Tuesday, March 19
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Wood Parquet Flooring Review: An Ultimate Guide

Custom parquet is a highly sought after floor design when it comes to decorative floor coverings. Parquet flooring is made up of small pieces of hardwood attached in recurring geometric patterns, giving an astounding design element to your living space. It’s a popular flooring pattern that homeowners choose when they want a classic or traditional floor design.

This solid hardwood flooring is used nearly everywhere because it’s easy to maintain and customize by skilled homebuilders. If you’re considering installing parquet flooring in your home, you’re on the right path.

In this guide, we’ll be having a look at everything you need to know about parquet flooring, including the benefits and drawbacks, installation, and maintenance tips. That way, you get to decide if this floor design is appropriate for you.

What Is Parquet Flooring?

The word “parquet” originated from the French word “parquetry,” which means “small compartment.” Parquet flooring is a form of wood flooring that involves arranging small slats of solid wood in distinct, recurring geometric patterns.

Unlike traditional parquet floors, which were placed one at a time, most modern parquet floors are tiled, with engineered wood slats attached at each edge.

Another notable thing is that most custom parquet flooring tiles come in prefinished form, which means you won’t need to stain or varnish the finished floor. Also, these hardwood floors come in different exotic wood species including walnut, oak, and mahogany varieties.

History of Parquet Flooring

The history of parquet flooring dates back to the 17th century when artisans in France produced intricate designs by cutting and fitting small geometric pieces of wood together one at a time, after which they were glued to the floor. Parquet flooring was once exclusive to wealthy families and public buildings due to the expertise and time required in designing it.

Meanwhile, a few of the earliest samples still exist and are considered works of art in their own right, such as the Galerie d’Hercule at the Hôtel Lambert in Paris.

Pros and Cons of Parquet Flooring

Before you spend time and money on parquet flooring, consider the benefits and drawbacks of this flooring option.

Pros

  • Appealing Appearance

While parquet flooring is made of wood, it provides a visual appeal to the space where it’s installed. Due to the geometric and custom pattern alternatives, it has been used in some of history’s most opulent mansions. This engineered flooring gives your home a classic or modern look because the geometric patterns and materials can be customized.

You can choose from avarious custom parquet patterns and designs, and stain the wood in different colors. Wood flooring has long conjured up images of elegance and comfort, so it’s no surprise that parquet flooring is found in homes and hotels all over the world.

  • Unique

Parquet flooring is an excellent option to consider if you want something genuinely distinctive. Each tile is unique because the materials are blended and then cut before installation. What’s more? It can be customized in terms of patterns, style, texture, and color, ensuring that no two rooms are alike.

  • Allergy-free

Unlike carpets and rugs, which can trap dust, filth, and allergens, parquet flooring doesn’t allow these unwanted irritants to stay. Thus, it’s a great option for families with young children who are at risk of developing allergies, and adults who already suffer from allergies.

Lovely design of a beautiful room with parquet flooring
  • Stable

Traditional wood flooring is less sturdy than parquet flooring. That’s because it’s made up of three layers of engineered wood, each cut at a 90-degree angle to prevent the timber from moving. The wear layer is the top layer of parquet flooring and is carefully selected to ensure greater stability over time.

  • Budget-friendly

The lower levels of parquet flooring can be created with less expensive elements than the top layer because they aren’t visible. As a result, the overall cost of the flooring solution is optimized.

  • Durable

Parquet flooring is extremely long-lasting and will withstand everyday wear and tear for many years. It’s made of hardwood, which gives it a sparkling edge to ensure greater durability over a long time.

Cons

  • Requires Much Care

It’s essential to reseal, sand, and polish the tiles, regardless of how well you maintain your flooring. This helps to keep the flooring looking new and lovely while also extending its lifespan.

  • Moisture Damage

Parquet flooring is prone to moisture and humidity because it’s made of wood. However, it’s critical to control the humidity in your home and keep your parquet floor dried.

  • Susceptible to Scratches

Like other wood, parquet flooring is subject to scratches caused by small, sharp items sliding through the floor. When this happens, restoring the original appearance can be difficult. As a result, high heels shouldn’t be worn on parquet floors, and door mats or rugs should be used at entry points.

Parquet Floor Design

Parquet tiles are in a multi-piece form giving them a profound, 3D appearance. That makes them a striking design statement in every living space. However, bear in mind that a parquet floor’s patterned appearance isn’t ideal for everyone. Future owners of your residential property may not share your taste, and some potential buyers may tag it as being obsolete.

