FFI 54 July 2012

INTERNATIONAL tra de jour nal for impor t, expor t, dis tribution and laying of parquet, laminate, cor k flooring and related produc t s

I N T E R N AT I O N A L N° 54, July 2012 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept, Nov, Dec) Office of delivery 9099 Ghent X, P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Overview on the Parquet Industry in Indonesia

Aftershow Carrefour International Du Bois (France)

Special Hard wax oil

Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

Special on Automatisation and packaging

Special Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display

MS POLYMERTM Why KANEKA MS PolymerTM technology as polymer of choice for your parquet adhesives ?

Broad polymer portfolio for tailor-made performance Breites Polymer Portfolio Широкая номенклатура полимеров

Suitable for various kinds of wood & many different subfloors Für viele Holz- und Untergrundarten geeignet Универсальность: подходит для многих пород древесин и подложек

Isocyanate free & solvent free

Isocyanat- und lösungsmittelfrei не содержит, ни изоцианата, ни растворителей

Removable without leaving stains

Klebstoffreste können leicht entfernt werden und hinterlassen keine Flecken Остатки клея легко удаляются, не оставляя пятен

Excellent storage stability & multiple use without waste

Ausgezeichnete Lagerbeständigkeit und häufige Anwendung ohne Rückstände Отличная стабильность при хранении; при частом использовании нет остатков

No black fingers

Die Hände bleiben sauber Руки остаются чистыми KANEKA BELGIUM N.V. High Performance Polymers Division Nijverheidsstraat 16 - 2260 Westerlo-Oevel - BELGIUM Tel: +32(0)14 25 45 44 - Fax: +32(0)14 25 78 87 E-mail: info.lpd@kaneka.be Web: http://www.kaneka.be

N° 54, June 2012 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept, Nov, Dec) Office of delivery 9099 Ghent X, P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder - Mieke Vandeputte

Aftershow Carrefour International Du Bois (France)

Special Hard wax oil

Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

Special on Automatisation and packaging

Special Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display

Floor Forum International, N° 54, July ’12 Photo Z-Parket

5 Inside news 9 Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France) 15 Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display 20 Special Small- and medium-sized modulair oil and lacquer machines 24 Industry news 1 25 Special Sports Floors : finishes and renovation 28 Advertorial Z-parket (B) 30 Special Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors 34 Industry news 2 35 Advertorial Easydek (The Netherlands) 36 Special ‘Find the way to Industrial lacquers, they offer benefits’

43 Advertorial DeckWise (NL) 45 Special Hygrometers (types and use) 48 Special Hard wax oil 52 Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone 56 Overview on the Parquet Industry in Indonesia 58 Product news

Subscriptions to Floor Forum International: Mail to office@media-pact.com

Visit us at

39 Special on Automatisation and packaging

Editorial “Silane-based adhesives are the major growth area in the world of adhesives.”

Mr Angelo Giangiulio (Mapei)

When people talked about wood-

adhesives suited to the various sorts

en floors a good 50 years ago, they

of wood is apparently not true. Mr

always meant solid wood floors. It

Giangiulio explains: “We have cheap-

goes without saying that over the

er adhesives which can be used with

centuries the sizes, fitting patterns,

the traditional sorts of wood and

thicknesses, and finishing methods

more expensive ones which are suita-

had changed considerably, but the

ble for all sorts of wood.” As far as si-

floors were always made from sol-

lane technology glues are concerned,

id wood floorboards. Nowadays, the

there is no distinction on the basis of

fact is that no less than 77% of all

sorts of wood. He continues: “We of-

new wooden floors are multi-layered

fer three sililated polymer adhesives

floors. A good proportion of those are

and the difference relates to the size

fitted floating. Does that make adhe-

of the planks and solid boards , not

sive producers feel uneasy? According

the type of wood used. We do have

to Mr Giangiulio from Mapei, it cer-

one more silane adhesive which has

tainly doesn’t. He comments: “A good

been developed specially for teak

proportion of so called ‘engineered

in an outdoor environment.” At all

floors’ are still fitted using glue. This

events, these silane glues are the fu-

has certainly ensured that floor fit-

ture. At Mapei they have witnessed a

ters have shown a lot more inter-

quite noticeable rise in the sales of

est in single component glues. We’re

these glues. Wooden floors account

talking first of all about the 1-compo-

for barely 5.6% of the entire floor

nent PU adhesives and then today’s

market, yet they are a very important

1-component silane-based adhesives

segment for Mapei. Mr Giangiulio

such as our Ultrabond Eco S 955 1K”.

says “The proportion of wood may be

At Mapei they vehemently deny that

small, but wood certainly produces

glueing will disappear into history un-

the best and most attractive floors.”

der the success of floated fitting. Mr

In recent years, chemical producers

Giangiulio continues: “On the contra-

have been ‘fiddling’ with the formulas

ry! The success of laminate, which can

in just about all glue segments. New

only be fitted floating, will one day

technology and also environmental

‘diminish’. There’s a lot of confusion

legislation have undoubtedly played a

amongst consumers about laminate

big part here. In answer to the ques-

and parquet. We’re quite convinced

tion of whether or not we can expect

that lots of consumers will eventual-

more innovations in the near future,

ly return to real parquet floors.” That

Mr Giangiulio gives a crystal-clear re-

means that glue is still absolutely es-

sponse: “At Mapei we work on tech-

sential. The question is: which glue?

nologies and innovations every day.”

The suggestion that there are specific

That’s certainly clear enough.

Editing & advertisements

Advertising & subscriptions

Production:

FFI bvba PO BOX 29 9870 Olsene, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)9 385 80 40 Fax.: +32 (0)9 385 88 85 sales@media-pact.com www.floor-forum.com

Adriana Dascalu info@media-pact.com Hilde De Ridder floorforum@telenet.be Filip De Ridder sales@media-pact.com

Lowyck - Oostende

Publishers

Jean Paul Talbot Ludwig Janssens Filip De Ridder Jacques Legros

Filip De Ridder Lay-out:

‘79 design - Gentbrugge (B)

Translation:

Michael Robinson Floor Forum International is a publication of FFi bvba

Editors:

The copyright of Floor Forum International and the articles appearing herein are retained by the publisher. By agreeing to publication of an article in this journal, the author assigns to the publisher the irrevocable and exclusive right under Copyright law to collect charges due from third parties for copying said article and to undertake legal or other action for this purpose.

Editorial and advertising copy in this issue have been carefully checked and Floor Forum International bvba cannot accept any responsibility for any errors.

Contents, Colophon & Editorial

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Overview on the Parquet Industry in Indonesia

www.floor-forum.com

INTERNATIONAL tra d e jour nal for impor t, expor t, dis tribution and laying of parquet, laminate, cor k flooring and related produc t s

v

ng

F l oors

Bo

na

Sy

ste

NEW

m

Re

iv i

D eep Cle

an

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reaches deep down into the floor surface to remove even

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Securing great and safe results, the Bona Deep Clean

Clean

offers you increased revenues as well as regular projects from your best customers.

bona.com/deepcleansystem

Reviving wooden floors – your next business opportunity.

> Inside news

Bassano Parquet

Bassano Parquet have made wood their very own mission, right from when in 1832 they started up their woodworking business, which is still today run by the same family specialized in the manufacture of prefinished two or three layer flooring.

Wood flooring is now quite rightly enjoying a role and a dignity equaling that of all other furnishing items that create the style of a home, to the very point that there are actual trends linked to the finished appearance with respect to both the texture and the color.

The pride and joy of Bassano Parquet is this three-layer, 18-mm thick floorboard in oak that is a compendium of the handicraft expertise of the company; the deep hand planing of the 6-mm

Buzon This is the new hub and confluence of leisure, situated, as the name suggests, at the confluence of the rivers Rhone and Saone at Lyon, an impressive 5,500m² terrace in ipe, fitted on more than 30,000 Buzon adjustable screwjack pedestals.

Blocks by the thousand The terrace is fitted on 30,000 adjustable pedestals support made by the company Buzon Head Office Belgium. Initially, part of the terrace was due to have been fitted on backing strips, but the reinforced concrete floor underneath was so attractive that Mr Yoann Suel, manager of the company Parquet Sol, had a change of heart and decided to use the Buzon Pedestals for the whole area. Indeed, the terrace is formed by the roof in the shape of a bubble, which forms a sort of covered yard, but rain can reach a small section of the terrace because of the effects of the wind.

Inside news

Osmo in the big, wide world: opening of the showroom in Mongolia Showtime in Ulaanbaatar: Osmo attaches importance to their internationality and for this reason they recently opened the first showroom of the company in the capital of Mongolia. They present a section from their wide product range containing wood products for interior and exterior use and the corresponding surface finish to establish their products in the Central Asian metropolis. Paul Lockwood-Lee, Export Manager from the German head office in Warendorf, accompanied the opening of the showroom and the building of the show house made by Osmo products directly on-site. „We would like to support our Mongolian team colleagues and the local tradesmen by training them in regard to the Osmo products and their construction.” We hope drawing interest and getting into the products by presenting our showroom.

thick rounded top layer, the birch multilayer intermediate layer and the bottom layer in 6-mm thick oak make each floorboard unique and particularly precious. “Opera Prima” is a matter of character, combining essentiality and sweet nostalgia. Different finishes are available.

The Classic Parquet: HARO Strip Parquet adds natural elegance to the interior design A light and airy flat in a historic building, high ceilings and exquisite strip parquet at one’s feet – that’s the epitome of urban living. But strip parquet of course looks just as beautiful in new buildings. Its special format allows laying different patterns from herringbone, basket weave and diagonal installations to a combination of different wood species and much more.

Showcasing expert installation services HARO’s range of two-layer parquet offers everything professional installers need to effectively market their services. Designed for full glue-down installation, this floor should only be laid by qualified parquet specialists. The choice of raw, unfinished products has been expanded to allow the trade to offer custom surface treatments. In addition, the range of natural oils with which installers can finish the parquet on-site has also been extended.

Available in mixed cartons containing left and right strips, HARO Strip Parquet Allegro allows skilled parquet specialists to quickly and easily lay patterns that are as diverse as their customers’ wishes

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 54

Kerakoll GreenLab In May, the Kerakoll Greenlab opened his doors.

The Greenlab is the largest and most important laboratory for research and development for Eco-friendly products, which improve the Indoor Air Quality and comfort of living. 7000 m2 working area, and more than 100 researchers and developers working here. The Kerakoll Greenlab collaborates with the most important and reputable international laboratories and is in possession of the latest technologies to study the composition and the behavior of the materials in nanometric scale. The Greenlab is made with the latest Green technologies and materials made out of recycled natural minerals. The energy needed in the Greenlab is produced by the Greenlab itself. For more info about the Greenlab on the web site of Kerakoll.

5

MULTIPLANK KNOTTING HILL Innovative features of KNOTTING HILL are: • The natural rough look • The untreated open gnarls which are ‘higher’ • The visible strokes of the belt saw.

ASK US FOR THE SUPPLY PROGRAMME

A WARM COMBINATION:THE FAMILY BUSINESS HEYWOOD VLOEREN B.V. AND OUR NEW INNOVATIVE MULTIPLANK “KNOTTING HILL”!

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO FIND OUT MORE WITH NO OBLIGATION! HEYWOOD VLOEREN: WHOLESALE AND PRODUCTION OF ALL SORTS OF WOODEN FLOORS AND SIZES

Heywood Vloeren FFi54_HeywoodVloeren.indd 1

Scheldestraat 30 5347 JD Oss (NL) Tel +31 (0)412 65 74 28 Fax +31 (0)412 65 19 71 info@heywoodvloeren.com www.heywoodvloeren.com 11/06/12 15:52

STARDECK is high quality terrace decking produced by IFURA. The company started in 1924 as a family business and in the meantime it has grown into a well-established manufacturing company specialising in all sorts of solid wood merbau products.

IFURA’s products are exported all over the world with respect for international quality standards. 750 enthusiastic staff members work in the two highly modern production areas covering 90,000m², designed to produce more than 100 containers (20’) for shipment.

STARDECK guarantees terraces of the very highest quality in all sorts of profiles. STARDECK is the only terrace decking which is supplied K.D. 14-16% as standard and treated against so called bleeding, something which, together with the fourfold oils, offers just about complete protection.

STARDECK comes with the CERTISOURCE certificate based on DNA sample research during cutting and processing designed to give a guarantee that it is 100% legal.

KEURHOUT has granted the Certisource certificate the approval of the KEURHOUT LEGAL SYSTEM after thorough research.

This means that all Dutch government bodies accept the use of STARDECK with the Certisource certificate.

FSC: the IFURA factory has the FSC certificate SGS-COC-008121, Licence no. FSC-C102207.

CONCESSIONS: all STARDECK merbau timber comes from IFURA’s own concessions in Papua, totalling 450,000 ha. The company guarantees an ongoing supply for (very) large quantities.

Induco Timber Products BV European Sales Office Ifura Patrijzendonk 10, 4711LB Sint Willebrord, The Netherlands tel+31 641 506 106 email : stardeck.starfloor@hotmail.com

FFi54_LITEWOOD.indd 1

28/06/12 11:08

Future Floors, the event for the floor sector, has been cancelled Future Floors, the trade fair for the entire floor sector, was supposed to take place from 23 up to and including 25 September in Kortrijk Xpo. The organisation regrets to inform you that this event is cancelled. It is just a few months until the start of the fair and the number of participants is simply too low. If the fair took place nonetheless, the visitors would not be offered the quality that they are used of Kortrijk Xpo. It is due to the fact that a substantial number of interested, potential participants have waited too long to decide whether they would be participating in the fair or not, that we now lack the time to set up a well-organised event.

Exhibition manager Nathalie Sandra: “Between the positive result of our research with regards to the feasibility of Future Floors and the start of the sale in October 2011, the economic future perspective has changed substantially. Due to a whole range of external factors the initial enthusiasm has cooled off and a lot of companies have waited to see which way the wind blows. We understand their point of view, but we do not want to raise the

DOMOTEX Russia 2012 (26-28 September): aiming for the promising Russian-speaking market Now it is only three more months, before Deutsche Messe RUS will be holding its first trade fair for carpets and floor coverings in Moscow: DOMOTEX Russia, 26 – 28 September 2012.

Martin Folkerts, Director Global Fairs at Deutsche Messe, is looking forward to organizing the only trade show for floorings in this promising market as he explains: “With Russia’s economy ranking 11th in terms of nominal GDP, all signs are pointing to rich business opportunities in a dynamic market place. The fact that the Russian capital of Moscow boasts the largest concentration of billionaires of any city in the world caters for an elevated demand for luxury goods. And an added impetus from hosting the mega-events such as the Winter Olympics in 2014 and the FIFA Football Worldcup in 2018 will fuel the domestic demand.”

DOMOTEX Russia 2012 will coincide with Heimtextil Russia 2012 and with the trade fair R + T Russia 2012 at the IEC “Crocus Expo” site in Moscow. This constellation of events will guarantee potentially large attendances when the new trade fair makes its Russian debut. wrong expectations both towards our participants as well as towards the visitors. This is why we have made this extremely hard yet necessary decision to cancel Future Floors.”

“Just to be clear: the organisation is still convinced that an initiative such as Future Floors can open up new markets. This is why Kortrijk Xpo does not rule out that the idea of the trade fair is picked up again in the future!

PROGRESS PROFILES: THE SQUARE DISPLAY Every showroom has its own style, but whilst the high range sets the tone, the SQUARE DISPLAY from PROGRESS PROFILES plays the main part. This display makes it possible to present profiles in a different manner. They are displayed in front of everything in a finishing and decorative manner and less as a technical product. This tool is an essential element for all dealers who want to offer their clients a complete service. The displays gives advice, anywhere in the world, which goes far beyond the choice of tiles. They also bring out the best in all products in the showroom.

info@chapelparket.nl | +31 (0)73-6110606

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 54

DOMOTEX Middle East 2012 (8. to 11 November) DOMOTEX Middle East attracts leading companies Egger confirmes participation DOMOTEX Middle East is on its way to becoming the most important fair for carpets and floor coverings in Turkey and the Middle East. Many leading companies, including Oriental Weavers, Balta, Talis, Tisca, Flamingo Parquet, jSerfloor and Küberit have already confirmed their participation. Now also EGGER, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality laminate flooring, will be exhibiting at Domotex Middle East.

Rene Löschnigg, Marketing Project Manager at EGGER Retail Products GmbH, explains: “Turkey is an important market for us. With Domotex Middle East, we have selected a platform from which we expect excellent access to customers in Turkey and the Middle East.”

Leading international flooring companies will be displaying carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings and parquet and laminate as well as application and installation technology at the Istanbul Expo Center from 8 to 11 November. As with all DOMOTEX events, only professional visitors are allowed.

Inside news

> continued from page 5

7

TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN WOOD FLOOR FINISHES Respect

for people and the environment

www.blanchon.com

The Blanchon range of oils, lacquers, stains, ageing agents and fillers are used by wood flooring professionals the world over. Small wonder given the reassurance of local support staff in each country, and products consistently manufactured to the highest standards. Quality that has been our trademark for over 60 years.

Every day, to make sure that your wood is the most beautiful flooring on the market, our team works to develop even more effective products with the greatest possible respect for the environment.

With our ongoing development of innovative treatments, Blanchon offers the trade all the answers for perfect wood flooring.

Blanchon U.K. For more information, please contact: John-David PAPWORTH - Mob. 07835 354 871- e-mail: jdpapworth@blanchon.com Tel Export lines: +33 472 89 06 09 - www.blanchon.co.uk

With about 10,000 visitors (the same number as in 2010), Carrefour du Bois once again proved a great success. Clearly, the current economic climate did nothing to deter wood professionals from making their way to the city of Nantes in Western France early in June.

Exhibitors expressed their complete satisfaction with the numbers and profiles of visitors and the pleasant business atmosphere during the show. Moreover, the organisers said that Carrefour du Bois had once again shown its growing international character with more visitors from abroad (19% as compared to 15% in 2010). thickness of 7mm. This laminate does not have a V-groove and fits in perfectly in combination with a loungy, trendy interior. The matt finish gives the floor a natural look. This floor is CL32/AC4 and is therefore suitable for heavy domestic and light commercial use.

Altholz

Blanchon

The success of this show in the current difficult economic climate shows the strength and future potential of the wood industry.

We’re living not only in times of economic hardship, but also in times when the demand for raw materials is greater than ever.

Consequently, people are looking for natural materials which can also be recycled. If previous industrial generations regarded wood as old fashioned or redundant, people today are once again starting to realise its versatility, beauty, and, especially, its leading role in the fight against climate change. Moreover, wood has been capturing the hearts of consumers for a few years now. And so, the parquet industry can certainly look forward to a bright future.

As usual, this article summarises what exhibitors in Nantes had on show for the flooring industry.

Floor Forum and Floor Forum International In keeping with tradition, your trade journal was also in attendance at Carrefour du Bois. On this occasion, we opted to welcome our visitors to a lively design stand with a pleasant lounge atmosphere. This year, too, we were able to welcome lots of readers, clients, and other business professionals from France and abroad. The floor at our stand proved a big hit and gave the whole unit a highly exclusive look. It was a Balterio DOLCE 754 White Hemlock. This is a trendy white laminate floor with a soft touch of matt finish on a

Altholz is an Austrian specialist (based near Linz) in parquet floors made from old reclaimed wood from Austria, Hungary, and Czech Republic. They offer both solid wood and multi-layer old floors.

The company works mainly in response to client demand. Altholz has established a good reputation and works together with a number of prestigious architects from both Austria and other European countries.

B-Fix This specialist in fastening systems for wooden planks had a number of striking innovations at its stand. For example, there was the LED board, a synthetic terrace plank with built-in LED lights, a project in collaboration with lighting specialist Niko. There was also a new profile for walls and floors (the B-Fix plus) and there was also the B-Fix Premium with tongue and groove, which provided a smaller space between the planks. For those wanting to keep the B-Fix fastening components out of sight (especially on the wall) there is now the B-Fix Black One, the trusted B-Fix screws and clips in a black coating. B-Fix is also launching as standard two new types of screws, which are 22% stronger and can also be used for the most difficult and driest sorts of wood with no problem at all.

Balterio Laminate specialist Balterio exhibited its splendid new collections to the visitors of this show. These new collections were three in number, namely Dolce, Xperience plus, and Infinity. Dolce is a 7mm

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France)

A highly successful fair despite economic uncertainty

Floor Forum International 54

Trade fair review: Carrefour du Bois 2012 (Nantes/France)

9

laminate range with a True-to-Nature finish or soft touch finish in eight decors and with a plank width of 18.9cm. Xperience Plus is a highly elegant collection with 3D wood effect or also a soft touch effect with V-groove along the long and short sides. The Infinity (hardness class AC4) is also new. This is an exclusive collection with extremely big planks (2039 x 238mm) and comes in eight decors and with a 3D wood effect and a True-to-Nature wood effect in which the relief follows the pattern of the wood to perfection.

Both Xperience Plus and Infinity are already equipped with the innovative PXP Press Xpress fitting system whereby it is sufficient simply to press the ends against each other in order to secure them. This system is unique on the market because just one single lock is enough to install both the horizontal and vertical sides of the laminate planks.

The clip in the plank guarantees immediate fastening to produce a strong and seamless joint. The idea is that in time other existing and future collections will adopt this innovative fastening system.

Berry Alloc With its highly diverse and strongly market-oriented range of laminate (DPL and HPL), parquet, wall furnishing, click vinyl, and its novelties, Berry Alloc attracted attention from lots of fair visitors. Berry Alloc’s one stop shopping concept (a reference to the completeness and variety of their range) proved popular with French and foreign professionals.

