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March 12, 2024 – Published in Design & Decor Autumn-Winter 2023 issue

Gres Parquet Tiles

Words Stephanie Falzon

There is a very valid reason why the Northern Countries use wood for their flooring and the Southern Countries use tiles: The colder countries need the wood flooring to maintain heat and warmth; whilst the hotter countries need a cooler flooring to help balance out the heat as well as a product that will not be infested by any insects that seem to thrive in the hotter climates.

Having said that, we have to admit that the look of a parquet flooring is lovely. So for the hotter southern countries, a lot of tile manufacturers have been producing Gres Parquet Tiles. Over the years, the ceramic industry has been able to produce such perfect replica of wood finishes that sometimes, one has to simply go down and touch the floor to make sure and see if the flooring is actually wood or gres.

Like all Gres Tiles, these Parquet Tiles come maintenance free. As long as you get your tiles from a reputable firm, they are durable and will last for years. They are resistant to all normal wear-and-tear and do not require any complicated up-keep. You simply use water and your preferred cleaning products. And unlike the wood flooring, the Gres Parquet Tiles are not susceptible to scratches, stains, dents and insect infestation (which are very common in the Southern hotter climates).

Are there any restrictions as to where we can lay these Gres Parquet Tiles? Like normal Gres Tiles, these tiles can be laid practically anywhere. These are suitable for any space for our homes – whether outside or inside.

For the inside, they can be laid in kitchens, living/dining rooms, bedrooms, shower or bathrooms, studies and any other rooms we may have, without any problem at all. They can be laid on the walls as well as the floors. You can create feature walls with these tiles, either using the same tile on your floor or a tile from the same series – but a different colour. Of course, design options must be studied as carefully as if you are laying normal looking tiles. Colour schemes must be considered just as thoroughly. It is not recommended to use a very dark wenge colour in a small ground floor apartment that might not have enough natural light.

For the outside, they can be laid on any of our outside areas: Terraces, yards, gardens, and even roof tops. The only thing I would like to point out is that if you have a pool or an area where, perhaps, children (or anyone really) will be playing or working with water, then it is imperative that the Gres Parquet Tile must be non-skid – just like any other normal Gres tile. Please remember, with you barefooted and the tile wet is an accident waiting to happen. Most European manufacturing companies, will have the same tile in a smooth matt finish for the inside as well as a rougher surface for the ‘water’ areas. This will give you a smooth transition from the inside area to the outside area. Others prefer to have two colours. This will define the two areas more prominently and create a contrast from the outside to the inside. Both ideas are good – it is only a question of which one you like best.

For feature walls on the outside, you can have wall cladding. If laid well this offers protection to walls that are exposed to the elements, as well as making the outside look attractive and eye-catching.

These Parquet Tiles can be found in many formats. Like I said before, sometimes you literally cannot tell if the flooring is wood or tiles. But for the tiles to look authentic, even the formats of the tiles have to look realistic. You will find various formats like: 15 x 60, 15 x 90, 20 x 120, 20 x 160 and several other sizes. The long thin strip of the tile, makes it look more faithful to natural wood.

But before we decide on the size of our tile, we need to be sure how we are going to lay the tile. I have always maintained that an oblong tile has more possibilities of laying options. And the Parquet Tile is no different. But please remember that the larger formats need a lot of space if you are planning a particular laying design. A herring-bone effect layout with a large format tile will not look good in a narrow corridor, as there will not be enough space for the design to stand out. A wall cladding usually needs a more classic lay out. But again, this will depend on whether the area you are tiling is a really wide wall or just a small area to create a focus space in the room. As you can see, everything must fall in together and must compliment each other I know that every publication, I might repeat some things. But these are important and common to everything we do and buy. 

If we are not sure of what tiles to buy and how to lay the them, please use the services of an interior designer or an architect. There are so many good ones around. Discuss in detail with them, not only how you want the tiles, but also your ideas of the rest of your home. Everything must look good together. They will be able to guide you. They will know the latest designs that would have come out and where you can get them.

And the most important of all: please look out for quality. It is no use to have the most capable of interior designers or architects and then we get inferior quality tiles. Everything must work together hand in hand: quality and design. And at the end of the day, the tiler is going to charge the same – whether he is laying a good tile or an inferior quality one. Again I will repeat: in our line of work, mistakes are costly. And I am not saying that they cannot be remedied. But why go through all of that when it can be done the correct way, the first time round?

Falzon’s Bathrooms & Ceramics, Psaila Street, Sta Venera.

2148 2860 / 2148 5536

e-mail: stephanie@falzons.com

www.falzons.com

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