How to restore an old parquet?

Parquet flooring is long-lasting. However - and even if it has been properly installed and followed proper maintenance and cleaning guidelines - the original condition of the parquet will wear out over time. Therefore, it is important to know how to restore an old parquet that has been damaged by the passage of time.

It is normal for the state of flatness, shine and coloration to disappear and give way to wear of the floor. This is due to the abrasion that our feet cause when we walk, or when we move furniture and, in the long run, areas with a lack of varnish appear. In addition to wear and tear, scratches made accidentally with sharp objects also often appear. 

You may also read some of our articles found in our blog page for more tips and tricks on how to maintain and care of your wooden floors.

On the other hand, deformations are another characteristic of older parquet if it is not properly cleaned or maintained. This also occurs when cleaning with excess water or unsuitable products.

We have to take into account that parquet is a solid piece of wood that allows us to sand, stab, polish, varnish and restore. Therefore, after intensive and prolonged use over time, it is possible to restore an old parquet using these techniques and recover, in this way, the initial beauty and elegance of the wood.

Restoration process

The restoration of a wooden floor focuses, fundamentally, on sanding, varnishing and polishing, although it will always depend on the state in which the wood is, its properties, dimensions and characteristics.

The first step is to study the stability of the wooden pavement in order to stabilize and consolidate unstable areas, if necessary. The need to replace or not any part that is especially damaged is also evaluated.

On the other hand, if the floor presents bump or small cracks, it can be repaired with putty, which is generally made up of sawdust from the same floor mixed with specific products.

Knife, polish and varnish

An old floor is likely to show general wear and tear, occasional black stains and scratches. Therefore, the first thing to do to bring the parquet back to its natural state is to slash it. In the event that we find raised pieces, it is advisable to replace them before stabbing.

Both for slashing the parquet and for its subsequent polishing, it is important to put ourselves in the hands of wooden floor professionals since very specific machinery is required. For example, in the case of polishing, sandpaper of 30, 60, 120 and 220 are used depending on the type of parquet and its placement.

New and old wood floors should be sanded to remove bumps and obtain a smooth, smooth surface. In the case of old parquet, old varnishes and traces of dirt must be removed. The entire process requires initial roughing, intermediate sanding, and final polishing with a finer grain.

Water-based varnish

Water-based varnishes for parquet are ecological varnishes that give greater protection than traditional varnishes. In fact, they do not give off strong odors, they are non-toxic and they are fire retardant. In the past, solvent-based polyurethane varnish was widely used for its value for money. However, the volatile organic solvents used with this varnish give off a very strong and annoying odor that lasts for days and dries slower than varnish in water. 

Thanks to rapid technological evolution, today we can restore aged parquet with water-based polyurethane varnishes for wood that allows greater elasticity, resistance and ecology.

Certain limitations

Finally, we must bear in mind that there are some limitations on how to restore an old parquet. In order to restore a parquet correctly there must be a sufficient layer of noble or visible wood. This can range from 2.5 to 6 mm for multi-layer floating flooring to 20mm for solid wood flooring.

With more than 15 genuine years that endorse us as wooden floor professionals, at Modern Floor Sanding we offer floor sanding and polishing services for residential, commercial and on sporting halls. Get in touch with us today!