Chevron vs Herringbone hardwood floors

Patterned floors are again, highly relevant, whether you prefer Herringbone or Chevron. Even though they look pretty similar there are some differences, both historical and design wise. Both patterns create a distinguished look that highlights any room.

History

The name Herringbone originated from the resemblance to the bone structure of a herring fish. The pattern is an arrangement of rectangular blocks and was used in the Roman Empire as paving systems to make the roads more stable. During the 16th century the Herringbone pattern was used in wood flooring, and the first known example of this can be seen in the Francois 1 Gallery at the Chateau de Fontainebleau in France.

Chevron is an inverted V-shaped pattern. The first use of this can be traced back to old pottery design in Knossos, Crete which dates back to the Bronze Age. This was also first seen as flooring in the 16th century in Europe. With its aligned pattern, the Chevron floor looks like a long line of straight arrows.

The Difference

The main difference between Herringbone pattern and Chevron pattern is that the end of the Herringbone planks are cut in a 90 degree angle, while the end of the Chevron planks are cut in a different angle. This is what causes the different design, the Herringbone pattern has a broken zigzag design whereas the Chevron pattern has a seamless zigzag design with each side meeting point to point.

Herringbone and Chevron have increased in popularity over the last couple of years, both patterns are timeless and stylish and fit very well in an old traditional house as well as new apartments. If you are looking for a floor that catches your eye, these two patterns are the ones to choose from. 

Variation

For a traditional Herringbone pattern our Prestige format comes in different colours, grading and wood types. From a lighter floor with Oak Nature White, to the more natural oak colour in Oak Basic and Oak Select or a darker colour in Oak Smoked Nature

If you prefer a larger format, our Herringbone Click offers both a stylish and more modern design, as well as an easier installation with either a floating installation or the traditional glue-down installation.

Our Chevron format is cut in a 60 degree angle and comes in three different colours, Oak Adagio WhiteOak Adagio and Oak Animoso