Herringbone restoration & solid plank flooring (Dublin City Council)
A heritage restoration project for Dublin City Council at one of Ireland’s most important cultural institutions. We restored original 1908 sapele herringbone in restricted gallery areas and replaced flood-damaged plank flooring in the café with new solid oak.
Quick facts
Flooring: Original herringbone restoration + new solid oak planks
Material: 30mm sapele (restoration) / solid oak (café replacement)
Scope: Heritage parquet repair, hand-crafted replacements, full café floor replacement
Finish: Sand and polish to match original floors
Location: Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin (est. 1908)
Project overview
This project required a careful balance of restoration craft and practical replacement. We preserved over a century of parquet heritage in the gallery’s restricted areas while delivering a complete new floor in the café following flood damage.
At a glance
Restored original 1908 herringbone flooring in art storage and restoration areas.
Hand-crafted 30mm sapele replacement blocks to match the existing parquet.
Repaired, refitted, and sanded damaged sections to blend with surrounding floors.
Fully replaced café flooring with new solid oak planks after flood damage.
Completed all work to Dublin City Council’s satisfaction.
What the client wanted
Restoration of original herringbone in restricted gallery areas showing significant damage.
Replacement flooring for the café after major flood damage.
Seamless results that respected the gallery’s heritage.
Minimal disruption to a working cultural institution.
Our solution
Heritage parquet demands craft-led restoration, matching materials, profiles, and patina built up over more than a century. For the café, we delivered a practical, high-quality replacement suited to a high-traffic hospitality space.
Challenges on site and how we handled them
Assessing 116-year-old flooring
We were cautious about what we’d find, but the original herringbone had endured remarkably well, testament to the craftsmanship and care it had received. This allowed restoration rather than replacement.
Matching original sapele parquet
The 30mm sapele blocks were no longer available off the shelf. We hand-crafted replacements to match the exact profile and appearance of the 1908 originals.
Flood damage in the café
The café’s clip-system plank flooring couldn’t be saved. We carried out full removal and replaced it with solid oak planks, a more durable solution for a busy hospitality area.
Working in a functioning gallery
Coordinating access to restricted areas and minimising disruption to gallery operations required careful planning with Dublin City Council.
Materials, layout and finish
Restoration areas: 30mm sapele herringbone (original 1908 specification, hand-matched)
Café area: New solid oak plank flooring
Restoration approach: Repair, refit, sand, and polish to match existing
Café approach: Full removal of damaged clip-system planks, new installation
The finished result
The restored herringbone now sits seamlessly alongside sections that have been in place since 1908. In the café, the new solid oak planks provide a durable, high-quality surface suited to daily use. Another successful project delivered for Dublin City Council.
Services used on this project
Heritage parquet restoration
Hand-crafted parquet block fabrication
Plank flooring removal and replacement
Commercial/institutional flooring
