Unexpected Surprises
There is a particular aspect that makes it impossible for us to fall into the inevitable routine of any job: surprise. It involves discovering construction elements, decorative details, or valuable materials during renovation in an unexpected or intentionally sought manner.
Restoring visible elements like antique floors, wooden or stone features can already be fulfilling and satisfying, but when we uncover a hidden gem, it creates a true excitement akin to that of an archaeologist.
In 2019, we undertook the renovation of a prestigious apartment on Via Crispi. Among the various tasks requested by the property owner and architect was the special painting of the existing floor, a pre-finished Doussie Africa hardwood, which was not particularly valuable.
During the demolition of some floor sections to expand the bathroom, we discovered the stratigraphy of the flooring. The surface layer was Doussie, beneath which was an OSB panel, and underneath that, the original parquet… and what a parquet it was!
The tar-coated parquet
A 20th-century oak parquet known as “catrame” parquet. Before the use of adhesives, parquet was nailed onto wooden battens or directly “embedded” into the subfloor. A particularly effective and high-quality method was the tar application, used where the surface was particularly rigid and even. In Trieste, it is said that master tarriers, who were once employed in shipbuilding, were used for this type of work. This was an elite and prestigious profession, now lost to time.
Further Features of Distinction
In addition to this detail, the parquet featured the typical installation of an antique parquet with a perimeter band: a strip of parallel and perpendicular wood along the perimeter walls with a single border line that framed the central herringbone pattern.
As if that weren’t enough, the individual planks had a rare characteristic: they lacked the typical tongue-and-groove joinery and were instead engraved on all four sides. To connect them, wooden strips known as “quadrelli” were used.
Restoring Antique Parquet
We shared our discovery with the client and explained its historical value. Knowing that this would increase the project costs, our client was nonetheless eager to restore the original parquet, showing enthusiasm equal to our own.
We then removed the pre-finished flooring, the underlying OSB, and the self-levelling compound that had been poured over the historic parquet. We feared that the levelling compound might have “burned” the wood—this term refers to the penetration of solvents or chemical aggregates into the wood fibres, which would have been a disaster. Fortunately, the parquet had withstood the damage and was suitable for restoration.
At the client’s specific request, who desired a natural finish, we first lightly sanded the surface and repaired some damaged or detached areas. Then, a mechanical brushing was carried out to bring out the wood grain using small manual tools such as routers and brushes.
Subsequently, the grouting was done by hand, joint by joint, because the vibrations from the milling following traditional grouting would have posed a real risk of detachment of the planks from the substrate.
Finally, we applied a natural sealer lightly tinted with white pigment to reduce the typical yellow tone of the oak.
The result is a floor of unique elegance. Even now, when we visit the client, it feels like stepping back in time, and it almost feels natural to bend down and touch that wood, as if giving a salute, a thank you.
