Herringbone

Herringbone flooring in wood and laminate

Herringbone flooring lays rectangular blocks at right angles in a broken zigzag. It suits almost any room, from a Spanish Colonial living room to a minimal loft, and it is available as wood parquet and as laminate.

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Illustrative interior

01The pattern

How herringbone flooring is put together

Herringbone flooring uses blocks with square-cut ends. Each block butts against the side of the next at 90°, so the joints step across the room in a broken zigzag. Because the pattern needs left-hand and right-hand pieces, herringbone products usually come as A and B staves in separate boxes.

Block proportions change the character. Short, narrow blocks — around 3 in wide and 12–16 in long — feel traditional and busy. Longer, wider blocks, around 4–6 in by 24–32 in, read as calmer and more contemporary in large Los Angeles rooms.

If you are deciding between this and its angled cousin, see chevron flooring; for the wider parquet range, our parquet flooring page. For long boards instead of pattern, compare wide plank oak.

Herringbone sits naturally in Los Angeles’ Spanish Colonial Revival and other period houses, and it works equally well in new modern homes when the blocks are long and the oak is pale. Book a showroom visit to see blocks at full scale, or test the floor against kitchen fronts in our kitchen configurator.

02Layout

Setting out a herringbone floor

01
Find the main axis
Usually the longest wall or the line from the entrance to the main window.
02
Snap a centerline
The installer starts from a chalk line down the room so the pattern is symmetrical at both walls.
03
Decide the direction
The points of the zigzag lead the eye — usually toward the view or along a hallway.
04
Plan thresholds
Where the floor meets tile, stone or another room, a border or a clean transition profile is agreed in advance.

03Numbers

Herringbone wood floor at a glance

Joint angle: 90° between blocks; square-cut ends
Pieces: Left (A) and right (B) staves
Waste allowance: About 10–15%, more in small or irregular rooms
Installation: Usually glued down; some multi-layer and laminate versions click together
Border: Optional single or double band of straight staves around the room

Oak-look laminate flooring in a family kitchen and dining area — Illustrative interior

04Wood or laminate

Herringbone laminate flooring vs oak parquet

Herringbone laminate flooring gives the look at a lower cost and with a very hard-wearing surface — useful in rentals, children’s rooms and busy kitchens. It cannot be sanded, and the pattern repeats more visibly than real oak.

Oak parquet has natural variation in every block, can be refinished, and ages with the house. In a primary living space we usually recommend wood; for secondary rooms our laminate flooring is a sensible alternative.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Still deciding? Call +1 (213) 776-0000 or send us your plan.

Ask a designer

Does herringbone make a room look smaller?

Not if the block size suits the room. Larger blocks and a calm, even oak tone make a big room feel generous; very small blocks in a small room can feel busy.

Is herringbone flooring more expensive to install?

Yes. It takes longer to lay than straight planks and needs more waste allowance, so installation and material quantities are higher. Your installer quotes the labor; we quote the material for your measured area.

Can herringbone run through several rooms?

Yes, and it looks best when it does, with the same centerline carried through doorways. Plan it before installation day so the pattern does not shift at each threshold.