Thursday, March 28

Is Herringbone Flooring Worth it?

Herringbone floors are one of the most distinctive looks that you can get from a hardwood floor. With herringbone floors, the grain of each plank runs in alternating directions, creating a dramatic zigzag pattern down your hallway or through your dining room.

Because herringbone floors are so distinct and different from more conventional styles of hardwood flooring, they often attract the attention of homeowners who are looking for something to set their homes apart. And while herringbone flooring certainly does look great, they also come with a few drawbacks.

Here’s what you should know about herringbone floors if you’re shopping around for new hardwood flooring:

  1. Herringbone floors are very distinctive

A herringbone floor is an eye-catching design that immediately makes a statement in your home. If you’re looking to make an impression on your guests or your neighbors, then herringbone floors certainly do the job!

That said, because they are so distinct and different from more conventional hardwood flooring styles, they often attract the attention of homeowners looking for something to set their homes apart.

  1. They’re not very easy to install

Herringbone floors come with a unique installation pattern that can make them more difficult for your contractor to work with than some other types of hardwood floors. That’s why many contractors will tell you that they aren’t worth the hassle.

  1. Herringbone floors can be hard to repair

If you do end up with a damaged herringbone floor, then you’ll find that repairs are much more complicated than when it comes to your other types of hardwood floors. That’s because, to fix a problem with your herringbone floor, you may need to replace an entire plank rather than just the damaged area.

  1. Herringbone floors require regular maintenance

Finally, herringbone floors are not very easy to maintain with standard sweeping and mopping techniques. That’s because most herringbones have a beveled edge where two adjoining planks meet, which means that you need to use a floor cleaner explicitly formulated for herringbone floors.

When looking for something exciting in your home but don’t want to be bothered with maintaining or repairing your hardwood floor, then it might be best to consider other types of hardwood flooring.

However, if you would like to get a herringbone floor for your home, it’s probably not a good idea to use them as an everyday floor or in rooms that get a lot of wear. That means that you should consider using them only in places like your formal living room or dining room where they won’t be walked on all the time.

Of course, you’ll also need to make sure that you’ve got enough additional cash in your budget to install, maintain and repair your herringbone floors, which could be a costly problem if you’re not prepared.

In the end, herringbone floors can have a dramatic impact on the look of your home, but it’s essential that you feel comfortable with the upkeep and expense before you commit. It is true that herringbone floors are very distinctive and can be used in homes to make a great impression, but they also come with their fair share of drawbacks.