Parquet or board which is better? Parquet or parquet boards: what to choose? Advantages and disadvantages of block parquet floors

The flooring must meet many requirements: aesthetics, environmental friendliness, maintainability. In this case, the dilemma is which is better? parquet board or solid board is a common occurrence. Both materials are beautiful, durable and clean. The article gives an assessment by experts, on the basis of which you can make the final choice

The flooring must meet many requirements: aesthetics, environmental friendliness, maintainability. In this case, the dilemma - which is better, parquet boards or solid boards - is a common occurrence. Both materials are beautiful, durable and clean. Below is an assessment by experts, on the basis of which you can make your final choice.

Parquet features

Parquet class board is a multi-layer unit. All stabilizing and decorative layers are connected with glue. Front coating – varnish, oil, wax. Read more in the article “What is a parquet board”.

The advantages of the material are as follows:

• Strength. Thanks to the layers laid perpendicular to each other, linear expansion, pressure and climate change affect the parquet to a lesser extent.
• Affordable DIY styling methods. The boards may have tongue-and-groove joints. With them, a floating floor is created, which, if necessary, can be dismantled without damage.
• Beauty. Natural drawing noble breeds emphasized by a matte or glossy composition, emphasizing or shading natural colors. The artistic options are worthy of reception halls.

With proper care, parquet restoration occurs with minimal changes - it will last a long time in its original form.

Let's look at the disadvantages to decide what better array or parquet board:

• Parquet is environmentally friendly, since the layers are natural wood. But glue cannot meet this condition. In addition to this, it is also used assembly composition for adhesion to the floor. Therefore, it is important to always be aware of the chemical components of parquet boards.
• The service life of parquet below solid wood is 1.5 times.

Parquet remains at the peak of popularity among other noteworthy floor coverings. If you use raw materials wisely: choose the optimal installation option, ensure timely care, carry out preventive maintenance, the floor will delight you with its splendor for a long time.

Features of solid boards

The material is a solid piece of wood without delamination or inclusions of synthetic raw materials - in detail “What is a solid board”.

Advantages:

• Complete ecology.
• Strength. Due to the thickness, the service life of the board reaches up to 70 years. In addition, timely procedures - scraping, sanding - prolong the original appearance of the natural floor covering.
• Heat capacity. Solid wood floors do not require heating systems.

Flaws

Which is better: parquet board or solid wood?

To decide on the choice of flooring, it is important to consider the behavior of the boards under real-life conditions. Many factors matter: the material of the house’s construction, foot traffic, willingness to care for the floor in accordance with the rules, etc. Let's start:

Stability

The concept defines the original appearance of the coating over time. The massive board wins. It has great thickness and weight. Therefore, it will successfully withstand changing loads. Creaks and shifts in solid wood occur later; in parquet boards, the problem may begin immediately after installation if the work is carried out without proper control.

The appearance of parquet is maintained with special care.

Solid wood boards are undemanding when it comes to detergents, but similarly do not accept excess moisture. Over time, solid wood floors are painted. It is not recommended to do this with parquet - sanding, sanding and other manipulations are required.

It is not forbidden to install parquet in apartments, but for this it is important to choose the right room without aggressive environments. Parquet boards do not fit in children's rooms - there is constant activity and the risk of spilling or dropping something is high. Her prerogative is living rooms, halls, and offices. The array is unpretentious only if a certain breed is chosen. For example, larch is successfully placed in bathrooms and baths, where it is absolutely inert to moisture.

True, such varieties are high in cost. The rest of the wood suffers from longitudinal cracks; parquet does not have this feature.

The material the home is built will also affect your wood floors. Bricks and stones can create dampness inside, which is detrimental to wood. The hardwood will be the first to be hit; parquet is more stable. Both coatings require moisture control.

Maintainability

Due to the thickness, scrape the array, possibly 7-8 times. However, problems with solid floors appear more often due to the structure of the board - longitudinal cracks, large gaps. To replace the floorboard, you will have to open the nearby boards up to the wall, otherwise the looseness will not go away.

