Here you will find answers to Frequently Asked Questions. If you have any general questions, you can quickly find the answer among them. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, we are happy to help.
1What do we call parquet?
Prologue:
Parquet floors are wooden warm coverings, but not all wooden warm coverings are parquet.
In terms of their structure, they can be solid wood or two or more layers.
Parquet is a warm covering whose surface is at least 2.5 mm thick, real hard wood and can therefore be renewed by sanding one or more times.
Based on the above, laminate coverings or veneered floors cannot be called parquet, because even though they are (also) made of wood, it is not possible to renovate them.
But Vinyl floor coverings are not parquet either, because they are not made of wood.
Let's see how real parquet is made! Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSTc--3nGlA&t=43s
2When can the wooden parquet be laid?
Laying the parquet should always be the last work process when building or renovating a house or apartment.
This also means that it should be done after all work involving water intake (e.g. cold cladding, painting, etc.).
The humidity conditions of the place are extremely important.
The most important of these is the moisture of the substrate. If it is made of concrete, its moisture content cannot be higher than 2 CM% in the case of normal heating, and 1.5 CM% in the case of underfloor heating.
Before starting the installation, the CM% of the substrate must always be checked by measurement, preferably by sampling!
If the moisture content of the substrate is adequate, make sure that the climatic conditions in the area to be parqueted are suitable for later use (approx. 22 Celsius and 40-60% relative humidity).
3What is CM %?
The setting of the concrete approx. It lasts for 28 days. During the setting process, the concrete chemically binds and "uses" most of the moisture in it. After setting, the concrete will contain a residual moisture, the measure of which is CM%, i.e. the residual moisture percentage, which must be determined using the Calciucarbide Method (CM).
This moisture is not bound in the concrete, it can leave there depending on the climatic conditions, or it can even be absorbed into the wooden floor from below, as a result of which the wooden floor can swell.
It is easy to see that wooden parquet cannot be laid on a substrate with a high residual moisture content.
Normal, e.g. in the case of radiator heating, the moisture content of the substrate may be a maximum of 2 CM%, in the case of floor heating, a maximum of 1.5 CM%.
The moisture content of the substrate must always be measured before laying, preferably using a sampling method!
4When is it worth measuring the moisture content of the subgrade concrete?
The residual moisture of the subgrade concrete can only be measured after the concrete has completely set, which is 28-30 days, because it takes that long for the concrete to use and bind the necessary water. The reason is that it "could" be, because based on experience, if no binding and drying accelerator additives are used, then after all this time, the moisture content of the concrete is definitely between 5-7 CM%.
If the room is ventilated intensively and the temperature and humidity are good, then at least another 2-3 months must pass before the moisture in the concrete decreases enough to be worth measuring. Unfortunately, in many cases it takes even longer - up to 4-6 months - for the substrate to dry properly.
After the setting time has passed, the drying can be accelerated with a high-performance dehumidifier or, in the case of underfloor heating, by operating the heating, but if we want to be sure when we will be able to lay parquet, use a setting and drying accelerator additive when concreting!
5How can I measure the moisture content of the subfloor concrete?
There are several types of "spiked" measuring devices that work on the principle of electrical resistance, but the accuracy of these instruments is not reliable and, due to the length of the spike, they can only measure the part close to the subfloor concrete surface. So these measuring instruments are only suitable for informative measurements, perhaps to decide whether it is worth doing the more time-consuming sampling CM measurement.
We can perform the CM (Calciucarbide Method) measurement with a measuring instrument specially manufactured for this purpose.
The essence of this is that a sample of a certain weight (usually 50 gr) is taken from the middle third of the substrate, which after pulverization is placed in a pressure-resistant metal container. We place a carbide ampoule in the tank and iron balls to crush the ampoule and further powder and mix the sample material, and then close it with a calibrated pressure gauge. By shaking the container, the balls break the ampoule containing the carbide and the carbide reacts with the remaining moisture in the concrete, using it to develop gas, which results in pressure in the container. The magnitude of the pressure indicates the residual moisture, or CM%, of the concrete.
