Guide
Herringbone vs Chevron Flooring: The Difference, the Cost and Which Suits Your Dubai Home
Herringbone or chevron? How to tell them apart, what each costs in SPC in Dubai, and which pattern suits your rooms, light and furniture.
By BestFloor team15 October 2026
Herringbone and chevron are both zigzag patterns, but they are built differently. Herringbone uses rectangular planks with square ends laid in a staggered pattern, while chevron planks have angled ends that meet in a clean point to form continuous V shapes. Herringbone feels classic and textured; chevron feels more formal, graphic and directional. In SPC, both cost more than straight planks because they take longer to lay.
Both patterns have become very popular in Dubai villas and apartments, especially in light and mid oak. Here is how to tell them apart and choose.
How to tell herringbone and chevron apart
Look at where the planks meet. In herringbone the end of one plank butts against the side of the next, creating a broken zigzag. In chevron the ends are cut at an angle and meet tip to tip, creating a clean, continuous point.
A quick way to remember it: herringbone looks like the bones of a fish, staggered. Chevron looks like a row of arrows or the stripes on a sergeant's sleeve.
- Herringbone: rectangular planks, square ends, staggered zigzag, more texture.
- Chevron: planks with angled ends, aligned V shapes, cleaner lines.
Illustrative image: in chevron, the angled plank ends meet in a clean point.
The look: which pattern suits which home?
Herringbone suits almost any style, from classic to modern, and hides small imperfections well. Chevron is more architectural and works best in larger, simpler rooms where its strong lines can run uninterrupted.
In Dubai, herringbone pairs well with both contemporary villas and more traditional interiors. Chevron draws strong lines through a space, so it shines in long living rooms, corridors and open-plan apartments with minimal furniture.
Colour changes the effect. Light oak herringbone feels airy and Scandinavian; dark walnut herringbone feels rich and formal. A chevron in pale oak can look striking without feeling heavy.
Plank size and format
Pattern floors use shorter, narrower planks than standard straight SPC, which is part of why they take longer to install. For example, the Ecofloor Woodlands collection lists its herringbone format at 127 x 612 mm (Ecofloor Woodlands catalogue).
Wider and longer pattern planks create a calmer, larger-scale look that suits big villa rooms. Narrower planks make a busier pattern that can work well in smaller rooms when the colour is light.
How much do herringbone and chevron cost in Dubai?
Pattern floors cost more than straight planks because there is more labour, more cutting and more waste at the edges. At BestFloor, herringbone SPC is AED 100 to 115 per m² including 5% VAT, compared with our typical rate of about AED 80 to 110 per m² for standard planks. Chevron is priced individually. Skirting and stairs are included in the per m² price.
Published Dubai market prices show the same premium. One Dubai price guide places herringbone and chevron SPC in its highest material tier at AED 135 to 180 or more per m² for material, compared with AED 60 to 85 for its entry tier (Grand Art).
As a simple illustration for a 60 m² living and dining area at our herringbone rate: 60 x AED 100 to 115 comes to AED 6,000 to 6,900 including VAT. The final price follows a site visit. More in the SPC flooring cost guide, or try the cost calculator.
Installation: what is different?
Both patterns need a flatter base and more careful setting out than straight planks, because a pattern shows every wandering line. The installer finds the centre line of the room and works outward so the pattern looks symmetrical from the main viewpoint.
- Setting out: the pattern is usually aligned with the longest wall or the main sightline.
- Flatness: Ecofloor asks for level variation of no more than 2 to 3 mm over 2 metres for its SPC (Ecofloor Signature SPC catalogue).
- Edges: more cuts at walls, finished with skirting.
- Doorways: the pattern can flow between rooms or change direction with a threshold.
Herringbone SPC can usually go straight over existing tiles. See SPC flooring over tiles for the checks we do first.
Illustrative image: dark walnut herringbone gives a dining room a formal, rich feel.
Pattern direction, furniture and rugs
Lay the pattern so the zigzag points along the main sightline, usually from the entrance towards the windows or along the longest wall. That way the pattern leads the eye through the room rather than across it.
Furniture covers more floor than people expect. In a living room with a large sofa and rug, perhaps only a border of pattern stays visible, so the pattern needs to look good in strips as well as in open areas. A herringbone in a calm, low-contrast oak tends to work best there. In dining rooms and hallways, where more floor stays visible, a stronger colour or a chevron can really show.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most disappointing pattern floors come from poor setting out, not from the product. Watch for these:
- Starting from a wall that is not straight. Dubai walls are rarely perfectly square, so the pattern should be set from a measured centre line.
- Mixing patterns room to room. One pattern flowing through living areas looks calmer than several.