Over time, solid wood floors are painted, as cracks have to be puttied

Parquet requires careful handling; its thickness allows the sanding procedure to be carried out 3–5 times. Sand, heels, and animal claws can ruin the coating. Inlaid or artistic parquet floors are restored only by professionals. Easy installation will allow you to make repairs yourself without dismantling the entire coating, preserving appearance floor.

Price

Definitely, it is impossible to name the difference between a parquet board and a solid board based on price. The cost depends on many factors: the species and type of wood, installation method, number of boards, related materials– their acquisition is necessary. You need to take into account the price of the work - parquet boards, as well as solid wood, are difficult to lay correctly. It is important to focus on the quality of the material.

conclusions

So, what is the difference between a solid board and a parquet board? To many. What to prefer? In accordance with the goal and finances. Is an array definitely better? Only according to some of the described indicators. The primacy in practicality is given to solid wood, the leadership in aesthetics is occupied by parquet. You decide.

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Among the many floor coverings, the leading position is firmly held by coatings made from wood materials. Their range is now so wide that you can choose on the spot. correct option it can be difficult. The most famous and in demand are parquet and different kinds parquet boards and panels.

About popularity wooden floors This is evidenced by the wide and varied assortment of parquet, both in terms of wood species used and in design. The main advantages of wood flooring are the beauty and naturalness of the material. And, above all, this applies to parquet, which can be matched to any interior style. Along with “classic” oak, parquet is also produced from lighter wood species: birch, beech and pine. Currently, parquet made not only from coniferous and mixed forest trees, but also tropical ones (bamboo and mahogany) has become very popular.

The most common type of this flooring is piece parquet. This, in fact, is the original version of all types of inlaid parquet (inlaid boards and boards). It consists of rivets (hardwood planks), which in most cases are 22 mm thick. Each rivet can have grooves along its entire perimeter. Such rivets are connected without gaps to the insert slats. Another type of rivets is with grooves and tenons on opposite edges. Both are glued to the base with the entire surface. After installation, the parquet is sanded and coated with varnish, drying oil or wax.

Solid wood parquet is resistant to wear due to its relatively large thickness. When repairing, it can be easily sanded (scraped).

Panel and mosaic parquet are improved options piece parquet. These types are small shields or packages assembled from individual narrow planks. Both types are also made of solid wood. They are distinguished by high wear resistance. They are also glued to the base with the entire surface, and after installation they are covered with varnish or other protective agent.

This group also includes free-lying parquet, which is laid on a base without glue. If necessary, this coating can be easily disassembled.

You can lay parquet and various designs, which turns it into a real work of art. This coating is called artistic parquet. This styling allows you to combine various breeds wood (oak, maple, ash and others). This parquet is one of the most expensive types of flooring, as its installation involves lengthy manual work.

In principle, any parquet can be laid on any floor, but there are situations when one type of flooring or another should be used. For example, when installing underfloor heating, you need as thin a parquet as possible, which is less likely to interfere with the spread of heat in the room. Its thickness should not exceed 14 mm. In another case, thick parquet cannot be laid due to low door leaves, since otherwise the doors will cling to the floor.

Of course, parquet is considered an expensive pleasure, but it goes well with other floor coverings. Excellent mixed floor coverings are possible even within the same room. It is advisable to combine parquet flooring in the living room with carpet. Other combinations are possible, in particular, parquet - stone, parquet - ceramic tile and others.

Along with parquet, solid parquet boards are also widely used. Coverings made from such boards are similar in appearance to traditional ones. plank floors, which were laid from long, tightly knit boards, nailing them. Modern parquet boards are connected in a groove and tongue, and are attached to the base discreetly.

Solid parquet boards are made from both hardwood (oak, ash, maple, cherry and walnut) and soft coniferous wood (pine, spruce, fir and larch). Softwood boards are coated with glaze, wax, and can also be painted with stain. Already finished parquet boards are also available for sale.

Parquet and solid parquet boards are not cheap building material. But an alternative still exists - a three-layer, more affordable, parquet board. Its base is wood coniferous species. In their structure, such coatings resemble plywood and consist of several mutually perpendicular layers, and have a groove and a ridge along the perimeter. This design makes them resistant to changes in humidity and temperature.

