FFI 98 November 2018

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INTERNATIONAL trade journal f or impor t , expor t , dis tr ibution and lay ing of par que t , laminate, cor k f loor ing and r elated pr oduc t s

N° 98, November 2018 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Top Italian companies focused on export Special: Producers of multi-layer floors

Special: Sanding machines : part II Special: Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

Special: LED and UV lacquers and oils

Special: Subfloors: part II

www.kaneka.be

Kaneka MS Polymer™

Your premium polymer of Choice for Parquet and LVT adhesives

Timber Repair & Cosmetics WINTERSTEIGER’s TRC stands for “timber repair & cosmetics”, is a highly advanced and established system, repairing flooring or wood panels with a unique detecting and injection system. The main advantages of the TRC injection system are: pressurized injection of the filling material, 100% seal around repair spot, no material shrinkage/ bubbling, the panels can be stacked or processed further immediately after repair (thermoplastic technology).

The TRC product range covers all capacities from semi to fully automatic machines. For special applications of the plywood or panel industry, WINTERSTEIGER also offers adapted system solutions, in line with customer requirements.

So far, more than 30 fully automated lines have been installed, and they repair approximately 20 million square meters of wood surface every year. Dozens of semi-automatic machines complete the world-wide use of TRC.

Two in one: Weitzer Parkett doubles TRC system In 2014, Weitzer Parkett – the Austrian market leader in parquet flooring and wooden stairs – decided to switch to automated timber surface repair. The company invested in a fully automated TRC 3000 system with a robot, which was implemented by WINTERSTEIGER and automation expert VAP Gruber (part of the WINTERSTEIGER Group) at the Güssing site.

The 2nd expansion stage.

The rapidly increasing demand for floorboard products – especially in the striking knotted wood ranges – led to the decision to add to the existing TRC 3000 system in 2016. The system is served by a mirrored configuration in the center with the same robot, and Weitzer has been working at twice the original capacity since January 2017. The manual aspect of timber surface repair has therefore been reduced and the efficiency of the manufacturing process increased.

Technical director Martin Karner is extremely pleased with the system and confirms its strengths: “We have improved the quality of our products as a result, which means that we don’t have to rework as many imperfections. The system’s availability is very good.”

Weitzer Parkett has seen an additional quality benefit in that the filler material is injected by the TRC system at high pressure, resulting in better adherence than during manual improvement works. 24 million injections – this impressive total reflects the high performance level of the system, which has processed around 750,000 m2 of wood over the last 12 months.

Fully automated TRC 3000 system

For more information:

www.wintersteiger.com/trc woodtech@wintersteiger.at +43 7752 919-0

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R 8 l at na VE F 5 io it rnat NO ooth Vis te B In AN 3 m H all 1 ru Fo EX ) H or T 19 Flo O 0

INTERNATIONAL trade journal f or impor t , expor t , dis tr ibu tion and lay ing of par que t , laminate, cor k f loor ing and r elated pr oduc t s

Editorial

N° 98, November 2018 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Top Italian companies focused on export Special: Producers of multi-layer floors

www.kaneka.be

Special: Sanding machines : part II Special: Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

Kaneka MS Polymer™

Your premium polymer of Choice for Parquet and LVT adhesives

Special: LED and UV lacquers and oils

Special: Subfloors: part II

Floor Forum International n° 98 November 2018 Photo Kaneka

4 Inside news 8 Special Subfloors : part II 12 Special Parquet soap: what’s on the market ?

15 Special Producers of silane adhesive 20 Special Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone

parquet : solid and multilayer 26 Special Producers of multi-layer floors 30 Special Skirtings boards with laminate inlay 32 Special Sanding machines : part II 35 Special LED and UV lacquers and oils 39 Special Maintenance and cleaning products for floors in

vinyl, LVT and PVC 42 Special Producers of profiles 46 Special Stair renovation in PVC, LVT, vinyl and laminate 48 Industry news

‘New developments in floor coverings yield inspiration for innovations in adhesive technology.’

The fact that wood ‘moves’ remains a major consideration when glueing wooden floors. A good parquet glue must allow those movements to some extent, whilst not compromising on adhesive strength. That’s a challenge!

Kaneka MS PolymerTM was launched in the 1970s in Japan, a country which has often suffered at the hands of earthquakes. A glue or sealant has to retain its elasticity in order to absorb the shifting movements of building materials. That quality soon proved beneficial when it comes to glueing floors. Scores of glue makers jumped onto the train which Kaneka had set in motion and included the MS PolymerTM in their adhesive formula. This provides Jo Indesteege, a green alternative to solvent parquet (business manager at Kaneka Belgium) adhesives. Indeed, they don’t contain any isocyanates or solvents and that can only be a good thing for floor fitters and end occupants. They also offer multi-layer floor producers solutions for glueing their products structurally. Nowadays, all parquet glue makes have a silane adhesive in their assortment. ‘In the early days, people used soft-elastic adhesives a lot. There is still a big demand for those glues, but hard-elastic glues are gaining ground,’ says Jo Indesteege, business manager at Kaneka Belgium. Kaneka MS PolymerTM offers solutions for all categories of soft or hard-elastic glueing. Kaneka also has polymers which offer a solution for the development of end products with no softeners.

‘Anyway, new developments in floor coverings yield inspiration for innovations in adhesive technology,’ says Jo Indesteege. For example, the emergence of floor heating reinforces the conviction that parquet glues still have a great future. Then there’s that other trend, namely the boom in the market of design floors, especially LVT. MS PolymerTM adhesive for LVT floors is a new form of glue technology which can offer technical solutions. New MS polymers are developed to improve adhesion to synthetics, rubbers, and new composite materials. It is clear that the market of parquet and other flooring materials is evolving constantly and looking for renewal, refinement, and cost efficiency.

Jo Indesteege concludes: ‘We follow the market closely, so we’re always aware of new developments. As soon as we notice any changes, we commit ourselves fully to finding a solution for our clients.’

49 Special Top Italian companies focused on export 58 Product news Editing & advertisements 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 Publisher Filip De Ridder

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

Lay-out: Be-able Communication www.be-able.be Production: Lowyck - Oostende

Advertising & subscriptions Adriana Dascalu info@media-pact.com Hilde De Ridder floorforum@telenet.be Filip De Ridder sales@media-pact.com Editors: Jean Paul Talbot, Ludwig Janssens, Filip De Ridder Jacques Legros

Translation: Michael Robinson www.glossa.be Floor Forum International is a publication of FFi bvba.

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.

∂ Inside news Lamett Europe (B) purchases sawmill in France Lamett, manufacturer and distributor of parquet and ParquetVinyl, has completed the purchase of a sawmill in France this week.

The process to buy the French sawmill « Challiou » near Tours was started a few months ago. After extensive Due Diligence and a very long administrative process, the deed could finally be executed before the notary on Monday 1 October. Pascale Courtin of Lamett confirms: "The contribution of Deloitte Belgium, in extenso France, and a legal team were needed to manage everything. It was not a straightforward process to meet the French requirements ». Bruno Descamps, CEO of Lamett: "The purchase of this sawmill fits into a clear strategy to go more vertically and have more impact on the process. After the purchase of the largest production of solid parquet in Europe, Morava Wood, we had to insure ourselves of sufficient raw materials ». Antoine Babolat will become the CEO of the sawmill. He already is the CEO of Morava Wood where he can rely on a strong General Manager who is responsible for day-to-day management. With the previous purchase of Morava

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Wood, very large (a multiple of millions of EUR) amounts were already involved. In addition to the purchase, substantial investments were also made in new machines. The purchase of this sawmill includes, in addition to the clientele and the machines, all buildings and all grounds.

(20 000 m²) Furthermore: « We expect to be able to announce a very large multimillion investment in 2018 or by the beginning of 2019. But we cannot reveal anything for the moment. You know the skin and the bear ... » says Bruno Descamps.

Osmo Innovation through tradition Workcamp Parquet in the Netherlands – Osmo as partner and sponsor

Under the motto “innovation through tradition”, experts from the parquet and wooden flooring industries met from the 1 to 9 September 2018. This annual training project brought master craftsmen, professionals and apprentices from 15 nations together to work on one project and to exchange work methods and techniques. This year 40 participants took part in the restoration of the wooden flooring at the Castle Grounds in Arcen near The Hague. Nearly 140 square metres of parquet were laid in a traditional Tapis or herringbone pattern, which is common in the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of France. The project and the traditional parquet installation both gave an intense look into the specialities of Dutch craftsmanship. Every craftsman had the opportunity to integrate their own techniques and methods; thus a harmonious, relaxed atmosphere was developed between the 40 participants, who completed this impressive project together. Workcamp Parquet offered Osmo Holz und Color GmbH & Co. KG as wood specialists and global players the perfect opportunity to have personal contact with craftsmen from various countries. The company, which acted as both partner and sponsor, could put its over 50 years of experience to the test. On 4 September, two presentations were held by Osmo finish advisors and export assistants; furthermore, the range of Polyx®-Oils was presented. Many intriguing questions were placed during this exchange, which Osmo advisors happily answered. Through the hands-on experience with Osmo products, the ease of application and the advantages of the wood finishes quickly became apparent to the participants. Visitors were wholeheartedly welcomed to watch the live demonstrations given by Osmo as well as to see the Castle Grounds of Arcen for themselves. The whole project was a complete success.

More information can be found under : www.osmo.de and www.workcamp-parquet.cz.

DOMOTEX 2019 Wicanders Hydrocork Wide Hydrocork is a low thickness floating solution with a core board made of composite cork that can be placed in any indoor space without boundaries. It’s 100% waterproof and incredibly stable, while maintaining the resilient properties and unmatched comfort provided by cork.

Due to its unique set of features: waterproof, only 6 millimeters thick, a very user-friendly PressFit vertical system and visual aesthetics in harmony with the latest market trends in interior design, Hydrocork is one of Wicander’s best sellers. The product is composed by an underlay, for a balanced structure, an agglomerated cork composite core, that guarantees all the benefits associated with the use of cork, and a decorative material with a protective wear layer. This multilayer structure is composed solely by waterproof materials, which makes Hydrocork 100% waterproof. Thanks to this unique feature, the product can be used in all rooms of the same house, including areas like kitchens or bathrooms, thus creating a uniform look and allowing its users to live these spaces carefree. Traditionally used in rustic settings, wide planks are now making their way into modern homes. A bolder option in interior design, Hydrocork now presents seven new wood looks in a wider 195mm width. A subtle difference that can have an impact on any interior: it decreases the number of joints and bevels, resulting less busy-looking floors. Wide planks enable the upscaling of long rooms, balancing the contrast between width and length and creating cozier, visually spacious areas. The 1225x195x6 mm dimension comprises of seven wood looks that provide all the benefits of the Corktech technology - silence; natural thermal insulation; walking comfort and impact resistance.

FN Neuhofer Chamber of Commerce Delegation visits FN Neuhofer On August the 23rd the manufacturer of profiles and accessories for floors, walls and ceilings FN Neuhofer in Zell am Moos was happy to welcome the President of the Chamber of Commerce for Upper Austria (WKOÖ), Mrs. Doris Hummer, the District Office Representative and National Assembly Delegate Dr. Angelika Winzig and the District Office Director Mr. Thomas Brindl. The WKOÖ

INFORMS. INSPIRES. CONNECTS. 11– 14 January 2019 Hannover ▪ Germany www.domotex.de/en/trade

Get an overview of the international marketplace and discover today what will interest the customers of tomorrow. This is the place to find inspiration. And it’s perfect for networking.

The keynote theme CREATE'N'CONNECT promises exciting product installations, talks and discussions, vital insights into the megatrend of connectivity … and a lot more.

Company GLOBAL FAIRS SA · Tel. +32 16 73 45 51 · info@global-fairs.com

∂ Inside news accepted the invitation of FN Neuhofer to get an idea of their business, impressed by its sustained growth and continuous investment in Zell am Moos as a location – in the last five years almost 14 million Euros for the automation and interlinking of systems, packaging robots, the ‘FN digiprint competence centre’ and warehouses. “As part of the presentation of the family business and our vision, we were also able to speak about the current challenges we are facing, for which we hope to find support from the Chamber. For example to support the permits for the construction plans that we have, support for our four esteemed production apprentices from Afghanistan to be able to stay in Austria, contacts in the export sector, on the subject of the shortage of specialist workers etc.”, said the Managing Director Franz Neuhofer.

The delegation was then able to see for themselves the efficiency of this family business on their tour through the production facility, which they found to be impressive. “We are pleased with the praise we have received and are of course happy to pass this on to our staff”, said Franz Neuhofer. The entire range and all product details can be found on our homepage at www.fnprofile.com. We would be pleased to help you with any further details or image requests.

MMFA : Multilayer flooring also does “green” Harmless raw materials, proven eco-friendliness Modular multilayer flooring is becoming more popular by the day because of its product advantages: custom design, easy installation, low installation Photo – Egger height and good durability are just some of the benefits of this innovative class of flooring. In previous years, designers have increasingly been focusing on the issues of environmental performance and health in the home. In the MMF sector, both commercial and private users welcome the fact that ecological concepts and materials are continuing to advance. An increasing number of multilayer floor producers are turning to

ecological production processes and biobased product formulations.

They use key phrases like “no plasticisers dangerous to health, free of heavy metals, solvents and other harmful substances, whether soluble or volatile”, to highlight the safety of their quality products – invariably certified by recognised ecolabels such as the Blue Angel or the ECO seal, or even international labels like Greenguard in the US or the French VOC label. Exactly where in product development the fundamental approaches for alternative product formulations and components lie can be clearly illustrated using the example of LVT production. The starting material for conventional LVT production is PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is obtained from crude oil or natural gas and sodium chloride. Depending on the manufacturing process, fillers and a number of special auxiliary agents and additives are combined with the polymer matrix to match the requirements of the application in terms of processability and technical properties.

Not all plasticisers are the same As PVC is an inherently hard material, plasticisers are added to make it flexible and resilient, whilst maintaining its shape. Use of the dangerous phthalates EHP, DOP, DBP, BBP and DIBP, which can be toxic to reproductive health, has been restricted in the EU since 2015 and is subject to an authorisation requirement. According to the REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), these low molecular weight plasticisers are classified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). Long before the restriction was introduced, a number of manufacturers had already stopped using substances like these. Various alternatives to these plasticisers are now being used in flooring production. One of these is the high molecular weight, more stable C9 and C10 phthalates DINP, DIDP and DPHP, which are recyclable and do not accumulate in either human or animal organisms, although phthalate-free plasticisers such as DOTP and DINCH are also used. Increasingly, various polymer plasticisers that are derived from renewable raw materials and are also biodegradable are being used for specific requirements, e.g. adipates, citrates, dibenzoates and other plasticisers outside of the phthalate group of substances.

New concepts using biobased plastics Recently, increasing use has been made of bioplastics/biogenic plastics made from raw materials derived partly or wholly from renewable agricultural or forestry production. Amongst these biogenic materials used for MMF production are plant oil-based epoxies or biopolymers belonging to the group of polyolefins (PO). Biobased PO polymers such

Wood Filler, eco-friendly, for WOOD INDUSTRY • Economical powder 1kg = 1.3kg of paste • Ready-to-use • Application on cold or hot panels • Special formulas for planed and brushed wood • 8 standards colors or counter-typing on demand • Package from 5 to 310kg, in buckets or in barrels

Manual or automatic application

Call a specialist: 05.61.98.40.88 or www.briancon-production.com 6

Floor Forum International 98

∂ Inside news as biopolyethylene (PE) and biopolypropylene (PP) are most commonly used as matrix materials. They require no stabilisers and are suitable for mechanical recycling. An EVA copolymer (ethylene-vinyl acetate) works as a binding substance, and natural mineral fillers such as chalk and kaolin are also used. In the multilayer sector, different concepts have been successfully established for biobased products. The natural polymer lignin can be used as a blend partner for high-quality bio PVC. Further product variants can be manufactured by combining biovinyls with natural fibres (flax and hemp) or cork, for example. Some multilayer floor manufacturers use cork-vinyl mixtures such as these for core materials in their biobased products. Biobased products also include biopolyurethane floors (PUR, or PU), where predominantly natural composite materials such as castor oil, epoxidised rapeseed oil, soybean oil or sunflower oil can be used. Crop residues, for instance, serve as plasticisers, and mineral components such as chalk serve as fillers.

Mineral carrier materials combine many advantages Natural materials similar to ceramic can also form the basis of semirigid MMF substrates. They are light, yet incredibly stable and also waterproof. The individual components are produced at low temperatures, which saves resources and energy and is low-emission. The ecological balance sheet of MMF floors with an HDF core (high-density fibreboards) can also be improved by using wood fibres from sustainably-managed forests and recyclable materials from the timber

D E S I G N® PA R Q U E T

industry. The use of biodegradable raw materials means that at the end its useful life, this kind of flooring can simply be disposed of as household waste or recycled.

Resource-saving production – non-toxic in use Enormous progress has been made over the past few years in the area of ecological flooring products, and for modular multilayer floors there is still plenty of potential for development. For all responsible manufacturers, the focus is on making high-performing MMF products that are both environmentally-friendly and safe. In addition to ecologically clean production, a comprehensive understanding of ‘sustainability’ means practising corporate social responsibility, e.g. working with regional suppliers, paying staff an appropriate remuneration, complying with occupational health requirements, avoiding child labour overseas, etc. As is the case everywhere, environmental protection and ecology begins on the basis of a long service life for products and resource-saving production. In this respect, the members of the MMFA consider themselves to be in an ideal position. As a European industry association, the MMFA wishes to be actively involved in the future of this exciting and versatile flooring category, which is why it is proactively operating as an overall information provider for all market participants. This educational work aims to increase transparency and product understanding and give guidance to both private and commercial suppliers and users in choosing the right product.

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Loft Pro Semi-solid wood flooring, 16 x 180 x 1800-2000 mm Top layer 4,5 mm 2 bevels, Tongue & Groove

www.designparquet.fr

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INFO@PARKETKERKHOFS.BE

+32 11 63 64 00

Floor Forum International 98

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Special

Subfloors : part II

LOW SOURCE TEMPERATURE ENSURES HIGH EFFICIENCY … BUT THERE MUST BE AS LITTLE RESISTANCE AS POSSIBLE

Photo – Unifloor

Today’s towering fossil fuel prices are encouraging people to consider switching over to systems which work on the basis of low boiler temperatures. Floor heating works on the basis of low source temperatures and, furthermore, offers the cosy feeling of radiation warmth, which yields a

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completely different sort of comfort to the heat generated by convection. There are certainly no more objections to floor heating combined with laminate or parquet floors. In the case of a floating fitting it is necessary to take account of the additional thermal resistance for the subfloor.

Convection or radiation heat Convection How does classic heating work? A heating system with radiators brings warm water together in a number of strategically spread heating points (radiators). Water circulates from the heating source (boiler/burner) via a system of pipes to the radiators to keep them at the required (set) temperature. That temperature is set via a central thermostat and/or thermostatic taps for each radiator. The radiator should discharge its heat into the room by convection. This heats the air around the radiator and creates an air stream. It is clear that the water in the radiators needs to be much warmer than the ambient heat in order to heat the air in the entire room to a certain temperature. To be absolutely clear, radiators also discharge some (local) radiation heat.

