What is this flooring?

8 years ago

We just bought a new house and are updating it to live in. It was built in 1966. Beneath the bedroom carpet was this flooring. It’s not parkay *exactly*. They’re about 8x8 wood laid opposite-grain. They do seem to be solid wood from what I can see. Have you seen this before? What is the timeframe? Is there anything f underneath? We’re thinking of trying to refinish and keep them. They’re a little ugly now but maybe salvageable? Other alternative is just recarpeting.

Featured Answer

chiflipper

8 years ago

"Parkay" is a margarine...parquet is the flooring you have. (Pronounced the same.) Have a company that refinishes wood flooring take a look and give you advice on how to proceed with restoration. It may be as simple as a good cleaning and buffing.

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Comments (14)

shwshw
8 years ago
Interesting. Can't wait to see what others have to say.
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Catherine Flemming
Original Author
8 years ago
Just FYI—Houzz has a subsection dedicated to Parkay flooring. I do believe both spellings are commonly accepted. Thanks for the tip. The purpose of my post was to see if anyone had seen the floor before rather than to find out whether a wood expert could help me.
chiflipper
8 years ago
You have a "solid block" parquet floor, wood specie unknown. Check any dictionary for the only acceptable spelling.
jewelisfabulous
8 years ago
"Parkay" flooring, brought to you by Alot Woah.
gustaviatex
8 years ago
The wood tile was fairly common during the 60s. I had it in one house built in the 50s and my mom did too. We polished it with paste wax and used one of those electric buffers. If I recall, it could not be sanded and refinished like real hardwood flooring of the time. Which was also polished with paste wax and buffed to a high gleam. It was hard work, y'all.
PRO
Lee Lormand Design
8 years ago
looks like a pre fab parquet - are you trying to add to it?
Catherine Flemming
Original Author
8 years ago
Not really. We rolled back the carpet because we’re bumping out a wall into the room (we’ll actually lose about 3x7 feet) and we were just surprised to find it. We were planning to re-carpet but wondered if there was anything useable or salvageable. In other words, could we make it look attractive enough in our master? It definitely would need a kind of refinishing since it’s scratched in places.
aprilneverends
8 years ago
'Which was also polished with paste wax and buffed to a high gleam. It was hard work, y'all."-yeah..I know..from eighties lol..was my job when i was a teen

but i never ever saw such squares! so interesting

other squares, bigger, with elaborate inlays and all, i did see-but not in private apartments

in apartments etc, we had herringbone parquet, mostly

then i'm not from here so no wonder I never saw this pattern

I'd try to keep them, personally..don't see them as ugly
PRO
Lee Lormand Design
8 years ago
It would be worth reaching out to a wood floor refinishing professional to have them take a look and they can advise as to options for refinishing
Beth H. :
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
looks like an engineered 'parquet' flooring. (Parkay is the margarine and others that don't know the french spelling. The reason you see it on Houzz is because of others who post using that spelling. if you type in Parquet, you get many more hits and pictures)

this is oak...yours look like a walnut or a cheap substitute made to look like a walnut. I'm sure its a veneer (engineered) .

If you're interested in seeing if they could be refinished, call in a flooring expert to see what you've got.
tatts
8 years ago
Jewelisfabulous: I read your post and thought "Wallah!"; there's someone who gets it! ;-)
PRO
Johnson Flooring Co Inc
8 years ago
I think Beth H. is correct. That looks like laminated block which is usually 9" x 9". I don't recall seeing it an anything other than Red Oak but yours looks like Walnut. I'd be quite surprised if it was solid wood.
User
8 years ago
Used a lot in MCM houses. B very careful about remuddlng a great MCM.Originsl details command value. Destroying original details and removing walls inappropriately will lose you thousands in value.