Parquet wood flooring is one of the most beautiful and well-recognised wood flooring designs that adds a classic twist to both traditional and modern homes. But, as much as we all love this elegant pattern, it does come with its fair share of problems.

However, as long as you have a professional and experienced flooring contractor on hand then all of these issues can be easily resolved, so it shouldn’t put you off choosing a parquet floor design if it’s what you desire.

Loose parquet flooring blocks

One of the most common problems with parquet flooring are the loose blocks. This is an issue that occurs over time as a result of wear and tear or changes in room temperature and it is almost unavoidable if the flooring is fitted in a space with a fair amount of footfall.

In particular, we see this commonly with floors that have traditionally been fitted on bitumen which does degrade over time. The bitumen used to fit the blocks to the subfloor can deteriorate and crumble from the constant pressure of being walked on causing the blocks to loosen, and when parquet blocks loosen, you will know about it!

The most prominent sign of a loose parquet block is instability which will cause the blocks to move underfoot or when there are any vibrations on the floor.

A loose block can also cause the floor to become noisy when walked on and can even cause sections to lift and unfix leaving the floor looking unsightly.

If this happens, it’s important to ensure that the floor is safe to walk on so it might be best to remove any loose blocks and put them to one side until you are able to have someone come in and refit them.

Gaps in parquet flooring

Parquet flooring is also more susceptible to gaps than a standard plank wood floor and they tend to be more widespread simply because there are so many more pieces of wood being used to achieve the finished look.

This problem is usually caused by the natural expansion and contraction of the wood when exposed to heat/changes in temperature or water.
It could also be a result of poorly fitted flooring.

Though they’re not a hazard, gaps in parquet wood flooring are very visible and not attractive which is why many people want to rectify this problem quickly.

Damaged parquet blocks

As with any other type of wood floor, parquet flooring will be exposed to everyday wear and tear which can cause damage to the blocks including stains, scratches, discolouration and dents.

Although you can prolong the life of your wood floors with a good maintenance routine and by being careful not to spill any liquids, drop heavy objects or drag furniture on the floor, there will come a day when the appearance of your parquet flooring deteriorates.

How Do You Solve These Parquet Flooring Problems?

If you find yourself facing any of these common parquet flooring problems, all is not lost. Before you rip out your floors and start anew, there is one simple solution that you should consider first - you can have your wood floor restored by an expert.

A good restoration service will bring your parquet floors back to their original state ridding them of any loose blocks, gaps or other damage that has left them looking worse for wear.

We go into much more detail about what restoring/refinishing wood floors entails in our blog Beginner’s Guide To Refinishing Hardwood Floors if you want to better understand the process from start to finish and why it’s important for all wood floors.