How to choose
sonparquet floor
The process in a few steps
Determine your needs
Before you start looking for wood flooring, it's important to determine your needs in terms of durability, budget and style. Think about the area where you'll be installing the floor (wet or dry room), the intended use of the area (living room or bedroom), and your preferences in terms of color and finish. The size of the planks and their more or less rustic appearance (with or without knots) will greatly influence the price of your parquet.
Choose the type of wood
There are many species and types of wood available for solid and semi-solid wood flooring, each with its own characteristics in terms of durability, cost and appearance. Hardwoods such as oak, beech and walnut are the most durable and wear-resistant, while softwoods like Douglas fir are less expensive but less resistant.
Consider finish options
There are many finishing options available for solid and semi-massive wood floors, including varnishes, oils and waxes. Each of these products offers different advantages and disadvantages in terms of durability, gloss and ease of maintenance.
Check quality and origin
There are different qualities of wood, such as selections with a lot, a little, very little or no knots. This will greatly determine the price of the parquet. It's also important to check the origin of the wood to make sure you're buying a sustainable, environmentally-friendly product.
SOLID PARQUET
Solid parquet is made from a single piece of wood. It is therefore made from a single species, without gluing and totally natural. It is profiled with a tongue-and-groove system for even, neat installation. Solid parquet can be installed either glued down or nailed down on joists. Under no circumstances can solid parquet be laid as a floating floor.
Whether factory-finished or unfinished, solid parquet cannot be left untreated. To protect it throughout its life, it must be treated with oil or varnish. Today, it's possible to obtain a customized shade ranging from a rough (natural) wood look, to gray, black, light brown or dark brown. Some people even opt for yellow, red or green tones. Anything is possible.
The main advantage of solid parquet is that it can be renovated as it wears, or simply because you want to change its shade and/or type of treatment.
Benefits
- Extremely high durability
- Nail-down installation possible
- Robust appearance
Disadvantages
- High cost
- Sensitive to temperature and humidity variations
SEMI-MASSIVE PARQUET
Semi-massive parquet, also known as engineered parquet or multilayer parquet, is made up of three layers of wood, the last of which is the noble wood species. This varies from 2.5 to 6mm. Depending on its thickness, semi-massive parquet can be renovated several times. The bottom layer can be made of plywood or multiplex.
Like solid parquet, this is profiled with a tongue-and-groove system. Semi-solid parquet generally contains a small chamfer along the length of the board. The junction of two plank heads, on the other hand, is often straight and without chamfer.
One of the advantages of semi-massive parquet is its versatility.
In fact, thanks to its dimensional stability, it can be installed on screed with underfloor heating, either glued-down or floating.
Benefits
- Lower cost
- More stable than the massif
- Glue-down or floating installation
Inconvenient
- The semi-solid is... perfect!
LAMINATE/LAMINE FLOORING
Laminate flooring, or rather laminate flooring because it contains no wood, is made up of several layers of resin, the last of which is a decorated wear layer designed to make the flooring aesthetically pleasing and hard-wearing. Laminate technology makes it possible to offer a wide range of decors, with different finishes and wood species in equally varied shades.
There are several different qualities of laminate flooring. Depending on its overall thickness, which generally varies from 7 to 12 mm, and its wear layer, laminate flooring will be more or less resistant over time. Depending on the amount of traffic in the room where the laminate floor will be installed, its quality will need to be adapted to ensure sufficient resistance to wear and tear.
Laminate flooring is installed exclusively as a floating floor. One of its advantages is that it is easy to install and can be laid on any type of surface. This makes it easy to renovate a room without having to undertake major work. There are, however, a few precautions to be taken, such as leaving room for expansion and using a good underlay.
Benefits
- Affordable cost
- More water-resistant (some)
- Easy maintenance
Disadvantages
- Less noble than wood
- Look and feel
- Less environmentally friendly
PARQUET - VINYL
LVT is a flexible vinyl floor made from PVC, available in tiles or strips. It features an interlocking system and can be installed like floating or glued parquet. It reproduces realistic photographs of different materials such as wood, stone or slate, which are then embossed to achieve a feel similar to the original materials. A transparent wear layer is applied to the surface, and the resistance varies according to its category, from 0.15 mm for residential use to 0.55 mm - 0.70 mm for commercial use.
LVT is particularly well suited to renovation projects, thanks to its low thickness and the reduced reservations required. Unlike laminate flooring, LVT is silent when walked on, thanks to the natural cushioning effect of footsteps. However, its natural expansion can be a disadvantage during installation, so it's advisable to call in a professional such as La Parqueterie.
Benefits
- Affordable cost
- Water resistance
- Easy maintenance
Disadvantages
- Look and feel
- Less environmentally friendly