DESIGN PA R Q U E T ®

F r a n c e

E SYSTÈMT É BREVE

Navylam

And so, the company was greatly satisfied and also said that visitors were genuinely interested in innovation rather than in knock-down price products.

Blanchon The French parquet and wood finish specialist Blanchon have plenty of new finishes to offer.

For example, they have improved the SPORT range for sports floors with a comprehensive range of finishing products for sports floors (approved by the French Basketball Federation). Sport Surfaces is a brand new water-based paint unique on the market designed for the mandatory coloured surfaces on the floors. It is available in numerous colours (38), ideal for ensuring the colour of the floor matches the colours of the club or sponsor. Sport Traces is a another brand new waterbased paint specially designed for the lines on a sports floor. It is completely odourless, definitely anti-slip, and has a very high resistance. In addition, there is a dedicated cleaner, which cleans and maintains the surface finish perfectly.

Another new finish is the White Concept. A 2-product system

GUARANTEED SINGLE COAT NO WATER, NO SOLVENTS Le parquet salle de bains

facile NOT à poser DOES FORM A FILM, EASY MAINTENANCE: WITHOUT SANDING.

CONSUM

Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France)

s

> continued from page 9

ION PT

+ -

30M2 / L

Navylam+ is an unique system easier and faster for laying bathroom parquet floor. Strips are already pre-oiled and with an double integrated joint. No sanding, oiling and joint laying.

You just have to put some glue in the groove provided for and join strips. So, your parquet floor is finished and completely watertight. 7 species: Teak, Acacia, Iroko, Doussie, Mutenye, Wenge, Afrormosia.

www.designparquet.fr www.rubiomonocoat.com

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Boen Parkett For several decades, Boen Parkett has enjoyed an outstanding reputation for its floors, including its sports floors. At the Carrefour show they highlighted the new Actiflex Stadium floors. This is a sports floor parquet (approved by the international basketball association FIBA) which is ideal for small surfaces such as fitness gymnasia. It is constructed as follows (total height 29mm): the subfloor is fitted with a moisture barrier, a shock absorbent layer, and the Actiflex on top. The Actiflex planks consist of an HDF base, a Boen 5G X-Press profile, and a noble top layer (3.5mm).

Briançon Production Briançon, the well known putty specialist from Toulouse, presented its extensive range of powders and wood paste at the Carrefour show and also unveiled one innovation, namely the

Woodmastic E100 specially for terrace floors. This is a putty for outdoor use and it is ideal for restoring small abnormalities in the wood. The Woodmastic E100 can also be used on tropical wood planks, but this product is designed primarily for use on the increasingly popular native thermally treated wood and autoclave wood.

Chêne de l’Est Chêne de l Est highlighted its new Top 4 floor range. This is multi-layer parquet with a 4mm top layer on plywood (total width 16mm). The top layer is in authentic French oak, available in 100 different finishes. The width of the planks varies between 140 and 220mm, whilst the lengths go up to 250cm. They also highlighted the ultra-strong coat of varnish (25000 cycles in the Tabertest) for sandpapered and brushed sorts of parquet, which particularly lend themselves to high traffic locations.

Ciranova At Carrefour du Bois Ciranova endeavoured to present itself as a specialist in various indoor and outdoor finishing products in a very extensive and well selected trendy range of colours.

Visitors from France and other countries discovered the versatility in the range: lye stains, distressing stains, dye stains, and hard wax oils. For example, there was the Hard Wax Oil Magic, which reconciles good filling,

Easy and effective. Naturally

WOCA

NEoW il

INDUSTRIAL OIL 2000 Basic treatment and finishing of wooden floors Benefits: • Fast drying • Very high chemical resistance • Good penetration • Available in many colours • Compatible with all WOCA aftercare products

WoodCare Denmark A/S · Tværvej 6 · DK-6640 · Tel.: +45 99 58 56 00 · info@ttwoodcare.com · www.wocadenmark.com

Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France)

combining Prim’aquateinte as a primer and the Aquateinte 2K White or Pearl Grey for the stain, insuring you can lacquer these contempory colour for a long-lasting protection of the floor.

The new primer Prim’aquateinte blocks the tannins in the wood, which could cause an unwanted change of colour to yellow. For wooden deckings Blanchon has the Colourless Anti-UV System: a 2-product water-based system with Conditionner as a base coat and Protector as a top coat.

This Anti-UV System for deckings blocks out the ageing process of the wood caused by the sunlight and it preserves the original colour of the wood. It reduces maintenance for outdoor wood by half compared to others finishes available on the market and wood traditionnally difficult to impregnate, like Douglas or Red Cedar, can also effectively been protected.

Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France)

> continued from page 11

natural colour, and good chemical and mechanical resistance and, moreover, also offers a highly matt (non-shine) surface).

The company also highlighted its new range of finishes for outdoor wood. This included the various Ciranova products for protecting outdoor wood, giving it an attractive look, and/or restoring its beauty. In addition, Ciranova also presented a range of colour oils for outdoor wood. Other products in the Outdoor range included the green streak Remover, the Anti-ageing to restore the wood’s original colour, the Ecoteak for teak wood, and traditional teak oil.

This 100% French parquet manufacturer, based in the vineyards of Bordeaux, presented its new sales concept, Parquet à la Carte. If consumers have too many choices in collections, they find it hard to choose. This is why it is much better to allow clients to make a handy choice à la carte. Clients pass by a trajectory of colour, size, type of parquet, more or less rustic, finish, and a series of options. The company also presented 10 new colours within the French oak collection (Fragrances). This collection plays on natural shades and includes smoked and light ‘Flemish’ tints.

Moreover, Europlac-Cabannes also presented the ‘Prestige’ range with a plywood bottom layer in birch.

Florian Legno The Italian company Florian Legno, located in the region of Treviso, used Carrefour du Bois to highlight its wide range of European hardwood, which includes oak and beech. This wood can be processed for parquet floors, but also for terrace planks.

Floor Forum International 54

By attending Carrefour du Bois, Italian parquet manufacturer Gazzotti underlined the importance that it attaches to the French market. The company now has five agents in France and was aiming to highlight the range, general quality, and diversity of Gazzotti floors.

Europlac-Cabannes

Flexura Veneer parquet specialist Flexura has been operating on the French market for three years and took part in the show to consolidate and develop its position. At the show Flexura highlighted their flexibility and high quality service. As regards products, it was the oak Natural Wood Look floor which adorned the stand and proved to be the main attraction for visitors.

Moreover, this very attractive floor is available in several lengths and widths.

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Gazzotti

Fordaq Fordaq’s aim was to use its presence at the show to highlight the importance of its web site. With over 50,000 professionals (producers, sawmills, veneer makers, panel producers, importers, and large industrial users) in membership, Fordaq provides a huge platform for doing business. Many of the biggest wood traders in Europe are members of Fordaq. Fordaq has offices in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Rumania, Poland, and China. The web site also gives a lot of news and sends its members a regular newsletter.

Haro German manufacturer Haro provided a party football atmosphere at its stand. Amongst other things, the company was celebrating its 25th year as a supplier of laminate and at the same time handed out team shirts of the national football team at the European Championship. All this was intended to highlight the Haro products, which the company describes as very competitively priced for the quality supplied.

Inpa Parketvloeren The Dutch parquet manufacturer Inpa showed off a number of its most innovative ranges of parquet for the benefit of visitors. These included the Black and White Collection, distressed European oak parquet which is available, for example, hand-scraped and bleached. All together, there are ten colours, which vary from black to white with a whole series of shades in between. The range of genuinely old oak parquet also stood out: this is a range of multi-layer with a top layer of 7mm (250 to 300 years old) and widths between 14 and 28cm.

Kährs France Kährs was able to show its visitors a number of attractive novelties. For example, there was the Schine Collection, a plank floor in oak, beech, or ash with a gloss finish and in eight trendy colours. Kährs also had a world premiere, the first Fair Trade label certified parquet floor: the World Collection. The floor is fully FSC approved and is available in a number of dark tropical sorts of wood (including jatoba). The Arbusto Collection is a range of floors with a manual finish in the style of old carriage floors.

Lamett Europe Lamett Europe unveiled a number of new collections. For example, there is the Cuba, a smoked parquet, dried oxidatively with a fiery character in 10 colours. The planks are 19cm wide and 15mm thick with a top layer of 4mm. Lamett’s laminate range included the Sapphire & Classica. This is a laminate floor with a vintage and aged look with planks which are 193mm wide. There are six decors available all together.

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As one of the leading wood suppliers with over 100 years of experience, LTL Woodproducts simply could not miss Carrefour du Bois. It presented its broad range of wood and drew attention to its excellent service and reliability as a partner. A company representative said, “In these difficult economic times, reliable suppliers such as LTL Woodproducts are very important to companies in the wood industry.”

Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) MTCC wanted to use this trade fair to inform the Western European market of its operation. They ensure that all imported tropical wood also meets the PEFC standard. In Malaysia itself the Council is responsible for the further development of sustainable forest management and the conservation of the local rain forests. The MTCC certification is recognised by Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Finland, Belgium, and Switzerland.

Meister Werke Meister highlighted a whole series of products, which take full advantage of the trends and preferences on the French market.

For example, they presented the long and wide parquet planks in French oak. For its wall furnishing they unveiled the SP300 3D wall covering in which the height of the wall furnishing can be set in such a way as to create special 3D effects on the wall. In the laminate range attention was drawn to the CD400 with dimensions up to 2.6 metres long and 23.8cm wide.

Milesi Milesi, part of the Italian chemical group IVM Chemicals since 2007, is a supplier to the wood industry and has a range of products for parquet professionals and floor fitters. At its stand Milesi displayed a new waterborne terrace varnish system, the Hydrocrom hydro-nature for tropical wood sorts and sorts which contain tannin. This is designed to impregnate and varnish the wood after it has been planed. This product gives the wood long-term colour-fast protection.

Original Parquet Original Parquet is one of Italy’s biggest parquet producers. With its attendance at Carrefour du Bois, this manufacturer from near Ravenna took its first steps towards export. At the show the company profiled itself as a big parquet specialist in olive tree wood and launched the Europlancha range in widths of 120, 140, and 160mm. The planks are 15mm thick and have a noble top layer of 5mm. What was noticeable was that all top layers are FSC approved. Original Parquet also exhibited its new colour collection, which proved to be exceptionally popular with the mixed international public.

Aftershow Carrefour International du Bois (Nantes/France)

LTL Woodproducts

Oosterlinck With its attendance at Carrrefour du Bois, this Belgian family business proved the growing importance of France as an export market for Oosterlinck. In addition to the diverse range of wooden doors, Oosterlinck showed off its range of Green Parquet (solid and semi-solid wood). This range contains only the highest quality French oak (with the most tannins). The semi-solid variant has a top layer of 4 or 6mm on a birch plywood base. At the show Oosterlinck also exhibited four new exclusive colours in addition to the existing distressed colours. As regards the company export strategy, Mr Oosterlinck said that they are looking primarily towards Belgium’s neighbours.

Osmo Osmo showed the public its very latest innovations. These included the Polyx-Oil Tints in eight tints, whilst for outdoor wood they presented a new UV-Protection-Oil, which eliminates mould formation and algal growth. For terrace floors they drew the visitors’ attention to their new black and grey Decking-Oil, which complete the existing coloured Decking-Oil range.

Pallmann In addition to its existing range of adhesives and finish products for parquet and wood, Pallmann also particularly highlighted two machines.

One of them was a new glue gun, which they presented for the first time and which makes glueing faster and more ergonomically responsible for floor fitters. The other novelty was the Pallmann Gecko edge sander.

Parqueterie Berrichonne Parqueterie Berrichonne, producer of solid wood and multi-layer parquet, presented all its new collections for 2012: distressed parquet, thermally treated, rough scraped, and Hungarian point,

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Floor Forum International 54

Lime Alternative Supplier Lime used this show to highlight coconut wood for its visitors. This is an extremely tough sort of wood, which has an unprecedented ecological character. The core of the old coconut palm stalks from plantations are re-used instead of being burnt. The material looks good and for outdoor use stands out because of its uniform ageing.

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all in modern and trendy colours. The solid wood Teak parquet in Versailles panels was a sheer highlight. In addition, visitors were introduced to a range of parquet with an integrated acoustic substrate and to the Passion range for use in combination with (electric or standard) floor heating and cooling.

Perfilstar The Catalan manufacturer of skirting boards and profiles has already been operating on the French market for two years and presented its varied range of skirting boards for the public. These were in solid wood, veneer, aluminium, stainless steel, painted, laminated, and also a range of digitally printed skirting boards, which can be adapted to meet the client’s wishes. They told us that going along with client wishes in a flexible manner was one of the spearheads of their corporate strategy. One of their new items was a range of skirting boards in compact PVC, which lends itself ideally to damp places.

Planchers de Bourgogne Planchers de Bourgogne is a genuine specialist in solid wood floors in French oak. The highlight at the stand was the range of Décoplanchers parquet with a coloured and/or brushed finish, which can be finished in oil or varnish. The range is always 14mm thick and available in several widths. As regards colours, there are attractive tints in grey, smoked, natural, bleached, ‘Lin’, and white.

Quick-Step® Quick-Step® profiled itself at this trade fair as a leading player in the fields of design, innovation, and quality. This could be deduced from the new sizes, special finishes, and the splendid modern colours. For example, there was the new Eligna/Perspective wide plank collection in a width of 19cm, whilst the length (138cm) makes it possible to give both large and small rooms a modified visual depth. Visitors were also interested in the Exquisa tile (40x120cm), which is available in four successful decors.

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Rubio Monocoat France

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The Rubio Monocoat stand stood out for its worktable where it was possible to test various colours. The new item on show was the Saturabois for terraces and outdoor wood. This is an ecological, single coat product which does not contain any VOS or isocyanates for new and old outdoor wood, which can be exposed to the bleakest weather. The product is water-free, economical to use, suitable for all wood sorts, and available in eight colours.

Solidfloor The Dutch parquet supplier, which specialises in the upper segment, showed visitors its vast and leading range. For example, there was attention for the collection of the designer Piet Boon and the company also introduced the Driftwood Collection. These parquet floors have undergone a unique surface treatment, which creates a special effect and reminds us of wood which has been exposed to the elements for a long period. Moreover, Solidfloor also highlighted the convenience of its nonetheless extensive range by starting with three ambient collections, each of which had its own profile.

Vandecasteele Houtimport This was the eighth time that Vandecasteele Houtimport had exhibited at Carrefour du bois.

New products in their assortment included the American hard wood sorts such as walnut, ash, maple, yellow poplar, and white oak. The fair, which is taking on an increasingly international flavour, was a big success, an ideal place to meet clients and suppliers. This year, the company has launched a new sort of wood, namely ‘RED GRANDIS’. This sort of wood has various possibilities as regards applications, is 100% FSC, and is available both rough and laminated.

Vetedy At Carrefour du Bois, Vetedy exhibited its Techniclic fastening system for wooden frontage coverings, but also for ceilings. It is equally as user-friendly and reliable as the Softline system for terrace floors.

The company also took the opportunity to highlight its range of wood sorts. They have a wide range of both tropical wood sorts and native wood with thermal treatment. Vetedy uses the latter range to take advantage of market trends, but also points out that tropical wood sorts from sustainable managed forests are also an ethical and ecological choice.

Weitzer Parkett Weitzer Parkett is a family parquet business which dates back more than 180 years and is market leader in Austria. It has a fully integrated production and sawmill. Most of the wood which is processed into parquet comes from Austria or its neighbours.

Most of the range of parquet is PEFC approved. The company has been operating in France for seven years and operates on this market by promoting its vast choice of wood sorts, colour diversity, and finish methods. At the show they stressed the flexibility which they offer to adapt each floor in detail in order to meet customer requirements.

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Nothing is as easy as convincing the customer specific products and tools must be used for the maintenance and cleaning of a wooden floor, because parquet floors and wooden floors are generally perceived by the consumer as being ‘difficult’. The myth that wood is ‘living’ matter almost gives the maintenance products a status equal to ‘medication’, as something the floor needs to survive. When looking at this from the viewpoint of the producers, these offer both products ànd sales tools to attain this goal. All the parquet installer has to do is go along with them…

Floor maintenance For the maintenance of ceramic tiles, the greater part of the market of cleaning products goes full steam ahead. There are quite a number of producers of chemicals who are active on this market and they do this in a very competitive segment. How come?

Nobody is really worried about the maintenance of ceramic tiles.

All kinds of detergents or solvents can and may be used. Stains can even be removed just by using white spirit or thinner or a similar product. To put it differently: the consumer just goes out and looks for a product that works, preferably one that is not the most expensive on the market, unless well thought out marketing techniques have instructed him to act differently… ‘Odour’ is most of the time the decisive factor and in this field we find a certain ‘Mr. Clean’, who does very well for what scent varieties are concerned. A good shoot of ‘bleach’ on top of that makes sure an even stronger impression of ‘cleaned and fresh’ comes about.

This much is clear: the designation ‘maintenance’ is of no use when we talk about ceramic tiles. In this case, we only talk about ‘cleaning’ and ‘cleaning products’.

Natural stone When we talk about natural stone, we deal with a different flooring environment. The consumer attaches quite a lot of importance to the part ‘natural’ in ‘natural stone’. From now on, he is sensitive to a certain amount of reserve when dealing with what’s on offer in the field of cleaning products. Can you add a shoot of ‘bleach’ to the cleaning water that is used for natural stone? I thought not? Because natural stone is also a kind of ‘living material’, it needs to be nourished. And can you remove a stain using a thinner? Best not do this! The result is that manufacturers of cleaning products that are specifically developed for natural stone do roaring business. They have conquered a niche market.

Cleaning and nourishing products, especially for natural stone…

Wood, the odd one out With wood we take it even more than one step further: wood is alive! And the consumer is terrified he will make a mistake and damage his ‘oh so delicate’ wooden floor (permanently). Wood as well is nature at its best. In this case, we no longer speak about ordinary cleaning, but about ‘maintenance’. Depending on the way in which our wooden floor is finished, this maintenance can have a ‘nourishing’ function. Especially for the parquet installer there are a lot of opportunities lurking behind the corner here, for the customer is already ‘in the mood’ for this. He knows he cannot ‘attack’ his floor with an ordinary product. A surprising statement: here, the major players in the chemical industry, who dominate the market of cleaning products, no longer play the

leading part. This part is reserved for those chemical companies that specifically (or at least partly) target products for the installation and finishing of wooden floors. Let’s just refer to these as ‘the household names’ of this particular business.

Dependent of the finish As stated before, the cleaning and maintenance products depend directly on the way in which the parquet floor or wooden floor was finished. One solution demands a bit more marketing and persuasiveness than the other.

Lacquered floors In a certain way, lacquered or varnished floors are ‘sealed’. Strictly speaking, one could say that most cleaning agents for ceramic tiles can also be used here, on condition that they are not corrosive and do not harm the varnish itself. For what the latter are concerned, the specialised manufacturers developed products that are specially designed for the maintenance of lacquered floors. Normal maintenance is restricted to ‘swiffering’ or vacuum cleaning every day and mopping with a barely moist cloth once a week. The principle is that you can use any kind of dirt absorbing cloths and any kind of detergent. Still, here as well products are offered that are ‘compatible’ to the varnish that was used. The manufacturers of finishing products do everything they can to promote their maintenance products. Some even take it that far they let the guarantee of the finish depend on the maintenance product that is used.

Oil, wax, hardwax…

For other than lacquered or varnished floors, not a lot of marketing is needed to attain a customer relationship. Here, the maintenance products are most of the time based on the product that was used for the finishing itself: oil, hardwax oil, wax, soap,…

The consumer is bound hand and feet to the manufacturer of the finish that was used and usually has no problem with this. Quite on the contrary, customers who choose for an oiled floor have a great deal of reserve to use other products than those that were prescribed by the installer of the parquet floor.

The parquet floor salesman It’s been several years since we last made a plea in Floor Forum for the importance of a showroom. Seeing it leads to sales, especially in the parquet flooring business solely choosing a floor on a sample basis is no longer tolerated. Some parquet floor installers make deals with their customers to act as references (potential customers are allowed to have a look at their floor). Quite a lot of other parquet floor installers have understood the importance of

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Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display

The opportunity for customer relations is bigger than ever

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Maintenance of parquet flooring demands specific products

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Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display

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a showroom or a shop already long ago. Most of the showrooms are a mix of really installed floors, in combination with samples.

Once the consumer has come to the showroom or shop, the sales of accessories and matching parquet floor products is obvious. This goes for all of the products that are needed for the installation or maintenance of a parquet floor: glues, subfloors, skirting-boards,…

Shop-in-the-shop Maintenance and cleaning products and their matching accessories can take the form of a shop-in-the-shop. Several manufacturers offer a logical, well-thought out assortment ànd the necessary presentation displays and POS materials. By ostentatiously showcasing the products, the parquet floor installer influences the consumer and demonstrates the specialised character of these products. The consumer considers it as a ‘part’ of his purchase in the specialised shop and takes it for granted he has to go to the same specialised shop to buy these products.

It doesn’t take a lot of explaining to state that the products can also best be seen from the outside. The principles of cross-selling and customer relations are still fairly young. People who had a parquet floor installed decades ago probably don’t even know these products exist. In this way, there is also a potential number of customers who own a parquet floor that was not installed by the same parquet floor installer. Opportunities galore!

Who has what to offer?

