Buying Guides · 11 min read
Herringbone Flooring: The Complete UK Buyer’s Guide
Reviewed by our team, led by Adam Williams, Managing Director
In this article
- Herringbone Options Compared
- Herringbone vs Chevron vs Parquet: What’s the Difference?
- LVT Herringbone
- Engineered Wood Herringbone
- LVT vs Engineered Wood Herringbone: Which Should You Choose?
- How Much Does Herringbone Flooring Cost?
- Herringbone Installation: What to Expect
- Herringbone Flooring by Room
- See Herringbone in Person: Our 24/7 Smart Showroom
- Where to Start
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
Herringbone Options Compared
Herringbone is the most requested flooring pattern in the UK. What was once reserved for period homes and grand hallways is now everywhere: new-build apartments, rental properties, open-plan kitchens, boutique hotels and high-street retail. The zigzag pattern signals quality, adds visual interest to plain rectangular rooms and photographs well (which matters more than ever for property listings and interior design portfolios).
The good news is that herringbone is no longer limited to hand-laid solid parquet. Today you can get the same pattern in LVT, SPC and engineered wood at a fraction of the cost with faster installation and, in the case of LVT, full waterproofing. This guide covers every herringbone option, explains the differences and helps you choose the right material and range for your project.
| Option | Format | Waterproof | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GF Glue-Down LVT herringbone | Glue-down | 100% waterproof | Authentic seamless look |
| GF SPC herringbone | Click (rigid core) | 100% waterproof | Fast fit, wet areas |
| Karndean and Amtico herringbone | Glue-down | Brand-dependent | Premium designs |
| Engineered wood herringbone | Glue-down or click | Water resistant | Real timber |
Herringbone vs Chevron vs Parquet: What’s the Difference?
These three terms get confused constantly, so let’s clarify.
Herringbone uses rectangular planks laid at 90-degree angles to each other, creating a zigzag pattern where the end of each plank meets the side of the next. The cut edges are all straight with no angled cuts needed. This is the classic “V” or zigzag pattern most people picture when they think of parquet.
Chevron uses planks cut at an angle (typically 45 or 60 degrees) so the ends meet in a continuous straight line down the centre. The result is a more uniform, arrow-like pattern compared to herringbone’s staggered zigzag. Chevron requires angled cuts on every plank, which historically made it more expensive, though pre-cut chevron planks have closed that gap. Browse our LVT chevron and engineered wood chevron ranges.
Parquet is the broader category that includes herringbone, chevron, basketweave and other geometric patterns made from small blocks or planks. In modern usage, “parquet” often refers to any pattern that is not a standard plank layout. Browse our LVT parquet and engineered wood parquet ranges.
There’s also Versailles, a decorative panel pattern originating from the Palace of Versailles, featuring interlocking square panels with diagonal and straight elements. It is the most ornate option and works best in larger rooms. Browse our engineered wood Versailles range.
LVT Herringbone
LVT herringbone delivers the pattern without the price or installation complexity of real wood. The planks come pre-cut to herringbone dimensions and you are choosing between two installation methods: glue-down or click-fit SPC.
Browse the full LVT herringbone collection.
Glue-Down Herringbone LVT
Glue-down herringbone is the traditional LVT installation method with each plank bonded to the subfloor with adhesive. The result is a permanent, fully sealed surface with no edge lifting. It is the preferred format for high-traffic commercial spaces, rental properties where durability matters and bathrooms or kitchens where waterproofing is critical.
Nordikka Tromso Herringbone is our most affordable glue-down herringbone, realistic wood-effect finishes at a price that works for multi-room installations. GF Glue-Down LVT carries herringbone in both its 0.55mm and 0.7mm wear-layer tiers. For premium specifications, Amtico and Karndean both offer herringbone laying patterns across their glue-down ranges with wider design libraries and more surface texture options.
Click-Fit SPC Herringbone
Click-fit SPC herringbone uses rigid-core planks that lock together without adhesive. Installation is faster, a standard room can be laid in a day and the planks can be uplifted and relaid if you need to access the subfloor later. The rigid core also handles slight subfloor imperfections better than glue-down, which means less prep work.
Our GF SPC herringbone range is competitively priced, waterproof rigid-core click herringbone with built-in underlay and a 25-year guarantee. The range includes 8 herringbone designs, named after Cotswold villages: Daylesford, Kingham, Blenheim, Burford, Campden and more. At that price point, SPC herringbone is realistic for whole-house installations where LVT herringbone in every room was previously out of budget.
Nordikka Bodo Herringbone SPC is another click-fit herringbone option, the same waterproof rigid-core format with Nordikka’s wood-effect aesthetics. For premium specifications, Karndean Knight Tile Rigid Core and Amtico Click Smart offer click-fit herringbone at a higher price point. Knight Tile Rigid Core is priced online and Click Smart is sold by quote.
