Solid wood flooring - The right choice
The right choice
One kind of solid wood flooring is not like the other. Prior to the actual purchase, you should check and consider which type of solid wood flooring is the best fit for your individual taste and requirements. An important aspect here besides the wood type, the optical demands on the style and the choice between tongue-and groove and click-connection products is the right choice of surface finish. At Parador we are offering you a choice between a natural oil-impregnation, the multi-layer lacquer-finish or you can also obtain a selection of planks untreated for surface finishing upon installation.
Differences
Whether you are choosing solid wood planks with a lacquer-finish or those with an oil-impregnation is (almost) purely a matter of personal taste. Here are the pros and cons at a glance:
Solid wood flooring with oil-impregnation:
The Parador oil-impregnation is a very powerful surface treatment, that – contrary to many other oil- or oil-\wax-systems does not require any time-consuming maintenance or cleaning measures. The oil-system provides a ready-to-use surface, which means after the installation no maintenance measures are required on your part and after the cleaning the floor is immediately ready to use. The major advantages of an oiled surface are that its mat and natural look is reinforcing the wood-character and it also offers the freedom to partially renovate the surface. This means, damaged areas can be mended individually as needed. In contrast to lacquer-finished surfaces damages like scratches or dents may happen more easily, but on the other hand they are easily removed and will actually add to the natural patina of the wood. Removing soiling or spilled fluids like coffee or red wine from the oiled surface is just as easy as it is from lacquer-finished wood flooring. Please follow the instructions given in our care and maintenance leaflet. (See chapter Maintenance, cleaning and repair)
Solid wood flooring with lacquer-finish:
The Parador lacquer-finish provides our wooden planks with a well-balanced surface protection and a wonderfully elegant, semi-gloss finish at the same time. Optimum protection with high serviceability is present when the lacquer is hard enough to provide good abrasion resistance yet also offers enough elasticity so it won't crack with high loads. The Parador lacquer finish is perfectly balanced and provides excellent serviceability.
Styles
The different styles refer to optical features of the wood only. With the choice of Select, Natur, Living and Classic Parador offers a suitable product for every taste. The Select-style refers to a calm, harmonious appearance, the Natur-style to a natural, well-balanced appearance and finally the Living-style with a vivid, log-grown look. The Classic style with our Solid Wood Flooring Trendtime is a mixture between Natur and Living. Classic offers a beautiful spectrum ranging from natural, wellbalanced all to way to a more rustic, vivid appearance of the wood. Keep in mind however that wood is a natural product! Each and every solid wood plank is a unique product provided by nature; therefore minor variations in colour, structure and in the presence of knots are actually proof of authenticity.
Degree of Hardness Info
There is wood, and then there is wood. Especially with respect to the degree of hardness there are differences. In general the rule is: The higher the given value, the more loadable and more impervious the wood is. With a wood equilibrium moisture content of 12% the wood species listed below have the following values:
Depending on the individual growing conditions, wood exhibits variations in the degree of hardness. Consequently these are only approximate values.
Colour changes due to light exposure
Daylight triggers certain chemical reactions in wood, which lead to colour changes. These colour changes do occur only at the wood surface. Most wood types will change their colour and become darker over time, others tend to develop a yellowish look. Overall, the flooring will get a more balanced and uniform appearance through this colour changing process. Minor variations in colour will thus be evened out automatically over time.
One kind of solid wood flooring is not like the other. Prior to the actual purchase, you should check and consider which type of solid wood flooring is the best fit for your individual taste and requirements. An important aspect here besides the wood type, the optical demands on the style and the choice between tongue-and groove and click-connection products is the right choice of surface finish. At Parador we are offering you a choice between a natural oil-impregnation, the multi-layer lacquer-finish or you can also obtain a selection of planks untreated for surface finishing upon installation.
Differences
Whether you are choosing solid wood planks with a lacquer-finish or those with an oil-impregnation is (almost) purely a matter of personal taste. Here are the pros and cons at a glance:
Solid wood flooring with oil-impregnation:
The Parador oil-impregnation is a very powerful surface treatment, that – contrary to many other oil- or oil-\wax-systems does not require any time-consuming maintenance or cleaning measures. The oil-system provides a ready-to-use surface, which means after the installation no maintenance measures are required on your part and after the cleaning the floor is immediately ready to use. The major advantages of an oiled surface are that its mat and natural look is reinforcing the wood-character and it also offers the freedom to partially renovate the surface. This means, damaged areas can be mended individually as needed. In contrast to lacquer-finished surfaces damages like scratches or dents may happen more easily, but on the other hand they are easily removed and will actually add to the natural patina of the wood. Removing soiling or spilled fluids like coffee or red wine from the oiled surface is just as easy as it is from lacquer-finished wood flooring. Please follow the instructions given in our care and maintenance leaflet. (See chapter Maintenance, cleaning and repair)
Solid wood flooring with lacquer-finish:
The Parador lacquer-finish provides our wooden planks with a well-balanced surface protection and a wonderfully elegant, semi-gloss finish at the same time. Optimum protection with high serviceability is present when the lacquer is hard enough to provide good abrasion resistance yet also offers enough elasticity so it won't crack with high loads. The Parador lacquer finish is perfectly balanced and provides excellent serviceability.
Styles
The different styles refer to optical features of the wood only. With the choice of Select, Natur, Living and Classic Parador offers a suitable product for every taste. The Select-style refers to a calm, harmonious appearance, the Natur-style to a natural, well-balanced appearance and finally the Living-style with a vivid, log-grown look. The Classic style with our Solid Wood Flooring Trendtime is a mixture between Natur and Living. Classic offers a beautiful spectrum ranging from natural, wellbalanced all to way to a more rustic, vivid appearance of the wood. Keep in mind however that wood is a natural product! Each and every solid wood plank is a unique product provided by nature; therefore minor variations in colour, structure and in the presence of knots are actually proof of authenticity.
Degree of Hardness Info
There is wood, and then there is wood. Especially with respect to the degree of hardness there are differences. In general the rule is: The higher the given value, the more loadable and more impervious the wood is. With a wood equilibrium moisture content of 12% the wood species listed below have the following values:
| Wood type | Brinell hardness (N/mm2) | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness class | |||
| Maple | 48 | 0,72 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Pear | 35 | 0,70 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Beech | 34 | 0,68 | 3 - hard wood | |||
| Oak | 34 | 0,71 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Fir | 12 | 0,47 | 1 - very soft wood | |||
| Jarrah | 52 | 0,82 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Jatoba | 69 | 0,95 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Kempas | 52 | 0,82 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Nordic Pine | 19 | 0,52 | 2 - soft wood | |||
| Cherry | 30 | 0,58 | 2 - soft wood | |||
| Siberian Larch | 25 | 0,59 | 2 - soft wood | |||
| Merbau | 49 | 0,85 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Pitch Pine | 33 | 0,63 | 3 - hard wood | |||
| Teak | 38 | 0,71 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
| Thermo Oak | 31 | 0,60 | 3 - hard wood | |||
| Walnut | 31 | 0,60 | 3 - hard wood | |||
| Wenge | 45 | 0,71 | 4 - very hard wood | |||
Depending on the individual growing conditions, wood exhibits variations in the degree of hardness. Consequently these are only approximate values.
Colour changes due to light exposure
Daylight triggers certain chemical reactions in wood, which lead to colour changes. These colour changes do occur only at the wood surface. Most wood types will change their colour and become darker over time, others tend to develop a yellowish look. Overall, the flooring will get a more balanced and uniform appearance through this colour changing process. Minor variations in colour will thus be evened out automatically over time.