Inspiration

Reclaimed parquet flooring:

Pitch Pine (Pinus spp)

This species comes from a group of heavier, harder pines known collectively as Pitch Pine. These originate from the Baltic and North America (both Canada and the United States). All are long-leaf pines with needles of about 7 to 8 inches in length.

Pitch Pine was imported from the Baltic regions into the port of Hull from the 16th century onwards. During that period, it was used for beams and floorboards in place of oak. Eventually it was used for parquet, most…

Reclaimed parquet wood block:

European Oak (Quercus robur)

An excellent quality timber, European Oak is a very versatile wood. A Europe-wide species, typically grown in Britain, France and Germany as well as the Balkans. Much of the reclaimed parquet that becomes available will be native to Britain. Old parquet floors will have a lot more character than modern ones. It was traditionally ‘slow-grown’ which is what gives the character and grain so familiar to us, known as English Oak.

Oak Characteristics

The colour of the timber is…

Reclaimed parquet flooring

Columbian Pine (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Columbian Pine known as Douglas Fir, as well as Oregon Pine. It refers to British Columbia in Canada. It is an abundant timber, widely grown in North America i.e. Canada and United States. Named after Scottish botanist David Douglas, although the scientific name is for Archibald Menzies, who first described the tree in the 1790s.

The trees grow up to 200 ft ( 60 m), even as high as 300 ft in North America with a diameter of up…

Rhodesian Teak

Rhodesian Teak (Baikiaea plurijuga) is a very handsome parquet is from Central Southern Africa. Grown in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Also known as Gusi and Mukusi as well as Zimbabwe Teak or Zambesi Redwood. It is not true teak (tectona grandis), it is something far better looking.

We find it in buildings dating from the 1920s to 1950s after which it seems to have gone out of parquet fashion. However lately we see it being used a lot, especially commercially,…

Reclaimed parquet flooring

Muhuhu (Brachlaena hutchinsii)

Muhuhu is a species of tropical hardwood from Africa. The main countries of distribution are Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In addition the range does extend as far as Angola. Also known as Silver Oak, Muhugwe and Kipugupugo.

This species is on the IUCN Red List and classified ‘Rare’ within its natural growth range in Uganda. Listed as ‘endangered’ due to a tree population reduction of over 50% in the past three generations. A decline in the natural range of growth,…

Reclaimed parquet flooring:

Panga-Panga (Millettia stuhlmannii)

Panga-Panga is from East and South-East Africa (Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe). This species is sometimes confused with its cousin Wenge (pronounced Wengay). Wenge is very similar in appearance, but grows in West and Central Africa.

When reclaiming parquet in the UK, we tend to find Panga-Panga as opposed to Wenge, because it comes from the parts of Africa that were formerly British colonies. We find it was used in late 1950s and early 1960s buildings. It seems to have…

Reclaimed parquet flooring:

Burmese Teak (Tectona grandis)

Burmese Teak also known as Burma Teak is indigenous to the tropical forests of southern and south-eastern Asia: areas such as India, Myanmar and South-East Asia. Teak was also introduced as a plantation crop into tropical Africa. This introduction was mainly by German colonialists, initially in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana during the late 19th century, and later plantations into Cameroon and Togo.

To ensure that the great forests are not destroyed, Teak has become a controlled timber. Consequently it is one…

Reclaimed parquet flooring:

Partridge Wood (Andira Inermis)

Partridge Wood comes from South America, Central America (including the West Indies). As well as from West Africa – Ghana and Nigeria in particular. Rarer and better grown wood types were available during the era of the British Empire. Many of those slow grown species were imported to Britain and this is one of them!

This wood is also known by the name Angelin, West Indian Walnut, Yaba and Cabbage Bark amongst many, many others. It grows to a…

Reclaimed parquet flooring

Columbian Pine (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Columbian Pine known as Douglas Fir, as well as Oregon Pine. It refers to British Columbia in Canada. It is an abundant timber, widely grown in North America i.e. Canada and United States. Named after Scottish botanist David Douglas, although the scientific name is for Archibald Menzies, who first described the tree in the 1790s.

The trees grow up to 200 ft ( 60 m), even as high as 300 ft in North America with a diameter of up…

Reclaimed parquet flooring:

Panga-Panga (Millettia stuhlmannii)

Panga-Panga is from East and South-East Africa (Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe). This species is sometimes confused with its cousin Wenge (pronounced Wengay). Wenge is very similar in appearance, but grows in West and Central Africa.

When reclaiming parquet in the UK, we tend to find Panga-Panga as opposed to Wenge, because it comes from the parts of Africa that were formerly British colonies. We find it was used in late 1950s and early 1960s buildings. It seems to have…

Rhodesian Teak

Rhodesian Teak (Baikiaea plurijuga) is a very handsome parquet is from Central Southern Africa. Grown in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Also known as Gusi and Mukusi as well as Zimbabwe Teak or Zambesi Redwood. It is not true teak (tectona grandis), it is something far better looking.

We find it in buildings dating from the 1920s to 1950s after which it seems to have gone out of parquet fashion. However lately we see it being used a lot, especially commercially,…