Among all the variety of floor coverings, most buyers prefer safe and high-quality natural materials. The traditional choice that will never go out of fashion is parquet and parquet board. They have gained popularity and leading positions in sales in all countries of the world. These floor coverings have one thing in common – the material of manufacture. In other respects, they are not similar to each other. What is the difference between a parquet and a parquet board, let’s try to figure it out together.
Many people think that parquet board and parquet are different names for the same floor covering. Therefore, buyers often make the wrong choice, purchasing an unsuitable product for their home or public space. The only similarity between the coverings is that they are made of natural wood.
They are primarily united by their environmental friendliness and naturalness – the coatings are completely safe for the health of adults and children and do not emit toxic and harmful compounds. At the same time, the manufacturing process, appearance, functional and technical properties vary greatly.
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The main differences between parquet and parquet boards
The choice of flooring should be based on a set of criteria. Parquet and parquet boards differ in the following parameters:
- coating design;
- terms of Use;
- installation process;
- recovery options;
- pricing policy;
- service life.
To find out how parquet boards differ from parquet, you should understand the structure of the coating. The structure of the board consists of three layers:
- the bottom layer is represented by the base, which is made from budget coniferous wood species. The layer performs the important function of stabilizing the coating;
- the middle layer is the load-bearing one. It is made of pine or spruce planks, which are directed perpendicular to the other two layers;
- The top layer of noble wood is the most valuable. On average, the thickness of a parquet board is 14 mm. Of this, the thickness of the top layer is about 4 mm. Common species for the top layer of the board are oak, beech, ash, maple, and exotic trees. Parquet boards with a thickness of about 14 mm can be laid in private houses, apartments, offices, etc.
Unlike parquet boards, parquet is a solid material consisting entirely of expensive wood. Its thickness varies from 15 to 22 mm. Hardwood with minimal linear expansion is used as a material for parquet. Popular wood species include oak, beech, and ash. Among exotic trees, hardwood species are chosen that are resistant to wear and easy to process – merbau, teak, and mahogany.
What is the difference between parquet and parquet board: care
For a longer service life of the floor covering, it is necessary to comply with the operating conditions. Parquet and board require careful and gentle handling, the use of special detergents, and compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations for care.
Features of parquet care
Parquet flooring is sensitive to the microclimate in the room. In summer, it is necessary to regulate the level of air humidity, in winter – to maintain the optimum temperature in the room. Mostly, problems with the coating occur at the beginning or end of the heating season. At this point, the air humidity decreases and then increases sharply, which can cause cracks in the coating. Hygroscopic wood is extremely sensitive to unstable humidity.
Another difference between parquet and parquet board is that it is strictly forbidden to wet the former too much. For cleaning, it is necessary to use a slightly damp cloth and non-aggressive detergents. When wet too much, water penetrates the microscopic cracks of the parquet, which leads to its swelling.
Parquet board care: debunking myths
There are stereotypes that parquet boards are less durable due to their structure. But this is not true. High-quality flooring is not prone to hydrophobia. It will not swell to high humidity or soaking. This is due to the design features – the perpendicularly laid middle layer reliably holds the top layer, and does not allow the geometry to change when humidity changes. That is why it is often laid in bathrooms, together with underfloor heating.
Some skeptics are sure that parquet boards have too thin a top layer and therefore cannot be sanded and restored. If the coating is damaged, it can be easily restored. To do this, it is enough to sand and varnish the damaged plank and mask the scratches with a wax pencil or special markers for restoration. The coating can be restored locally as needed.
Installation: the difference between parquet and parquet boards
The difference between a parquet and a parquet board is also visible in the installation principle. However, it also has some similarities. Before installation, the room is acclimatized – boxes with flooring are brought in and opened for at least 2 days in the room where they will be installed. During installation, the room temperature should be in the range of 18-22 degrees, and humidity about 40-60%.
Installing parquet boards will not cause any difficulties. The flooring is mounted using a substrate (floating method) or by gluing it to the floor. The first method is economical and fast – in this case, the board is held on the floor by skirting boards. The second installation method involves gluing the boards to an old wooden floor, plywood, or concrete base.