Stone-Effect Herringbone LVT
Herringbone is not limited to wood effects. Stone-effect herringbone creates a distinctive look, particularly effective in hallways, bathrooms and kitchens where a natural stone aesthetic suits the space. Browse our stone-effect herringbone LVT collection.
Polyflor Camaro deserves a specific mention in the LVT herringbone category. Where most LVT brands expect a fitter to cut standard plank stock down to fit a herringbone layout, Polyflor ships dedicated parquet formats at the correct plank size for the pattern, Cambridge Parquet, Georgian Parquet and the LPQ Large Parquet series in glue-down Camaro, plus RPQ-series dedicated herringbone designs in click-format Camaro Rigid Core. It is the deepest dedicated parquet and herringbone library in UK LVT and a sensible specification when the herringbone aesthetic is a non-negotiable part of the project brief. Detail in our Polyflor Camaro herringbone guide.
For the mid-tier 95mm x 380mm herringbone format specifically, Textures herringbone (0.55mm wear layer, 30-year residential warranty, 16 colours) and Elements herringbone (0.7mm commercial-grade wear layer, lifetime residential warranty, 12 colours) are the two strongest value-for-specification options in UK LVT. Both ship at the correct residential herringbone scale, both carry EIR surface treatment with bevelled edges on all four sides and both deliver herringbone-format LVT at meaningfully lower prices than Karndean Van Gogh or Amtico Spacia herringbone. For the cross-shop between the two, see our Textures vs Elements comparison.
For premium-tier herringbone at the Karndean Van Gogh or Art Select specification level, Invictus herringbone is the closest cross-shop alternative, available across the Maximus (0.55mm glue-down), Maximus Click (0.55mm rigid-core click) and Ultimus (0.70mm glue-down) tiers in a 150 x 749mm herringbone plank and a 102 x 406mm parquet. All have the Belgian-engineered Scratchmaster surface technology. Invictus Maximus Click is particularly distinctive because it delivers premium-tier herringbone in click format, which most premium LVT brands do not offer. For click-format herringbone context across every UK brand we stock, our click LVT flooring UK buyer’s guide covers Invictus Maximus Click alongside Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core, Karndean Van Gogh Rigid Core, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl and Nordikka Bodo SPC.
Engineered Wood Herringbone
If you want the real thing, genuine oak in a herringbone pattern, engineered wood herringbone gives you that at a fraction of what solid parquet would cost. Engineered boards have a real oak top layer bonded to a stable plywood core, which means you get the warmth, grain and character of real wood with better dimensional stability than solid timber.
GF by Grosvenor Flooring Herringbone
Our GF herringbone is where real oak herringbone becomes financially viable for whole-property installations. The collection is 35 European oak herringbone floors across five board specifications, named after Cheshire and South Manchester locations like Alderley, Farndon, Tabley, Hale and Ridley. Because GF is GF by Grosvenor Flooring’s own label, you are buying the same European mill quality as the premium showroom brands without the third-party markup. See the full GF by Grosvenor Flooring range for how the own-brand LVT and engineered wood compare across the board.
The range starts with 10mm boards with a 3mm oak wear layer (80x300mm blocks, the classic small-format herringbone), steps through 14mm and 15mm mid-range specifications and tops out with 20mm boards with a 6mm wear layer, a floor you can sand and refinish several times. Finishes include lacquered and oiled boards in brushed, smoked and smooth surfaces, plus one unfinished board for finishing on site. Compare that to premium engineered herringbone from Ted Todd or V4, GF delivers a comparable specification at meaningfully lower cost.
All 35 herringbone floors are available to buy online with full pricing displayed. Order up to five free samples to compare colours and finishes in your own space, or visit our Altrincham showroom to see and walk on the full collection at room scale. For customers in South Manchester and Cheshire, we offer a full supply-and-fit service.
The wider GF engineered wood range also includes planks (35 designs) and Versailles panels (6 designs) if you want the same quality oak in a different pattern.
V4 Herringbone
V4 Wood Flooring offers herringbone in its Deco parquet, Tundra and Urban Nature collections. Tundra also comes as a chevron. V4 is the step up from GF. It has a wider design library, more finish options and premium surface treatments for projects where specification matters.
LVT vs Engineered Wood Herringbone: Which Should You Choose?
Choose LVT herringbone if the space sees moisture (kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, hallways), if you need fast installation, if durability between tenancies matters more than the feel of real wood, or if budget is a primary concern. LVT herringbone is the practical default for most projects.
