The ABCs (and Beyond) of Flooring

Posted on: 12 December 2022

Many homeowners who want to install hardwood floors spend a lot of time selecting the wood species and finish but neglect to think much about the floor's installation pattern. One of the fun things about hardwood floors is they can be installed in a wide variety of patterns or even a combination when installed with a border!

Here are some alternative patterns to a linear hardwood floor installation:

Chevron

Hardwood floors installed in a chevron pattern are put down in an inverted "V" shape. This style of flooring goes very well in traditional homes and has been used for centuries in Europe. 

The chevron pattern is subtle but gives a lot of style to the floor. This pattern works well in homes with minimal furnishings where the floors can be one of the main focal points of interest.

Diagonal

Hardwood floors installed in a diagonal pattern are placed on the floor so that the longest plank runs from opposite corners of the room. The rest of the floorboards are placed next to the longest board, with each subsequent board being shorter than the board next to it.

Herringbone

One of the most classic alternative patterns for hardwood floors is herringbone. As its name implies, the herringbone pattern is based on the interlocking bone structure of herring fish. Herringbone hardwood floors look very elegant and upgrade any home.

Parquet

The parquet pattern was trendy in years past. This intricate flooring pattern is made of tiny "tiles" made of wood. It is a long and complicated installation process, so this pattern can be expensive. For this reason, homeowners desiring parquet floors should consider luxury vinyl or engineered hardwood lookalike options.

Varied Width Planks

Lastly, one of the newest hardwood flooring installation trends is installing planks of varying sizes and widths. Some designers go entirely outside the box and install planks made of different tree species or with varying colors of stain. 

Wood Mosaic

Similar to varied wood planks, you can also have hardwood floors installed in a wood mosaic pattern. These floors are made of many same-size small tiles of wood in a variety of different shades of color. 

A Final Note

Regardless of the pattern you choose for your home's new hardwood floors, make sure to have them installed by a licensed flooring contractor. This is especially important when installing floors with an alternative pattern because they can be tricky and won't look good if you get it wrong.

For more information about hardwood floor installation, contact a local company.