Radiation heat is a completely different way of transferring heat. Floor heating works on the basis of radiation heat.

Radiation heat

the final heat resistance would be too high. The heat coefficient conductivity and the thickness of the material together form the heat resistance:

Material thickness (m) Heat resistance (RM value) =

Heat coefficient conductivity (lambda) The heat resistance is expressed in m².K/W A rule of thumb for determining the suitability of a subfloor for floor heating is as follows: -

-

Permitted resistance for floor heating as auxiliary heating = 0.18m².K/W Permitted resistance for floor heating as main heating = 0.14m².K/W

With traditional floor heating, the water is also transferred from the boiler of the heating installation. However, it doesn’t run into radiators, but through a system of pipes built into the floor. Radiation heat has the attribute to heat the body (the material) at once and not the air. Just about all natural sources of heat (e.g. the sun) give radiation heat. Radiation heat is highly efficient. With convection heat, the air is heated, not the material. Air is good insulation, but a poor conveyor of heat because it cools very quickly. That also explains why heat from the sun in the mountains is pleasant, whilst the glaciers stay rock hard and melt only very slowly. Since the air gets thinner as we ascend, we feel radiation heat even more intensely. After all, thin air insulates less well.

Since the temperature of the water in the floor radiates directly onto the body, it is not necessary for this temperature to be a lot higher than the required (physiological) temperature. That is precisely why floor heating works at low boiler temperatures. The maximum water temperature is 28°C.

What’s on the market?

Glued parquet

Bona

Bostik The Nibolay TS 150 subfloor, a cork-rubber underlay with a heat resistance of 0.025m2 K/W, can be deployed for floor heating/cooling. Nibolay TS 150 is a polyurethane-bound cork-rubber granule mixture with a thickness of 3mm and is absolutely ideal as an impact sound insulation underlay and as a heat insulation underlay. Nibolay TS 150 increases walking comfort. The subfloor can be deployed under wood-engineered parquet, laminate, and solid parquet and also on substrates such as rough concrete, cement covering floors, wooden plank floors, and chipboard or on existing substrates such as parquet ceramic tiles, PVC, or linoleum.

As a result of the heat insulation properties of wood, there will be some resistance to the heating of the indoor room when applying a wooden floor covering onto a floor heating system built into the covering floor.

The Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI) therefore recommends glueing the parquet directly onto the covering floor. We will see below that this avoids a subfloor, something which has an effect on the heat resistance. With a glued fitting, the heat resistance is determined mainly by the thickness of the wooden floor. The BBRI has a rule of thumb for this: The theoretical recommended maximum thickness of the wooden floor is 22mm for hardwood (any parquet subfloor included) and 15mm for softwood for a covering floor thickness above the heat-emission elements of at least 50mm, and if no account is taken of the heat resistance of the glues.

Floating parquet and laminate Levelling, damp resistance, and acoustic insulation are a few reasons why a floating subfloor may be necessary. The suitability of a floating floor system for the combination with floor heating is determined by two important factors, namely the heat coefficient conductivity and the thickness of the floor. Good heat conductivity helps to spread the energy and therefore makes the heating system more efficient. The subfloor should have a higher heat coefficient conductivity than the finished floor. Good values for heat conductivity are 0.05W/m-k or higher for wood and laminate and 0.04W/m-k for vinyl. Another important factor is the thickness of the material. Even materials with very good conductivity can have an insulation effect if they are too thick.

Thicknesses above 3.5mm are not usually recommended because

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Bona presents three subfloors, namely Bona U300, Bona U310, and Bona U340. The Bona U300 is a subfloor made of bound cork and rubber granulate and can be used for parquet, laminate, and other floor coverings. The material has a sound insulation effect. When this subfloor is glued with parquet, the generated

Floor Forum International 98

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Special

Subfloors : part II

pressures in the parquet are reduced and diverted to the subfloor.

U310 is a polyester felt for glueing which reduces pressure for glued parquet and laminate. This felt is a problem-solver with doubtful subfloors. It is damp-proof and has an isolating effect. The extra structure height in a mere 1.5 to 2mm, including the glue thickness.

Finally, the Bona U340 is a polyester fibre plate subfloor which reduces pressure on the final floor covering such as ceramics, natural stone, wooden floors, etc. The high pressure resistance accommodates heavy loads (5.0kN/m²). It is suitable for both domestic and commercial use.

It improves the acoustic insulation considerably.

Unifloor Unifloor specialises in producing fast-fitting subfloors and floor preparation systems, most of which also have high acoustic values. They also offer various solutions for floor heating. The Jumpax® Family, their line of fast and dry levelling subfloor systems, includes Jumpax® Heat Traditional and Jumpax® Heat Insulator. Jumpax® Heat Traditional, a combination of HeatFoil® and Jumpax® Basic, is used on traditional floor heating systems. The low heat resistance of this combination ensures that the heat soon reaches the floor surface. HeatFoil® has an integrated damp screen, which also protects the floor from rising damp and at the same time deals with damp tensions caused by floor heating. Jumpax® Basic is fitted directly onto a layer of HeatFoil® and in no time at all creates a super flat and seamless subfloor onto which all elastic floor coverings can be glued. Instant drying means no waiting time! Jumpax® Heat Traditional is also effective in combination with self-adhesive vinyl tiles and also reduces impact noise by no fewer than 21dB ΔLw!

Experts in fast-track subfloor solutions

Jumpax® Heat Isolator, a combination of HeatBlok® and Jumpax® Basic, is used in combination with electric floor heating systems. Here, HeatBlok® perfectly insulates the cold floor and therefore ensures minimum heat loss from the floor heating system, which operates directly below. With the help of a PE foil, Jumpax® Basic is now fitted directly onto the floor heating system and once again ensures a super flat and seamless subfloor onto which all elastic floor coverings such as vinyl, rubber, linoleum, PVC strips, and such like are glued. Here, too, instant drying means no waiting time! Jumpax® Heat Isolator is also effective in combination with fully glued luxury vinyl tiles and reduces impact noise by no fewer than 21dB ΔLw on a standard concrete floor.

Parkettfreund

HEAT

isolator

HEAT

traditional

WWW.UNIFLOOR.NL 10

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There are ongoing technological developments at Parkettfreund in the field of subfloors. An important product group is that of acoustic subfloors, which help to reduce contact sound and the sound of footsteps. The Acoustic Series has subfloors with a heat resistance of 0.01m²K/W. That subfloor, combined with laminate with a heat resistance of around 0.07m²K/W, offers a total heat resistance which stays well under the permitted 0.17m²K/W.

OSMO MAINTENANCE KIT FOR FLOORS – THE PERFECT PROTECTION FOR EVERY CHALLENGE This kit offers the all-round package for the cleaning and care of wooden flooring: > Osmo Wash and Care cleaning concentrate removes dirt and stains and will not dry out flooring. > Liquid Wax Cleaner Spray is suitable for removing tough stains and for restoring dull flooring. > Three application cloths are also included in the kit.

www.osmo.de/en

Special

Parquet soap: what’s on the market ?

PARQUET SOAP AS A MAINTENANCE PRODUCT OR FINISH SCANDINAVIAN METHOD IS STILL POPULAR

Photo – DevoNatural®

We’re all familiar with soap primarily as a ‘cleansing agent’ to remove stains and dirt or dissolve grease. What is less well known in our part of the world is that soap can also be used as a finish for (some) wooden floors. In Scandinavian countries, however, soap has been one of

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the most popular finishes for parquet and wooden floors since way back. In the Benelux parquet soap is used mainly as a cleaning and maintenance product for oiled floors. The composition and structure of soap give it a ‘nutritional’ function.

What is soap actually?

Soap is a cleaning product which has a grease-cutting effect in combination with water. Soap is created by means of saponification of a fat with caustic soda. It is also possible to make soap from a fatty acid with caustic soda. Toilet soap of a normal, everyday quality is usually made from beef tallow, olive oil, palm oil, or coconut oil. More exclusive types of soap are sometimes made from exotic oils and fats. Soap can be solid or liquid and is a surfactant, a substance which can reduce the surface tension of a liquid. Due to this feature, soap and water easily permeate textiles. From a chemical perspective, soap is the salt of the fatty acids from which it is created. The fatty acid residue is a long molecule with a round head and an elongated tail. Such a molecule has a special feature, namely it can ensure that water and oil form a homogenous mixture. In a mixture of water and oil soap ensures that tiny droplets of oil continue to glide in the water because the non-polar tail of the molecule penetrates the fat droplet and the polar head stays in contact with the water.

in smoke chambers and is not very ecological. Soap is slightly alkaline with a PH value of 10 and thereby enters into a reaction with the tannic acid (tannin) in the oak to bring about a very light grey shade in the oak wood.

What’s on the market?

Adesiv For cleaning all floors, Adesiv promotes its Parquetpro, a neutral detergent which can be used concentrated or diluted in water. For deep cleaning you use it in a ratio of 30 to 50% detergent. For normal cleaning the ratio is 10%.

The ‘soap’ is applied with a clean cloth or mop. The product is available in bottles of one litre.

Parquet soap for maintenance Just about all renowned companies/trademarks on the parquet and wooden flooring market have one or more parquet soaps in their range. Those soaps have emerged primarily as products for wooden floors finished with oil. Parquet soaps are generally produced from light and purified vegetable oils. They are developed not only for cleaning, but also to provide durable protection by saturating the wood pores. Various trademarks offer parquet soaps in more than one colour version (colourless, white, and grey). There are a number of tips to help consumers look after their floors. It is up to floor fitters to pass them on.

Bona Bona Soap is an oil-based cleaner and has been developed specially for regular and intensive cleaning and maintenance of oiled wooden floors. Bona Soap cleans the surface and leaves a thin film which can be polished to obtain more gloss. Bona Soap appears as a concentrated product. You use 0.2 litres of Bona Soap for 10 litres of water. Dust and grit must be vacuum cleaned or swept away before use. You clean by working with a well wrung cloth or mop in the direction of the wood grains.

After the fitting In the first month, the floor should be cleaned with soap and water each week to build up a layer of protective nutrition. For the rest, it is only necessary to clean the floor with soap and water if it is dirty or looks dry (if that is the case, you can best increase the dose of soap).

Afterwards, the floor only needs to be vacuum cleaned or you can polish it occasionally with a sheep’s wool pad, a sheep’s wool mop, or a single-brush machine.

Periodically Mopping with water only is not advisable. The fact is that water leaches out the parquet and, over time, yields a parquet floor which looks completely dry and is going to suck up every stain like a sponge. Furthermore, all producers recommend always using two buckets for the periodic cleaning. The first is a mixture of soap and water in the ratio prescribed by the maker. The second bucket contains clean water and serves only to clean the mop. That keeps the soapy water clean.

Parquet soap as a finish Soap can also be used to apply a finish to parquet and wooden floors, so there is no coat of lacquer or oil. This is one of the oldest methods of protecting wooden floors and it is still used a lot in Scandinavian countries. In those countries they use soaps on pine/deal and ash floors because those types of wood have always been used more in those countries. However, there, too, we are seeing more and more soaped oak parquet floors nowadays. Not least because that soap has an extra effect on oak, namely that the wood smokes a little and it takes on an attractive slightly grey look. An oak floor smoked in the normal way is a floor where the tannic acid in the oak has entered into a reaction with ammonia, a highly alkaline product. This is done

Blanchon Parquet soap is not a finish product in and of itself. It does not form a film and it can be washed away with water, so in that respect its mechanical performances are ‘nihil’. The great merit of soap is its capacity to remove dirt. Soap is used mainly to clean oiled parquet because it comes from the same chemical family as oil.

This can be done every day using diluted soap. You can supplement that with a maintenance oil once a month or year, depending on use. And so, they don’t recommend using it for a finish. A parquet soap consists of vegetable oil reinforced with an alkaline ingredient which is eliminated after a reaction. In the

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Floor Forum International 98

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Special

Parquet soap: what’s on the market ?

past, animal fats were also added, but that’s no longer the case. For visual reasons they prefer lightly coloured soaps which are a far cry from the ‘brown floor soaps’ of the past, but there are still some links.

Here they want to stress ‘cleanliness’. That also includes a fresh aroma. Blanchon does not recommend combining its parquet soap with other detergents.

Chimiver LIOS Soft Balm is a suitable detergent for the cleaning and nourishing of oiled wooden floors.

Thanks to its formulation based on maintenance oil it cleans and nourishes at the same time. Used regularly, LIOS Soft Balm helps to keep a natural and uniform appearance of the wooden floors.

DevoNatural® Soaping a floor gives it a very soft natural look. This method is extremely popular, particularly in Scandinavian countries. DevoNatural® Soap, natural soap for cleaning, is used in a strong concentration as a basic treatment for floors. DevoNatural® Soap is used mainly on softwood sorts (deal, pitch pine, larch, fir, etc..) and gives protection similar to that of DevoNatural®Solid Wax, provided that the floor is sufficiently saturated. Soaping is also used on oak wooden floors, usually in combination with a pre-treatment such as, for instance, DevoNatural® Reactive. The level of protection from soap on oak wood is less, but due to the aesthetic properties people do sometimes still choose it. A soaped floor has a distinctive and natural look. Regular cleaning with the same soap is necessary to preserve it. However, 99% of the soap turnover at Devomat is for soaps maintaining oiled floors with

Photo – Osmo

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DevoNatural® High Solid Oil. A floor finished with DevoNatural® High Solid Oil is well protected to keep out damp and dirt. It is necessary to maintain parquet floors regularly with Devo Natural® Wood Soap to keep things that way! By alternating between DevoNatural® Wood Soap Clear, White, or Grey during the cleaning, you have the option of changing the floor colour slightly and counteracting potential discolouration from incidences of light or wear and tear.

Osmo Optimal Wooden Floor Cleaning For slightly dirty surfaces of wooden flooring, Osmo Wash and Care is recommended as the optimal product for cleaning and care. Osmo Wash and Care is a concentrate that must be diluted with water prior to use. Mixing ratios can be adjusted to suit the degree of contamination. With a damp mop, the cleaning solution is then applied to the wood surface. Osmo Wash and Care moisturizes and does not harm the oil and wax surface finish, so it is perfect for the cleaning and routine maintenance of wooden flooring treated with Osmo Polyx®-Oil.

Special

Producers of silane adhesive

ADVANCE OF SILANE GLUES IS PURE LOGIC ELASTIC, UNIVERSAL, CLEAN, AND GREEN… WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

Photo – Emfi

Nowadays, the profession of parquet floor fitter is certainly not so simple. Apart from the elementary professional skill and expertise which are typical of the profession, a sound knowledge of wood sorts and the properties of wood and, moreover, a sound insight into buildings and the design

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thereof, nowadays, parquet floor fitters also need a good dose of knowledge of physics and chemistry. In that field glues are certainly not the most simple subject matter. They continue to develop and become ever more complex. Do silane glues form the universal end phase?

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Producers of silane adhesive

Why all those glues?

One of the essential properties which makes a glue suitable for this or that application is its ‘elasticity’. The standard ISO17178:2013 draws a distinction between hard glues, hard-elastic glues, and elastic glues. The difference with the standard EN14293 is minimal in the sense that little has changed at first sight as regards test method, but there is now an extra category. Indeed, the previous standard draws a distinction between hard and soft glues only. Demands for elasticity have been adjusted downwards, whilst those of shear strength for elasticity have been raised.

Wood sorts and substrates The elasticity of a glue is obviously determined by the composition.

The fact that there are different compositions at all is the result of the exceptionally diverse conditions in which wooden floors can be glued. You have different wood sorts which each react differently to the penetration of damp. Some (such as beech) are much more sensitive to damp than others (such as oak). In addition, you also have diverse substrates.

Differences in the atmosphere There can be major differences in the atmosphere with the application of the same types of wood. Humidity in our part of the world fluctuates around 60%. In Indonesia they easily speak in terms of 85%. That’s precisely why glue makers have developed a varied range of parquet glues over the years. We look for the right glue for the right application.

Why elastic glues?

Because the materials which we glue are ‘more or less’ elastic. The ‘elasticity’ of a material is the extent to which a material which has temporarily gone out of shape develops a counterforce in order to return to its initial shape once the cause of that distortion is removed. We call the mechanical strength with which the material takes on its original shape the ‘resilience’. The fact that wood swells and shrinks is the reason why parquet glue has to be elastic. Whenever wood swells, the glue needs a certain elasticity to be able to move with the wood and therefore distort. Afterwards, when the wood shrinks again, that distortion needs to be rectified. Silane glues (whether we call them MS polymers or MSP glues or quite simply silane glue) work on the basis of a different principle to that of PU glues. The silane (silicon-hydrogen) modified polymers consist of chemical-reactive compounds which ensure that the polymer forms an elastic glue compound whenever it comes into contact with humidity. Silane glues ensure outstanding and durable adhesion, but stay elastic. The glues set fairly quickly so that it is usually possible to sandpaper and apply a finish the next day.

Silane glues take away the pressure on the substrate. According to makers, various silane glues can be used on covering floors with a residual moisture percentage of more than 2.5%.

consumers won’t lightly dismiss the argument that polyurethane glues, which can contain isocyanates, can be carcinogenic. Silane glues do not contain any substances which are harmful to human beings or the environment.

Outstanding adhesive quality Silane glues ensure outstanding and durable adhesion, but they stay elastic. The glues set fairly quickly so that it is usually possible to sandpaper and apply a finish the next day. Silane glues take away the pressure on the substrate. According to makers, various silane glues can be used on covering floors with a residual moisture percentage of more than 2.5%.

Clean When traditional parquet is fitted, adhesive residue is simply sandpapered away. With the irrepressible advance of pre-finished floors, that is no longer possible. The only option for floor fitters is to work cautiously. That obviously costs time. Silane adhesives are the dream solution here since they can easily be removed from both material and hands. They are clean glues and, apart from their other qualities, they also owe their success to the fact that they solve a problem in a growing market.

Broad usage One of the major success factors of these elastic glues is undoubtedly the fact that they can be deployed on just about any substrate and for just about all wood sorts. In contrast to SPUR glues, MS polymers and other silane glues also stick to smooth (non-porous) substrates and they can also be deployed for moisture-sensitive wood sorts on low-absorbent substrates.

What’s on the market?

Adesiv

The ‘strong’ sides of silane That balanced elasticity of silane glues is not the only reason for their success. Once MS polymer glues and other silane glues reached maturity technically and as regards elasticity, they were able to utilise their other strong assets, which are not to be despised.

Health The health of floor fitters and eventual end users (who live on the floor) is obviously a topic not to be neglected. Floor fitters and

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Adesiv presents two monocomponent silane glues based on the MS polymer from Kaneka. The WB Mono MS is a single-component glue specially for the adhesion of pre-finished wooden floors onto concrete substrates or onto existing non-absorbent floors (e.g. marble, tiles, Palladian, or wooden substrates). For engineered floors Adesiv recommends WB Mono MS-LE. WB Mono MS Performance Plus is regarded as a ‘universal glue’. Both glues have a different elasticity. WB Mono MS Performance Plus is available in buckets of 15kg.

