Herringbone

Many people in the United Kingdom use the term Herringbone to describe all types and styles of parquetry. In fact, there are over 20 different parquet flooring patterns with hundreds of design variations. Some of these designs, like Versailles and Chantilly, date back to the 16th century. Basket weave, Chevron, Wood Strip, Mosaic, and Chequerboard are some of the other popular designs.

Herringbone, as the name implies, is a block pattern named after the way the bones of the herring fish are aligned. The pattern was first used in flooring during the Roman period, when it was used to lay out clay bricks or rectangular stones. The overlapping pattern was discovered by early architects and builders to not only look good, but also to add strength and resilience to the structure.

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The first examples of wooden herringbone flooring can be found in the early 16th century. Architects and designers began to use solid wooden blocks to create the pattern in grand halls and ceremonial rooms, particularly in France. According to researchers, it replaced marble because it was easy to maintain and sections could be lifted and replaced if they became worn or damaged. Around this time, the tongue and groove system was also introduced.

Verticalherringbone construction techniques were used to strengthen walls during the Tudor period, and can be seen at famous sites such as Hampton Court Palace in London. These patterns are still used in brickpaving today and have clearly withstood the test of time after at least 2000 years.