Herringbone & Chevron Flooring With Borders
Beautiful patterns that nod to history, parquet at Forte Flooring is available in Herringbone and Chevron designs. It can be used to enhance a wide variety of spaces and is always a timeless solution. The pre-finished boards are made from our French and European oak and come ready for immediate installation.
Herringbone
The Herringbone pattern is often confused with chevron, but herringbone is created by placing rectangles in a staggered zigzag pattern, as shown , it is commonly found in tilework and parquet floors. For herringbone floors, the wood is not cut at an angle, but in rectangles that are laid in a broken zigzag pattern. If you look closely, to the left, you can see that the pieces of flooring here do not come to a sharp point, as in the chevron floor seen above.
Chevron
This is a zigzag pattern that comes to a sharp point; imagine the
letter “V” on repeat. A chevron pattern may be worked into knitwear, printed on fabric, painted on surfaces, or for wood flooring designs.
For chevron floors, the wood pieces are cut at an angle and fitted together to form a true point, as seen here.
This angle is what identifies chevron floors — herringbone floors, as you will see in a moment, are not cut at an angle.
Parquet Flooring With Borders Explained
Border types: 2 boards wide, single board width and inlay borders.
Bordering your parquet floor is an important consideration, as it will have an impact on the look and budget of your floor. At times a border is essential if your are installing into multiple room. Without a border your pattern will continue into the next room and will likely to become out of line with a wall. Another consideration is that each room will have a focal point such as a fireplace, an alcove or door and without a border you will not be able to separate each room and use the focal points for each of them. Borders can be created either parallel to the walls or inwards to create a book-end look. Make a feature of your border by installing an inlay strip using a contrasting colour such as brass, bronze or different type of wood such as a Walnut strip on a natural coloured floor.
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Single Board Border:
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In this style, a single board of contrasting wood species or a different stain is used to create a border around the perimeter of the room.
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During installation, the floorboards are laid first, leaving an open space for the border. Then, the single board is installed, typically parallel to the wall, creating a distinct border effect.
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The single board can be glued or nailed into place, similar to the installation of regular floorboards.
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Double Board Border:
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Double board borders consist of two rows of contrasting wood or different stains placed side by side to form the border.
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During installation, the floorboards are laid first, followed by two rows of boards, placed parallel to each other, forming the double border. The main floorboards are then installed inside the double border area.
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Like single board borders, the double boards can be glued or nailed into position.
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Brass (or Steel) Inlay Border:
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Brass or steel inlay borders add a luxurious and decorative element to wood flooring.
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Installing a brass inlay border requires precision and craftsmanship. The brass (or steel) strips are typically pre-fabricated and fitted into grooves or channels cut into the floorboards.
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The floorboards are installed first, leaving specific areas for the inlay border. The grooves are then cut to accommodate the inlay strips, and they are secured in place using adhesive or small nails.
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Care must be taken during installation to ensure the inlay strips align perfectly and have a smooth, flush finish with the surrounding floor.
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Curved walls and joinery – It is possible to continue a border around a curved feature and really stands out as an added feature in any room.
In both cases, it is essential to work with skilled flooring professionals, like all our fitters at Fórte Flooring, experienced in these specialized installation techniques to ensure precise execution and a high-quality finished result.
