A herringbone parquet flooring is made from strips of the same length cut into rectangles. When put next to each other at a 90° angle, with the short side parallel to the long side of the next slat, they look like a herringbone, which is how they got their name.
This old pattern is easy to spot because it looks like it will never go out of style. It also looks great in every house room, from the living room to the bathroom.
The only thing that makes this type of parquet different is how it is laid out to make a certain geometric shape.
Today, you can lay herringbone parquet not only with traditional solid wood flooring but also with multilayer flooring, which brings the price down by a large amount.
Like any other type of parquet, a herringbone parquet must be sanded and varnished every few years to keep it looking as beautiful as it was when it was first installed.
In which rooms is the herringbone parquet particularly effective?
The herringbone pattern works especially well in large representative rooms, apartments in historic buildings, and halls. The pattern adds structure to the room and makes it appear larger.
The clean, modern decorating style with clean lines and the structural herringbone pattern work nicely together. Trend-conscious builders are reinterpreting this classic.
The natural coloration of the wooden sticks lends variety to the pattern and interest to the floor. The fishbone’s light and dark sides appear three-dimensional because of the play of light.
A herringbone design works well with both light and dark wood. The room appears longer when the herringbone parquet is laid lengthwise in it. A cross herringbone pattern seems broader in narrow, elongated rooms.
The type of wood used impacts the overall aesthetic and sorting category. As a result of the choice between energetic and natural looks, the room and mood can be either harmonious or more active.
The parquet strips’ proportions (width and length) also impact the room’s design and should be adjusted to fit the space. Long parquet strips appear larger and even, whereas short parquet strips appear more dynamic and fine.
Individual bars can also be visually accentuated by using a tiny bevel all around. Wider and longer rods are especially effective.
Is herringbone parquet flooring expensive?
You can expect to pay about 30% more for herringbone wood floors than traditional wood flooring because it requires more labor cuts and installation time.
The joints and strips of the herringbone parquet conjure a decorative look on the wooden floor. The price of herringbone ranges from the middle to the high end, depending on the type of wood and how it was made.
Common woods for herringbone parquet are maple, cherry, oak, ash, and walnut, with prices starting at $50 per square foot. Precious woods such as wenge or mahogany must be calculated at least $80 per square foot.
Solid oak herringbone parquet flooring
Original massive herringbone parquet, especially in castles and large government buildings, can still be found today.
Each rod can be fixed, smoothed down, or replaced independently. Herringbone parquet made of solid wood is as durable and high-quality as it was back then, but there are more options now: There are different angles and long and short herringbone strips.
Solid herringbone parquet is the perfect base for many different ways to live, whether you want a simple style with muted colors and no frills or live in a modern space with bright colors and patterned wallpaper.
Herringbone patterns have been used to lay oak parquet for hundreds of years, which is one reason this style has a lot of classic styles.
Oak herringbone parquet looks great with most building and furniture styles as well. Herringbone parquet is also made of ash, acacia, and walnut for people who like other kinds of wood.
Stylish living with oak herringbone parquet
In the classic design, they are intertwined with a continuous arrowhead in a chevron pattern.
We’re talking about robust herringbone parquet, reminiscent of grand ballrooms, majestic city houses, and venerable apartments in historic structures.
Anyone who imagines it envisions towering ceilings with arching stucco, white double doors, and windows with exquisite glazing bars.
For decades, this mix created an exceptionally exquisite atmosphere. The desire for this timeless elegance has resulted in the reintroduction of solid herringbone parquet into homes and flats.
The advantages of oak herringbone parquet at a glance
The living room is made more interesting by a herringbone oak floor. We can sum up the benefits of this parquet floor in the following way:
- Solid, durable, and easy to take care of
- Modern look: always beautiful, stylish, and elegant
- It can be used in many different living and utility rooms
- The natural texture of the wood gives each piece its personality
- Different ways to treat the surface: lacquered or oiled oak herringbone
- Easy to put together without special skills or knowledge.
