Herringbone LVT flooring: A trendy choice for modern homes

Herringbone, a classic pattern with a contemporary twist, is gracing floors in stylish homes across the country. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), especially in the herringbone pattern, offers an innovative and practical flooring option. It provides the aesthetic beauty of traditional materials like hardwood or natural stone, but significantly reduces the drawbacks and associated costs. This modern flooring solution boasts superior durability, excellent affordability, and impressive water resistance, qualities often lacking in genuine hardwood and other classic, more expensive materials. Choosing herringbone LVT is a great choice for modern homes, and adding to the style and elegance in any room of the house.

Herringbone LVT flooring, particularly from leading brands like Shaw Floors and Armstrong Flooring, creates a perfect blend of timeless aesthetics and modern functionality. This makes it a smart and stylish choice for contemporary homes. We’ll delve into the core benefits of herringbone patterned LVT flooring, explore the diverse styles available from top manufacturers like Mannington and Mohawk, discuss optimal installation methods using brands like Roberts Consolidated, outline essential maintenance tips using cleaning products from Bona and Armstrong, and assess its suitability across various modern home designs, factoring in overall cost effectiveness compared to materials like ceramic tile. This comprehensive exploration empowers homeowners to make confident decisions about integrating this trending flooring solution into their living spaces.

What is herringbone LVT flooring?

Herringbone LVT flooring seamlessly combines the timeless elegance of the herringbone pattern, a design classic, with the practical advantages of luxury vinyl tile, a modern flooring innovation. The herringbone pattern is easily recognized by its distinctive V-shaped arrangement of rectangular blocks, meticulously creating a visually engaging and sophisticated design underfoot. With manufacturers like Karndean Designflooring and COREtec offering stylish options, finding the right fit for your project is easy.

High-quality LVT, such as that produced by USFloors and Tarkett, is engineered with multiple layers, each meticulously contributing to its overall performance and aesthetic appeal. The durable wear layer, often enhanced with ceramic bead technology, provides robust protection against scratches, scuffs, and stubborn stains, ensuring long-lasting durability and resistance to everyday wear and tear. Below this lies the high-resolution printed design layer, which accurately replicates the authentic look and feel of natural materials like hardwood, stone, and even ceramic tile, creating a realistic and luxurious visual impact. The stable core layer provides essential dimensional stability and excellent resistance to moisture, preventing warping, buckling, and other common issues. Finally, the attached backing layer adds enhanced comfort underfoot and improved sound insulation, minimizing noise transmission for a quieter and more peaceful home environment. Using high quality underlayment like those from Roberts Consolidated can also improve the quality.

Different types of LVT

Choosing the right type of LVT depends on your specific needs and installation requirements. Consider the level of traffic, moisture exposure, and subfloor condition when selecting the ideal LVT for your project. Consulting with a flooring expert from a company like Lumber Liquidators or The Home Depot can help you make an informed decision.

• Dry Back/Glue Down LVT: Ideal for high-traffic areas and custom design installations, as it creates a secure and permanent bond with the subfloor. Requires professional installation and is suitable for complex patterns.
• Click Lock/Floating LVT: Offers user-friendly and straightforward installation, making it a popular choice for DIY enthusiasts and quick renovations. Planks simply click together, eliminating the need for adhesives.
• Rigid Core LVT (WPC/SPC): Features a highly stable and waterproof core, making it an excellent choice for moisture-prone areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. Resistant to expansion and contraction, ensuring lasting performance.

Type of LVT	Pros	Cons	Installation Difficulty	Approximate Cost Per Square Foot
Dry Back/Glue Down	Extremely durable, allows for fully customizable designs, provides a seamless appearance	Requires professional installation, can be more costly	High	$3.50 – $7.00
Click Lock/Floating	Easy and quick DIY installation, cost-effective, suitable for various subfloors	May be less durable than glue-down options, can be more prone to movement	Low	$2.50 – $5.50
Rigid Core LVT (WPC/SPC)	Waterproof, exceptionally stable, DIY-friendly, offers excellent durability	Can be more expensive than other LVT types, limited design flexibility	Moderate	$4.00 – $8.00

The allure of herringbone: why is it trending?

Herringbone’s enduring allure stems from a captivating blend of rich historical significance, undeniable visual charm, and exceptional modern practicality. The intricate pattern has elegantly graced architectural designs for centuries, with its origins tracing back to ancient Rome. Its widespread prevalence across diverse historical eras unequivocally signifies its timeless aesthetic and enduring appeal. The rising trend of herringbone luxury vinyl tile is a testament to its ability to adapt and remain relevant in contemporary design.

