How to Choose Parquet for Home: Step-by-Step Guide

Parquet made of solid and natural wood has no rivals in the market of finishing materials, but the variety of types makes choosing a challenge. Actually, it's not that hard to determine which parquet suits you best: we've created a simple 5-step guide.

1. Choose the Material

Most parquet is made from hard and durable hardwoods. Oak parquet has a well-defined texture, and its shades range from brown-green to black. A more budget-friendly option is birch parquet with a yellow-brown color and dark veins, or maple with a creamy-white tone.

In recent years, parquet made from exotic wood species such as bamboo, mahogany, and teak has appeared on the market. These types are more resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations. Additionally, bamboo parquet is considered the most eco-friendly finishing material: bamboo stalks grow so rapidly that they don't have time to absorb pollutants from soil and air.

2. Decide on the Texture

Besides wood, the type of parquet also affects its cost. The cheapest finishing material is parquet boards that are ready to install, consisting of three layers made from different wood types. More expensive options like solid boards and individual planks are made of solid wood but require special installation skills.

Patterned parquet allows for creating designs on the floor. Besides the classic “fir tree” pattern, you can lay parquet with edging or experiment with different wood tones to form a “zebra” pattern. Additionally, splintered edges and irregular surface structures are no longer seen as drawbacks; even when laid side by side, such boards look expressive and colorful.

3. Find Your Color

The color choice of parquet depends on the room’s style. Light pine or maple parquet blends well with Scandinavian or minimalist interiors. Gray parquet boards look expressive in yellow or beige tones. Parquet in yellow or brown shades are easiest to incorporate into any interior: these tones pair well with any other colors. Don't be afraid to experiment with dark lacquered parquet: deep dark tones can create a graphic and elegant interior. Just don't forget to complement it with light elements — contrast plays can make the space appear more voluminous. Another successful approach is to match the parquet color with countertops or vertical surfaces of furniture: this makes the interior look more cohesive and harmonious.

4. Apply the Finish

To make your parquet last for many years, you need to coat it with oil or lacquer. Oil allows you to feel the texture and warmth of wood underfoot, while lacquer seals the wood pores and feels like a smooth glossy surface.

Working with oil is easier — even someone without special knowledge can handle it. However, an oil coating usually needs to be refreshed once a year on average. Lacquered parquet is more durable: you won’t need to sand it again for 6–7 years. If you want to lay parquet in a bathroom, coat the boards with a special water-repelling solution.

5. Consider Room Characteristics

Parquet can also be used to model problematic spaces. For example, laying boards across the room visually expands the space, and wide parquet looks strikingly in small rooms. In other cases, parquet is laid along the window.

Wide parquet is not suitable for rooms with sharp temperature and humidity fluctuations: if the apartment is too dry in winter, boards will soon crack. For such apartments, specialists recommend parquet up to 110 mm wide.