Things You Must Know Before You Install Parquetry Flooring

The way of creation of wood flooring makes Parquet flooring one of the most distinctive and popular types of flooring. It doesn’t feature planks installation. Instead, professionals arrange small slats of wood with their end-grain facing upward. The tiles’ size could be 600mm by 120mm, with thickness in the range of 15mm to 21mm.

How do professionals produce parquet flooring tiles?

Flooring experts take wood pieces and arrange them into distinct patterns. They may either repeat the pattern or link it with adjoining tiles to get a larger pattern. Binding the wood pieces to the substrate is important to make the installation process manageable. However, metal frames and thin plastics can help hold the wooding pieces in their original shape. This entire process of producing a unique flooring type is known as parquetry. 

You can make this flooring type more stylish by using more than one color and wood type. The most commonly used wood species in parquetry is Oak because of its affordable nature. Walnut is another popular option for parquetry flooring. However, it is an expensive option.  

Another method of creating parquet flooring is to glue or nail the individual pieces of wood to the subfloor. You can create attractive patterns by using this method. However, it comes with some limitations. For instance, it is time-consuming and costs higher than the pre-manufactured tiles. 

While buying engineered parquetry flooring, you need to be careful. Many retailers and manufacturers may give the same name to two distinct patterns. Therefore, you must see the flooring before buying it to get what you want. 

Finished Vs. Unfinished Parquet

While buying parquet flooring, you will get two options, one is pre-finished, and the other is unfinished. Both these types come with pros and cons. 

• Pre-finished parquet flooring: These tiles are built and sealed in a factory setting. The best thing about these tiles is their durability which couldn’t be achieved at home. Moreover, pre-finished tiles mean there would be no odor or mess which may occur during finishing. 

However, it comes with a limitation. You can’t have a lot of options for stain colors and custom styles. 

• Unfinished parquet flooring: The best thing about installing unfinished flooring is that you have many options. You can choose the type of sealer, pattern, colour of stain, and additional finishing treatments. So, you can achieve any custom look you desire with unfinished parquet flooring. 

However, unfinished parquet flooring comes with many drawbacks. For instance, it’s susceptible to

• Water damage
• Staining 

Suitable space to install Parquet floors

You can install this flooring anywhere. But it doesn’t mean it works well for all spaces. 

Perfect for formal spaces: artisanal craftsmanship and natural warmth make it an ideal flooring type for elegant areas, such as office buildings, event halls, conference centers, and hotels. Moreover, you can use it for dining rooms, entryways, open spaces for formal occasions, and living rooms. 

Avoid using it in confined spaces: The beauty of the artistry of parquetry is in appreciation. It looks more spectacular on the whole floor. For instance, the design will look dull in the kitchen because cabinets, chairs, tables, and islands occupy all the space. Even it creates a feeling of clutter in confined spaces.

PARQUET FLOORING INSTALLATION

Parquet tiles are rectangular and have straight edges. There are no other edge designs, such as groove or tongue. While flooring, the expert should leave 4-8mm around the room’s perimeter. This space will cover the trim. Before installing the floor, some thick tiles are nailed down first. Then, parquet flooring is installed on the subfloor. However, it is crucial to install the flooring with glue if nailing is splitting the wood. 

Installation Parquetry flooring tip:

1. Install the parquet tile patterns in a specific direction to complete the flooring field pattern. It will help you get a harmonious look in your space. 
2. Ask your DIY installer to lay the flooring tiles in the desired pattern. This procedure is known as “dry layout.” It will help you get an idea about the final look of the floor.

How does water affect the parquet floor? 

Parquet handles absorb moisture better than wood plank floors. Still, they get damaged by water. So, you shouldn’t install parquet in basements, laundry areas, bathrooms, and other areas with moisture. Moisture can affect parquet floors in many ways. Water can cause it to swell or encourage the development of mold.

Dry the parquet floor as soon as you notice moisture in it. It can prevent various problems which may occur due to moisture. 

How to refinish Parquetry flooring? 

You can get parquet refinished as often as you can refinish the hardwood of the same thickness. It is easy to refinish the parquet floor because there is no groove and tongue design. So, you can remove more of the original flooring before you replace the flooring. 

It is challenging to refinish parquet flooring due to the grain end facing up. Moreover, non-consistent directions on the floor make it challenging to refinish parquet flooring. 

While refinishing parquet flooring, experts will use a power sander. Power sander may cause the appearance of grain scratches. Therefore, you must sand these out by hand. It will help create consistent, smooth, and ready-to-seal surfaces. 

Excited to give a new look to your space with parquet flooring? You can visit our showroom to get bold and attractive parquet floor patterns. Choose the design you love and let our experts handle parquet installation.