Alright, folks, let’s talk about my little adventure with “keel dancing” parquet flooring. Now, I ain’t no professional carpenter, just a regular guy who likes to get his hands dirty and save a few bucks. I’ve done some simple flooring before, but this was my first time dealing with parquet and a slightly uneven subfloor.
It all started because my living room floor was, well, let’s just say it had “character.” Character, in this case, meant warped boards, gaps you could lose a small dog in, and a general feeling of “this might collapse at any moment.” So, I decided it was time for an upgrade. I found some beautiful reclaimed parquet flooring online – gorgeous stuff, but it came with a warning: “Slight variations in thickness.” Great.
Preparation, My Least Favorite Part
First things first, I had to rip up the old flooring. That was a workout, I tell ya. Pulling up those old, nailed-down planks? My back still remembers it. Once I had the old floor up, I could see the real problem: the subfloor was, shall we say, wavy. Not super dramatic, but enough to make laying down thin parquet tiles a nightmare.
I did some research (aka, watched a bunch of YouTube videos) and learned about this “keel dancing” thing. Basically, it’s about using thin strips of wood – like shims, but longer – to create a level surface over an uneven subfloor. It’s like building a tiny, hidden floor frame before you put down the actual floor.
I went to the local hardware store and grabbed a bunch of thin wooden strips – they were actually labeled as “furring strips.” I also picked up a long level, some construction adhesive, and a whole lot of patience (you’ll need that).
The Keel Dancing Begins
The process was pretty straightforward, but tedious. I started by laying down the furring strips across the low spots in the subfloor. I used the level to figure out where the dips were, and then slid the strips underneath until the level showed, well, level. It’s like playing a game of Tetris, but with wood and frustration.
Once I had a strip in the right place, I marked its position on the subfloor. Then, I applied a generous amount of construction adhesive to the bottom of the strip and stuck it down. I repeated this process, strip by strip, until I had a network of these “keels” covering all the low areas. It looked like a weird, wooden spiderweb.
I let the adhesive dry overnight. Let me tell you, watching glue dry is about as exciting as it sounds. But it’s important! You want those keels to be rock solid before you start laying down the parquet.
Parquet Time!
The next day, it was finally time for the pretty stuff. I started laying down the parquet tiles, following the pattern I had planned out (another YouTube-fueled decision). I used a special flooring adhesive, spreading it evenly on the back of each tile and then pressing it firmly onto the keeled subfloor.
Because the parquet was reclaimed, some of the tiles were slightly different thicknesses. This is where the keel dancing really paid off. The slightly raised subfloor meant that even the thinner tiles had something solid to rest on. It made the whole process much smoother.
- Dry fit Everything first!
- Don’t go cheap with glue.
- Work Slowly and Take Your Time.
The Finished Product (and a Few Lessons Learned)
It took a few days of work, some sore muscles, and a few choice words (mostly directed at myself), but I finally finished. And you know what? It looks amazing. The floor is level, solid, and the parquet pattern is just gorgeous.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was definitely a learning experience. I’m proud of the result, and I saved a ton of money by doing it myself. But it was a lot of work. If you’re thinking about tackling a similar project, I’d say go for it – but be prepared for some challenges. And definitely watch those YouTube videos. They’re a lifesaver.
