FFI 110 June 2020

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° 110 July 2020 - 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: Tanzania

Advertorial: Steico (D)

PALL-X 96 WOOD FLOOR

Advertorial: La San Marco Profili (I)

WORLD CUP

Special: Hard wax oil

PA

LLMAN N

Special: Producers of distressed floors

Special: Curing oil/lacquer using LED

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Evolving strength BONA QUANTUM – TITANIUM TECHNOLOGY ADHESIVE Bona Quantum represents the new generation of silane-based adhesives, featuring Bona’s revolutionary Titanium Technology. The brand new formula delivers outstanding strength that evolves over time – giving optimal strength once set. Its unique formula offers the advantages of both hard-elastic and hard adhesive in one effective product.

Bona Quantum provides long-lasting performance and a stable result.

Bona Quantum is a great all-round product that delivers fantastic performance, whatever the job.

bona.com/bonaquantum

Content 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° 110 July 2020 - 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: Tanzania

Advertorial: Steico (D)

PALL-X 96

Pallmann GmbH based in Würzburg, Germany is an

WOOD FLOOR Advertorial: La San Marco Profili (I)

WORLD CUP

international, premium manufacturer of products and systems for the installation, renovation and

Special: Hard wax oil

PA

maintenance of wood flooring. As part of the Uzin

LLMAN N

Utz Group in Ulm, Pallmann offers system–based,

Special: Producers of distressed floors

Special: Curing oil/lacquer using LED

WITH YO

product solutions for the complete installation or

UR BEST

OJECT!m p.co -X 96 PR

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PALLoodfloor worldcu ww w.w

renovation of wood floors, from maintenance and cleaning, surface finishing, machines, adhesives,

Floor Forum International n° 110 July 2020 Photo Pallmann

and sub-floor preparation products. In addition to high-quality products Pallmann offers a comprehensive technical and marketing sales team to

4 Inside news

support the wood flooring contractor.

8 Advertorial Burger (F)

Pall-X 96, like no other product stands for the success and quality of the Pallmann brand. That is why

10 Special Who has an oil which can be finished in one coat?

12 Special Wooden terrace floors versus wood composite

terrace floors

the company honours its successful 1-component

Stefan Neuberger Pallmann

wood floor lacquer throughout 2020. For over 20 years, Pall-X 96 has been impressing contractors with its forgiving flow and levelling, quick dry times,

16 Advertorial Bona (SE) 18 Special Subfloors for LVT, vinyl, and PVC floors

and beautiful build on wood floors. In the course of the last year, the formulation was further enhanced to maximize reliability, durability, and

19 Advertorial Steico (D)

chemical resistance. Pall-X 96 is now not only the most successful 1-component wood

21 Special Finishing and maintaining wooden exterior walls

floor lacquer in Europe, but has gained the trust of users worldwide.

24 Special Hard wax oil

“Trust and reliability are values that count more today than ever. That is why we continue

28 Special Curing oil/lacquer using LED

to support our customers with our technical service in the best possible way right now” underlines Stefan Neuberger, CEO of Pallmann. “We would also like to respond to the

30 Advertorial La San Marco Profili (I)

difficult everyday life that some of our customers are currently going through with positive

32 Special The various adhesives and glueing techniques for

energy. That is why, especially in challenging times, we do not want to abandon exciting

LVT, PVC, vinyl, and design floors 34 Special Discover the possibilities of industrial lacquers

and fun customer activities.” With this focus Pallmann colleagues around the world stand together and prove what you can achieve when you stick together. At very short notice an international competition looking for projects completed with the lacquer Pall-X 96 was

36 Special Producers of distressed floors

created and launched. Neuberger is pleased: “We are happy that we were able to set up

40 Special Skirting boards with LVT-PVC & laminate inlay

such a large international project with 23 participating countries. We are looking forward

42 Special Providers of abrasive materials 44 Special Producers of hybrid adhesives

to celebrating together the Grand Finale next year in Würzburg. In the meantime we hope that the positive energy created by this event, will be picked up by the customers and ”brighten” their daily business.”

