Questions regarding laminate flooring

Our wood-based laminate flooring must not be installed in areas where splashing water can regularly get onto the flooring. In the long run, water can penetrate over the edges into the HDF (high density fibreboard) supporting layer and damage it permanently.

Some of our collections (Classic, Edition and Trendtime) are treated with the Aqua-Proof process so that the flooring in wet rooms can endure standing water with up to one hour's protection without damage. Laminate flooring should not be installed in permanently wet rooms or damp environments (sauna areas, small bathrooms, etc.) as the risk of moisture penetration cannot be excluded.

If you are fitting your bathroom with laminate flooring, you must ensure that you do not install it in direct splashing water areas (shower, bathtub or washbasin) and that the relative humidity does not permanently rise above 60 %. To prevent water running under the laminate flooring at the edges, it is recommended to use the water-resistant skirting board from the Parador range.

Since the domestic kitchen is no longer considered a wet room and (except in the event of damage) no direct splashing water can be expected, you can install our laminate flooring in the kitchen without hesitation.

Parador laminate flooring is suitable for floating installation on hot water underfloor heating systems. For installation on electric underfloor heating systems (so-called temperature control systems) you must bear the following in mind:

• only install the laminate flooring on systems that have a temperature sensor and controller
• do not install the laminate flooring on older electric underfloor heating systems (installation before 2000)
• you should also not install laminate flooring on night storage heaters

In the technical data sheets you will find further information, for example about the heat transmission resistances of our laminate flooring.

The maximum surface temperature of 29°C must not be exceeded and a very fast heating process must be avoided.

If the screed including the underfloor heating was newly installed, the following moisture values must not be exceeded when installing the laminate flooring:
anhydrite screed: max. 0.3 CM %
cement screed: max. 1.8 CM %

Our tip: have the screed layer or heating engineer provide you with a heating protocol and a moisture measurement according to the CM method before installing the laminate flooring.

Since the laminate flooring swells or shrinks depending on the indoor climate conditions, the length changes add up considerably on large flooring areas. We therefore recommend that additional expansion joints of at least 8 mm are required from a covering surface size of 8 m wide and 12 m long. Even if you want to install your floor covering over several rooms, you should plan expansion joints in the transitions from room to room. Otherwise, tensions in the flooring can occur if the rooms are heated differently and the flooring changes to varying degrees. Ideally, these movement joints are located under the door leaf and can be covered with corresponding transition profiles, which you can find from us under "Accessories". Important for you: omitting the expansion joints will invalidate the guarantee for the floor covering.

No, that's not possible. The water would irreparably damage the supporting and wear layers made of wood or wood-based materials. Also, the use of scouring agents, floor waxes or polishes is taboo, as they all lead to the appearance being severely impaired in the medium term.

We recommend regularly dry cleaning your laminate flooring with a vacuum cleaner (with brush set up) or a soft broom. You should only carry out cleaning with a damp cloth in case of stubborn dirt. It is important in this case that the cloth is well wrung out and that no puddles form with standing water.

Yes, laminate floorings are basically suitable for allergy sufferers, hygienic and easy to clean. In contrast to textile floor coverings (carpets), for example, house dust can be removed very easily. Moreover, laminate flooring is antistatic per se, which means that dust particles do not adhere to the surface. The surfaces are hygienic because no liquids can penetrate and are also very easy to remove.

So-called cupping and warping of the laminate flooring can occur if the flooring is unable to acclimatise in the room or for an insufficiently long period before installation. You should always store your laminate flooring in the sealed packages on a straight surface in the room to be laid for at least 48 hours before installation, so that the planks can slowly adapt to the ambient conditions.