An independent journal about wood floors and parquet. Not a manufacturer, shop or workshop, and not affiliated with the previous website on this domain. Leave sanding and complex repairs to a craftsman.
Ideas
The same strips can turn a room into a formal hall, a cozy living room or something close to a ship's deck — it all comes down to the laying pattern. It affects how large the room feels, where the eye is drawn and how noticeable uneven walls are. Below are the main patterns, their character and a little history of how parquet made its way from palaces into ordinary homes.
An intricate pattern pleases the eye, but it asks more time and precision of the craftsman and square corners of the room. The simpler the floor plan, the more freely you can choose the design.
How this section works: we describe laying patterns and their effect on an interior in general terms, without strip sizes, cutting layouts or material calculations. Whether a given pattern suits your room and subfloor is decided by a craftsman together with the manufacturer of the chosen flooring.
The patterns most often found in old and new interiors — from simple to complex.
Strips are laid in a zigzag, the end of one butting against the side of the next, so neat herringbone rows run across the room. A classic pattern that looks good in an old house and a new apartment alike, and in a repair it allows a single strip to be replaced.
The ends of the strips are cut at an angle and meet exactly in a line, so the pattern resembles a row of arrows rather than a stepped zigzag. It looks more formal and elegant than ordinary herringbone, but requires precise preparation and careful laying.
Planks or long strips lie in parallel rows with staggered joints, like the boards of a ship's deck. A calm pattern that stretches the room along the boards; the direction is usually chosen by the light from the window or by the long wall.
Small squares of several strips alternate the direction of the grain, like the squares of a chessboard. The pattern looks measured and a little old-fashioned, suits small rooms well and brings out the play of light on the wood.
Strips are laid so that they seem to weave into one another, sometimes with small square inserts in a different tone. The pattern livens up a large floor area, but matching wood to repair such a design is harder.
Large square panels with a diagonal lattice inside a frame — the pattern is named after the Palace of Versailles. It is a grand, ceremonial design that needs a spacious room and calm furniture, otherwise the floor starts competing with everything else.
Long before parquet, people walked on plain boards, packed earth or stone. Wealthy houses were decorated with marble slabs, but stone was cold, heavy for floor structures and unwelcoming in living quarters.
Wood floors made of strips laid in patterns become the pride of palaces and noble houses. The word "parquet" itself comes from French: it is a diminutive of "parc" in its old sense of "an enclosed plot".
Craftsmen assemble inlaid floors from different species, with rosettes, stars and intricate borders. Such parquet floors, echoing the patterns of the ceilings, can still be seen in palaces of past centuries.
Parquet gradually makes its way into apartment buildings and city homes. Herringbone and squares become a familiar sight, and a floor polished with wax paste becomes a sign of a well-kept home.
Parquet panels, engineered planks and prefinished floors appear. Wood floors become more affordable and installation faster, although strip parquet and inlaid patterns remain work for a craftsman.
After the walls and ceiling, the floor is the largest surface in a room, and we look at it more often than we think. Warm wood makes a space softer, and the laying pattern sets its rhythm: deck draws the eye lengthwise, herringbone adds movement, squares calm things down.
If a room has plenty of patterns in wallpaper, rugs and fabrics, a calm floor pattern keeps the interior from looking busy. Conversely, in a simple room with smooth, light walls, a striking herringbone or basket weave becomes the main feature on its own.
The color of wood changes over time, so choose a tone with that in mind: many species darken or warm in the light. It is best to look at a flooring sample at home, under your own lighting, by day and in the evening, not only in the showroom.
Strip and inlaid parquet, engineered and solid planks, parquet panels, end-grain blocks and wood species. The article catalogue lives here too.
How to approach refinishing a floor: from inspection to sign-off, seasonal humidity and questions for the craftsman.
Caring for lacquer, oil and wax, light and dark floors, entryways and sunny rooms, the seasonal check.
Information about wood floors is given in general terms, based on encyclopedic and etymological dictionaries, technical documentation from manufacturers of parquet, lacquers and oils, and home fire safety guidance from Russia's emergency services ministry (EMERCOM). How to treat your particular floor is up to its manufacturer, and the condition of the floor and subfloor should be judged by a craftsman who sees them in person.