BASF/Thomsit

all have the benefits of the FLEXTEC™ technology, which Thomsit itself has developed. These elastic glues absorb the movements of the parquet floor and that permanently reduces the tensile stress on the substrate. Moreover, they are strong and flexible and adhere to almost any substrate without the need for a primer. Apart from that, they also save you valuable drying time.

Bona

Fitting parquet makes high demands of the performance of the floor fitter and the quality of the product used. For ready-for-fitting parquet BASF presents Thomsit P 675 Elast, with its strong quality and competitive price. By contrast, P 685 Elast Universal can be deployed more broadly and, amongst other things, is suitable for solid parquet. P 695 Elast Universal Strong is your master for all classes and is suitable for all sorts of parquet. These three glues

The Bona range includes the following glues: R850 and R850T, R848, and the R880 assembly kit. Bona R850 really is an all-round

WE HAVE EYES ON THE

WOOD FLOORING REVOLUTION

ECO OIL 1K

SIMPLY MAGIC

Clear the way for the latest wood flooring revolution from PALLMANN. The new solvent-free 1K water-based rolling oil is ready to use and easy to apply. ECO OIL 1K is now available in three options NEUTRAL, WHITE and PURE that provides a raw wood effect. www.good-for-wood.com

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Producers of silane adhesive

glue, which can be deployed for just about all wooden floors and use on just about all substrates, whilst all other variants each have their specific field of use. Bona R848 and R850T can be used together with the latest version of Bona Optispread, which makes it possible to apply glue whilst standing up. A distinction is made as regards application. R848 is suitable for composite parquet and narrow strips with a minimal ratio of 1:5 between the thickness and width of the strips. R850 and R850T are excellent for glueing composite parquet and 6mm traditional parquet 70 and 90mm wide and 9mm traditional parquet with a maximum width of up to 18cm. The latest addition is the Titan. Bona Titan is a powerful parquet glue of a new generation. Some main features: fourfold ‘cross-linking’ for ultimate durability and the fastest possible adhesive strength; perfect for wide solid wood planks; it contains no softeners and therefore causes no discolouration to joints.

Bostik

According to Bostik, the name ‘silane glues’ is a particularly unfortunate choice which has blown over from the German expression ‘Silan Terminierte Klebstoffe’ (Silane-terminated adhesives). This refers to glues based on SMP (Silyl/Silane modified polymers in which active silane groups finally come to rest on a polyether pre-polymer). This MSP technology is used to make hard-elastic parquet glues, assembly glues, and also soft-elastic kits for glazing applications or dilatation joints.

Soft-elastic SMP glues are highly elastic and offer less resistance to the shearing stress which parquet sections cause under fluctuating humidity. This means there is less stress on the covering floor. These types of glue are therefore recommended for less compression-resistant and tensile substrates. The hard-elastic (and ‘chip-resistant’) glues which have appeared on the market in recent years are ideal for fitting the more fixed multilayer parquet. In the Bostik range we mention the Parfix Classic and Elastic. Parfix Classic is midway between hard and soft elastic and can thereby be used in 95% of the cases, even for glueing subfloors.

Chimiver Adesiver Elastic is a single-component adhesive based on a silane-terminated prepolymer (MS technology). Hypoallergenic, free of any hazardous label. Easy to clean. Recommended for gluing any type of traditional and pre-finished wooden floors and suitable subfloors. Extreme (superior) technology than

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PU systems. Certified: EC1R Very good elasticity that last over the time. Can contribute to the achievement of QI CREDIT 4.1 according to the parameters of the GEV dated 03 March 2009, it meets the certification LEED protocol (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Unisil is a single-component adhesive based on a silane-terminated prepolymer (MS technology). Hypoallergenic, free of any hazardous label. Easy to clean. Recommended for gluing any type of traditional and prefinished wooden floors and suitable subfloors. Extreme (superior) technology than PU systems. Certified: EC1R, CCA, Acoustic barrier, Heat conductor. Approved by the best subfloor heating system producers. Superb elasticity that last over the time. Can contribute to the achievement of QI CREDIT 4.1 according to the parameters of the GEV dated 03 March 2009, it meets the certification LEED protocol (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Devo® The Devo® silane and hybrid glues are suitable for all types of wood. There are certainly some types of glue which are designed specifically for multilayer or for solid parquet. Devo® Glue MSP150, MSP200, and MSP250 are all silane or hybrid glues. The Devo® Glue MSP 150 1C is a monocomponent semi-elastic, and hybrid MS polymer parquet glue which contains no silicone or isocyanates and is designed for multilayer stabilised parquet. Devo® Glue MSP 200 1C is a monocomponent, soft-elastic hybrid MS polymer parquet glue, which contains no silicone or isocyanates. Devo® Glue MSP 250 1C is the best-seller at Devomat Industries. This glue is suitable for glueing all types of wood, solid wood up to 20cm wide, and is recommended particularly for fitting pre-finished parquet. The

glue contains no water or VOCs and spreads excellently. Devo® Glue MSP 250 is a hard-elastic glue (about 70 Shores) with great adhesive strength, conforms to CSN EN 14293, and has the EC1-Plus (EC1-R) classification. Devo® Glue MSP250 is packed in bags of 5kg.

Emfi

silane glues offer greater certainty if there is a need for any resistance to swelling and shrinking in wood to minimise the distortion of the parquet. These glues have greater scope than soft silane glues. Pallmann presents the single-component STP parquet glue Pallmann P5, a hard-elastic, solventless, and waterless parquet glue in conformity to DIN EN 14293 for glueing parquet. This glue is suitable for strip parquet 19-22mm, end grain engineered parquet 16-22mm, solid parquet, and exotic wood.

Single-component STP glue combines strong elasticity and the benefits of modern STP technology. It contains neither solvents nor water, so it is fairly user-friendly and has no harmful effects for the parquet. Pallmann P6 is the hard-elastic 1-component STP glue of the new generation.

Stauf

For glueing all sorts of parquet Emfi recommends its hybrid polymers, including two glues (Emfi Parquet Pro Plus and Emfi Parquet Pro Eco) which can be spread using a spatula and the tube glue Emfi Mastic PS Parquet. Emfi presents as its ‘star product’ Emfi Parquet Pro+, a parquet glue based on silane polymers and suitable for the full glueing of all types of parquet. Thanks to a wealth of research and development, Emfi Parquet Pro+ complies with the strictest environmental standards. The glue contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. This adhesive is suitable for glueing very wide floorboards in oak. It adheres very quickly and is easy to apply. Emfi Parquet Pro+ is a monocomponent glue. The glue’s high resistance to damp and fluctuations in temperature make it ideal for fitting parquet on floor heating.

Pallmann Pallmann products, based on silane terminated products (STP), are used as the basis for parquet adhesives and as sealants. In application and composition they correspond strongly to the 1-component polyurethane glue. These 1-component glues set by means of a reaction with damp from the environment. If a choice can be made between a 1-component (1K) or a 2-component (2K) system, floor fitters usually prefer 1K products. Soft silane glues give minimal strains from the wood to the substrate and they allow for swelling and shrinking in the parquet. Hard/Hard-elastic

There are two basic types of silane adhesives: SMP and SPU. SMP stands for silane-modified polymers. SPU is a further development of SMP, as silane terminated polymers, and comprises the two components polyurethane and silane. The difference between hard and soft silane adhesives lies mainly in the mechanical properties and strength of the substance, i.e. a hard adhesive has hard mechanical properties and high strength, where as elastic adhesives have soft mechanical properties and low strength. The strength of the adhesives is regulated by the international standard ISO 17178. STAUF offers a range of silane adhesives: SMP 950, SMP 930, SPU 570, SPU 555, whereby the STAUF MULTILAYER product is particularly elastic and the premium product SPU 570 is a hard-elastic adhesive.

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Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

HUNGARIAN POINT AND HERRINGBONE STILL YIELD SMART FITTING PATTERNS FLOOR FITTERS GET THE CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR SKILL

Photo – "HKS1835"

These days, architecture is taking a wonderful twist. We see an intense reconciliation between styles which until recently seemed virtually impossible. The most classic fitting patterns in parquet history are emerging in rigid and modernist interiors and, yes, the result is superb class. Has minimalism been broken up or maybe not? Minimalism is taking on a new form, a warmer face than before and with no

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compromise on its straightness. Floor fitters play a crucial part in that story, or maybe not?

A piece of parquet history Rich or poor?

We also find wooden floors and strip parquet amongst an extensive and varied public in the course of history. There were wooden floors

amongst the well-to-do middle class, cloisters, or mansions and in ordinary workers’ homes. In the past, special fitting patterns tended to be the preserve of the rich, and that is still the case today. It is clear from the types of fitting patterns themselves and the fitting techniques used that fitting such special patterns requires more time than an ordinary wooden floor or strip parquet. The two most popular classic fitting patterns are undoubtedly ‘Hungarian point’ and the ‘herringbone pattern’. Other patterns include brick pattern, English bond, and mosaic.

Democratisation process Parquet comes within reach of ‘ordinary’ people once the industrial revolution makes its mark. New machines make it possible to produce parquet in much greater quantities and immediately set the democratisation process in motion. Hungarian point and herringbone have never been away. In the 20th century, however, after World War I, parquet production generally prospered. The high-tech equipment and, not least, the first four-sided planes raised production capacity considerably. This enabled manufacturers to respond to the growing demand for parquet for private homes and flats.

Well-to-do middle class The Parisian bourgeoisie now started to play a major part in the spread of Hungarian point. Parquet floor in Hungarian point was all the rage at that time, so much so that some people even called it ‘le parquet Haussmannien’ in a logical reference to the Boulevard Haussmann where the most luxurious flats were being built at an unprecedented speed. Over the last 30 years, both fitting patterns have fallen out of favour for a time; they were perceived as old fashioned and completely outmoded. Today, however, they are making a return in the most unexpected interior combinations.

Multilayer is advancing here as well We can show that these fitting patterns are having an appreciated impact on interior architecture as a whole by the phenomenon that manufacturers of completely different types of floors such as vinyl, linoleum, PVC, and laminate are also including them in their assortments. That phenomenon also shows at once that these patterns are popular with a broad target group. The fact that herringbone and Hungarian point have also entered the multilayer floor segment is really logical. The reason is quite obvious; multilayer can present its strong assets for these fitting patterns as well: speedy fitting, dustfree fitting, often completely finished, and in more limited structure heights, something which often makes them more suitable for renovation. Strictly speaking, there is no conceivable reason for not choosing multilayer. Producers also offer both solid wood and two and threelayer floors. Yet many producers find the entrance of these fitting patterns in multilayer ‘regrettable’. Solid wood holds the upper hand.

That is explained by the fact that lots of clients who opt for such floors also opt for a classic fitting, a (more than) lifelong lifespan, and infinite renovation possibilities.

What’s on the market?

Alma by Giorio

Still real expertise Old fitting patterns are the acid test for a real expert, a chance to make a difference. The fact that these patterns consist of 6.2mm of traditional parquet or 9mm of Burgundy already means the use of the age-old craft. Apart from the fact that this is about traditional fitting, the preparation requires a lot of attention and, above all, the measurement of the room for a balanced spread. A number of manufacturers recommend laying the floor out loosely first in order to adapt it nicely to the room.

Size of the strips The dimensions of the strips used have a direct effect on the final look of the floor. You should seek out good advice here because not all herringbones are the same and the same applies to Hungarian point. At all events, the size of the room determines how big the herringbone parquet floorboards may be. The biggest size that we’ve found so far is 18cm wide and 90cm long. Those are obviously extremely large sizes to work into a fitting pattern. It is generally accepted that such sizes can be used only in rooms of at least 100m². For Hungarian point there is a method for determining the size of the floorboards in such a way that the entire room is ‘filled’. This requires a precise calculation.

Alma by Giorio regards Hungarian point and herringbone as good examples of a successful combination of modern and traditional design. This yields timeless elegance and a parquet floor which takes centre stage. The collection is available in various finishes and sizes and can be combined with any type of furniture. The fitting does require some experience. The geometry of the room is important, as is perfect outlining. Experience of glueing is also crucial. Alma by Giorio offers both patterns in European oak, European walnut, and American walnut and in both solid wood and multilayer. The latter consists of two layers of 15mm with a top layer of 4mm. Multilayer is sold the most because of the simplicity of the fitting.

Thickness of the strips

ART/DECO

Strips for herringbone are usually 6.2mm or 9mm thick and without tongue and groove (traditional parquet). However, there is also herringbone 14mm thick and with tongue and groove. What is special about these floors (with tongue and groove) is that you need two sorts of strips: ‘a left one and a right one’ is the technical jargon. If the groove is on the left and the tongue top right for one leg of the herringbone, the other strip has to be vice-versa; indeed, you work in a mirror image.

Just like mouldings or furnished marble chimney breasts, herringbone parquet is an example of Haussmann architecture and designers are reviving this type of parquet. There has always been a market for these floors (herringbone or Hungarian point). Obviously, fitting these patterns does require a solid does of skill. With Hungarian point there is already a big difference as regards effect, depending on the incidence of light. And so, floor fitters have to take account of that.

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Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

Since Art/Deco is in the Ardennes forests, it seems logical that oak is the favourite here.

Skill is also required for the production, including as regards squareness. At Art/Deco they offer solid wood and multilayer (4 and 6mm top layer).

Although they recommend multilayer here, solid wood is still selling better.

BJ Parket BJ Parket is taking more and more orders for these fitting patterns, something which is nevertheless still regarded here as something which suits genuine and well trained floor fitters perfectly. The quality of the end result is affected from as early as the production, they tell us at BJ Parket: ‘First and foremost, the strips have to be made perfectly, i.e. with perfect dimensions. The least deviation in the squareness means they cannot be fitted attractively. You also see a lot

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of floors which are patched up all over, something which indicates poor composition and poor work with the fitting’. The major type of wood is oak, but BJ Parket also makes these floors in wenge, acapou, etc.

The company offers both solid wood and multilayer. Solid wood is sold the most because BJ Parket adapts the floor to the room. This can only be done with solid wood. The composite products are always standard dimensions, so they would never measure up perfectly in the room.

Chêne de l’est At Chêne de l’est, too, these designs are still popular. There is no doubt that this is something for the expert. Hungarian point, in particular, requires experience. With Hungarian point, you always start in the

middle of the room and you fit a strip of two floorboards (left and right) over a length of at least three metres (or the entire room). Firstly, the sections are laid out loosely and then glued. Then you continue, always with two lines. Oak is obviously the preferred type of wood here. Chêne de l’est presents these patterns in solid wood (14 and 21mm) and in two-layer (10 and 15mm) with a top layer of about 4 or about 2.7mm.

The ratio of solid wood and multilayer is about 50/50.

MANUFACTUROR OF SOLID AND ENGINEERED WOODFLOORS Style panels, end grain, distressed floors (different ageing techniques ‘sanded, brushed, tumbled, smoked and structured’): Customised work on simple request!

Coswick

«Zig-Zag» flooring patterns originated in 17th century France, where it quickly became one of the most preferred types of floors in the palaces of the kings and nobility alike. The main difference between Chevron and Herringbone patterns is that Chevron planks are cut to ensure that each “zig” and “zag” are connected at a 45 or 60 degrees angle, while Herringbone planks are connected by square edges. Coswick Chevron and Herringbone parquet floors are a modern, technologically supe-rior take on the traditional French floor. Manufactured with cutting-edge equipment, each plank is milled to precision and ensures fast and flawless installation. Recent debut of Coswick Chevron Click would make installation possible even for an amateur. Our Chevron and Herringbone come Engineered and Solid in a variety of dimensions.

Possible Layouts created by the use of Coswick Chevron and Herringbone start with the classic way of installation and develop up to diamond or hexagon style all easily combined with Coswick plank flooring, as well as Wall and Ceiling panels. Coswick innovative

B.J. Parket

BVBA

INDUSTRIESTRAAT 44 9240 Z ELE – B ELGIUM TEL: +32 52 44 45 57 FAX: +32 52 45 06 71 EMAIL: INFO@BJPARKET.BE WWW.BJPARKET.BE

Special

Producers of Hungarian point and herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

all-hardwood 3-layer engineered construction of Chevron and Her-ringbone are definitely in demand due to its stability and ability to withstand any cli-mate around the world.

Offered in a large design assortment, huge variety of dimensions, wood grades and species, all backed up with Lifetime structural warranty Coswick Chevron and Herring-bone are created to meet the most daring designer projects worldwide.

good basic knowledge and common sense can take you a long way, but training is still advisable. In this field, too, oak comes at the top of the list, but all types of wood are possible. The disadvantage for a producer who usually works with large quantities in multilayer is that the production of these patterns means a drop in productivity. At Esta Parket they make herringbone in a thickness of 14mm with a top layer of 3.3mm.

Design Parquet

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs

HOUTBEDRIJF

KERKHOFS Specialist in custom work!

Design Parquet, which has great skill in the manufacture of special panels, has noticed a great appreciation for these floor patterns. The company also has several prestigious reference projects to its name.

For the fitting it is important to start in the centre of the room. Here, too, oak is the most appreciated and best adapted type of wood. Other types of wood such as doussie, wenge, and cumaru are also used, albeit less frequently. All types of wood are suitable for these fitting designs. At Design Parquet the majority of these floors are produced in solid wood, but, over the last four years, the company has also offered multilayer, which is growing strongly. The ratio of solid wood/two-layer is now 50/50.

For Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs these design floors have once again been hot items in Belgium in recent times. By contrast, in the Netherlands these design floors have always been an attraction. 75% of design floors at Kerkhofs (especially herringbone floors) are purchased via Dutch parquet floor fitters. They are convinced here that fitting these floors should be a core component of a floor fitter’s basic training. Special points for attention for fitting these floors include precise measurement of the room, consideration of a good layout, how, where, and at what angle the design floor will come best into its own, and those are all important aspects. Several types of wood can be suitable for this such as, obviously, oak, but also afzelia, merbau, and wenge.

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs itself produces 6.3 and 9.0mm herringbone and Hungarian point floors. In addition, the company also offers a wide range of composite design floors. The composite design floors are two and three-layer with top layers of 3, 4, 5, and 6mm. The best-sellers at Kerkhofs are the solid wood 6.3 and 9.0mm floors. They produce those floors themselves.

Heinr. Krüger & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG (HKS) Heinr. Krüger & Sohn based in Münster Germany offers more than only plank flooring

Esta Parket At Esta Parket they have noticed a growing demand for herringbone and such products, preferably large and exclusive. They produce

Photo: "HKS1835"

herringbone in 160 and 180mm wide and usually in lengths of 1120mm. Here they have noticed how many floor fitters work too often with click systems, so they refuse more challenging assignments. A

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A few years ago the flooring specialist Heinr. Krüger & Sohn (HKS) based in Münster Germany already learned that the traditional patterns Herringbone and Chevron (also known as French Herringbone and Hungarian point) are having their comeback nowadays. Therefore HKS is offering them in modern way. The

profiling is done half right and half left strips with micro bevel all around (GO4). Herringbone is produced with tongue and groove all around and Chevron with 1 longside tongue and 3 sides groove. For this HKS delivers separate tongues with it. For the stock material they are producing Chevron with 45° and for special orders other angles like 60° are produced as well. Within the product line “Krügers” HKS offers thicknesses of 12/16/21 mm with top layers of 3/4/6 mm.

