Herringbone wood flooring is the traditional style or pattern for laying parquet blocks . The blocks of flooring are much smaller than usual flooring planks and have been designed to create the distinctive ' herringbone ' zigzag pattern. You will fit the blocks of flooring together to provide a staggered zigzag pattern. The distinct characteristics of herringbone is that one rectangle is cut precisely so that the end of one plank or tile meets to the side of the other , this makes the design ultra - elegant flooring , masonry and tiling for the home .