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Special Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet (solid and multilayer)
OLD DESIGNS IN NEW CLOTHES
EXPANSION BEYOND WOOD HAS GENERATED CONSIDERABLE POPULARITY
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Herringbone floors and floors with a Hungarian point design have been doing very well in our interiors for several years, both in residential and commercial settings, where increasing use in offices stands out. We talk a lot about both designs, which closely resemble each other, but what actually is the difference? It’s high time to define various things.
Herringbone – a little history
What are we talking about when we discuss herringbone? You have to remember here that this is an installation method whereby the floor planks are fitted opposite and diagonally against each other. And so, this creates a stepwise pattern which very closely resembles the bone of a fish. The left and right sections lie at an angle of 90 degrees. On the upper side you see the crosscut side opposite the long side of the plank next to it. It will come as no surprise here to learn that oak clearly leads the way in wood sorts for both patterns.
The created result is a vivid floor which yields a timeless and atmospheric look in the room. The herringbone pattern is suitable for both large and small rooms and suits any interior, from modern to vintage and from rustic to industrial. Moreover, the pattern is offered in diverse sizes. For instance, it is advisable to opt for a large herringbone with a larger room and a smaller herringbone with a smaller room so that the room looks more spacious.
Did you know that herringbone floors are a typically European phenomenon and are regarded as the oldest parquet floors? For instance, these floors were highly popular in the Dutch Golden Age. The UEIC (United East India Company) enjoyed great success and that meant that more and more people had funds to spend on special floor coverings. The herringbone was the most expensive of its time and was therefore ideal to demonstrate that you were doing well. For that matter the same applies to Hungarian point, which was also fitted only in mansions and had to radiate luxury and class.
Hungarian point
And so, what is a pattern in Hungarian point? Generally speaking, you could say ‘it’s a herringbone which looks a little more rustic.’ For the fitting, the wood sections are laid at an angle of 45 to 60° and they connect on the upper side. From the right joint emerges something which looks like a ‘sergeant stripe’. This gives the room gets a rigid and rustic look and a pattern with ‘character’.
The origin of the pattern Hungarian point is not absolutely clear. The literature teaches us that this design could be seen on ceramic pots about 1800 BC in Greece and in textile. In the medieval heraldry of Normandy this pattern is found on knights’ shields and later on arms of uniforms to indicate a rank. The English word ‘chevron’ (Hungarian point) refers to the Popular Latin word ‘caprio’, which means ‘rafters’. Roof trusses are two roof beams which together form a point and support the roof construction.
Not only in wood
The success of these pattern floors resulted in them being reproduced not only in wood. On the contrary, both patterns are now available everywhere in synthetics, so that they are accessible for smaller budgets. With the use of PVC, for instance, you can give a room a different look which approximates to that of a wooden pattern floor, but with an increasingly wider choice of colours and variants. Moreover, such PVC floors have one other extra plus point: They provide excellent sound insulation. This ensures that they are often used in rooms in flats. Another advantage is that they require less maintenance than wooden floors and they are more durable than wood. And so, at least in theory, you don’t need to replace them as often.
Three specialists have their say
Design Parquet
Chevron and Herringbone patterns are still very popular today. The reason for this continued interest is that these patterns blend very well with all interior styles. Whether you are building a new house, renovating or want to retain the charm of an old house, Design Parquet can offer you the style you want. The principle of the chevron and herringbone patterns is that they play with the brightness of a room by mixing the natural shades of the wood. At Design Parquet, we offer flooring in Oak, Hardwood (Acacia, Walnut, Ash...) or in exotic wood species (Ipé, Teak, Wenge...). Oak remains our working reference, as we can allocate the finish that meets your needs. But if you would like to have a teak parquet floor laid in chevron pattern in your living room, we will gladly meet your request! Our motto: We start from your wishes to design your floor The most popular finish is the colourless varnish. These types of patterns already give the parquet a special aesthetic look, and it is the natural colours of the wood that are sought after. We also have a lot of demand for non-aged finishes. Our flagship product for this type of pattern is our semi-massive Loft Pro. This quality product combines the advantages of solid and engineered wood. It has the advantage of solid wood because of its renewability and resistance, and the stability of multilayer compared to solid wood, which is much more sensitive to differences in humidity. Loft Pro also has the advantage of being able to be laid as a floating floor, although glued installation is widely preferred for these patterned floors. Why is this so? Because it is easier to install. Of course, the production of chevron and herringbone patterns is
more complicated than that of conventional strips. The machines are not the same, and there is more material loss, especially for Chevron pattern. The slightest defect in the angle or dimensions makes a strip unsaleable. We can produce these floors in solid or engineered form. We have certain references, such as the Opéra or Haussmann parquets, which are presented in both formats.
Oosterlinck
Herringbone and chevrons are fitting pattern whitch existe for a long time. In bygone days, they were generally installed in castels and mansions due to their luxurious character. Since the 1970s, herringbone and chevrons have largely been displaced as a result of the emergence of wooden plankflooring. However, in recent days, demand has started to increase again. Oosterlinck is also witnessing a growing demand. Producing both herringbone and chevrons requires a very precise setting of the machines. Even the slightest deviation causes severe problems with the installation. That is why, twelf years ago, Oosterlinck purchased some expensive but extremely accurate machines to saw planks perfectly in width, lenght ans in angles. Apart from claccic oak, several exotic wood species are available.
Meister
Herringbone parquet by MEISTER: Elegant and natural! Herringbone is a classic laying pattern with a long tradition – and is right on trend once again. No wonder, as parquet flooring brings elegance and naturalness into every room at the same time. With the right click system, laying is also relatively easy. As a multilayer parquet with an HDF core, the herringbone parquet is also particularly indent-resistant and resource-saving. The collection MeisterParquet. longlife PS 500 translates the classic "herringbone" theme into the present. With the generous strip format (effective measurement: 710 x 142 mm), the laid surface looks time-lessly elegant but also homely and modern. Light colours (off-white limed oak) are available, as are warm oak surfaces or American walnut. The finish of the strips is either matt lacquered or naturally oiled, there are three different gradings: "vital" (larger, filled-in knots and cracks for a natural and authentic character), "lively" (with filled-in knots and cracks, play of colour and structure for a lively overall picture ) or "harmonious" (calm look with few small knots). Thanks to its HDF middle layer, MeisterParquet. longlife is ideally suited for underfloor heating (even with floating installation), is particularly quiet thanks to the higher dead weight of the planks and is characterised by improved indentation stability. Click system Unizip: easy handling and optimised cutting All MEISTER herringbone floors are equipped with the patented Unizip click system for floating installation. The advantage of Unizip: In contrast to conventional click connections with herringbone floors, there are no A and B planks, but only a single type of plank. This minimises waste and makes laying easier, because in rows, either the longitudinal tongue or groove can point in the direction of laying, since the same profile is on both head sides of the strip.
Custom-made
T +32 11 63 64 00 M info@parketkerkhofs.be A Ambachtslaan 1013, 3990 Peer
LOFT PRO
OAK PRIME-BIS PARQUET
Chevron Laying Finishing : Natura oil Section : 16 x 90 x 600 mm
Tongue & groove - 4 bevels Semi-solid parquet with birch plywood base www.designparquet.com
