Herringbone Flooring

Herringbone and chevron both boast beautiful eye-catching patterns but there’s a key difference between the two designs.

In a herringbone floor, the planks are laid in a staggered zigzag pattern. If you look closely at the design, you’ll notice that the pattern resembles the skeleton of a fish, which is where this timeless flooring gets its name from.

A chevron floor also features a zigzag shape, but its identifying feature is the chevron pattern that resembles the chevron signs found on the motorway.

The cost of fitting a herringbone floor will depend on the type of flooring you choose, along with the size of your room and how much work is needed to prepare your subfloor for the new floor.

Wood herringbone flooring can be challenging and time-consuming to lay, taking about 2-5 days to complete. Professional fitters charge an average of £100-£200 per day, although this is likely to vary depending on where in the UK you’re based.

Getting an LVT or laminate herringbone floor fitted should cost a lot less than fitting wood flooring. However, it’s worth getting a quote from at least 3 different professionals before you decide what kind of flooring to buy.

If you’ve got all the tools for the job, you can absolutely lay your herringbone floor yourself. However, it can be a bit tricky, especially if you’re new to fitting flooring, so please read your installation guide carefully and speak to a professional fitter if you’re feeling unsure about anything.

Not all flooring needs underlay, and some – such as our LVT - comes with underlay already attached. The installation method you’re planning to use for your herringbone flooring will also determine whether you need to buy underlay.

We recommend checking the spec and installation guide for your floor to see if you need underlay.

Aside from being beautiful to look at, herringbone flooring can create the illusion of more space, making your room feel bigger or longer than it actually is.

Opt for wide planks and lay them parallel to the longest wall of the room for the best result.

No matter what kind of herringbone flooring you choose, it’s important to maintain it properly to keep it looking its best.

Solid and engineered wood floors should be swept or vacuumed every day, to prevent dust and dirt building up. A weekly mop will help to clean your floor more thoroughly, but make sure it isn’t soaking wet as excess water may damage the wood.

LVT and laminate herringbone floors don’t need as much attention as their wood counterparts, so sweeping or vacuuming once or twice a week should be plenty. We recommend mopping with a slightly damp microfibre mop once a week. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for guidance on cleaning solutions.