Parquet flooring advice

[Dallypro]

Hi All

I am looking to patch up an edge of parquet flooring, and need some help.

You can see the problem in the picture. Basically i need to get this small area to match up as closely as possible to the rest of the floor (doesn't have to be perfect as in the medium term we will be getting the whole floor refurbished). I will then be laying a slate plinth in the remaining space so that i can stand a TV unit on top of it (this wll match the fire place - method in the madness). Previously there was a built in unit built over the top of the what is now discolored area of floor.

My questions are as follows:

1) Any idea what type of block i have? The size is 70x230. Oak?

2) I would like to reuse the blocks that are discloured (grey). is there any way to return them to the same colour as the rest of the floor? I have tried sanding but it appears to be making zero difference.

3) How can i get the rubber adhesive from the back of the blocks and floor so that i can relay?

4) There is a can of "Liberon floor sealer" in the garage that was left by the previous owners. Am i correct in thinking that it is likely the only finish that would have been applied to the blocks when laid?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Nige F]

Have you got any walk in cupboards with the same parquet ? Years ago I lifted these and patched a room - you won't get a better match.

 

[Dallypro]

Hi Nige

Unfortunately not. We have pulled out all of the units etc. In most places they have put the floor underneath, but we need to keep it there as it is now visible. However, on each side of the chimney it looks like they cut corners and just glued some blocks down roughly by taking the base of the units out. Pretty much is keeping with the rest of the property.....corners cut everywhere!

The other side which is not pictured is not an issue as we are going to put a hifi unit in the corner, which will easily cover the rough area. In the croner pictured pretty much all of what you see needs to be made presentable.

I have had permission from the boss (wife) that it doesn't need to be a perfect match.....as long as it will be sorted in the future when we have the whole floor done.

Basically if i can get an idea of what blocks I have, and can work out how to remove the glue, i am hoping i can patch the area myself.

Thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

I recently redid my floor.

The house originally had a pair of French windows with a window and dwarf wall on either side.
This was changed by a previous owner, to an aluminium patio door, involving the removal of the walls on either side. The installers removed the wall to ground level and made good with concrete. The area where the French window had been (centrally) was still parquet, but rotten where a leak had been.

I had to chisel out the concrete and make good before replacing the entire run

Ages before, I acquired some parquet bricks from work when a floor was lifted but they seemed to be beech when cleaned so I bought some "mahogany " on eBay at £50 for 2sq m

I cleaned the beech ones by freezing them and chipping/scraping the bitumen off.
I tried the same method with the ebay ones and it didn't work but found that PROPER white spirit (NOT Substitute) allowed me to soften the bitumen and scrape it off. I then used a belt sander bolted to a table as a linisher to remove the varnish.

I sanded a loose original block to see what the sanded colour was for a match

A good 50% of the ebay ones were damaged.

I used synthapufe damp proof paint to fix down as I was repairing the concrete sub floor but apparently some adhesives don't require the base to be cleaned up as much as I did it.

I fitted mine so that they were slightly higher than the original in the knowledge that the floor refinisher would even them out ( a couple of mm)

I used a big block of timber to get them firmly embedded and even

My floor was then (6 months later) sanded by a pro at a cost of £1100 and he added stain because I didn!t want a blonde finish. Apparently it may be rubber wood. He stained the original but didn't stain the eBay stuff and it matches quite well. To be honest, if I were you I'd speak to a floor guy first as a repair by a pro may be a lot less hassle .

The floor guy was about £30 a square m and he did it (hall, plus through lounge) in three days with minimal mess. Three coats of lacquer .

I would consider:- sourcing and cleaning some blocks and Not fitting them
Or fitting as well ( ask a floor guy about his fitting cost)

Or just add softwood as a temp fix and pay the whole cost of the floor guy repairing.
You could cut and stain some ply to fit the hole that you have but just lay it in the hole, no glue as a temp measure