Whether in the kitchen, dining room, or living room, parquet flooring is highly decorative. Available in many models, it suits almost all types of floors.

If you maintain it properly, it demonstrates better longevity. In any case, marks and scratches can damage it over time.

To give it a new lease on life, sanding is an essential step. Although the operation takes time, it is done easily by following the advice below.

When to sand your solid wood parquet?

Before wondering which type of parquet to choose for your kitchen, know first that not all parquet floors can be sanded.

It is essential to determine the nature of the material in order not to damage it. If you have a laminate floor, it is impossible to polish it to restore its shine.

The surface consists of a resin that protects a wood-effect layer. A simple cleaning is enough to restore it. In case of wear, you must replace the laminate flooring once and for all.

Time	Details
During initial installation	Sanding smooths the surface of new solid wood parquet to eliminate irregularities and obtain a perfect base for finishing (varnish, oil, or wax).
In case of visible wear	When the parquet shows scratches, stains, or dull areas, sanding restores a new look by removing the damaged surface layer.
Before a new finish	Before applying new varnish, oil, or wax, it is recommended to sand to ensure better adhesion and a uniform finish.
After damage	If part of the parquet has been damaged (impact, burn, ingrained stain), localized or complete sanding restores the appearance.

Similarly, an overly worn floor cannot be renovated, unless some boards can be salvaged. Only the most damaged pieces should be replaced.

For a warped parquet, this should warn you of a moisture problem in the house. If it comes from water damage, simply dry the floor by mopping with a well-wrung mop.

But if poor insulation damages the material’s condition, you must dismantle everything to dry underneath. If the parquet is too damaged, consider replacing it.

By the way, we invite you to read our article: how to treat humidity in the house if you are interested in the topic.

For a blackened parquet, you can renovate it without problem. After sanding, it is advised to use white oil. Thanks to this product, the surface can regain its shine.

Also, all engineered parquet, solid wood, exotic wood, pine, or oak can be sanded without issue. If your floor is one of these, do not hesitate to follow the steps below:

Preparing to sand the parquet

If you are researching how to sand concrete, the work always starts with preparing the surface. It is the same with parquet polishing; the floor must be properly treated before any operation.

To begin, think about completely emptying the room. This provides space for your machine and the necessary tools.

Remember that sanding generates a lot of dust. It is essential to remove all your wall decorations as well as your curtains to avoid them getting dirty. The same applies to furniture and decorative objects. Be sure to open all the windows.

That said, check that no nails are visible or protruding. If so, do not hesitate to hammer the heads in with a hammer. If some are damaged, use a nail puller to remove them and then replace them.

If you notice broken or damaged planks, it is better to replace them. Also try to fill the holes using wood filler. It is recommended not to neglect anything. Otherwise, it may slow down the sanding or affect the final result.

To finish the preparations, you need to get sandpapers with compatible grits, a floor sander, an edger, a vacuum cleaner, and a mop to clean the floor.

Also equip yourself with protective gear for DIYers such as a mask, gloves, hearing protection, and appropriate glasses.

Renovating an old wooden floor

• Use a special device like a sander: To carry it out successfully, it is crucial to use a special device like a sander. Before starting the operation, put on safety devices to protect yourself from wood chips and dust.
• Wear a helmet: Throughout the machine’s operation, do not forget to wear a helmet. Since the sander makes noise, it may cause ear ringing.
• Consult the user manual: To use it, consult the user manual. Prepare it by attaching the sandpaper and the dust collector.
• Choose a floor sander: There are several types of sanders for renovating wood. But for better ease of use, nothing beats opting for a floor sander.
• Select the type of sander: The latter comes in 2 versions; you can choose between the eccentric sander and the vibrating sander.
• Use an eccentric sander: The first works in a circular motion. It surpasses the other in power and speed.
• Use a vibrating sander: As for the second, it makes back-and-forth movements.
• Sand a herringbone floor: If your floor is herringbone, it is advised to work diagonally in the direction of the planks. This helps you achieve a uniform result.
• Sand an English floor: For an English floor, sand in the direction of the wood fibers.
• Sand a mosaic floor: If you have a mosaic floor, sand according to the direction of the light.

Stripping the wood

This step aims to strip damaged coatings and remove imperfections from the floor. After stripping, you will obtain a surface that is smooth, flat, and clean.

To do this, you can use 3 types of sandpapers. The coarse abrasive grit is used to strip the material and deeply remove stains and scratches.

As for the medium grit, it removes the marks left by the first sandpaper. The fine grit is intended for finishing.

To observe the quality of the work, it is preferable to vacuum between each operation. It is more comfortable to work in a clean place.

When sanding the floorboards, you must act delicately, neither too fast nor too slow. Always move forward avoiding making a hole on the surface. Once finished, clean it with a slightly damp mop removing all dust residues.

Aesthetic finishing of floor sanding

Since the floorboards are now well stripped, you can give them all their finesse by acting gently. The use of a finer abrasive paper of 100 or 120 is highly recommended. Use it to polish throughout the room.

Do not neglect any corner or edge. If you have a corner sander, this device greatly facilitates the tasks.

Make sure the floorboards become smoother, that is, pleasant to the touch. Once you achieve the result, you can move on to the cleaning step.

Use a vacuum cleaner to dust effectively and quickly. Once done, clean the entire surface with a damp mop. This helps to get rid of the last stubborn dirt.

Protecting your old solid wood floor

After sanding, the work does not stop there! You must avoid leaving the floor in a raw wood state. Otherwise, it can easily receive scratches and stains.

There are many possibilities to protect the floorboards. But the use of varnish is among the most commonly used options currently.

It is the best solution to preserve the material durably. A few coats are enough to maintain its condition for five years. With the product, the floorboards become not only waterproof but also easy to clean.

Besides that, it is possible to apply oil on the floorboards. Its application is a real child’s play. You just have to use a bristle brush or a roller.

This type of maintenance is done every two years. If you consider using it, know that this option is irreversible. If you oil your floorboards, you must no longer use other finishes.

If the varnish and oil do not convince you, you can choose wax. Although it is losing popularity, it has some notable advantages.

Besides its ease of application, it gives a shiny and glossy appearance to the floorboards. That’s not all, this finish spreads a pleasant smell on the floor. On the other hand, it requires regular maintenance, even weekly.