why proparq?

Why Proparq

Nature at home4

A passion for wood, respect for man and theenvironment, the perfect combination of advancedtechnology and design, these values are at thevery core of Proparq.

A dynamic company, 100% Italian, thanks to thedeep knowledge of wood and the care and attentionwe apply to all our work, we are offering a "Madein Italy" product that is the epitome of excellenceto the international market.

Our Proparq wooden flooring is the perfectcombination of traditional craftsmanship and high-technology production processes.The long, laborious transformation of the woodtakes place exclusively in Italy, in modern and safefactories, where the knowledge and technicalexpertise of a team of professionals, combined

with advanced production techniques, allow us tocreate products of the highest technical andaesthetic quality.

The company prides itself in the attention it putsinto selecting the best woods, as well as itscompliance with health, safety and environmentalregulations.The FSC and PEFC compliance marks guaranteethat the Proparq wood flooring comes from foreststhat are managed correctly and responsiblyaccording to strict environmental, social andeconomic standards.The wood we use is taken from sustainablemanaged forests and then processed usingtreatments and finishes that are safe and complywith the most important certifications coveringenvironmental sustainabil ity and safety.

The world of Proparq

Proparq wooden flooring: passion, quality and technology bring nature into your home.

5

Why choose a Proparq wood floor?

Proparq is a two layers wood flooring meaning thateach piece (plank) is composed of a thick layer ofhardwood, glued to a resistant multi-layered coreof marine Finnish birch plywood.The hardwood top layer, which gives the parquetits aesthetic qualities, and the wood used to createit are very carefully selected. During the entireproduction cycle, each hardwood each of thehardwood top layer is repeatedly examined byexpert staff that reject any material that does notmeet our established quality standards.

The multi-layered core is equally important as itprovides support in the form of five to nine layersof Finnish birch, each of which is transverselypositioned to the layer below so as to cross thefibres of the wood; this strong structure balancesthe natural tension of the material and gives theflooring its stability, elasticity, and its resistance totwisting and compression.The bonding of the hardwood top layer to theFinnish birch plywood core is carried out at high

pressure with high performance phenolic adhesive,designed for water resistant bonding compliant toUNI EN ISO 204 Class D4: the result is a perfectadhesion between the two pieces of wood, whichmakes separation practically impossible.

Next, each board (plank) is profiled in order tomake the high precision make/female joints (tongueand grove) assuring after installation a micromillimetrical joint between the planks. This level ofaccuracy prevents dirt from penetrating into theflooring, causing damage and threatening householdhygiene. It also provides a floor with excellentaesthetics and durability.Additionally, the bottom of each piece ismanufactured with transverse incisions to make itmore elastic and better able to flex and adapt tothe underlying surface, even in the presence ofpossible imperfections of the screed or the existingflooring.Thanks to these features, our Proparq flooring isperfectly flat, with excellent aesthetics.

rovere/oak

multilayer of finnish birch (9 layers)

hardwood layer 5 mm

4

Marine birch plywood core, an excellent building

material with many uses.

the structural core is formed by five or nine layers

of Finnish birch wood stacked alternately at 90

degrees to each other, then glued together.

Stable flooring, elastic, resistant totwisting and compression.

The wood fibres are arranged transversally to

increase the elastic capacity of the core, offering

increased resistance to twisting and compression.

Our use of Finnish birch results in highresistance to moisture and changesin ambient temperature.

5

Why is Proparq different?

Plywood flooring is now the most common andimportant type of hardwood floor. Proparq is at thecutting edge in world production.

With a modern and efficient production process,Proparq is distinguished by our conscious andsustainable use of timber, using this noble materialin a rational manner that minimises material waste,benefiting nature and the environment.

The cross-bonding of the layers of Finnish birchcompensates for the natural tensions of the woodand makes this durable and stable flooring,effectively counteracting the structural anddimensional deformations. Finnish birch plywoodoffers greater resistance to weathering andmoisture, which are the main causes of unsightlydeformation and blemishes. To mitigate sucheffects would require constant polishing andmaintenance to restore its flatness. This has aconsiderable impact on the cost of maintenanceand durability of a hardwood floor.

The layered core of Proparq flooring allows us toproduce large boards, extremely stable, withjoints calibrated to ensure a perfectco-planar fit between the slats. This greatly reducesinstallation time and results in a product that iseven more resistant, through its bonding with thescreed; its increased stability and reduced thicknessalso allows its installation over any form of under-floor heating system.

Proparq flooring installs quickly and does notrequire subsequent machining after installation,or time for settling. Choose the pre-finished solutionand the floor will be immediately available for useafter installation. This provides a considerablesaving in installation times and consequentinstallation cost.

Thanks to these features, the multilayer Proparqflooring allows immediate use of the surface, amuch longer lifetime, and minimal maintenancewhen compared to other types of wooden flooring.

- The precision of the joints makes

installation easier and provides excellent

flatness.

- Excellent aesthetics and durability.- The spaces between a plank and its

neighbours are effectively non-existent.