When laying, three-layer parquet boards are glued only to each other. On the base (subfloor) they lie freely, so the floor covering consists, as it were, of separate “floating” panels. This is where the term “floating floors” came from.

With the help of parquet and parquet boards, you can create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort in your room, and the appearance of the floor may look different depending on the type of wood and the type of coating itself. For example, an elegant maple mosaic parquet floor looks completely different from a floor covered with parquet boards made from the same material, but both options are spectacular in their own way. In any case, the choice is yours and whatever decision you make, with the help of parquet or parquet boards you will give your home a sophisticated and noble look. Source

Laminated parquet or parquet board, how to decide in whose favor to make a choice, because wood is both here and there, and in fact the names are similar. What are the differences, are there any?

The most popular type of flooring, piece or stacked parquet, came to us from France in the seventeenth century. Yes, classic parquet is expensive, and not everyone could afford it, especially in the old days.

But what allows it to remain so in demand, despite the high cost and a considerable number of competitors?

First of all, durability, high-quality wood itself is a fairly durable material, and it can also be restored well.

It can be sanded and cycled and again your parquet looks like new.

The quality, and therefore the price, of parquet, first of all, depends on the type of wood from which it was made, more precisely on its hardness and linear expansion.

Although these indicators are relative, it is necessary to take into account changes in temperature and humidity in the room where this coating will lie.

As an indicator of quality in production, a special hardness scale is used, where the standard is the hardness of oak, it is equal to one.

The hardest wood olive tree, the softest among conifers. True, olive wood, despite its high hardness, is not suitable for parquet preparation, since it also has a high linear expansion rate, which in conditions high humidity may distort the floor pattern.

According to cutting technology, there are two types of parquet: radial (sawing along the radius) and tangential (in the longitudinal direction). Radial parquet more High Quality, strong, wood fibers run in one direction.

Tangential cutting is much more economical, which significantly reduces its price, but here, most likely, we will see wood pattern and knotiness.

Based on knotiness, varieties are distinguished as select or first grade (strict selection in one tone), natural or second (the planks match the tone, but differ in design due to the combination of two cutting technologies) and rustic or third grade (different tones, cuts, degrees knotiness - this is the most variegated variety).

In our region, oak and beech wood materials are more often used to make parquet. Parquet is also made from maple and ash, the material is more light colors. The parquet made from pear is very beautiful.

Parquet board is the closest relative of piece parquet. With its patterns and shades, and external characteristics in general, it is similar to its classic relative, but at the same time it has its own fundamental differences.

It’s like a construction set consisting of three layers: the top is plates made of valuable wood, the middle is coniferous wood, which provides shock-absorbing protection and reduces sensitivity to changes in humidity and temperature in the room, and the third bottom layer is veneer.

All parquet boards are produced and sanded in the factory, but the protective finishing coat can be done both at the factory and at home, depending on the wishes of the client.

They can be coated with varnish or oil, unlike stacked parquet, where the protective layer is only a varnish coating.

The dimensions of the parquet board are many times larger than block parquet, which makes its installation much easier; the installation process is also simplified by the presence of puzzles and ridges.

There are two installation methods: floating and gluing. The first one is simpler to implement, but less reliable, and it is almost impossible to subsequently update and polish such a floor.

I dare to hope that now it will be easier for you to choose parquet. Happy shopping!

From the video below you can find out why parquet boards are good compared to other types of flooring.

Despite the similar name, parquet and parquet boards, the difference between which is visible to the naked eye, have a number of significant differences. First of all, this is design features elements. Parquet board is a three-layer material, in which the fibers of each layer are located perpendicular to the previous one, and the front layer is made of more expensive wood. Parquet is often made in the form of a solid block of oak, maple, beech, ash, cherry, pear and other valuable wood. It is the design of the slats that influences their characteristics.

