What is herringbone flooring?
Herringbone flooring is a parquet pattern in which rectangular timber blocks are laid at 90° to each other, so the end of one block butts against the side of the next to form a continuous staggered zigzag. It has been laid in European houses and palaces for centuries and is now one of the most requested looks in Australian and New Zealand homes.
Because each block meets its neighbour at a right angle, herringbone needs two mirror-image block types – left-hand and right-hand – with tongues and grooves on opposite sides. The blocks themselves are square-ended, which is the main difference from chevron, where the ends are cut on an angle.
Herringbone vs chevron at a glance
Herringbone has square-ended blocks that create a stepped zigzag; chevron has angled ends that meet in a clean point to form a continuous V.
| Herringbone | Chevron | |
|---|---|---|
| Block ends | Square (90°) | Cut on an angle |
| Look | Stepped, woven zigzag | Continuous arrows / V-shapes |
| Character | Classic, traditional to contemporary | Crisp, formal, modern |
| Blocks needed | Left- and right-hand | Left- and right-hand |
See herringbone vs chevron for a full comparison.
Block sizes and proportions
Block length and width set the scale of the zigzag – longer blocks give a bolder pattern for larger rooms; shorter blocks suit smaller rooms and hallways. Proportion matters more than the absolute size.
| Timbo block | Size | Look | Box |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 710 × 123 × 18mm | Classic, balanced scale for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and apartments | 16 blocks, 1.397 m² (≈1.4 m²) |
| Large | 820 × 123 × 18mm | Longer, bolder zigzag for open-plan and commercial spaces | Ask Timbo for current coverage |
Both are Prime grade European solid oak, tongue and groove, in a natural brown. See the Solid Oak Herringbone Parquet product page.
At 710 × 123mm, one block covers 0.0873 m², so a square metre of floor takes about 11.5 blocks before waste.
Solid or engineered herringbone?
Solid herringbone is timber all the way through and can be sanded and refinished many times; engineered herringbone has a hardwood wear layer on a core and is often chosen for apartments, slab renovations and underfloor heating.
| 18mm solid oak | Engineered oak | |
|---|---|---|
| Sanding life | Many sands over the life of the floor | Limited by wear-layer thickness |
| Stability | Moves more with humidity – moisture control critical | Generally more stable |
| Underfloor heating | Conditional – check with supplier and adhesive maker | Generally preferred (Solid Wood Flooring Co) |
| Finish | Often supplied raw and finished on site | Usually prefinished |
Compare in detail at solid vs engineered herringbone.
How herringbone is installed
Solid herringbone is normally glued directly to a flat, dry concrete slab or a sound plywood subfloor using a flooring adhesive, often with a moisture barrier. It is not usually floated.
- Test and prepare the subfloor. Check slab moisture and flatness (commonly within about 3mm under a 3m straightedge) and follow the adhesive manufacturer's limits (Bowens).
- Acclimatise the timber to the site's expected in-service conditions – see acclimatising oak flooring.
- Set out a centre line along the main view of the room and square the pattern off it.
- Lay the first rows carefully, interlocking left and right blocks – any error here multiplies across the floor.
- Spread adhesive with the trowel the adhesive maker specifies and lay outward from the centre.
- Cut in at the perimeter or to a border, leaving the expansion allowance the installation guidance requires.
- Sand and finish if the blocks are raw.
Full detail is in installing parquet over a concrete slab and the herringbone layout and waste guide.
Finishes for herringbone
Raw herringbone is sanded flat after laying and finished on site with oil, hardwax oil or polyurethane; prefinished blocks are laid ready to use. Sanding a raw parquet floor gives a perfectly flush surface across hundreds of block joints and lets the client choose any colour and sheen. Whether a Timbo batch is supplied raw or pre-finished: ask Timbo. See oil vs polyurethane.
How much does herringbone flooring cost?
