The full story
The half you never see is the half that lasts
Before a single board goes down, the moisture in the subfloor and the moisture in the wood are measured, and the boards sit in the room until the two agree. Wood laid too wet shrinks into gaps over its first winter; wood laid too dry swells and lifts. Waiting a week is the cheapest part of the whole job.
Then the subfloor. Hollows are filled, high spots taken off, dust bound and, where the ground is damp, a barrier goes in. Almost every creak, gap and loose board in an old floor started as something under it that was never dealt with — which is why this stage is quoted on what is measured, not on what is assumed.
Only after that does the pattern matter. Herringbone is set out from a centre line so the cuts land at the walls rather than down the middle of the room, and the direction is chosen for the light rather than for the shape of the floor. The floor is then sanded flat and finished in the same run, so you get one continuous surface instead of a grid of factory edges.
Right for you if
- A floor beyond repair, or a room that has never had wood in it
- An extension or a new kitchen that has to read as one floor with the old part
- A herringbone or plank pattern you want set out properly, not simply laid
