Herringbone and Parquet Flooring: Cost and Installation

Herringbone and parquet flooring typically cost roughly 20-40% more than standard plank flooring of a similar material and quality, and the difference is mostly down to installation time rather than the wood itself — the intricate pattern simply takes considerably longer to lay correctly.

What's the difference between herringbone and parquet?

"Parquet" is the broader term for geometric wood flooring patterns, historically made from small blocks of solid wood. "Herringbone" is one specific, very popular parquet pattern, where rectangular blocks are laid in a zigzag arrangement at 90 degrees to each other. Other parquet patterns include chevron (similar to herringbone but with angled cuts meeting at a point, rather than herringbone's straight-edged offset) and basket weave.

What affects the cost

• Material: solid wood parquet costs more than engineered wood versions with a parquet-effect veneer, though engineered options have become increasingly popular for their better stability.
• Block size: smaller traditional blocks generally cost more to fit than larger, modern herringbone planks, simply because more pieces are needed to cover the same area.
• Installation method: herringbone patterns typically take considerably longer to lay than standard straight planks, since every row needs careful measuring and cutting to maintain the pattern, especially around the room's edges.
• Room complexity: irregular room shapes, alcoves, and door thresholds all add time and cost to a patterned floor more than they would to standard planks, since the pattern has to be worked around these features cleanly.

Solid wood vs engineered parquet

Traditional solid wood block parquet can be sanded and refinished multiple times over its life, similar to solid strip flooring, but is more prone to movement with humidity changes given the smaller block sizes involved. Engineered parquet, with a real wood veneer over a stable core, offers better dimensional stability and is often easier to fit, at some cost to how many times it can be refinished over its lifespan.

Is herringbone worth the extra cost?

Herringbone and parquet patterns are a genuinely distinctive, characterful look that plain plank flooring simply can't replicate, and can meaningfully add to a room's visual appeal, particularly in period or high-end properties. Whether the premium is worth it comes down to personal taste and budget rather than a purely practical calculation — functionally, a well-fitted herringbone floor performs similarly to plank flooring of the same material.

Common mistakes

Underestimating how much longer a patterned floor takes to fit — and therefore how much labour costs — is the most common surprise for homeowners pricing this up for the first time. It's also worth confirming any installer quoting for herringbone or parquet has genuine experience with the pattern specifically, since a poorly set-out pattern (particularly getting the first few rows misaligned) is difficult to correct later without lifting a significant area. Good subfloor preparation matters even more for parquet than standard planks, since an uneven subfloor is more visually obvious under a geometric pattern.

Border and transition details

Herringbone and parquet floors often look best with a matching border strip around the room's perimeter, both for a finished appearance and because a partial pattern piece against every wall can look untidy. This border adds a small amount to material and labour cost but is generally considered worth it for the finished look. Transitions to other rooms or flooring types need particular care with a directional pattern like herringbone, since the pattern's angle relative to the doorway affects how it reads visually from the adjoining room.

Maintenance differences from standard plank flooring

Day-to-day cleaning and care for herringbone or parquet is essentially the same as any solid or engineered wood floor — regular sweeping or vacuuming and occasional damp mopping with a wood-appropriate cleaner. The main practical difference comes if a board ever needs individual replacement: matching the exact grain direction and finish of a herringbone block precisely enough that a repair isn't visually obvious is more demanding than replacing a plank in a standard straight-laid floor, which is worth factoring in if you're deciding between the two purely on long-term practicality.

Getting quotes for a patterned floor

When comparing quotes for herringbone or parquet, make sure each one is clear about the block or plank size, material (solid or engineered), and pattern specifically, since two quotes that both say "herringbone flooring" can vary significantly if one assumes a simpler, larger-format herringbone and the other assumes traditional small blocks. Ask to see examples of a fitter's previous herringbone work specifically, not just general flooring work, given how much fitting skill affects the finished result with this pattern.