47 Special Adjustable floor support systems for terrace floors

More information about the competition and how to register can be found at:

49 Special Who has reaction stains?

www.woodfloorworldcup.com

52 Special Invisible lacquers: who has them?

55 Industry news 56 Special Tanzania 58 Product news

Editing & advertisements FFI bvba PO BOX 29 9870 Olsene, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)475/44 20 77 sales@media-pact.com www.floor-forum.com

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

Publisher Filip De Ridder

Editors: Jean Paul Talbot, Ludwig Janssens, Filip De Ridder Jacques Legros

Lay-out: Be-able Communication www.be-able.be

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

Production: Lowyck - Oostende

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 Chêne de l’est

Plankflooring Bacteriostatic Chêne de l’est Chêne de l'est offers a lacquered finish with antibacterial properties.

Because hygiene and health safety have become one of the major concerns of our society, because it' s important to keep a healthy house with a floor as clean as possible, we bring you THE solution!

A plankflooring with antibacterial properties with a matt lacquered finish.

Bacteria can be brought in by shoes, animals, spilled liquids... Today this spread can be limited thanks to bacteriostatic lacquered parquet.

This specific varnish reduces the development of bacteria on the surface of the floor. Bacteriostatic finishes do not kill bacteria but prevent them from growing, limit their multiplication and can prevent the appearance of biofilms. These finishes are effective against bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus... The maintenance of the floor will be done with suitable antibacterial products. This antibacterial action doesn't reduce the performance of the finish to another level.

FN Neuhofer | Franz Neuhofer 80 years old 80 years old and still in the firm every day Franz Neuhofer Sr. is celebrating his 80th birthday The successful family firm of FN Neuhofer with its registered office in Zell am Moos, Austria is celebrating two occasions in one this year. The 370th year of existence of the company and the 80th birthday of Franz Neuhofer Senior, which is being celebrated on 30th June.

But he doesn’t for one second let his age stand in the way of still energetically getting involved in the firm’s work.

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Having started as a small mill and a sawmill, FN Neuhofer is now a recognised profile and accessories supplier for floors, walls and ceilings at the top of this international sector. FN Neuhofer exports 96 % of all its products from its headquarters in Zell am Moos, sending them to over 70 countries around the world.

Franz Neuhofer took over the sawmill from his father in 1965. In 1985 the joint decision was taken to focus on the manufacture of profiles and massive investment in expanding the site and in the machinery followed. The sawmill was closed in 1998 and a modern logistics centre was built on the firm’s existing premises. In 2000 Franz Neuhofer Senior handed over management of the business. Franz Neuhofer is now successfully managing the firm as a member of the 10th generation. “When I look back on “370 years of Neuhofer”, I’m proud and also a bit humble. Only a few family-run businesses can look back on such a long history. I’m very pleased that our children have found their way both in their personal and professional lives. Our grandchildren are also doing great – that gives me high hopes for the future,” says Franz Neuhofer Senior, who even today is still to be found (almost) every day in Production or in his office and who is involved by his son with the greatest respect in all strategic decisions. “Even today, the construction and investment can’t go fast enough for him,” says Franz Neuhofer.

DecoRad® UV Curing Equipment Covid-19 Non-Contact Surface/Floor disinfection with UV light without using chemical solutions Single stranded RNA viruses such as corona-viruses are highly sensitive to UV radiation. When using the right UVC equipment COVID-19 is

∂ Inside news They work…but … they have only the 254 nm wavelength and it takes up to 20-30 seconds stationary on 1 spot to deactivate the virus. You need more lamps to speed up this process. DecoRad ozone free UV equipment provides high power and Wattage UV in the complete UVGI spectrum. This means 10 x faster in time with 1 lamp to deactivate viruses like COVID-19 and other microorganism because of more power and the 254 AND 270 nm wavelengths !

Our Floormate (motor driven floor-cure) provides 3000 Watts in UV radiation. Our Handmate (handheld hand-cure) provides 1800 Watts in UV radiation. We are a leading brand in portable UV, with a proven history in safe and reliable equipment.

We have all the UV equipment in stock including rentals.

