When thinking about remodeling, today’s families are looking for smarter, less expensive ways to beautify their living spaces. When it comes to flooring, the options are endless and can be one of the most expensive and daunting decisions in remodeling. While there are many options to choose from, such as carpet, tile, and even concrete, parquet flooring is another option that is sometimes overlooked. It’s a durable product that’s not difficult to install and can last for decades, making it a reasonable and beautiful upgrade for any room in the house, from the kitchen to the basement. Parquet flooring can be installed over concrete as well as existing hardwood, laminate, or ceramic tile, making it an easy DIY project.
Parquet flooring dates back to 1684, when it replaced marble in Versailles, France. The marble floor used before this had to be constantly cleaned, and water would run onto the underlying floor supports, causing them to rot. Parquet, noted for its beauty and strength, was also easier to clean, so its use spread rapidly. Today, parquet flooring comes in solid parquet and parquet panels, using different types of wood, such as oak, pine, mahogany and walnut. Solid parquet is blocks of wood glued together in different patterns, the most recognizable being the herringbone pattern. It is typically 3/4″ to 5/8″ thick and is glued down, rather than nailed down, as was traditionally done with hardwood floors. Parquet panels are hardwood veneers glued to less expensive wood such as plywood. Veneer (also called wear layer) can be 1/4″ to 1/16″ thick and is installed with glue using the tongue and groove joints.
The cost of parquet flooring is just one of its attractive features. There is parquet for all pockets and needs. It ranges from $0.99 per square foot to more than $60.00 per square foot, depending on the type of parquet, whether solid or veneered, the woods chosen, and the thickness of the wood. Solid parquet is more expensive, but can be sanded and restored throughout the life of the floor, while sanding or restoring parquet panels can reduce the finish to the cheaper wood underneath. Great care must be taken to avoid ruining the floor. Medallions are also available, and while they are often quite expensive, they are beautiful works of art and there are no limits to the design. Cost typically ranges from $1,300 to $3,500, depending on the size and types of wood used. Medallions use some of the more exotic woods, greatly adding to their cost. Caring for parquet floors is easy and usually only requires a damp mop to keep them looking their best.
Parquet flooring warranties vary. Some of the solid wood parquets come with lifetime coverage, while the less expensive panels can last up to 25 years, depending on the thickness of the veneers.
Just for fun, one of the most famous parquet floors began its journey in 1946 as the floor of the original Boston Arena, home of the Celtics. In 1952 it was moved, completely intact, to the Boston Garden and was used there by the Celtics until 1995, when it made another trip to what was known as the Fleet Center, now known as TD Garden. The floor was in use until 1999, when it was cut down and partially sold as a souvenir, as Boston Garden was torn down in 1998. Today, the Celtics play on a truly special parquet floor inside TD Garden that combines some of the sections old of the original floor and the new one.
When choosing a new floor, parquet may be just what you need to finish off that remodel beautifully.
