Keeping parquet flooring looking brand new is not difficult if you are willing to do some preventative and general maintenance on the flooring. One of the most important maintenance issues that should be undertaken is sanding parquet flooring to remove scuffs and scratches and restore the beauty of the flooring.

Sanding parquet flooring is not difficult if a few basic directions are followed and in the end, you will have beautiful parquet flooring that you can be proud of.

Before You Begin

There are a few things to remember when sanding parquet flooring. Sanding parquet flooring is a very messy and dirty job, so precautions should be taken to ensure that the dust of sanding the flooring does not spread to other areas of the home. It is prudent to keep all doors and windows closed during the sanding process so that the dust is not blown into other areas of the home.

Safety is also very important when sanding parquet floor. Because sanding the floor will create a large amount of dust, it is important for the homeowner to wear a dust mask and eye protection during the sanding process. This will limit the amount of dust that is breathed into the respiratory system and preserve the individual’s eyes from flying particles that could cause injury.

The Sanding Process

In order to maintain the natural beauty of the parquet flooring, it should be lightly sanded every few years to remove signs of wear and tear on the flooring. Although many individuals choose to have this professionally done, it will save a great deal of money for the homeowner to do this simple task themselves. All the homeowner will need is an orbital sander, which can be rented at many home improvement stores, the correct sanding disks, and some polyurethane sealant.

The parquet flooring should be sanded lightly with the orbital sander until all of the floor blocks have been sanded to a common level. This may require the homeowner to go over certain areas of the floor for a longer period of time and go over entire the floor with the orbital sander one last time to ensure that no areas have been missed. After the floor has been sanded, the entire floor should be swept to remove all of the dust created by sanding the parquet flooring and prepare the flooring for the sealant.

Sealing Parquet

The polyurethane sealant should be applied to the entire floor in a thin even layer. Polyurethane sealant is the preferred sealant for these types of jobs because the sealant dries into a tough, scratch resistant layer that will protect the floor from minor damage for a significant period of time. The exact type of sealant used will depend on the type of parquet flooring the sealant is being applied to.

The sealant should be applied in two or three layers with a light sanding between layers to create a professional finish that you can be proud of. Between layers of sealant, the dust from the sanding should be removed with a light mopping with a damp mop for larger areas or a quick swipe with a damp cloth for smaller areas. After the last layer of sealant has dried, the parquet flooring will need to be maintained with regular sweeping and mopping to retain the beautiful finish of the floor.