Parquetry has always been considered to be a symbol of beauty and style. It was in the past that flooring of this type was believed to be an indication of wealth and luxury only the wealthy could afford. If you’re considering renovating your parquet floor and flooring, you should be aware of the value. It’s like an excellent wine. The older they become the better they will turn out to be. As the wood ages it gets stronger and less prone to crack or warp. But, there’s more to floors that are old. They are a symbol of character and a story written over them. They are unique and should be protected.
Preparing the floor
Every restoration of parquet floors starts with a few simple chores. The furniture first needs to be moved, and each breaking object must be removed. The room must be ready for the inevitable sanding that will remove the previous finish. In order to do this it is necessary for the parquet to be thoroughly cleaned. Dust particles possess abrasive properties and we don’t want to have them in the area when sanding process begins.
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Restoring Old Parquet Flooring
Are the floors stable? Are there any damaged blocks or missing? This is the first question that you must consider asking yourself. Although it’s pretty easy to determine if a piece of furniture has been damaged or is simply missing, determining if a block is solid, is a bit more complicated. Each piece of parquet needs to be gently tapped in order to find the parts that produce sound that is hollow or rattling. The process of reclaiming individual blocks is difficult because pulling one or two could cause the chain reaction to take away more blocks than was initially planned.
We now get to the most unpleasant component the term bitumen. Today, this black, tar-like substance is used predominantly as an asphalt construction material. Victorians used it for flooring glue. The times change, don’t they? The issue of bitumen lies in the fact that a lot of modern adhesives do not bond well to it. Bitumen is very sticky but is often fragile and unstable. The removal of bitumen from the blocks can be quite painful, but it is necessary if you want your parquet blocks securely secured. However, taking the bitumen off the blocks by itself isn’t enough. It’s not even close.
Cleaning the Floor
Bitumen not only sticks to the parquet block, but to the floor beneath them as well. It’s robust enough to damage the concrete beneath the blocks after removal. This makes the subfloor uneven, and it is impossible to put the flooring without first levelling it. The majority of the time experts employ acrylic levelling compounds to solve the issue. Once the floor is sufficient level, the floor restoration can be continued by placing the parquet blocks in their original position.
Restoring everything back to the place it Should
Parquet flooring, including wood floors tend to shift slightly as the seasons roll. This is normal and shouldn’t be stopped. If we try to stop it make the floor more rigid, it could fall. This is the reason why the blocks come with just a bit of distance between them. Be aware that the greater amount of bitumen that you have removed, the better your flooring be in the end. It’s recommended to use a flexible modern adhesive because it permits flooring to move little. However, these adhesives can be a little more expensive , but it’s well worth the cost.
Wood floor sanding can be divided into three components – rough medium, fine and rough. For floors that are extremely uneven, it is recommended to start with coarser such as P24. Then we slowly move to finer ones. Parquets, however are more delicate, and are rarely uneven. It’s best to begin with something like P40 then progress to P80. When we get there then we’re at another (medium) rough sanding phase. Once we are done, it is easy to sweep and clean the floor. The final sanding can take place only after we’ve filled in the gaps between the blocks.
The most important rule to follow when floor sanding is to adhere to the grain of wood. If we don’t do this, we could damage the grain, and ruining the impression of a flawlessly smooth surface.
Parquetry, however is made of a number of wooden blocks that are arranged with various pieces facing in different directions. How can we effectively sand them? The answer is we do not. The most well-known pattern in parquet is, by far, herringbone. The only method to sand herringbone is diagonal. This will allow every part of parquet blocks be stripped in a uniform manner.
Apart from that, the process of sanding is fairly typical. A buffing machine such as that of the Bona Flexi Sand as well as Lagler Trio Lagler Trio can make the last step of the sanding process an absolute breeze.
How do you fill the gaps in Parquetry?
Gap-filling isn’t required, however it is definitely recommended. Apart from improving the look of your flooring, it will also stop draughts and save money on heating bills in winter.
There are a variety of methods for filling in the gaps of the floor of your wood. Parquets however have small gaps and the most effective method to fill them up is making a mixture of filler resin and sawdust. The dust is gathered during the sanding procedure and mixed with the resin. This allows the mix to take on the natural color of the floor, and also mask the gap quite well. Larger gaps should be filled with sawdust that is coarser and collected during rough sanding, and smaller gaps with dust that is finer later.
Be aware that anyone who applies the resin must be aware that it will dry extremely quickly. A larger knife will allow the filling process to be faster. Any remaining resin over the top of the work surface is removed in the third and final sanding cycle which will finally allow an application finishing.
Finalizing the Task
There are two kinds of floor finishes: the lacquers and penetrating oil (also called varnishes). Hardwax oils are the third option, which is thought to bring together the advantages of both lacquers and oil but their efficacy is a matter of debate.
Lacquers create a protective layer over the top of parquet . They provide the greatest protection of three, with the least amount of maintenance required. However, the downside is that the flooring begins to appear plastic-like and the finish is easily scratched.
The oils will penetrate the wood and shield it from within. They give a natural appearance than lacquers, but their durability and protection are less.
Then, we have the oil-based hard wax. This is a relatively new product that functions to finish oil and also forms a layer on the surface, similar to lacquer. The film, however is not as strong which makes the finished prone to damage from spills of liquid. Floor finishes are generally applied using an applicator pad or basic brush. However, regardless of the method the manufacturer’s guidelines should be strictly followed. When the finish is dry then the floor restoration process is done. Congratulations!