Parquet filling

Gaps between blocks, holes from old nails, scratches and dents are a normal sight on parquet that is several decades old. Parquet filling packs them with a wood-coloured filler so the floor looks even once it is lacquered. It is usually done during sanding, between the first and the final pass.

How parquet filling is done

After the first, coarse sanding pass, the handyman vacuums the floor and spreads filler over the whole surface. The usual method is to mix a resin binder with dust from sanding the same parquet, so the filler colour matches the wood as closely as possible. It is worked in with a wide trowel, pressed into the gaps, and once dry sanded back with a finer grit. Only then does the lacquer or oil go on.

When filler will not help

Filler handles gaps of up to a few millimetres. Wider gaps, especially in parquet that dries out in a heated flat, are filled with thin timber slivers glued into the gap. Loose blocks that move underfoot are glued down first: a loose block that has only been filled will crack along the joints anyway. The handyman judges this before starting, often from photos.

What to prepare

• an empty room without furniture, rugs, or skirting boards if they are being replaced;
• whether the filling is part of a full sanding job or a separate repair;
• the area in square metres and photos of the worst spots in the job.

Common questions