Parquet flooring turns up in a lot of London properties, particularly those built between the 1930s and 1970s, often laid in living rooms and hallways, sometimes hidden under carpet for decades and genuinely forgotten about. Even in poor condition, most parquet is restorable, though the process is meaningfully more involved than standard board sanding.
Common Patterns Found In London Properties
The most common pattern is herringbone, rectangular blocks laid at 45 or 90 degrees to create a distinctive zigzag. Basket-weave and brick-bond patterns appear too, though less frequently. Each pattern creates its own sanding challenge, since the grain direction changes across the floor rather than running consistently in one direction the way plain boards do.
Original blocks are typically oak, pine, or teak, with beech and elm also turning up occasionally. The blocks themselves are small, generally around 230mm by 70mm and 20mm thick, meaning there's genuinely less material to work with than standard floorboards. This limits how many times a parquet floor can be sanded over its lifetime compared with plain boards.
Assessing The Condition
A thorough inspection comes before any sanding. Parquet floors in London commonly show:
- Loose or lifting blocks, often from failed bitumen adhesive beneath.
- Cracked or split blocks, from movement or moisture exposure.
- Missing blocks, particularly near doorways and radiators.
- Heavy old wax build-up, from decades of traditional maintenance.
- Cupping or crowning, where moisture has got underneath individual blocks.
A specialist re-bonds any loose blocks with a suitable adhesive before sanding starts. Missing blocks need sourcing and matching as closely as possible, which can genuinely take time if the original species is unusual.
The Sanding Process For Parquet
This requires a genuinely different technique to plain board sanding. Rather than working in one consistent direction, the sanding machine works diagonally across the blocks, typically at 45 degrees in two opposite directions, before a final pass along the main axis. This diagonal approach is what cuts evenly across the changing grain direction rather than tearing or scratching it.
Because the blocks are small and the grain shifts constantly, any deviation from the correct technique leaves visible scratch marks that show clearly through the finish. This is exactly why parquet restoration is better left to specialists rather than a general floor sanding company without specific parquet experience.
Edge and corner work is also genuinely time-consuming. Perimeter blocks often run at an angle to the walls, needing careful hand scraping and small machine work to blend cleanly with the main field of the floor.
Finishing Parquet Floors
- Traditional wax gives a low-sheen, natural look, still preferred by many homeowners, and it's genuinely easy to repair in sections, though it needs more regular upkeep than lacquer or oil.
- Hard-wax oil (Osmo is a well-known option) penetrates the timber rather than sitting on top, giving a durable, natural-looking result with lower maintenance than traditional wax.
- Water-based lacquer works on parquet too, though a high-gloss sheen can sometimes look at odds with the character of older, characterful blocks.
If you're staining, always test on a spare block or hidden corner first. Parquet species absorb stain at different rates, so a colour that looks perfectly even on solid oak boards can come out patchy on mixed-species or reclaimed blocks.
Costs For Parquet Restoration
Parquet restoration genuinely costs more than standard board sanding, reflecting the extra time and skill involved, typically £35 to £55 per square metre in London for a full restoration including re-bonding, sanding, and finishing. Significant block replacement adds to this, since sourcing matching material takes real time. For an average living room around 20m², total cost typically falls between roughly £700 and £1,100.
Maintaining A Restored Parquet Floor
Once restored, parquet is relatively low maintenance:
- Sweep or vacuum regularly to keep grit off the surface, since fine particles scratch any finish over time.
- Use a slightly damp mop with a pH-neutral cleaner for periodic washing, never soaking the floor.
- Expect some seasonal movement, older properties with single-glazed windows or less efficient heating can see humidity swings that cause blocks to shift slightly with the seasons. This is normal and rarely a problem if the floor was properly bonded in the first place.
- Keep heating reasonably consistent where possible, which helps the floor stay stable over the years.
Parquet Floor Restoration: Common Questions
Can any floor sanding company restore parquet, or does it need a specialist?
It genuinely benefits from specialist experience. The diagonal sanding technique parquet requires is different from standard board sanding, and getting it wrong leaves visible scratch marks that show through the finish.
How many times can a parquet floor be sanded over its life?
Fewer times than standard floorboards, since the blocks themselves are smaller and thinner, giving less material to work with across repeated sands.
Is it normal for parquet blocks to move slightly with the seasons?
Yes, particularly in older properties with less consistent heating or single glazing. This is normal and rarely causes problems if the floor was properly bonded during restoration.
Should I choose wax or hard-wax oil for a restored parquet floor?
It depends on your priorities. Wax gives the most traditional, low-sheen look and is easy to spot-repair, while hard-wax oil offers similar natural character with genuinely lower ongoing maintenance.
If you're also considering new parquet elsewhere in your property, or need wood floor staining advice for your restoration, call us on 020 7036 0625 or request a free site visit.