Beyond simple functionality, this distinctive flooring pattern offers a captivating sense of visual dimension and impressive versatility. The intricate herringbone pattern inherently adds depth and dynamism, instantly making a room feel significantly more spacious and visually interesting. Its seamless integration complements a remarkably diverse range of design aesthetics, from sleek and minimalist modern spaces to comfortably traditional and naturally Scandinavian-inspired interiors. This pattern can create a unique and inviting space.

Modern functionality

Modern living demands flooring solutions that combine style with practicality. Herringbone LVT effortlessly meets these needs, offering a range of benefits that make it an ideal choice for today’s homes. This type of flooring is a great choice, and adds to the overall style and elegance in any home.

• Exceptional Durability and Superior Water Resistance: LVT is exceptionally resistant to scratches, dents, stains, and water damage, making it remarkably well-suited for busy households with children and pets.
• Effortless Maintenance and Simple Cleaning: Maintaining LVT requires minimal effort, allowing for a convenient and hassle-free lifestyle.
• Affordable Elegance and Cost-Effective Installation: LVT presents a remarkably budget-conscious alternative to genuine hardwood or natural stone, without compromising on aesthetic appeal.

Luxury vinyl tile stands up to the daily demands of modern life, resisting scratches and scuffs considerably better than many other conventional flooring materials like laminate or even engineered hardwood. Its inherent water resistance makes it an exceptional choice for kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms, and entryways, areas that are often highly susceptible to moisture and spills. The smooth, non-porous surface of LVT requires minimal cleaning, typically needing just a quick sweep with a microfiber mop or occasional damp mopping with a gentle cleaning solution to maintain its pristine appearance. In stark contrast to hardwood or natural stone, LVT offers significant cost savings, making it an incredibly stylish and remarkably practical flooring option for budget-conscious homeowners. The average savings with LVT is around 20%, depending on the type of material and the installation.

The enduring allure of the herringbone design extends far beyond its undeniable visual appeal. The meticulously crafted pattern subtly evokes feelings of sophisticated order and refined elegance. The clean, sharp lines and meticulously repetitive structure of the herringbone pattern intrinsically create a profound sense of visual balance and structural stability. This thoughtfully ordered arrangement can be particularly appealing in modern homes, where clean, uncluttered lines and distinct geometric forms are often strongly emphasized. The Herringbone design provides a subtle yet sophisticated touch to any room it adorns. The pattern brings a sense of luxury and comfort, making any space more inviting.

Herringbone LVT styles: A world of options

Herringbone LVT flooring presents a truly vast and ever-expanding array of design possibilities, seamlessly ranging from remarkably realistic wood-look options, carefully replicating a wide variety of wood species, to exquisitely sophisticated stone imitations, artfully mimicking natural materials like marble and slate, and even strikingly bold, contemporary styles featuring vibrant colors and unconventional patterns. This impressive variety genuinely empowers discerning homeowners to find the perfect match that flawlessly complements their unique aesthetic preferences and overall design vision for their homes.

Wood-look LVT remains an incredibly popular choice, effortlessly offering the undeniably warm and inviting appearance of authentic natural wood, enhanced with remarkably improved durability and everyday practicality. These skillfully crafted LVT styles are available in a wide and impressive spectrum of realistic wood species, ranging from classic oak and rich walnut to rustic pine and elegant maple. They also come in a diverse palette of color variations, meticulously replicating light, medium, and dark tones, as well as popular gray-toned hues, and even incorporate intricately embossed textures, flawlessly replicating the authentic feel of genuine wood grain and enhancing the overall sense of realism. Some options come as thin as 2mm, while some are upwards of 8mm, for added durability.

Wood-look LVT

These are the three popular wood-look LVT styles that are available.

• Different Wood Species: The variety of wood species to choose from is vast and impressive, with options ranging from classic oak, elegant maple, and rich walnut to rustic pine and exotic hardwoods.
• Color Variations: These wood-look LVT styles are available in a diverse range of color variations, including light, medium, and dark tones, as well as popular gray-toned hues to suit any design aesthetic.
• Embossed Textures: Intricately embossed textures flawlessly replicate the authentic feel of real wood grain, adding a tactile dimension and enhancing the overall sense of realism.

