How To Renovate A Parquet Floor: Work, Advice, Maintenance

2023 Author: Lynn Laird | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:49

The parquet, sometimes it moves, suddenly it cracks. However, its aristocratic character retains the memories of dozens of generations, the sounds of a waltz, the rustling of crinolines and the dizzying steps of the dancers. Even stable for years, one day it starts to stir and then it can benefit from recent advances which make it stronger, easier to install and to maintain. When the wooden floor covering begins to float and stand up, it's time to renovate the parquet, taking advantage of the new decorative ideas. If the point of Hungary type inspires to put it on the walls, do not hesitate to experiment with a brass decoration and pine parquet!

Renovating a parquet: why choose this timeless flooring?

Whatever its type: glued, floated or laminated, it is well restorable given its original appearance. When you choose engineered parquet, it can be combined with your favorite decor styles.

On the practical side, renovating a parquet means ensuring the durability of the floor in any room, even in the bathroom. If we aim for health, it is natural, antistatic and since it adapts to damp rooms and is compatible with heated floors, it can be preferred over other types of coating, for example tiling, even as the daring combination of parquet and tile is not excluded. The aesthetic and technical advantages of solid parquet are indisputable.

As for the drawbacks that are repairable, they are limited to price and quality. The pose is also an important factor and you should seek the services of the pros.

Parquet floors became very popular from the 1940s onwards and were laid over inferior substrates that lacked the reliability of modern moisture resistant concrete and basement membranes. This has led to the deterioration of many parquet floors, but it is only in exceptional cases that the parquet is irremediable.

What is the process of restoring the original parquet?

Primarily, the processes depend on age and condition. As age is particularly important when restoring your parquet, you should be aware of what it has been covered with before: carpet or rubber underlayments, etc. When these coverings are lifted, the blocks are often loosened, in some cases rotten and must be replaced. Parquets in better condition are those which have not been covered because the wood has been able to "breathe".

What are the common problems that lead you to renovate a parquet?

Common problems with parquet floors and in particular with old parquet floors are:

• loose and unbound blocks
• rotten and unhealthy blocks
• missing blocks and areas filled with concrete instead of replacing with other blocks
• gaps between blocks
• poor finish and surface appearance
• blocked sections that lift off the ground due to faulty substrates
• inappropriate blocks of a different species installed in the ground
• an absence of expansion joints causing buckling of the parquet

In which cases can the parquet floor not be renovated?

Very rarely, unless it has been completely destroyed by moisture and turned to choking sawdust under the underlayment for years! While there are some tasks that a DIY enthusiast can perform, at the same time sanding and finishing the floor should only be undertaken by professionals with the right oscillating sanding equipment. So many floors were spoiled by homeowners who hired drum sanders from local rental stores. As a result, they got scratched and damaged parquet. Specialized machines are also needed for certain repairs and modifications necessary to restore a parquet floor. Only with a trained and qualified user can satisfactory results be expected.

What tips for renovating old parquet?

To renovate old parquet floors, we still sometimes use the nailing of slats on joists. But for the most part, the old-fashioned solid wood slats are replaced by laminated planks, joining together several slats, usually finished and varnished during manufacture, 22-23 mm thick.

Types of parquet according to the way it is laid

In general, glued parquet presents itself in different aspects and suggests endless decorative effects. Either on a cement screed, or on old parquet, old tiling, level carpet, needle-punched carpet, plastic coating, a layer 8 to 10 mm thick can be glued. Once it is installed, it must be sanded and a finishing product applied. As for the insulation, a cork underlay is preferred.

It is true that the most popular type of installation is laminate flooring. It consists of fitting tongue-and-groove panels together, after lightly gluing them. As floating floors are easy to install, they can be installed anywhere, even on a layer of insulation product or an anti-condensation film against humidity. They too ensure perfect strength and stability.

Being incredibly solid, so-called “standing wood” parquet has unusual aesthetic effects. These are pavers sliced no longer in the direction of the grain of the wood, but perpendicular to it. Sometimes, they are injected with resin, which makes them waterproof and stable.

Almost everyone chooses to keep the natural color of the parquet. The application of matt lacquer products gives the floor a natural-looking finish, as if the floor had been traditionally waxed.

How to take care of the restored solid parquet?

The parquet will last a very long time before anything has to be redone. As with all other wood floors, as the lacquer wears out, it will need to be reapplied every now and then (usually every 7 years or so) and other than that the wood floor will last indefinitely. Definitely longer than some of the cheaper engineered floors which only have 2mm of real wood compared to solid parquet with up to 22mm of wood.

Well-maintained parquet lasts for generations. If yours is starting to look a little tired, or if you've recently moved into a house with damaged wood floors that needed special attention, you should be able to improve its condition. All it takes is a little effort and specialized products designed to clean and restore this type of stylish flooring.

What should be considered with the restoration of parquet?

There are a few things to do before that will save you some worry later.

First, clean the furniture and remove dust and debris from the floor with your vacuum cleaner. After preparing a solution of lukewarm water and wood detergent, use a soft brush specially designed for hard floors and wash the surface. Since too much water can damage the floor, be sure to squeeze the mop as tightly as possible so that it is damp rather than wet. Use a scrub brush to remove stubborn marks. Repeat the cleaning process with clean, lukewarm water to remove all traces of soap.

Second, if you're unsure whether the floor originally had a wax or oil finish, go for a section that isn't visible, such as under a sofa or a set of shelves. Pour in two drops of water and leave for about 10 minutes. When looking at the results, be careful, if you can see white spots on the parquet, this shows that the floor was originally finished with oil or wax. Remove white stains from the floor using a piece of steel wool coated with floor wax. If there are no stains, then a lacquer or varnish was used.

What maintenance product?

Third, buy an appropriate maintenance product for the original finish of your parquet. This product will restore it. Apply the product to the floor, carefully following the manufacturer's instructions. Most floor care products with an original varnish or lacquer come in the form of varnish. However, in the case of an original oil or wax finish, you have the option of using a varnish or hard wax. For oiled or waxed floors in very poor condition, use hard wax and apply two coats.

Polishing the parquet

If you want to polish the floor, follow the manufacturer's instructions for how long you should leave the maintenance product on the floor before doing this. Use an old-fashioned polishing block or semi-professional pad with a large white pad attached. In the case of parquet restoration, an ordinary household pad may not achieve the necessary quality of finish.

As for the color of the parquet, it must complement the interior space with style.

What tools are needed for the activities listed?

You will need a vacuum cleaner, wood detergent, broom, bucket, mineral spirits, floor care product, cleaning rags, polishing block / semi-professional stamp.

Tips to warn you

1. Keep the room well ventilated when using maintenance products on your parquet and when removing excess wax stains with mineral spirits.
2. Never use dishwashing detergent to wash parquet floors. Use a special wood cleaner.
3. If you find that the floor is very dirty when you start cleaning it, wash it with the detergent solution. Leave the solution on the floor for five minutes before rinsing the soap off the surface. Immediately repeat the washing and rinsing process.
4. If you notice stains of a dark, sticky substance on your floor, too much wax has been used at some point in the past. Remove it using mineral spirits and a cleaning cloth before starting the cleaning process.

1. To avoid scratches and damage, keep the floor as clean as possible. Vacuum daily with a soft brush to remove dust and debris.
2. Place protective floor pads on chair legs and furniture bases.

Thanks to in-house finishing treatments, parquet boasts advantages that make it durable. Sanded, varnished, mat, shiny and satin, it requires simple maintenance: a mop to dust it and a slightly damp mop or sponge for stains. All this explains the very lively revival of this warm, pleasant and natural beauty coating.