Solid and engineered parquet flooring

Solid parquet has the longest lifespan because it can be sanded several times, but it needs a very stable substrate and indoor climate. Engineered parquet, more stable thanks to its layered structure, suits more situations: floating installation, renovations with little height available, underfloor heating. Once laid, the two are often hard to tell apart by eye.

Yes, in most cases. For a floating floor, the tiles must be flat and stable, covered with a suitable underlay. For glued installation, they are cleaned, degreased and prepared as the adhesive manufacturer requires, and deep grout lines are filled with levelling compound if needed. The extra height under doors and at transitions with other rooms also has to be taken into account.

In a kitchen, yes, with a protective finish and careful upkeep near the sink. In a bathroom, it is possible with a product and species designed for it, good ventilation and neat flexible sealant around the edges, but never in the shower area. Where water splashes are frequent, wood-effect porcelain tiles remain the worry-free option.

Wood constantly exchanges moisture with the air. In winter, heating dries the indoor air and the boards shrink slightly: fine gaps appear, which often close again in the warmer months. This is normal behaviour for wood, and it can be limited by keeping indoor humidity moderate, with a humidifier if needed. Engineered parquet is less prone to it.

Both create a zigzag pattern. In herringbone (bâtons rompus), the boards are cut square and interlock in a staggered way, the end of one against the side of the next. In chevron (point de Hongrie), the ends are cut at an angle, often 45 degrees, and meet in a point along a continuous line. Both need precise setting out from the room’s axis and take longer than a straight layout.

Yes, if the manufacturer declares it suitable. Engineered parquet is generally preferred, glued or floating on an underlay with low thermal resistance, and sensitive species such as beech or maple are best avoided. The screed must have completed its first heating cycle and be dry, the heating is turned down during laying, and the surface temperature stays capped. A cooling floor system needs extra precautions.

It depends on the thickness of wood above the tongue. Solid parquet can be sanded several times over the years. Engineered parquet can be sanded according to the thickness of its wear layer: once or more with a thick layer, sometimes not at all with a very thin one. Oiled parquet can also be refreshed without sanding, simply by re-oiling.