Adesiv The Italian brand Adesiv has a wide range of products which are recommended for cleaning and maintaining both lacquered and oiled floors. Polish WB is a product for maintaining varnished opaque wood floors. Polish Brill is a self-polishing product used for painted, prefinished and laminate wooden floor maintenance. For general floor cleaning, customers can choose ParquetPro with its neutral pH. Pavicera LQ is a self-polishing emulsion of synthetic waxes and metallised polymers to protect and polish wooden floors treated with wax. Oliopro is a nutrient detergent for parquet floors treated with oils/waxes.

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Blanchon

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Those who are in a hurry find thé solution with Blanchon, thanks to Lagoon®. This product is nebulized on the floor, following by cleaning the floor with a microfiber cloth. Blanchon offers Lagoon® in a kit: broom with microfiber cloths (500 X washable) + the nebulizer. Lagoon® can be used for both oiled and varnished floors and that is also interesting for the retailer! For varnished floors, Blanchon has 2 cleaning agents (métallissant): the Rénovateur Satiné for semiglossy or glossy floors and the Rénovateur Métamat for matt floors. Both products are suited for renovation, since they are capable of closing small cracks and give used varnishes back their old radiance.

For the regular maintenance, there is the Nettoyant Protecteur Parquets (Lisabril®) which is used in diluted form. This recently got a new formulation, by means of which it is even more suited for large surfaces and e.g. sports floors.

The Nettoyant Suractivité is a forceful cleaner that however does

not damage the lacquer. For oiled floors and floors that are prefinished with wax-oil, Blanchon proposes its Huile d’Entretien.

For regular cleaning, the Savon Natural is recommended. Finally, for scrubbed floors there is the Cire liquid Blanchon.

Blanchon developed a presentation display for its maintenance range. The display can be filled and compartmented according to the user’s own wishes. If necessary, it can be combined with other products, such as varnishes or oils.

Bona Bona offers a full maintenance packet based on the Spray Mop. For the Bona Spray Mop range, Bona has two displays for presentation in show rooms or shops: one in hard cardboard and one in metal. The new Spray Mop from Bona enables clients to clean and maintain floors in a jiffy. It is ergonomic and easy to use. You can assemble the Spray Mop in no time at all and the specially developed cartridge can be filled quickly with Bona Wooden Floor Cleaner. The pivoting foot even makes it possible to reach awkward places, which are beyond the reach of traditional mops. Bona Wooden Floor Cleaner protects and maintains wooden floors. It removes stains, dirt, and grease without leaving marks. The Bona Micro-Fibre Cleaning Pad is part of the kit. For restoring wooden floors Bona has the Bona Wooden Floor Refresher and the Bona Refresher Pad. Bona Wooden Floor Refresher is a cleansing agent for varnished wooden floors. It restores a scratched or dull surface to life by giving it a newly varnished look and providing extra protection against wear and tear. The washable Bona Refresher Pad has been developed specially for the Bona Wooden Floor Refresher.

Chimiver In Chimiver range there is also space for a large line of products for the cleaning and the maintenance of lacquered and oiled wooden floors. Most of these products are dedicated to end-users. Velurex Line is a ready to use range for lacquered floors including cleaner, polisher and metal wax. Lios Natural treatment should be used for oiled wooden floors and it is including cleaner, nourisher and other maintenance products such as Natural Wax. The kit is a total package containing 2 liters of products, a mop and a microfibre cleaning cloth (both washable).Our range is including also a product to clean laminated floors. We offer a display and possibility to customize all products with customer’s logo.

Ciranova The range of maintenance and cleaning products of the brand Ciranova can be subdivided into 4 assortments: oils, varnishes, waxes and laminate flooring. For every type of floor, there is a product for daily maintenance and a cleaning product for the removal of stains. For oiled, varnished and laminate floors,

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FLOORING SHOW 2-4 SEPTEMBER 2012 HARROGATE www.theflooringshow.com Join us in September for the 50th anniversary of the first Harrogate Flooring Show.

The UK’s only dedicated flooring event will again bring together the whole industry for three intensive days of business activity and networking.

Featuring a new Design Platform to display the latest innovations and trends.

FREE VISITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN ONLINE AT

www.theflooringshow.com

e f irst since tghshow in f loorin ate Harrog

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Ciranova presents a handy maintenance kit with the products one needs to clean and maintain a floor. For oiled floors, we make a distinction between Hard Floor Fresh, Hard Floor Cleaner and Hard Floor Polish. For floors treated with wax, there is the liquid parquet floor wax and a Wax Refresh. Lami-Fresh and LamiClean are specifically meant for, respectively, the regular maintenance and an intensive cleaning. In order to showcase the products, Ciranova offers a handy display cabinet which customers can put in their shops. Next to that, there are also different maintenance brochures, in which an explanation is given about the maintenance of varnished and oiled floors. For these maintenance brochures, Ciranova also offers an adapted plexi maintenance holder, that can be place on the counter.

Floorservice/Overmat In order to keep the floor in optimal condition after treating them with Floorservice Hardwax-oil Classic, Pro or Profiline, Floorservice developed a parquet cleaner and maintenance oil which perfectly suit the basic treatment of the wooden floor and which guarantees carefree enjoyment of the floor.

Floorservice maintenance oils offer the floor the best possible protection, irrespective of the type of wood or pattern of the floor.

Floorservice’s natural oil products keep the floor young and they are already being used by satisfied customers for the maintenance of millions of square meters of parquet and solid floors.

In the Floorservice range you can find the following cleaning and maintenance products: Floorservice Parquet Cleaner for cleaning of all lacquered and oiled parquet and solid floors. Floorservice Maintenance Oil Natural for maintenance and protection of all oiled parquet and solid floors. Floorservice Maintenance Oil White for maintenance and protection of all white oiled parquet and solid floors. NEW: Floorservice Maintenance Oil Antique white for maintenance and protection of weathered floors.

Floorservice Waxpolish for maintenance and protection of UVoiled parquet and solid floors. Floorservice Parquet Polish for the periodical maintenance and protection of all lacquered parquet and wooden floors.

Floorservice offers two types of displays for their products. One small counter display for the maintenance and cleaning products.

And one larger shop display for the wide range of oils, maintenance and cleaning products, and application product.

Did you know that the Floorboy XL300 is a very user-friendly eccentrical machine to scrub, polish, clean and maintain all types of floors? Because of its favourable price the Floorboy XL300 is an attractive product to offer your customers as a give away, instead of a discount! In this way the pads, cleaning products and maintenance oil become repeat purchases for you.

Hamberger Hamberger is presenting a number of new products.

Clean & green®natural and active® are genuine all-rounders. They can be deployed universally and are easy to use. Clean & green natural® is designed for all natural floors (wood, natural stone, cork, and linoleum),

but can be used just as well to clean Celenio. Active® is designed to clean laminate, PVC, plastic, rubber, and ceramic tiles thoroughly. These cleaning agents are concentrated. Clean & green ® aqua oil is an exceptional cleaning product for oiled floors. You can apply Aqua oil quite simply with a mop and you can walk on the floor again two hours later. Aqua oil destroys all the myths and prejudices about maintaining oiled floors.

Lechner SpA Lechner SpA policy of investing heavily in product research looking for high-performance andt low environmental impact, has led to the formulation of primers, levelling compounds, adhesives and finishes with EMICODE EC1/EC1R, and also to maintenance and cleaning systems that meet the standard of biodegradability OECD 301. This Nature line, a complete oil based treatment, non-filming, which can be used both indoor and outdoor. Besides being environmentally friendly, these products meet the standards UNI EN 71-3:2002 (migration of certain elements), DIN V 53160:2000 Parts 1-2 (resistance to saliva and synthetic sweat), and confer resistance to the treated wood 1B 1C (depending on the finish chosen among those proposed).

Nature Clean is a biodegradable cleaning soap, specifically formulated for the initial care treatment, refreshing and nourishing of all wooden floorings treated with Nature line products. Auxiliary products are Detergente Antigrigio, specific treatment to restore the natural colour of wood turned grey and dull due to weatherings, and Moss Remover, moss, algae and mold remover, fast acting and easy to apply.

Loba Maiburg is the UK distributor for the Loba Maintenance Products in the Loba maintenance programme. This range is absolutely complete and has a maintenance product for any floor. First of all, Loba Care includes the Loba Cleaner, a concentrated and waterborne cleaning agent for cleaning oiled and varnished floors every day. We can also mention the following: Loba Care Remover (for extremely dirty floors and removing old polish on varnished floors), Lobacare V6 Finish (polyurethane coating), Loba Parquet Care (UV varnished floors), Loba Wax Remover (for removing old coats of wax), and Loba Parquet Oil (maintenance oil for impregnated floors). New to the range are Loba Care Aqua Oil care OH22 and Loba Care Aqua Wax Care OH39. Loba Care Aqua Oil Care OH22 is an innovative product ready for use, solvent-free, and free of soaps. The product yields excellent results and preserves the matt look of oiled floors. This is ideal when you have to clean oiled floor completely or partially. It is easy to apply using a cloth or mop and you leave it to dry. It is not suitable for UV oiled or varnished floors. Loba Care Aqua Wax Care OH39 is an ecological (solvent-free), versatile, and innovative product which is ideal for the initial and later maintenance of oiled wooden floors and floors treated with wax. Loba Care Aqua Wax Care OH39 seals up the pores on the surface and protects the floor from dirt.

In the UK, Lecol is selling the Loba products.

Mapei Mapei offers a full range of products for maintaining wooden floors. The Ultracota Clean Polish is a ready-for-use solution for regular maintenance in commercial and residential rooms, especially floors finished with waterborne varnishes from the Ultracoat range. Ultracota Clean WPM Polish is also a ready-for-use product

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Osmo presents a complete system for the maintenance and cleaning of wooden floors, ranging from the everyday maintenance to the renewal of the surface protection. For daily light mopping, there is the Osmo Wash and Care, a natural cleaning and maintenance concentrate. It is especially efficient for the removal of household stains such as fruit juice, beer, cola, wine or coffee, dust and dirt. Liquid Wax Cleaner is suited for a more intensive periodic cleaning or refreshing job. This product is used for oiled and waxed floors. The renewal of the protection of the floor is done using Polyx Oil, which gives back the original look to a floor that has become dull.

Pallmann All cleaning and maintenance products from Palmann are part of a system that guarantees the resistance and the appearance of the wooden floor. The exact maintenance or cleaning routine is shown in the care instructions of each product. Pallmann Finish Care is a water-based care emulsion that acts by means of a dirt-repellent protective film. It improves the seal and the appearance of the surface, and at the same time extends the wear life of the flooring. Especially developed for the surface treatment of sealed wood flooring. Pallmann Clean is a waterbased, neutral, all-purpose cleaner for wood floors. Suitable for the routine cleaning of sealed parquet / wood floors, sealed cork floors and oiled and waxed parquet/hardwood floors. Pallmann Clean is also suitable for the thorough cleaning of Pallmann oiled /waxed parquet/hardwood floors. Pallmann Magic Oil Care is the maintenance product for wood floorings impregnated with products of the Magic Oil 2-component line or Soyabase Plus. With the refresher ingredients the product achieves a re-oiling effect.

Rubio Monocoat The maintenance range of Rubio Monocoat is clearly defined. The brand distinguishes two categories: cleaning (daily or weekly maintenance) and maintenance (in which a more thorough treatment is done). For the weekly maintenance, the following cleaning products can be used: RMC Soap (matt look), the RMC Soap Satin (satin gloss) and the RMC Surface Care (ready to use spray).

For the more specific problems, such as the removal of grease and lime stains, RMC Grease Remover and RMC Limespot Remover are the best suited products. The range furthermore comprises a number of more intense maintenance products. In spaces with very high traffic, the durable protection is maintained

Stauf Stauf recently launched a range of professional products for the maintenance of parquet floors. Thanks to its small, but high-quality range of oils and finishes and with this assortment of cleaning and maintenance products, the company presents a new approach for the maintenance of the look of wooden floors. The new Stauf system drastically simplifies the maintenance of wooden floors. The company presents two products: ‘aqua Easy Clean’ and ‘aqua Protect & Clean’. These two products can be used on all wood species. Whether the floors are oiled, varnished or prefinished doesn’t matter anymore. The Stauf system is such that the floor is alternatingly cleaned with the two products mentioned before.

Tover Tover offers a complete range of products for the parquet maintenance, granting the opportunity to anybody to benefit from professional products at home. The type of finishing, oils or varnish, determines the choice of the proper detergent specifically formulated for frequent cleaning: Deteroil for an oiled or waxed surface, Pulito Parquet and Saniparquet for a varnished parquet; used with Cinderella spray mop, they guarantee a perfect hygiene and aspect. Tover also developed for periodical maintenance a polish Lux, a renewing oil Rinovoil and a metalized wax Resinal Wax which enable to preserve and revive the original beauty of a wooden floor. All these products can be showed on the brand new display created for stores and show rooms. They are also available in sets composed of a concentrated cleaner, a maintenance product and an application cloth: a very practical and attractive new presentation.

Special Maintenance and cleaning systems and their display

Osmo

by means of a regular cleaning with the RMC High Traffic Protection. The RMC Refresh takes care of a colourless, intense refreshing turn. Last but not least, there is the RMC Universal Maintenance Oil. This is an oil that both refreshes the colour and the protection. Of course, this oil is suited very well to treat parquet floors that were treated with RMC Oil, but it can also be used on other oil finishes. The range is available in separate articles through the resellers. Rubio Monocoat also offers a Maintenance box.

Woca Woca is presenting an interesting new product in the shape of the Woca Maintenance Box. Amongst other things, this includes the Maintenance Paste for freshening up and cleaning oiled floors. This Maintenance Paste is absolutely ideal for hard wax floors and UV oiled floors. In addition, the box also includes the Natural Soap, a quality soap with high nutritional properties to fill the pores of the wood quickly and protect the surface from the penetration of dirt or liquid. The Natural Soap has to be shaken before use. 125ml in a bucket of lukewarm water (5 litres) is enough for regular cleaning and maintenance. It is advisable always to use one bucket of soapy water and one bucket of rinsing water. The Maintenance Paste is applied in pieces of 1 to 2m² after the floor has been cleaned with Wood Cleaner. The Maintenance Box is available in the colours ‘natural’ and ‘white’.

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Floor Forum International 54

for maintaining floors which are finished with matt and extra matt varnish from the same range.

Ultracoat Oil Care is an oil in water dispersion for floors treated with oil. Ultracoat Polish Remover is a concentrated de-waxing solution for removing Ultracoat Clean Polish and Ultracoat Clean WPM. It can also be used to remove smaller stains or shoe marks from floors finished with Ultracoat varnishes.

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Small- and medium-sized modulair oil and lacquer machines Special Floor Forum International 54 20

Technology follows the trend toward personalisation Smaller oil and lacquer coating machines for smaller jobs The desire for exclusivity in the mind of the end user is ever-increasing. This is expressed to a large extent in the demand for personalised finishes. Colour plays one of the most important roles here. When the finish is applied by the parquet layer on site -- starting out with a bare floor -- there is usually no problem. For factory-finished floors, it isn’t so simple. It would be difficult for a large flooring manufacturer stop everything to put a different finish on a small batch of 50 square metres -- right? In this article, we’ll attempt to figure out how the floor layer can bring the advantages offered by prefinished flooring in line with the specific expectations of the client.

Wood flooring in earlier times The “life” of the wood floor manufacturer (more often than not the floor layer too) has not gotten any simpler over the course of years. A look into the past: about 40 years ago, the job of a manufacturer of solid wood flooring was simple: once you had a thorough knowledge of the different types of wood and the necessary planing, sawing and milling tools, you were on your way.

Some limited themselves to working with oak. There were only differences in dimensions, laying patters and potentially whether the flooring came with tongue and groove. The finish was applied by the floor layer on site following the complete installation. The customer could choose between a number of colour tints and between wax, lacquer or oil finishes. The logical consequence was that the wood floors in numerous houses and apartments dating from the ‘60s and ‘70s are, to put it in the kindest terms, “comparable.” One sees the same recurring laying designs, in block or brick patterns, and many in the same somewhat yellowed oak tint. Today, the landscape has evolved considerably.

This is “my” floor Numerous developments in various fields have enabled the choices for the end user to become sheerly limitless. We are confronted with dozens of wood types which we didn’t even know existed before. While new, more modern laying patterns and laying methods (alternating widths, super-wide planks or ultra-narrow pieces, et cetera) have emerged, the classic laying methods are still part of the offering. The choices are thus great. In addition, the client can choose from a nearly endless palette of colours, since the evolution in the area of colours and pigments never stood still. Also consider the wide array of finishes: wax is still there, hard wax and hard wax oil are somewhat newer, and oil and lacquer still fight it out for dominance. Among lacquers, we can choose between difference degrees of gloss. It’s a virtual cornucopia! The end customer does not mind at all, since more than ever, the goal is to achieve a unique ambiance in one’s own habitat. “I don’t want a floor that other people have. I want my floor.”

The great paradox The idea of the small floor layer or carpenter who fabricates his own flooring pieces has been out of the picture for decades. The production of wood flooring has shifted to large factories that boast state-of-the-art production lines and are able to churn out

large runs of any type of flooring and keep them in inventory.

And therein lies the great paradox: how can the need for economy through mass production by reconciled with the desire for personalised flooring? For large producers of wood flooring, it is indeed impossible to maintain an inventory of every imaginable type of flooring in every available species of wood. The same goes for the wood flooring specialist. The emergence of prefinished makes everything a bit more complex. While the advantages of prefinished are highly valued by all parties, the preference for exclusivity once again brings the finishing process in the direction of the floor layer... and that is indeed a paradox.

Embracing prefinished floors The fact that prefinished floors are valued highly by floor layers is not disputed. They also see the advantage in all the tasks that no longer have to be done on-site, allowing them to install that many more square metres in a shorter time span and requiring fewer experienced personnel. Also, in the area of health and wellbeing in the workplace, the floor layers are much better off. They are working less and in a dust-free environment at that. There are fewer ill effects of odours and volatile organic particles. Last but not least, they have better and more ergonomic working conditions. For his part, the customer has long known about existence of prefinished floors and knows of their benefits. For the contractor, all of the worksite nuisances are gone, and the floor can often be walked on immediately after installation. Finally, finishing the floor beforehand also has qualitative effects: no flaws stemming from unfavourable conditions at the worksite or damage by other contractors, no ill effects from atmospheric disturbances, almost no human imperfections, and always a perfect result. The principle of a prefinished floor is estimated highly.

Prefinished for small operators The happy middle ground between prefinished and personalised floors is currently appearing as machine manufacturers produce smaller and more compact oil and lacquer roller coating machines that are targeted at three different groups: the parquet manufacturer, the floor coating subcontractor and the flooring professional himself.

Wood floor manufacturers For wood flooring manufacturers, it is not possible to shift large

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THE REVOLUTIONARY INVISIBLE SOLUTION FOR DECK BOARDS

THE INSTALLING OF DECK BOARDS REINVENTED • Screwing down boards to joists • 3 sizes available to ensure appropriate spacing between the boards • Adapted to most types of wood (AD and KD) • Reversible groove profile which allows to use either face of the boards • Adapted to pre-grooved or plain boards

OILING MACHINES For perfect finishes

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240 m2/h

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SoeSt IngenIeurSbureau en HandelSondernemIng bV Kikkertweg 1 1521 RE Wormerveer (NL) Phone. +31(0)75 621 17 80 Fax +31 (0)75 628 66 69 Email: soestbv@soestbv.nl web: www.soestbv.nl

info@hardwoodclip.com www.hardwoodclip.com

Floor Forum International 54

Special

Small- and medium-sized modulair oil and lacquer machines

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production lines to satisfy small orders. That would just not be economical. But the acquisition of compact lacquer and/or oil roller coating machines would allow orders to be placed for smaller surface quantities in addition to mass production.

Who offers what?

Axel Wirth

Coating subcontractors The same manufacturers can also choose to contract out the finishing work for small orders to third parties. The compact machines that have appeared recently are also very appealing to coating subcontractors (see elsewhere in this issue).

Flooring professionals With the purchase of a compact oil or varnish roll coating line, the floor layer can combine his onsite expertise (with colouring and finishes) with the advantages of finishing the floor pieces beforehand, thereby getting all the benefits of prefinished.

Compact roller coaters In response to the trends that have been discussed above, a number of compact roller machines have appeared on the market based on a conveyor system. Thanks to their compactness, these machines take up little space, and if necessary they can be set up in the floor layer’s workshop. The fact that the rollers in these machines can be easily replaced or cleaned enables the user to easily and quickly make smaller quantities in another colour.

Different rollers can be used with lacquer as well as oil. It is interesting to note that with a lacquer roller, you can apply oil, but not necessarily the other way around. The exact application of oil is less critical because it still has to be polished. Lacquer or varnish has to be applied in a perfectly smooth manner. For both applications, but also for staining and stripping, dosing rollers are primarily used. These methods are the heart of the finishing line, but may be supplemented with various options such as a UV drying module or an infrared module used to heat the floor pieces before finishing. Aging, tumbling, brushing and even packaging are further options available with a lacquer and oil coating machine.

Dosing rollers in reverse A dosing roller consists of two rollers, namely the application roller and the dosing roller. The usually hard chromed steel dosing roller runs with or against the rubber application roller. Only the application roller makes contact with the piece to be finished.

