In homes, offices or commercial spaces, parquet always gives a warm and welcoming atmosphere, making the environment in which it is found more precious. It is up to you to choose whether you prefer a pre-finished parquet or a solid wood one. But what does pre-finished parquet mean and what are its characteristics and advantages?

What is pre-finished parquet?

If we want a wooden floor, we can choose between two options: solid wood parquet or pre-finished parquet. Solid wood or traditional parquet is made entirely of noble wood. It can be considered the historical version of parquet, since it combines a composition of only quality material with an elaborate laying, followed by manual sanding and painting.

Pre-finished parquet is instead a “prêt-à-porter” parquet, immediately ready for use. It is made up of several layers (two or three): the surface layer is in noble wood, while the remaining layers include a mix of less valuable woods.

The meaning of “pre-finished parquet” is quite clear. As the name suggests, it is a parquet whose finishing works have already been completed in the production phase. Once laid, the planks therefore do not need further treatments such as sanding or painting. The laying times are therefore very fast and the parquet can be walked on after just 24 hours from installation.

The characteristics of a pre-finished parquet

Each plank of a pre-finished is formed by one or more support layers on the bottom and a noble layer of precious wood on the surface. Planks can have different size and thickness, but generally, the average thickness is between 10 and 15 millimeters, of which usually 4 millimeters of noble layer. In any case, according to the requirements contained in the UNI EN 13756 standard, the thickness of the noble layer must never be less than 2.5 mm, so that the floor can be defined as parquet.

The pre-finished parquet reaches the installer already painted in the factory, in order to guarantee hardness and wear resistance to the product. It is precisely the drying of the paint, which takes place thanks to special UV-ray machines, that makes it a usable and walkable floor immediately after installation.

Parquet in oak and other wood essences

The essences with which the pre-finished parquet is made are the same as traditional parquet, with the difference that it is only the surface layer that is made of precious wood. It will be the noble layer, the visible and walkable one, that will give the floor its specific color and its aesthetic characteristics.

Pre-finished oak parquet are among the most popular. To find out about the Gazzotti parquet offer, please visit our products page.

How is pre-finished parquet installed?

As we have seen, the pre-finished parquet can be composed of two or three layers; the possibility of floating installation depending on the size of the planks.

Glued installation is more complex: first of all it is necessary to check the base, which must be levelled and dry, then, secondly, to apply the glue with a spatula and then to proceed by placing the boards on the glue.

Floating installation is instead a very practical and fast technique, because, after checking the bottom, it does not require the boards to be glued to the ground, but simply the interposition between the bottom and the floor of a mat. In this case, in fact, the planks join and stabilize each other through male-female interlocking elements.

The laying geometries are the classic ones and range from the herringbone to the Hungarian spine, from the running pose to the regular formwork.

How do you clean it?

One of the comforts of pre-finished parquet is that it doesn’t require special care. To clean it, a slightly damp cloth and a neutral detergent will do. Pay attention not to wash it using too much water, as the parquet would risk deteriorating.

The many advantages of pre-finished parquet

To summarize the many advantages of a pre-finished parquet, here are the most significant:

• it is aesthetically identical to traditional parquet, as it shows only the best of itself: the layer of noble wood;
• you can walk on it a mere 24 hours after the installation;
• it’s easy to clean and maintain.

In short, pre-finished parquet is able to combine the high quality of a wooden floor with an easier access to the product. A “prêt-à-porter” parquet that is beautiful to have, to look at and to experience.