Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Remodeling 101: The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns

Search

Remodeling 101: The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns

September 25, 2017

We love our readers. Not only are they often smarter and more knowledgeable than we are, they also have no qualms in letting us know when we’re wrong—always pushing us to be at the top of our game.

Like the time I mislabeled a parquet floor pattern and a reader wrote in and informed me that what I had said was “herringbone” was actually “chevron.” If we were splitting hairs, I wanted to know why—and consulted Henry Hudson from Cheville Parquet, a York, England-based wood flooring company who opened their first London showroom back in 2013. Apparently, it’s all in the zigzag, he told me. Read on for the details.

What is the difference between chevron and herringbone?

Remodeling 101 The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns portrait 6
Above: “In the chevron, the wood blocks run point to point and the ends are cut at an angle to create a continuous zigzag design,” Hudson says. “With the herringbone, the wood blocks finish perpendicular to each other, resulting in a broken zigzag.” Graphic courtesy of Spanish surface finishes company Porcelanosa.

Chevron

Stephanie Ross Diningroom 04 Paris
Above: In the chevron pattern, the wood blocks meet point to point, creating a continuous zigzag—like in this dining room floor featured in A Grand but Understated Flat in Paris. Photograph by Marie-Claire Fresquet, courtesy of Bel Ordinaire.
modern white poolhouse parquet tile sweden 1 1
Above: This poolhouse is lined in glossy white tiles in a chevron pattern. It’s featured in Swimming Pool of the Week: Claesson Koivisto Rune’s Swedish Parquet Poolhouse on Gardenista. Photograph by Åke E:son Lindman, courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune.
reclaimed wood flooring the hudson company chevron flooring
Above: A mix of reclaimed woods installed in a chevron pattern in a hotel lobby designed by AvroKo and featured in Expert Advice: The Ins and Outs of Reclaimed Wood Flooring. Photography by Gentl & Hyers, courtesy of the Hudson Company.

Herringbone

Remodeling 101 The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns portrait 6
Above: The entryway of a home in Mainz, Germany, features a herringbone pattern. See the rest of the project in Earthly and Ethereal: An Apartment Makeover by Studio Oink. Photograph by and courtesy of Studio Oink.
Remodeling 101 The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns portrait 6
Above: A painted herringbone fountain in a Santa Monica garden by designer Scott Shrader, featured in Sneak Peek: Garden Design Magazine’s Aged Elegance. Photograph by Mark Adams, courtesy of Garden Design.
Remodeling 101 The Difference Between Chevron and Herringbone Patterns portrait 6
Above: A herringbone wood terrace off a Manhattan pied-à-terre by landscape designers Harrison Green, featured in Garden Designer Visit: A Manhattan Terrace with Panoramic Central Park Views on Gardenista. Photograph by Nicholas Calcott, courtesy of Harrison Green.

Because all the blocks have to be cut at an angle to create the zigzag, the chevron pattern costs more to produce than the herringbone. Do you like the pricier look? Let us know what you think in the Comments below.

N.B. This post is an update. It originally ran on April 29, 2013, as part of our Renovation & Reclamation week.

For more on wood floors, see:

(Visited 2,499 times, 6 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

v5.0