Do I need to re-lay blocks?

ParquetGirl · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:38 am Post Subject: Do I need to re-lay blocks?

A refurb company tapped on my orginal parquet blocks (about 2.5 cm deep). Many had a hollower sound than others so they say those are not firmly glued to the floor and need to be re-laid.

Given that they are strongly stuck to each other, even if there is a gap underneath, could the force of a sander really lift the blocks or is this nonsense? Another company has made no mention of this.

Thanks for your help!

ParquetGirl

Nath911t · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:35 pm Post Subject:

I sanded my floor this week and some of mine made the noise you described and none of them came up. Bearing in mind I'm no expert on floors, just giving my opinion of what I've just done. HTH's ....

wanabechippie · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:53 pm Post Subject:

I cant really see what this refurb co is on about. I'm no expert, but; so what if a few of the blocks do come up with sanding? Just glue them back down. It's highly unlikely that the whole floor is going to get ripped up by a floor sander.

My Granddads' place has parquet throughout the ground floor. Pretty much all of them make that hollow 'tock' noise when you tap them and the've been down for 100odd years! Could just be that that's the noise of the wood?

I wouldn't worry about it. Sand them and see what happens.

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ParquetGirl · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 12:44 pm Post Subject:

Thanks for both of your replies, much appreciated. The hollow sound does not affect all the blocks so I don't think it's a character of the wood itself. Gluing as a solution is in fact the problem! Because a large number of the blocks are affected, regluing all of these comes at a price! The company suggest I should re-lay the entire floor as so many are affected.

By the way, my floor is probably around 80 years old. Its age does not preclude the possibility of the sanding causing a problem. It's only when some tries sanding that you know if disaster has struck!