Timeless oak-look LVT provides a classic and remarkably versatile option, seamlessly suiting a wide array of popular interior styles, from traditional and transitional to modern and contemporary. Bright maple LVT effortlessly creates a brighter and more definitively contemporary feel, injecting a sense of light and airiness into any space. Deep walnut LVT offers a richer, more undeniably luxurious aesthetic, infusing warmth and sophistication. Cozy pine-look LVT provides a rustic and charming ambiance, seamlessly lending itself to country-inspired and farmhouse-style interiors. The color plays an important role, with light-colored LVT effortlessly brightening a room and creating an enhanced sense of spaciousness. Darker shades, on the other hand, add instant warmth and sophisticated depth, while stylish gray-toned LVT seamlessly complements sleek modern and minimalist designs. Carefully embossed textures further enhance the undeniable realism of wood-look LVT, providing a tactile dimension that closely mimics the authentic feel of natural wood grain.

Stone-look LVT

For those seeking to create a more undeniably luxurious and sophisticated ambiance within their homes, exquisite stone-look herringbone LVT offers a genuinely compelling alternative. These remarkably realistic tiles artfully replicate the elegant look of natural stone materials, such as sleek marble, rustic slate, and warm travertine, effortlessly adding a touch of undeniable elegance to modern spaces. The average tile size is 6×24, but this can change depending on the manufacturer.

• Marble and Stone Replicas: Accurately captures the timeless beauty and natural variations of exquisite marble, rustic slate, and other authentic natural stones.
• Modern Applications: Adds a touch of unmistakable luxury and sophisticated elegance to various contemporary spaces, including bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways.

Sleek marble-look LVT provides a streamlined and remarkably sophisticated aesthetic, seamlessly infusing any space with a touch of understated elegance. Rustic slate-look LVT, on the other hand, offers a more undeniably textured and organic feel, lending itself beautifully to more rustic and nature-inspired interiors. Stone-look LVT can be effortlessly utilized to create a wide variety of distinct modern looks, seamlessly ranging from minimalist and boldly contemporary to comfortably traditional and undeniably elegant. The naturally cool tones and gently textured surfaces of authentic stone-look LVT can easily create a calming and undeniably inviting atmosphere in any room. With its natural beauty, it’s easy to see why this material is chosen by so many homeowners.

Unique and modern designs

Beyond the traditional and well-established wood and stone looks, innovative herringbone LVT also comes in an exciting range of genuinely unique and modern designs, allowing for bold and creative expressions of personal style. These cutting-edge options include strikingly vibrant colors, unconventional patterns, and inventive geometric variations on the classic and timeless herringbone arrangement. The LVT thickness can range from 2mm all the way up to 8mm.

• Bold Colors and Patterns: Offers LVT in unconventional colors, such as vibrant blues, greens, reds, and even metallic tones, allowing for dramatic and personalized design statements.
• Geometric Variations: Explores inventive geometric variations on the classic herringbone pattern, creating unique and eye-catching visual effects.

Boldly colored LVT, such as deep blues, vibrant emerald greens, or even striking vibrant reds, can dramatically transform a space and undeniably create a captivating focal point. Inventive patterns beyond the traditional herringbone arrangement, such as the dynamic chevron pattern or the visually intriguing double herringbone, can create a distinctly more modern and undeniably eye-catching look. Inventive and modern designs give homeowners the freedom and ability to fully express their unique individual style and personality within their homes. If you are bold enough, you can combine many of the styles, creating a mosaic of design.

Style guide

Perfectly pairing your meticulously chosen herringbone flooring with your overall interior design is absolutely key to achieving a cohesive and visually harmonious space. Light oak herringbone, for example, looks undeniably fantastic in Scandinavian-inspired designs, seamlessly adding to the overall bright and airy feel that is characteristic of this style. It beautifully complements the light-toned woods, neutral colors, and natural materials that are commonly emphasized in Scandinavian interiors. Dark walnut herringbone, on the other hand, elevates mid-century modern aesthetics, seamlessly adding a touch of sophisticated elegance and timeless charm. The warm, rich tones of the walnut flawlessly complement the style’s typical color palette, which often features earthy tones, muted greens, and pops of bold accent colors.

Installation: DIY or professional?

Installing stylish herringbone LVT flooring can be conveniently accomplished through either DIY methods or professional installation services, carefully depending on the chosen LVT type and the homeowner’s individual skill level and comfort. User-friendly click lock LVT is specifically designed for easy and straightforward DIY installation, while durable glue-down LVT typically benefits from the greater expertise of a skilled professional installer to ensure optimal results and lasting performance. There are many different factors to consider before choosing the proper installation.

