The flooring that is installed in your home is one of the most important decisions that you will be making as you renovate or remodel. It is important because unlike an appliance or couch; the flooring is harder to change if you decide that you should go in a different direction than what you’ve chosen. There are many different types of computer programs that you can use to “try out” your flooring option before you actually install it, though. You will be making decisions on what type of material, what rooms will have what flooring, and what your budget will be. One option that you have is parquet flooring. In this post, we will discuss the elements and origins of parquet flooring.
History
Parquet flooring goes all the way back to the 17th Century in France. Pieces of wood were cut, pieced together into geometric patterns, and then glued to the floor. Since this was intricate work, it was normally reserved for those of higher means. This flooring was created as an alternative to marble flooring. Marble is considered one of the oldest stones, and it is also considered high maintenance material.
Composition
Parquet flooring can be made from real wood or engineered wood. Popular wood choices are maple, walnut, and oak. Other types of wood that can be used are chestnut, cherry, and if there are exotic woods, you would like to try. Obviously, the type of wood that you use will affect the price of the installation and potentially how you care for it. Additionally, engineered wood will have layers of wood underneath with a hardwood layer on top. Your guests will not be able to decipher the difference no matter which composition that you choose.
Final Look
There are a number of choices that you have when you are designing your floor. Since this type of floor is pieced together, you have a great number of options when it comes to patterns. There are geometric shapes, herringbone, or chevron flooring patterns. Herringbone patterned floors are usually laid out in a zig-zag pattern, which makes it look mosaic when finished. Chevron patterning, though sometimes mistaken for Herringbone, is actually flooring that comes to a sharp V- shape. Since the wood can be a variety of materials, you have choices regarding coloring as well. After you determine these, you can choose a finish for your flooring. You can go with an unfinished look, an oil finish or lacquered. Which one you choose will be based on what type of wood you select and personal preference for how you want the floor to look.
A parquet floor could be just what you need to give your space a refresh.