The distance between the two rollers and the direction and the speed of the dosing roll allows the application of the layer of oil or varnish to be precisely determined. In addition to the rollers, the machine also has a squeegee blade. This machine works so precisely that the brush pad and brush module are hardly even required after the roller application. The more precise the setting beforehand, the less brushing is needed afterwards. The dosing rollers are able to be used with oils and coloured oils as well as lacquers, and can be used with products that are to be dried with UV. The dosing roller module with reverse capability has two roller modules. The first is identical to what is described above. In the reverse module, there is a second machine with a rubber-covered contact roller that is equipped with a scraper that is situated in opposition to the piece being finished. This reverse roller process takes away the excess oil applied during the first roller coating. The oil is thus scraped off and recovered. This equipment is well-suited for working with aged-look flooring or finishing floor pieces with bevelled edges. The first relatively soft roller ensures that the oil penetrates into the deeper structure of the floor pieces. Brush pad modules are completely unnecessary in this case.

Axel Wirth Machinen GmbH offers 3 different roller coating systems in its catalogue. The LW 100 can be used to apply oxidative oils, water-based stains and water-based lacquers. This machine is simple to use and easy to clean. Another machine is the DWO dosing roller machine, which can be used to apply oxidative oils, UV oils, UV varnish, and water-based stains and lacquers. With this machine the rollers are also easy to replace. When you have to finish hard-brushed or hand-scraped floors, Axel Wirth has an outstanding solution. The DDWO-type roller coating machine with reverse function can work with oxidative oils, UV oil, UV varnish, and water-based stains and lacquers and apply them to difficult surfaces. Axel Wirth offers this entire line complete with UV lamps and stacking units. Axel Wirth allows the flooring professional to choose his own particular combination of rollers and accessories with each machine.

Paoloni Onelio & Figlio

Since 2001, Paoloni Onelio & Figlio manufactures machines for automatic impregnation, oiling and lacquering. Paoloni Onelio & Figlio serves both large manufacturers as well as smaller companies.

This manufacturer presents a complete assortment for finishing wood floors: oiling, lacquering, painting, and varnishing, with both water- and solvent-based products. A best-seller in this company’s catalogue is the ‘Minitunnel,’ a compact machine which applies oil or lacquer to parquet or colours wood flooring pieces. A special feature of this machine is that the finish is applied to the planks vertically. The rollers can be quickly changed out when one wants to use another product or apply another colour. Paoloni Onelio & Figlio also produces a machine to finish exterior flooring: Tunnel Decking. The Minitunnel was set up in the testing area of the company and more than 40 vendors tested oils and lacquers from all over the world. Anyone who purchases a machine can count on receiving training from Paoloni Onelio & Figlio. Mainly small and medium-sized flooring professionals make up the target audience here. Since the investment amounts to no more than 9000 euros, this company’s machine has a lot speaking for it.

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Trivec

Superfici specialises in the engineering and production of coating lines and lacquering machines. In its catalogue, the company features a range of machines that are specifically designed for the application of natural or UV oils. The oil application is normally carried out with a roller coating apparatus equipped with special rollers. These have to have the proper chemical resistance in regards to the oils and the proper hardness and special rubber components so that the exact amount of oil can be applied. In order to fulfil the highest space-saving and cost standards, these machines can also be provided to handle smaller working widths (300 mm). A high-pressure application head ensures consistent dosing and quality, and a control unit monitors the workload. The machine comes with a dispersion apparatus that ensures the oil is spread evenly and that it penetrates into the pores of the wood. With UV oil, it is important that the oil is thoroughly removed from the dispersion brushes. After application, the floor pieces go straight into the UV drier or to the shelves to air-dry.

With the large variation in oil types (colours, chrome effects, aged look, et cetera) oil coating machines are becoming more compact for finishing smaller quantities.

Trivec has introduced a very broad catalogue, consisting of roller coating machines for mainly oils, stains and lacquers. These versatile machines are available for three different working widths (350 mm, 450 mm en 650 mm). Depending upon the desired application and working width, one has the choice of 15 different variations. For working widths above 650 mm, the larger TRV machines are also available with working widths of up to a maximum of 1300 mm.

Small- and medium-sized modulair oil and lacquer machines

SCM Group / Superfici

Installation of a sponge roller, necessary for the application of thin liquids such as stains, is accomplished in just a few minutes.

Clients obtain an extraordinary amount of flexibility with this machine. And since people are demanding higher levels of quality nowadays, finishing the flooring pieces yourself is the preferred method to achieve this result. In addition, the delivery times are considerably shorter. The relatively low price makes it very appealing for many flooring professionals to acquire such a machine, even if a small amount of square metres of surface area per week has to be finished.

Special

Tover approved The Paoloni Onelio & Figlio machine, the Minitunnel, is distributed by the Italian company Tover, which has its own special testing room in Torino. All products by Tover were tested with the Minitunnel... and approved! In other words, the Minitunnel is ‘Tover approved.’

Soest offers several different models of very compact lacquer and oil coating machines. The beginner’s model is equipped with an application roller with an oil reserve, followed by a model with an application roller and a dosing roller, which can apply stain and solvent for stripping in addition to oil and lacquer. In addition, Soest also has a reverse roller machine that includes two roller units, of which the second unit turns in the opposite direction.

This enables an incredibly smooth and sleek application, and even deeply brushed floors can be perfectly finished in one runthrough. Soest machines are compact yet are very well built, easy to service and very easy to clean.

The most compact machine requires floor space of less than one square metre. For the flooring professional, there are even models available on sturdy casters so that the machine is more flexible in its placement. A big advantage of the Trivec roller coater is the quick change system through which you can switch to another colour very easily. The greatest interest is in the oil and staining machines. There is also a considerable amount of interest in the Trivec TRV450RC roller coating machine with an extra reverse roller station for deep impression of oil on brushed surfaces. The roller can also be used to achieve special effects with coloured oils. The investment in one’s own roller coating machine is a cost that can be recouped simply thought the enormous time savings. By treating wood flooring beforehand, there is less work to be done with the customer and you won’t have to drive out to the worksite again to put finish on the floor that has already been installed.

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Floor Forum International 54

Soest

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> Industry news

Industry news

CSP Engineering CSP Engineering specializes in computerised solutions for parquet production. Apart from designing and constructing customised solutions, the company has also developed an extensive range of modular production systems, specifically for parquet production. PAR-Scan® f.i. is an integrated modular system which measures accurately the length of each floorboard in the package, in a package by package process. The machine then prints a label showing all the details of the package (kind of wood, quality, finishing, thickness, surface, etc.). Then the PAR-Scan® will pack each package without any manual assistance. Packing can be realised with straps, stretch film, shrink film, or a combination of these materials. PARScan® is suitable for production of fixed and/or variable lengths and widths for each package. The system can handle Metric units as well as English units (e.g. inches, feet, and square feet) and can also provide labels in various languages, whatever the end client’s language may be. A pallet list is generated per pallet (or assignment) containing all the details of the packages in that pallet. The totals (e.g. linear meters or square meters) are printed at the bottom of the list. PAR-Scan® can be connected online to PARStock®. This is the stock management system, used by parquet manufacturers who ‘pick’ orders from stock. With PARStock®, the producer has an accurate overview of the quantity of each parquet floorboard there is in stock in real time.

Floor Forum International 54

BC-Series pedestal BC Batten by Buzon

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This kind of pedestal is adapted to the range of the Buzon floor carriers. This is a movable adjustment guide to install the beams in different angles, by which a wooden terrace with installation of the beams in different directions can be realised, see the three drawings below. Its fitting is simple and quick. It was developed for the installation of terrace planks onto beams and has been studied to not burden a specific section. The main characteristic of the product lies in its use of integrated sectional beams, between 35 and 120 mm.

Adapted to the range of Buzon DPH and BC series pedestals Studied to not burden a specific section.

Use of integrated sectional beams, between 35 and 120 mm

THE EUROPEAN PARQUET INDUSTRIES IN 2011 The European Parquet Industry maintains stabilisation course As already predicted in the January forecast of the FEP (European Federation of the Parquet Industry) issued at the start of the DOMOTEX fair in Hannover, the consolidated data provided by member companies and affiliated national associations points

towards more or less stable consumption and production levels in comparison with the previous year. The general picture is, as expected, not uniform with considerable variations from country to country and even from quarter to quarter. Compared to 2010, the total production in 2011 increased by 0.58%, whereas the overall consumption figures point to a slight decline of 1.65%.

The 2011 results therefore confirm the stabilisation trend already initiated in 2010, which came after two difficult years during which the parquet industry faced challenging times which lead to a downfall both in consumption and production.

The figure of the total production in FEP territory has moreover to be interpreted in light of the strategic choices made by several producing companies, which decided to relocate their production in European countries outside the FEP territory. Without this shift of production location, it is estimated that the 2011 production would have increased by an additional 2 to 3%.

Parquet production in the FEP member countries 000m² +/- 000m² +/- % 1985 23.300 1986 25.580 2.280 9,8% 1987 26.991 1.411 5,5% 1988 29.997 3.006 11,1% 1989 34.566 4.569 15,2% 1990 35.634 1.068 3,1% 1991 35.294 -340 1,0% 1992 37.977 2.683 7,6% 1993 40.396 2.419 6,4% 1994 44.972 4.576 11,3% 1995 49.798 4.826 10,7% 1996 50.578 780 1,6% 1997 53.836 3.258 6,4%

1998 58.308 4.472 1999(*) 64.774 6.466 2000 69.812 5.038 2001 75.621 5.809 2002 76.741 1.120 2003 81.039 4.298 2004 91.453 10.414 2005 95.977 4.524 2006 97.911 1.934 2007 100.334 2.423 2008 84.725 -15.609 2009 67.523 -17.202 2010 70.300 2.777 2011 70.713 412

8,3% 11,1% 7,8% 8,3% 1,5% 5,6% 12,85% 4,9% 2,02% 2,47% -15,56% -20,30% 4,11% 0,58%

(*) As of 1999, figures shown represent total market in FEP area.

No distinction is made between “traditional” and “new” member countries.

The European Parquet Industry maintains stabilisation course The total production in FEP territory rose to a volume of 70,713,000 m². Important increases in Switzerland, Hungary, The Netherlands and in the Nordic countries balanced the sensitive situation in Spain and contributed to the stabilisation of the sector. Consumption in the FEP area declined by 1.65%, to a level of 91,475,000 m², despite substantial increases in Sweden and Austria and the excellent performance of Germany and Switzerland. The 2011 total parquet production per type remains similar to the picture already presented in 2010, whereby multilayer comes in first with 78% being followed by solid (including lamparquet) with 20% and mosaic at 2% of the total cake.

In absolute production figures by country, Poland is maintaining its top position with 17.61%, Germany still ranks second at 14.63% and Sweden completes the usual podium with 13.26%.

Consumption in the FEP area lost 1.65%. According to the figures received and considering the small error margin, this result is in line with the expectations expressed in the January prognosis.

In terms of consumption per country, Germany consolidated its first position with 22.59% (an increase of close to 2% compared to 2010) and is still followed by France which is losing some ground to 12.37%. Italy was able to regain its third position with 10.49% to the detriment of Spain which is now just under the 10% threshold (9.62%). The per capita parquet consumption remains the highest in Austria (0.87m²) and Switzerland (0.74), now closely followed by Sweden now at 0.72 m². In the total FEP area, the consumption per inhabitant remained at 0.23m² in 2011. The usage of wood species in 2011 as shown on the above graph indicates that oak is advancing to 2/3 of the total (66.7%), tropical wood species are stabilsaing at a mere 7.4%. Ash and beech are the two other most common chosen species with 6.5% and 6.1% respectively.

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Welcome extra turnover every few years There can be no doubt that fitting a sports floor is an attractive assignment for any floor fitter. It always involves a relatively large area on just one site and it only involves one single room, so it is easier, for example, than fitting parquet in various rooms of a house. Yet there’s more! Fitting a sports floor always means extra income a few years later because the day comes when renovation is inevitable. Usually, this work is done by the floor fitter who fitted the floor originally, so it effectively means an assignment for life. done between two coats of varnish. Below we give an outline of a few systems.

The finish for sports floors Beneath just about all sports floors lies a system whereby the floor is ‘equipped’ to meet a number of sport-related and technical requirements. Here, we are talking about shock absorption, impact capacity, rolling capacity, resilience (surface elastic, point elastic, or somewhere in between) and such like. All these features are important to both the sporting performance and health of the athletes. However, in order to decide on the composition of the floor, we first have to ask some basic questions. The most important questions are what sport(s) will be played on this surface and how frequently. EN 14904:2006 is the official European standard for indoor sports floors. It sets out a high number of demands on how a floor must match up to various sorts of pressure and situations. This standard considers the entire construction, with the slip resistance of the floor surface being one of the most important parameters. The slip resistance of a sports floor is determined largely by the finish. Just as the composition of a sports floor constitutes a system, the same applies to the finish.

High traffic squared It goes without saying that sports floors are given a protective top layer, which can cope with more than one impact. These floors have to put up with just about anything when it comes to high traffic. Players tread on them intensively, they jump and stop suddenly, they wear rubber soles, and so on. Various producers have developed a finishing system specially designed for sports floors.

The components of the construction are designed according to a meticulously prescribed procedure. Most systems are a composition of a primer, a special varnish, line paint, and a maintenance product specially developed for that purpose. There may be differences in the procedure between the existing systems.

For example, some producers may have systems where lines are marked at the end of the job, whilst with other systems this is

What’s on the market?

Blanchon For Blanchon it is still a policy spearhead that the lines and colour zones of a sports floor are applied after the second coat of parquet varnish. From a technical point of view this second coat of lacquer could give adhesion problems at the point where the (setting) lines are applied. For several years now, Blanchon has been providing a complete, waterborne system for finishing sports floors. The Sport R Blanchon glazers are waterborne and in two components. These varnishes include a suitability certificate for sport and Emicode EC1R. Sports floor lines can be applied to this parquet varnish. To this end, Blanchon presents the new thixotropic paint, Peinture Sport R Tracés. This paint is based on polyurethane and is waterborne. It is supplied in two dosed kits, 900g paint and 100g hardener, which have to be mixed when they are used. The lines are applied in one coat.

Thanks to the jelly-like viscosity, the paint never runs under the marking tape. This tape must be removed immediately once the paint is applied. This paint is available in 5 European standard colours, namely white, yellow, red, black, and blue. Furthermore, Blanchon has also introduced the new Peinture Sport R Surfaces for colouring the zones. This paint is available in seven colours and can be mixed extensively to make 14 RAL colours and 17 other shades. All together the paints and the varnish take about one week to dry.

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Floor Forum International 54

Blanchon

Renovation … from ‘scratch’ It’s completely logical! As is the case with varnished parquet, a complete renovation means that the floor has to be sanded completely ‘pale’. However, we have heard from Bona that there are several cases in practice where the new finishing product has been applied on top of the old coat. Eric Teersteeg, country manager at Bona Benelux, explains, “We are aware of instances where oxana oil was applied constantly for 30 years or where 13 coats of varnish were applied on top of each other. Everyone will understand that sanding that coat represents quite a challenge for the professional, the sanding machine, and the sandpaper.” At Bona they advise people to sandpaper such extreme coats first using the Bona 8700 K36, ceramic belts which even exceed the blue belts of Bona (and others on the market). After sandpapering with the Bona 8300 series, the final sanding is done using grain 120. Then the floor is ready for applying the finish system again (see below for the Bona sport system).

Special Sports Floors : finishes and renovation

Sport floor renovation

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Special Sports Floors : finishes and renovation

Bona

by Nike. The system consists of a base structure developed by Haro, the actual sports floor, and a top coat. This combination is perfectly suitable for use at the Olympic Games. With a surface of 800m², the floor can be fitted in barely three hours and can be dismantled in an even shorter space of time. It took about 48 hours to apply the top layer for the ATP Salzburg Indoors. The floor is of the highest quality from a sporting and physiological point of view.

Lechner

As we have already said, Bona has a complete system for the finish and maintenance of sports floors. Bona Sportive Primer is a 1-component, waterborne primer for use on wooden floors to be used as sports floors before a top coat of Bona Sportive Finish is applied. The long open time makes the application easy and colours the wood evenly and naturally. Bona Sportive Finish is a 2-component, waterborne, 100% PU varnish for treating wooden sports floors whether they are used solely by professionals or more intensively. This varnish meets the requirements of EN 14904:2006 and DIN 18032:2 regarding slip resistance.

Bona Sportive Paint is a fast-drying single component waterborne paint for both marking lines and colouring in zones on the playing field and the sides. Bona Sportive Paint is applied between two coats of Bona Sportive Finish. Bona Sportive Cleaner is a concentrated, light alkaline cleaner, which has been developed specially for cleaning varnished wooden sports floors frequently. Bona Sportive Cleaner Plus is a concentrated alkaline cleaner, which has been developed specially for cleaning wooden sports floors occasionally to remove the accumulation of body fats and other impurities. Bona Sportive Cleaner Plus is also ideal for removing shoe marks and black stripes from rubber soles. The large surfaces of sports floors mean that sanding them can consume a considerable amount of time. Thankfully, Bona also has a solution to this problem. Bona 8700 Ceramic sandpaper makes light work of sanding even the biggest sports floors. Finally, Bona’s dust-free sanding system (DCS) makes sanding sports floors simpler, faster, and more user-friendly than ever.

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Haro

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The account of the partnership between Haro Sports Flooring and Rebound Ace is not about a finish for sports floors in the strict sense of the word, but once again it is about a ‘system’.

Although it is somewhat outside the scope of this article, it definitely seemed worthwhile to mention it. The Haro Room Tennis floor is a combination of the renowned Haro sports floors and the equally reputable acrylic top coat from Rebound Ace®. The Haro Rom Tennis floor was introduced and tested for the first time in 2011 at the Clash of the Champions, which was organised

Lechner varnishes are a mixture of most recent technology and highperformance characteristics with respect for the health of the fitters and the environment. Serie Eco, the water-based line of the Lechner range is N.M.P. free and in accordance with norm 2004/42/ CE, includes fillers, primers and seals, both one and two component, for any kind of desired result, for both civil and sport applications. Specifically for wooden sport floors, the Eco Sport cycle is made up of Eco Fondo K1 Sport and Eco K2 Sport. With a 100% polyurethane based finish, it has extremely high resistance to wear, scuff marks, and scratches. Eco K2 Sport meets the slip resistance requirements of EN 14904:2006 and the norm EN ISO 5470-1. It is also certified for the fire retarding treatment for wooden surfaces in class Bfl S1 of reaction to fire according to norm EN 13501, and it is NMP free and has the certified Emicode EC1R. Lecol UK Lobadur R WS 2K Fusion is a dual component semi-matt, extra matt, or extreme matt water varnish on a 100% polyurethane base. Lobadur R WS 2K Fusion is a waterborne varnish with extremely high wear resistance, high elasticity, and outstanding chemical resistance. Lobadur R WS 2K Fusion is a varnish which preserves the natural colour of the wood and has less impact on the environment. This varnish is easy to apply, dries in the air, and is not flammable. Lobadur R WS 2K Fusion is suitable for all chip resistant glued parquet and other wooden floors subjected to intensive use. The varnish can be used to only a limited degree on floating floors and is not suitable for Kambala (iroko). It is suitable for parquet on floor heating. You should then use Lecol AntiSlip Polish OH47 as a maintenance product. On exotic wood sorts you should use a primer with an insulating effect, namely Lecol Pro Tech Primer. This also reduces the chance of streaks on sensitive sorts of wood such as beech. It is also possible to apply Lecol Twin Tone R Start and Lecol Twin Tone R Start Colour white as primers. Materials which contain softening agents such as carpet rugs (e.g. foam or rubber), furniture, and chair legs can result in the coat of varnish becoming discoloured.

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Tover Paints for lines and playing area markings are part of the finishing range Tover has developed for sports floors. Sportfloor Colour coloring system is water-based and two-component in order to guarantee excellent wear resistance, good elasticity, and high adhesion properties. On unfinished parquet, the procedure consists of a first coat of sealer (Sportfloor Base), then a homogeneous sanding, and the marking itself in one or two coats. The finishing cycle is completed by the application of a two-component water-based varnish (Sportfloor Finish) conform to the EN 14904 European norm. On pre-finished parquet, it is recommended to use the adhesion promoter sealer (Sportfloor Grip) specifically designed to avoid any peeling issue of paints and lacquers applied to conclude the finishing cycle. It is not necessary to sand before marking the lines. Another advantage of Tover stains is that they can be applied as a top coat without any other protection, their resistance and coverage being sufficient and their technical characteristics in compliance with EN 14904 European normative. Sportfloor Colour is available in many RAL shades in stock.

Special Sports Floors : finishes and renovation

Plastor Plastor has developed a special programme for sports floors with particular attention to the correct smoothness, the elasticity of the film layer, and durability under intensive use. The range is a solution for the specific problems of sports floors.

With the parquet varnish PUR-T速 Sport, Plastor is completely in line with the grip criteria of EN 14904:2006. This varnish is a dual component parquet varnish based on polycarbonate resins for maximum impact resistance (250 times that of glass) and high transparency. The varnish is available in silky gloss and high gloss. For marking out the lines, Plastor offers a 2-component, solventborne polyurethane paint. Thanks to the thixotropic texture, the paint does not run between the marking strips. For beech and oak Plastor offers separate primers due to the differences between the wood sorts. At Plastor, they are well aware that a sports floor deserves to be maintained properly. For occasional cleaning the range includes a Power Cleaner for local use on shoe marks or ball rubber, for example. For thorough restoration, Plastor has introduced metallising parquet polish.

Z-parket floors conquer the world

Floor Forum International 54

Advertorial Z-Parket (B)

The quality and design of the Z-parket collection is gradually conquering the world. Today, you will find Z-parket floors used in prestigious building projects in 17 countries and four continents. Z-Parket combines innovative products and superior design with top service and speedy deliveries, so this explains its success.

