CM20 · M11 J7a · 23 mi from central London
Herringbone & Parquet Flooring — Supplied & Fitted in Harlow Town
Almost every kitchen extension we touch now wants herringbone. The reason is simple — nothing else photographs like it. Our herringbone crews cover Harlow Town on a regular schedule — CM20 sits about 0 miles from the Harlow hub, just off M11 J7a. 1947 Mark I new town — Frederick Gibberd masterplan.
From £89/m² · 3–5 weeks lead time · 10-year workmanship warranty
Why we recommend herringbone here
Harlow Town's apartment conversions make herringbone the right tool. 1947 Mark I new town — Frederick Gibberd masterplan, and that shapes the build-up we quote.
Harlow Town — local facts that shape the spec
Postcode
CM20
Ward / area
Town Centre
Nearest station
Harlow Town
Distance to central London
23 miles
Distance to Harlow
0 miles
Main road access
M11 J7a
Council
Harlow District Council
Typical stock
apartment conversions
- 1947 Mark I new town — Frederick Gibberd masterplan
- Modernist housing protected by Historic England
Common pitfalls we plan around
Blocks wider than 120mm over UFH
Wide blocks over UFH cup. We cap herringbone at 120mm wide for any UFH build-up.
Skipping the dry-lay
Every herringbone job we do gets a full dry-lay first — alignment errors are visible from across the room.
Underestimating prep time
Herringbone needs a perfectly flat subfloor. Latex screed and 48 hours cure are non-negotiable.
Materials & finish notes
For apartment conversions like much of Harlow Town's Town Centre pocket, we'd usually spec Reclaimed pine parquet in a smoked & oiled finish.
Our default herringbone block is 600×120mm engineered oak with a 4mm wear layer.
Smoked herringbone is reactive ammonia-treated oak — the colour is uniform top to bottom.
Materials we stock
Engineered oak herringbone 600×120mm · Engineered oak chevron 600×90mm · Solid oak parquet blocks · Reclaimed pine parquet
Finishes we offer
Smoked & oiled · Brushed natural · Reactive stained · Site-finished hardwax oil
Install methods
Full glue-down to latex screed · Glue-down over UFH (thermal adhesive) · Glue-to-ply on suspended floors
Realistic lifespan
25+ years with one re-sand at year 12–15
Why Harlow Town clients choose us
- Hand-fit by our own parquet team, never subcontracted
- Harlow Town surveys booked within the same working week
- Thermal-conductive adhesive as standard over UFH
- Hand-fit by our own parquet team, never subcontracted
Our herringbone process in Harlow Town
- 01
Survey — moisture, flatness check (±2mm over 2m), pattern direction planning.
- 02
Latex screed where needed, 48-hour cure before lay.
- 03
Full dry-lay of the pattern from the room's focal axis outward.
- 04
Glue-down install with thermally-conductive adhesive over UFH.
- 05
Border and threshold detailing — we mitre, we don't ramp.
- 06
Optional site-finish: 2-coat hardwax oil for a joint-free top layer.
- 07
Aftercare brief and one-bottle starter kit handed over.
Harlow Town herringbone FAQs
- Is solid parquet still done?
- Yes — 22mm solid oak blocks, secret-pinned or bitumen-bedded. Beautiful, but engineered is more practical for modern builds.
- Will my floor be uneven?
- Not when we fit it — flatness is the first survey check. If it's not ±2mm over 2m, we latex it.
- How much extra does herringbone cost vs straight plank?
- Typically 30–40% more — material is the same; the labour is the cost. Worth it.
- Can you fit herringbone over old floorboards?
- Only after we lay 6mm ply over the top — herringbone needs a flat substrate, full stop.
- Is solid parquet still done?
- Yes — 22mm solid oak blocks, secret-pinned or bitumen-bedded. Beautiful, but engineered is more practical for modern builds.
- Will my floor be uneven?
- Not when we fit it — flatness is the first survey check. If it's not ±2mm over 2m, we latex it.
- How much extra does herringbone cost vs straight plank?
- Typically 30–40% more — material is the same; the labour is the cost. Worth it.
Nearby CM areas we also cover
We're regularly on the M11 J7a route — these neighbouring pockets sit within a few miles of Harlow Town:
Summary
From the M11 J7a access to the apartment conversions we'll be fitting onto, every herringbone job in Harlow Town starts with a proper survey. That's the only way to get a price that doesn't change once the boards arrive.
Plan a herringbone install — Harlow Town, CM20
We'll dry-lay before we quote — see the pattern in your room first. Covering Harlow Town and nearby Old Harlow, Church Langley.
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