How to lay a herringbone parquet
On the other hand, laying a herringbone parquet floor isn’t too hard, but it’s best to let someone with experience do it.
A herringbone parquet floor is beautiful and elegant and makes the room feel alive and gives it a bit of personality.
From this model, there are other ways to lay floors, like double herringbone parquet (which has two lines on one side and one line on the other) or French herringbone (in which the slats are cut by hand).
You can use slats of different sizes and different colors or shades. You can use natural wood for a more rustic look, varnished wood for a more elegant look, or brushed or aged wood for a more vintage look.
Herringbone parquet was always put down on battens in the past, but it can also be glued down or even put down floating.
Laying herringbone parquet step by step
- To begin, several adhesives must be utilized while installing fully glued parquet. This glue may include hazardous solvents. One should be cautious, and no one should ever expose themselves to hazardous toxins. A specialist, on the other hand, knows exactly how to manage the adhesive in the finest way possible.
- Only people who do not wish to lay difficult patterns and want to do so in a room that is not too crooked should attempt to lay them on their own.
- The substrate must meet certain specifications. This must be dry, crack-free, level, and solid before laying. Within the space, just a four-millimeter deviation is acceptable.
- Draw orientation lines (edge regions, room diagonal, laying direction) on the screed.
- The substrate determines the type of glue. Those who want to lay the parquet on their own should seek professional assistance.
- Before using adhesive for the first time, start with a starting piece. It is advisable to glue multiple parquet strips together and cut them to size before the glue dries. Draw orientation lines (edge regions, room diagonals) on the screed.
- It is best to begin with the fully glued parquet in the room’s corner.
- The glue is applied on the floor with a notched trowel, and the parquet strips are pressed onto it.
- An expansion gap must be maintained with the fully glued parquet, just as it is with the floating parquet.
- The tightly glued parquet must dry for at least a day.
- After drying, the surface is treated by sanding and oiling the parquet.
Is herringbone flooring outdated?
Herringbone parquet flooring will never go out of style because of the lovely hues and grains of real wood. As wood ages, it transforms into something beautiful and one-of-a-kind that can be used in any home.
The conventional herringbone pattern is the most popular and long-lasting pattern for parquet flooring, making it easier to identify over time.
However, a square is a popular geometric shape. Herringbone parquet flooring will never go out of style because it is long-lasting and in superb condition.
Because it is durable and easy to maintain, it is also an excellent choice for commercial floors in offices, shops, and restaurants.
Laid in a herringbone pattern, your floor is not only very trendy at the moment but will certainly not make your home look old in the future.
What effect does herringbone parquet have in the room?
We recommend herringbone parquet, especially for larger rooms, as you often see in castles and manor houses. However, you should consider whether the parquet strips are laid lengthwise, crosswise, or diagonally.
A room appears much longer when the herringbone pattern is laid lengthways. On the other hand, if you lay it across, narrow and long rooms can appear more even.
Another option is to lay the herringbone diagonally. We have to say that this is rarely implemented. This is because the herringbone pattern emphasizes the floor, and there is a risk that everything will become too restless.
If all factors, such as the incidence of light, are favorable, the diagonal variant certainly has its advantages.
Why install herringbone parquet flooring?
Because of its pattern, herringbone flooring and chevron make a small or narrow room look bigger, like a hallway.
Because it looks like it’s moving, this flooring is a great way to make a room look better and is something you should consider when changing the look of a room.
The parquet strips are laid at right angles to each other. The single herringbone variant appears more delicate, while the double herringbone appears more massive. Both have in common a great play of light on the surface, which also needs its space.
Cost of installing herringbone parquet flooring
Most of the time, it costs more to install herringbone parquet flooring than it does to install traditional wood flooring.
This is because it takes a lot of work and an expert fitter to do it right. When installing parquet flooring, your chosen material will also affect the price.
Final Thought
The herringbone is a classic laying pattern with a long history – and it has been back in fashion for some time.
No wonder, as it offers the perfect mix of elegance and modernity. With herringbone parquet, you bring a varied floor covering into your home.