Hardwood parquet flooring

[ampersat]

More advice on the home remodel please. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

We're creating a new living room space in a converted garage area. It's got a slab foundation now and when the existing flooring is up, I'm wondering what my best option is for flooring, in terms of durability, quality and cost.

The first thought is a tongue and groove type laminate flooring. We've used this type of flooring elsewhere in the house and we've been fairly pleased with the results. However, hardwood parquet flooring is an option in the offing right now. At $1 sq. ft., it comes in cheaper than laminates. Does anyone have experience with it? I searched on Lowes and it looks like it's installed with mastic like other floor tiles but doesn't use grout. Also, I'm concerned about the moisture/concrete equation and how that will affect the hardwood. Do I just use a sealer on the concrete slab?

Laminates are all the rage now and certainly easier to install. However, the parquet is cheaper and I think the overall effect will add more value to the home. Your thoughts?

[AuntyM]

We installed 1000 sq feet of 12 inch oak parquet tile flooring in our old house. It's a very time consuming process. You need to make sure you have good underlayment and no flex. It's not recommended over concrete without a vapor barrier and the underlayment.

The mastic we used was horrible (thick and strong, the second the tile made contact it wanted to stay right there!) It adheres so well that you have to use a great deal of force to slide it into the adjoining tongue. Tapping it with a block didn't work as well as strong hands and fingers. Hubby's fingers were very sore, cracked and bleeding by the time we were done. If there are newer mastics out there today that are easier to work with, it probably wouldn't be so bad.

The up side? It still looked new after 10 years of use when we sold the house. It holds up very well. I have never had a floor that easy to care for. Vacuumed it regularly and cleaned it with a sponge mop using hardwood cleaner and that's all.

Laminates are the only wood flooring I know of that can be used without the vapor barrier and underlayment. There are a few other options you could also look at. Some of the cork flooring is nice and can be used over concrete, and there was one bamboo flooring manufacturer that had a bamboo product that would work too.

I have been looking at flooring options myself. We have carpet and I hate it.

[1pump]

I'm not partial to the aesthetics of parquet floors (reminds me of the old Boston Garden) but there's nothing wrong with it. I'm not a big fan of gluing anything down, though.

I had laminate Wilsonart flooring in my old place and I was really happy with it. I might do it again in my current place. At $3-$4 a sq ft it ain't cheap, though.

Garages, according to code, have to slope front to back. How did it get leveled out?

[ICHTHYDEMON]

I'm not a fan of Parquet flooring either. It reminds me of my Parents house in the 70's.

[Hogback]

Go ceramic tile, home depot has some for less than a 1.00 sq. ft.
Randy

[fishinfool]

Sent you a pm with some info. Hope it helps Tim

[wanafish]

amperstat,
Have you eliminated carpet? You should be able to have a decent grade of pad and carpet installed for 2 to 3 dollars a sq. ft. The warmth and comfort is something to consider. Otherwise laminate flooring is a very practical way to go. If you are handy with a few simple tools you can install it yourself and cost you as little as 2 dollars a sq. ft. My advice would be to stay away from the .99 a sq. ft. stuff. I haven't seen wood parquet insalled for quite a few years! I tried finding your e-mail without success but hope this helps some.