Engineered wood flooring - The right choice
The right choice
One kind of engineered wood flooring is not like the other. Before the actual purchase, you should check and consider which type of engineered wood flooring is the best fit for your individual taste and requirements. Some important aspects here besides the wood type, the optical demands on the style and the thickness of the upper wear layer are the quality of the Click-connection and the right choice of surface finish. At Parador we are offering you a choice between the natural oilimpregnation and our multi-layer lacquer-finish. So whether you opt in favour of the lacquer-finished or the oil-impregnated type of wood flooring is (almost) purely a matter of personal taste. Here are the pros and cons at a glance:
Engineered 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 has a ready-to-use surface, which means after the installa-tion no maintenance measures are required on your part and after cleaning the floor is immediately ready to use. Generally, the major advantages of an oiled surface are that it is mat and the natural look is reinforcing the wood-character. Additionally, it offers the freedom to partially renovate the surface, i.e. 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 liquids like coffee or red wine from the oiled surface is just as easily done as it is from lacquer-finished wood flooring. Please follow the recommendations given in our Care and Maintenance Instructions. (See chapter Maintenance, cleaning and repair)
Engineered wood flooring with lacquer-finish:
The Parador lacquer-finish provides the wood flooring with a wellbalanced 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.
Style
The different styles refer to optical features of the wood only. With the choice of the three different styles Select, Natur, Living and Rustikal Parador offers a suitable product for every taste. The Select-style refers to a calm, harmonious appearance, the Natur-style to a natural, wellbalanced appearance, the Living-style with a vivid, log-grown look and finally the Rustikal-style with a pronounced natural look.
Hardness of wood types
We refer to hardness as the resistance that the wood shows against the load of penetration by an all-solid. The hardness depends mostly upon the wood type. The most common method to determine the hardness is the one named after Brinell. The Brinell-hardness HB in N/mm2 is determined on a fixed moisture content of 12%. The higher the achieved value, the harder the wood.
* Average 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’s 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 engineered wood flooring is not like the other. Before the actual purchase, you should check and consider which type of engineered wood flooring is the best fit for your individual taste and requirements. Some important aspects here besides the wood type, the optical demands on the style and the thickness of the upper wear layer are the quality of the Click-connection and the right choice of surface finish. At Parador we are offering you a choice between the natural oilimpregnation and our multi-layer lacquer-finish. So whether you opt in favour of the lacquer-finished or the oil-impregnated type of wood flooring is (almost) purely a matter of personal taste. Here are the pros and cons at a glance:
Engineered 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 has a ready-to-use surface, which means after the installa-tion no maintenance measures are required on your part and after cleaning the floor is immediately ready to use. Generally, the major advantages of an oiled surface are that it is mat and the natural look is reinforcing the wood-character. Additionally, it offers the freedom to partially renovate the surface, i.e. 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 liquids like coffee or red wine from the oiled surface is just as easily done as it is from lacquer-finished wood flooring. Please follow the recommendations given in our Care and Maintenance Instructions. (See chapter Maintenance, cleaning and repair)
Engineered wood flooring with lacquer-finish:
The Parador lacquer-finish provides the wood flooring with a wellbalanced 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.
Style
The different styles refer to optical features of the wood only. With the choice of the three different styles Select, Natur, Living and Rustikal Parador offers a suitable product for every taste. The Select-style refers to a calm, harmonious appearance, the Natur-style to a natural, wellbalanced appearance, the Living-style with a vivid, log-grown look and finally the Rustikal-style with a pronounced natural look.
Hardness of wood types
We refer to hardness as the resistance that the wood shows against the load of penetration by an all-solid. The hardness depends mostly upon the wood type. The most common method to determine the hardness is the one named after Brinell. The Brinell-hardness HB in N/mm2 is determined on a fixed moisture content of 12%. The higher the achieved value, the harder the wood.
| Wood Type | Brinell Hardness (n/mm2) | Hardness Rating | ||
| Maple | 48 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Bamboo | 40 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| European Maple | 27 | 2 - soft wood | ||
| Birch | 31 | 3 - hard wood | ||
| Beech | 34 | 3 - hard wood | ||
| Doussie | 40 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Oak | 34 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Ash | 41 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Jatoba | 69 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Kempas | 52 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Cherry | 30 | 3 - hard wood | ||
| Siberian Larch | 25 | 2 - soft wood | ||
| Merbau | 49 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Panga Panga | 38 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Teak | 38 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Thermo Spruce | 11 | 1 - very soft wood | ||
| Thermo Oak | 32 | 3 - hard wood | ||
| Tigerwood | 62 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Walnut | 31 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Wenge | 45 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
| Zebrano | 56 | 4 - very hard wood | ||
* Average 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’s 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.