Time on site: 5 days | Area: 45m2
This project involved installing a 45m² solid oak herringbone floor through the living room, hallway and staircase of a period terrace property in Glastonbury, replacing old, uneven floorboards with a finish built to last.
The starting point
The existing floorboards were old and uneven, which meant the herringbone couldn’t simply go down on top without the pattern looking uneven across the room. Dips and high spots that you might barely notice under standard boards become obvious with a geometric pattern like this, so sorting the subfloor properly was essential.
Getting the base right
To create a stable, level surface, we fitted 9mm plywood sheeting across the existing floorboards and secured it throughout with nails and staples. This gave us a solid, even base to work from before any oak went down.
Installing the Herringbone flooring around a staircase
This one had a genuine complication. The hallway wrapped around the staircase in a zigzag rather than running in a straight line, which meant the crown line – the central line the whole herringbone pattern is set out from – had to be worked out with real precision. Get that wrong and every board that follows is out too. We don’t fit door bars or break the pattern at doorways; our floors run through continuously, so there was no room to hide a slightly off crown line behind a threshold strip. It had to be right first time.
With the layout set, we supplied and installed a solid oak baton block herringbone floor, adhered using an MS Polymer elasticated adhesive suitable for solid wood. The border was cut in afterwards, framing the herringbone neatly at the edges of each room.
Finishing around a staircase
Once installed, the floor was lightly sanded ready for finishing. We applied Treatex Colour Tone in Medium Oak, followed by two top coats of Treatex Hardwax Oil in clear matt. With a staircase running through the middle of the job, we timed the sealing for the mornings, giving each coat enough time to dry during the day so the client wasn’t left unable to use their stairs in the evening.
The completed project
After five days on site, the finished herringbone floor now runs consistently through the living room, hallway and staircase. It has a clean, well-fitted border, a precise crown line holding the pattern together around the stairs, and a level, stable base underneath it all. The result gives the ground floor a traditional character that sits comfortably with the age of the property.
Thinking of installing Herringbone Parquet Flooring in your home?
We have over 20 years experience replacing and installing wood flooring in Glastonbury, Somerset, and the South West with:
- Herringbone & parquet flooring
- Bespoke border detailing
- Subfloor preparation & correction
- Complex layouts in older properties
Contact us today for a free quote.
Still unsure about wood flooring? Read our guide on Why wood flooring adds value to your home.