Standard widths are 100/120 mm with length of 600 mm. The range offers 14 oiled surfaces that are also offered as planks so that installation of a frame is also possible without problems. Who likes to have something more special will be interested in the improved range “Manufaktur deluxe”. This offers very individual surfaces in Herringbone and Chevron. By using modern technology and craftsmanship different designs are realised. By using stains, oils and wax on the structured and manual sanded surfaces the floorings provide a visual and haptical good feeling. The total thickness of these elements is 15 mm with a top layer of 4 mm and possible widths are 85/100/120 mm with lengths of 600/700/800 mm. Both ranges are produced in Europe. Top layer is made from European oak and is based on high quality birch plywood. www.hks1835.com

solely in fully glued multilayer or assembly with tongue and groove, requires a great deal of expertise. By contrast, herringbone parquet from Parqueterie Berrichonne is fitted using the Unifit click system with which the strips are connected by means of a simple downward press. Herringbone is fitted both in rustic projects and in contemporary homes and is presented fully finished and ready for fitting. Oak is the absolute champion due to the universally well known combination of look and stability. Oak has the extra ecological asset that it’s usually produced locally, so transport trips are limited. Parqueterie Berrichonne takes care of all phases of the production itself and can therefore met client wishes. Whilst they appreciate the image of ‘solid wood’ here, they have nevertheless decided to concentrate on developing multilayer parquet which is adapted to contemporary forms of technology such as floor heating. More stability with less expensive wood seems to be the message.

Oosterlinck Herringbone and Hungarian point are fitting patterns which have been in existence for a long time. In bygone days, they were generally fitted in castles and mansions due to their luxurious character. Since the 1970s, herringbone and Hungarian point have largely been displaced as a result of the emergence of wooden floors.

However, in recent years, demand has started to increase modestly once again. Oosterlinck, too, is witnessing a growing demand. Producing both herringbone and Hungarian point requires a very precise setting of the machines because even the slightest deviation causes severe problems with the fitting. That is why, eight years ago, Oosterlinck purchased an expensive but extremely accurate machine to saw planks perfectly in the width, length, and in the angles. So far, both fitting patterns are made only in solid wood in thicknesses of 6.2, 9, 14, and 21mm. Apart from classic oak, there are also scores of exotic wood sorts available. The two most commonly requested dimensions are 355 x 71 and 450 x 90mm, but there is a trend towards wider and longer planks. There are also plans to offer both products also in multilayer in the short term.

SLAVONIAN OAK

Parqueterie Berrichonne At Parqueterie Berrichonne they have noticed a return to straight strips of 90mm and to Hungarian point and herringbone. These patterns are enjoying a renaissance, partly thanks to the resurgence of the Haussmann style in the big cities. Hungarian point, which is available

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Producers of multi-layer floors

EVERYTHING IS ‘MULTILAYER’ APART FROM ‘MONOLAYER’ ALL THE PARQUET FLOOR FITTER’S PROFESSIONAL SKILL IN ONE PRODUCT Obviously, there will always be solid parquet! At least, that’s what we think. It may well be pleasant to note that wood is gaining ground in the construction sector, but we mustn’t forget that in construction history wood as a building material ‘once’ yielded tonnes of ground to ‘new’ materials such as concrete, steel, and brick. The transition from solely wooden houses to brick houses was a historic dip. If wood is emerging again nowadays, we have to see that as a renaissance. Respect for nature and the cost price of noble wood mean that we treat it responsibly.

Economics first In the Middle Ages, all houses were made of wood. In some parts of the world, such as in Scandinavia, wood is still the first choice. If we look at the wooden flooring market in Europe over the past 15 years, we see that wood still has some way to go.

Swelling and shrinking Between 1990 and 2001, we saw growth from 35 to 75 million square metres i.e. more than double. Consumption of wooden floors has increased steadily and reached a record figure of 98 million square metres in 2007. Then the financial crisis raised its head. The figure dipped to 82 million square metres in 2008, fell further to 65 million square metres in 2009, and that’s where we still are today.

Share in the flooring market If we put those figures in a wider context, we know that here we see the consumption of a product group which, in total, accounts for merely a part of the flooring market. In 2008, wood still accounted for 5.6% of all floor coverings. Not really impressive! Textile was the leader at that time with 38%, followed by stone/ceramics with 29%, laminate with 14%, and vinyl 11%.

Internal division What part does solid wood still play in that story? Solid wood has stayed at a similar level for almost 20 years. With 18% solid wood and nowadays 2% mosaic, we can say for convenience that 20% of wooden floors are solid parquet. Whether plank floors are included in that is not clear from FEP figures. In other words, 80% of parquet floors in Europe are multilayer wooden floors.

Multilayer is high-tech The term ‘engineered floors’ perhaps defines the product less clearly than ‘multilayer’, but it does clarify an essential feature of these floors. You can hardly say that multilayer parquet is easy to produce.

These floors are the fruit of the labours of ‘engineers’ who apply different forms of technology to complete the floor structure which ‘neutralises’ the natural movement of the wood. The greatest difficulty lies in connecting the different layers to each other. However, the choice of the top layer requires just as much traditional knowledge

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of wood as that for solid parquet. It is the thickness of that top layer which determines the name of the floor. With veneer floors, the top layer is formed by a wafer-thin layer (maximum 0.6mm) of veneer wood, whilst with wood-engineered parquet the solid wood top layer varies from about 2 to about 6mm, depending on the producer. The thickness of the top layer obviously helps to determine the durability of the floor.

Craft and science For the composition of a multilayer wooden floor engineers draw inspiration from the age-old craft of fitting parquet. After all, the most reliable fitting methods for solid wood floorboards are those whereby several floor layers are glued to each other so that pressure created by external influences is spread over those layers. And so, it’s no wonder that multilayer floorboards in small sizes, which are designed to be fitted in a certain pattern, are also called ‘pre-fab parquet’ in the Netherlands. Here we cross over to the floor structure. The structure of wood-engineered parquet can consist of two or three layers. With two-layer wood-engineered parquet the top layer is fastened to a base. Two-layer wood-engineered parquet is usually fully glued. Three-layer wood-engineered parquet also has a counterlayer as well as a middle layer in MDF, HDF, multiplex, or pine or deal strips.

The layers are fitted to each other cross-linked and glued to each other under pressure. The total floor thickness of wood-engineered parquet is about 14mm, and that is particularly attractive for renovation. Some manufacturers have two-layer wood-engineered parquet of 9mm.

Technical cross-fertilisation To make the fitting easier, producers have obviously looked around for tips. In particular laminate manufacturers and, yes, many of them, and certainly the bigger producers, do both laminate and parquet (solid and multilayer). And so, some cross-fertilisation, including technically, is quite logical. Two major techniques stand out, namely pre-finished and click system.

Pre-finished Nowadays, very few people still speak of floors supplied raw in terms of 50%. The normal ratio today is 90/10 % in favour of pre-finished and some (well known) manufacturers supply solely pre-finished floors which are ready for fitting. Supplying floors raw does have advantages: There are still floor fitters who swear by their own colour formula. That is to be encouraged, even if we see that very few colours/shades are missing from the ranges on offer from manufacturers. However, lots of floor fitters see finishing as a point of ‘added value’.

Click systems They exist in both two and three layers. Multilayer floors equipped with a click system (usually one of the well known licences) are selling more and more. They are obviously pre-finished, and that brings

the fitting very close to that of laminate and, therefore, the domain of DIY enthusiasts. However, we still reiterate that even with laminate the ‘hand of the master’ can make a difference, especially with expertise in the finish.

top layer of 2.7mm and is 10.5mm thick with a width of 140mm. The TOP 4 with widths of 110 to 220mm is 15.2mm thick with a top layer of 4mm.

The oak XXL is 18mm thick with a top layer of 5mm. The widths range from 215 to 335mm. The XXL has softwood in the middle and oak as counterbalance.

These floors are suitable for new buildings and for renovation.

Over 90% of floors are supplied finished.

A selection from the range Alma by Giorio

Design Parquet

Alma by Giorio has diverse types of wood in the range of multilayer floors. Frequent examples are European oak, European walnut, American walnut, Burmese teak, antique teak, European elm, larch, and wenge. Two-layer parquet is suitable for medium sizes. The difference lies in the base; with three-layer floors, that is solid wood, whilst multiplex is used for two-layer floors. The types of wood for the base are usually poplar or birch. The advantage of two-layer is the elasticity and flexibility. The floors are used equally for renovation and new constructions. The client preference is clearly for completely finished floors.

BJ Parket At BJ Parket they talk of multi-layer parquet from a top layer of at least 2.5mm. BJ Parket presents multi-layer floors with top layers of 4 and 6mm respectively. The company sells its home-made Duo Line, Solid floor, Cabbani, BJ Best Selection, and Baltic Wood. Duo Line has a highly stable birch plywood base.

Cabbani allows a choice between birch plywood or HDF. Solid floor is mounted on a block panel. At BJ Parket the ratio of finished and raw supplied floors is 50/50.

Chêne de l’est For Chêne de l’est we can speak of parquet from a top layer of 2.5mm they have several multilayer products. The multilayer oak TOP 2.7 has a

Design Parquet believes we can speak of multi-layer parquet from a top layer thickness of 3.2mm. The company offers various types of dimensioning, including Parquet Loft PRO 12 x 90, 145, and 180, 16 x 90, 180, and 220mm, Loft PRO XXL of 20 x 295 and Loft PRO 20 x 180. The two-layer parquet floors are certainly replacing solid wood for the larger sizes, which really do have to be stable. They regard the fact that less wood is used as a plus. Design Parquet is one of the few companies which guarantee its two-layer floors with floating fitting. Over 95% of their floors leave the factory finished.

Coswick

When you buy or rent an apartment or build a house you start to think about the materials to be used inside. Trends and traditions are different from country to country and no matter the nationality, culture, climate or budget one wants to have beautiful, reliable, long-lasting and eco-friendly flooring. No wonder why hardwood floorings have become so popular around the world. Modern engineered hardwood floors can be used in commercial facilities, private houses, apartments with underfloor heating systems and even yachts. Moreover, hardwood flooring became very popular in the countries where trees do not even grow due to the climate conditions. Therefor classic solid hardwood floors can not withhold modern demand due to impossibility of installation on underfloor heating systems and use in extreme climates. The time has come for engineered hardwood floors. They open absolutely new horizons of the use of hardwood floors. Good quality hardwood floors may be used in conditions of 40-65% humidity, allow installation on underfloor heating systems and produce single strip planks up to 300mm wide and 3m. long. Engineered floors also able to provide a wide range of beautiful and complicated patterns as

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Floor Forum International 98

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Producers of multi-layer floors

parquetry, chevron, versailles etc. Coswick`s unique technology allows production of highly balanced and stable 3-layer engineered floors.

Coswick 3-layer Solid engineered hardwood flooring has hardwood in all 3 layers and, as opposed to classic engineered floors with softwood or HDF core, is characterized by perfect balance between layers and thus makes planks extremely stable so there is almost no swelling, shrinking or twisting even when over-dried or over-moisturized. All 3 layers are joint together with the use of high-adhesion hot-melted polyurethane formaldehyde-free glues and finished with eco-friendly UV-oil, Hardwax oil or lacquer. Resisting fluctuations of air humidity within the limits of 20-80% Coswick floors are not just good for underfloor heating systems but also can be successfully used globally even in moist climate of China, GCC, Australia and dry Colorado.

expensive. The company produces both types. When it comes to extra wide one-strip planks or sports floors, multiplex does offer advantages.

The fact that two-layer requires less investment from the manufacturer could endanger the quality in some cases. With three-layer floors, production is a lot more technical and the quality is guaranteed from the very start. Two-layer floors are too heavy for renovation in some cases. The fact that Esta Parket does not equip multiplex with tongue and groove once again makes it less suitable for renovation. At Esta Parket they supply over 95% of their floors finished.

FLO.IT

Esta Parket At Esta Parket three-layer parquet sells best partly because the click-lock system is easier to produce on a softwood construction, something which does affect the price. For two-layer floors they work with birch multiplex, which is more

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Flo.it - an excellent producer of engineered floors ‘Made in Italy’.

Main features of their engineered floors: - Unfinished or finished - One main surface: oak

- Two lengths: 2050-2350mm (20% of the size) - Thicknesses: 15/3.8 (other thicknesses on request) with birch plywood - Widths:152-192-242mm - Features: AB/CHARACTER/RUSTIC/KR/MIX GRADE Flo.it engineered floors are tailored to customers’ needs.

Floors can be sold finished or unfinished. 60% of engineered floors are sold raw and the other 40% are sold pre-finished because the major customers, who import wooden floors, look for certified products. They can offer the certifications FSC, CARB2, EPA, ULEFF, or VOC-INDOOR AIR CONFORT GOLD_M1-CDPH to guarantee high quality products which are more competitive than common Chinese or Polish goods.

A new product which will soon be available is ‘Chevron and Herringbone floor’. They are an ideal partner for the parquet industry, large-scale retail distribution, and furniture projects.

Heinr. Krüger & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG (HKS)

Photo: "HKS1835"

HKS has been active in wood for over 180 years, especially in special types of wood from all over the world and the treatment thereof by qualified partners. HKS is a family business now in its fifth generation.

The company offers solutions for all decorative and technical interior questions. The most prominent interior product is still two-layer oak parquet on birch multiplex. The top layer thicknesses are 3, 4, and 6mm. 90% of the floors are sold finished.

Lamett Lamett presents both two and three-layer floors. Both are highly stable, but, according to Lamett, parquet specialists opt for a bottom layer in birch multiplex. A spokesperson comments: ‘Unlike solid parquet, multilayer parquet is compatible with floor heating.’ Multilayer parquet consists of three or more layers of wood, which are fitted on top of each other. The top layer is hardwood (oak at Lamett) at least 2.5mm thick and the layers underneath are also wood products, but softwood or panels (e.g. multiplex, pressed wood fibre – HDF -, etc). This type of parquet solves problems which can occur with solid parquet. Multilayer parquet is much more stable than a solid parquet floor. Two and

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three-layer floors are ideal for both renovation and new constructions.

It is particularly important that the conditions are right such as the quality of the screed, the residual damp, etc. At Lamett almost all their parquet floors are ready for fitting. They are oiled or varnished in advance. Only a small percentage of floors are sold unfinished.

Oosterlinck Oosterlinck produces multi-layer parquet in thicknesses of 21/6mm, 16/4mm, and 13/4mm in which the first figure gives the total thickness and the last figure gives the thickness of the top layer. The structure of the semi-solid parquet is two-layer whereby the top layer is glued onto birch multiplex. The most common widths are 160, 180, and 200mm, but the company can produce parquet up to 280mm wide. The growing demand for engineered parquet and more flexibility has led Oosterlinck to equip itself fully with modern machinery so that they can do everything internally themselves from the sawing of the top layers to the planing, sandpapering, and packing. This means that the company can respond fairly quickly to market demands and is much less dependent on suppliers. One of the company’s very strong assets is its large supplies of raw dried wood in both oak and exotic wood sorts so that it can delivery orders quickly. Oosterlinck supplies about 50% of its floors pre-finished.

Parqueterie Berrichonne Multilayer parquet comprises two or three layers. The top layer, which helps to determine the lifespan, ranges from 2.5 to 7mm in thickness. Parqueterie Berrichonne is a specialist in multilayer and offers both birch multiplex and HDF as a base, with or without a counterlayer.

Three-layer is currently the most popular with 45%. For parquet with tongue and groove, they work with multiplex and with HDF (with or without a counterlayer in softwood) for application with the click system.

Although the multiplex has a strong reputation in terms of stability, they have noticed here that the quality of HDF has improved considerably. For top layers above 4mm they nevertheless recommend multiplex. Multilayer parquet can be applied both with renovations (partly due to the minimal thickness) and with new constructions (partly due to the stability with floor heating). At Berrichonne it is possible to order the parquet raw or finished with lacquer, oil, or wax.

The quality of the industrial finish is excellent and the company presents an extensive range of colours.

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Skirtings boards with laminate inlay

SKIRTING BOARDS WITH LAMINATE INLAY WHEN THE MATCH WITH THE FLOOR REALLY IS 100% 165mm) and towards low skirting boards immediately afterwards.

Whether high skirting boards are discreet or obtrusive depends on the style (sober or artistic/classic) and colour.

If we design a high and sober skirting board in the same colour as the wall, it disappears so to speak. Yet at the same time we hear that there is a trend towards high skirting boards in glossy finishes, even in black.

In that case there is no discretion at all.

A match for the floor

Photo – Küberit

Skirting boards are still the crowning glory. A floor covering isn’t finished until the skirting boards are in place. That is always so, whether the skirting board is a striking decorative object or a discreet finish item. Skirting boards are not the easiest product category for floor vendors. They come in an infinite number of shapes, sizes, materials, and colours. Just get hold of all that! Then there are the constantly changing trends. Skirting boards with laminate inlay simplify the range considerably.

Trends are hard to follow When we speak of a ‘100% match’ of the skirting board, we might wonder what exactly the skirting board matches. The answer to that question basically summarises four possible trends. Let’s list them.

A match for the wall Adherents of the thesis that the skirting board should correspond to the wall include adherents of both discretion and obtrusive skirting boards. There has been a trend towards high skirting boards (65 to

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There is another option.

We can design the skirting board in the same material (e.g. solid wood, laminate, or foil-coated MDF) as the floor and the skirting board will be an ostentatious part of it. The disadvantage according to detractors is that the skirting board and the floor together form a tub effect which can hardly be called attractive in any sense. This is solved by that other trend i.e. skirting boards in the same design as the floor become low block skirting boards or even flat (lying) skirting boards so the tub effect is at least reduced.

A match for the door This thesis is promoted by door and jamb manufacturers. They assume that the door frame, whatever its style, should run into the floor finish if we want a uniform decorative whole. Let’s be honest. There is something to be said for that and it applies to both hyper-classic jambs and rigid, straight, and minimalist frames.

No match at all Oddly enough, it will emerge below that this last thesis is nevertheless the most popular one. The skirting board as a decorative interior object, and why not? The many decorative options, the advance of design, the yearning for personalisation, and technical gadgets such as lights and inlay work are hard to reconcile with discretion, aren’t they?

The skirting board as a ‘bearer’ Skirting board manufacturers present a vast choice for the laminate market. They also make their products in consultation with laminate manufacturers so that they can supply a more or less matching skirting board for the vast majority of decors. Wood sorts, colours, and glass, the choice is huge. The match is almost perfect. With inlay skirting boards for laminate we no longer speak of ‘almost’. We now have that famous ‘100% match’.

A technical solution The skirting board as a ‘bearer’ means that the skirting board, as it (usually) leaves the factory, is not ready for use at once. The ‘bearer’ has to be filled with a strip or section from the fitted floor. This can be designed in various ways: A strip from the floor is slid into the skirting board, glued onto the bearer, is fastened using a click system, or is secured with a Velcro-like material. The fact is that the skirting board is a technical solution which is completely separate from the chosen type of floor. The offered inlay skirting boards usually provide for different thicknesses of floor types so that they can be used, for instance, for both vinyl and laminate.