Nonetheless, parquet floors work well in modern structured homes and that’s why it’s gradually becoming a popular choice for most homeowners. It may be the best option if you’re looking towards remodeling your home.

Parquet Floor Installation Tips

Many flooring professionals are skilled at installing parquet tiles, but whether you hire a pro or do it yourself, the following installation tips will help you understand the process. Always follow the directions included in the carton of parquet flooring tiles because manufacturer specifications vary.

  • Get Ready for the Installation

It’s essential to install parquet floors on a firm substrate, such as a solid subfloor. The substrate must be dry and level and baseboards removed before installation.

  • Allow It to Acclimate

Since parquet is made of actual wood, it must be allowed to acclimate to the room in which it’ll be installed to avoid gaps between the strips later. Two weeks is the normal acclimatization time for hardwood.

No need to remove the parquet tiles; simply place the cartons in the room. During this time, the wood strips may move slightly as they respond to changes in temperature and humidity.

Image of an interior room design with custom parquet flooring
  • Plan Out Your Layout Thoroughly

Every subsequent tile in a parquet tile design style repeats itself, and if the rows aren’t perfectly straight or aligned with the walls, the overall product will be unprofessional.

Since not all rooms are completely square, you’ll need to account for this while planning your arrangement. The tiles come with step-by-step instructions on how to create a floor plan. So, adhere to these instructions to get professional-looking results.

  • Make Use of the Resources and Tools Suggested

Don’t wing it with what you have on hand; the recommended tools and materials are designed to give you the best results. Not only will the type of adhesive differ based on the tile brand, but the manufacturer may also suggest a trowel with certain size notches.

  • Use a Jigsaw Instead of a Circular Saw to Cut

While it’s common to use a circular saw to cut other forms of wood flooring, a parquet often has microscopic wires embedded in the solid wood strips. These wires can become tangled in a circular saw’s revolving blade, posing a hazard, destroying the tile, and perhaps harming the saw. A jigsaw’s up-and-down motion cuts right through solid wood and wire with no issues.

Parquet Floor Maintenance Tips

Protect your investment by taking proper care of your parquet flooring, and they’ll last for years. Maintaining a wood parquet floor is identical to that of any other hardwood floor.

Here are some maintenance recommendations to help you get the most out of your parquet floor:

  • Daily dry cleaning of the floor with a wool dust mop will help in eliminating dust and light crumbs.
  • Ensure you wipe off wet spills as soon as possible with the aid of absorbent paper towels.
  • Make sure to vacuum with a brush attachment at least once a week.
  • Ensure you use a cleaning product specialized for wood floors to keep your wood floor looking bright and lustrous at least once a month
  • Avoid the use of wood furniture dusting products on parquet floors because they might make them look greasy.
  • Don’t use a steam mop because heat and moisture may wreak havoc on the finish and even cause the wood floor to bulge.
  • Avoid the use of floor wax or polishing products designed for vinyl or ceramic tile floors because they may end up ruining the finish.
  • Ensure you place rugs in high-traffic areas to protect your floor’s finish.
  • Make sure you place stick-on silicone or felt protectors under furniture legs to avoid any form of scratch.

Refinishing a Parquet Floor

With proper care, your parquet floor should last for up to 15 years, if not longer. Even the best-kept wood floors, especially in high-traffic areas, might begin to seem a little worn with time. Refinishing is a possibility when the surface coat wears down, but it’d be ideal if it’s done by a wood flooring professional.

Refinishing a parquet floor can be challenging since removing the old finish necessitates sanding. Moreover, wood should always be sanded with grain to avoid any form of cross-grain marks. As the wood grain on a parquet floor runs in different directions, eradicating the existing finish without brushing off the wood surface necessitates extreme caution.

Final Words

Any interior space’s flooring establishes the tone from the ground up. It’s one of the items in your room that tends to last longer if given proper care. You can modify the appearance of the walls, but you won’t be able to do the same with the flooring unless you use something to hide it.

Parquet flooring is a popular choice for homes and there are several varieties you can get depending on the style you want. Meanwhile, get in touch with us right away if you’re interested in learning more about parquet flooring and installation.

Suppose you’re interested in learning about other floor designs and real estate latest trends in general, browse through https://www.realestateinformations.com