Floating floor and parquet on the Costa Blanca

AC4 floating vs solid parquet: which to pick

The choice between different types of wood or wood-effect flooring depends on three factors: budget, intended use and aesthetic. AC4 laminate floating floor, what we sell most today, combines very good price-to-quality with intensive-use resistance. It’s composed of a top melamine layer with realistic wood effect (high abrasion durability), HDF fibreboard core, and balancing layer underneath. Top layer rates AC4 (suitable for intensive domestic or moderate commercial use) and resists 25,000-50,000 abrasive cycles without visible wear. For standard domestic use, lasts 15-25 years looking good. The drawback: although visually very realistic, it isn’t real wood and can’t be sanded and re-varnished if damaged at a point.

Solid parquet is the traditional option. Each plank is 100% solid natural wood, typically oak, ash or walnut. Much pricier to buy and install, but gives unique character to a room because each plank has different natural grain. Its big advantage is indefinite durability: if worn or damaged, it can be sanded and re-varnished several times over its life. It’s what was laid in older high-end apartments and what we recommend for premium home renovations where budget allows.

Engineered parquet is the in-between. Top layer of natural wood 3-4mm over composite core. Visually real wood, technically more stable than solid (reduced seasonal movement) and easier to install. It’s what gets laid in modern premium new construction.

The right install process

The most critical step is substrate preparation. Floating floor needs substrate with maximum 3mm deviation over 2 metres. With bigger deviations, level with self-levelling mortar before starting. Without that, tongue-and-groove joints separate progressively and visible gaps appear between planks within months of use.

The second critical step is damp barrier. On ground floors or over damp slabs, lay polyethylene sheet before the acoustic mat. Without barrier, damp rises, swells the floor from below and after 6-12 months waves appear that can’t be removed.

Physical install is relatively fast. A 15-20 m² room covered in a day with two people. Joints are tongue-and-groove with glue at critical seams (kitchens and bathrooms with potential splashes). Edges finished with skirting in matching wood, budget PVC or aluminium per style.

When it doesn’t pay off

For very high-traffic zones (entrances, hallways, busy stairs), we recommend not using floating floor, concentrated heavy use degrades the top layer before it would in residential zones. For those zones porcelain tile or natural stone last much longer.

For bathrooms and zones with continuous splash risk, we don’t recommend wood flooring either unless it’s specifically water-resistant (most manufacturers now offer waterproof ranges). If the client insists, the limitation must be flagged.