How Combined Herringbone Blocks Gives A Unique Finish

Parquet Floor | Combined Herringbone Blocks Give A Unique Finish

Here at Barfords, we have devoted a lifetime to honing our craft in bespoke parquet floor restoration and installation. Our craftsmen take great pride in restoring wood to best show its natural character, meaning that you can rely on us to guide you through the process step of the way. We understand that quality standards and exceptional customer service are essential, which is why we do everything we can to ensure that you receive an outstanding parquet floor restoration of the finest quality. With that in mind, we have seen combined herringbone blocks give a unique finish to parquet flooring time and time again. Read on to find out more and for an insight into a real-life client’s experience with us…

Why Parquet Flooring?

Parquet flooring was first seen in the late 17th century in France and rapidly grew in popularity. Laid in fixed patterns such as geometric, herringbone and chevron, parquet flooring was seen to add additional charm and character to a property. In recent years, parquet flooring has been an increasingly popular feature in homes and other buildings – if you’re lucky enough to uncover an original parquet floor in your property, restoring it to former splendour is something to seriously consider. Luckily, we are specialists in parquet floor restoration – with a particular focus on herringbone flooring. Our extensive portfolio includes restoration projects in homes, theatres, community spaces and more.

Advantages of Parquet Flooring

As preferred specialists in parquet flooring, we have seen our customers benefit from parquet flooring time and time again. To help you decide if parquet floor restoration is right for you, here are some of the main advantages of this beautiful flooring choice.

• Tailormade to your tastes
  We work together with you to complete bespoke parquet flooring restorations that are tailor-made exclusively to your tastes. As single blocks of wood are used to craft the flooring, the choices of design, grain, size and shape are practically limitless, meaning that no two rooms in your property will be alike and you are able to furnish your home with one of its most timeless original features.
• Endures over time
  Parquet flooring is one of the best options for providing greater protection against wear and tear over the years, particularly in areas where footfall is at its highest such as hallways or reception rooms. Made from hardwood, parquet flooring is durable, resistant to damage and can last for up to 50 years if maintained properly. Not only this, but it provides high levels of stability to the angle at which it is cut, and how the blocks are laid.
• Saves and makes you money
  Opting for our parquet flooring is a budget-friendly way of saving and making you money. As there are many options available for wood type, finish and pattern, you can keep your budget low by customising every aspect of your flooring to suit your requirements. As well as this, original features that have been restored to their glory often increase the value of your property, making you money in the future should you wish to sell.
• Allergen-free and easy to maintain
  Parquet flooring is a fantastic choice for those who suffer from allergies as it doesn’t retain allergens in the ways other flooring types might. It is also more resilient to odours and stains, unlike rugs and carpets. Parquet flooring is extremely easy to maintain and can quickly be mopped and swept, ensuring that you have a cleaner space for longer.

Our Parquet Flooring Case Study…

Combined Herringbone Blocks Give A Unique Finish
Our client contacted us with a request to sand and fill a newly uncovered oak parquet floor. After decorating and removing an old carpet in their spare room, they found a gorgeous original oak wood floor hidden beneath. We surveyed the parquet floor and found that it was considerably more unique than it first seemed. The parquet floor had had many previous repairs made to it, with many of the blocks being different species to the main bulk of it being Oak. We found a handful of Pine and Beech pieces, a series of Sapeli blocks and a cluster of darkened Oak in front of the old fireplace.

We spoke with our client, who agreed that it gave the room a distinct character. With that in mind, we got to work, carefully sanding the floor with our vacuumed machines!

As you can see, the oak parquet is much lighter beneath after only one pass with the floor sander. We made four more passes, changing the grit papers each time for a silky-smooth finish. Even though the original finish has been sanded away, the distinct oak block colour remains unique.

The next step was to fill the existing gaps in the parquet. Our customer estimated it had been covered by carpet for at least 35 years. Therefore a lot of grit and dirt had gathered in between the pieces of parquet. By using our virtually dust-free sanders and then vacuuming it carefully, we revealed these gaps once more. We used a clear resin and mixed it with the fine oak dust from our later passes with the sander to produce a thick mixture that matched the overall colour of the floor. The mixture was allowed to dry. The final result is indistinguishable from the real thing!

