Herringbone Tile Floor: Cost, Layout and Best Rooms

A herringbone tile floor is a floor where rectangular tiles are set in a staggered V-shaped zigzag, so the end of each tile meets the side of the next. It costs more to install than a straight lay because every row ends in an angled cut. It suits entryways, hallways, kitchens and bathroom floors where you want the floor to be the star.

Here are 4 things to know before you choose a herringbone tile floor: the look, the cost, how a pro installs it and how to get it priced. Back to tile patterns for every layout we install, or start with our Tile ideas Complete Guide.

1. Herringbone Tile Floor: The Look, the Rooms and Why It Costs More

Herringbone adds movement to a floor. The zigzag points lead the eye down a hallway or into a room. It can also make a narrow room feel wider when the points run along its length.

• Entryways and mudrooms: a classic spot. Use textured porcelain, because Boston winters bring salt and sand inside.
• Hallways: run the points toward the far end to stretch the space.
• Bathroom floors: herringbone works well when the floor has a clear focal line, like the path from the door to the tub.
• Kitchens: good on open floors. Keep the pattern simple near cabinets, where most of it gets covered.

The tile you pick changes the feel. Wood-look porcelain planks are the most common choice. They give the look of a parquet floor without wood's trouble with water. See our post on a wood look tile bathroom for plank sizes. Marble and stone-look porcelain in thin rectangles give a dressier look. Small brick shapes feel vintage.

Why Does Herringbone Cost More to Install?

Herringbone takes more cuts, more tile and more layout time than a straight lay. That is the whole reason for the higher price. Here is where the time goes:

• Cuts at every wall: each row ends in an angled cut. A room has dozens of them.
• More tile: plan on about 15 to 20% extra tile for herringbone, based on typical layout waste.
• Layout first: we dry-lay the pattern to center it on the doorway before any thinset goes down.
• Slower pace: a two-person crew sets roughly 100 sq ft of tile a day on a simple layout. Herringbone runs slower than that.
• Flat floor: long planks in a zigzag show every high spot, so prep matters more.

Herringbone vs Chevron

• Herringbone: square-ended rectangles meet in a staggered zigzag. It looks classic and uses standard tile.
• Chevron: tile ends are cut at an angle so the points meet in one clean line. It looks sharper. Most people buy chevron tile pre-cut.

Thinking about herringbone for your entry or bathroom floor? Send us photos of the room and the herringbone tile you like for a same-day estimate.

2. What It Costs to Install

A herringbone bathroom floor usually lands at the top of our normal floor range, or a bit above it. The size of the room, the tile size and the number of cuts set the final number. We price from photos and our per-area estimate, never from a per-sq-ft formula.

Our recent job ranges (as of 2026 pricing, labor and setting materials included, tile not included):

• Bathroom floor, 30 to 45 sq ft, old floor removed: $2,000 to $2,300. Herringbone pushes toward the top of that range or past it.
• Kitchen backsplash in herringbone, 17 to 35 sq ft, old one removed: $1,100 to $2,500.
• Bathroom floor plus shower in one job: $7,500 to $11,500.

You buy the tile. We recommend suppliers and never mark tile up. Based on current Boston-area material prices, typical tile costs run like this:

Remember to add the extra 15 to 20% when you order. Want heat under it? A heated floor uses one cable sized to the open floor, and an electrician runs the circuit. See our heated bathroom floor cost breakdown for what heat adds.

What Raises or Lowers the Price of a Herringbone Floor?

• Tile size: small rectangles mean more pieces and more cuts. Bigger planks go down faster.
• Room shape: a plain rectangle is quickest. Closets, angled walls and a toilet in the middle add cuts.
• Floor condition: dips and soft spots must be fixed first. Self-leveling compound over an uneven slab adds about $2 to $5 per sq ft, based on current Greater Boston rates.
• Border or frame: a straight tile border around the herringbone looks sharp. It adds a second layout and more cuts.
• Old floor: removing old tile takes longer than pulling up vinyl. Demo and haul-away are part of the job either way.

Can You Put Herringbone in a Shower?

Yes, on the walls. A herringbone accent wall or niche back looks great in a shower. We waterproof the walls with RedGard first. On the shower floor, small tile follows the slope to the drain better than long rectangles. Most people pick a simple mosaic there and keep the herringbone on the walls or the bathroom floor.

3. How We Install It

A herringbone floor only looks right if the layout is centered and the floor is flat. Here is how our crew does it, step by step:

1. Remove the old floor. Demo and haul-away are part of the job.
2. Check the subfloor. We look for soft spots and dips. Older Boston homes often need leveling before tile.
3. Lay the uncoupling mat. We set Strata Mat in Laticrete 254 Platinum thinset. It keeps subfloor movement from cracking the tile. On a heated floor, the heating cable replaces the mat.
4. Snap a center line. We center the pattern on the doorway or the main sight line.
5. Dry-lay the pattern. We test the layout so cuts at the walls stay balanced.
6. Set the tile. We set each tile in Laticrete 253 Gold over the mat. Long planks get back-buttered for full coverage.
7. Keep it flat. Leveling clips hold plank edges flush while the thinset cures.
8. Grout. We grout with Laticrete Permacolor. Metal edge trim at doorways is finished to match the grout.

Most bathrooms take 2 to 5 working days with our two-person crew. Herringbone and cure times push a floor toward the longer end.

4. Get a Quote From Photos

A herringbone tile floor is worth the extra cuts when the room has the right shape and light. Send us photos of the floor, the room size and a link to your tile. We will tell you if herringbone fits and what prep the floor needs.

Ready for a herringbone tile floor? Send photos and get a same-day estimate from Aguirre Modern Tile. Aguirre Modern Tile has installed tile in Greater Boston since 2016. We are a registered Massachusetts home improvement contractor (HIC #655072) and fully insured with $1M in liability coverage.