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Polishing wood floors brings out the shine and design of the wood grain, and the same is true for parquet flooring, which is often made with the same materials as hardwood floors. In this article, we'll go through the step-by-step process of polishing a parquet wood floor without damaging or scratching the surface.
Parquet flooring originated in France, around the 17th century. It was created as a way to add decorative designs into plain wooden flooring, and parquet mosaics were achieved by cutting small planks of wood at a geometric angle. Once all the wooden pieces are put together, the parquet floors feature an interlocking, fish bone-line pattern over the entire floor.
Parquet floors are typically made of hardwood, engineered wood, or solid wood, and are cleaned or treated like wood floors. The wood flooring features a mosaic design, which may trap dirt, dust, and moisture between the wooden slats. As such, extra care is given to parquet flooring compared to other types of wood floors.
Parquet polishing can be done DIY, but it is always recommended to have a professional polish and apply varnish to your wooden floor to avoid scratching, and prevent sealing mistakes with varnish. Here's how parquet floors are polished:
The first step is cleaning the wood floor. Loose dust and debris are removed using a vacuum cleaner, and the wood is scrubbed clean. At home, wood floors can be cleaned with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Professional renovation experts use industrial-grade wood floor cleaning solutions that seep deep into the wood to extract dirt and debris from the wooden planks.
If necessary, they may also remove the slats, and use a vacuum cleaner to deep clean between the wood planks. The floor is then left to completely dry before moving onto the next step. If the room contains furniture, professional cleaners will move the furniture out of the room using furniture pads prior to cleaning the floors.
If there are stains on the parquet flooring, professional cleaners will remove the stains before polishing. This may involve using a strong stain remover to get rid of the stain, or professional renovation experts may remove and replace the stained plank.
Any moisture or water stains, such as damage from standing water, will need to be replaced to prevent mold and mildew from forming beneath the floorboards. However, it is important to locate the source of the moisture, such as a leaky pipe. A renovation contractor will be able to fix leaking pipes to prevent moisture damage in the future.
Any burnt, broken, cracked, or shrunken planks will be removed, and the planks will be replaced with identical slats, preferably of the same make and material. If hiring renovation contractors to do the work, then you may also opt to have the entire floor replaced to keep the floor looking new. The new slats are glued to the floors, and are allowed to dry completely.
If the original parquet floor is varnished, then professional renovators may strip the varnish off the floor to renew the polish. Newly-renovated floors, however, may not have varnish applied to the slats, and will be scrubbed smooth using a floor polishing machine, or a polishing solution that contains miniscule abrasives to polish the wood to a shine.
If you're polishing the floors yourself, you can use a mixture of baking soda with a few drops of olive oil to scrub the floors until shiny. Baking soda provides a gentle abrasive that polishes wood smooth, while olive oil lubricates the floors, and locks in moisture to prevent shrinkage. A vacuum cleaner can be used to remove dust from the polishing process.
This is an optional step, but is recommended for wood floors. Varnish prevents moisture loss, and blocks out moisture damage as well. Your floors will be less prone to stains, scratches, and damage from regular wear and tear. Apply wood varnish to every last corner of the floor, and let it dry completely before polishing.
The last step is to apply the wood polish. Renovators should present your newly-cleaned and remade floors properly, and will often polish wood floors after varnishing. They will use a commercial wood polish to bring the floor to a smooth, glassy shine, wiping off any excess polish to avoid ruining the floors.
If you're polishing the floors yourself, it is best to purchase a commercial parquet or wood floor polish, and use the product according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, you may also polish parquet floors using lemon juice, and a few drops of olive oil. Spread a thin layer of olive oil over the floors, and use the lemon to scrub it to a streak-free finish.
Nothing beats the pristine clean, and perfect polishing process of professional cleaning services. At Colebuild, we ensure that your floors are made to be flawless! Need help renovating your old parquet floor? Our team will get to parquet floor cleaning, fixing, and polishing to get rid of all the wear and tear marks in your floors!
Send us a message to know how Colebuild can fix up your home to be as good as new!
