The parquet floor is a type of floor where small pieces of wood are arranged to form geometric and angular patterns uniformly throughout the floor base. The main advantage of parquet is that you can get your floor to look unique by choosing a unique pattern and design. In order to do this, different types of woods can be used. You can choose from several popular patterns such as herringbone, mosaic, brick, ladder, medallions, checkerboard or even basket weave.
In addition to its aesthetics, the parquet floor is hard, resistant to moisture and easy to maintain, making it ideal for the kitchen floor. The small pieces of wood are arranged in various directions thus reducing the expansion of the cross gain, making the whole arrangement more stable and breathable.
The parquet floor brings a feeling of novelty and vibrancy, and adds value for your home and lead to a faster and more beneficial resale deal.
Cost of parquet floor
No matter what your budget is, the cost of parquet flooring can be flexible enough to meet it. You can get a lot for $3 per square foot to start. The cost depends on whether you choose natural or engineered parquet. Other factors that affect pricing are the type of wood, design, grade of quality, thickness and finish. Prices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. The Medallion parquet floor is a piece of art and requires a special effort. Therefore it is more expensive.
Tips for buying a parquet floor
1. Although soft wood can be used for parquet flooring, kitchen areas require hardwood such as oak, hickory, mahogany, maple, beech, teak or Brazilian cherry.
2. For a darker parquet floor, mahogany is suitable while oak can be used for lighter shades.
3. Always buy more boxes of wood parquet tiles than you currently need. These will be useful in the future for minor repair work that can be done without disturbing the entire floor.
4. Always buy first grade material. By doing this you will ensure that the wood is of a uniform color and does not contain knots. Some people prefer to buy lower grade material simply because they are closer to nature and they are also comparatively cheaper.
5. Buy the thickest parquet flooring material you can afford. This will bring solidity to your floor and prevent future incidences of warping.
6. Keep your kitchen’s color scheme and theme in mind while choosing the color and pattern of your parquet floor. A properly installed parquet floor will not only stand out but also blend well with the rest of your kitchen decor without looking too stark.
7. You can choose between unfinished and pre-finished parquet flooring. Unfinished floor, although cheap, needs to be finished at home with oil, stain or lacquer. A pre-finished parquet floor is finished in the factory and is more resistant to spills, scratches, moisture and the damaging effects of direct sunlight. It also carries a better warranty than an unfinished one.
8. For extra durability you can choose an engineered parquet floor. This is a special type of pre-finished floor that is reinforced by adding an extra layer of plywood under the actual parquet tiles. Engineered parquet floor is suitable for ground level kitchens where humidity is at a maximum.
Installation of parquet flooring
Parquet floor installation takes a lot of skill, patience and hard work. So it may not be a DIY project. It is best to hire an experienced and licensed hardwood contractor because a properly installed hardwood floor lasts longer and requires less maintenance and repairs.
You can have your parquet floor installed on both, concrete or wooden sub-floors after applying glue. Another type of parquet floor is floating. It is made of wooden tiles that lock into each other as the edges contain tongues and grooves. In this type of method, no adhesives are used and the floor rests on a rigid foam underlayment.
After installation, see that there are no large gaps in the surface, or else moisture can enter there and lead to warping.
Parquet floor maintenance
Always follow the guidelines provided by the manufacturer for the care and maintenance of your parquet floor.
For the best cleaning results, you can vacuum and mop your parquet floor with a damp mop. Do not use harsh liquid cleaners.
Place area rugs in those areas in the kitchen that are frequented the most – such as near the sink. By placing carpets in such places, you avoid regular wear and tear which is quite obvious after a few years.
Do not let spilled liquid settle on the parquet floor, but immediately wipe it off. This prevents the liquid from entering the gaps between the pieces of wood and causing them to bend.
Although parquet floors last a long time, they can show signs of wear over time. Sometimes some wooden tiles may need replacement. As with any hardwood floor, you can refinish your parquet floor and bring back the original shine.
How to get the best price on a parquet floor
BuildDirect seems to be one of the best places to buy parquet flooring from. Besides the best prices, their customer-friendly policies make shopping from them a pleasure.
