Choosing your flooring design is a fun and challenging process. There are innumerable flooring materials, colors, designs, and products to choose from, each with unique advantages and disadvantages. Once you find the flooring that suits your project, room, style, and budget, you may think your design decisions are over, but how you style that flooring can make a significant difference in aesthetics. The pattern you use when installing your flooring will significantly affect both the look and feel of your design. This article will explore five vinyl flooring patterns and how these layouts can enhance your room, including subway, stagger, diagonal, and herringbone vinyl patterns.
Five Vinyl Flooring Patterns and Layouts
- Subway Tile Offset Pattern
- Stagger Pattern
- Diagonal
- Vinyl Flooring Herringbone
- Vinyl Subway Tile Random Pattern
Subway Tile Offset Pattern
The most popular pattern chosen when installing vinyl flooring is the subway tile offset pattern, in which the tiles of each row are offset by half the width of the plank or tile. When installing your vinyl in this pattern, the first row should be laid straight across the room, while the second row starts with a half plank followed by a full plank. Starting the second row with a half plank offsets the lines of the natural grid pattern by half a plank. The most common offset you will see is 50/50. However, if you want to change things up, go for a 40/60 or 30/70 offset to give your floor a more varied and unique pattern. This style is also known as running bond or subway tile due to its distinctive look often seen in subway stations.
Stagger Pattern
Choosing the stagger pattern will give your vinyl flooring a more randomized look, even though it has been thoroughly planned. When installing vinyl planks in the stagger pattern, tiles or planks are arranged on alternate sides of a centerline. During installation, you will want to end your first row of tile or planks with a short piece. This way, when you start your second row with a long tile or plank on the same side of the room you ended the first row, it gives you a pleasant, staggered appearance. Similarly, you will start the third row with another short piece that is a different length than the one used to end the first row. This pattern is ideal if you install a floor with two or three different colors or designs of vinyl.
Diagonal
The diagonal pattern can add visual depth and uniqueness to your space. This pattern is a variation of the offset pattern above but is set at a 45-degree angle to the room. A diagonal pattern will make your space feel larger, drawing attention to your room’s corners rather than walls. You can also use this floor design to create a focal point or accentuate an area such as a fireplace or dining area. The downside to this pattern is that it will cost you a bit more to have installed due to the extra time required to cut the vinyl to fit a room diagonally.
Vinyl Flooring Herringbone
Herringbone, not to be confused with chevron, is another great option if you choose a vinyl flooring design with two or three different colors. The herringbone pattern will give any room a unique, sophisticated look and feel. This pattern resembles fish scales by connecting two planks at a 90-degree angle to create a zigzag pattern across the room. When installing this pattern, the points of the zigzag should be parallel to the longest wall or to the window. Unfortunately, this pattern can also be more costly to install because of the extra time it will take to cut the vinyl to fit the room.
Vinyl Subway Tile Random Pattern
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LX Hausys’ dedicated team is standing by to help you get started on picking the best vinyl designs and patterns for your home. Check out our website and complete the contact us form to have a team member reach out to you. We look forward to working with you!