DIY installation presents a viable and cost-effective option for savvy homeowners with at least some prior experience in flooring projects and a readily available assortment of the right tools and equipment. The innovative click lock LVT system, for example, offers an intuitive interlocking mechanism that allows for a remarkably straightforward installation process, minimizing the need for specialized skills or extensive technical expertise. The average room can be completed by one person in less than a day.

DIY installation (click lock LVT)

The following is a brief summary of what is needed to accomplish installation.

Innovative click-lock systems offer a seamless, simple, and undeniably quick installation process, enabling the average DIY enthusiast with the proper tools to successfully install an entire floor in typically just a single weekend. First, start by carefully preparing the underlying subfloor, ensuring that it is clean, level, and entirely free of debris, then meticulously measure the precise dimensions of the room and thoughtfully plan the detailed layout, paying close attention to proper alignment and the desired pattern direction. Next, gently click the durable planks firmly together, working section by section and carefully using spacers along the perimeter walls to allow for essential expansion gaps. Finally, after the entire floor has been successfully installed, install trim and molding to neatly cover the exposed edges and create a finished and visually appealing look.

• Detailed Step-by-Step Guide: Carefully prepare the subfloor, accurately measure the room, thoughtfully plan the layout, click the planks together, and install trim and molding.
• Essential Tools and Materials: Accurate measuring tape, sharp utility knife, essential spacers, reliable tapping block, and sturdy rubber hammer.
• Key Considerations: Thorough subfloor preparation, precise pattern alignment, and appropriate expansion gaps.

The underlying subfloor must be impeccably clean, perfectly level, and entirely dry to undeniably ensure a smooth and successful installation and prevent any potential problems down the line. Accurately measure the precise dimensions of the room meticulously and thoughtfully plan the intricate layout, carefully considering the desired direction of the planks and thoughtfully accounting for any potential obstacles, such as doorways, corners, or existing fixtures. Precise and proper alignment is absolutely crucial for creating a visually appealing and structurally sound floor that will stand the test of time. Finally, appropriate expansion gaps carefully placed along the perimeter walls will allow for the essential natural expansion and contraction of the resilient LVT flooring, preventing any potential buckling or warping due to changes in temperature and humidity levels.

Professional installation (glue down LVT)

Durable glue-down LVT undeniably requires the specialized expertise of a skilled professional installer and, as such, reliably provides a noticeably higher quality installation that is guaranteed to stand the test of time. In addition, precise subfloor preparation and meticulously accurate pattern alignment are both absolutely essential for achieving optimal results with glue-down LVT, and professional installers possess the experience and knowledge needed to consistently ensure that these critical factors are properly addressed.

• Why Choose Professional Installation: Proven expertise in thorough subfloor preparation, meticulously precise pattern alignment, and professional application of the appropriate adhesives.
• Cost Factors: Professional labor costs, material costs, essential subfloor preparation, and the overall size and complexity of the specific installation project.

Experienced professional installers possess the specialized knowledge, specialized tools, and proven techniques needed to consistently ensure a proper and high-quality installation that effectively minimizes the risk of potential issues down the line, such as uneven seams, loose tiles, or eventual adhesive failure. Professional labor costs will undeniably vary depending on the installer’s experience and skill, the scope and complexity of the specific project, and the prevailing market rates in your local area. Material costs depend directly on the type and brand of adhesive utilized, as well as the overall size of the installation area. Finally, extensive subfloor preparation can add significantly to the overall cost of the project, particularly if the existing subfloor requires essential repairs, leveling, or moisture mitigation.

Important considerations for all installations

Regardless of whether you ultimately choose to tackle the installation yourself or hire a skilled professional installer, ensure the underlying subfloor is clean, level, and dry before you begin any of the next steps. In addition, allowing the LVT material to fully acclimate to the ambient room temperature and humidity levels prior to installation is absolutely essential.

• Thorough Subfloor Preparation: A clean, level, and completely dry subfloor is absolutely crucial for achieving a smooth and lasting LVT installation.
• Proper Acclimation: Allow the LVT materials ample time to acclimate fully to the room’s specific environment and temperature levels.

A careful acclimation period ensures that the resilient LVT flooring is able to properly adjust to the room’s prevailing environmental conditions, effectively minimizing the risk of any potential expansion or contraction issues after the completion of the installation. For truly optimal and long-lasting results, it is essential to ensure that the underlying subfloor is entirely free from any and all dust, debris, moisture, and other potential contaminants. A perfectly level subfloor inherently prevents any unevenness in the finished flooring and ensures a smooth, even, and visually appealing surface that will stand the test of time. It is recommended that LVT sit in the room for at least 48 hours prior to install.

