Parquet flooring has seen a huge increase in sales over the last couple of years with it being a firm favourite of Instagram and Pinterest home accounts alike. You might be wondering if parquet flooring would be great for your home. Here are three things you should know before you buy and install parquet flooring.
Which wood is best for parquet flooring?
There are many different types of wood that you can use for parquet flooring and each type of wood has it’s own benefits from the natural colour to price, durability and even the availability however it has been well said within the industry that oak is the best wood when choosing a flooring.
European oak is probably the most popular of all of the oaks as it is famed for being hard-wearing and that it can be stained to any colour. As untreated oak is naturally light in colour it really holds any stain tone you truly desire. Plus it is super easy to source meaning that it comes at a very reasonable price.
Related Reads;
- What You Need To Know About Installing Wood Flooring
- How to Clean Engineered Wood Flooring
- How To Choose Grey Wood Flooring For Your Home
Which designs are most popular?
If you’ve been looking at parquet you’ll have noticed that there are many different designs which you can have laid for you. If you are looking for which style you prefer then these are popular styles to look up;
- Basketweave
- Diagonal basketweave
- Brick
- Monticello
- Versailles
- Bordeaux
However, there are two main styles which are the most dominant parquet styles you’ll probably encounter these are;
- Herringbone – this is where rectangular tiles are arranged in rows at right angles
- Chevron – parallelogram-shaped tiles are arranged to create V shapes
Both of these styles create a zigzag effect and can be both contemporary or classic setting dependent however the herringbone style is more classic looking and the chevron style is more modern looking. Chevron style is more expensive both buying and laying due to the shapes of the blocks and the precision that is required to fit it.
When deciding which style is best for you, do take into account the size of the area as narrower areas can’t hold a chevron, as well as a large area, can.
How to protect parquet flooring?
If you’ve treated your flooring you should also place floor mats and rugs near outside doors as this will prevent dirt being traipsed into and across your flooring. For any places where you have flooring and water together place a small rug or runner with a soft backing around these areas such as the sink in the kitchen to catch spills and splashes.
Place felt floor protectors on any moveable furniture too such as chairs and tables and if you have a pet, do make sure their nails are kept trimmed too to help avoid any excessive wear.
Are there any rooms not suitable for parquet?
Actually, parquet flooring is suitable to be laid throughout the entire house, however, if you are looking to install it in your bathroom or any other humid area then engineered parquet with a lacquered finish is the best option. This will completely seal the floor and prevent water from penetrating it which gives higher durability and prevents warping. Just remember to wipe your flooring down after every bath!
Are you looking for parquet flooring tips? We’d love to hear your flooring plans in the comments section below. As always, if you’ve found this article of any value we’d love for you to share it with friends and family across social media and beyond!
