082 888 0801 - nida@tiscali.co.za
If you own an older home in Northcliff, Westcliff, Parktown, or the surrounding suburbs, there is a reasonable chance you have parquet flooring somewhere beneath your feet – and an equally reasonable chance it has seen better days. Buckled blocks, worn finishes, missing pieces, or years of paint and adhesive laid directly over the original floor.
The most common question we get is whether it is worth restoring rather than simply covering or replacing. The answer, almost without exception, is yes. Here is why.
What Makes Original Parquet Worth Keeping
The timber used in parquet floors laid between roughly 1920 and 1970 was old-growth hardwood – typically species like Rhodesian teak, African cherry, or kiaat, cut from trees that had grown slowly over many decades. Slow growth produces dense, stable, fine-grained timber. It machines cleanly, holds a finish well, and resists wear in a way that plantation-grown timber simply does not.
That material is no longer commercially available in the quantities or grades used in those original floors. When you restore an original parquet floor rather than replacing it, you are keeping something that cannot be replicated — not at any price.
What Restoration Actually Means
Restoration is not the same as sanding and sealing. A proper parquet restoration starts with assessment: understanding how the floor was originally laid, what is causing any current problems, and what condition the sub-floor is in.
Sub-floor first
If the sub-floor is uneven, damp-affected, or structurally compromised, surface work on top of it will not last. This stage is unglamorous but essential.
Block extraction
Damaged, cracked, or missing blocks are carefully extracted. Where blocks are salvageable – and most are – they are cleaned, any adhesive removed, and set aside for relaying. Missing blocks are sourced to match as closely as possible.
Relaying
Original blocks are relaid to the original pattern. This requires patience and a good eye – the grain direction, block spacing, and pattern alignment all matter.
Sanding
Machine sanding in stages, finishing by hand in corners, along edges, and around any profiles. This is where most of the visual transformation happens.
Finishing
The choice of sealer, lacquer, oil, or wax depends on the floor, its use, and the client’s preference. We discuss and agree the finish before application begins.
Common Concerns - Honest Answers
Too many missing blocks?
Usually not a problem. Individual blocks can be sourced or cut to match. The more important question is whether the sub-floor and remaining blocks are sound. If they are, the missing pieces are the easy part.
Tiled or carpeted over?
Often still salvageable. It depends on what was used to adhere the covering and how long it has been there. Adhesive residue can be removed; tiles laid directly onto parquet can sometimes be lifted without major damage. Worth assessing before assuming the worst.
How long will it last?
A properly restored and sealed parquet floor, maintained reasonably well, will outlast most things in the house. Original floors in some Northcliff properties have been sanded and refinished three or four times over eighty years and are still in excellent condition.
What to Do Next
If you have a parquet floor that needs attention, the starting point is a site visit. We will assess the floor and sub-floor, discuss what the work involves, and give you a written proposal before anything proceeds. There is no obligation and no pressure. If the floor is not worth restoring, we will tell you that too.
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