Specialist restoration of herringbone, basket weave, and block parquet floors in offices, schools, hotels and public buildings.
Parquet floors are one of the most enduring features of London's commercial built environment. From Victorian civic buildings and Edwardian schools to mid-century office blocks and boutique hotels, block and herringbone parquet is everywhere — and for good reason.
Properly maintained, it lasts generations. The problem is that most parquet floors in commercial settings have been neglected, overpainted, or covered with carpet for decades.
Underneath, the floor is often in far better condition than it appears. Where other contractors see a write-off, our team regularly sees a restoration job — and a significantly lower bill for our clients than a full replacement would mean.
"Quicksand Flooring has been restoring parquet floors in commercial buildings across London since 2006. Our MD, Daniel, brings over 20 years of hands-on experience with period timber — including some of the most technically demanding parquet projects in the capital."
SMAS Worksafe Accredited
Bona Certified Contractor
NWFA Member
Constructionline Accredited
Parquet restoration is a specialist discipline. The individual blocks — typically laid in herringbone, double herringbone, basket weave, or brick bond patterns — are thinner than standard floorboards and demand a more measured approach than conventional floor sanding.
Before any machine touches the floor, we inspect for loose, hollow, or missing blocks, adhesive failure, subfloor movement, and moisture ingress. Any remedial work is completed before sanding begins.
We use calibrated belt and orbital sanders appropriate to the block thickness and pattern direction. Herringbone requires sanding at 45 degrees to the pattern to avoid tearing along the grain lines. Multiple passes at progressively finer grits bring the surface back to clean, bare timber.
We advise on the right finish for your environment — from Bona Traffic systems to Osmo oils. Every finish is applied to manufacturer specification.
Specialist parquet restoration for commercial environments across London and the Southeast:
We assess every floor individually to determine the right restoration approach for the parquet type and environment.
View All SectorsFull commercial health and safety accreditation, making us a compliant choice for public sector and large corporate procurement.
Parquet isn't a job we approach the same way as a straight-boarded floor. Our operatives are experienced specifically with block and pattern floors.
We'll tell you clearly whether your floor is worth restoring or whether replacement is the more sensible call. We don't quote for work that isn't in your interest.
"We don't quote for work that isn't in your interest. Every job is priced on its own merits — no hidden charges."
Whether you're managing a school hall in need of a full restoration, a hotel lobby that needs refreshing, or a period office building that's been hiding its original floor under carpet for thirty years — we'd like to take a look.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation survey and written quotation. We work across London and the Southeast, and we're happy to discuss out-of-hours access from the outset.