Choose engineered wood herringbone if you are flooring a dry room such as a lounge, bedroom or dining room and want the feel of real oak underfoot. A genuine timber parquet adds a quality that buyers and tenants notice. Even the most convincing vinyl cannot fully match it.
Use both. This is what many homeowners and developers do. Engineered wood herringbone in the living areas, LVT herringbone in the kitchen, hallway and bathrooms. Match the colourway across both materials for a cohesive look, while using the right product in each room. Our team can help you find colourway matches across our LVT and engineered wood ranges.
How Much Does Herringbone Flooring Cost?
Herringbone uses 10 to 15% more material per square metre than a standard plank layout because of the cutting pattern and wastage at room edges. This means a 20m2 room needs roughly 22 to 23m2 of material. Factor this into your budget calculations.
To give you a real sense of the range:
SPC herringbone is the most affordable starting point. GF SPC herringbone is the entry point, waterproof rigid-core click with built-in underlay. Nordikka Bodo Herringbone SPC is another click-fit option at a competitive price.
Glue-down LVT herringbone sits in the mid-range for material cost but requires adhesive and professional fitting. Nordikka Tromso is the value end; Karndean and Amtico herringbone layouts are the premium end. Both are sold by quote.
Engineered wood herringbone is the premium material but does not have to carry a premium brand price. GF herringbone runs from 10mm/3mm oak up to 20mm/6mm boards. V4 is the step up for premium specifications and a wider design library.
Prices are shown on every product page. Order free samples to compare options before committing to a full order.
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Herringbone Installation: What to Expect
Herringbone takes longer to install than a standard plank layout. The pattern requires more cuts, more precision and careful planning of the starting point to ensure the zigzag runs symmetrically across the room. For a professional fitter, a standard living room in herringbone takes roughly 50% longer than the same room in straight planks.
Click-fit herringbone (like Nordikka Bodo SPC) is faster to install than glue-down because there is no adhesive curing time and the click mechanism guides alignment. Glue-down herringbone requires more skill and a perfectly prepared subfloor.
For detailed installation advice, read our LVT installation guide or engineered wood installation guide.
Herringbone Flooring by Room
Living rooms and bedrooms. Engineered wood herringbone is the premium choice here. Real oak grain, warm underfoot feel and the visual statement of genuine wood in a classic pattern. LVT herringbone works well too, especially in rental properties where durability matters more than material authenticity.
Kitchens and bathrooms. LVT herringbone is the practical default. Waterproof, easy to clean and available in both wood and stone effects. Browse our kitchen LVT range.
Hallways. Herringbone is a natural fit for narrow spaces. The zigzag pattern draws the eye along the length of the hall and creates visual interest in what is otherwise a plain rectangular corridor. Click SPC herringbone handles the high traffic and wet shoes. Browse our hallway LVT or hallway engineered wood collections.
Herringbone sits at the centre of the current pattern trend with chevron and basketweave close behind. Our flooring trends 2026 into 2027 article shows where it is heading.
See Herringbone in Person: Our 24/7 Smart Showroom
Herringbone is one of those patterns you need to see at scale before committing. A single sample plank does not convey the impact of a full room. Our smart showroom in Altrincham is open 24/7, no appointment needed. Request a security code online and visit any time to compare LVT herringbone and engineered wood herringbone side by side. See how different colourways and materials work in real light and at full room scale.
Where to Start
Browse our LVT herringbone collection, stone-effect herringbone LVT, or engineered wood herringbone range. The GF LVT range carries herringbone in both glue-down and click formats. Order free samples to test colourways in your space. Not sure which herringbone format is right for your project? Get in touch, our team can recommend the right product for your rooms, timeline and budget.
Who leads our guides
Managing Director, Grosvenor Flooring
Adam Williams is Managing Director of Grosvenor Flooring in Altrincham. He sets the standards our guides are written to and guides the team that reviews them, so the advice matches the floors we supply, the manufacturers' specifications and the way the fitters we work with install them.
More about Adam →Floor Finder
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Start Floor FinderFrequently Asked Questions
What is herringbone flooring?
Herringbone is a classic pattern where rectangular planks are laid at right angles to form a broken zig-zag, adding timeless character to a room.
How does herringbone differ from chevron?
Herringbone planks meet at 90 degrees to form a broken zig-zag, while chevron planks are cut at an angle so the ends meet in a continuous V.
Which floors come in herringbone?
We offer herringbone in luxury vinyl, engineered wood and laminate, so there is an option for most budgets.
Is herringbone harder to fit?
It is more demanding than plank. The first rows fix the angle for the whole floor, so a small error at the start grows across the room. We recommend an experienced fitter for straight lines and neat borders.
GF by Associated Weavers
Premium-spec glue-down, fairly priced
0.55mm wear layerPlank & parquet25-year warranty
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