How to Stain a Parquet Floor

A parquet floor has a natural wooden look that creates a nice atmosphere. Parquet floors are available in various wood colors, styles, and textures. As time goes by some people may wish to change the color of their parquet floor in order to give a refurbished look to the room. Instead of reinstalling new parquet flooring, one can opt to stain the existing parquet flooring another color.

Step 1 - Clear the Room

Stary by clearing the room from all furniture and contents.

Step 2 - Sand the Parquet

In order to effectively stain your parquet floor, you need to sand it to remove as much finish from it as possible. Parquet finishes usually consist of polyurethane, and this can usually be removed relatively easily with the correct sanding techniques, including making use of an orbital sander machine and sandpaper. This process needs to be done well because otherwise the staining will not look uniform and may result in discolored patches in those areas which were not sanded properly. This is even more crucial if you are going to stain your parquet with a dark-colored stain.

Step 3 - Apply Putty

While carrying out this work you will probably notice some areas which suffered pockmarks and indentations. Repair these instances by applying some putty. Make sure to use putty of a similar color.

Step 4 - Sand Again

Afterward, carry out the second round of sanding. This will help level the areas where putty was applied, while also helping to remove any remaining layers of finish.

Step 5 - Vacuum

When ready, use a vacuum cleaner so as to clean up all the dust particles and other residuals.

Step 6 - Apply the First Coating of Stain

Now that the floor is clean and well sanded you can move on to applying the first coating of stain or polyurethane. One important aspect to keep in mind is to move in the same direction all the time when applying the stain.

Step 7 - Leave to Dry and Polish

Leave the stain to dry overnight and then use a polishing machine to buff the parquet floor.

Step 8 - Vacuum Again

Afterward, vacuum the parquet floor a second time.

Step 9 - Apply Additional Coats

Apply additional coats of polyurethane so as to provide a better staining effect to the parquet floor. After each coat, make sure to repeat the steps of buffing and vacuuming the floor so as to achieve more satisfactory results.

By following these guidelines you can manage to stain your parquet floors yourself. This will certainly be more economical than hiring a professional to do the job for you. The most important thing is to carry out the whole process with care and patience because every little detail will ultimately affect the end result. Leave enough time for all the coats to dry well, and make sure to buff and vacuum at each stage. Throughout the whole process wear socks because shoes may leave unwanted marks on your parquet floor.