Finally got around to it!

[Parquet Dave]

I laid this floor around 12 years ago and was never quite 100% happy as it didn't look finished.
After much deliberation I decided that it needed a border and after even more deliberation I opted for an inlay of maple and sapele with a single oak block border, normally I would do a two block border but due to the narrowness of the hall I felt it would have taken too much off the field an looked out of proportion.
So perimeter cut, border laid and floor sanded I managed to get a single coat of Junckers Prelak on before having to break off.

 

[Steve1066]

That looks awesome

 

[marcros]

Brilliant. Worthy of your username!

 

[Roughcut]

Looks fantastic!
Can't be easy to make flooring look eye catching, but you have achieved that for sure.

 

[MARK.B.]

very nice indeed, far to good to let people walk on it.

 

[Mike.S]

Is there any 'rule' on the grain direction with parquet? Just that I note (I think) that with the maple the grain direction alternates so that end grain meets side grain. Is this for appearance or to minimise movement or some other reason?

 

[Paul200]

Is there any 'rule' on the grain direction with parquet? Just that I note (I think) that with the maple the grain direction alternates so that end grain meets side grain. Is this for appearance or to minimise movement or some other reason?

For appearance I think Mike. It creates perspective.

Edit: It's gorgeous, by the way :lol:

 

[Woodchips2]

Looks too good to walk on :lol:

Well done =D> =D> =D>

Regards Keith

 

[Parquet Dave]

Is there any 'rule' on the grain direction with parquet? Just that I note (I think) that with the maple the grain direction alternates so that end grain meets side grain. Is this for appearance or to minimise movement or some other reason?

The "cubes" are made up of European oak and Merbau, and the grain direction is primarily in this case for perspective so as to give the 3D appearance.
The only maple is the two thin accent lines on the inlay that sandwich the sapele.

As for 'rules' as most on here will know wood expands accross the grain and so this as to be allowed for, so on a strip floor the acumulative expansion of the width of the floor has to be accomodated, either by leaving an expansion gap at the floors edge of sufficient size, or on a larger floor like a sports hall this can be included during the laying process with expansion gaps included every so many boards.

With a parquet floor the accumlative expansion is in all directions due to the alternating grain pattern, and so in my experience seems to move significantly less. In fact the only time I've ever encountered a problem with a block floor (touch wood) is when there has been a leak or flood of some kind.

One thing to bear in mind when laying a new parquet floor is to use a priming seal such as Junckers Prelak or bona prime for the first coat following sanding, this is because it has a built in elasticity that minimises side bonding. Subsequently should the floor contract the seal allows for each block to contract independantly thereby avoiding the "lightening strike" accross the middle of the floor.


On another note Thanks for all the positive comments, it is one thing to receive praise from people with little to no experience of wood but from fellow craftsmen it is very much appreciated.

 

[Paul200]

Quote - On another note Thanks for all the positive comments, it is one thing to receive praise from people with little to no experience of wood but from fellow craftsmen it is very much appreciated.

Not sure about the 'craftsman' bit personally - but I can recognise it when I see it. I'll do my best to reach the target you've now set for me ;-)

Beautiful job Dave

 

[davem62]

Stunning,thanks for sharing