Visit: www.decorad.com Contact: info@decorad.com Like any disinfection system, UVC equipment must be used properly to be safe.

PlyQuet Holzimport deactivated in seconds. The most effective wavelength is labeled UVGI (UV Germicidal Irradiation) 254 to 270 nanometers.

DecoRad UV equipment is developed for curing coatings/oils, but with the ozone free Hg medium pressure UV lamp very efficient to also provide the UVGI spectrum. Much promoted on the internet and social media at the moment are the low pressure low wattage UVC lamps.

PlyQuet Holzimport, the sales office of TEKA parquet since 25 years, extended it’s range of Chevron and Versailles floor panels. Beside the already established Chevron in 90x600 mm the size of 127x600mm is stocked in several finishes and unfinished. In Versailles were in addition to the unfinished and Bourgogne finish a reclaimed look panel added.

These new types complete the wide range of products stocked

PREMIUM USABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

6

Floor Forum International 110 SOUDAL N.V. • EVERDONGENLAAN 18-20 • B-2300 TURNHOUT • BELGIË • TEL.: +32-(0)14 42 42 31 • WWW.SOUDAL.COM

000573-ADVERT

• New: ecological packaging for hybrid parquet adhesives • Same product, same quality • Easy to recycle • Easy to stack, takes up less space

∂ Inside news

in Germany. The range of stocked products is completed by LVT for glue down and for glue free installation with Loc. For more information check www.plyquet.com

Introducing Malaysian Timber Council The Malaysian Timber Council was established in January 1992 to promote the development and growth of the Malaysian timber industry.

The Council is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act 1965 and is governed by a Board of Trustees whose members are appointed by the Minister of Primary Industries.

Vision: To be the lead organisation that develops the Malaysian timber industry into a world leader in the manufacturing and trading of timber products.

Mission: To ensure the sustainability of the Malaysian timber industry by improving its competitiveness, enhancing market access and creating trade opportunities.

Objective: - To promote the Malaysian timber trade and develop the market for timber products globally - To develop the timber industry by expanding the industry’s manufacturing technology base and value-adding its production line - To augment the supply of raw materials for the timber-processing industry - To provide information services to the timber industry - To enhance the global credibility of the Malaysian timber industry

The premium polymer of choice for your isocyanate-free flooring adhesives.

Want to know more?

Get in touch with us! www.kaneka.be Floor Forum International 110

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Advertorial

Burger (F)

BURGER & CIE, PIONEER IN INTERIOR DESIGN Currently in its sixth generation, the Alsatian family business has been following an exceptional trajectory.

With an integrated R&D service, the three brands of the Group keep growing with one strategy in mind: to master its environment for a made in France production. Burger & Cie has always been able to imagine and innovate, pushed by the know-how and motivation of those ready to take on new challenges. Because building is our venture.

Our DNA Every day, we are building tomorrow’s world, which explains why we are so innovative and have been granted with many patents. As heirs of the master builders, wood work has been running through our family for generations, thus giving light to new products that are transcending time. This vision has enabled us to develop our know-how and to master new materials such as metal and plastics to integrate them fully to our product offering.

GROWTH It is part of our DNA and has been at the core of our business for over 170 years. It also gives our colleagues the possibility to evolve and to acquire new ambitions aligned with their capabilities.

DIVERSIFICATION Three strong brands represent Burger & Cie’s B2B activities: Burger, which democratises wood design through innovative concepts. From stylish railings to beautiful staircases, our in-house R&D department constantly conceives new products that meet today’s consumers’ expectations and decoration trends, and are easy to build yourself always keeping the end-user in mind: because Burger aims at making DIY accessible. The range of product is fully dedicated to make your home a piece of modern life.

Jardipolys, for beautiful outdoor and garden spaces, offering a range of useful and stylish products including flower boxes, vegetable troughs, wooden fencing, furniture, as well as a range of wooden cabins for children made of 100% natural wood and free of any treatment. Every single on of these products can be customised, painted, or stained, to create your own unique outdoor space.

Grad, which is a patented ground-breaking hidden fastening system for decking and cladding (4 patents and 3 golden medals), represented and used through an expanding network of hundreds of partners spanning across the globe especially Europe, North America, the Middle East, and is gaining further global attention.

