The installation of parquet floors is a fun DIY project that will improve your home and it will make it look lovely and cosy. Parquet flooring are small pieces of wood arranged in intricate designs to give your bedroom a timeless and elegant appearance. Whether it’s a concrete slab or old-fashioned floorboards, this guide will help you know what to do in order to successfully install parquet floors. We’ll walk you through the entire process, from your initial surface preparation to installing tiles and finishing touches. Having a few minutes and the right tools to make your floors a showcase for decorating your home will transform your floors. Let's get started!
What Is Parquet Flooring?
A parquet is a type of floor made by utilizing beautiful geometric shapes to arrange wood floors. It came into existence quite long ago, in the 1700s, in France. They can be amazingly complicated and original, or simply simple squares. One of the most popular patterns is the herringbone, and also one of the easiest to draw. These floors are durable and don’t need much of an effort to keep them looking good. You can glue a board in place if it is ripped off and it will not disturb the rest of the floor.
Originally, parquet floors were created with blocks of wood. But these days, most people want engineered wood. The parquet design rests on a solid slab and has a wood finish. That is, it’s suitable for kitchens and bathrooms where it doesn’t experience problems with temperature and humidity fluctuations. So long as of course, you have a stylish, durable floor that’s really easy to keep clean then parquet might be your solution! It has that old-school feel, but it’s more up-to-date.
Step-by-Step Guide to Lay Parquet Flooring
So if you want a stylish, long-lasting floor that's easy to take care of and your interior looks illuminated and great then parquet could be the way to go! It's got that classic look with a modern twist. Here is a step-by-step guide to lay parquet flooring.
Step 1: Preparation
This is a big DIY task, so let’s close our eyes and get started. You’ll need to first pour a coating of self-levelling compound into the room to make sure that there’s a level subfloor over which the parquet can be laid. You don’t have to do this if you already have a nice, flat subfloor. You then need to prepare the subfloor so that the parquet can really adhere. Soak a little primer in water in a bucket, as directed, and smooth it all over the floor with a paint roller.
Step 2: Laying the Whole Woodblocks
Once you’ve primed your subfloor, it’s time to install the parquet. This is the best part, so listen carefully:
Draw a line across the floor - this is where the herringbone design will begin and grow.
Place parallel lines on either side of the centre line to mark the wood block corners.
Perform a "dry run" Lay out some blocks of wood in a herringbone style and see if it works. Take a square and verify the angles.
When you’re satisfied with the pattern, begin to nail down the wood blocks using wood glue and a trowel. Conveyors up and down the room.
This will be a long day, so rinse your tools between sessions. And make sure you don't spill any glue!
This part will take a few days, so make sure to clean your tools well between sessions. And be careful not to spill any adhesive!
Step 3: Edge Pieces
The blocks of wood at the room’s corners will need to be sanded to fit between the walls. Make measurements and marks with a ruler and pencil, then snip them out using a mitre saw. You can identify each item and its position on the floor, just in case you get confused.
Step 4: Filling and Sanding
You could still leave small gaps between the wood blocks if you're not very careful. No problem! You can fill those in with a wood filler. Just stir it with a little water and dab it into the gaps with a putty knife. Once the filler is dry, sand the entire floor down. Use a coarse 40-grit sandpaper to flatten everything out, and then clean with a fine 80-grit sander. This is a huge undertaking, so plan accordingly and bring along a mask so that dust does not overwhelm you!
Step 5: Finishing Touches
This is the last step applying a protective finish to the parquet. You can use Osmo Polyx-Oil which makes the surface solidify and brings out the wonderful wood colours. It’s simple to just brush it along the grain of the wood, let it air dry, and put a second coat on.
And voila! ...your gorgeous new parquet floor is now open. It was worth all that effort, wasn’t it?
Can I Lay Parquet Flooring Myself?
You bet you can! Laying parquet flooring isn't the easiest DIY project, but it's definitely doable if you're willing to put in the time and effort. See, parquet floors are a bit more complicated to install than regular old floorboards. That's why professionals can charge a lot of money to do it. But if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, and you know all the material you need for your DIY project then you can save yourself a bundle by tackling it yourself. It'll take a few days of work, but the end result is going to be just as gorgeous as if you hired someone else to do it. You'll have that beautiful, intricate parquet pattern that you can be really proud of, knowing you put it all together yourself.
Sure, it's not the quickest or most beginner-friendly DIY project out there. But if you take your time, follow the steps carefully, and don't mind a little elbow grease, you can absolutely pull off an amazing parquet floor all on your own. Just be prepared to put in the effort, it's a labour of love, but the payoff is totally worth it! However, if you are not sure, get help from professionals. If you’re thinking about installing parquet flooring or planning a complete home renovation, look no further than Adam Painters and Decorators. We excel in both interior and exterior painting, ensuring every project whether it's a cosy living room or a bustling commercial office is handled with the utmost precision.
Not only that, we also specialise in plastering and home renovations, from small repairs to entire apartment renovations, including bathroom renovations. What really distinguishes Adam Painters and Decorators is our sharp eye for detail. We don’t just end after work, we clean up and put the finishing touches on your room. We have more than 20,000 completed projects, and our team is professionally equipped and regularly checked by satisfied customers for quality and customer satisfaction. When you pick Adam Painters and Decorators, you aren’t simply hiring a company, you are engaging a team dedicated to executing your design. So get your estimate now.
FAQs:
Q. What is the best way to lay parquet flooring?
Two distinct methods of laying parquet floors exist. Two types of flooring available are fixed floor and floating floor. A fixed parquet floor is a type in which each piece of it is fixed securely to the subfloor. Other possibilities include floating parquet floors in which the wood is interlocking without securing it to the subfloor. The fixed floor is somewhat more secure whereas the floating floor is usually less challenging to install. But both techniques, when done properly, will produce a beautiful, durable parquet floor.
Q. Is parquet flooring difficult to lay on a DIY basis?
Laying parquet flooring is definitely not your quickest DIY project. It requires a considerable amount of time, effort and care. But can an ambitious DIY-er like me get close? Absolutely. That being said, if you have less time or don’t want to go through the effort, a professional flooring contractor is probably the best option. They’ll know how to make it work right. You might even consider laying it yourself, then bringing in the pros to sand and finish. And you have both - the benefit of doing something yourself, and the professional outcome.
Q. What is the best way to stick down parquet flooring?
For an unfinished parquet floor, you'll want to choose a high-quality wood glue that's compatible with the wood you're using. These adhesives do smell quite strongly, so leave the windows open while working.
Q. Can you create a herringbone floor with laminate?
Wood and laminate are both options when it comes to parquet. Laminate is generally less expensive and considered the best choice for kitchens. But when it comes to traffic-heavy rooms such as hallways or living rooms, there’s really nothing like the texture and character of real wood. So, whether it’s wood or laminate, you can certainly create that herringbone effect. It all just depends on your style, your budget, and what space you’re working with.