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Z-parket is a passionate Belgian company, which makes solid and semi-solid wood floors. The company has developed its own unique finishing system, which is one of the main reasons for the extensive choice of original colours. This allows customers a choice of solid wood or composite parquet in diverse thicknesses: 9,14, or 20mm and 10, 15, and 21mm thick, whilst the widths vary between 120 and 240mm, selection 1 bis or rustic. As regards finish, there is a choice between distressed or not, scraped, or with V-joint.

Superior service As a young company, Z-parket is making rapid strides, but this can be explained by their clearly evident strengths. Apart from their innovation and the quality which is typical of Z-Parket floors, their pricing, fast deliveries, service and honesty have all been big factors in their rapid expansion. Moreover, their very extensive stock is also an advantage. With a stock of over 60, 000m², Z-parket always delivers its orders quickly. Even the secondary finish items are in their own hands and it is easy for them to supply the requested colour.

Absolutely top class items: the Z and X collection The division of the Z-parket range of parquet floors into collections has proved extremely popular. The top success stories in obtaining scores of prestigious projects are the Z and X collection. The unique and highly organic look of these floors fits in naturally with the prevailing spirit of the age and has won the hearts and minds of numerous architects. The fact that Z-parket has managed to acquire this natural, organic look is thanks to the demanding nature which has given rise to these collections. For some colours Z-parket applies no fewer than 13 different colour steps. Unique floors require expertise and perseverance.

Projects At Z-parket they are extremely proud of the many attractive building projects in which their floors form part of the interior.

Here is a brief summary: • Apple store: Z-parket Fine line collection has been fitted in two shops of the innovative computer brand.

• Designer Show House Manhattan : The Z-parket X-line collection has been delivered for fitting in 15 luxury flats. Each flat costs between five and seven million dollars.

Furthermore, several stars and famous personalities have got a Z-parket floor in their house. These include the private residence of Joop van den Ende, the Hollywood stars Johny Depp, Halle Berry, and Sean Penn, designer Philippe Starck, and the Lacoste French fashion family.

Advertorial Z-Parket (B) It goes without saying that Z-parket has had to earn all these projects. The company attributes these privileges to its close collaboration with dealers in various countries. However, even today, Z-parket is still looking for the right partners who are prepared to commit themselves to the cause to work together with the Z-parket team to achieve the best possible results. Professionals who believe in the Z-parket products, realise their added value, and can market them are kindly requested to contact the company.

Z-Parket Jan Latoslaan 9, 3600 Genk, Belgium Tel. 0032-(0)89-380863, Fax 0032-(0)89-380836 E-mail : info@z-parket.be, www.z-parket.be

Floor Forum International 54

Z-parket brings genuine renewal Z-parket’s success is based on innovation and the constant quest to deliver new products and stand out from its competitors. In this context, for example, the company’s new web site has to be connected to the Z-app, the first app for the parquet industry. Recently, the company also launched a highly original range of distressed floors with an extremely authentic look. Furthermore, the market has welcomed the new mosaic floors with great enthusiasm.

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Technology meets high expectations In recent years, we have frequently considered various systems for fastening terrace floors invisibly. Ingeniously designed clip systems have taken the aesthetic and qualitative standard of terrace floors to a much higher level. That’s technology in the service of man. However, technological refinement for constructing terrace floors goes back even beyond invisible fasteners. It starts with the foundation of the floor. Indeed, adjustable floor pedestals provide a perfectly balanced foundation for the floor. These are surprisingly versatile and flexible and unbelievably ‘adjustable’! it will certainly curtail the durability of the floor as ‘strange’ forces go to work.

We can illustrate this with an example.

Suppose we glue a plank fully onto a covering floor in an area which is slightly ‘invisible’. We can certainly glue the plank if the initial adhesion of the glue is sufficient, but the forces which develop at the heads of the plank are, and continue to be, much stronger than the forces for which the glue has been developed. The plank will endeavour to break free on the outside (upwards). Sooner or later, this leads to problems. Similarly, the foundation is also crucially important for outdoor terraces. Shortcomings in the base of outdoor parquet will eventually result in wear and tear.

Special

Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Outdoor parquet aspires to perfection

Floor Forum International 54

Buzon International S.A.

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New quality expectations It now looks like terrace floors without an invisible fastening system are gradually going completely out of fashion.

Human beings are such demanding creatures! Before the days of invisible fastening, consumers were perfectly satisfied with traditional fitting systems with screws on show. However, now that terraces can be fitted without screws, people will settle for nothing less.

This is perfectly understandable since our quality expectations for the design of our ‘outdoor surrounds’ have risen to the same heights as those for our interiors. These increased expectations have immediate consequences for the work of floor fitters, both for fitting indoor and outdoor parquet. Clients are now so

critical and demanding that they will only accept top quality work. Perfection is the order of the day and even minor faults imply a risk of complaints and reductions to the final bill. And so fitters have to be sure of themselves and they can best use solutions which can help them to achieve that perfect fitting.

The importance of the foundation With the exception of a certain tolerance, faults in the base when parquet is fitted are visible in the intermediate floor and, eventually, in the final floor as well.

For example, a difference in level in the covering floor is reflected in the subfloor and translated (and often increased) in the parquet floor. Furthermore, even if a particular fault is not immediately visible,

Straightening the base In existing houses, the chance of the terrace base being perfectly level is almost certainly non-existent. In any case, most existing terraces have a small slope to aid drainage and in times past this slope was sometimes drastically overdone.

Moreover, in many cases people don’t want to restrict the new (wooden) terrace to the surface area of the existing terrace. Sometimes, people try to integrate the terrace with a swimming pool, which is not necessarily at the same level (height). And so, this means levelling with a capital ‘L’. Differences in level have to be worked away. In order to cover an existing (tile) terrace with a new wooden terrace, joiners used to use wooden wedges. That seems logical, but it is not really advisable for outdoor applications, partly because in this way there is direct contact between the ground, the wooden wedge, the base, and the terrace wood.

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Adjustable pedestals for terraces Adjustable BUZON DPH速 top quality pedestals for all commercial, industrial, and residential applications.

Joist cradle Leveller shim Paver spacer tabs

Support head Slope corrector (0-5%) Locking key

Coupler

Adjustement ring

Base

Stone, ceramic and concrete pavers/slabs/tiles

Timber boards decking systems

Timber tiles decking systems

Integrated slope compensation

Durability

Superior drainage

Stability and strength

Easy access for maintenance

Quick and easy fitting

Precise adjustment via height and slope corrector Choice of space between paving and/or decking

info@buzon.eu - www.buzon.eu

Special

Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

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consist of 80% recycled propylene and 20% talc, so they can be completely recycled ( Green Product ) ( ISO certificate on request). The quality of the basic material is, of course, important for the durability. Buzon floor pedestals have undergone scores of tests: amongst other things, they can withstand temperatures from -50 to 120°C.

Solidor

This situation can result in excessive expansion and shrinking of the wood. Moreover, it is not possible to absorb big differences in levels by using wedges. Technicians have developed adjustable floor pedestals specially for this reason. These floor pedestals can be adjusted in height and adapted to differences in level and to slopes. An ingenious conception!

The features of floor pedestals Floor pedestals ‘carry floors’ – it’s that simple. They are deployed for tile terraces, plank terraces, temporary floors or exhibition floors, industrial floors, and even stages. Since these floor pedestals are made from synthetic materials, they are virtually indifferent to the weather conditions when they are used as a base for outdoor terraces. The way in which they are designed determines their strength. By combining different elements it is possible to raise floors considerably and thereby offset a considerable difference in height. Moreover, if the gradient of the slope can be adjusted, the possibilities are even greater.

This gradient should also be at least 2%. In our search for technical information, amongst other things, we found out that the number of serious traders on the market is extremely limited.

A major distinction is that between ‘stationary’ pedestals and ‘height adjustable’ pedestals. In some respects, stationary pedestals replace the wedge of bygone days and are available in different thicknesses and sizes. Floor pedestals which can be adjusted in height are a sort of jack-of-all-trades. They adapt to the circumstances in a flexible manner.

A selection from the market range

This means that these pedestals are found in extremely hot and humid climates (Middle East), but also in bitterly cold regions such as Russia and Poland. These floor pedestals can be adjusted in height from 28 to 1030mm, and that is unique worldwide.

They can be deployed for beams from 35 to 120 mm. The PH5 gradient regulator patented makes it possible to offset a slope of up to 5%. In combination with the BC-PH5 corrector, it is even possible to offset slopes of up to 15%.

These floor pedestals can cope with loads of up to 1000kg. The great strength of Buzon, apart from the incomparable quality of its products, is the ease of fitting, safety, and, especially, their ability to produce and deliver pedestals quickly from a huge stock of several hundred thousands of floor pedestals with his 35 Buzon Distributors around the world.

Floor Forum International 54

Solidor

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Buzon International S.A. Buzon International S.A. is certainly the European and worldwide leader in the production and sale of adjustable pedestals for terraces. The company has over 25 years of experience. Buzon offers a solution for fitting terraces on sloping or uneven surfaces.

The company designs, produces, and sells floor pedestals of the screw jack type, made from polypropylene. The pedestals

Solidor floor pedestals are made from polypropylene. They can

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Depending on the strength of the beams used, it is advisable to position the feet 40 to 60cm from each other. You secure the beams with screws. The top plate of the pedestal has a groove for this purpose. Solidor gives a 10 year guarantee on these products.

Solidor floor pedestals can be fitted quickly and easily and can be used for an extensive range of floors e.g. wooden beams, floor tiles in wood or concrete, etc.

Special

withstand temperatures from -25 to + 80°C. The pedestals can bear loads up to 1000kg. Once the correct height is set, it is easy to fix the pedestal in place.

The base plate has a surface area of 300cm². The system can regulate a height between 1 and 50cm. The slope corrector makes is possible to absorb differences in height.

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14:56

Pagina 1

SOLIDOR Supports for terraces they make the difference!

www.solidor.be - info@solidor.be

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adv. 90x128:Opmaak 1

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> Industry news

Industry news

HOMAG City in Milan: High tech for sustainable success

Despite visitor numbers down on 2010 and difficult economic times in Italy, the HOMAG Group is highly satisfied with the outcome of the fair under the circumstances. Italy remains one of the world’s most important furniture markets. The home sales company HOMAG Italia had the opportunity to welcome almost all the country’s key industrial customers to HOMAG City.

Particularly in times of economic difficulty, the HOMAG Group offers the strong arm of partnership to its customers. Its clear commitment was rewarded by an array of qualified trade fair contacts and healthy order books.

Farewell to Ad van Oversteeg at Overmat On 15 June of this year, Overmat said farewell to its founder and former director, Ad van Oversteeg, who had served the company for over 30 years with inspired enterprise and unprecedented passion. As founder of Overmat Industries B.V., he played a big part in the growth and development of this company. Now, however, the time has come for him to enjoy his well-earned spare time! His son, Jeroen van Oversteeg, took over the reins from Ad at Overmat two years ago and he, together with his team of staff, will ensure that Overmat continues to grow.

Floor Forum International 54

Jeroen van Oversteeg, Ad van Oversteeg and his wife Hélène’

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Jules Noten leaves Balta Group Carl Verstraelen appointed acting CEO Balta Group has announced that Jules Noten (repr. Lemon bvba) will be leaving his position as CEO on July 31st 2012 to pursue other career opportunities. Until a permanent replacement is found, the Board has asked Carl Verstraelen (repr. Dimacor bvba) to assume the acting CEO role alongside his current CFO role.

Balta Group has increased its turnover from €530m in 2008 to

€750m in 2011 through growth in its existing business and the acquisition of Domo floor covering. In all of its flooring activities from carpet tiles, laminate, rugs to broadloom carpet it has a leading position in Europe. Balta is the second largest firm worldwide in machine-woven area rugs.

Julian Huxtable, Senior Principal at Doughty Hanson, owner of Balta Group, said today: “The Board would like to thank Jules for his contribution to the success of Balta Group over the years and we wish him luck in his future endeavours.”

Mr. Jules Noten commented: “I leave behind a strong team with a clear agenda and a company with a positive culture. I have very much enjoyed my time at Balta and I wish my Balta colleagues the very best in the future.”

H&W Finishing H&W Finishing in Tilburg, Netherlands, has recently opened a third production line for making special finishes. This production line is also suitable for applying manual work. It can also be used to make separate, non-standard finishes, and this results in genuinely attractive and characteristic floors. It is also possible on this line to spray items such as covering strips, skirting boards, bolts, and ceiling parts. Distressing by means of scarving is proving popular on the market. Just recently, the company has introduced a new type of scarving, SX 8. You will find more details on their web site.

Euro-Mat award for ter Hürne – Concept a winner also on the international stage The medium-sized company ter Hürne, based in Münsterland, Germany was voted „Supplier of the Year 2012“ in the wood category by the Euro-Mat Buying Group at the Euro-Mat Supplier Forum which was held in Palma de Mallorca from 17 to 19 April 2012. Although ter Hürne is a new member, who has only been listed with Euro-Mat as a supplier of laminate, Avatara, engineered parquet and solid wood floors for two years, the company has already claimed the honour. The decisive factor for the Jury’s decision was the innovative marketing concept, which is based on modern neuromarketing science.

Quick-Step presents Floor Advisor No one needs to be surprised that floor producers make use of the Internet. More and more end users are deploying the surf pad in their quest to find the perfect floor.

In 2010, Quick-Step launched its web site the ‘Floor Advisor’. This web site, which is updated constantly with new items, presents 16 different room designs in which visitors can ‘play around’ with the floor, floor types, and colours. The ‘Floor Advisor’ even makes it possible to upload photographs from one’s own home.

This web tool means you can put your own interior ‘in the digital picture’ and see what an effect the floor will have. Consumers have already discovered the Floor Advisor, but dealers and floor fitters can also use it to give their clients even better advice.

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Easydek Multi Cover Breathable: better protection film allows parquet floors to breathe

Advertorial Easydek (NL)

Imagine that an exclusive parquet floor has just been fitted and yet within a few days is damaged by an unsuitable covering. That’s every floor fitter’s nightmare! However, there’s no need for that to happen any more. Easydek has produced a perfect covering film with a breathable membrane, which prevents the penetration of moisture from above and allows the floor to breathe at the same time. And so, floor fitters can sleep easily at night.

Easydek provides perfect covering material for parquet floors.

Watertight on the top side Easydek Multi Cover Breathable is watertight on the top side at the same time. And so, spilt paint or other liquids

are no longer a threat to the parquet floor underneath. The Easydek Multi Cover Breathable is also suitable for outdoor use due to its watertightness on the top side.

Moreover, the Multi Cover Breathable is anti-slip and therefore easy to walk on.

The covering film stays firmly in place at all times. The material used is also extremely strong and durable. This makes it ideal for high traffic building projects.

Anti-slip and easy to apply Easydek Multi Cover Breathable is easy to apply. This covering material is rolled up in such a way that the anti-slip bottom layer is on the outside. You only have to unroll it and cut it off.

If necessary, you can tape off the joints between the different pieces with Easydek tape.

Easydek Multicover Breathable is available in 1m or 1.5m rolls of 25, 50, or 75m².

Easydek B.V. Stationsweg Oost 281E 3931 ER, Woudenberg The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 33 285 9222 Fax: + 31 (0) 33 285 9229 www.easydek.com info@easydek.nl

Floor Forum International 54

Easydek Multi Cover Breathable is a triple layer of covering material for temporarily covering recently fitted parquet floors, but also for cast floors and natural stone. The substrate is a stiff, lightly adhesive facing. Thanks to the multiple membrane structure, the material can breathe on one side so that it can be applied on newly fitted floors. And so, the floor continues to breathe and the normal setting process of the glue and finishing coats is not disrupted. This is in contrast to when a floor is covered with a sheet, for example.

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Special ‘Find the way to Industrial lacquers, they offer benefits’

Coating contractor skills offer added value To finish on site or to pre-finish? that is the question!

A striking change has occurred in the parquet industry in recent decades. Traditionally, parquet and wooden floors were fitted according to a strict process on site from A to Z. Nowadays, however, some steps are now catered for outside that traditional process. Oddly enough, in some respects the cause of this change has ‘turned the world on its head’. Whilst laminate has sprouted up as an ‘imitation’ of parquet and wooden floors, pre-finished parquet has drawn its inspiration largely from some of laminate’s essential features. Parquet producers have ‘spied’ on the imitators to bring about a revolution.

Floor Forum International 54

Zabolak

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The road to pre-finished A few decades ago, laminate grew up rapidly from childhood to adulthood to cause a major stir on the flooring market. Parquet manufacturers looked upon those imitation floors in a rather condescending manner and obviously put themselves and their products in a higher segment: the real McCoy. However, once laminate started to conquer a sizeable market share, the parquet industry could hardly turn a blind eye to its existence.

When the market shows a serious interest in a particular product category, there has to be a reason for it.

Laminate as a solution There were several reasons for the success of laminate. This new sort of floor certainly made its mark in situations where parquet was not the best option. For example, the laminate sector conquered the DIY market in no time at all due to its easy

fitting. It was also obvious that the market appreciated (and still appreciates) the fact that laminate is ready for fitting. It is the ideal solution for renovation (e.g. on an existing floor) and for rented homes and flats where tenants have little inclination to invest in expensive floors for the benefit of owners.

The parquet industry responds A few years ago, parquet makers chose to copy the inherent benefits of laminate for their wooden floor production. The first step was to apply a finish in advance (in the factory). This spares end clients from sandpapering and odour of finish products.

Floors are now fitted much faster. The next step was to fit a ‘click system’ for wooden floorboards. Floors are now clicked together in the same way as laminate floors. Ready-to-fit parquet flooring was born.

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N

SUPER-FAST APPLICATION

EW

Ergonomic added value It is clear that the work of coating contractors has certain economic implications. Floor fitters and floor manufacturers have the opportunity to offer a much wider range of products, albeit at a (variable) cost, without having to commit themselves to major investment (fixed costs). Yet there’s more! By outsourcing certain operations, floor fitters are lightening their load EAS advertentie EN 190x65,5.pdf 2 19-03-12 15:00 considerably. If sandpapering and floor treatments are done

An introduction of 3 reputated specialists: H&W Finishing

H&W Finishing offers a varied range of operations regarding parquet finishing, amongst other things. H&W Finishing came into existence 12 years ago from a company with years of experience in the field of surface finishing. The company can sand, wirebrush, stain, apply UV oils and varnishes, smoke, distress via ‘scarving’ (see below), pack products in shrink film, label, add fitting instructions, and much more. Recently, the company opened a third production line for oxidative oil finishing. And so, ‘finishing’ is very much the speciality of the house. Scarving is the odd man out in this box of tools: scarving is a method of damaging a floor in which tongue and groove remain

Easydek floor protection EASYDEK SPECIALIZES IN TEMPORARY FLOOR PROTECTION DURING CONSTRUCTION, REMODELING AND MAINTENANCE.

Laminates, Vinyl, Linoleum SAFEST CHOICE

LITTLE WASTE / DISPOSAL

Special ‘Find the way to Industrial lacquers, they offer benefits’

Who are the clients?

We’ve often said in this publication that the term ‘coating contractor’ has long since ceased to be an adequate job title. These contractors offer just about every possible finish (e.g. varnish, oil, or hard wax oil) as well as pre-colouring or distressing through the application of mechanical damage (e.g. beating or lashing). The clients are parquet producers who are increasingly faced with smaller jobs ‘tailored to the client’. It’s hardly worth investing in the equipment needed to distress floors if you only have to distress 100m² of parquet. Since coating contractors work for various clients, the investment is worthwhile for them.

Another group of clients are floor fitters who want to have a number of ‘operations’ (e.g. colouring or distressing) done in advance. They see the benefits of pre-finished floors, but they retain their own formula. Coating contractors operate at the request of, and according to the instructions of, floor fitters. This simply means that some operations are ‘outsourced’.

elsewhere, this makes the work of a floor fitter much less of a physical strain. A good example of this ‘ergonomic added value’ is the hugely popular hand-scraped floor. Recently, we visited a large villa from the 1950s or 60s where the living room (140m²) had a splendid dark coloured old oak floor, completely handscraped according to the old process and therefore carried out on site. In view of the vast surface and the movements involved in hand-scraping (from a kneeling position), it must have been an infernal job to complete that particular floor. Moreover, however attractive the result, the fact is that it is perfectly possible to achieve the same look mechanically on the assembly line, standing upright, or even fully automatic. And so, there can be no doubt that outsourcing the hand-scraping of a floor is certainly worth the cost.

Multi Cover Premium is a double layered protective non-woven with a unique anti-slip undercoating. The strong top polyethylene film prevents spillage, scratches and other types of damages.

Newly laid or treated wooden floors Multi Cover Breathable is the solution for protecting newly laid floorings.

It is vapor transmitting and allows the floor to breath, whilst being waterproof from the top! Multi Cover Breathable is very strong and protects wooden floors against scratches, dents and discolorations. The anti-slip undercoating creates a safe and professional working environment.

MORE INFO: WWW.EASYDEK.COM/FLOORFORUM

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Floor Forum International 54

Where’s the coating contractor?