In the factory or on the site This solution can be a technical step in the production of personalised skirting boards. In that case the skirting board leaves the factory with the chosen inlay. However, the skirting board can also be sold as a ready-for-use neutral product with fitters themselves completing the finish on site by applying the inlay to the skirting board. In both cases inlay skirting boards mean a universal solution to provide an answer to all possible types of floor and show due regard for any interior perspective.

A selection from the market range Carl Prinz Prinz produces aluminium skirting boards with an insert unit into which a strip from the floor covering can be fitted.

The strip is cut from the floor covering. This can be from 2 to 5mm thick. The skirting board consists of one piece and is 60mm high.

All finish items are available. Moreover, Prinz makes an extensive range of skirting boards which can be adjusted in height.

technology, whether we are talking about paper film bases or other floor covering materials such as veneer. The advanced finishes ensure excellent scratch-resistance and the required degree of gloss. Thanks to that print technology, FN Neuhofer can present a high degree of flexibility. Furthermore, FN Neuhofer has aluminium skirting boards into which floor coverings of various thicknesses (3.5 – 5mm) can be fitted. There is also the KU037 profile to which a strip of floor covering can be fastened for a perfect match with the floor. For damp rooms, too, FN Neuhofer offers solutions with the FN water-pro to provide, for instance, waterproof LVT floor covering.

Küberit Digital print technology means that a complete match is possible between the skirting board and the floor covering.

Küberit presents skirting boards in aluminium to match the floor. The assortment includes two aluminium skirting boards into which laminate can be inserted with a thickness of up to 11mm. These aluminium ‘bearers’ are available with both interior and exterior angles, connectors, and end pieces. These are available in two different metal colours. The height of the skirting board is 60mm.

The insert is fitted on the site itself. The parquet floor fitter has to cut off straight pieces of 45mm in order to slide them into the bearer. The thicknesses vary from 2 to 11mm.

Progress Profiles

FN Neuhofer It is possible to make skirting boards, profiles, and all accompanying accessories in a perfect match with the floor covering thanks to innovative digital print

Progress Profiles presents the new Proskirting INS. This new skirting board is an innovative product fitted with an integrated system with which you get a discreet set of boards to fit in with contemporary trends. The aluminium board from Proskirting INS can be furnished with the same material as the floor. This can be done with glue or silicone. And so, the skirting board is identical to the floor. The Skirting 7016 and Skirting 7011 (70mm high and 16 and 11mm thick) are two PVC profiles which can be combined with some 80 wood decors. The carrier of these skirting boards can consist of aluminium, stainless steel, or PVC expanded foam. The inlay is fitted in the Progress Profiles factory.

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Floor Forum International 98

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Sanding machines : part II

ACCESSORIES MAKE ROTARY SANDERS EVEN MORE UNIVERSAL SINGLE-DISC MACHINES BECOME PLANETARY IN NO TIME AT ALL

Photo – Pallmann

It has often been said that rotary disc sanders, with their infinite options, could replace just about all other sanding machines used by parquet floor fitters. We’re not going to reignite that discussion. However, the fact is that there are great possibilities, and new developments occur regularly so that innovations follow each other quickly. Those innovations relate mainly to capacity, stability, human engineering, and, last but not least, accessories, which only serve to make these machines even more versatile. Moreover, they were already highly versatile.

The power of motioxn The effect of the ‘motion’ which we make when sandpapering with a machine is perfectly comparable to the result of manual sandpapering. With manual sandpapering (of a staircase step, for instance), we tend to move first along the length with some rough sandpaper,

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whereby we scrape the sandpaper over the wood with one hand and use the other hand to press on the sandpapering hand to increase the pressure. Pressure, sandpapering tool, and motion determine the result. If we then want to apply a finer finish, we apply less pressure, take a finer sanding grain, and make a light rotation movement.

That order is comparable to sandpapering parquet, where firstly the belt sander is deployed and then the rotary disc sander. That rotary machine makes various rotation motions. Those rotation motions primarily remove the marks of the belt because, however competent the floor fitter may be, those marks are almost inevitable. As you proceed towards successively finer sanding tools, the surface becomes increasingly smooth. There are several types of parquet machines based on the type of rotation motion. We can identify three types of motions.

Rotation is the circular-shaped motion of a body around one (central) point of that body.

Eccentric motion is, in simple terms, a turning (rotation) motion combined with an up and down motion. With eccentric sanding machines, this motion is obtained by fastening circular-shaped sandpaper onto a flat sole with a resilient layer.

Oscillation, finally, is a periodically repeated change in the direction of motion.

Combined rotation motions are obtained with several discs. It is possible to reinforce the effect of the rotation (usually) by using three discs which rotate in opposite directions. Strictly speaking, we are then combining rotation and oscillation.

Use of disc sanders Disc sanders can be used in all phases of fitting parquet, from the preparation of the substrate to the maintenance afterwards. As the title of this article suggests, the interchangeability of discs as a result of scores of innovations has made these machines even more versatile, if such a thing were possible.

Rough preparation Renovation is on the up. Parquet floors (or other types of floors) are fitted onto an old screed every day. Some machines can be fitted with very hard sanding materials (e.g. brushes or heads) so that, as it were, they can ‘scrape’ the screed. Old carpet remains, adhesive residue, putty, and such like are thereby removed with no problem at all.

Fine preparation A screed is seldom perfect, whether in a new building or a renovation project. In a new building it is possible that the screed has to be levelled in order to obtain a flat substrate. The sanding disc is then used to polish the levelling agent.

Removing sanding lanes The belt sander, even when operated by the best floor fitters, will almost always leave wide sanding marks behind. Those marks can be removed uniformly using a one or three-disc sander. The marks disappear thanks to the rotary sandpapering motion. With the sandpapering, floor fitters make a swivelling motion with the machine over and over again as they step backwards.

Finish Whether the finish is in lacquer, oil, or wax, the rotary disc sander also stays within easy reach in this phase. If the floor is finished with lacquer, the disc sander is used for sandpapering between coats. After the first coat of lacquer, various types of wood (certainly tropical types such as merbau) have a tendency to swell up strongly. In this case, intermediate sanding is required. As soon as the lacquer has formed a film, sandpapering is no longer necessary. For oil and wax the rotary disc sander can be used for applying the product and for the polishing.

Maintenance and renovation In their lighter versions, disc sandpapering machines are used to apply oil or wax and to maintain or renovate oil or wax floors. For floors finished with lacquer the heavier versions are used to sandpaper the floor completely bare. This can be done with floors fitted in the traditional manner and with pre-finished floors.

Terrace renovation Apart from the various tasks with fitting indoor floors, this sanding machine also proves its versatility for renovating wooden terraces.

Equipped with the right (hard) brush, the rotary disc sander can be deployed to clean terrace wood thoroughly and even to renew it.

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What’s on the market?

There is a general phenomenon on the rotary disc sander market. In recent times, innovations have been related to accessories and have made the machines more versatile and increased their scope even more. This can relate to both the number of discs on the drive and the nature of the medium in which fibre pads and diamond are emerging more and more.

Alvaket As an official dealer of Frank, Wolff, Numatic, and Bona, Alvaket Belgium bvba can recommend (and supply) the machines below for jobs such as sandpapering parquet. All the different motors of those trademarks are induction motors and therefore operate without coal brushes. These machines possess every imaginable technical gadget to ensure quality work, efficiency, ergonomics, and user-convenience. We list them together with their power and weight. The Frank Spider has an extremely powerful 2000 watt motor with a soft start. By itself, it weighs 42kg, but we need to add on the weight of the driven satellite disc (11.5kg) plus a detachable weight of 15kg, which is supplied as standard. It is also possible to add on one or even two extra weights of 15kg in order to apply more pressure to the floor. A new feature is that the Spider can now also be used for brushing parquet. The Frank Mambo Evo has the same motor with a soft start as the Frank Spider, but its centre of gravity is a little higher. Its own weight is 52kg plus a detachable weight of 18kg, which is supplied as standard. The Frank Samba has a powerful 1700 watt motor. Its own weight is 44kg. It has an option of a detachable weight of 11kg. The Numatic Wood Pro II (Hurricane) has a powerful 1500 watt motor. Its own weight is 31kg, but there is also an optional weight of 10kg available. The Bona Flexisand offers a choice of motors, either 1500 or 1900 watts. Its own weight is 45kg for the 1500 watt version and 50kg for the 1900 watt machine. A huge variety of discs and sandpapering tools mean that these appliances can be deployed for a wide range of tasks. For efficient vacuum cleaning Alvaket offers the Bona DCS70 (235m³/hour of vacuum cleaning), the Numatic NDD-900 (320m³/hour), and the Wolff Vacuclean 2 (360 m³/hour) as dual-motor fine-dust vacuum cleaners. A new item is the Vacuclean 2 LP.

Bona Bona has sold the Bona Flexi Sand (1.5 en 1.9) for a few years now.

This is the ultimate all-round parquet sanding and preparatory machine. This powerful and flexible machine can be equipped with various drive discs for a wide range of floor operations e.g. cleaning, polishing, and sandpapering (rough sanding-medium sanding-fine sanding). Subfloors, for instance, can be optimised through the use of the (optional) Diamond or PCD Disc, floors can be sandpapered bare with the (optional) Power Drive (driven satellite disc), polished with the (optional) ‘traditional’ satellite disc, or set in oil with the help of the driver pad, which is supplied as standard. The Bona Concrete Disc and the easily replaced magnetic segments make it possible to sandpaper concrete in no particular direction. The 1.9 version offers 25% more

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Sanding machines : part II

power and 11% more weight than the 1.5 version. The Bona Power Drive NEB, exclusive for the Bona Flexi Sand 1.9, creates a new dimension for sandpapering and brushing wooden floors, with just one disc. The flexible Bona Power Drive NEB makes it easy to switch between the traditional sanding discs and the specially developed brushes.

The simple click system means that the accessories can be switched in one minute. Good vacuum cleaning is also primordial with these machines; for this purpose, too, Bona obviously has an adequate machine, the professional Bona DCS 70, for powerful and effective vacuum cleaning.

Devomat Industries The new Woodboy 4000/32-3 is the work horse of Devomat Industries in every respect! The new 1500w motor has 50% more capacity than the previous Woodboy model! The cog wheel casing filled with oil ensures perfect transmission. The machine is equipped with an easy fastening system for mounting various accessories.

Each accessory makes the Woodboy a different machine. Depending on the chosen application, the Woodboy can also be equipped with a dust suction unit or a water tank! By placing a weight of 10kg on the machine, you can increase its performances even more. Moreover, the new Woodboy model is equipped with an ATC system (‘Automatic Torque Control’). This is an electronic setting to absorb peaks and falls in the current. Devomat presents various solutions in the field of vacuum cleaning. Devomat industries also has the Devo Master 3D in its range. This 3-disc machine for sandpapering and removing adhesive residue also offers several other applications.

Some unique features include the strong casing in high-quality steel, the specially developed Lönne motor driven by an ABB frequency regulator, and crown-cog wheel casing with double-teeth Contitech belt and basic drive plate with three Flexinav segment holders. These rotate in opposite directions on the basic drive plate. The diamond segments are slid into a conical groove on the segment holders. Click, clack, and you’re ready to start! The renewed zirconium parquet

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sanding discs, with rapid adhesion, are fastened in place and removed in no time at all! The machine is equipped to be connected to the Jumbo Finedust NDD-900 and Finedust NDD-570 extraction units.

Overmat Overmat Woodboy For decades our Woodboy has been the most multi-functional single-disc machine in the market.

This machine is (a.o) being used for sanding, cleaning, buffing and polishing of floors. Also for floor preparation such as residue-removal, the Woodboy is the perfect machine.

HTC assortment In the Benelux Overmat is exclusive dealer of the high quality machines of HTC. In 2016 they started introducing a new range of machines; DURATIQ ™. Since then, the DURATIQ ™ 5, DURATIQ ™ 6 and DURATIQ ™ 8 have been added to this new range.

With more than 100 new features and up to 54% higher productivity these machines are born to set new standards. They are suitable for as well concrete, floor prep and wooden floors.

Frank assortment The Overmat belt sanders Frank Viper C and Frank Cobra Classic offer a high output. This is ensured by its powerful engine and robust construction. They are the ideal machines for professional sanding of parquet and plank-flooring. For edge grinding our edge-grinders Frank Gecko S, Frank Gecko L and Frank Gecko Star offers the solution.

Pallmann The Pallmann Spider has an extremely powerful 2000 watt motor with a soft start.

Its own weight is 42kg, but we also need to add on the weight of the driven satellite disc (11.5kg), plus a detachable weight of 15kg, which is supplied as standard. It is also possible to add one or even two extra weights of 15kg in order to apply more pressure to the floor. The 400mm three-disc plate enables you to sandpaper very close to the wall, so that edge sanding is hardly necessary. The usage is adapted to the user by means of the endless adjustable variations. The open construction makes cleaning extremely simple. The large wheels do not leave any marks. The dust extraction and stainless steel adapter mean that the Pallmann Dust vacuum cleaner does an outstanding job. If you use the single-disc pad, all types of pads can be deployed. Velcro sanding drives are used with the three-disc plate. The user works ‘as required’ with various types and layers of pads to suit the type of floor.

Special

LED and UV lacquers and oils

UV SETTING PARQUET FINISH IS SIMPLY BETTER FIXED COMPONENTS HELP TO DETERMINE STRENGTH AND WEAR RESISTANCE We’ve often said that when we compare the quality of manual and industrial processes, the latter wins ‘ hands down’.

This can be explained largely by the fact that industrial processes always follow an identical steps plan and are always under identical controlled conditions. As regards the debate on UV finishes for items such as floor coverings, there’s more to it than that. In this field the advantage in quality starts with the composition of the product.

Not ‘drying’, but ‘curing’

Photo – Blanchon

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In the case of completing a finish by means of UV light we don’t speak of ‘drying’, but ‘curing’. Indeed, drying is a process in which water has to be removed so that a composition can become hard (solid). In the case of UV finishes there isn’t any water.

The secret lies in the combination of a monomer and a photo-initiator. Paint systems can dry using various sources of radiation and are developed predominantly to achieve rapid drying times. The main sources of radiation which can cure a coating are UV light, electron beams, infrared light, radio waves, and micro-waves.

In particular, UV-curing coatings are the most developed and are being applied increasingly on a large scale. If a paint consists of monomers together with a photo-initiator, the coating will dry in a

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LED and UV lacquers and oils

few seconds once it is applied and radiated with UV light. Since monomers are of low viscosity, there is no need to use solvents or make any dispersions in water. This means there is no evaporation of solvents or water. Monomers are the basis of most binding agents used in the paint industry.

Quality considerations From the products themselves UV lacquers are high-quality coatings which can be reinforced with all sorts of extra properties. Depending on the composition, it is even possible to add very specific properties. For example, it is possible to enrich lacquer with antibacterial properties to reduce the amount of common bacteria in a home. This is obviously seen as a huge bonus for care homes and hospitals. UV oils are produced with stronger and harder resins and offer greater resistance against scours and scratches or stains. Depending on the intended result, these resins can form a strong surface to create a protective film. Moreover, in the area of UV lacquers and oils there are various levels of quality. Depending on the raw materials, the composition, and the type of industrial application, the lacquer will offer the wood a different degree of protection (impressions, chemical resistance, scour resistance, etc.). Thanks to the latest developments, in which nanoparticles can also be deployed, it is now possible to produce exceptionally strong lacquers.

From an industrial perspective We can therefore assume that these finishes are of a high quality under all circumstances. In an industrial application it is still possible

The DevoNatural range of professional parquet floor products meets the highest standards when it comes to treating parquet floors.

It is all about quality without compromise, developing products using the best raw materials and cutting-edge technologies.

DevoNatural is available in original colours and contemporary finishes, which are fully in harmony with the latest trends in interior design.

You want to play on your parquet floor ?

PROFESSIONAL PARQUET PRODUCTS

Makes it possible !

Discover the DevoNatural product range :

www.devonatural.be/en/ DEVOMAT IS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS FOR ITS “DEVONATURAL“ BRAND

Devomat Industries PLC - Florent Geversstraat 31 - B-2650 Edegem - Belgium T +32 03 450 94 70 - F +32 03 457 94 24 - info@devomat.be - www.devomat.be

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to add all sorts of properties. That is a benefit. However, the greatest added value of an industrial application is still, yes, the industrial application itself. After all, an industrial process is always carried out under controlled and identical conditions. Those conditions relate to the operations carried out e.g. the sequence of operations, the speed of operations, the ‘angle’ at which the work is carried out, and such like. Yet even the surrounding conditions are always identical and controlled with an industrial process: temperature, humidity, draught-free, dust-free, etc. Strictly speaking, you can say that if all parameters of a production process are identical, the end product and the properties or qualities of that end product will also be identical.

Yet site applications are gaining ground As soon as ‘people’ start playing a part, there is no guarantee of identical parameters. However competent floor fitters are, their operations will never be identical twice over. Remember, too, that surrounding conditions on a site can never be identical and you then realise at once the difference between manual and industrial application.

Nevertheless, curing with UV light is also gaining ground on site.

Obviously, the same benefits of the technique also apply to site applications. There is still the rapid application speed and better quality of the lacquer. Yet, in particular, it allows floor fitters to combine certain benefits of industrial processes (such as size of scale) with their own, often still traditional formulas in terms of colour, gloss, and such like.

UV machines for drying on site are getting better, as are the lamps. The transition from halogen to LED is already a fact.

Also for pliable floor coverings Let’s repeat ourselves briefly. UV finishes can also be used for pliable floor coverings, a big market, that’s for sure. In fact, it’s so big that just about all players which are active in other floor segments are also interested in the elastic floor segment. We find the biggest surfaces in schools, health care premises, and commercial premises such as shops and showrooms. What’s odd is that most of these elastic substrates do not have a coat of lacquer for maintenance (a PU lacquer is used for a small part), whilst that would be perfectly possible. We are all familiar with polymers (waxes) through the Linoleum cleaning companies. According to some, this can be done better and more easily with a UV lacquer. After the customary preparatory process, a single coat of lacquer is usually enough. Two coats are applied exceptionally with older linoleum floors, for instance, being treated for the first time. Nevertheless, protecting with a UV finish here offers the same benefits as with other types of floor: the speed of execution, strong (chemical) resistance, no early damage to the floor when it is used before it is completely cross-linked (with UV this happens instantly), easy to clean (for instance, in comparison with polymers/ waxes of a floor, no turning yellow (discolouration, as with polymers or PU lacquers), and, finally, less interim maintenance. ‘Someone’ is missing opportunities here.

What’s on the market?

Bona Finish pre-lacquered parquet with Bona UV Parquet Lacquers Bona UV parquet lacquers give floors the high quality and splendid appearance which clients look for. At the same time, these lacquers have beneficial features such as scratch-resistance, gloss, chemical resistance, friction, and they can be lacquered over. The finish lacquer is often applied in two coats to give the floor a definitive structure and look. Today, it is customary for the surface to have anti-scratch properties. This gives the product and, eventually, consumers floors which

look lovely for a long time. Those floors will be easy to maintain and keep clean.