Published 2026 prices put engineered oak herringbone at about $79–$160/m² supply and $160–$320/m² installed, with raw solid French oak herringbone listed at $94.99/m² supply (all incl. GST).
| Item | Price (AUD incl. GST) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Raw solid French oak herringbone 710 × 126 × 18mm, supply | $94.99/m² (retail) | SET Timber Supplies |
| Engineered oak herringbone, supply | ~$79–$160/m² | Skov |
| Engineered oak herringbone, installed | $160–$320/m² | Artafloor, Imperial |
| Herringbone labour only | $60–$100/m² standard; $90–$120+/m² complex | The Flooring Guys |
| Sanding and coating | $30–$70/m² | WhatsTheDamage |
Timbo does not publish retail prices – partners quote the finished job. More in herringbone flooring cost in Australia.
Herringbone in Australian and NZ homes
Herringbone works in almost every housing type – the questions are subfloor, climate and scale.
| Home | What to consider |
|---|---|
| New house on a slab | Allow slab drying time and test before laying; glue-down with a barrier system is common |
| Apartment | Check body corporate rules on acoustic underlay or ratings, and slab moisture |
| Period home with timber floors | Existing boards may need a plywood overlay or removal to give a flat, sound base |
| Humid coastal or subtropical climate | Acclimatise carefully; allow for higher in-service moisture |
| Heated homes | Discuss underfloor heating with Timbo before specifying 18mm solid |
In New Zealand, about 92% of new houses are built on slabs (ArchiPro NZ), so slab drying and testing is the main issue.
Questions to ask before ordering
- What is the subfloor, and has it been tested for moisture and flatness?
- Which block size suits the room – 710mm or 820mm?
- Wall-to-wall pattern, or a border?
- Raw or prefinished – and which finish system?
- What waste allowance and how many spare boxes?
- Which adhesive and moisture barrier system will be used?
Design tips
- Borders – a single or double row of blocks around the room frames the pattern and hides imperfect walls.
- Transitions – run the pattern continuously through connected rooms where possible; use a threshold or border where it must stop.
- Light – the zigzag catches light differently on left and right blocks, so the floor changes through the day. Oil finishes accentuate this.
- Grade – Prime grade gives a crisp, formal pattern. See oak flooring grades.
Sources
- The Solid Wood Flooring Company – Underfloor heating
- Bowens – Hardwood timber flooring
- ArchiPro NZ – Solid wood vs engineered wood flooring
- SET Timber Supplies – Raw herringbone French oak
- Skov – Herringbone flooring prices Australia
- Artafloor – Engineered timber herringbone cost
- Imperial Flooring – Herringbone flooring cost guide 2026
- The Flooring Guys – Herringbone flooring cost
- WhatsTheDamage – Timber floor sanding cost
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between herringbone and parquetry?
Parquetry (or parquet) is the general term for floors made of small timber blocks laid in a geometric pattern. Herringbone is one parquet pattern – the most popular – alongside chevron, basket weave and Versailles panels.
What size herringbone block suits an open-plan room?
Larger rooms usually suit a longer block, such as Timbo's 820 × 123mm, because the zigzag stays in proportion to the space. The 710 × 123mm block suits most living rooms, bedrooms and hallways. A few rows mocked up on the floor are the best way to judge.
Which direction should herringbone run?
Most installers run the centre line of the zigzag along the longest view of the room – usually from the main entry or toward the main window – so the pattern 'points' through the space. In long hallways it normally runs lengthways.
Should herringbone continue through doorways into other rooms?
Where possible, yes – a continuous pattern makes connected rooms feel larger. It needs careful setout so the centre line works in every room. Where rooms are large, change direction or the adhesive guidance calls for a movement joint, a border or threshold is used instead.
Can herringbone be laid by a DIYer?
It's not recommended for solid parquet. Setting out the centre line, keeping the pattern square over the whole room, gluing to the subfloor and sanding afterwards are skilled jobs. Timbo supplies through trade partners who install.
What is double herringbone?
Double herringbone pairs two blocks side by side in each step of the zigzag, giving a wider, bolder pattern. Triple herringbone uses three. Ask Timbo which layouts suit its block sizes.