Help! Checkerboard Parquet Flooring

14 years ago

I loathe checkerboard parquet flooring, but the floor in our house is in mint condition. Is there any way to update it by sanding away the stain and leaving just its natural color with a wax top coat? Or staining it all very dark so the texture is barely perceptible? Or stenciling a pattern over it? I'm wide open for ideas; I have no idea yet which direction we'll go.

I just really don't want to live with another Honey-colored checkerboard parquet floor, which I've already had to deal with in several apartments. (First world problems, I know.) The surface area is large so if we were to replace it with herringbone parquet (which I adore) that would be too expensive and years away for us.

Thank you for your tips, fellow Houzzters!

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PRO

Kelli Kaufer Designs

14 years ago

KEEP THE PARKAY - you won't believe me but it is coming back! Give it a year or two and you will be glad you kept it. The 5th wall is the floor, more accents and details will be coming forward - I recommend staining it darker, I have done this many times in my designs for remodels and it looks great! Here is one of them:
http://www.houzz.com/projects/42501/Bringing-art-into-your-kitchen Click on the 2nd photo.

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Comments (34)

Eleanor Windman
14 years ago
One thing I have done with this type of floor.....send it than use 4 tiles in one color and the next 4 in another color...you still have a checkerboard, but it's a 24 inch scale and much more exciting looking..it's not an easy job though...would consider hiring a pro if possible...
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
Hi peather, it is possible to sand and re-stain parquet flooring, you should talk to local flooring companies.
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Matt O
14 years ago
Parquet flooring can be difficult to refinish because it is often glued to the floor and the individual wood pieces can become dislodged in the refinishing process. I personally love the mid-century look of your parquet floor. It is very "on-trend" right now. If I were you I'd keep it just as it is. If you really can't stand it, maybe you can invest in large area rugs.
PRO
Charmean Neithart Interiors
14 years ago
Until you can figure out whether a flooring professional can refinish the floors, consider a great rug that leaves just a small reveal of the floor showing. I personally like the look of a parquet floor, but if it is driving you crazy find a great rug. Try www.rugstudio.com for a huge affordable selection of great rugs. Hope that helps. Charmean Neithart
Jamieson
14 years ago
Hey peather, hate to say it but I think this job might be one for the pros. Check out this link to hear the pros, cons, advice and experiences of staining parquet floors. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/-2988
Whatever you decide, good luck!
peather
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone for the wonderful and creative suggestions. I can see the value in the floor, too, it's just not to my taste. I guess it's just a personal quirk like my sister not liking exposed radiators in her pre-war building or a friend of mine not being able to stand any type of hardwood floor (an architect!). Maybe I'll end up trying to protect it with floor padding and then adding laminate on top as a cheaper, quick alternative--if that's possible. Hmmm, will stew on it for a while.

Thanks again! :-)
suzieq12
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
please no laminate!!!
I just bought an 80's condo that has parquet in upstairs 2 bedrooms. I'm just going to get it very clean, then put a cool animal hide rug in one (eclectic/rustic/western styling) and leave the other bare as it is my office and easy to roll the chair around on.
Andrea Sommers
14 years ago
Kelli, what color is the stain?
PRO
Kelli Kaufer Designs
14 years ago
I can't find the color in my records but dark walnut sounds like that could be it. So sorry!
PRO
Mint Design
14 years ago
Padding and laminate sounds like an easy fix....just remove to show buyers the real thing if and when you sell. You have to be comfortable with your surroundings! :)
Jamieson
14 years ago
Wow Kelly! Those floors are just gorgeous!
nouveau7
14 years ago
Yes, floors are in beautiful condition. Go with rugs
PRO
J. L. Powell & Co., Inc.
14 years ago
Not as nice as what you have now but you could float an engineered wood floor.
PRO
Kelli Kaufer Designs
14 years ago
What did you end up doing with the floors?
Andrea Sommers
14 years ago
I also had these floors and we scraped and restained they look nice but did not come out nearly as dark as I wanted.
charliemycat
14 years ago
The parquet is very nice and in good shape. Go shopping for a large rug area rug that you love. You'll be so much happier than sanding and staining that floor. Trust me, if you've never sanded and stained a floor before, it's twice the work, mess and headache you think it's going to be.
jackfresco
12 years ago
Where did the comments go?
Rawketgrl
12 years ago
Absolutely the best way to update them is to strip and stain them a rich, dark walnut, I think if you get rid of the honey you will love them.

