Parquet or floorboard: what to choose?

Many when choosing quality floor coverings wonder whether to use parquet or floorboard. These are the highest quality and widespread coatings that have gained popularity around the world. Each of them has its own important advantages and some disadvantages.

Before proceeding to the choice of a specific floor covering, it is necessary to decide on some criteria. So, you should objectively assess the financial situation: one coverage will be more expensive than the other. It is also important to take into account the functional purpose of the room in which it is planned to put parquet, because the conditions that will contain the flooring, as well as the load on the floor, depend on it. Two different coating options maintain absolutely different loading.

Parquet has a thickness of approximately 7 mm. Each parquet plank width can be from 3 to 8 cm, and in length - up to 40 cm. Piece parquet is one of the most expensive options, which, nevertheless, will last for many years. The coating is made from valuable species of wood, for example, oak, wenge, ash, maple and others, and these trees often combine with each other. Thus, you can create interesting and unusual compositions and lay out the piece parquet in the form of a beautiful pattern.

Popular is Herringbone parquet layingwhich looks extremely stylish. Such a pattern on the floor allows you to visually make the room wider. Small slats are often used in both spacious and small spaces. They look more neat and expand the space.

Parquet is a universal floor covering that can be put in any room. Small lamellae are not deformed and withstand a large load. However, such a coating can serve for decades only in rooms with a low level of humidity.Piece parquet has a lot of advantages, for example, durability. Manufacturers do not limit the lifespan under the necessary conditions.

The parquet has a uniform surface and a natural wood pattern, which is unique, therefore each plank is not similar to the other. This floor looks presentable and elegant. It looks like a natural wooden array. Parquet flooring is an environmentally friendly material. An important advantage is that restoration can be carried out in case some lamellae have been damaged. But this coating has several disadvantages:

• Under the parquet, you need to lay the substrate on the subfloor, and this auxiliary layer should be very smooth and even so that the lamellae do not deform and lay down well.
• Finishing is also important because not all varnishes and other similar coatings can provide proper color reproduction in such a way that the natural wood shade does not change.
• It is difficult to care for piece parquet, boards are subject to rotting in wet conditions. However, it is widely distributed due to its elegant appearance and durability.

Engineering board, many masters and experts also belong to the flooring. This variant of the coating is a product that is similar in structure to the parquet itself and to the floorboard. It also consists of several layers, but it contains wood products: the basis is plywood, the top layer is made of veneer. In this case, the material is well compressed, small constituent elements fit perpendicular to each other. It is because of this manufacturing technology engineering board is more durable and solid.

It contains various silicone additives and adhesives. Manufacturers indicate that these substances are not harmful to humans, since during the operation they do not emit toxins. Installation does not require installation of additional flooring on the subfloor, because, thanks to the dense plywood base, it can be easily laid. Thus, installation is quite simple when compared with the installation of block parquet. The engineering board is equipped with locking joints, it is thicker: its upper layer is about 8 mm thick. It is coated with varnish and scraping.

A big advantage compared to the two previous versions is the low cost of an engineering board, which is caused by the use of low-grade tree species. For laying used adhesive base, so installation will cost more. In addition, a significant drawback is the impossibility of reconstruction and dismantling in the event that any area deteriorates. Although the engineering board is quite durable, in terms of its durability it is inferior to both parquet and parquet.

This material consists of several layers, the uppermost of which is decorative. It is made of solid wood and determines the appearance of the floor. The middle layer is a resin wood veneer. It protects the floor from moisture and makes the coating more durable. At the bottom of the floorboard - the base of plywood. Spruce or pine wood is often used to make it.The top layer is usually made with a thickness of not more than 6 mm, and in general, the thickness of the floorboard can reach even 20 mm.

The length of the parquet lamella can be up to 2.5 meters. The average width of the boards is 15 cm. Thus, the flooring is very easy to install, because it is relatively large in size. Dock lamella is a snap. In addition, many models have beautiful natural patterns. Parquet boards are impregnated with oil and wax. In addition, the varnishing of boards is popular: So you can emphasize wood texture and make the natural shade more intense.

The parquet board has a number of advantages in comparison with a piece parquet. It is more budget-priced, but it can also last for several decades. When laying in this case is not required to carefully prepare the floor. Installation of wood flooring is quite simple, so that even a person who does not have skills in this area can cope with it. The installation itself takes much less time. It is easier to take care of such a board, moreover, it is more resistant to external influences and not so sensitive to high humidity. The material has the properties of heat and sound insulation, according to these characteristics, it exceeds the piece parquet.

But this floor covering option has several disadvantages.So, if a large amount of liquid is spilled on the floorboard, you will have to replace the entire floor covering entirely, because the restoration is impossible. In addition, it is presented in simpler colors and textures than a piece analog. When laying the board It does not work out to put an interesting pattern because of its size.

The size of the slats is one of the main criteria by which parquet and parquet are distinguished. Small slats are more typical for parquet, and wide strips - for parquet. Another important difference is the composition of finishing materials. So, the parquet board is a multilayered covering which is thicker and stronger, the piece parquet is much thinner.

The difference lies in the possibility of restoration: Parquet is much easier to restore, wipe and cover with a layer of varnish, to extend its life. The working layer of the floorboard is thinner, so the restoration will be difficult.It can be cleaned from above, but this procedure is not recommended to be carried out more than once, the parquet can be restored more than once.

Another important difference is the finishing coating of these finishing materials. The parquet board is coated with varnish or oil during the production process and is already sold. Parquet floor varnished after layingtherefore, it is impossible to evaluate its appearance under the lacquer layer. Differ options and price. The slats of parquet are more expensive than the floorboard, because they contain more wood and they are of higher quality. The composition of the floorboard also includes low-quality wood species, which form its basis.

When creating a parquet board, manufacturers use combinations of different arrays, and piece parquet strips are made from only one tree species. Laying methods are also very different: first, parquet is looped, then polished and varnished, and the floorboard is laid in finished form. It does not need to be closed, and taking care of it is very simple. The parquet board has special locking connections, so the installation will not be a hassle.In addition, it differs in that it can be easily dismantled if necessary.

Package and flooring, of course, have common features. Both versions of the coating consist of natural wood, in their manufacture using durable wood species. They may have a number of similarities in appearance: natural wood pattern, texture, shade. In addition, both materials are warm and pleasant to the touch. You can walk barefoot on them without discomfort. Both parquet and parquet are completely natural and eco-friendly, they do not emit substances harmful to human health, but, on the contrary, are the safest of all floor coverings.

About the difference between parquet and parquet, see the following video.