Troubleshooting tips

When installing elegant herringbone LVT, you can sometimes run into the rare occasional issues. A common issue is dealing with uneven floors, which can potentially cause the resilient LVT planks to not lay correctly and result in an aesthetically unappealing finish. To effectively solve this issue, carefully level out the problematic floors with a self-leveling compound to create a perfectly smooth and uniform surface. Another potential issue can be planks don’t click together.

Maintaining your herringbone LVT floor

Properly maintaining an elegant herringbone LVT floor is typically remarkably easy, cost-effective, and conveniently requires minimal effort on your part. By consistently following a few relatively simple daily cleaning routines and diligently taking a few basic preventative measures, you can help to extend the flooring’s lifespan and easily preserve its natural beauty for many years to come.

A simple cleaning routine involves regularly sweeping or vacuuming the floor to effectively remove loose dirt, unsightly dust, and any accumulated debris. For a more thorough and comprehensive cleaning, use a soft, damp mop, or a specialized microfiber mop, along with a pH-neutral cleaner that has been specifically designed for resilient LVT flooring. Always avoid using abrasive cleaners.

• Consistent Cleaning Routine: Regularly sweep or vacuum the floor, followed by occasional damp mopping using a pH-neutral cleaner designed for LVT flooring.
• Recommended Cleaning Products: Specialized pH-neutral LVT cleaner solutions.
• Preventative Measures: Utilize protective furniture pads underneath heavy furniture legs and consistently avoid using harsh chemicals.

Protective furniture pads will effectively prevent scratches and unsightly dents caused by heavy furniture legs, while consistently avoiding the use of harsh cleaning chemicals will help to protect the flooring’s delicate wear layer and help to ensure that its natural finish remains vibrant and intact for many years to come. In general, the average expected lifespan of high-quality LVT flooring is 10 to 25 years, while an LVT floor can last even longer than this.

Herringbone LVT in different rooms

Elegant herringbone LVT offers a sophisticated yet practical flooring solution for a wide array of different rooms within the home. Its inherently versatile nature and impressive durability make it an outstanding choice for popular living areas, busy kitchens, frequently used bathrooms, and well-trafficked entryways.

In the welcoming living room, durable herringbone LVT has the ability to effortlessly create a warm and inviting atmosphere, seamlessly adding a subtle touch of both sophisticated elegance and timeless charm to the space. Its impressive durability makes it exceptionally resistant to scratches, scuffs, and unsightly stains caused by daily wear and tear, heavy furniture, and frequent foot traffic.

The practical kitchen greatly benefits from the resilient nature of stylish herringbone LVT, as its waterproof surface is exceptionally resistant to both water and stains, and makes clean up quick. Stylish Herringbone LVT brings a touch of understated luxury and sophisticated elegance, while effectively providing a durable and remarkably water-resistant flooring solution that is ideal for this moisture-prone environment. The entryway benefits from the ability to welcome guests.

Cost considerations and where to buy

The overall cost of installing a stylish herringbone LVT flooring is variable, and it is significantly influenced by a wide array of important factors, including the particular LVT type selected, the overall thickness of the material, the chosen brand reputation, and the selected installation method used. Therefore, carefully understanding each of these key factors will help you to ultimately make a truly well-informed decision and effectively stay within your predetermined budget parameters.

Entry-level LVT options typically start at approximately $3.00 per square foot, while some high-end rigid core styles can cost upwards of $7.00 or more per square foot. In addition, affordable click-lock LVT options generally offer substantial cost savings relative to more costly glue-down installations. Budget-friendly options can easily be found by comparing real-time prices from a variety of different online retailers and considering the cost-effective DIY installation route. In some areas, it can cost as much as $10 to have a professional install LVT.

• Factors Significantly Affecting Cost: The selected LVT type (e.g., click-lock vs. glue-down), the overall material thickness and construction, the specific brand reputation and warranty, and the selected installation method (DIY vs. professional).
• Budget-Friendly Options: Carefully compare prices across multiple retailers, thoroughly research affordable brands, and seriously consider the cost savings offered by DIY installation.

Finally, when thoughtfully selecting your brand new LVT flooring, it is absolutely essential to carefully obtain a representative sample of the material, and to thoroughly evaluate the sample in your existing space. Make sure to read reviews and find options that are well rated. Ensure the sample’s color is compatible with your design. If you have the option, get the LVT professionally installed.