What is the difference between laminate and parquet boards, parquet and solid wood?

Now several types of hard floor coverings are being produced, similar in appearance, but having a different structure, therefore, performance. The opportunity to choose pleases, however, it introduces some uncertainty. For example, many consumers are interested in how parquet differs from laminate, engineered board from massive. Therefore, the purpose of this article will be to understand the variety offered by flooring manufacturers. At the same time, we will compare the main types of parquet and parquet-like materials, analyze their prices, pluses and minuses in terms of performance.

Classification of modern parquet-like flooring materials


In addition to the classic parquet, which is commercially referred to as “piece”, there are now several more types of floor materials that imitate a cut of wood in terms of surface texture. Some of them are completely natural, others are composite, others are artificial. So, today in free sale, the consumer can choose one of the following materials for laying on the floor:

  • natural parquet;
  • laminate;
  • parquet (engineering) board;
  • massive board.

All these materials have a difference in structure, degree of naturalness, installation method, price and other characteristics. Before making comparisons and finding out which is better, it is worth considering the features of each type of these flooring, their pros and cons.

Parquet


Classic parquet is an absolutely natural floor covering, as it has a solid structure and is made from various types of wood. For its production, wood raw materials that grow in our latitudes, as well as exotic wood species from Africa and Latin America are used. The characteristics of parquet directly depend on the wood raw material that is used in its manufacture. For the production of wear-resistant coatings, varieties of oak are used. To please yourself and surprise your guests, it is worth laying parquet from exotic species.

Whatever the raw material for the production of parquet, it is wood with all the consequences that form a list of undiscussed advantages of this floor covering, such as:

  • warm surface, giving a pleasant tactile sensation;
  • natural material, not containing toxic products;
  • "expensive" appearance;
  • durability (subject to the microclimate in the room within certain limits);
  • the possibility of several cycles of surface renewal (sanding).

However, parquet is not without drawbacks, especially in terms of modern consumer needs, and in comparison with other similar materials. Here's what parquet may not please the discerning consumer:

  • demanding on the microclimate;
  • you can’t make a “warm floor” under it;
  • the surface is easily damaged;
  • complex, expensive laying, and preparation for it (the floating method is not suitable here, since the parquets are not equipped with locks, they only need to be glued to the base);
  • work is not limited to laying, it still needs to be sanded and covered with several layers of varnish, and these procedures are also not cheap.

As for the cost of the floor material itself, it is relatively inexpensive. A coating made from domestic wood will retail for about $20. Exotics will be more expensive - $25-32. Prices hereinafter are per m2 of material.

Important! Composite material is often sold under the guise of parquet, especially for exotics. Only the top layer is natural there, plywood or cellulose is below, and glue between them is not the most healthy for health. Although the price tag will indicate "piece parquet".

Laminate


These are multilayer plates, where the upper decorative layer is laminated, that is, covered with a transparent protective film. There are many varieties of laminate in terms of the structure and quality of the material used to form each layer. Each manufacturer includes some of its own features in the structure of the plates, endowing them with certain characteristics. Natural wood is not used in the manufacture.

The knowledge of the layered structure of the laminate is useless to the consumer, meanwhile, the classiness of the material in terms of wear resistance will come in handy in order to choose the right floor covering. Laminate has the following markings, indicating its ability to withstand loads:

  • 21 - the most “gentle” material, which is designed for a minimum load (can be laid in the bedroom and covered with a rug on top);
  • 22 - average household load, suitable for a living room, for example;
  • 23 - this coating is suitable for a corridor, a hallway, as it is designed for a high load in a residential area;
  • 31-33 - the same, only for public, commercial, office premises.
  • 34 - designed for very intensive passage, which happens at train stations or airports.

Important! With an increase in class, the price of a laminate also increases, so it makes sense to choose a material that is best suited for the existing conditions. You can, of course, choose a laminate of 31 wear resistance class for the bedroom, but you will have to pay more.


What are the positive and negative properties of laminate flooring? First, about the pros, they are as follows:

  • a huge selection of colors and textures that are not limited to the “pattern” of a saw cut of natural wood;
  • can be laid over a warm floor (the coefficient of temperature deformation is insignificant);
  • very easy to fit, as the plates are equipped with functional docking locks;
  • forms a floating structure on the floor that does not have hard contact with the base and walls (no need to glue);
  • many laying options can be realized (straight, herringbone, angled).

There were also some cons:

  • afraid of moisture;
  • the service life is short (when compared with natural wood materials), cheap - up to 4 years, high-quality - 20-25 years;
  • it is impossible to restore the plate, you only need to disassemble everything and replace the damaged element;
  • conducts sound well, so you should take care of sound insulation (substrate between the laminate and the base of the floor).

Now about the cost. The price of laminate flooring varies widely. The cheapest copies can be found within $ 4 (the quality is appropriate). More or less decent performance laminate has a price of $ 8-12. From $ 15 and above, there is a decent material that has a high-quality coating, an interesting texture and convenient and reliable docking locks. The price limit is $ 50, although you can find individual copies and more expensive.

parquet board


This flooring material is sometimes called "engineering" board, some even try to find the difference between these "parquet-like" representatives. Essentially, they are one and the same. The parquet board is a kind of symbiosis of parquet and laminate. From the parquet, the engineering board got the top layer of natural wood, from the laminate - a layered structure, the presence of docking locks and, accordingly, the laying method.

Under the upper wooden layer, the parquet board has two more layers. They can be plywood (better) or cheap wood (worse). The lower layers are mutually perpendicular (the direction of the fibers), which gives the material strength and prevents the tendency to deformation. The top layer has a finished surface, which does not need to be “finished” after laying by grinding and varnishing. This feature makes the parquet board better than parquet in this component. In addition, the described floor material has the following advantages:

  • the possibility of repair and renewal of the surface (sanding);
  • much less than parquet, it is subject to deformations from temperature and humidity changes;
  • the quality and "high cost" of the surface is not inferior to parquet;
  • assembles almost as easily into a floating floor structure as laminate;
  • much less laminate is afraid of moisture.

The minus of a parquet board can only be in toxic glue, which can be used by an unscrupulous manufacturer when forming the structure. Therefore, it is better to choose a certified floor covering.

The cost of a parquet board depends mainly on what kind of wood the top layer is made of. Here the pattern is the same as for the parquet. Domestic wood is cheaper, exotic wood is more expensive. Prices range from $20-50.

massive board


A flooring material made of solid wood that is laid like a laminate. Something like this can describe a massive board. Although the laying technologies are different. Often, the array is not only joined with locks, but also additionally glued to the existing base. In addition to the laying method, solid board differs from parquet in thickness. The array is thicker (18-25mm vs. 15mm) allowing for more scraping updates. In addition, there are several other advantages of the array:

  • the surface is ready immediately after laying;
  • durability (up to 100 years);
  • "rich" texture;
  • good heat and sound insulation qualities.

The disadvantages of massive boards are the same as those of other wood materials. It requires a constant microclimate, careful care and the same use of the floor surface. The array is the most expensive floor covering, so not every consumer can afford to choose it. Prices start at $45 and finish below $100.

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