The thickness of block parquet tiles is about 7 mm, with a width of 3-8 cm and a length of up to 40 cm. Block parquet flooring is an expensive option with a long service life and unsurpassed aesthetic appeal. To make dies, valuable wood (ash, wenge, oak, maple and others) and their combinations are used to create multi-colored patterns and ornaments. The uniqueness of the coating lies in the fact that its appearance is formed by the individual natural shade and texture of each individual die.

One of the popular ways of laying block parquet is the herringbone pattern. With its help, you can visually increase the floor area and make the room more spacious.

Parquet has the following advantages:

1. Durability, thanks to the use of hard wood for its manufacture.
2. Aesthetic appearance that provides a unique natural pattern.
3. Simple repair of the coating without disassembling it.
4. An unlimited number of surface scraping processes to renew it.
5. Environmentally friendly.
6. Durability and resistance to mechanical stress.
7. Heat capacity – parquet flooring is always warm to the touch.
8. High soundproofing qualities.

Disadvantages: high price, complex installation and the need to maintain a special microclimate - the coating is not resistant to moisture and dry air.

Laying parquet - features of the technological process

Table 1. Laying block parquet: preparatory activities

Illustration	Description
	The leveled base is cleaned of dust and dirt.
	Using a primer, remove dust from the base surface.
	The plywood sheets are laid out.
	Plywood sheets are trimmed using a jigsaw.
	A special adhesive composition is applied to the base.
	Lay sheets of plywood.
	Drill holes, insert dowels and screws.
	Screw in the screws, recessing the head a few millimeters into the body of the plywood sheet. Using a vacuum cleaner, remove from the resulting plywood flooring construction dust and use a level to check the evenness of the resulting base. If there are irregularities, the base is sanded.

Table 2. Laying parquet

Illustration	Description
	Before laying the parquet, trimming is carried out required quantity dies.
	Mark the floor.
	Mark the first square.
	A two-component adhesive composition is applied to the plywood. It is recommended to mix the glue in small portions, since its pot life is no more than 1.5 hours.
	Liquid nails are applied to the ends of the dies.
	To ensure a tight fit of the dies, they are adjusted by tapping with a hammer through an auxiliary block.
	After laying the parquet, a technical break of 3 days is required so that the coating displaces all moisture from the glue. After 3 days, the coating is sanded using a drum machine, removing all differences that arose during the installation process. IN hard to reach places use a grinding machine.
	If parquet of three colors is used, then it is puttied with three shades of putty.
	After the putty has dried, use a three-disc sander.
	After this, the floor is completely puttied with a special putty mixture.
	Re-grind with a finer abrasive.
	The surface is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
	A special primer is applied using a spatula.
	Perform polishing.
	A day later, the parquet is coated with a two-component varnish. The wood will raise the pile, so before re-varnishing, the parquet must be sanded.
	When applying the final coat of varnish in the room, you must create a sterile atmosphere and wear clean clothes.

Prices for Tarkett parquet

Tarquette parquet

Parquet board and its features

This is a three-layer material, where the top layer, made solid wood, coated with varnish, oil or wax, plays a decorative role and shapes the appearance of the floor covering. The middle layer (waterproofing) is designed to protect the coating from moisture - it is made of resinous wood veneer. For the base – the third layer – spruce or pine plywood is used.

The length of a parquet board can reach 2.5 m with an average width of 15 cm, which makes it possible to produce quick installation. The joining of the lamellas occurs due to the presence of grooves and ridges at the ends of the slats. You can choose the shade of the parquet board yourself by treating it with stain, oil, wax or varnish, which will highlight the texture of the wood and make the natural shade more expressive.

Parquet boards have the following advantages:

1. Easy installation due to the presence of a tongue-and-groove system at the ends. After installation, the coating does not require sanding or additional processing.
2. Environmentally friendly due to the presence of natural wood fibers.
3. Easy to dismantle for repair work.
4. Resistant to changes in indoor microclimatic conditions.
5. Wide range of shades and textures.
6. Affordable price.

Disadvantages include:

1. Low resistance to mechanical influences.
2. Limited number of surface scraping cycles, since the finishing layer is 4 mm.
3. Low moisture resistance, which can be increased by special processing during the process of laying the coating.