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Since 2006, millions of m² of decking and cladding have been installed with Grad.

PRODUCTION Wood, metal, plastic (pom) As we have learnt to master these elements and their particular characteristics, they have become an essential part of our activity and of our future development.

10-YEAR STRATEGY Burger Industrial integration and client diversification For the last two years and through intensive investments, parts of the production of metallic products has been moved back to France from China in order to control the production process and costs, inventory movements, and product innovation better.

Through a better monitoring of our production capability, we are able to develop new products with a faster turnaround and to expand our customer base.

Jardipolys

have been pushing Grad throughout Europe with much success and have started its global expansion thanks to an effective network of distributors, agents, and own experts in business development.

ADAPTING Because we care, Burger shut down during March 2020 due to the Covid outbreak, making home-office the new routine, while the production team only stopped for three weeks. Only those who demonstrated a will to participate in the effort where called in, and all measures were taken to avoid all health and safety risks.

Stability and performance This activity has reached maturity, and is rather useful to amortise our structure.

Grad Universalisation We want the system to reach universal status and become the number one choice of hidden fastening system by collaborating with board manufacturers for decking or cladding, in the scope of developing new boards to be combined with Grad. As such, we

As in every family, Burger always takes pride in looking after those who make it. www.burger.fr

Floor Forum International 110

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Special

Who has an oil which can be finished in one coat?

OIL MAKERS CONTINUE TO INNOVATE A FINISH IN A SINGLE WORK SESSION IS STILL A MAJOR ASSET The chemical industry is in a state of constant flux. We’ve often illustrated that by pointing out the vast developments in the range of adhesives. In the world of parquet adhesives alone we see all sorts of diverse technology which intertwines to form the hybrid solutions which everyone talks about. The same goes for finishes. Both oils and lacquers continue to develop on their own, but they meet each other occasionally in shared applications. One of the movements in the oil industry manifests itself in its attention for single coat products.

Applying oil It is extremely easy to apply an oil finish, even though the process involves a few distinct phases which should each be carried out meticulously.

Application

solutions. It’s entirely logical that for renovation the floor will have to be sandpapered, but that is not the case with an oil finish. The application with most makers is virtually identical. The oil acts as a saturation.

This gives the floor all the features of an oiled floor, including the visual ones. The oil should be applied in a professional manner. In this context it is also possibly even more important for the oil to be polished professionally and for surplus oil to be removed. In most cases it will be necessary to allow for a drying time (depending on the producer).

According to a certain procedure, and after the drying time, a lacquer is applied in the second instance as the final finish. Obviously, the oil and lacquer used are completely in harmony with each other. Once the coat of lacquer is applied, the floor has the assets of a lacquered floor, but still the look of oiled parquet.

What’s on the market ?

Blanchon

Oil is applied using a roller with short hair. It is applied in a thick coat and should be left to soak in for about one hour. It must not dry on the surface. If that does happen, surplus oil should be removed using a rubber mop after a waiting time of one hour. The floor can also be wrung dry using a soft cotton cloth.

Polishing The floor surface is now polished using a rotary disc fitted with a white pad. You polish the floor surface until it is nice and smooth. You should leave the floor to dry for 48 hours before walking on it. The floor may not be cleaned using water for at least a week after the oil treatment.

The floor may not be covered under any circumstances.

In one work session?

A lacquer finish involves more than one coat with the necessary drying time in each case. In the case of production lines with UV drying, there is even often talk of seven thin coats of lacquer. By contrast, oil lends itself to a finish in just one coat. Indeed, oil can be applied without streaks, something which isn’t so easy with coats of lacquer.

The protection is also complete when the saturation is complete. A vast majority of oils also allow for a finish in a single work session. The exceptions are if the maker explicitly promotes a multicoated system (typical of the concept) or if there is talk of an extremely absorbent wood whereby a second or even a third coat is required. We can deduce that the makers’ efforts are geared to one solid protective coat from the fact that the time between coats should NOT be too long. The previous coat should not be completely dry so that the next coat intertwines with the previous one.

