Herringbone has stayed a genuinely popular choice for centuries, and today's market gives you real depth to choose from within that one pattern, from the grade of the timber itself through to a wide range of colours and finishes. It's worth understanding both properly before deciding, since grade and colour together do more to shape the final look than the pattern alone.
Understanding herringbone grades
When timber is milled, it's sorted into grades based on appearance, the number and size of knots, how uniform the colour is, and sap content, rather than on the underlying quality or durability of the wood itself. A rustic grade floor isn't a lower-quality floor, just a different look.
| Grade | Appearance | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Prime | Very few visible knots, highly uniform colour | A clean, timeless backdrop that suits almost any style |
| Select | Some natural character, still relatively uniform | Modern and traditional settings alike, an effortless middle ground |
| Natural | More visible knots and colour variation than select, while remaining reasonably even | A warmer, more lived-in look without going fully rustic |
| Rustic | The most knots, colour variation and natural markings | Characterful, informal interiors, farmhouse and rustic styles particularly |
Prime works well as a genuinely versatile, quiet backdrop that won't compete with anything else in a room, which is part of why it remains such a dependable long-term choice. Rustic sits at the opposite end, embracing natural character and variation as the point of the floor rather than something to minimise.
Colour and finish options
Herringbone comes in a genuinely wide colour range, and a few combinations show up consistently as popular starting points:
- Brushed and UV-oiled gives a light, airy result, with the brushing texturing the surface slightly and the UV oil protecting the colour from fading under direct sunlight
- Dark smoked, brushed and UV-oiled takes prime-grade oak through a smoking process that deepens the colour considerably before finishing, giving a rich, dramatic result
- A cement-like grey tone offers an industrial, contemporary look, though it's worth knowing that stark grey has given some ground in recent years to warmer honey and caramel tones as the dominant current direction, so it's less of a safe long-term bet than it was a few years ago. Our guide to current oak parquet flooring trends covers where colour preferences have shifted
- Brushed and left unfinished gives you complete freedom to choose your own stain and finish on-site, the most flexible but also the most involved option
Choosing grade and colour together
The two decisions work together rather than in isolation. A prime grade in a pale, brushed and UV-oiled finish gives the most understated, versatile result, letting the herringbone pattern itself do the visual work without much competition from grain or colour variation. A rustic grade in a dark smoked finish goes the opposite direction entirely, leaning into maximum natural character and drama at once. There's no wrong combination, but it's worth deciding whether you want the floor to recede quietly into the room or announce itself as a genuine feature, since that decision should guide both grade and colour together rather than choosing each independently. Our guide to how wood floor colour changes the mood of a room covers this further if you're still deciding on direction.
If you'd like to see samples across the grade and colour range before deciding, our parquet floor fitting team can talk through what suits your room. Get in touch for a free quote whenever you're ready.
Frequently asked questions
Is rustic grade cheaper than prime grade? Generally yes, since prime grade requires more selective milling to achieve its uniform appearance. It's worth remembering that the price difference reflects appearance and selection, not a difference in the wood's actual durability.
Can I mix grades within the same floor for a custom look? It's unusual and generally not recommended, since mixing grades tends to look inconsistent rather than deliberate. Choosing one grade and varying the colour or finish instead gives more predictable, cohesive results.
Does an unfinished herringbone floor cost less than a pre-finished one? Not necessarily in total, since choosing unfinished shifts the finishing cost and labour to after installation rather than removing it. It does give you the most control over the exact final colour, which is the main reason to choose it over a pre-finished option.
Will a smoked oak floor darken further over time? Some further colour change from light exposure is normal with most wood finishes, smoked oak included, though a UV-protective finish slows this considerably. It's worth asking your supplier specifically how their smoking and finishing process behaves over time.
Is natural grade the same as select grade? No, though they sit close together on the scale. Natural grade generally shows a bit more visible character and colour variation than select, while still remaining more even than rustic grade.