Blanchon

According to Blanchon, there are various quality levels in the field of UV lacquers. Depending on the raw materials, the composition, and the type of industrial application, the lacquer will offer the wood a different level of protection (impression resistance, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance). The latest developments, whereby nanoparticles can also be deployed, mean that you can get exceptionally strong lacquers. The raw materials used and, obviously, the drying method are the big difference with a traditional lacquer. UV lacquers are geared to the client’s machine. And so, for example, the fluidity is adapted to the client’s infrastructure. According to Blanchon, the number of coats which are applied is important, but also the total grammage of lacquer.

With the Ciméthane UV, Blanchon has taken a step towards UV curing on site. The results in recent years (partly thanks to new machines) have been highly satisfactory (75,000m² since 2014).

Chimiver

NEW! Floorservice LED oil This new VOC-free finishing is fully cured by use of LED-light, making the floorboards instantly stackable, packable and, if required, ready for follow up treatments like sanding or brushing.

Suited for industrial and manual application.

OSMO MAINTENANCE KIT FOR FLOORS – THE PERFECT PROTECTION FOR EVERY CHALLENGE

Easy maintenance with

Floorservice Maintenance Oil! Overmat Industries B.V. | Scharlo 11 | NL-5165 NG Waspik | The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0) 416 31 77 88 | Internet: www.overmat.nl | E-mail: info@overmat.nl

The Osmo Maintenance Kit for Floors is ideal for the cleaning and care of wooden flooring that have treated with Polyx®-Oil. This kit contains Osmo Wash and Care cleaning and care concentrate for everyday dirt and grime, Osmo Liquid Wax Cleaner Spray for tough stains and for restoring dull flooring along with three application cloths.

www.osmo.de/en

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LED and UV lacquers and oils

LED systems are the future for the curing process of coatings.

Chimiver®, always moving with the time, offers you LED OIL, an efficient and performing product which embraces this technology.

Characteristics of product: - It cures instantly under LED light and wood can be walked on immediately - Very high chemical and wear resistances - Solvent free, no ozone emissions, no unpleasant odour ECOFAST UV ECOFAST UV is a single-component polyurethane-acrylic water-based UV curing lacquer in situ for wooden floors. ECOFAST UV has high abrasion and traffic resistances allowing its use for high traffic surfaces.

ECOFAST UV is UV curing with portable UV machines where a fast walkability is required.

Floorservice

Floorservice Profiline UV Oil The UV-curing Oil is suitable for all industrial production of parquet and wooden floorings, and can be applied on all regular oiling lines containing UV curing. After finishing with a second layer of Floorservice Profiline UV Oil a surface is created with the looks and feel of an oiled floor, but with the benefits of faster production and packaging. Of course ensured with a high resistance against wearand-tear, scratching and moisture influences. Floorservice Profiline UV Oil is available in different colours.

Floorservice Profiline Nature Protect UV In 2014 Floorservice introduced the invisible finishing product Nature Protect 2K. Now this waterborne product, to create an unfinished look on wood, is available for industrial use and UV-hardening. The optimal composition of Floorservice Profiline Nature Protect UV makes easy appliance on an industrial line and perfect hardening in almost all types of UV drying tunnels possible. The additional maintenance product Nature Care is an unique product that retains the ultra matte look of the wood in a very easy way. Even after heavy use of the floor.

All the UV Oil products have a cured surface which is free off VOCemissions and therefore save for operators and environment.

Hesse A finish system with which a floor is finished increases resistance against mechanical stress (wear and tear and knocks) and chemical stress (e.g. fluid, coffee, Ketchup, and such like). The various finish systems differ in resistance to these stresses. UV curing lacquers usually have fairly high mechanical resistance. However, various aspects depend largely on the coat thickness of the finish. A UV lacquer cures

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because the molecules in the lacquer react to each other under the influence of UV rays. You can adapt UV lacquers to some degree to a client’s machine/lamp. You can adjust the responsiveness to some degree. Most UV lacquering lines have standard UV lamps in which lamps can be exchanged between mercury and gallium lamps.

Furthermore, you can vary the belt speed to some extent. If you want to increase the belt speed even more, it will be necessary to put some extra machines in the line. To create a certain resistance, it will be necessary to keep to a certain minimum coat thickness. This minimum coat thickness is possible with a few thick coats or several thin coats.

The most attractive finishes are obtained with thin coats. Since a considerable number of Hesse’s clients work on industrial finishes, UV lacquers are one of the major support pillars of Hesse GmbH & Co. KG. Hesse supplies UV for both application on site and for application on lacquering lines.

Osmo

Faster curing through UV and LED radiation UV and LED oils are very similar to their oxidative curing counterparts.

Technically they only differ through the fact that they can forego the use of solvents and that the chemical curing is possible thanks to UV or LED radiation within a short period of time. The surface finish protects the wood surface against the penetration of moisture and dirt.

Osmo UV and LED-curing oil-and-wax combinations can be adjusted on the customers’ coating units to achieve the optimal colour tone, wear resistance and gloss level. For excellent finishing results, two coats are recommended (< 20g / m2). The current market trend is a very natural, raw-look wood surface.

Special

Maintenance and cleaning products for floors in vinyl, LVT and PVC

CLEANING, CARING FOR, AND MAINTAINING DESIGN FLOORS OFFERING AND PROMOTING SPECIFIC PRODUCTS ISN’T REALLY PROHIBITED In some cases it might be a little white lie, but persuading customers that certain products are meant specifically for use on LVT, PVC, or linoleum can never do any harm. It’s a bit like praying; if it doesn’t help, it certainly won’t do any harm. Customers are not deprived and floor fitters or specialist parquet firms invariably benefit from it. This is certainly the case when producers have taken the trouble to provide separate packs and the necessary displays for the showroom. Let’s sell them!

The ‘feel’ for the customer Ceramic tiles The well stocked market of cleaning products is operating at full speed when it comes to ‘cleaning’ ceramic tiles. A good crowd of chemical producers operate on that market and the competition is fierce. How come? No one worries about maintaining ceramic tiles. All detergents and solvents can and may be used. You can even remove stains with white spirit, thinner, or something similar. In other words, consumers are simply looking for a product which works, and preferably not the most expensive one unless compelled to do so under pressure from all sorts of sophisticated marketing

Photo – Bona

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Maintenance and cleaning products for floors in vinyl, LVT and PVC

techniques. It is clear that the term ‘maintenance’ is not appropriate when we speak of ceramic tiles; here, we speak only of ‘cleaning’ and ‘cleaning products’.

What’s on the market?

Adesiv

Natural stone With natural stone we find ourselves immediately in a different floor environment. Consumers attach great importance to that ‘natural’ element in ‘natural stone’. Henceforth they are prone to show a certain reserve towards the range of cleaning products. After all, the supplier of the natural stone has made it clear from the start that not everything is suitable. Can you add a touch of Javel detergent to the water used to clean natural stone? I thought not? Because natural stone, too, is a type of ‘living material’ which has to be nourished.

Wood as an outsider With wood we go a lot further: Wood is live matter! Moreover, consumers are terrified of making a mistake and causing (permanent) damage to their ‘oh so delicate’ wooden floor. Wood, too, is entirely natural. Here, we go beyond speaking about cleaning to cover ‘maintenance’. Depending on the way in which our wooden floor has been finished, that maintenance can have a ‘nutritional’ function. The parquet floor fitter clearly plays an advisory role. Consumers must be aware that they cannot apply just any product to their wooden floors.

What about design floors?

What we have said above shows that the ‘saleability’ of specific products for maintaining floor coverings is closely related to the degree of ‘concern’ on the part of the customer. Producers and ‘vendors’ (in our case floor fitters or parquet specialist traders) have the task of responding to that level of concern without selling untruths.

What we have said above also teaches us the difference between ‘cleaning’, ‘caring for’, and ‘maintaining’ floors. In chemical producers’ ranges that is expressed as ‘clean, care, and maintenance’.

According to some top players, the ranges of maintenance products for parquet, laminate, and plastic floors are virtually the same.

Nevertheless, we see some products accommodated under a separate brand name. This is done not only to provide clarity for end users, but also to stimulate sales. It is harder to sell parquet maintenance products for so called plastic floor coverings. Obviously, there are also specific products which are deployed exclusively for that purpose.

Adesiv presents ‘Detpro’, a detergent which restores the gloss of all types of floors e.g. marble, terra cotta, parquet, linoleum, vinyl, and laminate. The packet includes a nozzle which is ready for use. And so, Deptro makes it possible to clean a floor without a bucket and without water, so it is extremely practical for use on staircase steps, in lifts, storage cupboards, and such like. Simply spray the product onto the surface and clean it up with paper, a mop, or fibre cloth. You can repeat the treatment in the case of stubborn dirt. Deptro cleans in no time at all and gives the surface a new gloss. In contrast to many traditional products, this product does not create any differences in gloss on the cleaned surface.

Blanchon

Clean, care, and maintenance When we talk about ‘clean’, ‘care’, and ‘maintenance’, we’re talking about three completely different things. Cleaning means the removal of dirt, dust, and grease. Cleaning or purging is almost a daily task. Caring means tendering. This means taking protective measures or repairing slight damages. By ‘maintenance’, we mean really ‘keeping healthy’. Just as an oiled wooden floor needs some maintenance oil from time to time and also lacquers can use certain nutritional ingredients to prevent them from becoming matt and dull, LVT floors, too, have specific needs. The need to ‘nourish’ a surface is related entirely to porosity. Extremely porous surfaces can contain a lot of dirt and should therefore be saturated in some way or other. PVC is hardly porous at all. And so, with those floors there’s not really talk of nourishing, but only cleaning. By contrast, vinyl is (often) highly absorbent and porous and requires a maintenance treatment which is comparable to the pore-filler of wooden floors before you can apply a so called ‘metallic agent’ which should protect the floor all over against dust and stains.

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At Blanchon they point out that ‘anyone who can cope with hard work can cope with easy work, too’. A product which has been developed for parquet can therefore also be deployed for thoroughly prepared ‘plastic’ floors. ‘Metallising agents’ are for regular maintenance, power cleaners for ‘restoring’ lacklustre top layers, and this goes for various types of floors. Blanchon also makes the aforementioned important

distinction between ‘feeding’ and cleaning. The range of products from Blanchon goes by the comprehensive name of Blanchon Maintenance (‘Blanchon Entretien’). This range is presented in a handy showcase.

One of their star products is ‘Lagoon’, a rapid cleaning product with a spray and micro-fibre cloth. This combination is available in a ‘kit’. The cloths can be machine-washed up to 500 times. For maintenance and renovation Blanchon presents a full range including two metallising agents Gloss Renovator (‘Rénovateur Satiné) and Ultra-matt Renovator (‘Rénovateur Metamat’). These products are designed for renovation.

For standard cleaning there is Lisabril Cleaner (‘Nettoyant Lisabril’) to complement the aforementioned metallising agents. Finally, two products which are perfect for cleaning and preparation for renovation are the Anti-Grease Cleaner (‘Décapant Dégraissant’) and the Superactivated Cleaner (‘Nettoyant Suractivé’).

Bona nanoparticles which give to the treated surfaces a long lasting sanitizing action. Rinse free, it does not leave halos, assuring a sanitizing and fresh smell/scent in the ambient. Ideal even in the presence of pets.

Devo® / DevoNatural®

The Bona Spray Mop for Tile & Laminate and other hard floors enables users to clean and maintain floors in no time at all. It has an ergonomic design, is easy to use, and can be assembled and filled quickly with the specially developed Bona Floor Cleaner Cartridge. Bona Tile and Laminate Polish is a ready-for-use product to give glossy protection to floors with a hard surface such as laminate, vinyl, linoleum, unglazed tiles, stone, and polished marble. Bona Tile and Laminate Polish restores the gloss and offers protection against wear and tear. These cleaning products are approved by GREENGUARD. The GREENGUARD certification from UL Environment endeavours to limit exposure to chemicals by linking people to healthier products which they can trust.

The GREENGUARD standards are amongst the strictest product emission standards in the world and are based on standards and guidelines available from national and international public health authorities.

Chimiver VELUREX LVT Cleaner SUPER is suitable for cleaning vinyl flooring.

The antistatic emulsion helps the absorption and prevention of dust build-up. Further more VELUREX LVT Cleaner SUPER contains special

Devomat presents the following DevoNatural® products. The DevoNatural® Soft Cleaner is a cleaner for the regular maintenance of varnished parquet, bamboo, cork, vinyl, and laminate floors. This product leaves no residue. DevoNatural® Polish is a water-repellent and protective maintenance product for varnished parquet and wooden floors, cork, and bamboo. Finally, the DevoNatural® Intensive Cleaner is a powerful cleaner for removing old layers of soap, layers of polymer, polishing, and degreasing heavily contaminated wooden floors, tropical wood sorts, etc. Devo® also includes the Devo® Softclean, a neutral domestic Universal cleaner and the Devo® Strongclean, a powerful degreasing universal cleaner.

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Producers of profiles

BUILDING TRENDS DICTATE THE FLOOR PROFILE MARKET PARADOXES WITHIN TRENDS FORCE CONSUMERS TO MAKE A CHOICE

Photo – FN Neuhofer

Technical accessories for the building industry are guided by developments in that industry. That seems logical. Those developments now pass by at supersonic speeds, faster than ever before. That also means constantly adapting to new technology and combinations of new technology for technical profiles which are deployed for fitting floors. The special feature of floor profiles is that they are also subject to decorative trends. Indeed, some profiles are visible. Here are some developments.

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One decor, several types of floor The cross-fertilisation between decorative floor coverings are undeniably the most striking trend in the sector.

Choosing a floor covering ‘101’ elements determine the final choice of a floor covering. The lion’s share within that package of elements cover technical aspects. Those technical aspects can relate to the floor covering itself or the technical circumstances of the place where the floor covering will be deployed.

Several elements which partly influence the choice lie outside both groups. They are not product features and don’t have anything to do with application possibilities. A good example of that is the choice for natural materials for ecological reasons. Fitting elements relate to aspects such as the fitting speed (if the available time is limited), hindrances during the fitting (if the house is occupied), noise nuisance (if there are neighbours), and degree of possibility (if you fit the floor yourself). Technical elements typical of the product include the thickness of the floor covering (if the structure height is limited), the stability (if there is floor heating), moisture-resistance (in damp rooms), and such like.

Appearance is no longer an issue Obviously, appearance most certainly is an issue! However, it has increasingly less influence on the choice. That is the result of the ingenious art of imitation of technological floor coverings. If we can imitate traditional building materials such as natural stone, wood, ceramic tiles, or concrete with such precision that is the case nowadays, the appearance of the floor is largely eliminated as a factor in the choice. Nowadays, project managers can decide in advance what their floors should look like so that the choice of floor to achieve that goal is merely secondary. Since imitations are based on photography and relief print, the appearance is identical to the original product.

Rooms run over The above, combined with what follows, largely determines market developments in technical profiles. The yearning for ‘openness’ does have consequences, whether we are talking about a new construction or renovation. People want ‘openness’ i.e. large, open, and connecting areas. That obviously also explains the success of a loft. Obviously, it is easy to create open spaces in a new building. It’s a different story when it comes to renovating a home. Here you are faced with lots of situations in which technical problems have to be solved such as connecting rooms together and bridging differences in height, sometimes small, but sometimes also considerable. Apart from those connections through differences, continuous rooms also involve technically essential bridges, the so called ‘expansion joints’. Moreover, here comes one of those paradoxical trends. Profiles can obviously be designed in materials which give them a design aspect e.g. stainless steel, metal

look, or bronze. Logically, they can be put on show. However, in rooms which run into each other, visual profiles obviously break up that visual continuation. Surely that means that invisible profiles in the same material as the floor are preferable?

Technical topics A number of aspects which are typical of profiles also develop partly with a number of other trends in the flooring world e.g. multifunctionality, fastening systems, technical objectives, and durability.

Multifunctionality Producers don’t agree entirely on this issue. Some producers regard multifunctional profiles as extremely helpful because they reduce ‘oversights’ on the part of the user. The chances of buying the wrong profile are obviously much less, but surely that would not happen so often with professionals (or, at least, we hope so!). Other manufacturers tend to indicate that profiles are once again becoming extremely specific i.e. there is a special profile available for each application.

Fastening There is also no universal agreement on the preferred fastening system. According to some traders, this even depends on the country or local region. Nevertheless, in the range we have noticed a sharp increase in glued profiles or profiles fitted with an integrated self-adhesive strip. The vast improvements in adhesive technology (adhesive bonding versus mechanical bonding) will certainly account largely for that. One producer has noticed a growing preference for glue or self-adhesive profiles in the residential (read DIY) market, whilst screwed fittings are still the preferred option in projects and commercial applications.

The functions The combination of various types of floor means that differences in height are getting bigger for threshold profiles and expansion profiles.

In that connection we are seeing how major innovations from various producers find their places in the market of flexible floors with a strong position for both glued vinyl floors and LVT floors fitted with a click system.

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ALUMINIUM SKIRTING 950 · for floor coverings from 2 – 11 mm · with matching inner and external corner as well as end caps

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Special

Producers of profiles

Durability It is clear that profiles have to survive the floor. The strength, wear resistance, and abrasion resistance (in short, the durability) of profiles have improved considerably in recent years. According to some manufacturers, the profile is usually stronger and more durable than the floor itself. This shows that they have a high view of the technical importance of these profiles and that they are no longer just low-interest accessories.

What does the market say?

Carl Prinz The explosion in the LVT market has raised demand for new profiles.

At Carl Prinz, too, the range of profiles for design floors has advanced dynamically. Polished surfaces and, for instance, mechanically brushed surfaces are doing extremely well. Popular colours include white, grey, end subtle grey wood shades such as vintage acacia. At Carl Prinz they are always considering how a profile can offer a little bit more than what it was designed for. For instance, it is possible to fit the skirting board (380-381) as a skirting board, but, with a 90° revolution, it can also act as a wall fitting. The LUXline LED channels can be fitted under a skirting board, but also upwards or even against the ceiling. Traditional 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 profiles form a niche here. With universal profiles, 60% of them are glued and 40% screwed. The durability of profiles depends on the resistance of the materials (including the thickness) and of the fastening against long-term pressure. At Carl Prinz it is possible to renew the visible section of two-part profiles

without replacing the bearing section. New here is the CULTUS 45 skirting board, which comes in an angle of 45 degrees so that neither the floor nor wall is damaged.

FN Neuhofer

Design floors are an important topic. Therefore, the industry has to adapt accordingly. Digital print plays a major part there.

Multifunctional profiles are important at FN Neuhofer because the end user runs less risk of choosing the wrong profile. That is definitely one

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of the advantages of the multifunctional profile FN Sixpack, which makes it possible to transform reduction profiles or T-profiles into end profiles. At FN glue is the preferred means of fastening. Apart from that, the company attaches great importance to durability and invests heavily in machines to make durable products. FN pro-tect is a profile with exceptional resistance and strength thanks to the corundum particles which are mixed into the coating. They are just as hard as diamond. The scuff resistance of FN pro-tect is therefore also AC2-4.

A big innovation are the FN Sealing lips for skirting boards and profiles.

