Parquetry, Parquetry?

[Blackbaartt]

Hi all,
Already approaching the critical zone on the bank loan er indoors wants a fancy parquetry floor.
I have access to some good, super value 80mm Tassie Oak strip flooring boards (Rather than the English Oak the wife saw) and the neighbour has given me jarrah off cuts. I am planning to cut up the Tassie oak and lay a basket weave pattern with jarrah centres. (Not quite the fancy pattern my wife saw but still a very nice looking floor.)
Before I plunge blindly into the project I thought I better ask people who actually know what they are doing (any advice would be appreciated).
Here are some of my most pressing questions:
1, How easy /successful would routering grooves for tongue in Tassie oak /jarrah be?
2, Is timber tongue strip easily obtainable?
3, Is Gluing to 19mm particleboard flooring O.K. or should I secret nail as well?
4, If I was to use a strip flooring border (less cutting) would I cut the border with a circular saw after laying the parquetry centre?
5, I heard I might need an expansion joint at about the 6-metre point. Is this necessary? How is this done? (Floor is ~4mx10m.)
6, How level must the floor be? How can it be easily levelled if its out by ~3-4mm?
7, Is an expansion joint needed where it meets an outside timber doorsill?

Thanks one and all,
Blackbaartt
("I don’t know why I did it. I don’t know why I enjoyed it. I don’t know why I’ll do it again." B. Simpson)

[seriph1]

Hi - WELCOME TO THE FORUM! You'll find info (and opinions) aplenty here .... it's all good stuff!

Good first post - good amount of info etc. to get the creative juices flowing .... I think I know what your wife may have seen and if its the same stuff....it's spectacular! There's a range of things you can do that will make your parquet floor come up a treat, but first I would like to know if the home you're doing up is a modern one or period style. This matters when offering perspectives, as some ideas will be appropriate for one style and not for another etc.

Anyway, I'd be more than happy to have a chat with you about this project - feel free to call me on 0414 393 878 ... I can call you right back if call cost is an issue

have fun!

[Gaza]

Manufacturing of block parquetry requires precision cutting, an all blocks need to be a uniform size.
As far as installation goes a good polyurethane timber flooring adhesive spread with 1 3mm v notch trowel shall do the job. Particle board as a substrate is no problem as long as it’s flat and does not have any rough edges.
If you want to make your own blokes the tools you would need at a minimum would be a good table saw and a very good drop saw and bench.
Good luck with it