Large square panels, each one carrying an interwoven pattern of oak within a bordered frame. Versailles is the most decorative floor we sell and the closest thing to a piece of furniture you can walk on.
The pattern takes its name from the parquet de Versailles laid at the palace in the seventeenth century, replacing marble floors that were rotting the joists beneath. It has been a mark of a serious floor ever since, and it remains the choice when a room needs something with genuine presence.
Supplied in engineered oak with a real oak surface on a stable core, in colours from pale whitewashed tones through to deeper browns and greys. Free A5 samples on every design, delivered next-day.
A Versailles panel is a large square tile of engineered oak, with an interlaced diagonal pattern set inside a square border. Each panel is a complete unit, laid alongside the next so the pattern repeats across the floor in a regular grid.
Because the pattern is manufactured into the panel rather than assembled block by block on site, you get the look of a hand-laid parquet floor without the labour that would once have gone into it.
Where Versailles works
This is a pattern that needs room to breathe. A Versailles panel is substantially larger than a herringbone block, and the pattern only reads properly when several panels are visible at once.
In a generous living room, hallway or open-plan space it is magnificent. In a small bedroom you would see two panels and a lot of cut edges, and the effect is lost. Measure the room before you fall in love with it.
A sample cannot show you a Versailles floor
More so than any other floor we sell. An A5 sample shows you the oak, the colour and the finish, but nothing of the pattern, since a single panel is far larger than the sample. Study the room-set photograph on the product page alongside the sample in your hand.
Versailles compared with other patterns
Versailles
Herringbone
Plank
Unit laid
Large square panel
Small block
Long board
Visual impact
Highest
High
Understated
Room size needed
Large
Any
Any
Waste allowance
15%
15%
10%
Fitting
Professional
Professional
DIY possible
Choosing a colour
The pattern is doing a great deal of work already, so colour choice matters differently here. Pale and whitewashed tones let the pattern emerge quietly and keep a large room feeling light. Deeper browns and greys make the interlacing far more pronounced and give the floor real weight, but need a room with the light to carry it.
Finish changes it too. An oiled surface softens the pattern; a lacquered one reflects more light and sharpens the definition between the pieces.
Fitting Versailles panels
Versailles is a job for an experienced fitter. The panels must be set out from a true centre line so the grid runs square to the room, and because each panel is large, any drift becomes obvious quickly. Cut panels at the perimeter need care to keep the border reading consistently.
Tongue and groove Versailles is normally bonded to the subfloor rather than floated. The subfloor needs to be flat, since a large rigid panel will not follow an undulating base the way a narrow board can. The joining method is listed on every product page, and our fitting guides cover subfloor preparation.
How much will you need?
Allow 15% for cuts. Cutting a large patterned panel to fit a perimeter wastes considerably more than trimming a plank, and the offcuts rarely find a second use.
The flooring calculator on every product page applies the right allowance automatically. You will also need beading for the perimeter, threshold profiles at doorways, and adhesive for bonding the panels down.
Order the full quantity in one go. Shade varies slightly between production batches, and on a floor this visually structured a mismatched panel is impossible to hide.
Versailles flooring: frequently asked questions
What is Versailles parquet?
A large square panel of oak carrying an interwoven diagonal pattern inside a square border. Named after the floors laid at the Palace of Versailles in the seventeenth century.
Is Versailles suitable for a small room?
Generally not. The panels are large, so a small room shows few complete panels and a lot of cut edges. Herringbone gives a decorative floor that works at any scale.
How much extra should I order?
15%, the same as other patterned floors. Cutting large panels around a perimeter produces significant waste.
Can I fit Versailles panels myself?
We would not recommend it. The panels are usually bonded down, the setting out has to be square to the room, and the subfloor needs to be genuinely flat.
Is Versailles flooring real wood?
Yes. Our Versailles panels are engineered oak, with a genuine oak surface on a stable multi-ply core.
Can Versailles be used with underfloor heating?
Generally yes, since the panels are engineered rather than solid. Suitability is stated in the specification on every product page.
Can Versailles panels be sanded?
Yes, as many times as the wear layer allows. The wear layer thickness is listed on each product page.
