# Herringbone wood flooring

> Herringbone is a parquet pattern in which rectangular pieces with square ends meet at right angles to form a broken zigzag. Because the pattern is directional, boards are supplied as mirror-image left and right pieces. In French it is called parquet à bâtons rompus, and it is easy to confuse with chevron, which has mitred ends.

Source page: https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/herringbone/
Updated: 2026-11-03

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Pattern | Complete rectangular pieces meeting at right angles in a broken V [4] |
| Left and right pieces | Ordered as mirror-image left and right boards because the pattern is directional; a universal form has grooves on both ends and uses a slip-tongue or spline [1] |
| Parquet thickness (NWFA) | 5/16 in to 3/4 in, solid or engineered [1] |
| French name | Parquet à bâtons rompus [3] |
| Example solid product (Dinesen Douglas Pattern) | 28 mm thick, 300 mm wide, 1.2 m long in one herringbone project; range 200-350 mm wide, 80-140 cm long [5] |
| Example engineered product (OscarOno Rompu) | Flatgrain select oak, 12 mm with a 4 mm top layer, 150 or 190 mm widths, lacquered [7] |
| Fixing | Often glued down; nail-down possible if an exposed side tongue remains [1] |

Herringbone is a parquet pattern made from rectangular pieces with square ends, set at right angles to one another so that they form a broken zigzag [4]. The pattern points in a direction, so the pieces are made as left and right boards that mirror each other [1]. It can be solid or engineered, and it is easily confused with [chevron flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/), whose ends are cut at an angle (read our detailed comparison in [herringbone vs chevron](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/herringbone-vs-chevron/)).

## What is herringbone flooring?

The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) groups herringbone with chevron and the traditional finger-block pattern as common parquet patterns, and defines parquet as any pattern that is geometric in shape rather than linear [2]. Havwoods describes the herringbone layout as complete rectangular blocks or planks that meet at a right angle to form a broken V, in contrast to chevron pieces, which have their short ends cut at an angle [4].

Herringbone is a flooring pattern, not a species or a construction. The same layout can be made from solid boards or from [engineered boards](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/engineered-wood/), and NWFA notes that parquet material may be solid or engineered and varies in thickness from 5/16 in to 3/4 in [1].

## Why are there left and right boards?

Each piece in a herringbone floor leans one way. NWFA explains that herringbone floors can be ordered with "left" and "right" pieces because the pattern is directional, and that when you look at the face, the two are mirror images of each other. A universal form has grooves on both ends, and a slip-tongue or spline is used at each end connection [1]. We have not found a standards body that fixes other labels for the two boards, so check how your supplier names them before ordering.

## What are the French names and where does the pattern come from?

In French, the square-ended layout is *bâtons rompus*. The CNRS-backed dictionary CNRTL defines a parquet à bâtons rompus as one whose blades of identical size are laid parallel to each other in bays [3]. It defines a parquet en point de Hongrie as one whose blades are laid like the bâtons rompus pattern but have their ends cut on the mitre, which is the chevron [3]. Bauwerk, a Swiss manufacturer, describes French bâtons rompus laying as having seen a strong revival of interest in interior design [6].

We found no authoritative source that dates the herringbone pattern in wooden floors, so we give no date. The same dictionary's earliest cited use of "parquet" as a floor covering is from 1664, for compartmented assemblies laid on joists, which refers to panel parquet rather than herringbone [3]. For that older panel tradition, see [Versailles panels](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/versailles-panels/).

## What sizes does herringbone come in?

Sizes vary by maker, so these are examples rather than a standard:

| Example | Construction | Dimensions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinesen Douglas Pattern | Solid Douglas planks | Range 200-350 mm wide and 80-140 cm long; one herringbone project used 28 mm thick, 300 mm wide, 1.2 m long | [5] |
| OscarOno Rompu | Flatgrain select oak, 12 mm with a 4 mm top layer | 150 or 190 mm widths | [7] |

OscarOno Paris makes the oak herringbone collection [Rompu](https://www.oscarono.fr/collections/rompu), named for bâtons rompus, finished by lacquering [7]. NWFA notes that parquet is typically made of individual pieces, sometimes assembled into panels held together by wire, mesh, tape or paperface [1]. When ordering, it advises basing measurements on the actual dimension of the pattern, because the quantity of pieces is set by the jobsite layout and the repetition of the pattern itself [1].