- Busy pattern plus busy colour. Strong grain and high contrast in a herringbone can look restless in small rooms.
- Ignoring the base. Dips in old tiles show more in a pattern than in straight planks.
Herringbone vs chevron at a glance
Herringbone is more versatile and widely available; chevron is more striking and more formal.
| Herringbone | Chevron | |
|---|---|---|
| Plank ends | Square | Cut at an angle |
| Pattern | Staggered zigzag | Continuous V shapes |
| Feel | Classic, textured | Formal, graphic, modern |
| Best rooms | Almost any room | Long, open, simple rooms |
| Hides imperfections | Well | Less, lines are very visible |
| Availability in SPC | Wide | More limited |
| BestFloor price | AED 100 to 115 per m² incl. VAT | Priced on request |
| Market material tier (one Dubai guide) | AED 135 to 180+ per m² | AED 135 to 180+ per m² |
Which pattern should you choose?
Choose herringbone if you want a timeless pattern that works in every room and with any furniture. Choose chevron if you have long, open rooms and want the floor itself to be the design statement.
- Family villa, mixed styles: herringbone.
- Long open-plan living area, minimal furniture: chevron.
- Small apartment: light herringbone or straight planks.
- Stairs: straight planks matched in colour. See stair cladding.
- Not sure about colour? Read our floor colour guide.
How BestFloor can help
We install herringbone, chevron and other patterns in SPC, usually over the existing tiles, in 5 mm and 6.5 mm. A villa of around 200 m² typically takes two to three days. We protect your home, move furniture and trim doors, and the floors carry a 20-year limited residential manufacturer warranty from Ecofloor, plus our own 2-year installation warranty.
Browse patterns on our floors page, see finished homes on projects, and read about flooring over tiles and stair cladding.
Ask about herringbone and chevron on WhatsApp
FAQ
What is the difference between herringbone and chevron?
Herringbone uses rectangular planks with square ends laid in a staggered zigzag, so the end of one plank meets the side of the next. Chevron planks have ends cut at an angle so they meet in a clean point, forming continuous V shapes.
Is herringbone more expensive than straight planks?
Yes, because it takes longer to lay and involves more cutting. At BestFloor, herringbone SPC is AED 100 to 115 per m² including 5% VAT, compared with about AED 80 to 110 per m² for standard planks.
Which is more popular in Dubai, herringbone or chevron?
Herringbone is the more widely available and more commonly installed pattern, partly because more SPC ranges offer it. Chevron is a more formal, modern look and fewer products are made in that format.
Can herringbone SPC be laid over tiles?
Yes. Herringbone SPC is a floating click floor like standard SPC, so it can usually go over flat, sound tiles. The base needs to be flat because pattern floors show unevenness more than straight planks.
Does herringbone make a room look bigger or smaller?
A herringbone laid along the length of a room draws the eye down it and can make it feel longer. In very small rooms a busy pattern can feel crowded, so lighter colours and larger formats work better there.
Does BestFloor install chevron?
Yes. We install both herringbone and chevron SPC, as well as straight planks. Chevron is priced individually, so send us your area and preferred colour for a quote, and we bring samples to the site visit.
BestFloor installs SPC flooring across the UAE, mainly in Dubai and also in Abu Dhabi. Follow our installs on Instagram at @bestfloor.ae.
FAQ
What is the difference between herringbone and chevron?
Herringbone uses rectangular planks with square ends laid in a staggered zigzag, so the end of one plank meets the side of the next. Chevron planks have ends cut at an angle so they meet in a clean point, forming continuous V shapes.
Is herringbone more expensive than straight planks?
Yes, because it takes longer to lay and involves more cutting. At BestFloor, herringbone SPC is AED 100 to 115 per m² including 5% VAT, compared with about AED 80 to 110 per m² for standard planks.
Which is more popular in Dubai, herringbone or chevron?
Herringbone is the more widely available and more commonly installed pattern, partly because more SPC ranges offer it. Chevron is a more formal, modern look and fewer products are made in that format.
Can herringbone SPC be laid over tiles?
Yes. Herringbone SPC is a floating click floor like standard SPC, so it can usually go over flat, sound tiles. The base needs to be flat because pattern floors show unevenness more than straight planks.
Does herringbone make a room look bigger or smaller?
A herringbone laid along the length of a room draws the eye down it and can make it feel longer. In very small rooms a busy pattern can feel crowded, so lighter colours and larger formats work better there.
Does BestFloor install chevron?
Yes. We install both herringbone and chevron SPC, as well as straight planks. Chevron is priced individually, so send us your area and preferred colour for a quote, and we bring samples to the site visit.