Parquet flooring is made of short blocks or strips laid in a pattern: herringbone, chevron, basketweave or classic block. Many South African homes have 1960s and 1970s parquet under carpet, and new parquet is now laid in modern houses too. Pattern floors need careful setting out, so the fitter matters as much as the timber. Send one request with your room sizes and the pattern you want, and independent parquet suppliers and fitters in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
Herringbone, chevron and block patterns
The pattern changes how the room looks and how the job is priced:
- Herringbone: rectangular blocks meet at right angles, with square-cut ends. Classic and forgiving to fit.
- Chevron: ends are cut at an angle so the blocks form a continuous V. It needs exact cutting and more waste.
- Basketweave and block: groups of strips set in squares, common in older Highveld homes.
Blocks come in solid oak, kiaat, Rhodesian teak or engineered versions with a hardwood top layer.
Subfloor and fixing
Parquet is almost always glued to a clean, flat, dry screed. Humps and hollows show up in a pattern floor, so the slab may need levelling first. A fitter checks moisture with a meter and may recommend a damp-proof layer. Blocks must acclimatise in the room before laying, and a movement gap is left at the walls for skirting to cover.
Tell the fitter if there is underfloor heating, because that limits the timber and the adhesive. If you already have parquet that has lifted or worn, see parquet floor restoration before replacing it.
What drives the cost
Parquet is not priced like a plank floor, so we do not quote a standard rate here. The price depends on the timber, the block size, the pattern and the amount of cutting, plus levelling, adhesive, sanding and the finish. Chevron and borders cost more than plain herringbone. New parquet is usually sanded after laying, then sealed or oiled. Ask each supplier to break the quote into materials, laying, sanding and finish, and to say what is included at doorways and along walls. See also hardwood flooring for plank alternatives.
Comparing quotes and aftercare
Give every supplier the same facts: room size in square metres, the pattern, the timber, the current floor and whether the rooms will be empty. Ask for photos of earlier pattern work, and ask who actually lays the blocks.
Once finished, parquet needs little: sweep, damp mop with a wrung-out cloth and keep sand and grit off it. Felt pads stop scratches, and an annual look at the finish tells you when a fresh coat is due.
What to include in your request
- The rooms and their size in square metres
- The pattern: herringbone, chevron or block
- The timber or colour you have in mind
- What is on the floor now, and its condition
- The suburb and when the rooms will be empty
Parquet Flooring for different clients
- Homeowners: herringbone in a hall or lounge, or old block floors brought back to life
- Flats and townhouses: thin glued parquet or engineered blocks that keep the floor low and quiet
- Builders, developers and renovators: feature herringbone or chevron floors set out and laid once the screed is dry
- Landlords and letting agents: matching blocks to patch an old parquet floor rather than tearing up the room
- Offices, practices and showrooms: herringbone floors in reception and boardrooms that give a calm, finished look
- Guesthouses, lodges and restaurants: pattern floors in lodge lobbies and dining rooms, sealed for daily trade
- Shops, salons and cafés: chevron or herringbone shop floors that set a boutique apart
- Schools, halls, gyms and studios: classic block parquet in halls and chapels, sanded and resealed in the holidays
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between herringbone and chevron parquet?
Can old parquet be saved, or should I replace it?
How much does new parquet flooring cost?
Do you lay parquet floors yourselves?
Parquet Flooring by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg