Apr. 5, 2024

Photos Herringbone and Hungarian point

Well-known wooden floor patterns explained

Over the past period, I’ve photographed a variety of projects featuring oak wooden floors. I noticed that I’m not the only one who sometimes confuses different laying patterns. That’s why I’m sharing a few photos of floors in herringbone and Hungarian point patterns. Spot the differences!

Classic wooden herringbone flooring

After the traditional plank floor, this is perhaps the most well-known wooden floor pattern: the herringbone floor. The name is no coincidence—the pattern resembles the bones you might find when eating a piece of fish.

• In a wooden herringbone floor, planks are laid at a 90-degree angle to one another. The short ends of the planks meet the long sides of adjacent planks, creating a distinctive zigzag pattern.
• The visual effect of a wooden herringbone floor creates a dynamic yet classic appearance.
• Installing a herringbone floor requires precision but is less complex than a Hungarian point pattern, as the planks are cut straight and laid perpendicular to each other.

Clean-lined wooden flooring in a Hungarian point pattern

Often confused with the herringbone floor is the Hungarian point pattern. The similarity lies in the repeating angled layout of the planks—but the difference is clearly visible.

• In a Hungarian point pattern, planks are cut at an angle of 45 or 60 degrees and laid against one another. This allows the ends to meet seamlessly, forming a sharp zigzag pattern.
• Visually, the Hungarian point creates a V-shaped layout. Compared to the classic herringbone floor, this pattern appears cleaner, more symmetrical, and more refined.
• Installing this pattern is more complex than herringbone flooring, as the planks must be cut and laid at precise angles—this is known as mitering. Due to the symmetry, any mistakes or slight deviations in the cutting angles become immediately visible, as they disrupt the overall visual effect.

Craftsmanship and precision

Anyone who has ever installed (skirting boards for) a laminate floor knows that working along walls, door frames, stair openings, and voids is the most challenging part. Planks must be cut with great accuracy to avoid disrupting the visual flow. I previously wrote about my film and photo series of this wooden floor renovation.

The installers at Riga Vloeren en Kozijnen are true artists when it comes to installing wooden floors—as well as renovating existing ones.

Enjoyment in my work

What I find special about my work is that I encounter beautiful things. I photograph or film them with great attention to detail. I enjoy my work because I become genuinely interested in subjects I might otherwise pass by without noticing—or in this case, quite literally walk over.

Because I take pleasure in my work, I’m always open to new projects. Feel free to send me a message or give me a call if you’d like to discuss a collaboration.