Pros & Cons Of Laminate Flooring VS Parquet

Caught in between laminate flooring and parquet? Flooring is an integral part of any house as it determines the look of the house from inside. Nice flooring gives a pleasant feeling to feet. The two main types of flooring prevalent at Singapore are laminate flooring and parquet.

Laminate flooring: Multi-layered synthetic flooring products when fused together by the process of materials of fibber board. The popularity of this type of flooring has increased in recent times. This is mainly due to the reason that the process of installation of laminate flooring is much easier as compared to parquet. The benefits or pros of using this type of floor are:

They are comparatively cheaper
They are very easy to clean and maintain
They are available in a variety of shades
They are scratch resistant as compared to other types of flooring
They are not slippery
They are made of synthetic products, hence save trees

However, Laminate flooring has some drawbacks too which are:

They are not durable
Problems related to water especially if it enters under the laminate flooring
It gives a plastic feel
Not as hard as other types of floors as it gives a cushion type feel which may sometimes become a reason to fall
Too many manufacturers and substandard materials being used.

Parquet flooring: It is a type of floor which is made of small blocks of wood. Mostly the size of these blocks is around 200mm x 200mm. However size may differ according to the requirement as they are entirely angular and geometrical like triangles and squares. It may be said that it is a wooden mosaic. Parquet floor at Singapore is usually made of Singapore teak which is available locally and is also cheap. In addition to this timber from oak, pine, walnut and lime etc can also be used. Bamboo has also become very popular means in Parquet flooring. This type of floor is very long lasting and is hard. They may be brushed or mopped whenever needed. Parquet floor was mostly used by the NBA due to its unique strength as well as the grip of the floor surface. The main advantages of parquet are:

The best form of wooden flooring
It is very hard
Durability is more
Symbol of dignity
Gives a pleasant and good feel to the feet
Adds to the look and elegance of the room

And the disadvantages or the cons are:

it cannot be used at places where there is a regular flow or usage of water
maintenance is not easy and sometimes an expert help may be needed too
it is not recommended for tenants as it is too costly

From the above it is clear that both laminate flooring and parquet have their own advantages as well as disadvantages. The selection among these two should be based on keeping several factors in mind like the size of the room, frequency of use of water in that area, the budget, whether an owner of the house or a tenant. The process of selection between laminate flooring and parquet should be based purely on the requirement of the person as well as the house.