Parkay Flooring
When you are decorating your home, flooring is incredibly important. There is a wealth of choices available to you, such as laminate, carpet, linoleum and parkay flooring. The option that is best for you will depend on a number of things, including the general style of your home, the size of the room in which you want your new flooring and, of course, your budget. Prices for floors are generally not cheap, so it is important to think about your budget constraints.
What is Parkay Flooring?
Parkay flooring is a floor made of pieces of wood that have been fitted together. This forms a mosaic or puzzle. To make each pattern appear completely unique, different types of wood will often be used, as well as different types of grains. Parkay floors can be used in any kind of room, from the smallest cupboard under the stairs to a grand dining hall.
What Are the Benefits of Parkay Flooring?
To understand the benefits of parkay flooring, you should know the history of this type of floor. Years ago, all homes were built with wooden floor boards. The poor would leave these as they were, as they were unable to afford additional flooring. The rich, however, would have decorative stone such as marble, slate or limestone. Both floors have distinct disadvantages, mainly that the floor will – in some cases quite rapidly – start to rot due to moisture getting to the joists. However, builders stared to develop parkey flooring and found it had many benefits, such as:
- It is hardwearing
- It is durable
- It does not let moisture through, hence protecting the joists
- It looks very expensive
The Different Types of Parkay Flooring
There are many different types of parkay flooring available on the market. Parkay, as stated earlier, can be made out of different types of wood, or out of the same type of wood but with different grains or shading. Some of the more popular types of parkay flooring include:
- Herringbone pattern
- Basket pattern
- Chevron pattern
- Brick style flooring
In the homes of the wealthy who started popularising parkay flooring, patterns would be incredibly ornate and intricate, depicting things such as abstract arts, floral patterns and sunbursts.
Parkay Flooring Installation
Parkay flooring is made out of solid wood pieces that are fitted together by tongue and groove. One of the tremendous benefits of parkay flooring is that it can be sanded down and refinished with lacquer or veneer, although certain cheaper forms of parkay cannot be veneered a second time. The most expensive forms of parkay can receive a new coat of veneer around seven times, demonstrating how long such a floor can last, particularly if good care is given to the floor during its lifetime.
It is even possible to create your own parkay flooring if you have a good artistic eye, which truly does mean that you will have a completely unique floor. Most building and DIY stores will sell all the necessary items for creating your own parkay flooring, so this can really be a great option.