renovating parquet flooring

moneylover

my daughter is moving into a 1974 house with a biggish lounge - its approx 4m by 6.5m although one end does narrow.
It has parquet flooring which has been used, covered, opened up again and which now shows definite signs of wear, especially by the garden door where it is faded. And of course around the edge are all the tiny holes where the wood edging was for carpeting.
I am not sure this is a job that my daughter and partner would take on themselves but I wondered whether there are services out there for restoring parquet floors - we would aim to get some idea of cost and whether it is usual successful. If it could look nice again for a few years then when they have more money they can carpet or whatever else they decide to do.
Many thanks.

thenudeone

We have had companies out to do our Parquet floor with a walk-behind sander and then re-coat it with sealant. You could do it yourself with an orbital sander, or hire a larger one for a day. Make sure you use suitable sealant, not a shiny varnish which would be dangerously slippy and look very glossy.

If the wood is stained or bleached, though, sanding might not leave a uniform colour. You could try staining it a slightly darker colour.

You won't notice the small nail-holes or shiny ends of nails much once the job is done.

Tall_Tone

Most wooden floors can be refurbished in some way. Gaps can be filled, damage repaired and loose blocks refitted.

The basics can be done with hired machines yourself, but try and find a specialist Floor Sander and Sealer who can give you an honest opinion.

Quote "Make sure you use suitable sealant, not a shiny varnish which would be dangerously slippy and look very glossy."
All lacquers/varnish have to comply with H&S slip requirements. If they are slippy it's nearly always because they are not being cleaned properly. Secondly you can buy professional lacquers in every sheen from Ultra Matt to High Gloss to meet your needs.

Try and avoid staining because it is very difficult to get right, especially the first time you try.

Cheers

moneylover

yes, sounds as though we would need a professional floor sander to give us an opinion, the wood is quite bleached where the sun comes through the door (which is also the 'back' door). Getting the staining right to match the rest sounds difficult.

moneylover

Could anyone hazard a guess for me of roughly what it might cost to get a professional to renovate this size of floor? Just a rough ballpark figure?

Tall_Tone

There are many variables to a quote like
How rough the floor is to start with
How many corners, radiator pipes etc that need working around.
Do you want the floor stained?
Do you want the cheapest Hardwax oil or the best water based lacquer.
Do you need it done over a weekend?
Do you need skirting replacing or beeding or carpet trims.
Does it need gaps filling?

That said for a floor of 26m2 you would be looking at a price range of £400 to £800+