Parquet flooring

Parquet flooring has always been a popular choice for the home, but what exactly is it and how do you pick the right style and material for your home?

What is parquet flooring?

Parquet flooring refers to a style of wood flooring, cut into small blocks or strips and used for a decorate effective, a sort of geometric mosaic.  The wood slats are arranged in repeating patterns throughout the floor.  These patterns can be squares, triangles, chequerboard, basket wave, lozenges or even sun effects.

The most popular choice now is a herringbone pattern. This design favourite looks great in the kitchen as well as the living room and hallway.  It can also be installed in the bathroom using tiles.

At first glance, it can be easy to confuse a herringbone pattern with a chevron one.  The main difference between them is that herringbone floors are rectangle boards, whereas chevron boards are cut at an angle.

An easy way to tell them apart is that herringbone has a subtler, more traditional look with a type of ‘broken zigzag’ design.  Chevron has an arrow-like pattern as the ends are cut to a 45 degree angle, then joined to make a right angle.

Parquet flooring looks stunning but bear in mind that it is not easy to lay. Mistakes will be eye catching, so this is a job it’s probably best to call the experts in for.

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What is the best material to pick?

Originally, parquet flooring was always made of thin, solid wood pieces.  Walnut, oak, maple and cherry all make beautiful parquet floors with that rich, textured look and warmth underfoot.  These days you do have a choice though, as engineered wood is a great alternative.

Engineered wood will give you the same look as solid wood. These planks are made of engineered wood or hardwood veneer over a hardwood plywood base, which are available in a wide variety of colours, finishes, textures and sizes, allowing you to choose a truly individual combination.

An imitation flooring using a different material is also an option.  An affordable choice for a quality, luxurious floor, is luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). These offer a natural looking, textured finish. They are water resistant, making them a low maintenance choice which is practical in any area of the home.

Laminate flooring is another budget friendly option which is durable and hard-wearing with a natural looking finish.  These planks are also easier to install and maintain.

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How do I choose the right one?

Colour, style and material all make a big difference to the look of parquet flooring.  Obviously budget is a big consideration as well and will probably dictate the material that you choose.

If you are choosing the flooring first, as the feature of the room, you can choose the rest of the interior to complement it.  A mixed range of wood hues in a herringbone pattern will create the ultimate in dramatic flooring.  Otherwise, it is important to get the right hue to match your fixtures and furnishings.

In a room with coloured or wooden furniture and/or units, matching the undertones with the flooring will give the area a harmonious look.  This is simple to do using a colour wheel, there are plenty available online.  Make sure you stay in the same dominant wood tone, this will be cool, neutral or warm.

For a sleek and modern decor, a chevron pattern is ideal and the wood gives a warmer look to the room.  Alternatively, whitewashed wood continues the cool look in a soft way.

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Whatever look you want to achieve in your home, we can help with all your flooring and carpet needs.  Contact us here to book a free estimate with our friendly and professional Herts Carpets team today!

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