Sanding parquet yourself — the complete spring floor renovation guide (2026)

The big spring home project: sand the parquet floor yourself and save 70-80 % of what professionals would charge. This guide walks you through the whole process — from choosing a sander to the final finish — with verified rules of thumb and concrete product recommendations from Ernst P's range.

Is it possible to sand parquet yourself?

Yes, but it takes time and the right tools. Expect:

• 1-2 days for a room of 25-30 m² (including oil application)
• An investment of 2,000-4,000 SEK (hire + sanding mesh + oil) for an average room
• Physical work — the sander vibrates, you walk a lot, the dust is heavy

Savings: Professional sanding typically costs 250-400 SEK/m². Doing it yourself: 80-150 SEK/m² (tools, sanding mesh and oil). Across 30 m² that's a 5,000-10,000 SEK saving.

Not right for you if:

• You have a complex pattern (herringbone parquet — requires experience to keep the correct angle)
• The floor is extremely worn or has deep damage (may require replacement of individual parquet blocks first)
• You are physically limited — the sander weighs 50-70 kg

The tools — what do you need?

Drum sander (main machine)

Sands large surfaces quickly by rotating around a horizontal drum. The main tool for removing old lacquer/oil and evening out the floor.

Hire from: Bauhaus, Byggmax, Hornbach, local builders' merchants. ~600-1,000 SEK/day.

Hire models: Hummel, Bona, Lägler — all use roughly the same sanding principle. Ask for instructions when you collect it.

Edge sander

The drum sander won't reach all the way to the wall. For edges you use an edge sander (random orbit sander with a large ø125 or 150 mm sanding pad).

Hire from: the same places. ~300-500 SEK/day.

Alternative: A powerful random orbit sander + NET GIANT sanding mesh works for smaller rooms or as a supplement.

NET GIANT sanding mesh

Net Giant is Ernst P's own sanding mesh for random orbit edge sanding (not the drum sander — that uses sanding belts). For edge work around walls and corners:

For the full grit progression you need P80, P120 and P180 — buy 25-50 discs of each for a 30 m² room. Sanding mesh is superior to paper-backed discs on a random orbit sander because the dust passes through the mesh — important during the dust-intensive parquet sanding.

Other essentials

• Industrial vacuum (preferably M-class — wood dust is hazardous) or at the very least a powerful canister vacuum
• FFP2 or FFP3 respiratory protection — compulsory
• Safety goggles
• Hearing protection — sanders run at 90+ dB
• Knee pads for edge sanding
• Tape (masking tape for door frames)

Grit progression — fact-checked

Standard parquet sanding follows a 4-step progression [1][2]:

Step	Grit	Use
1	P36 or P40	Coarse sanding — off with old lacquer/oil, levels deep scratches
2	P60	Evens out P36 scratches, removes coarse texture
3	P80	Preparation for the final finish, unifies the colours
4	P120	Final sanding before oil — gives a porous surface for good absorption

Important: Never skip more than one grit step. Going P36 → P80 directly leaves P36 scratches under the finish. You don't save time by skipping — you pay with visible scratches in the end result.

Adjustments based on the floor's condition

Very worn or unlacquered timber (P-mode "stripped"):

• Start at P24 or P36
• Add an extra pass: P24 → P40 → P60 → P80 → P120

Lightly scuffed with surface lacquer remaining:

• Start at P40 or P60
• Finish with P80 → P120

Only finish polishing, no stripping:

• Start with P120
• Finish with P180 + oil

Stop at P120 for oil

For oiled parquet — don't sand any finer than P120. Higher grits (P150+) make the surface so smooth that the oil doesn't penetrate — you get a weak bond that ages quickly [3].

For lacquered parquet — sand to P120, lacquer, then sand lightly with P180 between lacquer coats.

Step by step — how it's done

Preparation (the evening before)

1. Empty the room — all furniture, rugs, curtains out
2. Mask door frames with masking tape + plastic sheeting
3. Seal off the room — cover furniture in adjoining rooms, preferably plastic across doorways
4. Check for nails and screws — none may protrude above the parquet surface (the sanding head will be ruined otherwise)

Day 1: Coarse sanding

1. Drum sander P36 or P40 — start along the long side, move slowly with even passes
2. Work in overlapping strips — each pass covers 50% of the previous one
3. Sand along the parquet grain for the best result
4. Vacuum thoroughly after the pass
5. Drum sander P60 — second pass
6. Vacuum
7. Edge sander P36/P40 — around the whole room, roughly a 10-15 cm wide zone
8. Edge sander P60
9. Vacuum thoroughly — use the nozzle in corners too

Allow 4-6 hours for 30 m² all the way through.

Day 2: Fine sanding + oil

1. Drum sander P80 — cover the whole surface
2. Edge sander P80
3. Drum sander P120 — final sanding
4. Edge sander P120
5. Vacuum thoroughly — extra carefully, including the walls
6. Wipe the floor with a damp cloth — removes remaining dust
7. Let it dry for 1-2 hours
8. Apply the first oil coat (see below)

Oil or lacquer — which finish?

Naturhaus Hardwax Oil — the top choice for 2026

Naturhaus Hardwax Oil is Ernst P's best-selling parquet finish. A blend of natural oils + waxes that delivers:

• A hard, water-repellent surface
• A natural, matt look
• Withstands daily wear
• Safe for food contact (after curing)
• Repairable — just sand the damaged patch and re-oil

Coverage: about 30-40 ml/m². For 30 m²: 1 litre (or 2.5 litres if you want extra for later maintenance).

Application: 2-3 coats. Wait 6-8 h between coats. Intermediate P240 sanding as needed between coats 2 and 3.

