Sanding uneven parquet

[edl123]

Hi everyone,

i am in the process of renovating an old victorian building and turning it into a gym so i expect this won't be me my last post.

There is a large area (85sqm) of parquet which we are going to sand. There were quite a few loose blocks which we took out, cleaned the bitumen off and re-glued. Unfortunately, despite my instructions, the blocks were not returned to thier original places which has left some areas quite uneven.

My question is whether sanding will even those blocks out (some are around 3mm higher than others) or will the height differences make it difficult to get an even finish? Also, should i start with a very course grit or would that possibly 'tear' the wood?

Any help appreciated.

The floor is herringbone pattern, pitch pine (we think) and blocks are 9x3 inches and around 2.5 inches deep. If it is the original floor, it is around 130 years old.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Here you go, 7 steps for you, including sanding advice

 

[edl123]

thanks, very helpful. would you go as low as a 25 grit for uneven areas or is 40 enough to do the job?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Try with 40 first (and always the whole floor, not just parts), you can always go lower afterwards.

 

[edl123]

ok thanks for the help. am sure i'll be back with more questions once i get started...