## How is herringbone flooring laid?

NWFA's guidance for herringbone and chevron installation gives these points [1]:

- Herringbone is often glued down. It can be nailed using the appropriate nailing schedule if the pattern keeps an exposed side tongue, but a pneumatic nailer's impact can force pieces out of place and knock the pattern out of square.
- Use the centre-layout method: strike main control, perpendicular and diagonal lines, then find the true centre of the pattern to set working lines. For herringbone, working lines fall through the corners of each alternating slat.
- Lay out from several bundles or packages for variation.
- Keep the installation square, for example with a plywood square the size of the pattern anchored at the intersection of the working lines.
- Start with the tongue facing the build direction and install one row at a time, checking squareness regularly. For direct glue, do not spread adhesive over the working lines.
- Choose the direction with the client. The points may look best toward the longest dimension of the room or a major focal point.

Our [installation methods guide](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/installation-methods/) explains glue-down, nail-down and floating methods in more detail.

## Where does herringbone suit, and what should you check?

Herringbone suits any room where the subfloor can take the chosen fixing method. Check three things before you buy. First, the thickness and construction, since parquet can be solid or engineered [1]. Second, the fixing method the maker allows, since glue-down is common [1]. Third, the species, because a pattern floor still moves like any wood floor; for a common choice see [European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/). If you want a layout with continuous points instead, compare [chevron flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between herringbone and chevron?

In herringbone the pieces have square ends and meet at a right angle to form a broken V, while chevron pieces have the ends cut at an angle (typically 45 or 60 degrees) so they meet at a continuous point [4]. French sources call the square-ended layout bâtons rompus and the mitred one point de Hongrie [3].

### Why are herringbone boards sold as left and right?

The pattern is directional, so NWFA says boards can be ordered as left and right pieces that are mirror images of each other when you look at the face [1]. A universal form has grooves at both ends and uses a slip-tongue or spline at each end connection [1].

### Can herringbone flooring be nailed down?

Sometimes. NWFA says herringbone and chevron patterns are often glued down, and can be nailed if the pattern keeps an exposed side tongue for nailing, with care because the impact of a pneumatic nailer can knock the pattern out of square [1].

### Which way should the herringbone point?

NWFA says the direction should follow client preference and that the distinct pattern may look best with the points toward the longest dimension of the room or toward a major focal point [1].

### Is herringbone solid or engineered?

Either. NWFA states that parquet material thickness varies from 5/16 in to 3/4 in and may be solid or engineered [1]. Dinesen offers solid Douglas planks in herringbone [5], while the OscarOno Rompu collection is built with a 4 mm oak top layer on a 12 mm board [7].

## Sources

1. [Wood Flooring Installation Guidelines (revised 2025)](https://nwfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NWFA-Installation-Guidelines.pdf), National Wood Flooring Association, accessed 2026-11-03
2. [Environmental Product Declaration: Solid Wood Flooring (industry average)](https://nwfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Solid_Wood_Flooring_EPD.pdf), National Wood Flooring Association / ASTM International, accessed 2026-11-03
3. [Parquet (definition)](https://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/parquet), CNRTL, Trésor de la langue française informatisé (CNRS / ATILF), accessed 2026-11-03
4. [Chevron flooring vs herringbone flooring](https://havwoods.com/au/news/chevron-flooring-vs-herringbone-flooring), Havwoods, accessed 2026-11-03
5. [Douglas Pattern: herringbone and chevron](https://www.dinesen.com/en/products/plank-floors/douglas-pattern), Dinesen, accessed 2026-11-03
6. [Formpark Rombico product leaflet](https://a.storyblok.com/f/329196/x/dd3e75069a/bw_product-leaflet_a4_formpark-rombico_fr.pdf), Bauwerk Parkett, accessed 2026-11-03
7. [Rompu collection](https://www.oscarono.fr/collections/rompu), OscarOno Paris, accessed 2026-11-03