Special Who produces industrial parquet ?

THE SECRET LIES IN THE LOOK

REASONS WHY (INTERIOR) ARCHITECTS LIKE TO OPT FOR THIS WOODEN FLOOR

You don’t need to search very long on the worldwide spider’s web to notice that decision makers like (interior) architects like a wooden floor such as industrial parquet. This will come as no surprise when you realise that most (interior) architects clearly have some unanimous preferences. Below we set out what we believe are those main preferences and how industrial parquet fits in.

Durable and ecologically responsible

The durability and ecological properties of this type of wooden floor are probably the main reasons. Nowadays, decision makers are particularly sensitive to such arguments, whether it’s a commercial or residential installation. If we take the concept of durability absolutely literally, you see just how strong and hard-wearing this type of wooden floor is. Some historical input is called for here. In the past, people fitted industrial parquet mainly in high-traffic areas, such as industrial premises. They used a sort of parquet made from a combination of diverse wooden slats or strips which were ‘bundled’ together to make one whole. And so, they actually used pieces of surplus wood so that hardly any wood was wasted, and this immediately illustrates the ecological aspect. An added bonus was that this ‘industrial parquet’ also yielded extra benefits. Since the wood fibres of this type of wooden floor provide better insulation for sound vibrations, there is less troublesome noise. That was a considerable asset in a typical factory. It goes without saying that this was also a huge asset when these floors entered the residential environment.

Special look

Another point is that interior architects always look for products with a special look, and industrial parquet has this in abundance. Actually, you’re furnishing the floor with a sort of mosaic parquet with the mosaic on its side. Here you use floor elements in diverse thicknesses (often from 10 to 22mm), widths (between about 7 to 20mm), lengths, and wood sorts. As regards those wood sorts, it goes without saying that you almost automatically choose from exotic sorts, such as wenge or walnut to typical oak. Moreover, for those who want things to be even more ecological, there’s also bamboo, which isn’t actually wood, but a grass fibre.

In projects you notice that (interior) architects like to use this for highlights in places such as shops where the walkways are ideal. This certainly isn’t a hindrance to use in private dwellings, and in fact there’s more to be said for it. Industrial parquet is actually very much in fashion since it is perfect for floor heating when thinner slats are used.

Fitting requires expertise

Unlike most general contractors, most decision makers such as (interior) architects usually don’t take account of price considerations. These days, designers greatly appreciate expertise, certainly because it gives them the opportunity to present their expertise to clients, especially private ones. If there’s one sort of floor which requires expertise, then it’s industrial parquet. For instance, it is always glued, and that makes it somewhat less accessible for the average handyperson. Moreover, you also need to know how to provide a sturdy and solid base and the fitting itself is followed by careful sanding. Firstly, you sand flat en fine, and then you need to fill in any joints. You follow that up with more fine-sanding and polishing until you have a perfectly flat look which is finally ready for finishing with the correct finish product. This will undoubtedly be music to the ears of all parquet fitters.

Design Parquet

Industrial parquet wooden floors consist of solid wood, and industrial strips for 99%. Their popularity has diminished somewhat as wide planks have become more popular, but Design Parquet does still get various requests for them each year. This type of wooden floor is only fitted with glue. After the fitting, the floor has to be sandpapered to avoid any differences in level and, after that, you apply a finish with oil or varnish. Design Parquet offers a wide range of industrial parquet in various wood sorts. Oak is the most popular, certainly for major projects (such as, for example, the Carreau du Temple in Paris, which was a customised project), but they also offer ash, acacia, beech, merbau, komea, and wenge in thicknesses of 10, 14, 20, 22, or 24mm. For this type of parquet it is not possible to present a special surface aspect such as offered by Design Parquet on all solid wood or birch multiplex bases: distressed, heavily brushed, or with saw marks. They always leave the edges ‘rough’, so the ultimate choice of finish lies with the architect or the end client. These edges are sandpapered in the classic manner. After the glueing, all the planks are sandpapered smooth to remove all defects. Filling before the finish is obligatory so that small cracks between the planks are sealed. The biggest benefit of this type of wooden floor is its strength. Industrial wooden floors have great resistance to shocks, so they can take a knock. What we often see in large public areas is that there is often a border finish. This is done because it adds depth and increases the visibility of the floor. You can see this product as ‘recycled’ and that makes the price affordable. The industrial wood is not so expensive, but it does take a lot of time to fit this type of floor due to its cope.