Oak Herringbone Flooring

How to choose oak herringbone

Engineered or solid oak?

Engineered oak herringbone has an oak top layer on a stable core, so it copes with central heating, underfloor heating and concrete subfloors and can usually be sanded if the oak layer is 3mm or more. It is the choice for most modern homes. Solid oak herringbone is oak all the way through, the traditional block floor for period homes, and can be sanded many times over its life.

Block size

Small blocks make a tight, busy pattern that suits hallways and period rooms; long, wide blocks make a bold, calm pattern for large, open spaces. Compare two sizes as samples on the floor; the difference is bigger than it looks.

Grade

Prime oak gives a calm, even pattern that lets the zig-zag shine; natural and rustic grades add knots and colour variation that hide wear and suit cottages and busy family homes.

Colour and finish

Natural and light oak keep the pattern bright and elegant; smoked oak gives depth and warmth; grey and white oaks suit modern and Scandinavian schemes. Lacquer is the easiest to clean; oil looks natural and can be repaired locally; unfinished blocks are sanded and finished on site for a perfectly flush surface.

Planning an oak herringbone floor

• Direction: run the pattern along the longest wall or main line of sight, so it leads the eye through the room.
• A and B blocks: herringbone uses left- and right-hand blocks in equal numbers, unless packed as a mixed set; order them from the same batch.
• Border: a frame of straight oak blocks round the room gives a formal, finished look and hides the cut ends.
• Wastage: about 10% extra for the angled cuts at the walls; more in small or awkward rooms. Our measuring guide shows how.

Fitting oak herringbone

Glued blocks are bedded in a suitable wood floor adhesive on a dry, level screed or plywood, set out from a centre line so the pattern runs square and ends evenly at both walls. Click herringbone locks together over an underlay and is possible for a careful DIYer. Glued oak herringbone is best laid by an experienced fitter; we can put you in touch with trusted installers. Leave an expansion gap and cover it with oak skirting or oak beading. Our installation guides explain each method.

Oak herringbone and underfloor heating

Engineered oak herringbone, glued down, is the best real wood choice over underfloor heating, with the floor surface kept below 27°C and the heating raised slowly at the start of each season. Solid oak blocks are less suited unless approved.

Looking after oak herringbone

Vacuum with a soft brush head (the joints trap grit), clean with a well-wrung mop and a pH-neutral wood floor cleaner, use felt pads and door mats, and give oiled floors an occasional coat of maintenance oil. When it looks tired, oak herringbone can be sanded and refinished to look new.

Common mistakes

• Ordering A and B blocks in different quantities or batches.
• Gluing onto a screed that is not fully dry.