Parketline Nna parquet archive: a journal about wood floors

An independent journal about wood floors and parquet. Not a manufacturer, shop or workshop, and not affiliated with the previous website on this domain. Leave sanding and complex repairs to a craftsman.

How-to

How-to guides

Most of what extends the life of parquet is not repair but proper everyday cleaning. Wood is harmed by sand, which works like sandpaper, and by water, which seeps into the joints. Below is a calm cleaning routine, a way to hide a small scratch and a list of jobs best not attempted without experience.

A bucket of water and a wood floor do not get along. Almost everything parquet needs is a dry brush every day and a well-wrung cloth when you cannot do without one.

— From the editors

How this section works: we set out the order of household tasks that any careful floor owner can handle. Choose cleaning and repair products, their composition and how to apply them according to the instructions of your flooring manufacturer, and leave anything involving sanding or the subfloor to a craftsman.

How to clean parquet without harming it

  1. Start with dry cleaning

    Go over the floor with a soft brush or a vacuum with a hard-floor attachment. Sand and small grit from shoes scratch lacquer and oil, so they need to be removed before any cloth comes out.

  2. Find out how the floor is finished

    Lacquer, oil and wax are cleaned differently. If you do not know what finish you have, check the floor's paperwork or ask the craftsman who installed or refinished it.

  3. Choose a cleaner

    Use a product intended for your type of finish and dilute it as the manufacturer directs. Harsh household chemicals and abrasive powders can leave stains and dull marks on the finish.

  4. Wring the cloth well

    The cloth should be only slightly damp. Water must not stand in puddles or run into the joints between strips: this makes the edges swell and darken. Steam mops are generally not recommended for wood — check your flooring instructions.

  5. Wipe up spills at once

    Wipe up spilled drinks, marks from flowerpots and melted snow from shoes right away, without waiting for the general cleaning. Put saucers and pads under pots so that moisture does not sit on the wood.

  6. Let the floor dry

    After damp cleaning, air out the room and do not put a rug or heavy items back on the floor right away. If the floor quickly loses its sheen or becomes rough, the finish may be due for renewal — a reason to show it to a craftsman.

How to hide a scratch

  1. Gauge the depth

    Run a fingernail across the scratch. If it barely catches, only the finish is damaged and it can be touched up. A deep groove, chips and dents from dropped objects are better shown to a craftsman.

  2. Clean the spot

    Remove dust and dirt from the scratch with a soft brush and wipe the area with a slightly damp cloth. Let it dry completely, otherwise the touch-up product will not go on well.

  3. Match the shade

    Wax sticks, touch-up markers and wood fillers come in different tones. Pick a shade a little darker than seems right and test it on an inconspicuous spot, for example under furniture.

  4. Fill the scratch

    Apply the product along the scratch as described in the manufacturer's instructions, trying not to go onto the intact finish. For an oiled floor, the manufacturer usually suggests a spot touch-up with its own oil.

  5. Remove the excess

    Carefully remove the excess with a soft cloth or a plastic spatula that will not leave new marks. Work along the grain of the wood — that way the mark will be less noticeable.

  6. Buff and observe

    Lightly buff the area with a dry, soft cloth and look at it under different lighting. If the scratch still catches the eye or there are too many such marks, it is time to talk to a craftsman about renewing the finish.

  • Tools

    What comes in handy for parquet care and small repairs — no brands — plus protective gear.

  • Care

    Caring for lacquer, oil and wax, light and dark floors, entryways and sunny rooms, the seasonal check.

  • Planning

    How to approach refinishing a floor: from inspection to sign-off, seasonal humidity and questions for the craftsman.

Sources

  • Technical documentation from manufacturers of parquet, lacquers and oils
  • EMERCOM of Russia — home fire safety guidance

Information about wood floors is given in general terms, based on encyclopedic and etymological dictionaries, technical documentation from manufacturers of parquet, lacquers and oils, and home fire safety guidance from Russia's emergency services ministry (EMERCOM). How to treat your particular floor is up to its manufacturer, and the condition of the floor and subfloor should be judged by a craftsman who sees them in person.