Choosing well
Its parquet
The process in a few steps
Determine your needs
Before you start looking for wood flooring, it's important to determine your sustainability, budget, and style needs. Consider the area where you will install the hardwood flooring (wet room or not), 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 for the manufacture of solid or semi-massive wooden floors; each species has its own characteristics in terms of durability, cost and appearance. Hardwoods such as oak, beech, and walnut are the most durable and the most wear-resistant, while soft woods such as Douglas fir are cheaper but less durable.
Consider the finishing options
There are numerous finish options available for solid and semi-solid wood floors, including varnishes, oils, and waxes. Each of these products offers different pros and cons in terms of durability, shine, and ease of maintenance.
Check the quality and origin
There are different qualities of wood such as selections with a lot, a few or very few or no knots at all. This will greatly determine the price of parquet. It is also important to check where the wood comes from to ensure that you are buying a sustainable and ecological product.
SOLID PARQUET
Solid parquet is made from a single piece of wood. It is therefore composed of the same essence, without gluing and completely natural. It is profiled with a tongue and groove system allowing a regular and careful installation. Solid parquet can be installed in glued installation or in nailed installation on gite/chevrons. Under no circumstances can solid parquet be installed floating.
Whether finished from the factory or laid raw, solid parquet cannot be left untreated. In order to protect it throughout its life, it must be treated with oil or varnish. Today, it is possible to obtain a personalized color ranging from a raw wood look (natural), gray, black to light brown or dark brown. Some people will even want to go for shades of yellow, red, or green. Anything is possible.
Solid parquet has the advantage of being able to be renovated according to the wear and tear of the parquet or simply because you want to change its color and or type of treatment.
Benefits
- Very high durability
- Nailed installation possible
- Sturdy appearance
Disadvantages
- High cost
- Sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity
SEMI-SOLID PARQUET
Semi-solid parquet, also called laminated or multilayer, is a parquet composed of three thicknesses of wood, the last of which is the essence of noble wood. This varies between 2.5 and 6 mm. Depending on its thickness, semi-solid parquet can be renovated several times. The bottom layer may be plywood or multiplex.
Just like solid parquet, this one is profiled with a tongue and groove system. Semi-solid parquet generally contains a small chamfer along the board. As for the junction of two board heads, it is often straight and without chamfers.
One of the advantages of semi-solid parquet is its versatility.
Indeed, thanks to dimensional stability, it can be installed on a screed with underfloor heating both in glued installation and in floating installation.
Benefits
- Lower cost
- More stable than the massive
- Glued installation or floating installation
Inconvenient
- The semi-massive is... perfect!
LAMINATE/LAMINATED PARQUET
Laminate parquet, or rather called laminate flooring because it does not contain wood, is composed of several layers of resin, the last visible of which is a decorated wear layer, intended to make the coating aesthetic and resistant. The laminate technique makes it possible to offer a wide range of decorations with different finishes and essences in colors that are just as varied.
There are several qualities of laminate floors. In fact, 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 passage in the room where the laminate floor will be installed, its quality will have to be adapted in order to have sufficient resistance to wear and tear.
Laminate flooring can only be installed floating. One of its advantages is that it is easy to install and can be placed on any type of support. It is therefore easy to renovate a room without having to start major work. However, there are some precautions to take, such as leaving the gap so that it can expand and use a good underlay.
Benefits
- Affordable cost
- More water resistant (some)
- Ease of maintenance
Disadvantages
- Less noble than wood
- Appearance and feel
- Less ecological
THE PARQUET - VINYL
LVT is a flexible vinyl floor made from PVC, which comes in the form of tiles or planks. It has 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 obtain a feel similar to the original materials. A transparent wear layer is applied to the surface, and the resistance varies by category, from 0.15 mm for residential use to 0.55 mm - 0.70 mm for commercial use.
LVT is particularly suitable for renovation projects because of its thin thickness and the reduced reservations required. Unlike laminate flooring, LVT is quiet when stepped on, thanks to the natural damping of the pitch. However, its natural expansion can be an inconvenience during installation, so it is recommended to use a professional such as La Parqueterie.
Benefits
- Affordable cost
- Water resistance
- Ease of maintenance
Disadvantages
- Appearance and feel
- Less ecological
