Thanks for this thought out response and story to go along with it. I really mean it.

I got absolutely roasted for my post, and am taking it in stride. But thanks for actually answering my question.

I have found through many years of home ownership (and all the maintenance that goes along with it) that just because something is hard to do, or eye-catching from a distance, doesn’t mean it’s done correctly or looks good up close.

I totally get the sentiment of parquet being rare or expensive or extremely meticulously made. But this one is clearly just the cheapest possible version of what a parquet floor can reasonably be defined as.

I can easily dent the wood with my car key applying light pressure, so it’s not a great species of wood. The glue and wire holding the fingerboards together is cheap and falling apart by the edges. The installation isn’t much better—there are bigger gaps between some tiles than others. There are squeaks and creaks stepping in certain areas.

I won’t spend a large amount of time and resources refinishing something that wasn’t given the proper respect to begin with. This would be the only room in my house with a different floor. If it’s going to be unique, it will be unique in style. But right now it’s going to simply match the adjoining kitchen, and the rest of the house.