Parquet Hardwood Flooring

Parquet is a beautiful, decorative hardwood flooring that is the product of careful craftsmanship. Each floor is made up of hundreds - if not thousands - of precisely cut pieces of wood, fitted together with painstaking accuracy to create geometric patterns in the floor, some of which give the illusion of a 3D design. Parquet hardwood flooring has been seen as a symbol of grandeur and luxury throughout the centuries, gracing homes and palaces alike.

Parquets can be made from new wood or reclaimed barn wood (such as is pictured to the right), and they look exceptionally stunning when mixed wood species are used to highlight different parts of the design. The distress or distress combination, wood species, stain color, and oil finish can all be tailored to bring to life what is in your imagination for your parquet hardwood floor.

Historical Inspiration for Parquet Hardwood Flooring

Originating in 17th century France, and often referred to as "mosaic flooring," parquet hardwood flooring is highly recognized thanks to its decorative effect. It was the most popular option among the richest Frenchmen. At one time, having a genuine parquet hardwood floor was a sign of opulent wealth because of the craftsmanship involved in creating unique and artistic geometric patterns in the floor.

Parquet hardwood flooring differs from ordinary hardwood flooring as the pieces of wood used are much smaller and are arranged in decorative geometric patterns - the most commonly recognized are chevron and herringbone. However, there are many other patterns that can be created. Common species used in parquet floors include oak, maple, walnut, cherry, and sometimes other exotic hardwoods such as mahogany. Not only can the species or combination of wood species add dimension to the floor, but the specific cut of lumber (the part of the tree and the angle it is cut on) can also change the appearance of the floor and add intrigue to traditional patterns.