Parquet flooring is one of the most artistic and stylish wooden flooring available. Its origin dates to the 17th century in France and can be found in castles even now. The beautiful patterns make it the perfect choice for formal settings and large rooms such as living rooms and dining rooms. But, What is Parquet Flooring?
Parquet flooring is formed by positioning narrow pieces of wood in a series of overlapping and repetitive patterns. Being made of hardwood, they resemble traditional hardwood flooring in appearance and performance.
Solid Wood Parquet Flooring
As the name indicates, solid wood parquet flooring is made from slats of hardwood. No matter the pattern you choose, every slat is painstakingly cut and positioned to form the parquet flooring.
Solid wood parquet flooring comes in an assortment of wood species from oak to walnut and even exotic hardwood. And hence you have various patterns, natural grains, colours, textures, and patterns to choose from.
If maintained properly, they are durable and hard-wearing. Being made of solid wood, they are meant to last for centuries and remain intact. They also have enough sandable depth due to their thickness.
Engineered Wood Parquet Flooring
Unlike solid wood parquet flooring, which a single block of wood, the engineering wood parquet flooring comprises of two layers. The top layer gives the look and appearance of wood flooring and is available in many colours, grains and wood species. The bottom layer is generally pine wood due to its porous nature.
The nature of engineered wood parquet flooring makes it impervious to humidity, moisture and temperature changes. Why is that? Wood being a natural material, expands and contracts as the temperature changes.
In a parquet flooring (say herringbone pattern), the wood is cut up and tightly squeezed into a pattern pushed against each other. When there is excessive expansion and contraction, they leave unsightly gaps and, worst, bowed or cupped.
Engineered wood parquet flooring is constructed so that it has a stable bottom layer made of pine wood which can absorb moisture without any significant change in volume. As a result, the top layer is protected from humidity and moisture to a large extent.
Which is Better: Solid or Engineered Wood Parquet Flooring Blocks?
To start with, solid and engineered wood parquet flooring have similar installation methods; They are both glued to the subfloor. Remember that the subfloor should be smooth and solid for proper adherence.
Even though the installation is similar, solid wood parquet flooring has to be sanded and varnished after installation. On the other hand, engineered wood parquet flooring is easier to install since they come pre-varnished and is only glued into place.
However, from a sanding perspective, solid wood flooring can be sanded and revarnished as needed and hence have a longer life span. On the other hand, for engineered wood parquet flooring blocks, the top layer measures between 4 - 6 mm and therefore cannot be sanded as many times, resulting in a comparably shorter life span.
Finally, solid wood parquet is not ideal for areas with high humidity and temperature changes like your kitchen and bathroom. Contrarily, engineered wood parquet flooring blocks can handle temperature changes, making them suitable for underfloor heating systems.
Conclusion
Solid and engineered wood parquet flooring blocks have pros and cons. However, the flooring choice depends on whether you require underfloor heating. Engineered wood parquet flooring is the best choice for underfloor heating systems. However, you can use solid wood parquet flooring if you do not require underfloor heating.
Additionally, engineered wood parquet flooring blocks may have a shorter lifespan but are easier to install. On the flip side, solid wood parquet flooring blocks must be sanded and varnished after installation.