How a Parquet Wood Floor is Made - Supreme Hardwood Floors - Large Parquet Tiles

Summary

Al Monte, owner of Supreme Hardwood Floors, shares his passion for art and woodworking in creating unique parquet floors. He discusses the meticulous design process, involving his artist wife, and the importance of room measurements for pattern fitting. Monte details the cutting of 1800 pieces for a 400 sq ft floor, using a table saw and sled for precision. He emphasizes the installation process, including leveling the concrete, chalking lines for pattern alignment, and using a 'stair step' method for laying tiles. The finishing touches involve sanding, water popping, and applying a penetrating oil finish, resulting in a one-of-a-kind floor.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Al Monte, owner of Supreme Hallway Floors, enjoys combining art and woodworking to create unique parquet floors.
• 👩‍🎨 Al's wife, an artist, collaborates with him on designing custom floor patterns that are tailored to fit the room's dimensions.
• 📏 The design process involves careful measurement and mapping of the room to ensure the pattern fits well and maintains its proportions.
• ⚙️ Al uses a table saw with a custom sled and jigs to cut the wood into the required shapes for the parquet pattern.
• 🔢 For a project covering 400 square feet, Al cut 1800 pieces, emphasizing the labor-intensive nature of creating a custom floor.
• 🔄 The assembly process includes using blue painters tape to hold the parquet squares together before gluing them directly to the concrete.
• 🏗️ Leveling the concrete is crucial for the accuracy of the parquet pattern; Al ensures the surface is extremely flat before installation.
• 📏 Al uses a 'stair step' method for laying the parquet tiles, which helps prevent the floor from 'creeping' and maintains a uniform pattern.
• 🛠️ A Festool track saw is used for precise cutting of the border pieces, which are made from different types of wood like walnut, purple heart, and French oak.
• 🌊 Al prefers using a penetrating finish like Pullman's Magic Oil, which allows the wood's depth and grain to show, over top coat finishes.

Q & A

What are the two things Al Monte enjoys discussing in the script?

Al Monte enjoys discussing art and woodworking, specifically in the context of creating unique floors.

What is the first step in creating a parquet floor according to Al Monte?

The first step in creating a parquet floor is coming up with the design, which often involves collaboration with his artist wife.

Why is it important to consider the room when designing a parquet floor?

Considering the room is important to ensure the design fits the space well and to determine the appropriate size of the pattern.

How does Al Monte ensure accuracy in his designs?

Al Monte ensures accuracy by enlarging the design to actual size, printing it, and paying close attention to all angles and measurements.

What tool does Al Monte use to cut the wood pieces for the floor?

Al Monte uses a table saw with a sled he made, along with jigs, to cut the wood pieces for the floor.

How does Al Monte keep the assembled squares square during the fabrication process?

Al Monte cuts strips of pine to create a square frame around his drawing, and uses blue painters tape to keep the pieces together.

What is the importance of leveling the concrete before laying the parquet floor?

Leveling the concrete is essential to ensure the floor is extremely flat, which helps maintain the pattern's accuracy and prevents issues during installation.

What method does Al Monte use to lay the parquet floor and why?

Al Monte uses the stair step process to lay the parquet floor to prevent 'creeping' and to ensure the floor looks perfectly square and centered.

How does Al Monte ensure the border of the floor fits perfectly?

Al Monte ensures the border fits perfectly by snapping lines all the way to the adjacent wall, using a track saw to cut along the lines, and using the pattern as a guide.

What type of finish does Al Monte prefer for his floors and why?

Al Monte prefers Pullman's Magic Oil because it's a penetrating finish that allows the depth of the wood to show, unlike top coat finishes that reflect light.

What is the significance of the water popping process in finishing the floor?

Water popping is significant because it helps the oil penetrate the wood better by opening up the pores that were closed by the fine sanding process.

How much time and effort did Al Monte invest in the project described in the script?

Al Monte spent 135 hours over two weeks to complete the project, which involved laying 1800 pieces to cover approximately 400 square feet.