How to choose a parquet board for an apartment? In order to make an informed decision, you should briefly familiarize yourself with the criteria for evaluating parquet boards, production technology and the influence of these factors on the characteristics. will help you with this!

Table 3. Process of laying parquet boards

Illustration	Description
	The parquet board, without opening the packaging, is left in the room where it will be laid for 48 hours at a temperature of 15-22 degrees and a humidity of 45-65%.
	If there is damage to the screed, jointing and sealing of cracks is carried out.
	The base is cleaned of contaminants.
	After opening the package, the parquet board is checked for defects.
	When laying the backing, its edge is placed on the wall.
	To lay the first row of lamellas, the locking part facing the wall is cut off using a jigsaw.
	To adjust the lamellas, use a special block, which is tapped with a hammer. A gap is left between the wall and the first row of boards by placing special wedges.
	If necessary, use a jigsaw to trim the planks.
	The lamella is placed with a tenon into the groove of the previously laid board, and then, pressing lightly, it snaps into place at the end.
	To lay the covering approx. front door, the box is sawed to the height of the board.
	The sawn fragment of the box is removed and the lamella is pushed in its place.
	To design the transition between coatings and rooms, a special threshold is used to match the coating.
	At the final stage, remove the wedges from the gaps along the walls and attach the baseboards.

Prices for Polarwood parquet boards

Parquet board Polarwood

Comparison of characteristics of parquet and parquet boards

There are a number of criteria that allow you to analyze the properties and characteristics of these two materials in order to come to a conclusion - which one is better.

Compound

A piece of block parquet is made from solid wood of valuable species, and in the multi-layer construction of a parquet board, valuable species of wood are used only for the manufacture of the front decorative layer. In addition, the parquet board includes other materials - solid wood can be replaced with HDF board, varnish and glue are present.

From this it can be seen that parquet, consisting exclusively of solid wood has maximum naturalness and environmental friendliness than multi-layer boards. But in fairness, it is worth noting that in the process of laying parquet, glue and varnish are also used, which automatically equalizes the naturalness of the materials.

Installation

The structure of the lamellas determines the specifics of their installation. The parquet board is equipped with a locking system, as a result of which the installation process can be compared to - the coating is mounted on the substrate “dry”. Some parquet blocks lock system do not have, others are equipped with a tongue-and-groove system, but in any case they are attached using an adhesive solution.

Initially, differences in installation begin with the preparation of the base - if the parquet board can be laid on a substrate laid directly on concrete base, then plywood flooring is installed to lay the parquet.

If we talk about the labor intensity of the process, even a person who does not have special construction skills can lay parquet boards. A board with a protective layer does not require additional processing. With parquet, things are more complicated. Its installation must be carried out by a person with specific skills and experience. In addition to fixing the dies, the coating requires repeated processing - scraping, sanding, primer and varnish. This will require professional expensive equipment.

Laying options

The materials also differ significantly in the installation method. Parquet blocks have small size, so there are a great variety of layout schemes. In addition, using dies different sizes and shade on the floor you can create a fancy pattern or ornament.

Artistic parquet, the details of which are cut to order, in accordance with the design sketch, belongs to the category of elite and very expensive floor coverings that amaze with their unique beauty. No other modern flooring material did not surpass such a coating in terms of decorativeness.

This feature of parquet - laying in accordance with various patterns, allows you to influence the visual geometric parameters premises - make it narrower or wider, more spacious or more compact.

With a parquet board, everything is simpler - you can lay it lengthwise, across or diagonally in a room - this is due to the size of the planks.

But unlike parquet, the board can be fixed to any surface - including the wall and ceiling. Now this is a fashionable trend in modern interiors.

Appearance

The design possibilities of parquet are not limited, but it cannot be said that parquet boards are not capable of surprising with their appearance. For example, parquet blocks are not equipped with a chamfer, which has become popular recently. For a parquet board, this element is important not only functionally - as the wood expands, the cracks that may appear become less noticeable. The chamfer can emphasize the individuality of the lamella design and its natural beauty.

The advantage of parquet boards, which makes it stand out among many floor coverings, is the variety of its textures, shades and visual effects of the coating. This feature allows you to bring the parquet board to the forefront, compared to parquet blocks, which, although they have a unique natural pattern, sometimes require additional processing to emphasize it.

In addition, oak or ash is more often used for the manufacture of parquet blocks, which significantly reduces their variability appearance. While for the manufacture of the front layer of parquet boards, not only valuable species wood, but also quite rare specimens.

Another nuance is that piece parquet goes on sale in the form of a blank, which is subsequently subject to processing after installation. Parquet boards come from the factory in finished form, and the buyer can imagine what the floor will be like in his home.

Maintainability

Both of these coatings have a long service life, but over time to varying degrees front surface loses its original appearance and requires updating. In this case, the coating is restored.

Advice! If the parquet board is damaged, it can be easily replaced with a new one. Therefore, after laying the floor, some slats should be left in reserve.

First of all, restoration means polishing the coating. Since piece parquet is securely attached to the base and is made of solid wood, it can be scraped as many times as you like. With parquet boards the situation is more complicated - its outer layer is thin, so the number of sanding cycles is possible from several times to one, depending on the manufacturer.

In addition, sanding parquet boards in some cases is impossible due to the unacceptably small thickness of the front layer and the installation method without adhesive.

Care

Compared to other floor coverings - laminate, tiles, linoleum, parquet and parquet boards are more difficult to maintain materials. This is mainly due to their instability to moisture. Therefore, special care is required to care for them. detergents. When washing the floor, it is not recommended to wet the cloth with water.

Before you start washing varnished parquet, you must remove abrasive contaminants from its surface using a vacuum cleaner, otherwise you can scratch the protective layer.

Video - Parquet care will tell you

What to choose?

Considering that the cost of piece parquet is several times higher than the cost of the board of the same name, and also because the installation is carried out by a hired worker, it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons before deciding to purchase this material, unique in its beauty, but difficult to maintain. for the floor.

The purchase of parquet is justified in the following cases:

1. If planned artistic styling a unique and one-of-a-kind coating with an individually designed pattern.
2. To emphasize the prestige and status of the premises.
3. When you want to purchase environmentally friendly and 100% natural material.
4. When is the goal to create flooring with the longest service life.
5. When there is a desire to be able to renew the coating, giving it the required shade using special compounds.

Parquet boards are chosen in the following cases:

1. If there is no goal and no opportunity to spend a large amount on installing flooring.
2. If you plan to do the work yourself.
3. If there is a need to manufacture a collapsible covering, which can be quickly dismantled or a separate fragment can be replaced.
4. If you want to get flooring from a rare type of wood.

Prices for Barlinek parquet boards

Parquet board Barlinek

Video - What are the differences between parquet and parquet boards

Regardless of what kind of renovation is planned - “money is not an issue”, “cheap, but decent”, the purchase of flooring must be approached equally seriously and thoughtfully. This is a difficult and responsible task, because the floor creates the perception of the interior. Plus, people look down more often than at the ceiling. Undoubtedly modern market offers many materials with different characteristics, color solutions. This article will discuss two popular floor coverings, namely, which is better – parquet boards or laminate.

The purpose of the room is an important issue

It is not easy to understand the existing variety of floor coverings, because when choosing laminate and parquet boards, you need to take into account not only functional indicators, but also the purpose of a particular room. So, which room is parquet board best suited for? Firstly, for a living room, study, library - it will fit perfectly into any interior, as it can be combined with many materials. Parquet boards look best in a room decorated with natural wood or surrounded by wooden furniture. Sometimes parquet boards are laid in a spacious hallway, but this material is afraid of moisture, and the hallway itself is a room with high traffic, that is, there is no way to do without wet cleaning. Therefore, laminate flooring is more often used in corridors and hallways.

As for the children's room, comfort is needed here - of course, soft carpet covering fits the best way, but laminate will also work. There is just one nuance - in play area it is imperative to lay down warm carpet, because children really love to frolic on the floor.