Naturhaus Hartöl Spezial — for deep colour

Hartöl Spezial penetrates more deeply than Hardwax Oil and gives a more saturated colour — popular on oak where you want a warm golden glow. Not as hard on the surface as Hardwax Oil, so less suitable for rooms with extreme wear (kitchens, hallways).

Rubinol Wood Oil — the budget option

Classic Swedish linseed-oil-based wood oil. Cheaper per litre, longer drying time (8-24 h between coats), but gives a traditional oiled look. Good for those who want pure natural oil without modified resins.

Coverage: about 80-100 ml/m². For 30 m²: 2.5-3 litres.

Water-based parquet lacquer

For a glossier and more hard-wearing floor (café/restaurant finish): water-based parquet lacquer in 3-4 coats. Not in Ernst P's core range — available from specialist shops.

Safety — important

Respiratory protection

Wood dust (especially from oak and beech) is classified as hazardous by the Swedish Work Environment Authority [4]. Long-term exposure causes:

• Allergic asthma
• Nasal cancer (oak dust is a class 1 carcinogen)
• COPD-like symptoms

Requirement: FFP2 mask as a minimum. Recommendation: FFP3 or a respirator with replaceable filters for long sessions.

Dust extraction

A household vacuum is not enough. Use:

• An M-class vacuum connected to the sander if possible
• A large industrial vacuum between sanding passes

Festool CTM 26 EI or CTM 36 EI AC are superior choices (see our Festool CLEANTEC guide).

Fire risk when oiling

Oily rags can spontaneously combust at room temperature through the heat of oxidation. Linseed-oil-based oils (Rubinol, Hartöl) are particularly risky.

Safe handling:

• Soak used rags in water immediately after use
• Store in a metal bucket with a lid
• Never throw them in the bin — fire risk 4-12 h later

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Starting grit too coarse

You think P24 will be quicker than P36. Result: deep scratches that later grits can't remove, or heavy stripping that takes off too much of the parquet layer (parquet can be sanded 4-7 times in its lifetime).

Fix: Start with the right grit for the floor's condition. P36 is a safe default; P24 only for really worn floors.

Mistake 2: Skipping intermediate grits

Going P40 → P120 directly leaves clear sanding marks.

Fix: Follow the progression. P40 → P60 → P80 → P120. It doesn't take much extra time and the result is 10× better.

Mistake 3: Sanding across the grain

Sanding marks from the drum sander are visible if you go across the grain.

Fix: Always along the grain, especially for the P80 and P120 passes. For the coarse passes a diagonal can be OK.

Mistake 4: Forgetting edge sanding

The drum sander leaves 5-10 cm untouched along the walls. If you don't edge-sand you end up with two "colours" on the floor — a sanded centre + an unsanded edge.

Fix: Edge-sand between each drum pass — not just at the end. That way the edge's sanding level matches the drum's.

Mistake 5: Oil on a dusty surface

If dust remains when you oil, the oil becomes cloudy and forms patches.

Fix: Vacuum 2-3 times, then wipe with a damp cloth, wait 1-2 h for drying. Then oil.

Mistake 6: Oil coats too thick

Thick coats don't dry all the way through — the surface becomes tacky.

Fix: Thin coats. Apply generously, wait 10-15 min, then wipe off the excess with a clean cloth.

Maintenance after sanding

The first 2-4 weeks

• No heavy or sharp furniture — the oil is still curing
• No rugs — they smother the oxidation
• No water splashes — can form stains

Long term

• Dust with microfibre daily
• Wet-mop with a mild cleaner weekly
• Re-oil every 6-12 months (do the water test — drop water on; if it soaks in: time to oil)

See our Oiling a worktop guide for more detailed maintenance advice.

Filler for nail holes and cracks

Before sanding — fill larger holes and cracks.

Rubinol Linseed Oil Filler is available in several colours (dark oak, light oak, mahogany, teak). Apply in the hole, smooth out, wait 24 h, sand over with the drum sander together with the rest of the floor.

Summary — what you need

For 30 m² of parquet, P36 → P120 + Naturhaus Hardwax Oil:

Item	Price
Drum sander (1 day's hire)	~800 SEK
Edge sander (1 day's hire)	~400 SEK
Sanding belts for drum (P36, P60, P80, P120)	~600 SEK
NET GIANT sanding mesh (P80, P120, P180)	~400 SEK
Naturhaus Hardwax Oil 2.5 L	~700 SEK
Respiratory protection, gloves, tape	~300 SEK
Total	~3,200 SEK

Compared with professional sanding (~250-400 SEK/m² × 30 m² = 7,500-12,000 SEK) — you save 4,000-9,000 SEK.

Related

• Sandpaper grits in the right order — the fundamentals of sanding
• Sanding sponges and sanding pads — for detail sanding
• Oiling a worktop — how often? — maintenance of oiled surfaces
• Festool CLEANTEC vacuums — M-class for safe handling
• See the full surface treatment range

Sources

Last updated 2026-04-18.

1. Bygghemma — Sand your floor yourself guide. Industry standard for parquet sanding P36 → P120. bygghemma.se/reportage-och-guider/slipa-golv-sjalv-guide
2. Vi i Villa — Sanding wooden floors: the big guide. Practical Swedish guide for home renovation. viivilla.se/gor-det-sjalv/golv/slipa-tragolv-stor-guide
3. Naturhaus Hardwax Oil product data. Technical data sheet on surface texture requirements before application.
4. Swedish Work Environment Authority — AFS 2018:1 Occupational exposure limits. Wood dust classification and handling rules. av.se
5. Festool — CT M-class dust extractors. Technical requirements for M-class vacuums in parquet work. festool.com
6. Family Handyman — How to Sand Wood Floors. International industry source for sanding techniques. familyhandyman.com