What is Herringbone Flooring?
Herringbone is a pattern named for the herring fish that sports a bone structure that looks very similar. It is one of the most recognizable of flooring patterns although for those who aren’t familiar with it sometimes mistake it for a chevron pattern which is quite similar. A herringbone is distinguished by its perfect rectangle pattern that is present in each block whereas a chevron pattern consists of parallelograms instead of rectangles.
The notorious herringbone design on flooring is accomplished by placing rectangle wood blocks in a broken zig-zag pattern in a way that puts one of the plank sides into the end of another. The blocks meet and form a straight line at the point where the ends touch.
Herringbone is a pattern that’s beloved by many homeowners because it is just enough. It makes a definite style statement but doesn’t interfere with what’s going on elsewhere in the room such as the furnishings and wall décor. With a sea of material choices including oak, walnut, and all other types of timber used on floors, it comes as no surprise that herringbone is the top choice for many.