What is the difference between windmill and basketweave?

Basketweave alternates the direction of whole blocks of parallel boards; windmill rotates four boards around a centre square inside each block. Windmill reads as spinning focal points, basketweave as continuous texture.

Windmill (pinwheel) flooring pattern

Windmill — or pinwheel — spins four boards around a small centre square, repeating the block across the floor. The classic version uses a one-board-wide centre; the Monticello variant (famously at Jefferson’s house) scales up to a two-board centre inside longer surrounds.

Like all block parquet, the module has to close exactly, and the wall cuts decide whether the floor looks planned or accidental. The preview shows both before you commit.

Typical waste

10–15%

Difficulty

Moderate

Boards needed

Boards an exact multiple of the width, plus centre squares

Cutting

Blocks clipped at walls; centres cut from board stock

Measured, not folklore: in our 2026 simulation dataset, optimised windmill layouts wasted 19.9% mean (19.2–20.6% in typical rooms) across 250 simulated rooms. See how every pattern compares.

Planning a windmill floor

The centre square comes from your stock

Centres are cut from the same boards — one board width square. Factor them into the material count rather than treating them as offcuts.

Symmetry sells the pattern

The pinwheels create strong repeating focal points. Centre the grid, and in rectangular rooms align a pinwheel column with the main doorway.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between windmill and basketweave?: Basketweave alternates the direction of whole blocks of parallel boards; windmill rotates four boards around a centre square inside each block. Windmill reads as spinning focal points, basketweave as continuous texture.