Here is a blog with a bunch of ideas for your floors.

http://thefrencheye.blogspot.com/2010/06/help-ordinary-square-parquet-floors.html
sbrustein
12 years ago
I have had those dreaded parquet wood tiles in every NYC apartment I have ever lived in. I think staining them is a great idea. I would be wary of painting them. My brother had his wood floor in his kitchen painted before a reno and they really didn't hold up and looked bad from the start.
studio10001
12 years ago
Behold the standard Manhattan floor[houzz=
Rustic Living Room · More Info
]
studio10001
12 years ago
Stained ebony-
[houzz=
living room · More Info
]
thadcopeland
12 years ago
Break out the demo hammer it is time live in 2013 it will never be in style again
Michelle Ashby
12 years ago
Hi peather, i'm with you, go with the dark, you can do sooo much with it! here are a few ideas, and also one or two with the floors in your current colour to see if you would keep it :) let me know what you think, some have the high gloss, which i also love and i think one dark one with a matt type finish...
Open plan living space · More Info
ypeeples
12 years ago
It definitely is an improvement on the darker stain. However, I too had a whole house full of that exact floor and hated it it everyday for 5 years. Finally I had it all taken up and replaced with a good laminate floor (I have 3 dogs) in a Brazilian cherry...ahhhh! So much better!
Mark
12 years ago
I agree that the best way to bring parquet floors up to date is to strip and stain them a rich dark color. Walnut would be my choice. Choose a satin finish for an in-between matte and gloss. Dark wood floors always create a sense of luxury in a space
User
12 years ago
Can you not put a floating floor over it? Or would that be too noisy for neighbours.. Mark, looking at your place you do luxury very well.
kimberlove
11 years ago
Hi everyone - just reading comments as we are due to renovate a house with parquet flooring. I love the idea of polish and stain dark as the photos posted look really good. Does anyone know roughly how much it would cost to get parquet polished and stained? Thanks in advance
Mike S
11 years ago
Hi I also don't want to live with another Honey-colored parquet and my floor can't be sand it.
What if the only choice is to paint in reach dark matte color. Will wood grain show or I will lose it
Thank a lot
IDalis De Leon
9 years ago
Are you nuts......I just got back from my girlfriends condo and she stained her beautiful checkered wood floors exactly the ones you have with the CHOCOLATE dark finish WOW it looks absolute INCREDIBLE a TOTAL difference. like STUDIO 10001 on this THREAD . GORGEOUS..GO DARK OR GO HOME gorgeous. That floor in blonde is over....but in Chocolate its the hottest floor on the planet and nothing and I mean nothing, not laminate , not stone, not marble, feels on your feet like a hardwood floor and when you color chocolate..its Fresh and NEW feeling, its absolutely stunning, make sure you make the walls grey, or stone or lavendar or light blue, something that sets off the chocolate. Try it. You won't be sorry.
User
9 years ago
Well, hopefully a decision has been made by now...
Marsha
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

I am about to refinish my parquet, I'd love to see more pix of some refinishined floors
leelee
9 years ago
April 2012
sorner
9 years ago
I love this thread on restaining parquet- my husband and I are renovating our condo and it's full of parquet. We chose a dark grey colour to restain it. The designer seems to think that it would be more work than replacing it for laminate and she also thinks it's not as durable with kids (we're expecting). I'd love feedback on this. We also want to keep costs down. Thanks!

Help! Checkerboard Parquet Flooring

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