One coat of oil and then lacquers More and more producers are offering an oil/lacquer system as the ultimate finish for parquet and wooden floors. It’s a ‘hybrid’ solution, that’s for sure. Indeed, this means combining the best features of both

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The high solid hard wax oil Solid Oil impregnates, colours, and protects wood in a single operation. Blanchon Hard Wax Oil offers nothing but benefits for both floor fitters and end users. The easy application is one thing, but the simple and speedy maintenance is another asset.

Moreover, Blanchon hard wax oil also offers endless application options for finishes (tints, wood tones, colour nuances, and such like). In ‘natural silk matt’ and ‘natural ultra-matt’ Blanchon presents firstly Easy Oil™, which yields a very attractive result in two coats without sandpapering. Apart from the solid traditional oil Easy Oil™, Blanchon also presents its solid hard wax oil High Solid. This hard wax oil impregnates, colours, and protects parquet floors in one single operation. The hard wax oil feeds the wood and protects it deep down.

Thanks to the composition of the hard wax oil, which is very rich in natural and renewable raw materials, it dries rapidly and with hardly any bad smells. As of this year, Blanchon offers 41 colours (one of which is metal colour). Due to the addition of a pre-dosed hardener

(20%), the surface dries and sets in just a few hours. This system is highly recommended for high-traffic floors such as shops, museums, catering establishments, and such like.

Chimiver

LIOS B 100 is a natural oil treatment for wooden floors, it has 100% solid content so it can be considered VOC free. LIOS B 100 protects the wood, enhancing the softness and the natural look of the wood.

Available versions: - NATURAL: transparent treatment to keep natural the color of the wood.

- COLORATO: colored treatment to stain the wood.

LIOS BIOIL 2K is a two-component natural oil treatment for wooden floors in only one single coat. It has very high chemical and physical resistance, high coverage and it is very easy to be maintained; it gives to the wooden floor a warm and soft effect.

LIOS BIOIL 2K is formulated with natural oils and it is VOC free.

Available versions: - STANDARD: to keep natural the look of the wooden floor.

- COLORATO: available in different colours and on request.

Ciranova Colouring parquet and furniture is very much in fashion. A very popular practice is to re-sandpaper parquet and apply a colour oil to obtain a floor which is as good as new.

Sandpapering and renovating furniture is also growing in popularity, and UN1CO is ideal for that. UN1CO is used a lot to protect and colour in one single coat. Colouring is particularly attractive for oak wood, but basically it can be done with any sort of wood, provided that you prepare the wood properly before applying the colour oil. UN1CO, the 2 component, 1 coat oil of the newest generation, makes use of renewable natural materials.

Thanks to its special technology, only one coat needs to be applied. The combination of the oil and hardener provides fast drying and excellent chemical resistance. UN1CO is available in a box with 16 finished samples of UN1CO-colours.

Pallmann Wood floor oil is still a trend. The natural, extra matt look and appearance of wood floors is a big plus for many end customers.

Compared to lacquered surfaces an open-pored wood floor offers different room-climatic conditions and the barefoot-effect on oiled wood floors is inimitable. The colour enhancement of the wooden structure is better with oil.

2-component oils have a significant shorter drying time and a higher resistance compared to 1-component products thanks to their special molecular structure. Instead of forming a layer, what hard wax oils do, oil is a wood impregnation system. The natural character of a wooden floor is highlighted more by the impregnation with an oil. With proper cleaning and maintenance no disadvantages compared to a sealed surface can be seen. The Pallmann Magic Oil Line offers a product range of solvent-free, sustainable and save-to-useproducts. The 2-component oil Magic Oil 2K Ergo can be applied in only one coat. Another advantage is the ergonomic working posture with the Magic Oil Applicator and its high resistance to mechanical and chemical stress.

