DIY Network

Parquet Flooring From "Ask DIY Home Improvement" episode DADH-210

Newly installed parquet flooring

Q: (from Richard in Hoboken, NJ): I’d like to remove my old carpet and replace it with parquet flooring. Is this an easy job I can do myself?

A: (from DIY home expert Brad Staggs): The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" The following are steps for removing your old carpet, and installing parquet flooring as performed by our Habitat for Humanity volunteers in our project restoration house.

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The look of hardwood adds a lot of value to a home...and parquet flooring is the perfect way to achieve that look. Let’s get started!

Materials:

Parquet tiles
Adhesive
Utility knife
Measuring tape
Chalk line
Pry bar
Square-notched trowel
Jigsaw
Knee pads
Low-tack tape
Safety gloves and goggles

Steps:

1. Before you put your new flooring in, there are three things you will need to remove...the carpet, the padding and the tackless strips. In a corner of the room, take a needle nose pliers...grab some carpet fibers and pull up (figure A). Once the carpet is detached, get a utility knife (figure B) and cut the carpet in to manageable pieces for removal. Then, get rid of your padding. Remove all of the remaining staples or pound them in to the floor. Wear gloves and safety glasses when removing the tackless strips. Work a pry bar under the nails and pop the strips out (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

2. With a clean and level sub-floor, make marks for measuring. It’s a good idea to choose a long, straight wall as the starting point for the tiles. Measure from the wall...the distance is the length of two pieces of parquet plus one-half inch for an expansion space (figure D). Make a second mark and chalk a line (figure E). This is your reference line.

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

3. Measure and mark again to create a second chalk line that intersects the reference line. It’s important that this intersection is a 90-degree angle.

4. Use a square-notched trowel and spread the adhesive thinly but evenly across the floor (figure F). Only spread as much adhesive as you can work with while it’s still wet.

5. Set the first tile into place...and be very careful. Set it at the intersection of the chalk lines and make sure that the edges of the tile line up with both lines (figure G). Set it into place and press it firmly into the adhesive. You don’t want to be sloppy here...this first tile is key to the installation of the entire floor.

6. Continue setting the full tiles along the reference line, sliding the tiles together...and gently interlocking the tongue and groove of each tile.

7. Once the row along the reference line is in place, spread more adhesive and install the row of tiles closest to the wall. It’s a good idea to check the length of the open space (figure H). Often the walls in older homes are not perfectly straight, so you may need to cut some of the squares down to size.

Figure G

Figure H

8. Cut the parquet with a jigsaw...but be very careful that you trim the right side of the parquet tile so that the pattern will match up (figure I).

9. Continue working across the floor spreading adhesive, locking tiles together and wiping up any excess glue that seeps onto the surface. Remember, when trimming any end pieces to leave a 1/2-inch gap along the wall (figure J). The expansion space is needed because all wood floors expand and contract. Without the expansion space, seams could pop when the floor expands.

Figure I

Figure J

Figure K

10. Once the entire floor is finished, cover the expansion space with shoe molding. Simply cut a piece to fit and nail it into the wall (figure K). You need to make miter joints at the corners.

11. This floor is easy to care for. Just sweep regularly, wipe up spills with a damp cloth and mop with a wood floor cleaner.

Figure L

Tips:

1. Before you take on this project, make sure you get some knee pads. You’ll be on the floor for hours spreading adhesive and laying floor pieces.

2. Have some low-tack tape handy (figure L). Parquet is made by attaching little strips of wood together with a thin piece of metal. If you cut off the metal piece the wood strips can fall out. So tape them together before cutting. Tape on the front, then place the tile and remove the tape.