Cost to Refinish Parquet Floors

Parquet flooring has a long history dating back to the 1600s, but it's not an outdated option. While it peaked in the 1960s, it's making a comeback as a trendy floor option to spruce up interior spaces. Despite its original beauty, parquet flooring can start to show wear over time, especially in busy rooms. Periodic refinishing, just like you do with traditional hardwood flooring, helps freshen up the parquet and make it look like new.

While a traditional hardwood floor uses long planks running parallel across the room, parquet flooring features small pieces of hardwood to create various patterns. The pieces fit together, sometimes in very intricate patterns, and they're glued to the floor individually with the traditional installation method. A more modern option is parquet tile flooring, which features the wood pieces attached to backing so you can install larger sections at once. You can glue, staple, or nail the tiles to the floor.

Sometimes, cleaning a parquet floor is enough to freshen it up, but other times, it needs a little more. Since it's made from pieces of hardwood, parquet flooring can be refinished when necessary to restore it to a shinier, newer look. Refinishing parquet floors takes more work than regular hardwood due to the patterning. Sanding parquet wood floors is a major part of the refinishing process.

With the wood pieces on parquet flooring put together in different patterns, that also means the wood grain runs in different directions. This requires careful sanding to avoid damaging the flooring. Sanding against the wood grain can create damage. The refinishing process also involves staining if desired and applying parquet flooring sealant to protect the wood.

While the process to refinish parquet floors is best left to a professional, it doesn't usually cost any more than regular hardwood flooring costs to refinish. The typical cost is between $3 and $5 per square foot. To estimate the total cost, use a tape measure to obtain the length and width of the room. Multiply the numbers to get the square footage and then multiply that number by $3 and $5 to get a general range. For a more accurate estimate, contact local hardwood flooring companies to get customized quotes.

The frequency of refinishing parquet floors varies based on use and care. A heavily trafficked floor will likely lose its shine and might show scratches and other signs of wear sooner than less busy rooms. In general, parquet floors start to look worn after 10 to 15 years. Sometimes, the floors last longer before they need to be refinished.

Instead of focusing on the length of time, look for signs that the floor needs to be refinished. Some of those signs include:

• Dullness in the finish
• Patches or worn spots
• Scratches
• Stains
• Water damage
• Discoloration or sun damage

Even if the parquet flooring is in good condition, you might decide to finish it for a refreshed look. You can have the floor stained to a different color during the refinishing process if you want a different style. The best stain color for parquet floors depends on the overall look of other finishes in the room. You can also choose a different sheen level with options including matte, satin, semigloss, and gloss, which determine how shiny your parquet floors look.