Parquet flooring: types and care

Øens HåndværkerCentralPublished September 5, 2026 · 11 min. read

A parquet floor is a wooden floor made of short wooden blocks glued or clicked together in a pattern - typically herringbone, brick, or mosaic. It is available as both solid and engineered parquet, where a thin wear layer of real wood lies on top of a base plate. Care depends on the surface: an oiled floor needs new oil approximately every 1-2 years, while a lacquered floor, in our experience, lasts about 10 years before it needs sanding and re-lacquering.

• 175 kr/m2Including VAT and a standard finish, from 36 m2
• 24 hoursReply with a fixed quote
• Workmanship guaranteeOn all work performed

The short overview

The type of floor determines how much wood is available for sanding, and the surface treatment determines how often the floor needs maintenance. These are the two key factors:

• Solid parquet blocks are 15-22 mm thick and 50-70 mm wide according to Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI). In our experience, a solid floor can withstand 4-6 full sandings in its lifetime.
• Engineered parquet has a wear layer of at least 2.5 mm, most often 3-4 mm (Gulvfakta). If the wear layer is 2 mm or less, the floor should not be sanded.
• Humidity changes make wood expand and shrink. Gulvfakta uses an approximate movement figure of 0.22% per percentage-point change in wood moisture content for calculations involving pine, beech, oak and ash.
• Oiled parquet can be spot-repaired. Lacquered parquet must be sanded down to the wood when the lacquer is worn through.
• Standard floor sanding with a standard finish costs 175 kr per m2 including VAT from 36 m2. Smaller jobs use fixed area-based prices.

What is a parquet floor?

A parquet floor is composed of short wooden blocks laid in a pattern instead of long, continuous planks. Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) describes classic block parquet as blocks 200-700 mm long, 50-70 mm wide, and 15-22 mm thick, while the boards in a plank floor are 14-30 mm thick and 75-180 mm wide.

The pattern is the defining characteristic. Herringbone, brick pattern, basketweave, and mosaic create a calmer, more graphic floor than long planks, and because the blocks are laid crosswise, the floor appears less directional. If the floor needs refreshing, sanding a parquet floor differs from planks in that the machine must be moved across the pattern in several stages.

What types of parquet flooring are there?

Four types are common in Danish homes: block parquet, mosaic parquet, engineered parquet, and solid plank flooring. The crucial difference is not the appearance, but how much wood is available for sanding. Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) states that engineered parquet has a wear layer of at least 2.5 mm and typically 3-4 mm, while mosaic parquet is only 8 mm thick in total.

In the newer buildings on Aarhus Ø - Isbjerget, Z-huset, Nicolinehus and Kanalhusene - the floor is usually engineered parquet, in our experience. Therefore, we always measure the wear layer before using a machine on the floor, and choose light sanding over full sanding if less than 3 mm remains. We use the same approach in other apartment buildings, see floor sanding in apartments.

Oak, beech or ash - what's the difference?

Oak, beech and ash are common parquet timbers. They differ in appearance, hardness and finishing options, and all respond to moisture. Gulvfakta uses an approximate movement figure of 0.22% per percentage-point change in wood moisture content for these calculations. This general figure does not mean every board or construction behaves identically.

Hardness is measured as a Brinell value according to the standard DS/EN 1534:2020 (Danish Standard), where a steel ball is pressed into the wood's surface with a fixed force. Ash is typically slightly harder than oak and beech, which are close to each other, but the value varies with growing conditions within the individual wood type - therefore, ask for the Brinell value for the specific floor rather than relying on the wood type's name. In practice, the choice affects how the floor looks after treatment more than how quickly scratches appear.

A suitable lye treatment can be one way to create a lighter appearance. Products differ between softwoods and hardwoods, and not every hardwood lye is suitable for oak, beech and ash alike. Check the manufacturer's approved timber types and test the intended finish before treating the whole floor. See our guide to lye treatment of floors.

How do you care for a parquet floor correctly?

Daily care for a parquet floor involves dry cleaning plus a well-wrung cloth for anything that can't be swept up. Water is the biggest risk: Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) recommends minimal water when soap-treating hard woods, and that a new soap-treated floor receives at least 2 soap treatments before use.

Choose cleaning products for the actual finish: a suitable cleaner for varnished parquet, and compatible cleaner and maintenance oil for oiled floors. Felt pads protect against furniture movement, while entrance mats catch grit. Follow the product instructions and see our guide to washing and cleaning wooden floors.

How often should a parquet floor be refinished?

In our experience, an oiled parquet floor needs re-treatment approximately every 1-2 years, while a lacquered floor typically lasts about 10 years before it needs sanding and re-lacquering. The interval depends on usage: Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) states that a kitchen might require care several times a year, while a bedroom could go years between treatments.

The great advantage of oil is that wear can be spot-repaired. A worn area in front of the kitchen counter can be lightly sanded and oiled without the entire floor needing treatment. Lacquer, on the other hand, cannot be invisibly patched - when the film is worn through to the wood, the entire surface must be sanded. If you want an overview before making a choice, read lacquering or oiling and maintenance of oiled floors.

How much does it cost to sand a parquet floor?

Standard sanding of parquet with a standard finish costs 175 kr per m2 including VAT from 36 m2. A 45 m2 floor therefore gives an illustrative total of 7.875 kr including VAT. A light surface refresh is a different treatment and is quoted separately. In straightforward cases the sanding work may fit within one working day, followed by the specified drying and curing time.

For a 45 m2 floor, standard sanding with a standard finish gives an illustrative total of 7.875 kr including VAT. Spread over a 10-year budgeting period, that is 787,50 kr a year, or 17,50 kr per m2 per year; the period is an example, not a guaranteed lifespan. Equivalent standard-work calculations are 11.375 kr for 65 m2 and 14.000 kr for 80 m2. See our floor sanding price guide, or request a fixed quotation for floor sanding, with a reply within 24 hours.

How many times can a parquet floor be sanded?

In our experience, a solid parquet floor can withstand 4-6 full sandings in its lifetime, while engineered parquet can handle fewer. Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) sets a clear limit: engineered floors with a wear layer of 2 mm or less should not be sanded, and the remaining thickness should be checked with a drill test before work begins.

On a solid floor, the thickness is instead measured with a thin metal blade in the tongue-and-groove joint, as described by Gulvfakta. If there is plenty of wood left, the floor can be sanded down and appear as new. If the wear layer is thin, a light sanding with new surface treatment is the right choice - it removes minimal wood and extends the floor's life by several years. Read more about how many times a wooden floor can be sanded.

Can you sand the parquet floor yourself?

Parquet sanding is possible as a DIY project, but dust control and the risk of visible sanding marks require care. Hardwood dust is hazardous. Suitable extraction captures much of the dust at the source, while appropriate protection and thorough cleaning are still needed.

Then there's the result. A sanding machine that stands still for half a second too long creates a dent that only becomes visible when the lacquer is applied. On parquet, the pattern must be sanded in several directions, and the transition between the large machine and the edges must be invisible. We perform the work at a fixed price and with a workmanship guarantee - see the considerations in floor sanding yourself or professional.

How to avoid cracks and gaps in your parquet floor?

Gaps between the blocks in winter are due to a dry indoor climate, not a fault in the floor. Gulvfakta (Gulvbranchen, DI) states that wooden floors are delivered with an average moisture content of approx. 8%, that the wood moisture can rise to 12-13% during the most humid period, and that a 65 mm wide parquet block expands approx. 0.7 mm when the humidity goes from 40% to 65%.

Keep indoor conditions reasonably stable, avoid excessive heating and follow the flooring manufacturer's storage and installation instructions for new boards. Træinformation discusses the subject in TRÆfakta 14 on wooden floors and indoor climate. Large gaps need assessment before filling, because seasonal movement can make a rigid filler unsuitable. Read about repair of cracks and holes.

Frequently asked questions about parquet flooring

Frequently asked questions

Does your parquet floor need sanding or re-treatment? Call 20 98 88 11 or contact us - you'll get a fixed price before work starts and a reply within 24 hours.

Written by

Øens HåndværkerCentral

We sand and surface treat floors, stairs, balconies, wooden decks and worktops - based in Aarhus Ø and with projects all over the country. You get a fixed price before work begins and a workmanship guarantee on the work performed.

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