Chevron and herringbone are often named as if they were the same floor. They are not. The blocks are cut differently, the patterns read differently in a room, and the drawing a factory needs is different for each. Getting the name wrong in an RFQ can mean a sample that answers the wrong question, so this guide sets out the difference and what to specify for each pattern.
The geometric difference
Both patterns are built from left and right pieces laid alternately in rows. The difference is in how the ends are cut.
Herringbone: square ends, 90 degrees
Herringbone is a 90-degree pattern made from rectangular left and right blocks. The ends are cut square. The end of each block butts against the long side of the next, so the rows form a stepped, broken zigzag. Each block overlaps its neighbor rather than meeting it end to end. For general background, see the herringbone pattern entry.
Chevron: mitered ends, a continuous point
In chevron, the ends are mitered, at 45° or 30°, rather than cut square. The mitered ends of the left and right pieces meet along a single straight line down the center of each row, so the pattern forms a continuous point, like a row of arrows.
Side-by-side comparison
| Herringbone | Chevron | |
|---|---|---|
| Block ends | Square | Mitered at 45° or 30° |
| Block shape | Rectangle | Parallelogram |
| How pieces meet | End of one block against the side of the next | Mitered ends meet on a center line |
| Pattern | Stepped, broken zigzag | Continuous point |
| Visual rhythm | Woven, textured | Formal, architectural, strongly directional |
| Left and right pieces | Yes | Yes |
| Key dimensions | Width and block length | Width, length and miter angle |
How each pattern reads in a room
Herringbone has a woven look. Because the blocks overlap, the eye moves across the floor in small steps, and the pattern holds together well in rooms of irregular shape. It is a classic choice for entrances, hallways and feature areas.
Chevron is cleaner and more directional. The unbroken center line of each row leads the eye along the room, which gives the floor a more formal, architectural rhythm. That direction is its main strength and its main risk: a chevron that points the wrong way, or that runs off center in a long room, is obvious from the doorway.
A few general considerations help decide between them:
- Long rooms and corridors. Chevron emphasizes length. Herringbone emphasizes length too, but less forcefully.
- Rooms with many openings or angles. Herringbone tends to absorb irregular walls more quietly, because its rows already step.
- Formal or minimal interiors. Chevron’s clean center line suits interiors where the floor is meant to read as a single, deliberate gesture.
- Grain and color. Both patterns break the floor into short pieces, so knots and color movement are spread over many blocks. Grade choice should be made with the whole room in mind.
What to specify for each
The core specification is the same for both patterns: construction, thickness and wear layer, width, grade, color, surface texture, sheen and quantity. What differs is the geometry.
For herringbone
- Block width. Our current production widths are 3-1/4” (83mm), 3-1/2” (89mm), 5” (127mm), 6” (152mm), 7-1/2” (190mm), 9” (229mm) and 9-1/4” (235mm). Other widths from 3” (76mm) to 12” (305mm) are made to order.
- Block length. One fixed length for the whole order, set from your drawing.
- Profile. Tongue & Groove on all four sides, or square edge on request.
- Left and right quantities. Herringbone is packed as left and right pairs.
Our herringbone specification guide covers these points in more detail.
For chevron
- Width and length. As with herringbone, both should be taken from the drawing.
- Miter angle. State 45° or 30°. Chevron angles can be described from different reference lines, so show the angle on the drawing rather than relying on a number in an email.
- Point direction. Show which way the points run relative to the main entrance or sight line.
- Center line. Show where the center line of each row falls, especially in long rooms and where the pattern meets a doorway.
Construction for both
We make solid, 2-layer and 3-layer constructions. For herringbone and chevron, 2-layer engineered is the construction most commonly used: a sawn oak wear layer bonded to a stable plywood core, and a practical choice where overall floor height is limited. Our standard builds are 5/8” (15mm) overall with a 3mm sawn wear layer and 3/4” (20mm) with a 6mm sawn wear layer.
Why a drawing matters more than a name
Pattern names are used loosely across the trade, and a single word in an email is easy to misread. A drawing removes the ambiguity. It should show:
- The pattern, drawn, not only named.
- Block width and length, and for chevron the miter angle.
- Direction of the pattern against a fixed wall, entrance or sight line.
- Borders or frames around the field, if any.
- Transitions to plank or to other rooms.
- Quantity in sq ft for each pattern and area.
Precision matters as well. In both patterns the profile repeats across every joint, and small errors in width or profile accumulate along a row. Our profiles are machined on HOMAG equipment to keep board dimensions and joints consistent; our article on T&G profile accuracy explains what that means in practice.
Both patterns in one order
Many projects use more than one pattern: chevron in a formal room, herringbone in the hallway, plank in the bedrooms. More than one format can be produced within one order using the same approved color reference. The approved physical sample becomes the master color reference, and color is checked against that master panel during production, so the patterns match where they meet.
Checklist: what to ask your supplier
- Is the quotation for herringbone or chevron, and does it match my drawing?
- For chevron, is the miter angle 45° or 30°, measured from the reference shown on my drawing?
- Is the block length fixed for the whole order?
- Is my width current production or made to order?
- Are left and right pieces supplied in balanced quantities?
- T&G on all four sides, or square edge?
- Will different patterns in the order be held to the same approved color reference?
Working with Vu Uy Wood
We produce plank, herringbone, chevron and parquet to buyer specification, and have manufactured hardwood flooring for export projects since 2006. You can see finished boards and patterns on our Showcase page. To start a specification, including pattern, width, grade and finish, use the Specify page; if you include a drawing, it is reviewed together with the specification, and we normally reply within one working day.