Is chevron more expensive than herringbone?

Usually yes, for the same specification: the angled cutting adds manufacturing cost, waste runs slightly higher and fitting demands more precision, which shows in labour quotes.

Does herringbone make a room look bigger?

It can. Laid across the room it visually widens narrow spaces, and the pattern movement adds depth. Chevron laid toward a focal point lengthens a room even more strongly.

Can I get herringbone in LVT or laminate?

Yes. Herringbone LVT and laminate deliver the pattern with click fitting at a much lower cost than engineered blocks, and are excellent in kitchens and busy family spaces.

Pattern guide 1 min read

Herringbone vs Chevron: Patterns, Costs and Which Suits Your Room

Q: What is the difference between herringbone and chevron?

Herringbone uses rectangular blocks with square ends laid in a stepped zigzag. Chevron blocks are cut at an angle so rows meet in continuous arrow points. Herringbone reads classic and textured; chevron reads modern and directional.

Two pattern floors that people often confuse. How to tell them apart, how they differ to fit, and which suits which room.

Herringbone

Blocks meet at a right angle

Chevron

Blocks cut to a point

Waste allowance

15% to 20%

Fitting

Full glue down

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Telling them apart

Herringbone blocks are cut square at both ends. Laid alternately, each block meets its neighbour at a right angle, and the rows step across the room in a broken zigzag.

Chevron blocks are cut at an angle at each end. Laid point to point, the rows form a continuous unbroken V that runs the length of the room.

The easy test: Look at where two blocks meet. If the join is a straight continuous line running down the room, it is chevron. If the ends step past each other, it is herringbone.

What each does to a room

They are not interchangeable, and the room usually prefers one.

Herringbone

Busier and more textural. Reads as traditional and suits period rooms and hallways.

Chevron

Cleaner and more directional. Reads as contemporary and pulls the eye down the room.

In a narrow room

Chevron along the length emphasises the run. Herringbone breaks it up.

In a large room

Both work. Herringbone fills the space, chevron organises it.

What they share

Almost everything about the job is the same, and it is more demanding than a plank floor either way.

Full glue down

Both. A floating pattern floor opens at the joints over time.

15% to 20% for waste

Against 8% to 12% for straight plank. Every perimeter cut produces an unusable offcut.

Setting out decides the floor

The first two rows determine everything. This is a job for a professional.

Both suit underfloor heating

Glue down puts the floor in direct contact with the heated screed.

Important: Chevron blocks are cut to a specific angle and are not interchangeable with herringbone. Order the pattern you intend to lay, and order it all in one go.

Choosing between them

When the room does not decide for you, this usually does.

Period property

Herringbone. It suits the proportions without looking like a copy.

Modern open plan

Chevron. The clean lines suit the architecture.

Long hallway

Either, laid along the sightline. Chevron makes the run feel longer.

Small broken up room

Neither, honestly. Most of the pattern ends up cut away at the edges.

Questions about herringbone and chevron

What is the difference between herringbone and chevron?

Herringbone blocks are cut square and laid so that each meets its neighbour at a right angle, giving a broken zigzag. Chevron blocks are cut at an angle at each end and laid point to point, so the rows form a continuous V. Chevron reads more formal and directional; herringbone reads busier and more traditional.

Is chevron more expensive to fit than herringbone?

The blocks are more expensive to produce because of the angled cut, and the fitting demands more precision because every point has to meet. Both are glued down and both carry the same waste allowance of 15% to 20% on manufacturer guidance. Ask a fitter to quote both before deciding on cost alone.

Which suits a small room?

Herringbone usually. Its broken pattern is forgiving in a room with several doors and alcoves, and the small block suits a hall or a small reception room. Chevron needs length to show its direction and reads best in a long room with a clear axis.

Can I get either pattern in a click floor?

Herringbone, yes: the rigid vinyl herringbone in our range clicks and floats, listed as waterproof, for kitchens and halls. The chevron in our range is engineered oak, glued down.

What the published standards say

Each entry is quoted from its source and linked to it. The full set is in the standards reference.

Herringbone and chevron — what the two patterns are

Herringbone is laid from rectangular blocks whose ends are cut square: set at right angles to each other and staggered, so that the end of one block meets the side of the next and the pattern reads as a broken zigzag. Chevron blocks have their ends cut at an angle - typically 45 or 60 degrees, depending on the manufacturer - so the ends meet on a continuous line and form a V. No published standard we could read defines the two patterns; the definitions here come from manufacturers and agree with each other.

Herringbone: angle between adjacent blocks	90 degrees
Chevron: typical end-cut angle (manufacturer-dependent)	45 or 60 degrees

“Herringbone flooring features rectangular wood planks arranged in a staggered zigzag pattern. Each plank meets the next at a 90-degree angle. In chevron patterns, the wood planks are cut at an angle, typically 45 or 60 degrees, so they meet in a continuous V-shape.”

Source: Havwoods - Herringbone vs. Chevron: Which Parquet Style Suits Your Space Best? · second source

Cutting waste — how much extra to order

There is no published industry standard for cutting waste; the figures come from manufacturers' own guidance and they vary. Havwoods advises 8-12 % wastage for planks and 15-20 % for patterned floors such as herringbone or chevron. Quick-Step's UK guidance for laminate is 5 % extra in a regular room and 10 % in a room with many angles or curves.

Wastage allowance, plank floors (Havwoods UK)	8-12 %
Wastage allowance, herringbone or chevron (Havwoods UK)	15-20 %
Extra to order, regular room, laminate (Quick-Step UK)	5 %
Extra to order, room with many angles or curves, laminate (Quick-Step UK)	10 %

“For planks we typically advise on 8-12% wastage and patterned floors, such as herringbone or chevron, may need 15-20% wastage.”

Source: Havwoods UK - FAQs: How Much Wastage Shall I Encounter For? · second source

See the pattern before you commit

Both read very differently at home than in a photograph. Order a sample and live with it for a week.

Browse parquet Herringbone fitting guide

Comparison Porcelain vs Ceramic Tiles – Which Is Better? Comparison guide Engineered Wood vs Laminate: Which Should You Buy? Cost guide Flooring Cost per m² UK (2026): What You Will Really Pay

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Herringbone vs Chevron: Patterns, Costs and Which Suits Your Room

Telling them apart

What each does to a room

What they share

Choosing between them

Questions about herringbone and chevron

What the published standards say

Herringbone and chevron — what the two patterns are

Cutting waste — how much extra to order

New ranges and offers. Hear it first.

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Your Basket

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Herringbone vs Chevron: Patterns, Costs and Which Suits Your Room

Telling them apart

What each does to a room

What they share

Choosing between them

Questions about herringbone and chevron

What the published standards say

Herringbone and chevron — what the two patterns are

Cutting waste — how much extra to order

Related reading

New ranges and offers. Hear it first.