Parquet Flooring Costs

You've probably heard the word parquet being thrown about a lot when researching wooden flooring and sometimes it's proper meaning can get lost in translation. The word Parquet comes from a very old French word parchet, meaning a small enclosure or compartment and was first seen being used as far back as the 1600's. It's a floor design in which very small wooden blocks or shapes are tightly packed together in a geometric pattern which, upon completion, look truly amazing.

So, your heart is set on the wonderful patterns of parquet flooring for your home but you're confused on the type of floor to go for and what the costs involved will be. There are three main choices:

• Engineered Wood
• Luxury Vinyl Tile
• Laminate

Below we'll break down each one highlighting the pros and cons for each so sit back, grab a coffee and learn all there is to know about the beautiful parquet flooring.

This is considered as the most traditional approach to achieving a parquet floor. An engineered floor is made up of several layers. The main construction is the core which is made up of several layers of plywood, giving the product great strength and stability whilst providing the majority of the overall thickness of each plank. The top, also known as the veneer, is usually between 4mm and 6mm and is the part that you see, feel and walk on. Species, grade of the grain, colour and width are all factors you'll need to keep in mind when finding the right colour for you.

 Gives you the most authentic look

 You can choose from a vast array of finishes, colours and laying patterns to create a bespoke look

 It'll be the most expensive route to go down.

 Not typically considered a DIY product and will require professional installation.

Laminate choices are forever growing. We have seen over the last 6-12 months a rise in manufacturers creating a parquet floor so now is a great time to jump on this trend. Laminate is made up of three main layers: HDF and MDF, which are the backbone to the product and provide it with rigid strength, followed by decorative printed paper covered by the top surface which protects the design from scratches and dents.

 Considered a DIY product.

 Likely to be the most cost-effective way to achieving a parquet floor.

 Going to give you the least authentic look.

 Would be harder to maintain in the long run.

If you're planning on staying at your property for many years or are interested in a product that gives you 15, 20, 25 or lifetime warranties then Luxury Vinyl Tile is what you need. Luxury Vinyl Tile is extremely robust and is perfect for busy family households with kids and pets. It's waterproof too so you can have peace of mind if an accident was to occur. Luxury Vinyl Tile is predominantly made up of a vinyl backing and core. It then has a print film layer which ultimately gives you the chosen look and design of the product which is then topped off by the wear layer. Like laminate, this is the topcoat that protects it from scratches and dents. Wear layers vary from between 0.3mm up to 1mm which sounds tiny but don't be fooled, a 0.55mm wear layer will typically give you a 15-year warranty and a 1mm will provide a lifetime!

 Authentic designs with plenty to choose from.

 The hardest-wearing and most versatile option for busy households.

 Requires professional subfloor preparation working with very small tolerances.

 Can be expensive, considering it's not the real thing.

The cost for installing parquet floor depends on the product type you have chosen and the subfloor condition. An 'on the floor' guide which includes the flooring, preparation sundries and fitting costs are:

• Engineered Wood: £75.00 - £100 per square metre
• Luxury Vinyl Tile: £55 - £100 per square metre
• Laminate: £20 - £35 per square metre

Of course, these are not accurate for every single job as each one is completely different, however, this will be enough to build a budget around.

Depending on the experience of the installer you'd be looking at £5 - £10 per square metre for lamiante. £10 - £20 per square metre for engineered wood and luxury vinyl tile. The fitting time will always vary depending on the size of the room and subfloor condition. An average-sized dining room with a good subfloor would take a day to install with laminate and up to two days in both engineered wood or LVT.

There are so many choices when it comes to the world of parquet floors - we believe there is a product out there that is suitable for any type of installation and home-style so we're to give you our recommended manufacturers and ranges to look out for when considering a parquet floor for your next project.

Engineered Wood

Our go-to manufacturer for all things parquet when it comes to engineered wood products is Lamett Wood Flooring. Since their inception in 2005, Lamett's rise has been exponential and from strength to strength. Their company strapline of "Close to Nature" and "Passion for Floors!" says a great deal about the style and commitment to the flooring they produce.

Shop Lamett

Hopefully, you've now got an idea of the type of flooring you're after and some product recommendations to take a look at. The most important step now is to measure up and get an understanding of the size of the project.

Regarding any subfloor-related work, we would recommend a site visit by an independent installer who, during their visit, will be able to have access to the subfloor to get a feel for what work is needed to correct the base before laying any material.