This prevents dirt from penetrating into

the wood, damaging and threatening

household hygiene.

High precision profiling on all four sideof each board provide excellent fitbetween male and female joints.

4

Proparq is ideal for installation on

under-floor heating systems.

Quick and easy to install: Proparq

floors are ready to use just one day

after installation.

9 layers of non-toxic UV varnish

make the surface of the slats highly

resistant to abrasion, decreasing

the effects of aging.

5

Solid wood block parquet

How it is madeTraditional parquet floors are made entirely of solidwood blocks that are then sanded and polishedafter the installation and before use.DisadvantagesIt is a common misconception that this type offlooring is more durable and long-lasting thanothers because of its construction of thicker woodbut, in fact, this feature causes many problemsrelated to weathering and irregular screeds thatcause continual deformation problems, includingthe gradual separation of the blocks, leavingunsightly cracks that in turn are filled with dirt andallow infiltration of water, causing seriousmaintenance problems.These problems alter the original appearance ofthe parquet and require frequent maintenance andrefinishing; the latter reduces the parquet by 2/3mm. each time. In addition, of the total thicknessof 15/20 mm, of each block, only 5 or 6 mmabove the male / female joints are usable, so thisprocess causes rapid thinning and consequentshortening of the life of the parquet, resulting inanti-ecological waste of large amounts of theremaining hardwood that functions solely as thesupport structure. Furthermore, the installation ofthis type of flooring sometimes requires as muchas forty days before it can be used, with consequenthigh costs involved in laying, sanding and varnishing.Such flooring is also unsuitable for installation onunder-floor heating systems, resulting in a marketthat is increasingly focused on the use of multi-layered flooring slats.

Movement of the solid woodblocks after installation

Weaknesses of our competitors

4

After repeated sanding there is a risk that the teeth of the joints thatconnect the slats together will be exposed, ruining the floor. You shouldtherefore retain at least 1 to 2 mm of wood above the joints.

With Propaq there is no wastage ofvaluable wood

Occurs immediately after the installation due to the natural adjustmentof the interlocked wooden blocks that cannot expand freely thus forminghumps and bumps that must be sanded down to make the floor level.

continuous sanding resultsincreases the risk of joints

being exposed

Over time, wood flooring using solid blocks requiresperiodic sanding due to the continuous movementof the wood

The useful part of any solid wood slat is just thatbetween the layer which is removed with the firstsanding, and the layer above the interlocking tooth.This part is about 5 mm. Over time, the continuousmovement of the wood requires frequent parquetsanding to restore a level surface.

layer removed duringthe first sanding

useable layer

unusable layer beneaththe joints

layer protecting the jointsthat cannot be removedthrough sanding

5 mm

wood lost after thefirst sanding

movement of the woodafter installation

5

Three-layer parquet

How it is madeThis type of flooring features a pre-finished toplayer with a thickness ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 mm.The underlying substrate is composed of lamellaein spruce or another poor quality timber, laid sideby side and glued into a sandwich between thetop layer and an underlying panel of thicknessfrom 1 to 2 mm.The three-layer parquet is mainly used in floatingfloor applications and is not glued to the screed.This reduces installation time.DisadvantagesThe three-layer design has major drawbacks thanksto the structure of the boards, which limits flexibilityand resistance to twisting; due to the spacescreated between the wood flooring and theunderlying surface, the flooring is very noisy.Furthermore, the fact that the installation doesnot provide a seal between the boards makes thistype of parquet particularly susceptible to infiltration,which can easily penetrate fir wood support, a typeof wood known to be very sensitive to liquids andthat is notorious for causing bulges, delaminationand warping. The latter, very important, problemaffects the flooring's durability: the floatinginstallation does not allow for further relevellingafter installation, making it impossible to repairscratches, wear or other damage.


elastic behaviour of the boards

hardwood layer

cores made of poorquality wood

compensation layer

4

hardwood layer

This solution forms a layer that is non-cohesive

and serves mainly to thicken the strip that provides

the tongue and groove joint

blocks of low quality softwoods laidalongside one another

compensation layerwith thin wood of poor quality The different characteristics of the three woods used are an inherent

weakness of this form of parquet flooring as they react very differentlyto stress, changes in humidity and temperature.

2) The low-quality wood in the slats not only rots,

but also swells, becoming deformed dramatically

with an increase of the effects that quickly ruin

the entire floor.

The two hardwood surface layers have a different

thickness, giving each a different level of elasticity.

When the parquet slat flexes, the thin layer yields

while the other resists. Over time, this causes the

wood in the central layers to detach from one or

both of the surfaces.

1) Liquids can infiltrate the gaps between the slats

and joints, propagating into the spaces beneath

the flooring.