Due to the increase of vinyl and LVT, there is also a growing need for damp-resistant skirting boards. To prevent damp from mopping and any damp seeping in below, the skirting boards and the floor are connected to a sealing lip. The flexible lip also improves the transmission of sound from the floor via the skirting board.

Küberit

company, multifunctional profiles are useful, but they do compromise on design, whereas people attach great importance to functionality combined with elegance. Glue and clips are the favourite fastening systems. Durability is regarded as absolutely essential. At Progress Profiles, innovation means responding to needs on the market. The most recent investment was a machine which can digitalise and reproduce all colours on film. They have thereby extended their range of colours to include more than 80 new ones. Innovations in the assortment include two new finishes, namely burnished and aged effect and sanded stainless steel.

Furthermore, there are five new profiles in the pipeline: Projolly angle 135, Prointer KL acciaio, Proside Walk 20mm, Proflex ACN acciaio, and Proterrace Eco Drip.

Romus

The metal profile trends are smooth and even surfaces. Increasingly, we are seeing them in a matt version and brushed. Here, too, they associate multifunctional profiles with end users or DIY enthusiasts.

Professional specialists look more for specific profiles and quality. The preferred fastening method is strongly regional and also depends on the application, especially the intensity of use. At Küberit they are convinced that the durability and lifespan of the profiles should at least equal the floor covering itself. Recently, Küberit has launched a new profile with a number of technical features. The new PPS 4.0 Base profile has been given a wider scope. The most recent innovation is a new clip system which has been developed together with a floor producer.

Progress Profiles Progress Profiles creates innovations each year on the basis of architectural trends. Aluminium, stainless steel, and other metals are doing well here. Colour, too, is important. That’s why Progress Profiles offers an extensive range of finishes. According to the

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At Romus they sell profiles primarily to professional users for whom function takes priority over design. Discreet profiles enjoy the preference. Here, they associate multifunctional profiles mainly with the DIY sector. Professionals clearly prefer a technical profile which serves a particular purpose. Those types of profiles can be used at once and require no adjustments (apart from the length). For high-traffic rooms, screws enjoy the preference over glue. It is mainly self-adhesive profiles which are on the march. The qualitative refinements of glues and fear of the presence of asbestos in floors play a part in that. Depending on the floor materials used, aluminium profiles can be given a different shade (for example anodisation in gold for dark types of wood or in silver for colourful PVC). A new item at Romus is the LVT skirting board with an inlay possibility.

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Special

Stair renovation in PVC, LVT, vinyl and laminate

VINYL AND PVC CONQUER THE STAIRS STEPS AND RISERS ARE IN THE SAME DECOR AS THE FLOOR other stair constructions (e.g. concrete or steel), is to furnish the existing parts of the staircase. In occupied houses that certainly involves the least inconvenience. Demolition work, sandpapering, and planing are certainly not necessary.

What do you furnish?

Photo – StairSolutions

Whilst, in the past, staircases were located in a stairwell or corridor separated from the living room, nowadays, we see more and more staircases in the living room itself. This trend, plus the trend of floors running through into different rooms, means that the staircase is also part of that open space. In other words, floors at all levels in the home are furnished with the same sort of floor covering as in the living room and the stairs are also furnished in the same way so that everything forms one whole.

Furnishing stairs Stairs are one of the most durable construction elements in a home.

Obviously, that’s related not only to the professionalism of the production, but also to the fact that stairs are subjected to less traffic.

You don’t walk up and down stairs all day long. The quality of the construction usually means that when the time comes for stairs to be refurnished, the mechanical quality of the stairs will still suffice. With solid wood stairs it’s often possible to restore the staircase. That means sandpapering and carrying out minor repairs here and there.

Another possibility, which is an option for both solid wood stairs and

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The major parts of a staircase are the steps, possible risers or climbers, cornices and an end step and the strings.

The strings or stringers are the sloping parts of the staircase which bear the steps. The railing or banister provides support as people walk up and down the stairs and protection from falls.

The horizontal string along the step well or along the boards is called the stairwell cheek. The landing is a part of the staircase which has a horizontal walking surface bigger than a step and it breaks up the staircase. The end piece is the final step of the staircase or of a flight of stairs of which the treading surface is the same height as the floor or the landing. The parts to be furnished are the step, the part of the staircase on which you put your foot to walk up and down the stairs, and the riser or the climber with a closed staircase, the risers themselves, and the end piece.

Furnish with what?

You can use any materials for furnishing. It is perfectly possible to furnish a staircase, old or new, with wood, laminate, or flexible floor coverings. With the latter, the same rule applies as with floor coverings: The substrate (in this case the staircase steps) has to be perfectly level. Any imperfections would be visible in the end furnishing. As far as the types of flexible floor covering are concerned, everything is possible. Cork is possible, as are linoleum, PVC, and vinyl. These will usually be fully glued (if they are in their most flexible form) onto the staircase steps (and, if necessary, the riser). Flexible floor coverings have very strong assets, including for stairs.

The systems in a nutshell Several manufacturers of floor coverings supply ready-to-fit systems which are either easy to adapt to the conditions or which are

customised to fit the respective staircase. With hard floor coverings, laminate-like floor coverings with vinyl or PVC also come onto the market. All accessories necessary for fitting are part of the system. For some flexible floor coverings the secret lies in the stair nosing. Stair nosing is supplied in diverse sizes and types and in countless decors. A number of producers offer stair nosing with the possibility of the inlay of a strip from the floor and they do so both for glued floor coverings and for click systems. The main point for attention for glued PVC or vinyl floors is the perfectly level substrate. That obviously also applies for LVP (or LVT) and click PVC or linoleum, even though they have somewhat more body. The profiles or stair nosing sets obviously differ here as regards structure height. The ‘inlay option’ in the profile can be applied for a perfect match as regards decor, but it can also be used to enter an anti-slip strip.

What’s on the market?

Carl Prinz The most ideal solution for stairs is to furnish them with the same floor covering as the room. Carl Prinz offers stair nosing for a wide range of floor coverings in thicknesses from 2 to 18mm. This stair nosing is extremely strong and pliable with a view to safety. Most profiles have an integrated anti-slip provision by means of grooves or an anti-slip strip. Carl Prinz offers solutions for all closed staircases, both straight and revolving. All two-part sections for parquet and laminate make it possible to cover only the steps or also the risers. Carl Prinz has no doubts whatsoever that renovating a visually aged staircase is more attractive than fitting a new staircase.

Perfilstar Stairs form an important topic in the home and sometimes they are due for renewal.

Irrespective of the type of building, Perfilstar believes it is crucial to strive for a safe staircase. That can be achieved through scores of accessories. For instance, the steps have to be secured against slipping, but also hand rails or banisters make the staircase safer. Then there’s the light. Light not only plays a part in creating atmosphere, but also in providing extra safety. Illuminating the steps is the perfect way to give a staircase some atmosphere. Perfilstar invests constantly in improving systems. That includes accessories. Whether you should renovate a staircase or it would simply be better to replace it depends on lots of factors. The cheapest solution is not always the best one in the long term.

Progress Profiles

There are several points for attention with staircase renovation. For instance, stair profiles from Progress Profiles (with anti-slip) protect ceramic, wooden, and laminate staircase steps at the same time. The anti-slip factor is essential to prevent accidents. One of the latest products is Prostair Botton, which is made of stainless steel and rectifies even invisible flaws. Progress Profiles has solutions for all floor fittings in just about all materials. There is the licensed Proinsert System, a full range for parquet, wooden floors, laminate, and melamine. The system includes connecting profiles (SOL 30, SOL 40 P, SOL 50), threshold profiles for floors on different levels and with different thicknesses (ZERO CURVE), end profiles, corner profiles, and stair nosing profiles (STYLE STAIRS). A major accessory is Progrip, a self-adhesive strip in carborundum, anti-slip, and with very high wear-resistance. It is available in six colours and widths to meet all technical and aesthetic requirements.

StairSolutions The main points for attention with staircase renovation are the thickness, depth, and width of the steps, the number of turns in the staircase, the choice between an open or closed staircase, whether or not to have risers, and, most importantly, which material the client wants.

ProStairs presents StairSolutions, a complete staircase renovation concept for re-sellers. The re-seller sells, and StairSolutions does the rest i.e. assembly, marketing, and sales training. The cost price of a new staircase can mount up. A new or existing staircase is usually made of soft fir wood, which should be painted or furnished with carpet. And so, that also comes with the cost of a completely new staircase, which is usually higher than the cost of renovation.

Moreover, staircase renovation is several times faster. With Stair Solutions, a staircase is usually renovated in one day, without any hacking and demolition work. Renovation offers the choice of several unique materials, such as real wood, real concrete, PVC (wood look), woven PVC, leather, industrial laminate (metal colours and concrete), and Paint Wood (oak sprayed in any RAL colour). A staircase renovation from StairSolutions offers a guarantee of 15 years, but it lasts much longer than that. StairSolutions offers a choice of about 300 colours, spread over the eight product categories. Important accessories include LED lights, risers, and banisters.

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∂ Industry news Domotex 2019 Preparations for DOMOTEX 2019 (11 - 14 January) in Hannover are in full swing and registrations have been pouring in. The new CREATE’N’CONNECT keynote theme Photo: Chapel Parket Bookstore ®YME Studios highlights the megatrend of connectivity, which also plays an important role in the flooring industry. Each year, exhibitors connect with industry visitors, creating exciting projects in the spirit of the keynote motif: From a historical ballroom in Chicago (Oriental Weavers) and a bookshop-cum-café in Oslo (Chapel Parket) through to a software manufacturer’s new offices in Tallinn (Fletco): DOMOTEX exhibitors and their innovative products are an integral part of trend-oriented spatial installations. In the attached press release we are introducing six creative reference projects that illustrate CREATE’N’CONNECT.

MADE expo UNIQUE CHARACTER AND FORMAT COMBINED TO BOOMING CONSTRUCTION MARKET ADDS INTEREST TO MADE EXPO, THE LEADING ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION TRADE SHOW REPORTING MORE THAN 70% OF BOOKED SPACE 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO START ( 13TH -16TH MARCH 2019) Construction market is showing a positive trend: according to MADE expo estimates based on ANCE figures, 2018 market performance will reach €122.6 bn confirming an important boost of the renovation and restructuring sector (38.1% of the market ), particularly in the Milan area that is currently undergoing a relevant property and construction activity. MADE expo, the largest Italian international construction and architecture event is particularly significant thanks to its specialized format offering four display halls (MADE construction and materials, MADE claddings, doors and windows, MADE interiors and finishes and MADE software, technologies and services) along with a busy schedule of shows, events and conferences. 70% of the exhibition space has already been booked by a large number of companies.

MMFA: Innovations are driving product standards Ongoing innovations in multilayer flooring are spurring on the market and changing perspectives. And new solutions to familiar market requirements are making it necessary to revise standards. This is why, immediately after the summer break, the Executive Board of the MMFA (Multilayer Modular Flooring Association) led by Chairman Matthias

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Windmöller held a meeting with an ad hoc technical group made up of specialists from various member companies. The location of the meeting was quite relevant to the programme, as it started out with a visit to the AgPR in Troisdorf, a recycling plant for PVC flooring, where Managing Director Dr Jochen Zimmermann gave an introduction to the objectives and background of the facility. This was followed by a number of lively discussions internally concerning the continued development of standards, test criteria and measurement procedures for the various categories of multilayer flooring.

These must keep up with the fast pace of innovation whilst at the same time leaving sufficient freedom for future developments. The validity of the results will now be tested by means of interlaboratory comparisons between member companies. A further meeting will be held later this year which will aim to draw conclusions about the best way to proceed. www.mmfa.eu

FN Neuhofer Investment in a new warehouse In keeping with the motto “There's always something going on at FN Neuhofer in Zell am Moos” another NEW WAREHOUSE - with an area of 2,500 m² - was built in August. “We had the good fortune to gain another very IMPORTANT NEW CUSTOMER. This MAJOR CONTRACT meant that we had to invest in another warehouse so that we could continue to offer the best service and fastest delivery times,” says Managing Director Franz Neuhofer.

It was only in April this year that the area of an existing warehouse was increased from 1,200 m² to 3,000 m² following an extension. Since 2015 a total of four new warehouses have been built.

The total area of our warehouses now covers 16,700 m².

The total site area of Neuhofer Holz GmbH stands at almost 100,000 m². Further investments of around EUR 12 million are planned for the coming two years. The money will be spent on new production facilities, further production areas, warehouses and the construction of an office building including an impressive showroom.

“Our site concept is constantly being optimised so that we continue to fulfil our promise that our products and services are always of the highest quality. We are doing our utmost to ensure that all our customers and partners feel and experience this,” says Franz Neuhofer.

Special

Top Italian companies focused on export

‘MADE IN ITALY’ IS STILL THE EXPORT MOTOR BUT EUROPE IS LOOKING AT THE BUDGET WITH SUSPICION The Italian economy is driven largely by the production of high-quality consumer goods by small and medium sized businesses, mostly family-owned. 2017 was a top year for the world renowned ‘4A’ of the ‘Made in Italy’ specialisations in which Italy stands out and is an export giant: ‘Alimentari’ (food), ‘Abbigliamento’ (fashion), ‘Arredo’ (furniture and design), and ‘Automazione’, the best performing macrosector, which comprises automation, mechanisation, and the rubber and synthetics industry.

Global heavyweight Italy is the fifth biggest economy of the G8 (the richest countries in the world), the seventh biggest economy in the world in terms of gross national product (= GDP), and the tenth on the basis of purchasing power parity (= PPP); it is the sixth biggest global exporter and the second in the EU (after Germany); it was one of the founder members of the European Union and is the EU’s third net payer (after Germany and France); the country has the fourth biggest gold reserves in the world (2451.8 tonnes). Despite vast differences between the industrialised north and the rural south, in 2011, Italy had lower unemployment (8.4%) than neighbouring countries France (9.1%) and Slovenia (11%).

The golden triangle Industry is concentrated in the north, especially in the ‘golden triangle’ of Milan, Turin, and Genoa. The Italian economy has gradually been transformed from an emphasis on food and textiles to technology, steel, and chemical products. The major products are iron, steel, and other metal products; petroleum; chemical products; electro and non-electro machines; motor vehicles; textiles and clothing; printed materials; and plastic. Although many of the major industries of Italy are owned by the state, there has been a major shift towards privatisation in recent years. However, the role of the Italian government is still pivotal for the economy.

North-South paradox The Italian economy is well known for the huge gulf in prosperity and development between the north and the south. The causes for this are related mainly to the different historical development, geographical location, and physical environment. Of these two areas, the north is the most prosperous. It has the best agricultural land, the most important port (Genoa), and the biggest industrial centres. Northern Italy also has a thriving tourist trade. Since the 1950s, the Italian government has tried to close the prosperity gap between north and south by means of a development fund for the south. Although that fund has not been able to help the south catch up with the north completely, the level of income in Southern Italy has increased.

Largely SMEs Small to medium-sized enterprises are the driving force of the Italian economy. Many of them are family businesses formed mostly in the

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1980s. During this period, the Italian economy went through a difficult period. This shift in the corporate culture came about mainly through changing consumer behaviour and the lack of flexibility of Italian multinationals. The small to medium-sized enterprises, which are located mainly in the so called industrial districts (‘distretti industriali’), did not need this mass consumption, but, on the contrary, they specialised in specific markets.

Foreign trade Italy trades a lot abroad. The main export products are textiles, clothes, metals, machines, motor vehicles, and chemical products; the main import products are machines, transport equipment, chemical products, food, foodstuffs, and minerals (especially petroleum).

Tourism is also a major source of income. Italy’s main trading partners are Germany, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Italian infrastructure, especially in the south, has improved in the post-war years.

Financial aspects National debt The high national debt is Italy’s most serious problem. Italy has been affected several times during the global economic crisis, which started in the second quarter of 2008. In November 2008, the government passed a number of measures to counteract the recession, but the high national debt has hampered the economic policy. Interest on Italian government bonds has risen, so it has become increasingly harder for the Italian government to borrow money. In March 2014, the EU put Italy on a list of fourteen countries which it would keep an eye on due to macro-economic instability. In February 2015, however, the Commission decided not to impose sanctions on Italy because the country had put in sufficient endeavour to manage expenditure and implement economic reforms. National debt rose to 133% of GDP in 2015 and remained at that level in 2016 and 2017.

Woodwork and parquet About 22.7% of Italy is covered by forests. Along the coasts we find mainly pine forests, the somewhat cooler areas house chestnuts, oak, beech, rowanberries, maples, and elms, whilst in the mountains we find birches, larches, and various types of spruces and pines. The most forested regions are Trentino Alto Adige (46.5%) and Liguria (53.2%). In these regions we also find the most woodworking companies. Apart from a number of renowned parquet manufacturers, we also find lots of supply companies for the parquet industry, especially in the chemical industry and in the manufacture of woodwork machines and tools. Italy accounts for 4.83% of FEP production.

That is good for 3,208,508m² of wooden floors. In 2011, Italy had a 10.33% share in all European parquet consumption. In that year, the country consumed 9,449,367m² of parquet. That share fell to 9.32% in 2012. The total number of parquet floors still runs up to 8,155,838m².

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Special

Top Italian companies focused on export

Renzo Borgonovo Srl

Renzo Borgonovo has operated on the Italian and international markets since 1961 when it started out as a manufacturer of picture frame machines. Gradually, the company also moved into other sectors, such as finishing profiles, parquet, wall panels, and such like. Today, the firm is led by the son of the founder and can thereby boast over 55 years of knowledge and experience. The core business today is the production of hot embossing machines. These are roller machines for warm engraving to give panels, parquet, and other materials all sorts of patterns. Distressed looks, geometric figures, classic effects, it’s all possible. Turnover in 2017 was about two million euros. Renzo Borgonovo employs 11 people. A major current innovation is that the gas burners which have been used until now for heating can now be replaced by electric lamps, something which is safer and cleaner. They will also be presenting some new designs at Domotex and Ligna.

Visit us at Domotex Hall 13 booth A13. +39 (0) 362 901347-8 - www.borgonovo.com

ADESIV

Adesiv was formed in 1971. The company produces adhesives for various industrial sectors and has established a fine reputation thanks to its ongoing product development. The company has always set great store by quality, image, and care for the environment.

Adesiv exports a lot of products, and export figures are rising each year. The company has its own network of distributors in more than 40 countries to ensure that its clients always receive excellent service. The clients are mainly wooden floor fitters who purchase products from dealers, but also parquet industries buy products and much importance is given to the ‘private label’ sector. In fact, many international companies have been turning to Adesiv for a long time to have a range of customised products.

The company is well known for its high quality adhesives, but has also made significant progress in coatings and wooden floor maintenance products. Given that pre-finished wooden floors are becoming much more popular, Adesiv is ready with its varnishes for the day when all those floors need renovating. At all events, Adesiv is fully convinced that wooden floors have a great future. What many clients do not know is that Adesiv, ever since its opening, has been producing with increasing success adhesives for the footwear industry and paper converting.