It goes without saying that ready-to-fit parquet does have its benefits for professional floor fitters. It gives them an opportunity to fit more square metres of floor in less time. However, this does not mean that they’re all going to convert to buying large quantities of pre-finished and throw away all the years of expertise, which has often been handed down from fathers to sons. Companies which specialise, amongst other things, in applying finish products to wooden floors serve both parquet makers and floor fitters. An important benefit of these so called ‘coating contractors’ is that they serve different ‘masters’. This immediately gives them a wealth of knowledge and expertise from various perspectives. All ‘clients’ of a coating contractor company retain ‘something’ of their own recipe. The result? A recipe book of the secrets of various chefs. Whilst floor fitters have experience of ‘some’ species of wood, coating contractors know just about ‘all’ of them. Whilst floor fitters are experts in working with ‘certain’ products, coating contractors are experts in using a ‘range’ of products.

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undamaged and the planks are still guaranteed to fit. Only the required damaging is applied. Very recently, the company has introduced a new type of scarving.

Timfin

We distress, smoke, treat with lye, stain, oil, lacquer, and pack your oors as required.

Engelseweg 198, 5705 AJ Helmond, Nederland T. 0031-492 565 952 F. 0031-492 565 240 info@zabolak.nl

FFi30_ZABOLAK_1_4.indd 1

Timfin offers an extensive range of services for both parquet manufacturers and wood dealers. The company’s major activities are varnishing, oiling, brushing, sandpapering, distressing, finishing outdoor wood, and packing. Its main speciality consists of applying oils and natural varnishes. Timfin is a medium-sized player in the field of wood finishes in the broadest sense. Years of experience in the parquet floor industry have given Timfin a clear view of the possibilities for applying a finish to parquet, as we have earlier said. These possibilities also include exterior treatments for frontage cladding and terrace floors. Timfin is located in Aalter, Belgium, and easily accessible on the Lakeland industrial estate.

Zabolak

9/02/09 11:09

Zabolak has been active in its present form since 1996. The company was formed about 40 years ago by Gerard Martens. Zabolak has at its disposal extremely modern machinery for treating the surfaces of floorboards, wooden panels, and related products.

Zabolak offers all treatments and processes in the area of finishing, including packing and the provision of logistical services, if necessary. This speciality is elegantly defined as an interplay of ‘creativity, flexibility, and certainty’. Generally speaking, the company’s clients are parquet manufacturers, wholesalers, project developers, designers, and architects. The most important operations which Zabolak carries out are brushing, sandpapering, radiating, oiling, varnishing, and colouring or a combination of these. Over the past seven years, Zabolak has specialised mainly in distressing and colouring floors. In addition to the use of reputable oils, Zabolak has also specialised in the execution of mechanical operations within the framework of distressing techniques. Smoking is also one of its specialities.

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FLOORING TRADE FAIR FOR TURKEY AND MIDDLE EAST

Istanbul Expo Center, TURKEY

domotex-middle-east.com THIS FAIR IS ORGANIZED WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE UNION OF CHAMBERS AND COMMODITY EXCHANGES OF TURKEY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW NUMBER 5174

Production lines even include the packing There was a time when floor fitters would produce their own strips of parquet and then stack them neatly onto a trailer to deliver them to their clients ready for the real work on site. This might be the first separation in the history of the parquet industry, but production has become a separate activity. Nowadays, floor fitters are confronted by a wide range of floor sorts (e.g. solid wood, multi-layer, and veneer) in an even wider range of wood sorts, and sometimes these are already finished. Quality parquet has become a branded product. Nowadays, manufacturers use the packaging to attract clients.

Points for attention regarding computerisation It was clear that the overwhelming majority of employees in the above-mentioned company worked in parquet production.

Basically, computerisation means that you can produce more with the same number of workers or with even fewer. From a business economics point of view that is certainly a ‘blessing’.

After all, it drives down production costs per unit. However, from a socio-economic point of view, this is in some respects the ‘curse’ of computerisation. “This has to be modified somewhat,” says Jan Peeters from CSP Engineering, which specialises in the computerisation of production processes. “Experience in practice shows that companies usually turn to computers so that they can produce goods to a higher standard with the same number of people. Amongst our clients, no one has ever been dismissed as a result of computerisation.” At all events, computerisation ensures that the employees on the production line can work in much better conditions. Attention is focused strongly on ‘ergonomics’ and this fits in perfectly with the principle of ‘health and safety at

CSP Engineering

work’. Anyone who has to bend to deposit a plank on the conveyor belt puts some sort of strain on his or her back, and possibly the knees as well. A computerised process takes over any tasks which put a strain on human health. Human beings are still there because of their perceptive qualities (control).

Shortage of skilled workers “The wood industry also needs skilled and well trained workers,” says Jan Peeters. “In the past, technical schools have tended to treat the ‘wood’ department like a stepmother. Furthermore, a lot of young people do not consider technical education to be very ‘sexy’, and that has resulted in a further general fall in number in technical education.” The results of this can be felt in all production companies, including those in the wood industry. This is why they regard computerisation as a solution so that they can let the few skilled workers in their ranks use their expertise instead of having them work, for example, in repetitive and/or manipulative tasks. Jan Peeters continues: “And so, it is often the experts who set up the different machines, look after the tool management, work on the development of new products, and such like.”

Internal transport Computerisation is the only way to meet the increasing (international) demand. Producers are sighing for greater capacity. In this process people act as controllers and guardians. In the past, computerisation was related to production itself. Fork lift trucks operated by ‘people’ used to ride back and forth between production departments, but even this is changing.

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Floor Forum International 54

Staggering visit to a company Some years ago, this editor had the great privilege of visiting a renowned German parquet and laminate manufacturer. Although the parquet factory was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, it dated from ‘way back’ in time. The company had started producing laminate somewhat more recently. A walk along the multi-layer parquet production lines lived up entirely to expectations: a step-by-step production, from rough planks to completely finished parquet ready to be fitted. At each stage of the production stood a figure of ‘flesh and blood’, who had ‘one’ specific task: this was usually a small and simple task within that vast process. At every four stages you would see a quality control worker, who had to cast an eagle-eyed glance over every plank to check its quality. Viewed from the air, about sixty people could be seen swarming between the conveyor belts of this production site.

The next step was a visit to the still brand new laminate production area. During my visit, production from a certain collection in the range was in full swing. A somewhat depressing observation: there wasn’t a soul to be seen, apart from the man who gave us this guided tour to explain how the production department worked. One man at the start of the line pressed a large green button and intervened only if the machine stalled. At the end of the production line we saw ready-for-use laminate floors, neatly stacked in piles of about 1.5m² and tidily packed. Binding was not needed. Computerisation was king here.

Special on Automatisation and packaging

Computerisation conquers the parquet sector

39

Special on Automatisation and packaging

> continued from page 39

Computers now regulate all internal transport, from the rough plank to the ‘packed’ product. One person on the feed and retrieve tables is enough. The feed table is positioned in line with the machine. Work items are put manually onto cross chains or belts. They are automatically aligned, tied, and then put into the machine one by one. Feed tables are available in all sorts of variants for various processing speeds and are suitable for short and long work items with rough or smooth surfaces. Retrieve systems are used at lower processing speeds for mechanical planes, saws, packing lines, and so on. The operator at the installation entrance is responsible for both feeding the machine and stacking the (retrieved) processed products.

The production itself It goes without saying that the construction of a computerised production line depends largely on what is produced. At all events, just about anything can be computerised as soon as a rough plank finds its way onto the production line. Planing, sandpapering, and milling of tongue and groove are directed by the computer (CNC controlled machines). Checking consists mainly of manual and visual ‘samples’. With the production of multi-layer parquet there will be provision for (hot melt) glueing where the different layers are assembled. Click systems can also be fitted automatically, if necessary. The produced floorboards go to the line where the finish (oil, varnish, or hard wax) is applied and dried. The machine measures, labels, registers, and packs the products. The operator who fed the rough floorboards into the machine receives via the retrieval system floor packets which are neatly packed and ready for the shops.

The role of packing Parquet manufacturers distribute their goods via different channels. These channels include their own dealers, grossists, and parquet specialists, but they also distribute directly to floor fitters and, for a few years now, to wholesale distributors and retailers (e.g. DIY). And so, these days, it’s not only the watchful eye of the professional connoisseur that they have to impress with the quality of their products. They also have to express their qualitative added value in order to impress other parties involved in the chain. Parquet is given an identifying mark, it is becoming a ‘brand’, and this phenomenon has raised its head only recently.

Pre-finish techniques for parquet flooring Trivec offers a unique range of machines for pre finishing of parquet flooring. Pre finishing comprises all sorts of surface treatments like brushing, aging and finishing with oil, wax, lacquers or stains.

Floor Forum International 54

Trivec systems are modular and can be set up as ‘stand alone’ machines or as part of a complete Trivec finishing line with automatic feeding systems, infra red pre heating, polishing units and solutions for drying.

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Purely functional As we have already said, in the past, the floorboards left the workshop or (local) manufacturer neatly stacked in the vehicle to be taken directly to the site. A scratch here or there did not really matter. Parquet was traditionally fitted, sandpapered, and finished from scratch. Nowadays, parquet completes a long trajectory. It travels from the manufacturer to the distributor or importer by road, rail, or ship, from the distributor to the grossist, and then to the specialist seller, the floor fitter, or the retailer.

This all involves loading, unloading, and stacking. Parquet has to be protected and that applies especially to ready-for-use, pre-finished parquet where no sanding machine will be used to remove any possible damage caused in transit. Whilst the floorboards used to be packed mainly in cardboard, we now see additional packing in a film. After all, cardboard protects against mechanical damage such as knocks and dents, but not against damp. The combination of cardboard and film provides ultimate protection.

Producers can choose here between shrink film, applied via a bundle packer or a packing machine, or wrapping film (this packing technique is described at length in edition 79).

‘Branding’ and communication The expression ‘A-brand’ is no longer completely new in the parquet industry, but neither is it very old. Parquet manufacturers want to exude their quality to all those involved in the chain. They also devise alluring names for the different collections and like to explain what the specifications are. This also gives manufacturers an opportunity to explain why their products are more expensive than others. There are several brands which have gained the confidence of the market with their brand name, both that of the floor fitters and that of end users. In addition to voluntarily stated specifications (expression of quality), there is also essential data for the client e.g. number of square metres, dimensions, thickness, and finishing methods, and also the information required by law. CE marking is the best example of this.

CE marking Since 1 March 2010, all manufacturers who launch products on the market within the European Union are legally obliged to apply CE marking. Here, the word ‘manufacturer’ has to be understood in its broader sense. From a legal point of view, the manufacturer cannot apply CE marking until it has drawn up a CE declaration of conformity. In this declaration the manufacturer states that its product is in conformity with the building products directive and the prevailing norm (for wooden floors EN 14342). Furthermore, the manufacturer has to give some information regarding essential health and safety features. The EN 14342 lists these features, which are as follows: fire class, formaldehyde emission, presence of PCP, thermal conductibility, bending strength, slip resistance, and biological durability. The CE marking must be applied to the product itself or to a label attached to the product or to the packaging and/or the accompanying sales documents. It will be quite clear that this mandatory marking can hardly be applied to the planks themselves.

An introduction CSP Engineering

More information: www.trivec.eu Stuurboord 2 9206 BK Drachten The Netherlands

T F E W

+31 (0)512 510035 +31 (0)512 547950 info@vec.eu www.trivec.eu

www.parketmachines.nl

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As we have already said, CSP specialises in the computerisation of production processes. The company offers solutions in different sectors, including in the field of automatic feeding and stacking on production

Rösler Benelux The machines from Rösler also make it possible to distress parquet floors automatically. Distressing floors is not only a trend,

but also increasingly a question of personal taste. Rösler is a specialist in the field of surface treatments. The Benelux branch is part of a worldwide active concern with its headquarters in Memmelsdorf, Germany.

The Rösler assortment has several types of distressing machines, including the trough vibrator. A plank which is put in a distressing machine ends up in a vat full of grinding materials (the media). The media move around the plank as a result of the upward and downward movement of the vat. This changes the structure of the plank. One machine can create a thousand and one different looks! The wood is treated mainly in trough and corridor vibrators, which are fed automatically by an automatic conveyor belt.

The vat of the vibrators is fitted with a hot cast and durable layer of PU and the vibration is produced by its own design imbalance motors. Vibro-finishing technology can be applied to all sorts of wood. For the treatment of planks Rösler offers customised computerised operations such as, for example, conveyor systems from the saw to the distressing machine. Rösler hereby minimises the manual work and makes a contribution to improving industrial safety. On the other hand, computerisation is also a means of increasing productivity.

Special on Automatisation and packaging

lines. CSP Engineering has several leading parquet producers amongst its clients. Apart from the fact that the company offers various mechanised solutions or even complete production lines for this sector and other sectors, it has also developed a number of solutions which are geared specifically to the parquet industry.

Specially for the parquet industry, CSP Engineering has developed the Par-Scan® parquet scanner.

Par-Scan® measures, registers, labels, and packs packets of parquet without manual intervention. Par-Duo® is specially designed for glueing two-layer parquet with PU Hot Melt as it passes through the system. The machine makes it possible to glue up to 20m/min. as the products pass through. It produces in fixed or variable lengths and has a CNC controlled accompanying cross-cut saw. Par-Stack® is an automatic stacking machine which ensures that floorboards are stacked neatly on a pallet, separately or packed. The machine has a capacity of up to eight packs a minute. CSP Engineerng also has the Par-Feed® feed table for feeding four-sided planing machines. Finally, Par-Info® automatically adds information (brochure) for the benefit of end users.

www.progressprofiles.com

Our glance always at the future.

Flat or Channel?

Proskirting Flat

Proskirting Channel

Only Progress Profiles offers you the possibility of such a choice.

Proskirting Flat and Proskirting Channel are two of the latest skirting boards designed with an integrated system for plasterboards and devised to create a skirting flush to the wall with decorative inner grooves, with or without cable channel. They are available in stainless steel, anodized aluminium, polished, brushed or varnished in several colours, in order to create the desired effect of contemporary touch.

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Floor Forum International 54

sTudioverde

Skirting board

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Innovation. Not Imitation. lnventing, designing, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and shipping our own exclusive line of deck building products worldwide is beyond smart...

We are

You may be familiar with the hidden fastening and deck building products we manufacture under the trade names hardWood Clip®, Ipe Clip®, Hardwood Wrench™, and Ipe Oil™. Now, our innovative products are available throughout Europe under one label, DeckWise™. Join our global network of dealers for factory direct pricing.

.com Colormatch Stainless Steel Screws Hardwood Oil End Grain Sealer

Hardwood Wrench™

Hidden Deck Fasteners

Deck Tile Connectors

Products not shown to scale. For illustration purposes only.

Hidden Siding Fasteners

Deckwise INternational B.V. • Nijverheidsweg 60-2 • 3812 PM Amersfoort • The Netherlands • phone: + 31 33 4691037 DeckWise USA : The Ipe Clip Fastener Co., LLC • 2111 58th Avenue East • Bradenton, FL 34203 Phone: 941-896-9851 web: DeckWise.com email: sales@deckwise.com

You may be familiar with the hidden fastening and deck building products we manufacture under the trade names hardWood Clip®, Ipe Clip®, Hardwood Wrench™, and Ipe Oil™. Now, our innovative products are available throughout Europe under one label, DeckWise™.

DeckWise™ building products include: • Hidden deck fastening systems • Hidden siding fasteners • Stainless steel deck screws • Color match screws • Deck tile connectors • Deck board straightening tools • Hardwood deck oils & cleaners • Many other solutions to install and protect decking CENTRAL LOCATION FOR EFFICIENT PROCESSING DeckWise™ International is the European sales office and warehouse for DeckWise™ products and is centrally located in Amersfoort, Netherlands. From this location, DeckWise™ products are distributed to our growing network of dealers throughout Europe.

DECKWISE DEALER OPPORTUNITIES When you join the worldwide network of DeckWise™ dealers, you can increase local market share without adding unnecessary risk. How? Dealers who stock the DeckWise™ brands know that they are giving their customers products which are reliable and long-lasting.

Stocking dealers receive the latest innovations of DeckWise™ products and benefit from competitive direct pricing from the factory.

DeckWise™ products are engineered and manufactured to ensure every deck dealer across the world can also enjoy the rewards of being known as an established business which provides products that have proved their durability. DeckWise™ dealers enjoy exclusive benefits including: • Access to our expanded product line, stocked in our Netherlands warehouse • Competitive pricing structure • Fast order shipping times • Greater inventory levels for faster order fulfilment • Increased online and conventional marketing efforts to bring you more customers • Faster market launch for new product developments • Improved customer service standards HOW TO JOIN THE DECKWISE DEALER NETWORK The application process to become a DeckWise dealer is fast and simple. To start, call our DeckWise International location in Amersfoort, Netherlands: +31 33 4691037, Sales@Deckwise.com or visit www.DeckWise.com/dealer.

Floor Forum International 54

DeckWise™ products are designed and manufactured in our state-of-the-art factory located in Bradenton, Florida, through our USA parent company, The Ipe Clip® Fastener Company.

With over 20 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, and shipping products to our network of worldwide dealers and distributors, The Ipe Clip® Fastener Company is widely recognised as the innovative decking specialist for the professional market.

DeckWise™ building products include:

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Deck building just got a whole lot smarter with DeckWise™ International

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www.prn-agenzia.it

ECOSTAR 2K The Overmat Terrace Renovator cleans, renovates and oils your wooden deck; after treatment the decking is like new again. This machine in combination with the Floorservice速 Decking Oil provides care of an optimum protection from water and dirt.

Are you interested in our products or do you wish a demonstration with the Overmat Terrace Renovator, please contact us.

Overmat Industries b.v. | Scharlo 11 | NL-5165 NG Waspik | The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0) 416 31 77 88 | Internet: www.overmat.nl | Email: info@overmat.nl

Terrasrenovator_GB.indd 1

15-05-12 16:43

New! Two-component polyurethane water-based glossy lacquer for wooden floors

80 GLOSS

CHIMIVER PANSERI S.p.A. PONTIDA (BG) www.chimiver.com info@chimiver.com

Hygrometers are now more precise Water is the source of all life and, thankfully, we have easy access to it. Building materials, too, contain moisture and they need it in order to do their job. In some respects wood is the odd man out. It’s true that wood also contains some water, but, unlike many other building materials, wood can reveal to the naked eye big differences in the amount of water which it contains. Wood expands and shrinks as its damp content rises and falls. Another difference to many other building materials is that excess damp can damage wood irreparably.

Residual building damp Residual building damp is the ‘surplus’ damp added to some building materials so that we can use or manipulate them. In the main these are products in powder form, which are mixed with water. We are thinking particularly of plaster for plastering, cement for the brickwork, concrete for the support structures and floor panels, and a screed for fitting the floors. If the products are used for building, they gain strength by releasing water without releasing all of it. When wood comes into contact with building materials which still contain residual building damp, it will absorb that water spontaneously and start to swell.

Atmospheric damp Under normal circumstances the atmosphere has a moisture content between 55 and 65%. This moisture content fluctuates with the seasons and depends on factors such as the atmospheric temperature. When wood is used in conditions which are too damp, it will absorb the damp from the ambient air. It is important to know that the above-mentioned residual building damp will take on the form of atmospheric damp for a certain time. In other words, the building materials harden as a result of evaporation and this damp temporarily affects the air humidity.

Ventilation during the drying process is absolutely essential.

Wood damp Wood damp is the damp content in the wood itself. Each wood sort has its own ideal moisture content. Obviously, wood is dried and will not usually be too damp. Professionals still advise leaving wood for a few days to acclimatise to the room in which it will be fitted. However, wood can also be too dry when it arrives on site. Wood which is too dry extracts damp not only from the air, but also from some glues (water dispersion). And so, it is quite possible that wooden floorboards which are too dry will start to swell even during the fitting.

Measuring techniques Professionals measure building moisture using tools which are based on equally refined technology. There are more or less four types of measuring tools which are particularly important for floor fitters: the CM (carbide method) meters for measuring residual building damp in the screed, hygro-thermometers for measuring atmospheric damp, and capacitive wood hygrometers or electric ohmmeters for measuring moisture in the building materials themselves, especially in the wood.

CM meters An extremely safe method of measuring residual moisture in the screed is still the carbide method in which the sample material from the screed is used to cause a reaction with carbide. There are some law courts which only accept the results of this method in the event of a dispute. The carbide method requires more time than the measuring tools mentioned below and it is more laborious and radical because in the final analysis you have to make a hole in the screed. The hole has to be deep enough to ensure reliable results. With a covering floor of 6cm it is advisable to make a hole up to 4cm deep.

Hygro- thermometers Air humidity and temperature are measured using hygro-thermometers. These are designed to control the surrounding conditions. The very latest tools are small hand tools, which measure both the temperature and the air humidity content in the room where parquet is to be fitted. The thermo-hygrometer is the first measuring tool which floor fitters take out.

Capacitive and electric resistance Electric resistance tools work on the basis of electric resistance and are fitted with electrodes (pins) which are pressed (or beaten) into the wood. The tool measures the resistance between those electrodes. A conversion of electric resistance to wood moisture is programmed into the tool. The makers have factored in a number of deviation risks. For example, ions in the air affect electrical resistance. The number of ions depends on the sort of wood. Some makers have also programmed a wood sort correction. The capacitive wood hygrometers work on the basis of a transmitter and receiver, based on the density of the wood.

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Floor Forum International 54

Damp everywhere The main sorts of damp which floor fitters encounter in buildings are residual building damp, atmospheric damp, and damp in the wood itself.

Special Hygrometers

A summary of various measuring tools

45

> continued from page 45

What’s on the market?

One of the capacitive hygrometers is the FMW-B hygrometer.

This hygrometer measures quickly without using measuring pens.