The bedroom is a special place in the house; for this room you should choose flooring with good heat and sound insulation properties: a cozy atmosphere is a priority parameter. Actually, best option– natural cork flooring. But because high cost not every person can afford such pleasure. For this reason, laminate will be an excellent alternative; it can be wet cleaned, it is wear-resistant, and in combination with furniture that is in harmony with it in texture and color, it will decorate a classic bedroom.

Important: if we're talking about O small room, it is better to use a parquet board that imitates piece parquet.

Naturally, parquet boards are more expensive, and if the interior, according to the plan, will not last a century, but will change for a change in a couple of years, laminate flooring will best option.

What is good about parquet boards?

Parquet boards are characterized by a rather complex structure; they consist of glued layers located perpendicular to each other. This method gives the board strength and resistance to change geometric dimensions. The top layer is a valuable, expensive type of wood, maximum thickness veneer – 0.5 mm, minimum – 6 mm. Most often, parquet boards with a top layer thickness of 4 mm are used. The middle layer (9 mm) is made from coniferous wood, and the bottom layer is 1.5 mm thick.

Based on the number of tiles, parquet boards are classified into:

• single lane– has the appearance of an ordinary solid wood board: it looks beautiful in large rooms. As for the cost, it is an order of magnitude higher, since wide strips of expensive wood are used in its production. Typically the width of such a board is 137 mm. Some manufacturers also produce single-strip boards with chamfers at the edges. It turns out that after laying, a groove is formed between the boards, it imitates seams and allows you to create the effect of a floor covering made of solid boards;
• two-strip board– two wide planks laid in continuous strips or divided into modules. The large width of the slats gives the room a solemn look, better suited for classic interiors;
• three-strip parquet board– the most common option, in demand among the population. The working layer consists of three parallel strips. Typically, the planks are divided into short sections (modules) rather than laid in continuous long strips. Three-strip board imitates a parquet "deck" pattern, suitable for decoration different rooms. Width – 190-208 mm;
• four-strip board made from wood waste. This board has stripes that are too narrow, so it looks colorful on the floor. This option looks good in a country house.

It is also necessary to say about structured (artificially “aged”, steamed, antique) parquet boards, which have recently become fashionable. How does this process happen? The principle is this: darkening or artificial defects are created in the decorative layer. First, a parquet board is assembled in a factory, then the core is selected from the top layer using a metal brush. As a result of such manipulations, the board becomes embossed, its structure is clearly defined. Then the parquet board is treated with colored oil and wax (black, white). Wax fills microcracks, emphasizes the natural pattern, and white and black veins appear on the surface. It is important to note that “aged” parquet boards are usually single-strip.

In addition to original beauty and a subtle sense of antiquity, these boards have an undeniable advantage– scratches and damage are less noticeable on them. Caring for such a floor covering is simple: 2-3 times a year it should be treated with special wax.

One more point: the parquet board can be varnished - sanded, calibrated in thickness, coated with waterproof matte, glossy varnish. Immediately after installation is completed, this floor is ready for use.

Board with oil coating– an oil-wax composition is applied to the parquet board at the factory, so the floor appears as natural as possible. It is protected from moisture and mechanical influences, and the wood texture is perfectly visible. The only negative is that the oil composition needs to be updated once a year.

Brief information about the type of wood will certainly be useful when considering the difference between laminate and parquet boards. Classics of the genre:

• oak – the heartwood has a pleasant color, yellowish-brown, dark brown. Durable material, which, even if damaged, can be easily restored;
• ash – elastic and durable, color yellow-white, black, dark brown. Often the kernel is different irregular shape, and this creates an interesting pattern;
• Cherry is a very beautiful parquet board with a soft pink tint. An undoubted advantage is the uniformity of texture;
• beech – strength similar to oak, reddish-yellow color. Under the influence of the sun, beech parquet boards slightly change color and brownish notes appear.

Exotic parquet board:

• Jatoba - grows in the valleys of the distant Amazon River, the wood is so strong that it is difficult to process. But the parquet board turns out amazing, white or lemon color;
• wenge - common in African countries. The wood is heavy, dark brown, this board is characterized by pressure resistance and moisture resistance;
• iroko – tropical tree, which is not afraid of climate change. The wood has a yellow-brown color and is not afraid of pests.

