Wooden floors, which are authentic and warm living surfaces, are in daily use and therefore require special care. Varnishing a parquet floor means protecting it for the long term and enabling it to resist abrasion and scratches caused by frequent traffic, water and stains, while making daily maintenance easier.
Whether you have an old or new parquet floor, solid or glued, sealed, waxed or oiled, the choice of sealing your floor is still the most effective method of protecting it for the long term, maintaining its natural appearance and making it easy to maintain on a daily basis. You may be wondering: how do you seal your wooden floor? The following guide will describe how to seal your floor.
There are several steps involved in sealing a parquet floor. After cleaning the wood and exposing it, apply a parquet sealer (also called parquet varnish), shaking it beforehand. Apply it in the direction of the wood fibres using a roller or spalter in 2 to 3 coats. Allow to dry 2 hours between coats and 24 hours after the last coat.
Project difficulty : 
MATERIAL NEEDED
To carry out the vitrification of the parquet you will need :
Dust mask
Parquet sander (only for renovation of old parquet floors)
Vacuum Cleaner
Fine grit sandpaper 120
Spalter (fairly wide brush with silk bristles), brush or roller
Fluted tray
Wool cloth
Masking tape
Glazer for parquet (prefer a product in aqueous phase for less toxicity)
Possibly as an undercoat (hard base for parquet, pore filler primer)
For maximum satisfaction, observe the precautions for use and safety instructions found in the instructions for use of the parquet varnish.
STEP 1: PREPARING THE FLOOR BEFORE SEALING IT
DO YOU HAVE AN ANTIQUE PARQUET FLOOR?
If you have an antique or glazed parquet floor, you can renovate your wooden floor. You will need to sand it "white", using a parquet sander.
Before the application of a sealer, you must sand the wood in order to recover a raw wood, without impurities or traces of an old product. Start sanding your floor using a coarse grit (40), then use a medium grit (60) and finish with a fine grit (120). Try to proceed in the direction of the wood fibres. Pay attention to the sanding of the skirting boards and corners of the room. A so-called orbital sander is recommended for greater efficiency and a specific sander for corners and skirting boards..
If your floor is waxed, use a wax remover before sanding.
If your floor is oiled, use Wood Cleaner N100 or the Concentrated Wood Cleaner N140 before sanding.
Prepare your parquet :
Check your floor before applying the sealer. Replace worn boards if you can. If you see any holes or cracks, you can use wood paste, which you can easily find in DIY shops. If you see holes in your wood or insects around it, it means it must have been attacked by wood borers. In this case, use Natural Colourless Insecticide HM1 Wood Bliss
Use a soap or cleaner to apply the sealer to a clean wooden floor. We recommend Liquid Black Soap SN800 or the Wood Cleaner N100
DO YOU HAVE A NEW PARQUET FLOOR?
Even if your floor is new, you can still sand it to flatten it or lightly grit it quickly. We advise you to use 120 grit sandpaper. Preparing your floor will make it easier to apply your sealer to the floor.
CASE OF EXOTIC WOODS
For an exotic floor, start by degreasing your floor with acetone. Then use a parquet primer to maximise the benefits of your sealer. This undercoat will allow the sealer to penetrate your wood more easily.
Once you have finished sanding, remember to dust off your wooden floor. Start by vacuuming. Then wipe with a damp cloth (water or methylated spirits). This step is strongly recommended for tannic wood floors such as oak or chestnut.
Once the preparation is complete, use masking tape to cover the baseboards and corners of the room before starting to seal the floor.
STEP 2: APPLICATION OF AN UNDERCOAT, HARD PRIMER FOR PARQUET OR PORE FILLER PRIMER
Now use a hard-bottom parquet primer to improve the protective performance of the parquet sealer. The hard primer is an undercoat for wooden floors.
For tannic and exotic woods, we advise you to prepare the surface with a Anti-Tanins Primer PAT400
For other wood species, the use of Special Primer For Parquet PSP400 is recommended.
See their respective mode of application.
STEP 3: APPLICATION OF THE SEALER
We advise you to use a water-based sealer such as Parquet Glazer VP500
IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE PARQUET SEALER FOR AN OPTIMAL RESULT
The ideal application conditions for a successful parquet sealer are :
In dry weather
Draught-free
Temperature between 12 (53,6F) and 25°C (77F).
Wood moisture content less than 10%.
Do not switch on the heating on the day the sealer is installed.
If you have underfloor heating, remember to turn it off at least 24 hours beforehand.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF THE PARQUET SEALER
- Always mix the wood floor sealer well before use.
- Apply the sealer in 3 regular and filled coats in the direction of the wood fibres of the parquet. This may seem long but with these three coats you will get a satisfactory result over time.
- Start by applying your parquet sealer with a spalter along the length of the skirting boards. For more convenience when sealing, we recommend starting with the skirting boards that are furthest from your door. This will prevent you from stepping on a part of your newly sealed floor.
- Apply the sealer to the rest of your floor, following the wood fibres. Make sure that the product is applied evenly and uniformly, do not leave any excess in places.
- It is important to allow a minimum of 2 hours drying time between coats, not exceeding 24 hours.
- Once the first coat of sealer has been applied, we advise you to lightly grit your floor with fine abrasive paper (120 grit is recommended) in order to obtain a surface that is pleasant to the touch.
- Dust off before applying the following coats.
PRECAUTIONS FOR THE FIRST DAYS
The VP500 parquet glazer quickly becomes hard. You will be able to walk on your parquet 24 hours after your last coat has been applied. However, it takes about ten days to reach the final and maximum hardness of your parquet. So, in order to guarantee the smooth and silky effect for as long as possible, we advise you to take the following precautions during this time
Avoid covering the floor with protective tarpaulins.
Do not lay carpets on the vitrified parquet.
Do not move heavy furniture on the floor
Dust with a hoover or broom, do not use impregnated textiles.
After hardening, place suitable protection (felt) under the legs of tables and chairs and avoid letting water or other liquids stand on the sealed floor.
TIPS FOR VARNISHING A PARQUET FLOOR
We recommend selecting a Waterborne Parquet Glazer (or Parquet Varnish). Waterborne varnishes release very little or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and do not require the use of a mask or gloves. In contrast to "old generation" solvent-based sealers (hydrocarbons), which emit a lot of volatile organic compounds and can be inconvenient during application.
For a long-lasting quality finish, avoid leaving standing water on the vitrified parquet. For example, avoid placing flower pots directly on the parquet. Water could run off and create stains later on.
Remember to use a doormat when you return home to avoid damaging your floor.
Attention, if you wish to tint your floor , it is imperative to do so before applying the sealer.
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
After applying the parquet sealer, carefully wipe the material dry.
Rinse it with very little water in a container, let the water evaporate.
The dry residue can then be disposed of as normal in the rubbish bin.
Close the packaging of the sealer tightly after use.
Dispose of the empty container at the recycling depot.
Do not discharge the residues into the sewer.
PRODUCTS TO CARRY OUT YOUR PARQUET VITRIFICATION
