Parquetry

Parquetry is a term used to describe a mosaic of wood used for ornamental flooring. (Fr. parqueterie, from parquet.)

Woods contrasting in color and grain, such as cherry, oak, walnut, pine, & maple etc. are used; and in more expensive parquetry the richly colored tropical hardwoods may be employed. Patterns of parquet flooring are entirely geometrical and angular (consisting of squares, triangles, rectangle shapes), irregular and curved forms being avoided on account of the expense and difficulty of fitting.

There are 3 main classes of parquetry in use: solid parquet, laminates, and veneers.

Solid parquet is solid wood, the standard thickness of each board is 2 cm or more, which insures the floor can be heavily sanded many times over its lifetime.

Laminate is the most inexpensive form, made by applying a faux-wood image to a cheap material such as particle board and a clear protective layer applied on top, laminates are prone to chipping and cannot be repaired.

Veneers are a layer of solid wood, (the 'wear') normally 5 mm thick- attached to a base of cheaper wood or plywood, this enables a floor to be sanded and finished using common techniques. It can be repaired by light resanding.

Boards usually fit together with a tongue and groove system, thus having the pattern alike on both sides.

Wooden floors may be installed in a number of configurations. In a floating floor configuration, a layer of underlay is placed on top of the existing floor (for heat and noise insulation), the boards are then placed on top, locking together using the tongues and grooves, the weight of the floor will hold it in place. Over time as the wood reacts to moisture, cracks may appear more often with this installation compared to permanently fixing the floor to the sub-floor.

To attach the floor more securely boards can be either fixed using nails (driven through the tongue at an angle of about 35 degrees), or attached using a water based or solvent glue if the sub-floor is unsuitable for nails, such as concrete.

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