What's so special about laminate?

“Laminate” in translation means “multilayer coating”. Upper layer made from special polymers that preserve the decorative appearance long time. And the second layer is decorative; it is made in a printing house, and the pattern of the laminate can be very diverse, although it is often wood. Next comes the main layer, namely fiberboard, treated with hydrophobization. Then there is a layer of kraft paper, it protects the material by repelling water. The properties of the last layer significantly increase the service life of the laminate.

This flooring is divided into two types, if we talk about the degree of load: for residential or public premises - high, medium, light load category. If this is a bedroom, an office, the best option is laminate with mild degree loads; living room, children's room - from the middle; kitchen, hallway – high.

In public spaces, namely, in conference rooms, in meeting rooms - light load; classrooms, reception area, office – intermediate degree; cafes, gyms, bars, shops – high.

Each type of laminate is characterized by differences in the decorative layer. Below we will describe this parameter in more detail in order to delve deeper into the essence of the issue.

• The traditional surface structure resembles wood coated with silky varnish. Laminate has a flat, smooth, shiny surface.
• “Natural” surface – in principle, there are no special differences from the previous one, only its execution is of higher quality. Therefore, this laminate looks more like the real thing. wooden parquet, and the wood pores are located in strict accordance with the pattern.
• The "waxed" surface is very similar to natural wood, treated with wax. The pores seem to be filled with wax, the surface is smooth, even, and the shine is slightly noticeable.
• The glossy surface imitates wood coated with a shiny varnish. The top layer is similar to wood material, but there are no pores.
• Textured surface - irregularities reminiscent of wood fibers are specially provided here. This type laminate is similar to parquet because the pattern is made synchronously. A type of such coating with a textured surface is a relief laminate; its difference lies in the fact that the longitudinal irregularities are made symmetrically, but they do not repeat the pattern.
• “Oiled wood” resembles natural wood that has absorbed oil. The surface does not cause discomfort when viewed, it is not shiny, even, smooth.

Another interesting type of laminate is country - a large, smooth relief, imitation of hand-processed wood. This original covering looks cozy in dachas.

Laminate high pressure(composite) consists of several layers of films impregnated with a special resin. A specific protective layer is applied on top, which protects the coating from influence sun rays, mechanical impacts. Under protective films a decorating layer is placed, and underneath it is a base. The base has impact-resistant and fire-resistant properties. By pressing method at high temperature the layers are formed into a complete slab, and the thickness depends on the article.

Laminate low pressure consists of only one layer of durable film, one decorating layer, they are pressed with a base of hardboard or chipboard.

Arguments for and against - which is better?

Advantages of parquet boards:

• naturalness, environmental friendliness;
• the strength is in no way inferior to solid wood;
• due to the presence of veneer from natural wood, the parquet board looks like expensive wood;
• repeated sanding and varnishing are possible;
• installation without gaps;
• There are no special requirements for the base, because the thickness of the board is at least 14 mm.

Its disadvantages:

• necessary a large number of natural raw materials, which means deforestation is increasing;
• You can wash parquet boards only with special products;
• possible scratches;
• after a flood it cannot be restored - it swells, and after drying it becomes deformed;
• You need protection from the impact of furniture legs in the form of plastic plugs.

Advantages of laminate:

• forests suffer less - wood shavings are used in the production process;
• is moisture resistant;
• does not rot or be affected by fungi;
• successfully resists scratches and impacts;
• no scraping or varnishing required;
• ease of care - allowed wet cleaning, as well as cleaning products;
• a huge number of decors - traditional designs, all kinds of colors, imitation;
• UV resistance.

Disadvantages of laminate:

• if damage occurs, it is impossible to repair the scratch;
• coverage below class 31 needs additional protection from furniture legs.

From all of the above, it becomes clear that laminate and parquet boards are quite popular materials. Having rationally weighed all the arguments, you can choose the best option, for example, if naturalness is important, it is better to buy a parquet board, and if long term services without additional investments and at a low price - laminate.