The FMW is a micro-processor guided hygrometer for measuring damp in wood and building materials in general. To use the meter, you hold the rear side of the instrument for half a second against the material to be measured. The specific weight of the wood is set on the FMW. This means it is perfectly possible to measure all sorts of wood. Settings are possible from 250 to 1100kg/m3. The FMW possesses a relative scale for measuring other building materials. To make a resistance damp measurement Brookhuis has the FMC, FME, or FMD6 hygrometer. These are micro-processor guided hygrometers for measuring wood and building materials. These meters record the moisture content with an electrode placed in or on the material to be measured.

The hygrometer corrects the recorded moisture value immediately to ‘real percentages’ on the basis of the set material and the set temperature.

Special Hygrometers

Brookhuis

Caisson

Brookhuis Micro-Electronics B.V. supplies both ‘capacitive’ hygrometers and meters based on the resistance moisture measurement. These hygrometers have an extremely broad scope, not just in the parquet industry but also in the entire timber industry.

JOIN OUR EXPANDING WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK!

Floor Forum International 54

Caisson has expanded its development team and production capacity. We have recently introduced a variety of advanced meters for different applications. We design and produce thermo-hygrometers, data-loggers, resistance wood moisture meters, electric field moisture meters with different sensor shapes etc. Our meters can be delivered as OEM with specific brand names and software. For most countries we still have great opportunities for growth.

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GM-300 non-destructive wood and concrete moisturemeter

You can contact us via: b.kruitwagen@caisson.nl (Bart) to find out more about the possibilities.

CAISSON Elektronik GmbH Boschstrasse 16, 47533 Kleve, Germany Tel: +49 2821894390

Caisson has various meters at its disposal for measuring concrete moisture. The most basic apparatus for this application is the VI-D1. This tool measures non-destructively by means of an electronic field. Caisson has recently issued a new version which, apart from the scale used by Caisson, can also give the moisture content in percentages at once for various sorts of concrete. An advanced design is the VI-D4, which also works non-destructively, but has a graphic display. This meter operates using not only an electronic field, but also the electric resistance by means of gilded contact points. For measuring wood damp there is also a new meter available, which is equipped with a ball sensor. This meter, the GM300, has an extensive list of materials and wood sorts.

The big advantage here, too, is the graphic display which makes tiresome searching for materials in books a thing of the past.

There are also more basic meters with this measuring principle available (GM100/200). Recently, caisson has introduced a new, precise, and highly compact thermo-/hygrometer, namely the LVT10C. Depending on the design, this tool can be supplemented with a surface temperature sensor or an external air and temperature probe. It can even be used to determine the moisture content balance in concrete by drilling a 10mm hole (for the USA there is also the LVT30 for this purpose). Caisson measuring tools do not require any special calibration and can be used immediately once they have been switched on. This limits measuring faults to a minimum.

Caisson is looking for active importers and agents within the industry for various regions and countries. Please contact us!

DNS Denzel DNS Denzel has been specialising for over 20 years in the development of damp measurement equipment. The measurements barely take two seconds and are done using non-destructive measuring equipment. DNS Denzel presents electronic damp detectors, which measure the moisture in wood and in the screed.

These tools can trace the moisture without damaging the substrate. The accuracy is no less than 99.98%. The G-812 hygrometer measures the moisture in six different sorts of material,

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Gann Gann has an extensive range of measuring instruments for damp in materials such as building materials. Its most important tasks are to measure moisture in wood and to measure residual building damp, relative air humidity, and air temperature i.e. everything that a floor fitter needs. This brand was the first to launch hygrometers which carry out an automatic measurement correction depending on the sort of wood and the temperature. We will discuss a few interesting tools since we cannot cover them all.

The Hydromette Compact B is a handy tool for detecting damp quickly in walls and floors and for carrying out tests prior to a CM analysis.

IN-SITU

RELATIVE HUMIDITY PROBE

Quality you can depend on

Humidity probe for concrete new fast accurate reusable economical See our website for more information

www.tramexltd.com

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PERFORM TESTING TO ASTM F2170 & F2420 AND BS5325, BS8203

Tramex turns out a completely new tool which takes measuring damp to a new dimension.

The Tramex CMEX Hygro-i Flooring Kit is a complete damp measuring kit in which the instant damp measuring test and the brand new Hygro-i probe are deployed together to create a new standard in the area of speed and accuracy again and again.

The brand new Tramex Hydro-i probe is the most advanced probe on the market.

When used together with the non-destructive meters Tramex CMEX2 and MRH3, this tool makes it possible to take measurements for moisture, temperature, and dew point in structural materials such as concrete floors and walls and for atmospheric conditions in the building. This combination makes it possible to measure the relative air humidity in order to comply with the ASTM F2170, F2420, BS8201:2011, and BS8203. The kit includes the CME Xpert II, a digital, non-destructive concrete hygrometer.

This device obtains instant information about the moisture content up to 6.9%. It has display lighting to help users who have to work in poor light. The Hygro-i RH probe, too, is part of the kit, as is a Hygro-i electronic interface. The Hygro-i is quick, accurate, re-usable, and economical.

Special Hygrometers

Tramex

For the latter, Gann offers the Hydromat CM, a moisture analysis tool which operates on the basis of the carbide method. The Hydromette BL Compact B is a refined version of the previous version.

Another tool, the Hydromette BL Compact RH-T, is a thermo-hygrometer which makes it possible to measure damp in materials such as concrete. Via a sensor which is positioned in a pre-drilled hole, it is possible to calculate the dew point immediately. The user has various options: relative damp, absolute damp, and such like.

Last but not least there is a perfect instrument for floor fitters, namely the Hydromette HB 30, which measures the moisture content in both wood and other building materials. And so, this tool enables floor fitters to measure both the floorboards and the substrate.

Tel: +44 759 54 111 42 sales@tramex.ie

Floor Forum International 54

including cement, concrete, and gypsum. The G-821 can do this in 120 different subfloors. The G-822 also measures the moisture in 120 sorts of subfloors, 15 different sorts of parquet, 10 different sorts of wood, various building materials, and no less than eight different types of concrete.

It measures the air humidity and the air temperature, calculates the dew point, and measures the surface temperature.

This tool can store data and transfer it (wire-free) to a PC or smart phone. The DNS G-821 and 822 measure a surface which is 400 times bigger than the DNS-G-809 and 812. This is a stand-alone tool which cannot be manipulated and therefore also complies with the legislation.

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Hard wax oil: past and present in one product

Special Hard wax oil

A wonder product at a crossroads of technology Bees wax is a finish from a distant past. That’s for sure. The patina of a waxed floor is beyond compare and is the fruit of years of hard labour. This patina becomes deeper, fuller, and more valuable with each coat of wax that polished parquet is given. No one will deny that a bees wax finish and the maintenance required later no longer fits in with current consumer expectations. There are other equally valuable and much simpler finishes. Makers have created a wonderful product in the shape of hard wax. This is a finish which reconciles the look from the past with the level of protection required today. traffic parts) can be repaired or restored locally, something which is not possible with varnish. As with oil (and with bees wax in days gone by), maintenance is in some respects the same as ‘nourishment’.

The film which lies on the floor after the application of hard wax oil is reinforced over the years as the floor is maintained.

This maintenance is fairly simple. An ordinary cleaning session means vacuum cleaning first followed by mopping with a well wrung cloth. A ‘cleaner’ can be added to the water. Manufacturers offer maintenance wax or oil for maintaining and nourishing the floor.

Floor Forum International 54

Rubio Monocoat

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Saturation and protection The principle on which the protection of a wooden floor through the application of a bees wax operates is twofold. In the first phase, the bees wax is rubbed into the pores of the wood until saturation point.

The second phase and subsequent maintenance are designed to reinforce this saturation and at the same time put a more or less solid film on the floor. The result is that the floor is protected from penetration of moisture and dirt and that the top layer also protects against mechanical influences (e.g. steps, skids, and scratches).

The moment when people started using a prior treatment with oil instead of rubbing in bees wax in order to bring about the saturation process was undoubtedly a turning point in history. The oil ensures that the pores are filled and a film is then applied using bees wax. Nowadays, hard wax oil makes an appearance as the (provisional) final piece of a technological

development. Hard wax oil is a two-in-one product which provides both protection and saturation in one coat. This is convenient for floor fitters, but also for end users, who now find it much easier job to maintain their floors than with a waxed floor.

The advantages of hard wax oil Apart from the exceptional look which hard wax oil gives a wooden floor, this method of providing a finish and protection offers several other advantages.

For end users Even though the floor is heavily protected against the penetration of moisture and dirt, as is the case with a varnish finish, the wax components do not form a sealed film. This means that the floor can still breathe freely. The fact that the wax film stays more or less flexible ensures that the protective layer cannot burst or crack. Any damage or local wear and tear (on higher

For floor fitters Applying hard wax is a relatively quick and easy solution for floor fitters. After all, just about all hard wax oils are products which are ready for use. And so, they never have to be diluted and only have to be stirred thoroughly. The procedure for applying it depends on the product. With some brands the hard wax oil is applied in two coats, whilst others can be applied in a single working session. In the case of two coats, you first apply a thin coat and leave it to dry for 24 hours. The second coat is applied in the same way. A number of manufacturers recommend a treatment with maintenance oil about two weeks after the floor has been given its treatment.

For the one-coat systems you need to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully regarding the use of quantities and the method of application.

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What’s on the market?

Adesiv Adesiv offers the hard wax oil Paviolio 25.

Paviolio 25 is a natural emulsion of oil and wax which is suitable for impregnating polished wooden floors. The oil gives the floor a clearer effect. Bring the product to the correct temperature before use. Spread it with a roller or paint brush. The amount of product applied before each application is extremely important. Surplus oil must be removed with a cloth within 30 to 40 minutes. The wood moisture content must be between 8 and 12% for the application of the Paviolio 25, the temperature has to be between 15 and 25°C, and the air humidity must not exceed 75%.

Arboritec Arboritec has a full range of finish products for wooden floors. The company promotes Hard Wax Oil as one of the most attractive finishes for parquet. Indeed, the hard wax oil brings out the natural beauty of the wood. It makes the wood surface more durable and resistant to dirt and water. Hard Wax Oil is more resistant to chemical products and is easier to apply than many other technologically advanced products. It gives the look of an oiled floor without the extra maintenance. Arboritec Hard Wax Oil is a urethane-reinforced and virtually odourless hard wax oil. It is made on a base of linseed oil, urethane alkyd oil, and natural waxes. It is available in colour or natural.

Bona Bona Hard Wax Oil gives a comfortable and natural surface through a mixture of setting natural oils and waxes.

This product makes the surface resistant to water and dirt and it is suitable for untreated hardwood floors and other types of wooden floors for normal to heavy use. The fact that it is a single component product makes it easy to use. Two coats can be applied in one day. Floors treated with hard wax can be restored in patches. Bona Hard Wax Oil conforms to DIN 51130-R9 as regards ruggedness, DIN 53160 T.1+2 as regards resistance to saliva and perspiration, and DIN EN 71 T.3 as regards migration requirements.

The surface to be treated must be sandpapered thoroughly, dry, and free of sanding dust, old varnish, and other impurities. Use the Bona Scrad System, gauze disc or sandpaper with grain 120 for the final sandpapering. Keep the product, room, and floor temperatures between 8 and 35°C. Ensure good ventilation when the product is applied and for the drying and setting.

Apart from the Hard Wax Oil, Bona also offers the Hard Wax Oil Refresher, a mixture of natural waxes for the periodic maintenance and cleaning of hard wood and other types of wooden floors which are treated either with a UV oil or Bona Hard Wax Oil.

HARO PARQUET 4000 Plank 1-Strip Oak Sauvage brushed 2V

PARQUET PLANK 1-STRIP CREATED BY NATURE – REFINED BY HARO HARO – the leading German hardwood floor manufacturer for engineered wood floors.

More than 60 years know how in parquet production with more than 200 products in 17 species, 13 grades and 7 designs.

www.haro.com

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Special Hard wax oil

Blanchon

The ‘Huile-cire dure’ from Blanchon offers nothing but benefits for both floor fitters and end users. The ease of application is one thing, whilst the speed and simplicity of maintenance is an additional advantage. Moreover, Blanchon hard wax oil also offers infinite application possibilities as regards finishes (e.g. tints, wood tones, and shades of colour). Apart from the Huile-cire, Blanchon also has its ‘Huile-cire dure high solid’. This hard wax oil impregnates, colours, and protects parquet floors in one single operation. The hard wax oil feeds the wood and protects it in the depth. Thanks to the composition of the hard wax oil, which is rich in natural and renewable raw materials, it dries very quickly and produces hardly any odours. Solid Oil is practical and economical to use. The pallet with shades of colour makes just about any decorative application possible. Thanks to the very low proportion of volatile organic compounds, one coat is usually enough in most cases for the finish. Blanchon also offers a maintenance oil (‘Huile d’entretien’) for maintaining all floors finished with oil or wax oil, including pre-oiled floors.

Chimiver Chimiver Lios Hard Wax Bioil 90 is a product with more than 90% solid content. It is a natural product based on natural oils and waxes with high melting point.

The product is ideal for “green building” and gives to the wooden floors a satin and uniform aspect with excellent characteristics of water repellence, hardness and soft touch. It keeps the wood with its original tone and has particular characteristics to limit the usual yellowing during the time. It is suggested for treatment of wooden floors in commercial premises. The product can be easily maintained using a soft cloth and our Velurex Cleaner Star; the extraordinary maintenance has to be done with the product itself. CERTIFIED: CCA-Product Conforming to criteria of Environmentally Compatible Product.

Hard Wax Oil Magic Natural and Natural White can also be used as an insulator for waterborne stains if the surface is later given another coat of water paint. Hard Wax Oil Full Solid is a one-coat system. This very filling 2-component parquet oil, which is based on top quality natural oils, guarantees excellent wear resistance, a natural colour, and good chemical and mechanical resistance.

This Full Solid dries extremely quickly. It has to be mixed with an activator. Hard Wax Oil Full Solid Natural and Natural White can also be given an extra coat of varnish.

Floorservice/Overmat The Floorservice Hardwax-oils penetrate deep into the wood, without blocking the pores. This allows the wood to keep breathing and retains its natural structure, because no top layer is formed.

Every floor that is finished with Floorservice Hardwax-oil is guaranteed to be highly resistant to wear and is also water resistant (+ product resistance in conformity with DIN 68861/1A). Besides that, the floor is protected against salvia and sweat (in confirmation with DIN 53160), and make the floor child friendly because they meet the requirements for children’s toys (in confirmation with EN 71). In addition to this, the Floorservice Hardwax-oils also meet anti-slip standard R9.

With the range of Floorservice Hardwax-oils all types of parquet and solid floor can be treated. The products have a vegetable oils and waxes base.

And they meet the VOCregulation EU 2012.

Besides Hardwaxoil Classic Floorservice offers Color Hardwax-oil, Hardwax-oil (Color) Pro and Hardwax-oil Profiline (Color). The Color Hardwax-oils are available in 27 colours, which can be combined with the latest primer Prime Old Grey for a weathered appearance. Hardwax-oil Pro has been developed especially for the professional parquet layer. And the Floorservice Hardwax-oil Profiline is the industrial oxidative drying solvent-free Hardwaxoil for machine application by a one layer system.

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Irsa

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Ciranova Ciranova has various sorts of hard wax oil, which are available in trendy and traditional colours. Hard wax oil is a fast-drying parquet oil with outstanding wear resistance, good filling, and good chemical and mechanical resistance. It is available in 16 different colours. Hard wax oil can be applied with a brush, roller, or cloth.

Hard wax oil Magic is a modified parquet oil with excellent wear resistance, good filling, and natural colour. Hard wax oil Magic is very matt and does not glow. The resistance can be improved even further by adding a harder UA.

Irsa hard wax oils are based on natural raw materials such as vegetable waxes and ethereal oils. They do not contain any biocides or toxic components and that is why they are acknowledged as ecological building materials. The Irsa laboratory technicians constantly subject these oils to various controls with a view to refining them. The results can be seen mainly in the usage itself and in the long term.

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Osmo

Osmo offers various sorts of hard wax oil under the Polyx Oil brand. The advantage of these finishes is that the product penetrates deeply into the pores of the wood and provides a surface protection. This means that treated floors can be repaired or freshened up locally. These products offer high resistance against liquids and are extremely easy to maintain. Polyx Oil Original is

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Monocoat offers a full assortment of hard wax oils for both manual and industrial applications.

The RMC Oil Plus, its 2-component variant RMC Oil Plus 2C, and the industrial RMC Oil UV offer extremely durable protection and are easy to maintain and renovate. The products are also the ultimate as regards consumption and application efficiency. Generally speaking, the main advantages of a hard wax oil are its processibility (it can be polished), good, strong composition, and the long-lasting protection.

Moreover, it preserves the typical features and look of wood, something which is not unimportant and is often the decisive factor in persuading clients to opt for oil. Apart from the usual benefits, which a hard wax oil offers, Rubio Monocoat oils also offer some extra advantages. First and foremost, you maintain the natural look of the wood, whilst the unique technology of molecular binding means that you only need to apply one coat to provide both durable protection and colour. It is also this molecular technology which lies behind the ecological character of this oil. It does not contain any VOC at all and is not waterborne.

Special Hard wax oil

Lechner SpA Lechner SpA offers in its catalogue two lines of oils for the finishing and maintenance of parquet, both indoor and outdoor: Alto Solido (high solid) and NATURE. Based on natural oils, they have a very reduced environmental impact and are not dangerous for the health of both installers and final users. They respect the following norms: UNI EN 71-3:2002, DIN 68861:2001 par.1, DIN V 53160:200 part 1-2, and give the treated parquet resistance 1A (Olio Alto Solido) or 1C (Nature Deck Oil). For their own characteristics, Alto Solido and Nature lines are indicated also for exotic woods. Nature line has also successfully passed the biodegradability test according to method OECD 301.

The complete Nature line includes: Wood Protection, Nature Oil Finish, Nature Oil Wax, Nature Deck Oil, Nature Clean, Cleaner Deck Oil, Detergente Anti Grigio, Moss Remover, Manutentore Oil Finish, Manutentore Oil Wax, Manutentore Deck Oil. The complete Alto Solido line includes: Olio Alto Solido, Detergente Alto Solido, Manutentore Alto Solido, Diluente Per Alto Solido.

For further information please refer to the Products section on our web site.

the perfect finish for all wooden floors. Polyx Oil Rapid is the natural hard wax oil from Osmo, which can be finished in one day.

The very high quantity of solid matter gives a very strong finish in a short space of time. The wear resistance exceeds that of traditional parquet finishes. Polyx Oil Rapid can be used on all wooden floors, but also on cork, terra cotta, and unglazed tiles and, moreover, is ideal for the finish of tabletops or kitchen sink units, for instance. The finish is waterproof. Polyx Oil Tints includes coloured oils. Finally, there is also the Wood Wax Finish Clear Extra Thin for exotic wood sorts.

Tover Manufacturers of chemicals cannot ignore a trend considered till recently ‘of niche’ towards coloured oiled parquet; an aesthetic request finalised to obtain unique effects, highly customised to fight against often standardised import products. The major challenge is to formulate an oil with both good resistance to wear and dirt and easy application. Crema d’Olio, the Tover hard wax oil is a blend of natural oils and hard waxes, which guarantees a quality level much superior to traditional oils.

The application of a sole coat is enough to get a finish suitable for high traffic. It is rich and homogeneous to preserve the natural character of the wood. Tover now offers 28 standard colours and a really wide range to meet any requirement of originality and freedom from the most demanding customers.

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The fast drying time and the excellent surface qualities are major advantages. Irsa oils can be deployed for floors, wall furnishing, and for wood or cork. In other words, Irsa Hard Wax Oil can be deployed universally for hardwood, softwood, and exotic wood species (indoors), OSB, industrial parquet, wood blocks, staircases, window sills, etc.

The hard wax oil can be used for floors subjected from normal to heavy use. The floors get strong and anti-static protection and can breathe normally. This colourless hard wax oil lightly intensifies the natural colour of the wood. Naturally, Irsa also supplies maintenance oil and wax as well as cleaning products for daily maintenance.

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Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

The patterns of yesteryear are coming back Herringbone and hungarian point in modern interiors We’ve said it often enough and it’s true: laminate market trends reveal a great deal about the (real) wooden floor and parquet markets. After all, laminate producers only create imitations of floors which are doing well. In other words, the laminate market is a barometer for the parquet market. And so, is it any wonder that we now see old fitting patterns such as brick bond, English bond, herringbone, and Hungarian point making a comeback amongst some laminate brands? At all events, it is a sign of the times.

Old fitting patterns in modern interiors Fitting patterns such as Hungarian point and herringbone had fallen somewhat out of favour in recent decades. Now and again, highly skilled floor fitters with an outstanding reputation would get such jobs in renovation or restoration projects, usually in listed public buildings such as libraries, museums, law courts, and old town halls. Quite often, these floor fitters would be given such assignments after a public invitation for tenders which attracted only a modest response. A separate skill? Perhaps, in some respects.

However, today, we now see that these old fitting patterns are a regular part of a floor fitter’s training. This is partly because these patterns are very much in fashion in new properties and even in ultramodern buildings. There are several reasons for this.

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Exclusive floors Anyone who constructs an ultramodern building is usually in a higher price class and may well be a champion of ‘exclusive’ materials and exclusive looks. Furthermore, let’s be honest about this: fitting patterns such as Hungarian point and herringbone are fitted mainly by top level experts who are aware of their value. They pass on the cost to clients, and rightly so. Moreover, fitting these floors is a more complicated business than fitting ordinary strip parquet or a wooden floor, so the professional has to spend many more hours to complete the job. This, too, makes these floors considerably more expensive. Anyone who combines the yearning for an exclusive floor with a preference for the natural look of wood automatically ends up choosing these equally exclusive fitting patterns.

