Hello,
my oiled pre-finished click parquet floor has aged a bit by now. Since it doesn’t have a very thick wear layer and there aren’t really any deep scratches (mostly water stains, etc.), I don’t want to sand it down completely. Instead, I’m planning to lightly sand it with a single-disc sander and then re-oil it.
Do you think this should work?
What grit would you recommend for sanding?
Thanks for your feedback...
my oiled pre-finished click parquet floor has aged a bit by now. Since it doesn’t have a very thick wear layer and there aren’t really any deep scratches (mostly water stains, etc.), I don’t want to sand it down completely. Instead, I’m planning to lightly sand it with a single-disc sander and then re-oil it.
Do you think this should work?
What grit would you recommend for sanding?
Thanks for your feedback...
N
nordanney16 Mar 2026 19:16No. Answer to the question in the title. Sanding the entire surface is almost always unnecessary.
Hello questioner,
According to DIN EN 13489, engineered wood flooring has a minimum wear layer thickness of at least 2.5mm (0.1 inches). This means that, in most cases with only shallow scratches, it can technically be sanded twice. By technically, we mean theoretically. With older parquet materials, however, the risk increases during sanding that the bonding layer may come loose due to the mechanical forces involved. Simply put: the wooden wear layer can separate from the substrate.
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Regarding your specific question:
All engineered wood floor elements come from the factory with surface protection applied. Usually, this is a sealant. If the existing floor layer is only lightly sanded, the sealant would remain partially on the surface of the wear layer in cloudy patches. Applying oil afterward would result in a "visual mess," because the still-sealed wood areas do not absorb the oil, unlike the exposed wood fibers. The result is a cloudy appearance, where the still-sealed areas release some oil onto the surrounding surface as it is applied. A common way to describe this is "a huge mess," to put it clearly.
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The correct procedure would be to leave such work to a professional company that carries out a medium sanding with grits between 80/100 and 200. Then, the wood surface is wiped lightly with a damp cloth and allowed to dry. This raises the wood fibers and hardens them. A fine sanding with grits from 400 up to 3,500 smooths this out and produces a fine, "soft" surface. Afterward, the floor can be oiled or waxed, and any remaining oil can be absorbed and buffed out with a polishing pad.
-----------------
Many processes in building technology may seem simple, but proper execution requires considerable expertise. Saving money is one thing, but a poor and unsatisfactory DIY effort that then requires rework by professionals is truly not an option.
Good luck and wise decision: KlaRa
According to DIN EN 13489, engineered wood flooring has a minimum wear layer thickness of at least 2.5mm (0.1 inches). This means that, in most cases with only shallow scratches, it can technically be sanded twice. By technically, we mean theoretically. With older parquet materials, however, the risk increases during sanding that the bonding layer may come loose due to the mechanical forces involved. Simply put: the wooden wear layer can separate from the substrate.
--------------
Regarding your specific question:
All engineered wood floor elements come from the factory with surface protection applied. Usually, this is a sealant. If the existing floor layer is only lightly sanded, the sealant would remain partially on the surface of the wear layer in cloudy patches. Applying oil afterward would result in a "visual mess," because the still-sealed wood areas do not absorb the oil, unlike the exposed wood fibers. The result is a cloudy appearance, where the still-sealed areas release some oil onto the surrounding surface as it is applied. A common way to describe this is "a huge mess," to put it clearly.
-------------------
The correct procedure would be to leave such work to a professional company that carries out a medium sanding with grits between 80/100 and 200. Then, the wood surface is wiped lightly with a damp cloth and allowed to dry. This raises the wood fibers and hardens them. A fine sanding with grits from 400 up to 3,500 smooths this out and produces a fine, "soft" surface. Afterward, the floor can be oiled or waxed, and any remaining oil can be absorbed and buffed out with a polishing pad.
-----------------
Many processes in building technology may seem simple, but proper execution requires considerable expertise. Saving money is one thing, but a poor and unsatisfactory DIY effort that then requires rework by professionals is truly not an option.
Good luck and wise decision: KlaRa
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