1970s parquet floor

[nick60]

evening all,

under my hall carpet I've found what I think is called 'finger parquet'. It's 1970s dark wood laid in a small square pattern. The carpet has to go but the parquet is just too dark for my taste. I think I've got three options;

lay a new wood floor over the parquet
rip up the parquet and lay a new wood floor
have a go at bleaching the parquet and see what happens

any thoughts anyone? One thing I've found is Vitableach - has anyone used it and how effective is it? Thanks in advance
Nick

 

[WoodYouLike]

You are about to destroy a valuable asset in your home!

See here for more details about it, bleaching tropical wood will not work

 

[Richard C]

I had exactly the same on most of the ground floor of our 1968 property we bought 4 ½ years ago. As you say, rather too dark for today’s & my personal taste.

Tried bleaching but, as WoodYouLike says, didn't work & looked bloody awful. In an extension where an old oil tank had stood & back door removed the floor was damaged & incomplete so I pulled it all up. Not difficult but the bitumen adhesive it had been laid with is messy; there was around 20 sq/m which I still have stored in boxes. I laid some engineered mid oak in the new room but laid tiles in the new utility & kept the parquet floor in my office; gives a bit of contrast. In the outer hall, large cloakroom & large inner hall, I left it where it was & overlaid with engineered oak again. The levels fine with the kitchen floor as this was re-tiled but there is quiet a step up from the lounge which was originally carpet. This room has yet to be finished so am unsure what’s going in there; she wants carpet but I want oak again & as it doesn’t follow through at the same level I’m thinking slightly darker; but not as dark as the Mahogany parquet!

 

[nick60]

thanks for the replies folks. WoodYouLike, I think we've corresponded before on a different forum. I hear what you say about a valuable asset, but it's just too dark so unfortunately I can't keep it as it will make my hall too gloomy. Remember it isn't the high quality parquet of the sort shown in your link. The only way I would keep it is if I could lighten it - is it likely to be tropical wood do you think? From what you and Richard say I have little chance of bleaching it anyway.

I don't the levels will work if I lay a floor over it so I'm leaning towards pulling it up and putting down a nice oak or something. If I get back to the bitumen base what method of laying a new floor would you recommend from that starting point? many thanks

 

[Richard C]

You will never get the bitumen adhesive off the floor (if that’s what you have). After knocking off any high spots, I just laid a polythene membrane over it & then a 3mm foam underlay before laying the new oak floor but it depends what floor you use so always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.