Parquet is worth saving. The blocks in a 1930s house are usually a better grade of timber than anything you can buy off the shelf today, and the pattern is what gives a room its character. Replacing it with new engineered herringbone costs more and looks younger.
Most of the parquet we restore has been under carpet or vinyl for decades. It comes up covered in bitumen adhesive, missing blocks, and looking hopeless. It rarely is.
Why sanding parquet is different
On plain floorboards the grain all runs one way, so the machine follows it. In parquet the grain changes direction every block. Sanding along the boards tears the end grain and leaves scratch marks you cannot get out later.
Parquet has to be sanded diagonally across the pattern, in more than one direction, working through the grits. It is slower and it takes more passes — which is why parquet costs more per m² than straight boards.
It is also why we quote parquet separately. Sanding and finishing runs £32–£42 per m², with a £550 minimum project cost. We are not VAT registered, so nothing is added on top. Gap filling, block replacement and adhesive removal are quoted separately — see the full price list.
What restoration involves
- Lifting and re-laying loose blocks. Old bitumen lets go over time. Blocks are cleaned, re-bedded and levelled.
- Replacing missing blocks. We match species, grain and size. On a hundred-year-old floor a reclaimed block matches better than a new one.
- Removing old adhesive and finishes — bitumen, wax, varnish, paint.
- Gap filling between blocks, in a colour matched to the floor.
- Sanding — done diagonally across the pattern, not along it, because the grain runs in two directions at once. This is the part where inexperience shows.
- Finishing in oil, hardwax oil or lacquer.
Patterns we work with
Herringbone (single and double), chevron, basketweave, brick bond, and panel or border parquet with feature strips.
Can my parquet be saved?
Usually, yes. The questions that actually matter are how thick the blocks are, whether they have been sanded before, and how many are missing or loose. Bitumen, paint and black staining all look alarming and are rarely the problem.
The exception is water damage. Blocks that have swollen and lifted often need replacing rather than sanding, and we will tell you if that is the case rather than sand a floor that will fail again.
Get a price
Send us a photo and we will give you an honest answer on whether your parquet can be restored. Call 07344 467352 or email info@epic-floors.com.
See our prices for guide rates, or read about wood floor sanding.
Our work
Recent work
Free survey
We look at the floor, measure board thickness and tell you honestly whether the work is worth doing.
Fixed written quote
No day rates and no surprises. £550 minimum project cost, and we are not VAT registered.
Get a free quote
Tell us about your floor and we will come back to you with a price. A photo gets you a far more accurate answer.