Parquetry and Herringbone Flooring – Is it the Right Choice for You?
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- By Justin Jersey
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There is a plethora of options when it comes to choosing the type of flooring. Some houses go for carpet, concrete, tiles and some prefer parquetry flooring. Parquetry flooring is one of the most durable options and is currently quite popular in contemporary decor. It basically refers to a patterned floor. The designs are geometric and are aligned in a definite pattern.
Types of Patterned Floors
There are basically two types:
- Solid parquetry – this involves gluing wooden blocks in a definite pattern such as the common and quite popular herringbone design.
- Parquetry panels – these are just veneers that will also be stuck in a predetermined pattern, but it can be done on top any pre-existing cheap wood or even plywood.
There are constantly new types being developed too.
The popularity of Parquetry Floors
The primary reason why so many homes can be seen with this type of wood flooring is that it just looks exquisitely beautiful. It has a class of its own and is considered the crème de la crème of wooden flooring.
Another reason for its popularity is that it is quite easy to clean, but as with any wooden floors the temperature and climatic conditions can have an impact and some parts may get misaligned or swelling can be seen. It can however be fixed with some simple techniques.
It can also be installed over any type of base material, including concrete and ceramic.
The technique for laying, this type of floor is glued and thus many home owners have found it easy to do so by their own saving labor cost.
Herringbone Floors
This is perhaps the most loved pattern among parquetry designs. The name comes from the herring fish. The herringbone pattern is intricate and quite an eye catcher. While laying parquetry floors is not a difficult task, this pattern does take around 3 to four times more times in being laid that a standard pattern. The reason is quite obvious as the installer must patiently and slowly ensure consistent alignment. The perfect layout for this pattern can be seen in rooms which are perfectly perpendicular as a small mistake can become an eyesore.
Installing Parquetry floors – Important considerations
The popularity of Parquetry Floors
The primary reason why so many homes can be seen with this type of wood flooring is that it just looks exquisitely beautiful. It has a class of its own and is considered the crème de la crème of wooden flooring.
Another reason for its popularity is that it is quite easy to clean, but as with any wooden floors the temperature and climatic conditions can have an impact and some parts may get misaligned or swelling can be seen. It can however be fixed with some simple techniques.
It can also be installed over any type of base material, including concrete and ceramic.
The technique for laying, this type of floor is glued and thus many home owners have found it easy to do so by their own saving labor cost.
Herringbone Floors
This is perhaps the most loved pattern among parquetry designs. The name comes from the herring fish. The herringbone pattern is intricate and quite an eye catcher. While laying parquetry floors is not a difficult task, this pattern does take around 3 to four times more times in being laid that a standard pattern. The reason is quite obvious as the installer must patiently and slowly ensure consistent alignment. The perfect layout for this pattern can be seen in rooms which are perfectly perpendicular as a small mistake can become an eyesore.
Installing Parquetry floors – Important considerations
- Ensure that the temperature of the room while installing is between 18C and 22C
- The ideal humidity should be between 45 to 60 percent
- As mentioned above parquetry panels or blocks can be easily glued over any kind of material, but it must be noted that the thickness of the base must always be greater than the veneers. For example, if the subfloor is plywood than a ¾ inch is ideal.
- If the sub floor is concrete, then its foundation should have a relative humidity less than 3%
- Before installing parquetry on concrete, you must clean it thoroughly and then ensure that it is dry. The best way to be sure about this is to cover it with polythene and then after a couple of days if you notice the concrete is darker then it means that there is still some moisture in the concrete.
- Then there are some who are so particular abut neat finishes that they install parquetry right up to the edges of the floor. This is something which will bring only regrets later on. Remember, you are dealing with wood that is liable to expand in summer and then there will be warped or misalignment noticed on the entire floor making the floor look ugly. This is why it is important to leave a gap of at least 15 to 20 millimeters around the tire perimeter of the room.
- Do not open the packaging when you receive the blocks, veneers. You must let it stand in its original package in the room in which it is being installed for a couple days. This will allow it to acclimatize. Now, after opening the package make sure that it opens in exactly the same order in which it is to be placed. The installation after opening the package must be finished within a maximum period of 72 hours and then any varnishing or polishing is to be done only after a week or 10 days. There are also other factors to take into account such as how even the floor is.
Installing parquetry flooring is easy, but for a perfect and lasting finish, it is recommended that you hire an expert.
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