous row to create the characteristic V-shaped design.

• Carefully interlock each piece, ensuring tight joints and consistent spacing. 

• Throughout the installation process, precision is crucial to achieving a seamless and visually appealing result. 

However, given the complexity and attention to detail required, we will always advise enlisting the expertise of a professional flooring installer. They possess the necessary skills and experience to accurately lay out the pattern, guaranteeing a flawless finish that enhances the aesthetic appeal of your room.

Does Herringbone Make a Room Look Bigger or Smaller?

As mentioned, Herringbone flooring can play a significant role in influencing the perception of space within a room. When used strategically, the distinctive herringbone pattern can create an illusion of elongation, making the room appear larger than it actually is. Additionally, a light-coloured herringbone floor can reflect natural or artificial light, further enhancing the feeling of spaciousness and brightness in the room. 

However, in smaller spaces, the intricate pattern of herringbone flooring may appear busier, potentially making the room feel more cramped. Therefore, while herringbone flooring has the potential to visually enlarge a space, its impact may vary depending on the room&#;s layout. We recommend first trying a herringbone pattern with free samples but also experimenting with plank, chevron and design panels to see what best suits your needs. 

Is Herringbone Pattern Out of Style?

The herringbone pattern remains a timeless and enduring design choice, defying trends and retaining its popularity over various styles. While it may experience fluctuations in popularity throughout the years, herringbone flooring consistently proves itself as a versatile and stylish option for both homeowners and modern interior designers. Therefore, we think it&#;s safe to say that the herringbone pattern is unlikely to go out of style any time soon.

Transform Your Room with Herringbone Flooring from Matt Britton

So, the herringbone pattern is durable, easy to maintain, gives the illusion of space and clearly, a must have for any room in your home.  And at Matt Britton, we have a wide selection of hardwood flooring to choose from. So, why not browse our selection, order a free sample or book an appointment to talk to one of our experts in-store!

Synonymous with luxury and combining beauty with practicality, herringbone wood flooring is a popular choice in modern homes as well as older buildings.

A type of parquet, the name herringbone comes from the appearance and its similarity to the skeleton of the herring fish. Other types of parquet flooring patterns include chevron, Versailles style, and basket style.

What Is Herringbone Wood Flooring?

Herringbone wooden flooring is a particular pattern of parquet flooring. Traditionally parquet flooring was solid wood, which despite being a hardwearing and beautiful material is not always affordable for everyone. However, with the availability of engineered wooden flooring parquet floors, including herringbone wood flooring is now a more affordable option whatever your budget.

The herringbone pattern is formed by laying rectangular floor boards at 90degree angles. This creates a slight overlap at each end meaning that a zigzag is repeated both horizontally and vertically.

Benefits Of Herringbone Wood Flooring

• Parquet flooring in general is robust and long lasting.
• Herringbone pattern in particular is renowned for strength and durability.
• Any style of home and decor suits herringbone wood flooring, from traditional to contemporary.
• Herringbone wood flooring is versatile, different sizes, colours, and pricing options are available.
• The zigzag pattern of herringbone style flooring creates an illusion of space.
• Herringbone parquet floors are timeless - they&#;ve been used for over 400 years!
• With proper finishing and care they will last for generations.
• Herringbone wooden flooring is easy to clean.

Different Types of Herringbone Wood Flooring

Solid Wood or Engineered Wood?

Herringbone wood flooring is traditionally a solid wood floor. However, modern advances in engineered wooden floors mean that it is now possible to have all the elegance, warmth, and luxury of a solid wood herringbone parquet floor with the added benefits of engineered wood. This includes an increased ability to withstand changes in temperature.

Engineered wood is also usually cheaper, meaning you can have herringbone flooring even on a budget.

Difference Between Herringbone and Chevron Flooring

Herringbone and chevron flooring are both a type of parquet. They are also both zigzag patterned flooring.

The difference between these patterns is that with chevron flooring the ends of the planks are cut at an angle. This means that the zigzag pattern is split with clean straight lines like V&#;s.

With a herringbone pattern, the planks are square-edged rectangles.

How to Select the Best Herringbone Wooden Floor for your Project?

Selecting the best herringbone flooring for your project means thinking about a variety of different things from the practical to the aesthetic.

Practical Considerations When Choosing Herringbone Flooring

• Moisture and humidity levels will affect whether you should choose engineered or solid wood.
• Size of space, this will have the biggest impact on your budget, in a smaller space it might be worth pushing to the very limits of your budget for a higher quality.
• Floating or fixed floor, this will affect the type of herringbone recommended and is dependent on the subfloor layer. Floating floors can make a big difference to noise levels if this is an important consideration for you.

Aesthetic Considerations When Choosing Herringbone Flooring

• Colour.
• Species.
• Design, herringbone flooring has the same basic design but you can choose single, double, or triple layered herringbone patterns.
• Size of planking.

How Much Does Herringbone Wood Flooring Cost?

This depends on your budget and your requirements.

You can get Herringbone wood flooring for under £40 per square metre or over £80 per square metre.

The differences in cost will come down to wood species, thickness, and finish as well as the size of the planks and the area being covered.

Installation costs will vary as well, depending on the method, size of planks and the size of the space or whether you are laying the herringbone flooring yourself.

How to Install Herringbone Wood Flooring

• Check the suitability of the subfloor and do preparatory work, if required, to ensure the moisture level is not too high and that the subfloor is level.
• Measure the space.
• Choose and purchase the type of herringbone wood flooring, whether solid wood or engineered wood, colour, width, species, grade, choose a floating or fully bonded adhesion method, finish and whether you will install the flooring yourself or hire a contractor.
• Acclimatise the flooring for around 3 days in the room where it will be laid allowing as much air to get to each piece as possible.
• During these 3 days read and reread the installation guide that comes with your flooring. Don&#;t skip this step!
• Open and mix up the packs of flooring to ensure any natural variations are spread throughout the flooring. Alternatively, if you are using deliberately varied colours then mix as per your design.
• Sort the planks into two piles, left side and right side.
• Gather your tools, we would recommend ensuring you know how to use them all safely beforehand and having the correct PPE as well. Tools you might need include: chalk,  hammer, cordless screwdriver, square, tape measure, handsaw, and perhaps a jigsaw.
• Check any doors will fit over the flooring and temporarily remove doors if required/possible.
• Set out the flooring to avoid any mistakes and ensure you allow around 10-12mm around the edges as an expansion gap.
• Make a starter board (people usually use plywood for this) this needs to be the same length as your planks but square.
• For the herringbone design use chalk to mark a central axis; this is your X lines.
• Intersect the X line with your Y line at a 90degree angle. Double Check all angles and measurements before continuing.
• From the Y line measure 27mm on each side and mark these two lines A and B with chalk these are your guide lines. The Y line is in the middle between your A planks and B planks.
• Line up the starter board with the top corner on your B line.
• Lay out three rows, to enable you to mark out the next set of guide lines (C and D lines) and so on until you have guide lines over the whole area to be laid.
• If you are using adhesive ensure you only spread an area that you can comfortably fit in 20 minutes so that it does not dry out.

If you have questions on anything you&#;ve read in this article or want to talk to our wooden flooring experts for advice then please get in touch with us at Wooden Floors UK.