Floor dilemma - I love herringbone but not the price :(

10 years ago

I wondered what peoples thoughts were on laminate flooring but using a herringbone pattern?

I LOVE herringbone but we are renovating an entire house (it used to be a B&B and we are turning it into a family home). It would be extremely silly of us to purchase an oak herringbone with our budget. We are knocking down walls, putting in a new kitchen, exposing brick work, putting in an en suite and a new bathroom plus building another house on the side of the property.... Not exactly grand designs but sounds scary now I've wrote it down lol!?

So what is the general consensus of this pattern but in a laminate??

Thanks x

Featured Answer

User

10 years ago

I have to agree with SW - no to laminate! It's the equivalent of fake wood paneling but for your floor. Go with solid hardwood - if this is your forever home especially. And I'm also going to rock your world by suggesting you do it yourself. We did, with a little support from a contractor buddy who supplied his tools and know how. We only did herringbone pattern in key focal areas that are highly visible, otherwise it was regular straight run. We bought raw unfinished ash locally, let it dry to 5 - 6% inside, and went to town. Here's a shot of the herringbone with a contrasting border. (PS start with straight run boards first to build your skill level before tackling herringbone. And do google it for pointers first. Cheers!

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Comments (10)

qam999
10 years ago
I'd ask a flooring installer if it's even possible to achieve a good looking and lasting herringbone in laminate. Laminate is typically made to be floated, and the installation demands that the planks be parallel. To manage costs, I always recommend that you use your materials as their manufacturer intended, so unless you can find a flooring manufacturer and installer who will sign off on this and provide a warranty against warping, uneven wear, buckling etc., I'd say No.
shirlpp
10 years ago
I would not purchase the laminate herringbone, but put carpet in the bedrooms, and tile/marble in the bathrooms, and then put the real wood everywhere else. If the other house on the side is a rental property, then I might put laminate in there, but not my main house.
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p_b_h
Original Author
10 years ago
Ok great thank you! Very helpful!!
User
10 years ago
Laminate is a Terrible idea. With that original very expensive scope of work, stick with a painted plywood subfloor until you save enough to do the floors the way that the home demands them to be done.
User
10 years ago
Another shot mid-install (kitchen cabinets are being replaced next)

We have BIG space. Next up: everything will be sanded then stained.

Best of luck with the Reno!
p_b_h thanked User
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
10 years ago
The other problem with laminates and herring bone is: the click edge on the short end does NOT work if clicked to the long edge. You would have to use some heavy glue to even attempt this. All that money would then be wasted because you would need a new floor inside of a few years if you tried the laminate herring bone.

If you like herring bone, (it is magnificent) try to find a single room where you want it installed and then run the rest of the flooring straight. You can spend some extra money on a "show off" room and then the rest of the house can get a regular install. Some decorative trim between the two floors and you are done.

Herring bone is for hardwood or tiles...not laminate. I've seen glue down vinyl planks used in a herring bone. Very handsome. It MUST BE glue down vinyl planks. Not cheap.
PRO
ULTIMATE HARDWOOD LTD
10 years ago
You got lucky @rustyempire because I noticed no 'working lines' to get the rows wicked str8.
User
10 years ago
If I showed you all the boo-boos made... Suffice to say wood filler is my friend. And the pry bar used to remove said boo-boos. (Excuse the technical flooring language)
PRO
ULTIMATE HARDWOOD LTD
10 years ago
Herring bone is not an easy install at best. I imagine your rows were kinda getting off track due to the fact you weren't aware of the working lines. No worries I see a lot of installers who don't know either lol!