RIGO Verffabriek

The master oil makers of RIGO Verffabriek have been making ROYL floor oils from 100% vegetable oils for almost 40 years. Demand for our oils is still as high as ever, thanks to their evident benefits for processors and end users alike. End users prefer our oils because of their beautiful, matte natural look and our wide range of 45 standard colours. For professionals ROYL OIL offers great ease of use, non-marking application and short lead times: apply, rub, rub dry. The oil is so strong that a single layer will do. 1 litre will cover 30 to 40 m2. ROYL OIL comes in a 1K and 2K version. With our 2K oils, you will be able to walk on your finished floor within 24 hours. The ROYL OIL 1K is a 100% vegetable-based product, which is available in the 24 standard colours that can be made with base Clear. The ROYL OIL 2K is available in base Clear, base White and base Black, giving rise to a range of 45 standard colours.

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Floor Forum International 110

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Special

Wooden terrace floors versus wood composite terrace floors

WOODEN TERRACES AND COMPOSITES MAKE A GOOD MATCH FLOOR FITTERS CAN PROMOTE THEIR OWN PREFERENCES PERFECTLY WELL Wood has been deployed much more in daily life since we discovered all its uses as a raw material. And so, ‘consumption’ has increased year by year. Yet there’s no need to worry! In a logical world forests and woods form an endless supply of this lovely material. Sadly, this world isn’t logical and illegal cutting and the terror of forest fires caused partly by global warming ensure that the emerging ‘sustainable forest management’ often merely papers over the cracks. Alternatives such as wood composite do bring ‘ecological’ relief. The question is: Do they bear comparison with real wood?

Real wood or composite?

In the wooden flooring industry it has long been the case that what floor fitters recommended as the ‘best solution’ was not necessarily the ‘best solution’. Floor fitters of the old school were trained by their ‘instructors’ within a particular mindset and had been taught to use the same products and the same working method all the time. They used that ‘best’ wood sort, that ‘best’ adhesive, and that ‘best’ finish.

They bore no malice, but they were set in their ways. Then, sometimes, if that solution perhaps wasn’t the best one, it was ‘good enough’, so there wasn’t a problem. Floor fitters preferred not to take risks. You only took risks if you had to choose between alternative solutions where you weren’t really aware of the benefits and drawbacks. That dilemma in the terrace world is now history. Hardwood or composite?

You can recommend both options with peace of mind.

Equal standings!

In terms of quality all terrace materials are comparable. The best sorts of wood are on offer and composites are so technically advanced that they ‘hold their own’ as regards strength and durability. From a decorative point of view it is extremely hard to tell the difference between many composites and the ‘real thing’. We can certainly use the term ‘ecological’ both with real wood and composites, something of which clients are becoming increasingly mindful. Wood usually comes from sustainably managed forests, but that also applies to wood fibres in composites which emerge from waste wood. Synthetics are generally made from recycled raw materials. The maintenance is easy in both cases and technical extras such as anti-slip are possible in both cases. The price, too, bears comparison, at least in terms of euros, depending on the brand and market situation.

Photo – La San Marco Profili

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The lifespan This suitability of hardwood for use in outdoor floors is determined via a generally acknowledged and accepted system of grading wood sorts in five classes. The classes have been established empirically.

concept terrace to clip. invisible fixations. perfect finishes.

Special

Wooden terrace floors versus wood composite terrace floors

Researchers have tested how long the wood sorts ‘survive’ if they are exposed untreated to outdoor weather conditions. Wood sorts in class one retain their beauty for 25 years. And so, we use wood sorts from class one and some from class one-to-two for terrace boards. In practice, it appears that the ‘test’ to establish the class is actually stricter than the reality. Wooden terraces are fitted in such a way that they do not come into contact with soil water. They will often last longer than 25 years if they are well fitted and maintained.

Wood wins! At least, for the time being …

Wood composite is in several respects an ecologically responsible alternative to tropical hardwood. Basically, no trees have to be cut and, as we’ve already said, the waste wood can just as easily bear the FSC label. The production method is a form of extrusion. The end result of the ingenious production process has to be a material which can compete easily with wood sorts from durability class 1. However, since wood composite production didn’t start until about 1997, we will still have to wait a few years to see if that really is the case. And so, watch this space!

