Helsinki and Uusimaa
Parquet sanding
Parquet sanding removes the old lacquer or oil together with the worn top layer of wood, usually about 0.5–1 mm, and the floor gets a new finish. The craftsman sands herringbone, strip, mosaic and panel parquet, and engineered wood flooring if its wear layer is thick enough.
- Herringbone and mosaic parquet
- Strip, panel and engineered flooring
- Almost dust-free sanding
- Free quote from photos
Which parquet floors the craftsman sands
Each type of parquet is sanded slightly differently. Before giving a price, the craftsman checks what kind of parquet you have and how much wood is left for sanding.
- Herringbone parquet. The blocks run in different directions. The first sanding passes are made diagonally or across the room to keep the surface flat. Finally the floor is sanded with a disc machine to even out the marks left across the grain. French herringbone (chevron), where the block ends are cut at an angle to form a V pattern, is sanded the same way.
- Strip and mosaic parquet. Common in older flats, often glued directly to concrete. The blocks are solid wood, so they can be sanded several times. The limit is the thickness of the block, or with strip parquet the wood above the tongue. Before sanding, the craftsman checks whether any blocks are loose.
- Panel parquet. Square panels made of wooden strips, common in older flats. The top layer of wood is usually thick enough for the floor to be sanded repeatedly. Before sanding, the craftsman checks whether any panel is loose or sounds hollow.
- Solid wood parquet. Parquet made of solid wood boards or strips. Because the wood is solid all the way through, it can be sanded repeatedly, like strip parquet and plank floors. The limit is the wood above the tongue.
- Engineered wood flooring. Only the top layer of wood, the wear layer, can be sanded, and its thickness decides whether full sanding is possible. On boards with bevelled edges, part of the bevel is lost in sanding.
How many times parquet can be sanded
One full sanding usually removes about 0.5–1 mm of wood. More is removed from an uneven or cupped floor.
With engineered wood flooring, the wear layer decides how many times it can be sanded. The rule of thumb is roughly one sanding per millimetre of wear layer, with a little left in reserve. Under the standard, the wear layer is at least 2.5 mm. A thinner layer is wood veneer, which is usually not sanded.
The thickness of the wear layer can be checked on site: a cross-section of the board is often visible at a threshold, a ventilation grille, a heating pipe or the skirting board. It is checked in several places. If the layer is too thin, or the floor has already been sanded several times, full sanding is no longer possible.
Rules of thumb by floor type
These figures are guidelines. The exact answer only comes from measuring on site.
| Floor | Roughly how many times | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Strip parquet, solid wood parquet and plank floor | repeatedly, often 6–8 times | The limit is the wood above the tongue and the nail heads |
| Mosaic parquet | several times | The whole block is solid wood; the limit is its thickness |
| Engineered, 2 mm wear layer | usually not sanded | Full sanding is risky |
| Engineered, 2.5 mm wear layer | 1, in good conditions 2 | If floating, more likely 1 |
| Engineered, 3 mm wear layer | 1–2 | Depends on previous sanding |
If you don't know what kind of parquet you have, send a photo of the edge of the floor at a threshold or skirting board.
How parquet sanding works
Parquet sanding is done in five stages. Sanding a room of up to 50 m², including the edges of the floor, takes about a day. The floors of an average home are usually finished in 2–3 working days, lacquering included.
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Check and preparation
Before starting, the craftsman checks how well the blocks are fixed, the gaps, the old finish and the thickness of the wear layer. Skirting boards must be removed before the work so that the edge along the wall can be sanded clean too.
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Sanding
The old lacquer or oil is sanded off with progressively finer abrasives, without skipping a grade. The machines collect dust straight into a bag.
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Edges and corners
The edges are sanded with an edge sander. Corners the machine cannot reach are cleaned with a scraper and sanded by hand.
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Gap filling
Small gaps are filled with filler mixed with sanding dust from the same floor so the colour matches. The surface is then finely sanded. Filling small gaps is included in the price.
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Finishing
Lacquer is applied in three coats. Hardwax oil is applied in two coats.
Almost dust-free sanding
Almost dust-free sanding means the machines collect the dust straight into a bag. So practically no dust gets into the room, even when old lacquer is sanded off.
A little fine dust can still rise into the air and settle, for example, on window sills. To stop it spreading to other rooms, it is worth keeping the doors to neighbouring rooms closed during the work.
The sanding machines need a proper power supply: the main fuse of the flat or house must be at least 16 A. The room must also have working lighting, because sanding cannot be done in the dark. If you are not sure how big your main fuse is, check the fuse box or ask us when you request a quote.
Sanding machines are loud. In a block of flats, we recommend letting the neighbours know about the working days in advance.
Lacquer or oil?
Lacquer leaves a thin protective layer on the wood and stands up well to liquids. Oil soaks into the wood, the surface keeps a natural look, and when it wears later, an oiled floor can be given maintenance oiling, which extends its life.
Which suits you depends on the room and on how much care you want to give the floor. There is a comparison on the lacquering and oiling page.
What affects the price of parquet sanding
Full sanding costs from €36/m², usually around €39/m², lacquer or oil included. The price depends on the parquet type, its condition and the finish you choose. The craftsman works out the price from photos, free of charge.
- Herringbone and mosaic parquet take longer to sand
- Filling wide cracks and fixing loose blocks
- Lacquer or oil, number of coats and colour toning
- Minimum order €1,000
Parquet sanding: questions
Can engineered wood flooring be sanded?
Yes, if the wear layer is thick enough. The rule of thumb is roughly one sanding per millimetre of wear layer: usually once for 2.5 mm and 1–2 times for 3 mm. Below 2.5 mm, full sanding is usually not possible. The thickness of the wear layer can often be seen in a photo of the floor edge at a threshold or skirting board.
Can solid wood parquet be sanded?
Yes, and several times. Solid wood parquet is solid wood all the way through, without the thin wear layer of engineered flooring. The limit is the wood above the tongue. The craftsman assesses from photos how many more times your floor can be sanded and checks it before starting.
Can laminate, vinyl or veneer flooring be sanded?
No. Laminate and vinyl flooring are not made of wood. Their wood pattern is a thin printed image under a protective layer, so sanding would remove the pattern. Veneer flooring does have a wooden top layer, but it is less than a millimetre thick and sanding would wear it away. If you are not sure what floor you have, send a photo and the craftsman will take a look.
Is herringbone parquet sanded differently?
Yes. The first sanding passes are made diagonally or across the room to keep the surface flat. Finally the floor is sanded with a disc machine. This evens out the marks left across the grain on blocks running in different directions.
What happens to parquet with loose blocks?
Loose blocks are glued down before sanding. Broken or missing blocks are replaced. If a large part of the floor is loose, the craftsman will tell you honestly whether sanding makes sense. Fixing and replacing blocks is extra work and is not included in the sanding price. He assesses from photos and checks before starting how many blocks are loose or broken and lists this work separately in the quote.
Will darkened parquet become light again?
Wood darkened on the surface and yellowed lacquer usually come off in sanding, and the wood is lighter again. Exposed to light, the wood darkens again over time. Deep dark water, urine and iron stains may still remain visible. The craftsman will tell you honestly what is realistic to expect.
Send a photo of your parquet
The craftsman will tell you whether the parquet can be sanded and what it costs. A quote from photos is free.