It is in these fields that the company is investing in R&D laboratories and advanced machinery. +39 (0) 424 566406 - www.adesiv.it

PARQUET IN Parquet In Srl was formed in 1970 and is based in the Italian city of Barletta. The company specialises in the production of exclusive parquet floors, which are ‘Made in Italy’. Years of experience and well trained workers make the difference here. Wood is treasured and processed in accordance with the old processes. Parquet In supplies floors for all styles and interiors. Old traditions from marquetry are raised to new life in multicoloured and versatile variations. With the Elegant Collection, Parquet In combines wood with several marble colours. This is confirmation of the vibrant creativity of Parquet In. Apart from features such as satin gloss, Parquet In also presents for this collection a number of modern colours. Colour is also a central feature in the New Mosaics Collection. These floors give a totally new colour expression with black and white as prominent shades and grey as a mysterious background. Modern and functional! The new mosaic collection presents a huge range of material combinations (e.g. ceramics or glass mosaic). The whole philosophy of Parquet In can be found in the Old Chic Collection, the renaissance of old parquet floors in designs and brushed surfaces. The Old Chic Collection is brushed and pre-finished with UV oil and is ready for fitting. The latest collection is the Capsule Collection by Samuele Mazza.

Apart from its collections, Parquet In can also supply customised work perfectly well. +39 (0) 883 536726 - www.parquetin.com

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CHIMIVER It was in 1965 that Mr. Giovanni Panseri formed Chimiver, a small laboratory producing coatings for wood and wooden floors. These days, Chimiver is run by his two sons Oscar and Nevio, who, with their distinctive but complementary skills, have brought new development strategies and ambitious goals to the company. Today, Chimiver has become the undisputed market leader in Italy in the sector of products for gluing, treating, and maintaining wooden floors. Customer focus, an immediate response to market needs, and synergy among the staff are some of the ingredients that have motivated Chimiver to produce complete lines of products for different types of flooring: wood, resilient, resin and outdoor.

People are fundamental to the development of the company. At present, Chimiver has more than 70 employees, 15 of whom work in R&D. Chimiver makes products which help to improve quality of life by paying close attention to the environment. This care is evident in the choice of adopting controlled machinery, packaging which is easier to recycle, and, above all, in the research dedicated to the formulation of high solid content and solvent-free products, waterborne lacquers, natural oils, and ecological glues and adhesives.

Some of their figures: 30,000kg of adhesives per day 10,000kg of laquers per day 1,000L of oil per day 100 pallets – supply chain per day Innovative solutions and continuous investments have given Chimiver a presence today in more than 60 countries all around the world. +39 (0) 35 795031 - www.chimiver.com

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IT

HI

Flo.it is part of the Florian group, which is the main producer of European hardwoods, founded in Italy, but mainly located in Croatia.

Due to availability of raw materials, especially oak, they decided in November 2014 to create the Flooring division in their headquarter in Vazzola (TV), Italy. It has a covered surface of 26.000 m2. The goal is to produce a certified two-layer wooden floor (FSC, CARB, and VOC-INDOOR AIR CONFORT GOLD_M1-CDPH) in order to be competitive against flooring importers. In order to achieve the aim Flo.it standardized their product: - One essence: oak - Two top layer thicknesses:4 or 6 mm - Three widths: 152mm, 192mm and 242mm - Two lengths: 2050mm and 2350mm (20% out of size) They are able to achieve their goal through standardization, the automation of their machineries, and a large amount of raw materials. 38 workers are currently employed at Flo.it, section Flooring. Flo.it will produce approximately 550.000m2 within 2018 and thanks to latest investments, in 2019 the company will increase its production that will reach 800.000 m2. The main trade is in Italy, that represent 40% of the sales, while the remaining 60% is distributed between Belgium, Netherlands, France, UK, Turkey, USA, Canada, Dubai, and South Africa. +39 (0) 423 4532 - www.florianinc.com

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FLO.IT

DURABI L

Two-component water-based polyurethane lacquer for wooden floors Vernis polyurethane bi-composant à l’eau pour parquet

Twice durable

in comparison to standard two-component lacquers

Deux fois plus resistant par rapport aux vernis bi-composant standard CHIMIVER PANSERI S.p.A.

PONTIDA (BG) - ITALY - Tel. +39 035 795031 chimiver.com - info@chimiver.com

CARE

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PRO

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Special

Top Italian companies focused on export

ADISPORTFLOOR Adisportfloor was formed in 2015 and emerged from two sound Italian companies, Cerlogne Pavimentio and Giorio, which were formed in 1963 and 1969 respectively. Both companies enjoyed strong growth over the years and their joint project is the development of high-quality sports floors. Constant research into products and systems has made Adisportfloor a pioneer in the development of new solutions which meet international standards. Performance of the floor and the health of the sporters are given the necessary attention. The company employs 10 to 15 people. Their annual capacity is about 70,000m². Recognition by FIBA is an important step which was set in 2018. +39 (0) 173 976520 - www.adisportfloor.it

CARVER Carver was formed in Milan in 1957. In 60 years, the company has developed into one of the leading companies in the field of products for wooden floors.

In the course of the years, the company has extended its sphere of activity to include products for outdoor wood. In November 2015, Carver became part of the French group Blanchon, something which immediately gave Carver a sound international base and solid market support. The company profiles itself as a specialist in products for fitting, finishing, and maintaining wooden floors and all indoor and outdoor wood. The company offers top quality products with special attention to the health of users and respect for the environment. Recently, they have reduced their assortment by omitting all products which could pose a health risk. The top products are Epsilon and Omeg-Art, mono and dual-component waterborne lacquers respectively for wooden floors. As regards oil, Primol Plus is the best seller. This year, a few new Latin American markets have opened up with a number of innovative products: a water-based and protective oil for wooden floors (Nordik) and a protective impregnation product for wooden terraces (Deck Protect). +39 (0) 295 00171 - www.carver.it

GARBELOTTO A passion for wood, ongoing technological research, and the vast experience of the Garbelotto family have together resulted in Garbelotto/Master Floor now offering an outstanding range of wooden floors and accessories.

The company is growing constantly through investments in new machines and new production sites. Their philosophy is a combination of art, fashion, and technology and the natural beauty of wood. Garbelotto wooden floors are 100% Made in Italy. The quality is subjected to no fewer than three separate inspections (by computer and manually). The assortment consists of an extended range of (pre-finished) two and three-layer wooden floors in various dimensioning and an infinite number of finishes. An impression: 40 colours/treatments, 22 available types of wood, 19 product lines; in short, 999 possible combinations as regards colours, sizes, finishes etc. In 2016, Garbelotto launched the Clip Up System, a revolutionary clip system whereby the floor is clicked by applying gentle pressure into clips fastened to the subfloor. Planks can be removed and put back with no problem for inspections, for instance. In 2017, Garbelotto achieved a turnover of 18 million euros and employs 80 people. In 2017, they produced one million square metres of wooden flooring. New items for 2018 include the extension of the I Gessi Line (long narrow pre-finished planks) with new types of wood in Habitat finish (waterborne varnish with a matt look). +39 (0) 438 580348 - www.garbelotto.it

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FLOORING for your BUSINESS

UNFINISHED

FINISHED

MAIN FEATURES

MADE IN ITALY

100% OAK product FLORIAN OAK LEADER

TARGET MARKETS

Customized PRODUCTS

Certified: FSC | CARB2 | EPA | ULEFF | VOC-INDOOR AIR CONFORT GOLD_M1-CDPH ®

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PARQUET INDUSTRIES

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New products soon available: CHEVRON & HERRINGBONE

ITALIA

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Special

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Top Italian companies focused on export

ALMA BY GIORIO

SKEMA

In 1969, with his passion and love for wood, Pierino Giorio set up a small company which was to grow into one of the biggest Italian players on the natural flooring market. Design, warmth, and beauty are the assets. A few decades later, his son Alessandro founded Alma, which enjoyed immediate success in Italy and elsewhere. Quality is still the priority. Alma combines the warmth and character of wood with exclusive finishes and the best raw materials with the prevailing trends (vintage, classic, elegant, or modern). Alma produces all sorts of models and fitting patterns, including Hungarian point and herringbone, but also new and dynamic patterns. Colours, sizes, and shapes are endless. At Alma 30 to 40 people work on the production and 15 to 20 on the finishing. Their annual capacity is about 100,000m². +39 (0) 173 976520 - www.giorio.it

Skema was formed in 1992 with a view to introducing laminate on the Italian market. Skema has always stood out for its new approach to the world of floor coverings, in particular multilayer floating floor solutions. Today, the company presents new technology combined with a refined taste.

That is the result of constant innovations. Skema offers not only products, but also solutions in both floor and wall coverings. Creative design and quality go hand in hand. Moreover, clients can count on an extensive service (training, marketing support, and technical support). Skema employs 50 people.

New products include the Outside Marina Real (WPC terrace boards) and Sintesy Star K (new generation LVT). Skema exports to Africa, Asia, and Europe. +39 (0) 422 85 85 65 - www.skema.eu

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PROGRESS PROFILES Lino Bordin, the founder of Progress Profiles, crossed the ocean after World War II in search of a better life. In the early eighties, he returned to Italy after building up a strong company in Canada in the extrusion of plastic and metal profiles. His son Dennis, who has managed the company since the nineties, went down the road of technological innovation, encouraged by his brother-in-law Fanio Pontin, who entered the company during the same period. In 2015, the company opened its new headquarters in Asolo. The company also has offices in New Jersey, Dubai, and Australia. Progress Profiles produces scores of accessories for the interior, including skirting boards and profiles. The company supplies scores of patented systems for all types of floors from the installation to the finish. Other products are LED lights, terrace insulation, balcony protection, and floor heating. The company still invests in the latest technology. Progress Profiles makes over 13,000 products in stainless steel, aluminium, bronze, PVC, and real wood. The company employs over 150 people and the network includes 120 agents. Annual capacity is about 20 million metres.

At the last edition of Cersaie 2018, the firm presented the new PRODESO HEAT GRIP system, the revolutionary electric floor heating to give heat on demand. This system can be installed in one day and is operated using the Prodeso Heat Grip Thermostat kit. Furthermore, they also presented the transparent version of the revolutionary Prolevelling System. Finally, there were also two complete kits from a central and linear shower system. Progress Profiles exports to over 70 countries and exports account for 36% of the turnover. +39 (0) 423 950398 - www.progressprofiles.com

FNT FIGLI DI NANDO TRABATTONI

www.progressprofiles.com

www.progressprofiles.com

Contemporary Style

Strength, Lightness, Character

Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l, FNT for short, is located in the north of Italy near to Lake Como and the Swiss border. The company was formed in 1948 by Nando Trabattoni. It grew strongly when sons Flavio, Giancarlo, and Alberto entered the company. Today, the third generation of the family is at the head of FNT. FNT makes moulds for applying relief (embossing) to wooden panels, door panels, furniture panels, table surfaces, floors, etc. These are produced customised to meet client wishes. Turnover in 2017 was about two million euros.

FNT employs 15 people. They will be presenting new products at Domotex and Ligna in 2019. FNT is interested in the market all over the world.

Visit us at Domotex Hall 13 booth A13. +39 (0) 31 621303 - www.trabattonistampi.com

PROSKIRTING 7016 / 7011 Profiles in waterproofing PVC foam, with a high abrasion resistance and suitable for all indoor use. They can be fixed to the wall using plastic supports with screw anchors and silicone. They are available in white, black, silver colour and a wide range of wood-effect finishes, it is possible to customise them with decoration for small quantity too. Inside and outside corners with end caps are also available in the same finish of the skirting.

P ROFILES & SY STEMS

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Special

Top Italian companies focused on export

Ravaioli Legnami

Your places are important Make them unique

Wooden solution for outdoor.

A world of quality and natural design.

www.ravaiolilegnami.com 56

Floor Forum International 98

Pidiprogetto

Ravaioli Legnami was formed by Urbano Ravaioli in Villanova di Bagnacavallo in 1976.

In 1985, the company was taken over by the Bagnari family and, by means of constant innovations, has grown from a small workshop specialising in wooden profiles to one of the most competitive businesses in the industry. In 1996 and 2000, the company opened two new offices in Villanova di Castenaso and Rimini respectively.

Since 2002, they have concentrated on outdoor floors. The machines which were used to make profiles have been used to process tropical wood. Today, the company specialises in outdoor wood for terraces and walls. Quality is a top priority from the selection of the raw materials to a sound after-sales service inclusive. Well trained staff and wood from sustainably managed forests (FCS) ensure that quality. In 2017, the company achieved a turnover of 10 million euros with 45 employees. Their annual capacity is about 150,000m². In 2018, the company has extended its range to include new types of wood such as yellow cumaru and itauba and there are also some new sizes. Other innovations include the Bamboo Elegance and WPC deckings. +39 (0) 545 927309 - www.ravaiolilegnami.com

TERRA DA BOSCO Terra da Bosco was established in 2000 in order to produce wood flooring and solid wood par-quet. During the manufacturing of parquet we produce them with tongue and groove profile, in mosaic form and with lamellae. Our company is situated in Bérbaltavár, near the Austrian border, in a strategi-cally favourable position.

During the production we produce solid parquet from oak in two versions: - Unfinished, crude parquet (to be sanded and oiled or warnished on site); - Prefinished parquet, which is surface-treated.

High quality parquet is manufactured in compliance with UNI EN standards. Each product of our com-pany carries CE marking: there is quality control in each phase of the production from the arrival of the raw material through processing phases to the end of delivery.

Product lines we offer to our customers: - Tongue & Groove parquet; - Prefinished parquet, sanded, bevelled, brushed, smoked, double smoked, oiled; - Hungarian point and Herringbone Parquet; - Classic Mosaic Parquet (Versailles, Chantilly…).

Wood flooring from Terra da Bosco is the result of perfect manufacturing. It is a parquet that can be installed in any environment with different surface treatments. +36 (0) 94 575 - 054 - www.terradabosco.com

LA SAN MARCO PROFILI

STATE OF THE ART PROFILES La San Marco Profili, founded in 1989, thanks to the experience of its two generations that with an intense dedication and resolution have administrated and innovated it, becomes nowadays a benchmark for the Italian and foreign market for the supply of skirting, profiles for the home and office , as well as wooden floors for outdoors. La San Marco Profili responds quickly to whatever customers need providing a qualified staff always ready to satisfy your requirements: direct contact, fast solutions to avoid wasting time. The company hold a huge well-organized stock of products that enable it to fill orders quickly and without mistakes. It offers a wide range of standard products and thanks to its flexibility, it handles all special quantities or personalized finishes requests. The company is expanding into many international markets very aggressively, and is actively looking for distribution partners in the new developing markets. +39 (0) 438 980106 - www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

LA SAN MARCO PROFILI SRL Viale Europa 63 - 31010 Soligo, TV - Italy Tel. +39 0438 980106 r.a. - Fax +39 0438 980176 info@lasanmarcoprofili.com - www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

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∂ Product news B-FIX According to B-Fix, very few tools are necessary for fitting a wooden terrace with an invisible fastening system, especially with B-Fix. Depending on the sawing work to be done, various saws may be necessary. For the rest, a good screw driver and a spirit level or laser will suffice to start work.

Nothing else is needed for fitting using B-Fix. There are some special shelf spanners, but B-Fix advocates the use of the classic parquet tools, which are simple, quick, and cheap. The same applies for terraces in composite. As regards accessories, B-Fix offers adapted screws, depending on the material in which the support structure is designed (e.g. aluminium or steel) and a milling cutter for making adjustments to the profile on site.

SPAČVA – NEW COLLECTION OF SOLID WOOD FLOORING Finding the right color of solid wood flooring for your home isn't always easy. A little difference in shades can turn your home from ordinary into extraordinary and special.

In addition to the standard oils that can be found in floors throughout Europe, Spačva decided to invest in even more oils that are manifested through the appearance of modern, yet easily adaptable surface treatment. That is why we started cooperation with Osmo.

Combining quality and modern design, our new collection is offering a choice for every taste. The range of colors, can turn ideas into reality, bringing a personal touch to undeniable charm and elegance in any room. We are proud of our new range of colors varieting from white to black. We also expanded our offer with different dimensions of Chevron, Herringbone and fix lenght.

HOLLAND TOP FLOOR There are plenty of trends on show in the field of laminate and design floors. With the IPC design floors, Holland Top Floor is playing the card of safe and healthy PVC floors with every imaginable quality label. In terms of decors, the oak structure wins with all sorts of colours and diverse sorts such as light rustic and extra rustic. As far as the big sizes are concerned, Holland Top Floor presents in the IPC PVC floors collection the Dryback floors as well as a Rigged Core click system. Distressed is not immediately a top trend, but a high ‘genuine content’ is presently of great importance and, with IPC, Holland Top Floor has an amazingly beautiful look thanks to the special latest techniques. In the second cheapest collection they offer the very latest embossing technique so that the look can hardly be identified from that of the real look.

SLAVONIAN OAK

VETEDY Vetedy has set up a screwdriver with a special connector, suitable to its invisible fixation clip Softline®’s profil. It allows a valuable time saving during installation and especially a comfortable work condition (no need to have screws in hand), we could almost screw with blind eye! Every characteristics have been designed for the installer comfort: adaptation of the adjustement tool, trigger locked, screw penetration locking… The screwdriver is supplied with a lithium-ion battery (with a high capacity). Softline® clip is produced with a composite material which allow more than 20 years lifetime in every worldwide climate. This fixation is soft enough and in the meantime extremely resistant to follow all the wood movement between summer and winter. It is the only fixation in the market which affix only the wooden board without creating one single mechanical stress in its movement, and especially by assuring its ventilation which avoid any deformation.

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INTERNATIONAL trade journal f or impor t , expor t , dis tr ibu tion and lay ing of par que t , laminate, cor k f loor ing and r elated pr oduc t s

N° 92, December 2017 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Top Belgian companies focused on export EFWEX: Your key to new markets !

UNILIN sets new standards for

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INTERNATIONAL trade journal f or impor t , expor t , dis tr ibu tion and lay ing of par que t , laminate, cor k f loor ing and r elated pr oduc t s

Our magazine, that is distributed all over the world, targets professionals from the floor coverings sector and the wooden façade claddings. Floor Forum International, that from its start focussed on parquet floors both indoor and outdoor, every year aims at informing its readers about the newest trends and novelties. In it, among other things, you read all about trends and innovations for parquet floors, and this in all kind of wood species, vinyl, LVT, PVC, wooden façade claddings, glues, varnishes, subfloors, deckings,…

For more than 11 years already, Floor Forum International is appreciated by all the major players in the sector, who help determine the contents of the magazine thanks to their novelties that are accompanied by the necessary explanation. In every edition, the magazine singles out one particular country. In doing this, the readers not only discover the sociopolitical history of that country, but at the same time are also informed about the economic potential for what wood is concerned.

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N° 91, November 2017 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Top Italian companies focused on export Preview: Domotex Hanover (DE)

Advertorial: Cornilly Wooden Floors (BE) presents…

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Special : Producers of Hungarian point and Herringbone parquet : solid and multilayer

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We Say Recoating, They Say New Introducing the Bona Care Program, effective care and maintenance for resilient floors. The unique program gives you the power to clean, rejuvenate and recoat floors without the time and costs of traditional floor replacement.

The Bona Care Program is suitable for a range of resilient surfaces. With speed, simplicity and sustainability in mind, welcome to a new dimension in floor care.

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