A standard waterproofing film is quite enough for installation. The boards are equipped with special grooves for precise fastening of elements to each other. Modern manufacturers equip the boards with a click-type locking system – the planks easily snap together like a children’s construction set. Installation is fast and inexpensive. Even a non-professional can handle the installation of the board.
To lay the parquet correctly
the floor must be perfectly level. Otherwise, the parquet strips will not be installed properly. It is laid on a prepared floor. To do this, the surface is pre-leveled – plywood resistant to humidity changes is fixed to the cement screed with screws. Each parquet strip is fixed to the plywood with glue. The installation process is labor-intensive and troublesome.
Installation requires certain skills from the master, the ability to work with professional equipment. After installation, the parquet requires careful grinding and varnishing. Many masters separately process and rub the seams, which also affects the duration of the work. Without these procedures, the parquet will look faded and unsightly. While the parquet board is ready for installation immediately after purchase, it does not require surface treatment. The boards are easily fixed to each other due to the locking systems borrowed from laminated panels.
The difference between parquet and parquet boards – paying attention to the details
Particular attention should be paid to the final treatment of the flooring material. Another difference between a parquet and a parquet board is that the board already has a factory coating of varnish or oil. It protects the material from external influences, deformations, and rodents, and prevents dirt from penetrating the wood. As a rule, the factory application of the varnish layer is of higher quality and more durable.
Parquet is produced untreated and must be varnished. Even though the board already has a protective coating, experts recommend additionally treating the floor with chemical compounds that increase the resistance of the board to wear and tear. Oil impregnation is a new direction in the manufacture of parquet boards. Oil, made based on natural resins or beeswax, penetrates the pores of the board. This contributes to a clear manifestation of the texture of the wood, emphasizing its natural beauty.
Differences in price
Cost is one of the factors that the buyer pays the most attention to. When choosing a parquet, you should consider the type of wood from which the flooring is made. The more valuable and noble the wood, the higher the price. But at the same time, it is worth taking into account the totality of all costs – the costs of preparing the floor for laying, installing the plywood, sanding it for final leveling of the surface, installation, sanding, applying a primer, treating with two layers of varnish or oil, the cost of consumables (glue, primer, varnish, etc.).
Parquet boards are 2-3 times cheaper than standard parquet. This is due to the board’s design, which uses a small amount of valuable wood. As soon as a batch of flooring leaves the manufacturer’s conveyor, it is immediately ready for installation. It does not require preliminary treatment or careful floor leveling.
Performance characteristics
An important criterion for choosing a floor covering is its service life. The durability of the covering is largely determined by its ability to be restored. In case of damage, the parquet can be easily restored. External damage is eliminated by grinding and scraping. The prepared surface is covered with parquet varnish, oil, or wax. The restoration process takes a lot of time, and the work cannot be called clean. After the restoration procedure, the parquet will look like new.
The prevailing opinion that parquet boards wear out faster is wrong. The coating is also easy to restore – if necessary, valuable wood is removed from the top layer of the board locally and varnished. During the entire period of operation, the top layer of the board can be restored several times. This coating, for example, is often found in restaurants, where there is a high risk of damage to the coating by heels, tables, and chair legs. The service life of the board at home is approximately 50 years.
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Parquet and parquet board: summing up
From the above, we can conclude that both coatings have many advantages and cannot surpass each other in terms of the totality of characteristics. Natural wood coatings are always popular and will not lose their relevance over the years.
With parquet, you can create an original artistic layout and unique patterns on the floor. The covering will emphasize the status and respectability of the home.
Parquet board is a popular product due to its many advantages:
- competitive price;
- reliability of the design;
- wide selection of designs;
Laying does not require expensive installation, unlike parquet. An important advantage of the board, due to which the covering is chosen by thousands of buyers in the world, is the possibility of the absence of an additional base for fixing the floor. As a result, you will not hear creaks and extraneous noises from the covering.
The Parquet board is chosen by connoisseurs of rare exotic wood species and unusual textures. In the range of modern manufacturers, each buyer will be able to choose a product to their taste. The choice is presented as a laconic three-strip board, which has external similarities with laminate, and a single-strip board, which will create the illusion of a floor made of natural solid wood in its entirety. Parquet board is a 100% guarantee of environmental friendliness and safety. The coating will serve not only you but also your descendants.
