# Herringbone pattern



## parquetselvon (Mar 15, 2011)

Hi, I am looking after a complete Tutorial on the starting a herringbone pattern. I have been doing a lot of refinishings , but I am not too confident on the herringbone. I would like to learn more about. I am sure there must be a lot of members on this forum who mastered that technic.


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## NEhardwoodfloor (Feb 5, 2011)

Very basically, you want to divide the room in half.
Its a little tricky because if you start on the point of the V that the 2 boards makes it wont come out evenly on both ends. you cant start at the point of the V or at the inside "nook" of the V either.
You have to pull the boards to one side by about 3/4 " to make the ends come out perfect.
Its tough to explain but since the 2 boards makes an OFFSET V you have to determine the dead even point of the 2 boards to line up with the center chalk line.

Im sure someone can chime in here to explain it better.

But you lay the field and then cut the border around the outside.

actually here you go!
http://www.czarfloors.com/documents/HerringboneFloorsInstallation.pdf


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

technically, you are supposed to strike a line at dead center, then measure half the board width to the right..this is your starting line for your "V" the v is where both corners intersect the line.

1" works for 21/4" and even 31/4" boards, so i dont know if i buy that theory too much..but much wider ,it may be the case..

after you do this,,you can make a dry run across to see that you will have an equal measurement at both sides..

it is also important to establish direction with herringbone.

you want the pattern to go parallel to doorways or archways to make it visible..
otherwise it will look like a 'zig zag" and have a dizzying effect..


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## parquetselvon (Mar 15, 2011)

If I got you, I divide the width for exemple the 4' / 2' = 2'
Then I hit a chalkline on the righthen (or lefthen side?) of the centre line, called the Reference line (PDF received earlier post)
But if I want to have the same width on the top and bottom equal, for realizing a field and border will follow after.How do I process?

"Darkness don't exist, but ignorance and there is nothing terrible than to see ignorance in action" Please light me.


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## NEhardwoodfloor (Feb 5, 2011)

I usually let the top and bottom fall as is.

Since its t and g you start with a full v at bottom.


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## parquetselvon (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks a lot for the informations received, hope having some more info with other member.


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## BKM Resilient (May 2, 2009)

parquetselvon said:


> Thanks a lot for the informations received, hope having some more info with other member.


*************************
I suppose someone could paint this picture with a thousand words. I've done only a few herringbone layouts and I couldn't explain in 2-3 hours or 2-3 thousand words what you could plainly see on the floor in 5-10 minutes of measuring, snapping lines and dry laying a few boards. 

It's not rocket science. Some things are too graphic-------simple in fact, to give a "complete Tutorial" on. There's too many variables. The layout of the rooms, length and width of boards creates a spreadsheet of possible and ideal starting points as opposed to the simple handful of paragraphs cut and paste solution you're searching for. 

I suspect you could figure this out in 20-30 minutes yourself better than anyone on the planet could try to type out in explicit detail......BWTFDIK.


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

great answer BKM...and true...


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## astor (Dec 19, 2008)

I have seen all kind of disasters people create trying to install herringbone.Some try to go many lines at once,some try to nail etc.
Herrinbone should be started from middle as others stated and install one line at a time lengthwise and make kind of u-turn to run the next line to the first.
Here I draw lines over a picture. I prefer 3 side grooved herringbone rather than 2-2 T&G. If you play a little you can figure out that as long as 3 sides engaged T&G it is good as all 4 sides engaged.Good adhesive such as Bostik's or Titebond required.
Good luck.


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## parquetselvon (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks very much for the advices. I am very close to it. My only concern remain the following. How can I have the same dimensions of the cuts on the top and bottom too. I will have to do a field very symetric.


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

what u are asking is too difficult to explain and have it make sense in writing..

what we do is start the very first "peak" intersecting the border plain at the very point the next course would intersect...











heres a pic of my guy just starting off


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

ok...i see no pic..how the hell u get a pic up here..


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

ok...i included a pic as an attachment...

i think the type of file i have was an issue..it was a download from my phone..
couldnt get it to embed in the message body


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

lol...scratch that....

anyway..

we completed this about a month ago... or so..the job is now stained and finished with 2 coats waiting for full completion for the last coat..

haven't gotten those pics yet..will do when we go back for last coat.

this room had a border with 1 feature strip walnut..

the back room was a 45...with a double inlay...


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

here are some more pics of the same install..you can now see the top end of the pattern where it is about to join into the other double inlayed floor..if you look closely,,you can see that the pattern is finishing almost identical to the starting point in the first pics..

these pics also show the starting point joining into a 4 "plank install on the other side...then it has a couple wiews working out to the sides...then a long a shotshows the importance of direction...


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## astor (Dec 19, 2008)

James' pics pretty much explain the same way I do install, but I rather complete every line to the wall before I start the next line (or my helper fills), it is very time consuming and need to cut a bottom tongue to fit at least one board if you leave like that and try to fill them, also need to vacuum etc.
For the last pic where the other room is straight, I rather extend the herringbone to that room and cut line with circular saw and Festool, then I do not have to spend time to fill perfect straight line.
If you try to nail them,you gotta be check quite a bit to line up,as right side(for right-handed people) compare to left is pushed more.
As you can figure out, if the herringbone is grooved on 3 sides, nailing will leave one end with no T&G engagement, by trowel glueing you can run pieces backwards (placing T to the G). by doing that, all lines between runs will be T&G engaged in 3 sides which hold all down, no overwood due the G2G.
As I have mentioned before, I use only Bostik or Titebond adhesive to install-no cleats-of course-added to client's bill.


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## NEhardwoodfloor (Feb 5, 2011)

Very nice James!

Man I wish I could get some customers to use H-bone. Hard enough getting them to use anything other then s/b,r/o!!


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

Astor,

the space left was for a border...=) it was zip cut with a circular


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## parquetselvon (Mar 15, 2011)

Nice job James, thanks a lot for the explanation. I will starte the job next month.
I got you almost the 90%. There is still something bothering me. The centering in the width is ok, divide the room in half, then hit a ligne at half the width of the boards, till there it's ok nothing difficult. Now if I am making a field, I must have also the same finish on the top and bottom. For the left and right it's ok, but for the top & bottom how do I do?


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

I already answered you on thid...see post 11...

start at the very point where the next course interssects your borderline

your first course...should be perfect with the "inside" V points touching the line...as i said..it is too diffciult to explain in writing..

look at my pics closely and try to undertsna dwhat i am saying..then look at the start and the top section showing were we wll join into the "double inlayed border.."

you will see it is virtually identical.. this is how we always start..

it is not like a parquet pattern that is block or square..where you can start in middle and build out for perfect symmmetry but if you follow this
start...then take measurements to top and sides...you can calculate and adjust as u need.

after this Selvon..I am done.. your other option is to hire someone who can do it for you..


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