4

Veneered parquet

How it is madeVeneered parquet consists of a base of woodfibre panels and a lamella of hardwood just1 mm thick for the surface.With this type of flooring, the surface presentsthe same characteristics of the wood, but itdoes not have the same structural qualities.DisadvantagesIn this parquet, the hardwood layer is very thinand therefore extremely delicate, because itcan be damaged by the weight of heavyfurniture, easily damaged by knocks, and withfrequent footfall. Worse still: this floor cannotbe re-polished once damaged.Even the support structure is very thin andmade with poor materials that lack resistanceto moisture, so the flooring tends to comeunstuck easily from the screed below.For these reasons, the life of this type offlooring is very limited.

Structuresmade from MDF orlow-quality wood

Very thin wood strips

soft support layer and very thintop layer react badly to impactsand compression


4

cabreuva

Scegli la qualità scegliChoose the quality you choose

4


comparison of materials

Seasoned and treated hardwood layer thickness from 3.2 to5 mm. that does not deform after the installation and doesnot require sanding

The hardwood layer is about 1 mm thick, which preventsrefinishing when scratched or worn and needs to be replacedinstead.

three layers

the hardwood layer

veneer

The hardwood layer is approx. 2.5 to 3.5 mm thick. Due tothe technical characteristics of this parquet flooring, refinishingof the floor due to wear and tear is not recommended.

From 5 to 9 layers of marine birch plywood: remarkably elastic,resistant to compression and moisture

the support

Wood fiber panel, with poor resistance to compression andmoisture.

Sandwich comprised of layers of fir laid side by side and gluedto a thin layer of wood.

The useful part is that above the joints, much of which will bedestroyed by sanding after installation.

No support, just wood.

solid wood

4

Glued to the screed or existing floor with two-component glue

Floating floor resting directly on the surface, or on the screed,without the use of glue

Glued to the screed or existing floor with two-component glueHighly accurate joints on all four sides of the slat make thefloor perfectly planar and leave no spaces between the slats,thus avoiding infiltration of liquids and dirt

Joints that tend to become deformed due to movement of thewood at the time of laying and over the entire life of the flooring.Dirt and liquids penetrate gaps and spaces, ruining the wood.

Gaps susceptible to infiltration. Dirt and liquids penetrate gapsand spaces, ruining the wood and deforming the floor structure.

feature comparison

Glued to the screed or existing floor with two-component glueGaps subject to deformation due to the differing characteristicsof the materials used. Dirt and liquids penetrate gaps andspaces, ruining the wood and deforming the support structure.

three layers

solid wood

veneer

installation type sealing the slats


4

sanding

It becomes deformed visibly due to humidity and the differentexpansion coefficients of the two materials. The top layer tendsto detach from the support structure.

It does not deform and keeps a perfect flatness It is ready and does not need to be polished as part of theinstallation. If necessary, the floor can be sanded safely overits lifetime.

Sanding is not recommended. As the flooring is not anchoredto the surface below with adhesive, the sanding machine itselfcan move the slats and loosen the joints.

deformation

feature comparison

three layers

It deforms noticeably after installation, and continues to do soover the life of the floor. It requires periodic sanding.

Deep sanding required from the start at installation, as wellas subsequently. The thickness of the wood means it can besanded once or twice at most.

solid wood

The very thin top layer prevents sanding when scratches andwear occur, it must be removed and replaced.

It becomes deformed visibly due to humidity and the differentexpansion coefficients of the two materials. The top layer tends todetach from the support structure.

veneer


4

acero canadese/ canadian maple

4

CERTIFICATIONS

ISO 9001Certification of the company quality management system.

FIREMany of our products have been awarded the certification of "Reaction to Fire Class I (one)"by the Ministry of the Interior. From March 2010 this will be replaced with the UNI EN14342 CE standard.

CE MARKProparq meets the requirements imposed by the legislation on CE marking on wood floors.

EN 14342

FSCCertification that ensures that our wood comes from sustainable forests managed accordingto strict environmental, social and economic standards.

ICIL

A - F

SC C

OC -

0023

55

PEFCCertification that ensures that our wood comes from forests managed in a sustainablemanner.

ICIL

A - P

EFC

COC

- 002

354

FORMALDEHYDEProparq fully respects the limits imposed by the EI class standards, which is the mostrestrictive among those defined by European regulations UNI EN 13986 and by MinisterialDecree 10/2008.

SUITABILITY FOR INSTALLATION ON UNDER-FLOOR HEATING / COOLINGProparq is suitable for installation on screed laid over under-floor heating / cooling systems.NB: The screed and the heating / cooling system must comply with applicable standardsand referenced specifications.

MADE IN ITALYProparq is entirely manufactured in Italy and the 100% MADE IN ITALY brand proves ourcertification and guarantee.

RADIATION FREEProparq uses a self-regulatory system that provides for strict controls and extremely restrictivelimits with regard to the radioactive emissions of the incoming raw materials and of thefinished product.

SOLVENT FREEOur production processes produce no solvent emissions, as required by the UNI EN 14342.

4

noce americana/ black walnut

PROPARQ S.r.l. - Via S. Maria del Piano, s.n. - 61046 PIOBBICO (PU) - www.proparq.it

why proparq?

Documents