Sanding a herringbone parquet floor is one of the trickier DIY floor-sanding jobs you can tackle, but it's absolutely achievable with the right approach. The key is working at a 45-degree diagonal to the pattern rather than along any single block direction — this way you cut across the grain of both alternating block orientations evenly, reducing the risk of tearout or raised edges. Take your time, use the correct grit sequence, and your herringbone floor can come up looking stunning.
Why Herringbone Parquet Is Different
Standard strip flooring runs in one direction, so you simply sand along the grain. Herringbone parquet is made up of small timber blocks laid at 90-degree angles to each other in a zigzag pattern. Because of this, there is no single "with the grain" direction across the whole floor. Sanding straight along any one axis means you'll be sanding against the grain on half the blocks, causing fuzzing, scratching, and potential damage to the block edges.
Older NZ homes — particularly villas and bungalows built in the early-to-mid 20th century — often feature herringbone parquet in hallways, living rooms, and formal dining areas. These floors are a real asset, but the timber blocks are typically only 6–10 mm thick above the tongue, so you have limited sanding passes available before the floor is worn through. Treat each pass as precious.
Tools and Materials You'll Need
- Drum or belt sander (hire from a tool hire shop — Bunnings and Mitre 10 both offer hire services)
- Edge sander (also called a disc sander or edger)
- Random orbital sander for corners and tight spots
- Sandpaper grits: typically 40–60 grit (coarse), 80 grit (medium), 100–120 grit (fine)
- Vacuum and tack cloths
- Timber filler or parquet filler for gaps and cracks
- Your chosen finish — oil, hardwax oil, or polyurethane
- Dust mask (P2 rated minimum), safety glasses, ear protection
For finishing products, Resene and Wattyl both stock floor-specific coatings suitable for parquet. Always check the manufacturer's data sheet for compatibility with your timber species.
Step-by-Step Sanding Process
1. Prepare the Floor
Punch all nail heads at least 3 mm below the surface. Check for loose or lifted blocks and re-glue or re-nail them before sanding — a drum sander will catch a raised block edge and can split or dislodge it entirely. Remove all furniture, and seal doorways with plastic sheeting to contain dust.
2. Start at 45 Degrees with Coarse Grit
Fit your drum sander with 40 or 60 grit paper. Set your first passes at a 45-degree angle to the herringbone pattern — this is the most important rule. Work methodically across the room, overlapping each pass by about one-third of the drum width. Keep the sander moving at all times; stopping with the drum running will gouge the floor.
Once you've covered the floor in one diagonal direction, make a second coarse pass at 90 degrees to the first (i.e., the other 45-degree diagonal). This cross-diagonal approach levels the floor evenly and removes the scratch marks from the first pass.
3. Edge Sanding
Use the edge sander around the perimeter, again working at a diagonal where possible. Edge sanders cut in a circular motion, so blend the edges carefully into the main field during your medium-grit pass.
4. Medium Grit Pass
Switch to 80 grit and repeat the diagonal passes. By this stage you can often begin to work closer to parallel with the dominant block direction if the floor is reasonably flat, but many professionals stick with the diagonal right through to the fine grit on herringbone — check your progress carefully.
5. Fine Grit and Finishing Pass
Finish with 100 or 120 grit, again diagonally or with the dominant grain. Vacuum thoroughly, then wipe down with a tack cloth. Fill any remaining gaps with a parquet filler mixed with the fine sanding dust for a colour-matched result. Allow to cure fully before applying your chosen finish coat.
6. Apply Your Finish
Apply finish coats according to the manufacturer's instructions — typically two to three coats with a light 180–220 grit screen-sand between coats. Ensure good ventilation throughout. WorkSafe NZ has guidance on working safely with solvent-based finishes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Sanding parallel to one block direction | Tears grain on alternating blocks |
| Stopping the drum sander mid-floor | Creates deep gouges |
| Skipping grit stages | Leaves deep scratches that show under finish |
| Over-sanding thin blocks | Risks sanding through to the tongue |
| Rushing the filler cure time | Filler shrinks and cracks under finish |
Dust and Health Considerations
Timber dust is a respiratory hazard. Always wear a P2-rated dust mask as a minimum, and ideally use a sander with a dust bag or connect to a vacuum. WorkSafe NZ identifies hardwood dust as a respiratory hazard requiring controls. Keep children and pets out of the work area, and ventilate well after finishing.
When to Call a Professional
Herringbone parquet is an intricate, heritage-style floor that can be genuinely difficult to sand without experience. If your blocks are very thin (check by lifting a vent cover or threshold strip to see the cross-section), if the floor has significant cupping or damage, or if you're simply not confident with a drum sander, it's well worth hiring a professional floor sander. A qualified tradesperson will have the right equipment, experience with parquet patterns, and can advise on whether your floor has enough timber left for a full sand.
You can find experienced local floor sanding professionals on tradedirectory.co.nz. For guidance on what work requires a Licensed Building Practitioner, check with MBIE's Building Performance website — general floor sanding is not restricted work, but structural subfloor repairs may require consent.
