Quick answer
Choose parquet if you want a feature floor with pattern and character – herringbone, chevron or basketweave – that suits period homes and high-end renovations, especially over a concrete slab. Choose floorboards if you want a simpler, linear look, a lower installed cost, faster installation, or a floor fixed straight to joists. Parquet wins on character and stability on slab; floorboards win on cost, speed and simplicity.
Parquet (also called parquetry) is timber flooring made of short blocks arranged in a repeating geometric pattern. Floorboards are long timber boards laid in straight, parallel rows – the most common timber floor in Australia and New Zealand.
Parquet vs floorboards at a glance
| Parquet | Floorboards | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Short blocks (e.g. 710 × 123mm) | Long boards |
| Layout | Herringbone, chevron, basketweave and more | Straight, parallel rows |
| Look | Feature, classic or contemporary | Calm, linear |
| Subfloor | Slab or ply substrate | Joists, battens, slab, ply or floating underlay |
| Fixing | Glued | Nailed, secret-nailed, glued or floated |
| Installation labour | Higher – set-out and cutting | Lower |
| Waste allowance | Higher | Lower |
| Movement | Spread across many joints | Concentrated across board width |
| Sanding | Skilled – grain runs in several directions | Straightforward – along the grain |
Look
Parquet is a statement; floorboards are a backdrop. A pattern floor draws the eye and adds texture as light catches blocks running in different directions – which is why herringbone and chevron are so popular in renovations and period homes. Straight floorboards are calmer and make long rooms read as one surface. Wide boards suit large, minimal spaces; parquet suits rooms you want to feel crafted. See parquet patterns and herringbone vs chevron.
Hardness and durability
The species decides hardness, not the format. European oak – the usual parquet timber – rates about 4.2–6.1 kN on the Janka scale; Australian hardwoods often used for boards, such as spotted gum, rate up to about 11 kN (PFC, Flooring Expert). Solid parquet and solid boards can both be sanded and refinished many times. One parquet advantage: a damaged block can be cut out and replaced, which is harder with a long board.
Stability
Solid parquet handles movement well. Timber expands and shrinks across its width as humidity changes; Australian interiors typically sit at 8–14% equilibrium moisture content (WoodSolutions). Parquet blocks are narrow and laid in two directions, so movement is spread across many joints. Wide solid boards concentrate it, which is why wide formats are often engineered. Either way, acclimatise the timber and install within about ±2% of the expected in-service moisture content.
Cost
Parquet usually costs more installed because of labour and waste; supply can be similar. Indicative Australian figures (incl. GST):
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Raw solid French oak herringbone, supply | $94.99/m² retail | SET Timber Supplies |
| Herringbone labour only | $60–$100/m²; $90–$120+/m² complex | The Flooring Guys |
| Engineered oak herringbone, installed | about $160–$320/m² | Artafloor, Imperial |
| Solid Australian hardwood boards, supply | $55–$130/m² | D&G, HH Timber |
| Solid Australian hardwood boards, installed | $120–$367/m² by city | HH Timber |
| Sanding and coating | $30–$70/m² | WhatsTheDamage |
See parquet installation cost for a detailed breakdown.
Installation
Parquet is glued to a continuous substrate; floorboards have more fixing options. Parquet blocks are too short to span joists, so they go on a concrete slab or structural plywood. On slab, expect flatness within about 3mm over 3m and a moisture barrier or moisture-barrier adhesive system (Bowens). Floorboards can be nailed over joists or battens, glued to slab or ply, or – if engineered – floated. Parquet also needs careful set-out and a larger waste allowance; see herringbone layout and waste.
Maintenance
Daily care is identical: sweep, damp-mop with a timber-safe cleaner, felt pads and mats. Re-sanding parquet takes more skill because the grain runs in several directions, so choose an experienced sander.
Sustainability and provenance
Format makes little difference; species, source and certification matter. Parquet can make efficient use of shorter lengths of high-grade timber. For any timber, ask for legal-harvest documentation and FSC or PEFC certification where required (DAFF).
Suitability by room and home
| Situation | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Period home, terrace, villa | Parquet |
| New home on concrete slab | Either; solid parquet suits a dry slab well |
| Raised timber floor on joists | Floorboards (or parquet over a ply substrate) |
| Very large open-plan area on a budget | Floorboards |
| Entry, hallway, dining or living feature | Parquet |
| Apartment with acoustic rules | Check the approved system for either |
Which should you choose?
- Feature floor, heritage feel or a slab-based renovation: parquet – herringbone or chevron.
- Lowest installed cost, quickest job: floorboards.
- Floor on joists without a ply layer: floorboards.
- Can't decide: use parquet in the hero spaces (entry, living, dining) and boards elsewhere.
Timbo supplies Prime grade European solid oak parquetry – herringbone and chevron – to the trade. Homeowners can find a Timbo partner; flooring businesses can become a partner.
Sources
- SET Timber Supplies – raw herringbone French oak
- The Flooring Guys – herringbone flooring cost
- Artafloor – engineered herringbone cost; Imperial – herringbone cost guide 2026
- D&G Floors; HH Timber – flooring cost Sydney
- WhatsTheDamage – sanding cost
- PFC – Janka rating; Flooring Expert
- WoodSolutions – moisture guide; Bowens
- DAFF – illegal logging
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between parquet and floorboards?
Parquet is made of short timber blocks arranged in a pattern – herringbone, chevron, basketweave and others. Floorboards are long boards laid in straight lines. Both can be solid or engineered timber.
Is parquet more expensive than floorboards?
Usually, yes, mainly because of labour. Pattern installation takes more set-out and cutting – herringbone labour is typically $60–$100/m², and $90–$120+/m² for complex jobs – and needs a larger waste allowance. Supply prices can be similar for the same species and grade.
Is parquet the same as parquetry?
Yes. Australians often say 'parquetry'; 'parquet' is used in New Zealand, the UK and Europe. Both mean timber flooring laid in a geometric pattern of blocks.
Can parquet be laid on joists?
Not directly. Parquet blocks are too short to span joists, so they need a continuous substrate such as a concrete slab or structural plywood. Floorboards can be nailed straight to joists or battens.
Is parquet more stable than floorboards?
Solid parquet manages movement well because short blocks laid in two directions spread seasonal movement across many joints. Wide solid floorboards concentrate movement across the width of the board.
Is parquet hard to sand?
It needs a skilled sander, because the grain runs in different directions across the pattern. Done well, a solid parquet floor can be sanded and refinished many times.