Next up was the coating process. We used a water-based lacquer for this, after conversing with the client and agreeing that a Satin finish would look best to match the other rooms in the house. We started with a coat of primer, which seals the wood and prevents further staining. A first coat of finish was then applied. Since the mixture is a thin liquid, it inevitably causes the grain of the wood to agitate and rise a little, creating a rough and uneven texture underfoot and to the touch. The first coat of finish intends to seal this effect. We finely sand this top coat, taking care only to remove the roughness and not pierce the finish. Once this is done and allowed to dry, we apply the final top coat. This is the most important coat, so extra care is given to ensure that no thick lines form as the roller rolls over.

When working with parquet, an overlooked element is that you must work with the grain. With floorboards, they typically run the length of the room and it’s easy to work in that direction when sanding and applying a finish. But with parquet, there are two different directions at ninety degrees from one another. If we only sanded and applied the finish in one of these directions, it would be noticeable. Even the highest grit sandpapers will leave marks in the wood when they go across the grain and given that half of the wood in a parquet floor is facing the other direction, half of the floor would show these signs. To fix this, we sand everything from both directions. This continues the parquet pattern as best as can be done for a smooth and consistent finish. Likewise, when applying the finish we work at alternating angles. One coat starts in one corner and follows one angle, while the following coat starts in an adjacent corner and follows the opposite angle.

When all is said and done, we’re left with the finished, high-quality product!

Are You Inspired?

If you’ve been inspired by our client’s unique story and would like to restore or install stylish and long-lasting herringbone parquet flooring, here’s how you can do it in a few simple steps…

1.Call or message us today!
If you’ve been looking for leading wood flooring contractors, then please don’t hesitate to call or message us today to see how we can help. We can provide you with a free, no-obligation quote on any of our services.

2.Book us in
Book a time and date for us to complete the work that fits around you. Whether that’s when you’re at work, or over a weekend, whatever works best for you!

3.Keeping you up-to-date
We strive to keep you up-to-date as we complete our work and aim for high levels of communication and efficiency.

4.We’ll take care of everything
We’ll take care of everything to ensure that you don’t have to lift a finger whilst work is being completed.

5.Job complete!
We use proven techniques combined with the finest quality materials, to give you the flooring you’ve been dreaming of, without compromising on your budget.

We recognise that high-quality and exceptional customer service should come as a standard, and we understand what counts towards successful results. This means that we will exceed your expectations every time you come to us so you can enjoy parquet wood flooring that is functional, durable and appealing. Get in touch with us to speak to our specialists today.

Wood Repair and Restoration with Barfords

Once installed, maintaining your parquet herringbone flooring is essential to ensure shine and stability. However, now and again you may need flooring repair and restoration. Here at Barfords, we specialise in wood repair and restoration and take pride in restoring damaged flooring, doors, panelling and furniture to their former glory. Using our excellent colour-matching techniques and the finest quality materials, we are able to faithfully restore your parquet flooring to the highest standards, with the utmost efficiency and without compromising on your budget. Every time you come to us for your wood repairs and restorations, you can enjoy a professional service where every aspect of your project is tailored to your requirements. Our extensive portfolio includes parquet flooring repair and restoration projects in homes, theatres, community spaces and more, so you can rest assured that we can take on your project, whatever the size or scale.

Although you may be looking for how to restore a wooden floor, you may not need full restoration or repairs. If you only require some small updates to your flooring, here are some of our top tips to easily refresh your parquet flooring.

• Fill unwanted gaps with a trusted filler product.
• Fill in larger gaps with new wood and wood glue.
• Cut a new board section from scratch and replace the damaged piece entirely.
• Repair your varnish to eliminate unsightly scratches or damage.
• Keep your flooring clean and be sure to address any issues to prevent further damage

Why Choose Us?

For more information on our parquet floor restoration or any of our other high-quality services, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our specialists today. We look forward to hearing from you.