6What is the difference between hardwax and varnish surface treatment?
Let's nail it down at the very beginning: both surface treatments have their advantages and both are incredibly durable and adequately protect the surface.
Hardwax oil not only forms a surface layer against moisture and water, but also protects against dirt and moisture penetration in the pores of the wood itself.
Advantage: Offers both internal and external protection. Possible damages and wear can be repaired very easily without special expertise.
Disadvantage: Depending on the intensity of use, regular care is required.
Unlike hardwax oils, varnish does not provide internal protection to the wood. Instead, it forms a layer of resin on the surface of the wood to prevent damage from moisture, spills, and dirt.
Advantage: lasts for a long time (between five and ten years, depending on the strength of demand), without needing to be replenished
Disadvantage: does not provide internal protection against dirt penetration and spillage. If it is damaged, it cannot be repaired. The entire surface must be sanded off and the surface treatment must be performed again.
7How do I clean my wooden floor?
Daily cleaning should preferably be dry cleaning. Vacuum cleaner, beach towel, dust mop.
If stubborn dirt gets on the surface, it can be removed with a damp cloth. Add a pH-neutral detergent to the water used for wiping. For wet cleaning of our factory surfaces, we recommend the Saicos Wash Care or Rubio RMC Surface Care products - both are available from us. These cleaning agents not only clean gently, but also replace the wax content of the wooden floor to a small extent.
Do not use an alkaline or acidic cleaning agent either directly on the surface or in the cleaning water because it can damage the surface, whether it is hardwax oil or varnish.
To remove very stubborn dirt, depending on their nature (washed-in dirt, grease, tannin, etc.), we can also recommend a special cleaning agent. Inquire at matraparkett@egererdo.hu.
8Is there a warranty for the products?
Mátraparkett guarantees that its products are free of material and manufacturing defects.
At the same time, the conformity of the product must be checked before installing the products.
The inspection should cover:
dimensional deviations that can prevent laying
to the moisture of the product. Allowed equilibrium wood moisture between 7-11%
possible surface treatment or aesthetic defects
Our products are selected according to the international standard, which selections differ from each other only and exclusively due to the structure of the material used.
The size, design, moisture content, and usability of some elements must not vary more than permitted. Therefore, please check the purchased product before installation. Please submit any comments or complaints in writing, preferably with photographs, at the place of purchase or to our factory at the e-mail address matraparkett@egererdo.hu and wait for our reply. Do not install the complained product until you receive a response! We do not assume any costs for installed defective parts!
Our products are made purely of wood, which is a natural product that develops in nature.
Structural and color variations are properties of the raw material, so they do not serve as a basis for complaints. Our factory is not responsible for changes in color or shape due to incorrect installation, incorrect or neglected care, use of inappropriate care and cleaning agents, or inappropriate environment.
Only size, color, shape changes and surface problems resulting from production can be the subject of a complaint.
9Is there a warranty for the factory surface treatment?
Yes there is.
If you follow the instructions in the Investment Care Guide attached to the product and which can also be downloaded from our website, we guarantee the 5-year surface treatment required by law.
The warranty does not apply to damage caused by mechanical influences, wear and tear resulting from improper use or lack of care.
10Is wooden parquet suitable for underfloor heating?
Yes, it is suitable, but some rules and regulations must be observed.
Since the thermal permeability of wooden materials is low, it is important that the thickness of the wooden parquet is as thin as possible. In general, we do not recommend laying wooden parquet thicker than 15 mm on floor heating. Our TRIO, FlexiFloor and DUOFloor swedish floors as well as Lamella and Edge-knotted parquet from our traditional products meet this requirement.
Some types of wood are not suitable for underfloor heating. E.g. Beech, Maple, Cherry. The Oak wood species is fully suitable for underfloor heating.
It is important that the humidity of the substrate does not exceed 1.5 CM% and that it is de-stressed before laying it on the underfloor heating.
In the case of underfloor heating, the incoming water temperature should not exceed 48 C° and rapid heating of the surface must be avoided during operation.
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