How to lay parquet flooring

Parquet wooden flooring is a staple of luxury interior design around the world. Its unique pattern gives it a timeless appeal and improved durability, but given the intricacy involved, it can take a long time to install. Despite the difficulty, it’s worth it for the signature look of a parquet floor in your home.

If you’re wondering where to start with adding this iconic style of wood to your home, our guide to laying parquet flooring will help you through the whole process step by step. Read on to become a parquet flooring pro.

What is parquet flooring?

Parquet floors are a type of wooden flooring that arranges planks in unique shapes to create a geometric, mosaic-like pattern. They’re typically made of either solid wood or engineered wood, which are more resistant to the effects of moisture and temperature changes than other wooden flooring options.

While parquet floors are primarily an aesthetic choice, the durability of the materials used makes them perfect for anyone looking for flooring that can withstand plenty of wear-and-tear.  

What do I need to lay parquet flooring?

Before you start to install your parquet flooring, you’ll need to ensure you have all the necessary tools at your disposal. Here’s a checklist of the essentials:

• Wood planks/blocks
• Pencil/chalk
• Underlay
• Set square
• Trowel
• Adhesive
• Mitre saw/jigsaw
• Protective finish (wood stain, lacquer, etc.)
• Wide paintbrush
• Levelling compound (for subfloor)
• Protective clothing (dust mask, goggles, gloves, etc.)

How to prepare parquet flooring for installation

To get your parquet flooring ready for fitting, you should first allow your materials to acclimatise to the room you’ll be laying them in. Leave your planks out of their packaging in the room for 24 to 48 hours prior to starting, as this will let your wood expand or contract based on the conditions of your room.

You should also make sure your subfloor is in a good condition for installing new flooring. This means you should clear any debris, remove any dirt, and fill any gaps that could lead to a bumpy surface. Your subfloor needs to be clean, level, and even to avoid a future damage to your parquet floors. You can use a self-levelling compound to ensure you have a flat subfloor.

How to install parquet flooring

Once you’ve prepared your wood for fitting and ensured your subfloor is in the best condition possible, it’s time to start fitting your parquet flooring. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the installation process:

1. Measure the width of your room and mark a straight line along its middle point using chalk or a pencil. This is the ‘centre line’ that your installation will start from.
2. Begin laying your planks in your chosen pattern across the centre line. It might help to use more glue than you think is necessary to make sure your planks are especially secure.
3. Continue laying your planks in your chosen pattern along the line until you reach the walls of the room. Remember to leave an expansion gap for your wood once you get towards the edges of your room.
4. Once you reach the final pieces that need to be fitted, measure the remaining space that needs to be filled and mark a line for trimming on your last remaining planks using a pencil. Then, use a saw to cut a straight, smooth line across the mark and lay it in place
5. Continue this process in either direction across the rest of your room until you’ve fully covered your subfloor with tightly secured wooden planks in your chosen pattern. If you’re laying herringbone flooring, make sure to stagger your planks across the rest of your space.
6. Once your floors are laid, use a large paintbrush to apply your protective finish. Give your parquet flooring an even coating and leave it to dry before use.

You should now know how to fit parquet flooring in your home, but don’t hesitate to get in contact with a professional if you’re struggling to install your floors. If you’re looking for recommendations when adding wooden floors to your home, you can read our guide to the best engineered wood flooring on the market, or read our engineered wood flooring guide to learn more about what makes it so popular.

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