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Warmth in the chill Modernism usually has an inherent ‘chill’ about it, and this is certainly the case for minimalism. However, people should not regard this as a flaw or an inevitable disadvantage, since project managers make conscious decisions. They want rigid shapes in their interiors, straightness, usually with as little colour as possible. They add colour to this void by their choice of interior and decorative objects. In other words, the surrounding area is bare and empty, so expression is given in pure freedom and can be adapted at any time. The floor plays a surprisingly radical role in such interiors. Without devaluing the decorative freedom in any way, the floor nevertheless provides warmth from below. It gives a mild, gentle, and mitigating ring to offset the rigidity of the rest.

Hungarian point and herringbone have a depth and colour movements, which enthral the entire room.

Hungarian point versus herringbone Here and there you read about how people often get these two fitting patterns mixed up. Floor fitters might find this hard to understand. After all, you can see the difference at once. Here is an easy way to present them to clients so that they never forget which is which: • The floorboard shape for herringbone is always a rectangle.

• The floorboard shape for Hungarian point is a parallelogram.

Below we compare the shapes in which both patterns are fitted, the techniques by means of which they are fitted, and how the dimensions of the strips are determined.

The fitting shape The fitting method for herringbone is contained in the name: the floor is constructed using more or less the same floorboards as ordinary strip parquet, but the floorboards are fitted in the shape of a herringbone. This means that the head side is fitted square to the long side of the floorboard at an angle of 90°. The herringbone comes completely into its own if it is surrounded by an edge and a locking frieze (a band of strips which are fitted square to the direction of the parquet). In times past, people often used an exotic wood sort for the edge to give the floor an attractive frame. Quite often, you will see the edge designed in wenge due to the dark contrast. With Hungarian point the heads of the strips are sawn at angles of 45 or 60°. Once these are fitted with the heads joined together, two strips together form angles of 90° (sawn at 45°) or less sharp angles of 120° (sawn at 60°).

Sometimes an ‘intermediate frieze’ is fitted between the rows. In the 17th century, they often had to fit a double beam under the rows in order to support the joints. They secured the parquet strips by nailing them with wrought iron nails.

The dimensioning: herringbone With herringbone the sizes of the strips are determined in relation to the continuous surface which you want to fit. As a rule, it is advisable to use small floorboards for small rooms. Really large sizes come into their own if the room is in proportion. 7 x 40cm is a very popular size for the strips, but there was a time when the normal size was 22mm x 16cm i.e. much more slender than strips are nowadays. For bigger rooms people dared to put two strips next to each other (the so called ‘double herringbone’). 16 x 60cm is a very common size for large rooms. A modern design is to fit several strips together (whether pre-mounted or not) in one big herringbone joint. Such floors are sometimes called whalebone parquet.

The dimensioning: Hungarian point Hungarian point can be made in such a way that it fits perfectly.

After all, with Hungarian point it is possible to adapt the sizes of

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Floors with depth and colour Both herringbone and Hungarian point floors change their appearance depending upon the place from which you look at them, the incidence of light, and other factors. These floors have something magical about them because they can give a completely different visual impression to what they are really like.

Depending on the position of the spectator, Hungarian point can give the impression that the strips make a wave motion. This fitting pattern gives the floor both a three-dimensional effect and some depth, partly due to the subtle colour differences in the wood. It is precisely because of that effect that herringbone and Hungarian point are also often used as a design for decorative panels (see our previous edition). For centuries, oak was the patent holder for the traditional fitting patterns. Why was that? It might have been because oak was the easiest wood to obtain (it is a native wood and always in stock), but also because people trusted the stability of oak. The light and soothing design and the mild range of colours of oak are also, of course, a big advantage.

Nowadays, it goes without saying that all sorts of wood are considered. However, if you opt for the more expensive sorts, these floors really are something for the happy few. The cost price of the wood plus the high installation cost brings the floor into a very expensive price class. And yet, there is still a market for it.

Here we present a number of leading manufacturers of Hungarian point and herringbone: BJ Parket (B) Hungarian point has never disappeared from the production line at BJ Parket, but it is undergoing a revival, partly due to the influence of interior architects who have included these fitting patterns in their design. BJ Parket regards these patterns as real classics, which have survived not just for years, but for

Design Parquet (FR) At Design Parquet, too, they have noticed that Hungarian point and herringbone fitting patterns are still extremely popular. The company’s expertise in this area means that it has been able to ‘take on’ a good number of prestigious projects. At Design Parquet they do point out that fitters require proper training to make a success of these fitting methods. For example, they need to know that they should start the fitting in the middle of the room, something which is not the case with other wooden floors.

Hungarian point is fitted using floorboards which are all the same size and sawn mitred at 45°. The so called ‘baton rompu’ is fitted with straight floorboards, which are fitted at an angle of 45° to the wall. Oak is still the most popular sort of wood, but doussie, wenge, or cumaru are also possible. Design Parquet produces mainly solid wood floors, but in recent years has also set off along the path of multi-layer floors. Design Parquet Floors are available in no fewer than 50 different finishes.

FB Hout Holland (NL) ... herringbone and Hungarian point from stock A vast change has taken place, especially because these floors can now be supplied in multi-layer/system floors. These floors have improved vastly in quality and are also much more stable. Making these floors properly requires a good deal of know-how and the correct equipment. FB Hout has used its production and machinery to specialise in producing these pattern floors. The investment of the past few years have made the company a real specialist in the field of pattern floors.

With floors like these, exact dimensioning, continuity, and quality are absolutely essential. People recognise the many benefits of multi-layer parquet: it is more stable, suitable for floor heating, and, partly for that reason, the product of the future. Partly because FB Hout supplies these products in both 13 and 21mm thick and in various widths, the company has a suitable product for every application and price class. FB Hout presents Hungarian point, herringbone, and various types of panels such as Versailles and Chantelle. It goes without saying that floor fitters can contact the company for tips and advice regarding the fitting of such pattern floors. Special points for attention when fitting these floors include the start of the fitting, namely how you have to start. If you start properly, things cannot go wrong. And so, to fit such a

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Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

Fitting method In the past, both these fitting patterns were usually fitted according to the traditional parquet method. And so, basically, the floorboards did not have tongue and groove. Nevertheless, herringbone parquet (14mm) is available with tongue and groove. The point about these floors is that you do need two strips, ‘a left and a right’, as the professionals say in their jargon. If the groove is on the left and the tongue on the right at the top with one strip of the herringbone, it has to be the other way round with the other strip: indeed, you work in reverse. The solid wood strips without tongue and groove are glued and nailed to a subfloor, which, in turn, is glued to the screed (traditional parquet method). As a rule, oak mosaic enjoys the express preference for the subfloor, even though chipboard or OSB plates are being used more often. However, the time has not stood still even for these fitting patterns. Nowadays, we find Hungarian point and herringbone patterns just as often in multi-layer parquet, pre-finished, and equipped with a click system (i.e. for floating fitting).

centuries. To help the Hungarian point come into its own in the room, you need to calculate the right number of lanes so that the floor is spread evenly over the whole room. In this way you avoid having to fit narrow lines on the left and right sides of the room.

It is also advisable to start from the centre of the room. As regards wood sort, these are mainly oak floors in widths of 7.2, 9, 11, and 14cm. Occasionally, there is also a Hungarian point in a tropical wood sort. Solid wood is certainly the most used with this fitting pattern, but multi-layer is also sometimes fitted in this shape. As far as the finish is concerned, ‘distressed’ is all the rage.

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the floorboards to the total surface area. Indeed, the sizes of the individual strips are not defined. And so, it is perfectly possible to choose a dimension for the strips, which simply ensures that the floor ‘fits’. The choice of lengths and widths of the strips also has an influence on the ‘character’ of the floor. Short and narrow strips will give a ‘more trendy’ and ‘more businesslike’ floor, whilst wider boards evoke a more ‘rural’ atmosphere.

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floor properly and attractively, the floor fitter has to be able to ‘play’ with the planks.

Forest Parquet (I) At Forest Parquet, too, they have noticed a renaissance in the popularity of herringbone and Hungarian point. This company is convinced that completing these fitting patterns should be part of a floor fitter’s basic training. Special points for attention with the production include the 45° angles at which the floorboards are sawn.

This must be done with the greatest possible care. And so, the production of these patterns does require more experience and know-how in comparison with the production of ordinary strips.

Heywood Vloeren (NL) At Heywood Vloeren they have witnessed an increase in the sales of Hungarian point and herringbone. Seeing that these are longstanding patterns, fitting them is part of the floor fitters’ basic training.

Important points for attention with the fitting are the fitting direction and the symmetry. At Heywood Vloeren the floors are made mostly in oak, but also in walnut, wenge, and other tropical sorts. Hungarian point is

recommended here because it is somewhat more placid than herringbone. The floors are available in solid wood and multi-layer, but they have also noticed a clear increase in multi-layer. The most popular finish is (colour) oil, but floors are also often smoked, distressed, and oiled.

Holz Bois (B) At Holz Bois they have produced and supplied considerably more Hungarian point over the past year. There has been a clear return to traditional patterns. The fact that more shops from the Belgian clothing chain were finished in 2011 with a Hungarian point floor in oak (rustic) has probably contributed to this growing success. Holz Bois stresses the importance of a professional floor fitter for fitting such floors. After all, a Hungarian point floor has to be fitted perfectly square and has to be treated and sandpapered meticulously once it is fitted. The way in which the lanes are fitted in relation to the incidence of light largely determines the aesthetical beauty of the floor. At Holz Bois they always work out the correct widths of the Hungarian point lanes for clients, in line with the dimensions of the room in which it is fitted. This means that the lanes are always perfectly in line with the full width and length of the room. The Hungarian point can be fitted at an angle of 45 or 60°. For a nicely rigid effect the Hungarian point is sometimes finished with a modern groove or U-joint. All wood sorts

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Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

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Mardegan Legno (H) At Mardegan Legno, they are quite convinced that the return to old fitting patterns is an indisputable fact. A spokesperson comments: “These patterns were hugely popular in days gone by and they are clearly starting to make a comeback.” And so, the company believes that fitting these floors should be part of the young floor fitter’s basic training. What makes the fitting and the production so special is the attention to the correct angles. As far as the wood sort is concerned, they are quite clear that all wood sorts are considered for fitting in line with these fitting patterns. The fact that these floors are a little more expensive is partly due to the fact that the production requires more time and attention.

Here, too, the fitting patterns are available in both solid wood and multi-layer.

Timberline (NL) At Timberline, they have noticed a renewed interest in the old fitting patterns. People are ordering those patterns more frequently, but certainly not in appreciable numbers to compare with normal floorboards. At Timberline they produce these floors exclusively in European oak. Hungarian point is offered in both 45 and 60°. It takes the producer longer to produce these floors than ordinary floorboards. There is also considerably more saw kerf. Timberline presents these floors in solid wood (20mm) and composite in 15 and 20mm. The most popular designs are smoked natural, double smoked natural, smoked white, and double smoked white.

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Parqueterie Janod (FR) Parqueterie Janod is based in Doucier, France. This family business has a long tradition. Today, the company is managed by the fourth generation of the family and specialises in the production

of solid wood parquet. The fact that Parqueterie Janod is a specialist in traditional fitting patterns such as Hungarian point will surprise no one, given the age of the company.

The company also produces customised work to meet the needs of all client demands. Apart from private individuals, these clients also include lords of manors, museums, restaurants, and such like.

Recently, Parqueterie Janod has constructed a modern and attractive web site where you can admire all their floors and fitting patterns.

Special Providers of Hungarian point and herringbone

lend themselves to this fitting pattern, but at Holz Bois 90% of the floors are in French oak. Holz Bois supplies solid wood in 6.3 and 9mm.

FFi50_ADESIV.indd 1

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Indonesia defends its forests Export consists solely of finished products

Special Indonesia

Indonesia is one of those countries which possesses an abundance of rain forest and yet has realised only recently that such an abundance has to be fostered. Whereas wild cutting had decimated the forests for years, in recent decades the government has taken action to introduce protective measures and implement reforestation programmes. For example, the country has concluded a historic agreement with the European Union. This means that with effect from 2013 EU countries will no longer be allowed to import wood from Indonesia which is of doubtful origin.

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IFURA

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IFURA

Indonesia tropical forests Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia) is a republic in South-East Asia, situated between the Asian mainland and Australia in the Australasian Mediterranean Sea between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Almost two thirds of the country is covered by tropical jungle forest (60% of Sumatera, 77% of Kalimantan, and 80% of Irian Jaya), which is controlled almost entirely by the state. However, concessions have also been granted to Americans, Philippine, and Japanese companies.

Indonesia has the second biggest rain forest in the world after Brazil and is the biggest exporter of wood in South-East Asia with 9.7 million cubic metres. Sawn wood, triplex, and veneer are exported mainly to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Australia. Unfortunately, human activities and their effects are seriously threatening the ecological equilibrium in the rain forest. For example, wood cutting is occurring on a large scale, resulting in increasing erosion. Moreover, in 1997, forest fires (see below) resulted in more huge areas of rain forest being destroyed. The remaining forest area of Indonesia accounts

for about 60% of the total land surface area. This consists mainly of about 100 million hectares of tropical rain forest, the second biggest forest jungle area in the world after Brazil. Java is one of the most densely populated islands in the world, so it is no surprise that more than 90% of the natural vegetation has been destroyed.

The greater part of the remaining primeval forest can only be located in remote, mountainous regions above 1400 metres.

Practically all the lowland rain forests have been exploited for farming companies and tree plantations. The island of New Guinea hosts the most extensive rain forests in the whole of South-East Asia, amounting to about 700,000km². About 80-85% of the tropical forest of Irian Jaya, the western part of the island of New Guinea, and 75-80% of that of Papua New Guinea is still in its original condition. The whole of Irian Jaya, with the exception of the southeastern part, is covered by rain forest.

Forest protection and the timber industry Since 1985, the export of raw wood has been prohibited and this trade has been

replaced by the export of wood products, including Furniture. Naturally, the country passed this measure in order to boost its economy by giving the timber industry a new lease of life. The government also wants to repair the damage to the tropical rain forest by means of reforestation programmes. This is no easy task when you consider that the annual deforestation is continuing at a rate of over 2.4 million hectares. Apart from wood, the forests also yield resins and rubbers, turpentine, cane, and kajapoet oil. The marrow obtained from the sago palm is a popular dish on Irian Jaya. In 1997, stubborn forest fires broke out, mainly in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Irian Jaya, as a result of drought and irresponsible wood cutting to destroy about 1.7 million hectares in ash.

Historic agreement with the EU Since Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest wood exporters, it has concluded a major agreement with the European Union in order to counteract illegal wood cutting. From 2013, EU countries will no longer be able to import any wood from Indonesia which is of doubtful origin. At

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IFURA

Wood processing industry Until 10 years ago, the wood processing industry provided work for 3,000 big companies, 54,000 small businesses, and a good 780,000 family businesses. The furniture industry was the leading industry. In those days, the wood industry enjoyed a turnover of more than five billion US dollars.

However, liberalisation and the arrival of big foreign companies has resulted in the disappearance of many small businesses.

We present you one of the biggest manufacturers of Merbau Products in Indonesia: PT Indo Furnitama Raya(IFURA) PT Indo Furnitama Raya (IFURA) was founded as a family business in 1924, they started as producers of furniture and became in the 90’s a well known producer of Teak Garden Furniture.

In 2007 a complete new mill was build with the help and advices for lay out and equipement from Junckers at Denmark. There were build 11 Drying Kilns managed by computer that can dry up to a 200m3 monthly. Very good machinery and recently a brand new High Frequency Composer has been installed.

Since than they have specialised in producing all kind of products in solid Merbau, one of the best species in the world.

It is clear that with the state of the art equipment and the professional management a smooth manufacturing process is delivering excellent Top Quality products , The total production of the Merbau products is exported to many countries all over the world.

IFURA believes that long term business relationship must be founded on the high quality of woodworking and consistency of operation. Coupled with competitive prices to match ever-changing markets Ifura meets perfectly clients requirements.

Realising that a regular and constant supply of logs is necessary in order to show customers that they can rely on a delivery just in time Ifura has managed to get 3 concessions at Papua ( Indonesion Irian Jaya ) in total a 450,000ha.

IFURA

IFURA

It took a lot of time and investments and finally at the end of the 1st trimester 2012, the 1st concession started to run and send out a good 5000m3 of Merbau logs to the mill in Pasuruan.

Now Ifura can guarantee their customers that supply for many years in the future has been secured.

In the meantime a lot of attention was given to the various Verified Legal Timber systems. Ifura was one of the first that started with the Certisource system based on taking DNA samples during cutting. CertiSource is using the highest international standards and has gained the last years strong increasing global recognition:

1) October 2010, Certisource was admitted to the Dutch Keurhout Legal System what means that our Merbau products with Certisource officially can be used for all the Dutch Government bodies.

2) The New Zealand Government soon after Keurhout also recognised CertiSource. The Ministry described the CertiSource DNA based system as one which could “provide peace of mind when buying imported tropical timber”

Another big advantage from the Stardeck Merbau, and other Merbau products as well, is that we deliver it with an Anti Bleeding Treatment what means that the bleeding will be reduced with about 75 a 80%. Further is not possible as the structure and properties of the wood than probably could change too much.

Ifura is working with the best adhesive and finishing materials to produce the Stardeck and Starfloor products.

In combination with the high Quality Control Process and good training of workers to inspect at every stage of the manufacturing process, it guarantees good and even topquality for the various products like: • • • •

Special Indonesia

present, about 20% of wood imports from Indonesia consist of wood which has been illegally cut. As a result of this agreement, the Indonesian government will make every efforts to drive out the illegal timber industry. Indonesia is the first Asian country to enter into the so called Voluntary Partnership Agreement. The EU has already concluded similar agreements with African countries such as Ghana and Cameroon.

IFURA

STARDECK: Clip Profile Matched Ends 800 - 3000mm STARDECK: Traditional Square deckings 1500 - 4800mm STARFLOOR: Solid Merbau floorings STARLAM: Finger jointed and laminated Merbau products

In 2009 Ifura and Lite Wood International BV started a joint venture under the name : Induco Timber Products BV. ITP BV acts as the European sales office from Ifura.

IFURA

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 54

IFURA

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> Product news Tramex Flooring Hygro-i Master Kit

Product news

The complete package for moisture testing of Concrete and Wood Flooring, giving the user the ability to make an informed decision as to when to lay the Floor Covering and for diagnosing moisture, relative humidity and temperature problems in pre and post installation testing. The kit contains the new , reusable Hygro – i relative humidity probe. (see the advert on page 47). For more information please visit our web site

Tover Maintenance sets : a very practical and attractive way to propose to final customers the right cleaning system to keep their wooden floors as beautiful as on the first day. A nice box contains 1 liter of concentrated detergent (Pulito Parquet for varnished parquet or Deteroil for oiled surfaces), 1 liter of polish Lux for periodical maintenance and a microfiber cloth: a complete set of professional products for home use.

Fedisco Fedisco is the market bearer of the Fedeal products. These Belgian qualitative wood soaps are distributed directly to parquet and interior shops, wood merchants, and sawmills. The success of these ecological products also lies with an excellent price/quality ratio.

They are easy to use and have unique nutritional and protective properties so that they can be applied universally on most oiled parquet and cork floors on the market. And so, the user is no longer obliged to have to purchase the specific maintenance product which is recommended for the originally treated wooden floor.

PROGRESS PROFILES

Floor Forum International 54

SOL 40 P

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The SOL 40 P is a connecting profile which consists of a base, middle piece, and a top.

This sort of system ensures that this profile adapts to all sorts of thicknesses, thanks to the various intermediate pieces and the two levels of fastening. The intermediate piece in PVC also ensures better adaptability, better shock absorption, perfect electrostatic, and thermal insulation. The top layer has scores of aesthetic possibilities and is available in 27 wood decors and 6 anodised finishes, so the profile is suitable for all surfaces and spheres. As a result , the SOL 40 P is ‘the ultimate’ amongst connecting profiles, thanks to its adaptability and ease of use.

visit us at www.floor-forum.com

Loire Castles: wood and time!

With this new realization, Mardegan Legno wants to recreate the effect that the seasons, accompanied by winds, rain and sun, give the wood exposed to weathering.

Therefore they created this line of saw marked and sand blasted floors, rustic and refi ned at the same time,

dedicated to those seeking the natural warmth of wood with the elegance of neutral tones.

Like all products of Mardegan Legno, Loire Castle is also made entirely by hand, and is available in various sizes and various colours, making the choice of floor a real pleasure.

We are looking for representatives for the free zones

www.mardeganlegno.com — info@mardeganlegno.com

UET Q R E PA OME H T AND YOUR H E NEW! IN T LIK US IS J

Cleaning

Waxing (neat)

Waxing (diluted)

Waxing

De-waxing

A range of products to clean, maintain and give better protection to parquet From the Mapei research laboratories, following the success of our surface finishing systems for parquet, we now also offer Ultracoat systems for cleaning, maintaining and protecting parquet in any size of room. Products which respect both man and the environment.

I sistemi Ultracoat, semplici nell’applicazione.

Discover the world of Mapei: www.mapei.com

Y EASSE! U TO

For 75 years we’ve been helping to build large and small dreams.

ADHESIVES • SEALANTS • CHEMICAL PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING