Your Guide To Herringbone Wood Floors + How Ours ...

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We just installed a herringbone wood floor in white oak, and although it was a small headache, they changed the look of the house&#; and they are worth, every, penny! I&#;m sharing both finished and unfinished floors in these photos.

Herringbone floors are trending on the home design scene in a major way. They evoke feelings of luxury and a custom touch. Walk through a few construction or remodeling projects and you&#;ll see gorgeous parquet wood floors are a resurgent trend!

After this post you will know

• the right width to choose for your home
• the cost to install herringbone floors (what I paid per square foot)
• where and which direction to lay the floors

What is the difference between parquet, chevron, and herringbone flooring?

Parquet is just the umbrella term that geometric floor shapes fall under, including both chevron and herringbone patterned floors. Here is some parquet flooring we stumbled upon in a cute shop in Paris, in a chevron pattern:

You can identify chevron by the repeated zigzag &#;V&#; design. Below are herringbone floors in a bathroom, identified by the staggered &#;V&#; pattern.

Herringbone white oak, by The Fox Group

With the cost of flooring high as it is, you may be tempted to stick to the safe option of basic plank wood flooring. But there are ways to make herringbone work on a smaller scale, too. Here&#;s how you can make your floors unique from the everyday plank, in a way you won&#;t regret!

All about herringbone wood floors, installation troubles, how to choose the right width and our exact floor width

We brought in new herringbone wood floors from our front door and entryway leading down two hallways, into a powder bath and our kitchen. They butt up against the older, narrow planks in several rooms.

Our white oak herringbone wood floors, still unfinished

Herringbone enlarged our rooms, particularly in smaller spaces such as our entrance. The pattern shows movement and draws your eye forward! See the difference below in our entry:

Before:

Still under construction here&#;

Right when you walk in our home you see the pattern leading into the home to the back living room. This leads the eye to take in the beauty of the home, right from the front door!

When Herringbone Installation Goes Wrong

Initially we installed 5&#; wide herringbone floors in our home. I chose the large planks because we have spacious rooms and high ceilings, but I remained undecided if more narrow boards would have looked better running next to our older, narrow planks.

In an unfortunate turn of events, it became apparent our installer mistakenly gave us the wrong flooring! We didn&#;t realize his mistake until all the floors in the house were sanded down, but he had given us red oak herringbone. Our home already had 2.375&#; white oak wood floors running in all the rooms. White oak is darker, more beige. Red oak is lighter, more pink. They stain differently. Of course we wanted all the floors to match.

He removed the red oak (he told us he saved most of it for a future project, but who knows) and reinstalled the correct white oak herringbone floors. After seeing how the wide planks looked, we chose a more narrow board at 3.375&#; x 20 wide.

See the difference below, before:

5&#; plank red oak floors, unfinished

During:

3.25&#; white oak plank floors

The whole ordeal was a headache, but this one had a happy ending!

See all our renovating posts and more about our current home here.

What width is popular right now? How do I choose a herringbone width?

• Narrow herringbone under 3.375&#; in width allow the maximum amount of the herringbone pattern to fit in a room, displaying the beauty of the wood pattern! This works well with traditional decor; it gives off classic, European vibes. Also, if you are matching older, straight planks, this size is one to consider. Narrow planks require more cuts so the install is priced higher. We chose 3.375&#; x 20&#; for our classic home.
• Medium herringbone would generally be considered over 3.375&#; to 5&#; in width. A popular choice, this will look great in small or large rooms.
• Wide herringbone is wider than 5&#;, running up to 8&#; in width at least. Wider planks are more contemporary in style and are in the most demand currently, according to Mohawk. The widest of planks might be up to 37&#; in length &#; these work best in modern or luxuriously roomy spaces where the pattern and the beauty of the wood can still be admired!

The Cost of Herringbone Wood Floor&#; What Did I Pay?

These statement pieces are more of a headache for the installer and you will pay for the extra labor!

Mid installation:

After:

You can buy the floors several ways. You can order the wood planks precut from the mill in your custom size, and ready for installation. This is the more expensive option. For 833 square feet, expect to pay at LEAST $6 per square foot for materials only, no labor. I was quoted approximately $6,000 for 5&#; wide white oak herringbone floors, for materials only. For reference, I live in North Carolina and this was May .

Or, you can go the more affordable route and order straight unfinished wood planks. Instead, you will pay a higher labor fee with this option. Your flooring installer will cut each piece individually on site, before install.

Any time you have extra cuts or extra work for the installer, you will pay a premium. This goes for herringbone wood floor, laying out tile, bricks, etc.

Our Floor Details

We finished our herringbone with water based Bona Natural sealer and Bona Traffic HD. The planks are 3.375&#; x 20&#; in white oak &#; perfect for a home that leans classic. Labor will depend on your location so I am not sharing labor costs, but the materials were just over $+ for 833 sq ft.

For more information, please visit EIR SPC Flooring.

Where To Install Herringbone Flooring

Consider this a work of art for your home. It will grab attention. Regardless of budget, choose just one or two places for herringbone to elevate that certain space above the others.

Where are the rooms you aren&#;t using rugs? I considered herringbone for our living room, but with most of the floor being covered by a rug, the flooring would be hidden!

Which Direction To Lay A Herringbone Floor?

Find the room&#;s natural focal point, such as doors at the end of the hallway. Angle the direction so that the boards point towards or away the focal point. Sometimes, this means you may need to switch directions between rooms; just take care not to switch too often in one area.

arrows pointing away from the front door in our entry and hallway

You can see we had rooms of herringbone running in different directions. As a transition, my installer laid a horizontal piece of flooring in between rooms.

Typically, homeowners choose smaller spaces for herringbone because of the cost and to make it the wow factor. Assuming the room is big enough to display the beauty of the wood, the pattern will work. A kitchen is ideal, an office, or even a primary bedroom is a luxurious idea. Below they work well in a living room:

Staining The Floors

What looks best will all depend on your species of wood. I prefer waterborne polyurethane on both red and white oak. It doesn&#;t yellow over time (like oil based sealers did to my white oak in a previous home.) Bona Traffic HD is what I used on ours. I find it extremely durable, dries in days faster than a oil poly, and doesn&#;t yellow floors over time.

Read about white oak floors here, and read about tips to stain red oak floors without the pink here!

4&#; white oak planks in our previous home &#; read about these white oak floors here.

Herringbone Trends

As they say, everything old is new again. I wouldn&#;t spend any energy worrying about herringbone being a trend. I would focus on choosing the right size and style to fit the architecture of your home!

Trends come and go, but hardwood floors have longevity, making herringbone wood floors a classic choice for homeowners.

Read more about our flooring: white oak floors here, or staining red oak floors. You can read about our recent kitchen renovation plans here.

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Mirror, mirror on the wall, what&#;s the fairest fish of them all? Are you a fan of Herringbone Floors? With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose the right one. In this article, we provide 4 useful tips for selecting a new herringbone floor. What should you consider when choosing a herringbone floor? What advantages do these beautifully patterned floors offer? Find out here!

Tip 1. Where will the herringbone floor be installed?

Flooring is available in a variety of materials, colours, patterns, and sizes. For example, you can choose from wide Vinyl or realistic and rock-solid Rigid Click Vinyl. If you prefer Oak Parquet, there are many options to choose from. If you&#;re thinking about a new herringbone floor, consider where it will be installed. Different rooms have different requirements for floors, whether functional or based on preferences. For instance, a bathroom floor must be more water-resistant, while a living room floor should match the look and style of the interior. Before purchasing a new floor, it&#;s important to keep these factors in mind.

Ask yourself

Before choosing a new herringbone floor, ask yourself what requirements it needs to meet. Make a list to get a clear picture. Do you need a floor that is suitable for every room in the house or do you want different floors for different levels? Or do you have underfloor heating? Maybe you want the floor in the bathroom as well? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your options and bring you closer to choosing the right herringbone floor.

Tip 2. Choose the material

Once you have a clear understanding of the rooms where you plan to lay your new herringbone floor, it becomes easier to determine which material is best suited to your situation. Are you looking for a floor that is suitable for underfloor heating, and plan to install it in every room of your house, including the bathroom, toilet, and kitchen? If so, a Herringbone Vinyl floor or a Herringbone Rigid Click Vinyl floor may be the best choice. If you prefer a real oak wood herringbone floor and want beautiful concrete-look Vinyl Tiles in the bathroom, then an Oak Herringbone floor may be the best option for you. In this step, you should choose the herringbone floor material that best suits your needs. That way, you&#;ll end up with a herringbone floor that is perfect for you. If you&#;re curious about the differences between Herringbone Laminate and Herringbone Vinyl flooring, find the answer in our blog post!

Tip 3. Which herringbone floor suits my interior?

Choosing the perfect herringbone floor to match your interior can be daunting. That&#;s why we&#;re here to help! All of our herringbone floors can be paired with a variety of interior styles. For instance, if you have a black kitchen, consider pairing it with a beautiful untreated or light oak floor. The contrast of black accents with a light floor creates an intimate atmosphere in your home. To make your design look even more luxurious, add black steel doors, for example.

Do you have a minimalist interior with light colours and lots of white? A light Herringbone Vinyl floor complements this style well. Its calm and natural design fits perfectly with a minimalist look. For a more unique pattern, consider the XL Whalebone Vinyl floor. With extra wide and long planks, this floor is the &#;big brother&#; of a standard herringbone floor. The Whalebone Vinyl &#; Orka Untreated is another great option that complements the neutral colours and clean shapes that characterise this style of living.

Do you love a classic living style? Then herringbone floors are perfect for you! This pattern has been around since the 17th century and Herringbone Laminate fits in perfectly with this style due to the characteristic wooden look of these floors. The Herringbone Laminate &#; Untreated Oak brings this living style together with distinctive accessories, creating a beautiful whole. The result is a chic and impressive colour palette.

Tip 4. Most beautiful fish in the sea

There are many types of flooring to choose from, but herringbone floors are particularly beautiful. Whether you prefer a real oak herringbone floor or a unique vinyl herringbone floor, it&#;s important to choose the one that appeals to you most. After considering practical factors, such as durability and cost, take the time to fall in love with your favourite floor.

To discover the various flooring collections available, request a collection book and order a sample. Immerse yourself in all the possibilities and visit the Floer Experience Center to get inspired. With this approach, you can choose the most beautiful herringbone floor for your home.

Prefer something other than herringbone flooring?

Did you find these four tips useful in choosing a herringbone floor, but are you curious about other collections? No problem! Discover the XL Laminate from the wide Country House Laminate collection or the realistic oak City Laminate collection. The extra-wide planks make these floors very impressive to look at! If you want a durable tile floor that is also 100% water-resistant, check out the Rigid Click Tile Vinyl or the Dryback Tile Vinyl flooring. Have you already made your choice? Get in touch or find your nearest dealer to see the options in person.