Parquet Flooring for San Francisco and Bay Area Homes: A Buyer's Guide
Planning a wood floor in San Francisco or the Bay Area? We can help.
Call: 908-232-6600 | Email: joe@hugginsflooring.com | Website: luxurywoodnyc.com
Main office: 406B West Broad St, Westfield, NJ 07090. We sell and deliver wood flooring throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Quick Answers
Parquet is wood flooring made of small pieces laid in a repeating geometric pattern rather than long boards.
The best-known patterns are Versailles, Chantilly, basket weave, straight-cut (ladder) and herringbone.
For most San Francisco homes, engineered parquet is the safer choice, especially over concrete slabs or radiant heat.
Prefinished panels go down faster; unfinished, face-taped parquet is sanded and finished on site for a custom color.
San Francisco Floors sells and delivers parquet across the Bay Area. See the parquet collection.
Parquet is one of the most searched wood floor styles right now, and it suits San Francisco's Victorians, Edwardians and modern condos alike. This guide explains the main patterns, the formats parquet comes in, and how to choose one that will hold up in Bay Area conditions. If you are also weighing herringbone and chevron, see Herringbone, Chevron and Parquet Floors for San Francisco Homes.
What Is Parquet Flooring?
Parquet is a floor built from short pieces of wood, often called slats or blocks, arranged in a repeating pattern. Instead of the long lines of a plank floor, you see squares, weaves and zigzags. Because the grain runs in more than one direction, a parquet floor catches the light differently across the room and gives even a plain space a finished, architectural look.
Parquet has been used in European homes and palaces for centuries, and today it is made with modern methods that make it far easier to buy and install. Most parquet sold now is oak, which is hard-wearing and takes stain and oil evenly. Learn more about the species in Pros and Cons of Oak Flooring & White Oak vs. Red Oak.
Popular Parquet Patterns
Versailles: large square panels with interlacing diagonal strips inside a frame. It is the most formal pattern and suits living rooms, dining rooms and entries.
Chantilly: square panels with a simpler grid of strips. It feels classic but a little quieter than Versailles.
Basket weave: pairs or groups of short strips that alternate direction, like a woven basket.
Straight-cut or ladder: short strips laid in rows or ladders. It reads as a subtle texture and works well in smaller rooms.
Herringbone and chevron: zigzag patterns made from rectangular pieces. They are often grouped with parquet; see Herringbone and Chevron: What You Need to Know.
Not sure which pattern fits your home? What Wood Flooring Pattern Is Best for You? walks through how pattern, room size and light work together.
Parquet Panels, Tiles Or Loose Pieces?
Parquet comes in a few formats, and the format affects installation time and finish:
Pre-assembled panels (often called parquet tiles): squares such as Versailles panels, built in the factory and laid as single units. Examples in our store include the Ana, Louis and Catrina Versailles panels.
Face-taped parquet: short strips held in sheets by paper on the top face. The sheets are glued down, the paper is removed, and the floor is sanded and finished on site. Our Royale parquet is face-taped, square edge, straight cut and unfinished.
Loose pieces: individual slats laid one at a time by the installer, which allows the most custom patterns but takes the most labor.
Engineered Or Solid Parquet In San Francisco?
Solid parquet is wood all the way through. Engineered parquet has a real wood top layer bonded to a stable core, so it expands and shrinks less as humidity changes. In San Francisco, where fog and microclimates mean moisture can change a lot from one neighborhood to the next, that stability matters. Read more in How San Francisco Fog and Humidity Affect Wood Floors.
Engineered parquet is usually the better choice over concrete slabs, which are common in condos and newer buildings, and over radiant heat. Solid parquet can still be a good fit over a wood subfloor in a well-controlled room. For a full comparison, see Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring for San Francisco Homes. Our Theo parquet is an engineered European oak option.
Prefinished Or Unfinished Parquet?
Prefinished parquet arrives with its finish already applied. The Versailles panels and Theo parquet in our store come prefinished with a UV oil finish, so the room can be used soon after installation and there is no on-site sanding dust or finish smell.
Unfinished parquet is sanded and finished after it is installed. It takes longer, but you can choose any stain or finish and get a perfectly flat, seamless surface. If indoor air quality is a priority, pair it with a low-VOC finish; see Low-VOC and Non-Toxic Wood Floor Finishes: A San Francisco Guide.
How To Choose Parquet For Your Room
Start with the room and subfloor. Concrete or radiant heat points to engineered parquet.
Pick the pattern for the space. Larger rooms can carry bold Versailles panels; smaller rooms often look best with straight-cut or basket weave.
Choose the grade. Natural or prime grades look calm and even; rustic grades show more knots and color variation.
Decide on the finish. Prefinished for speed, unfinished for a custom color.
Get samples and a quote. Ask for samples in your own light, then use our herringbone and pattern quote form. How to Buy Wood Flooring in San Francisco and the Bay Area explains each step.
Caring For Parquet Floors
Sweep or vacuum often, since grit wears the finish fastest.
Clean with a damp, not wet, microfiber mop and a cleaner made for your finish type.
Put felt pads under furniture and rugs at entrances.
Keep indoor humidity steady, especially in foggy neighborhoods and in rooms with radiant heat.
Refresh oiled finishes with a maintenance oil when they start to look dry.
Ready To Choose Your Floor?
San Francisco Floors sells and delivers wood flooring to homes and projects across San Francisco and the Bay Area. To get started, book a virtual design consultation, request a quote with our plank flooring quote form or herringbone and pattern quote form, or call 908-232-6600. Current prices are listed at luxurywoodnyc.com. Delivery details are in How We Deliver.
Browse the collections: parquet, herringbone, chevron and wide plank floors.
Related San Francisco Flooring Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Parquet Flooring?
Parquet flooring is made of small pieces of wood laid in a repeating geometric pattern, such as Versailles, Chantilly, basket weave or herringbone, instead of long straight boards.
Is Engineered Parquet Good For San Francisco Homes?
Yes. Engineered parquet has a real wood top layer on a stable core, so it moves less with humidity changes and is usually the better choice over concrete slabs and radiant heat, both common in Bay Area homes and condos.
What Is The Difference Between Parquet Tiles And Parquet Panels?
The terms overlap. Usually both mean pieces pre-assembled into squares, such as Versailles or Chantilly panels. Loose or face-taped parquet comes as separate strips that the installer lays piece by piece or in paper-backed sheets.
Do You Sell And Deliver Parquet Flooring In The Bay Area?
Yes. San Francisco Floors sells and delivers parquet and other wood flooring throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. Call 908-232-6600 or book a virtual design consultation to choose a pattern.
Ready to order your floor? Call 908-232-6600, book a virtual design consultation or request a quote. We deliver throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area.
About the author: Joe Avila leads San Francisco Floors, bringing 26 years of experience in wood flooring. He is an NWFA-certified wood flooring inspector, installer and sander, has taught accredited educational programs for AIA, ASID and IDCEC audiences for more than a decade, and has trained thousands of architects and design professionals in the proper specification of wood flooring. Questions about your floor? Call 908-232-6600 or visit luxurywoodnyc.com.
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