Mike Holmes Jr. Shares His Best Tip For Laying Herringbone Flooring

Inventing genius home hacks clearly runs in the Holmes family. Mike Holmes is one of HGTV's most trusted stars, hosting programs including "Holmes Family Rescue" and "Holmes on Homes" for the network. And his son, Mike Holmes Jr., has learned the family trades — television and, of course, renovating — by appearing in both programs. Holmes Jr. is a contractor, small-screen star, and social media natural who often shares his own renovation projects online. And he recently took to Instagram to share advice on how to lay a certain kind of floor. Herringbone design is back, but it's not straightforward to install. Holmes Jr. recommends using a 90-degree starter piece as a guide to show exactly how and where to center the pattern.  

Using a starter piece is Holmes Jr.'s number-one hack, and it shouldn't cost a lot of money to do. If it's necessary to buy a piece of wood to act as the starter, consider purchasing an inexpensive piece of plywood. Alternatively, scrap wood of any kind that won't be used later can be cut down to a usable size. Whatever material is used, Holmes Jr. advises that the piece should not be movable. First, screw the starter into the subfloor, and then build the rows of herringbone along the top.

But that's not Mike Holmes Jr.'s only tip when it comes to a DIY herringbone floor. Some may mistakenly believe that the middle of the pattern is based on the inside angles, where the pieces meet. But that is not correct; it's essential to recognize the middle of the herringbone pattern as the middle of the zigzag created by the pieces coming together. This true center line shoots up the herringbone pattern and will have equally sized triangles on each side. Understanding this invisible center line will allow the floor installer to ensure the herringbone pattern is laid faultlessly.

The Holmes family doesn't just show how to lay herringbone; they use the style in their own home. Take a tour inside HGTV star Mike Holmes' beautiful home to see how the renovation experts installed a porcelain tile herringbone floor, designed to look like wood, as a focal point for the family's sunroom. The best materials for herringbone floors run the gamut from natural and engineered wood to many kinds of tile, and it's clear the Holmes family endorses a range of materials — as long as they're properly installed.