Some specialists Burger&cie / Grad

suggest applying a beautiful array of oils to match the client’s every wish. Are you concerned with annual maintenance? Then use WPC decking. Futura provides a variety of luxurious colors, designs and lengths creating a premium, ageless look to one’s terrace. Due to its superior durability and low maintenance, WPC is a preferred modern decking choice for many home owners. Futura Floors offers a complete outdoor solution to suit every garden and every occasion - even at the liveliest of summer parties!

For more information visit www.futurafloors.de

La San Marco Profili

Photo – Burger&cie / Grad

The best-selling wood sort at Burger&cie / Grad is kebony, a gnarl-free sort of wood which becomes harder, more durable, and more stable through the injection of vegetable ingredients. Thermo-wood also accounts for a good proportion of turnover. As an alternative to wood, Burger&cie / Grad offers the composite NEKKO, which is available in chestnut brown and grey. As this is in the classic co-extrusion segment, the price is comparable to that of a top quality wood sort.

Due to the basic concept which Burger&cie / Grad offers for terraces, any professional (carpenter, parquet floor fitter, landscape specialist, swimming pool fitter, etc.) can do the fitting. The wooden terrace and composite market is thriving and studies suggest this will continue in the next five years with forecasts of about 17% growth.

Futura Floors Outdoor Ambience in Your Hands – but what to choose?

Enjoy your outdoor space. Add Futura Floors exotic outdoor timber or modern wood plastic composite (WPC) decking. Choose your decking then order under construction, clips and bases to easily complete your new decking installation!

At Futura, exotic hardwood decking adds a natural ambience to your outdoor living space. These exotic species are eye-catching and unique, arriving to your home smoothly sanded multiple times. We also

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We believe that Wood is still the king of decking materials.

Hardwoods are obviously our first choice when talking about outdoor flooring and cladding, but composites are also gaining ground on the market. Which material is best for your deck project will depend on many factors including decking color, available board sizes, maintenance requirements, and, of course, price. That is why, probably the most difficult decision to make when building a deck is what type of decking to use. There is no perfect choice. La San Marco recommends his customers to figure out what characteristics are most important for them, and then make a selection based on that. Anyway, you should also remember that to take full advantage of the qualities of a floor, you should study the type of flooring and the place where it will be installed. What we always recommend is to choose the right installation method according to the environment and material. In fact, a well-mounted floor is a durable floor. Of course all decking woods need maintenance during the years, because if you choose not to stain tropical decking, it will eventually weather to a light silver color. Even if, we believe that letting the wood weather naturally is fine, it is its peculiarity and it gives life to the

environment that surrounds us. Another option, is to choose a composite decking. In fact the appeal of composite decking is that it is virtually maintenance-free. With this regard, as a composite alternative, after a long and careful research for a durable and high-quality material, we decided to present to our customers Duro decking, an innovative eco-sustainable material mainly made up of rice husks and pure PVC. Duro is available in different colors, it grants maximum stability and strength over time, it is resistant to UV radiation and it is class B1 fire resistant. Duro is undoubtedly the best choice for composite decking. In addition, we also presents a new installation system that significantly simplifies the fitting procedures.

As a result, fitting times are reduced by up to 50% as the fitting costs obviously and you have no risk of errors. You could also easily remove and reinsert individual planks at any point in the floor. Furthermore, this new Installation System is also studied to be used for wood decking.

that Novowood provide in external environment. Material is also recycled and recyclable in totally respect of the environment. Novowood can be also produced in different section and length giving to the client advantages in term of waste reduction and aesthetic satisfaction. Due to the raising market demand WPC is now one of the most appreciated product wood based for external environment, Novowood provide also to his customers a technical support and complete system for the installation of the products in different kind of condition and application.

NOVOWOOD: NOT JUST WOOD

www.lithos.it

Iperwood is an Italian company that after an experience of more than 40 years in exotic wood trading, started to made and develops Novowood, a wood plastic composite studied with the University of Ferrara and made for the extreme climatic area, as for example Nautical environment. Continuous research on the material allow the company to provide a material with many advantages against natural wood. Durability, Color and dimensional stability are the advantages

Filling technology for wood flooring MACHINED FILLING OF KNOTS IN PARQUET before

after

AVA I L A B L E I N 4 F I N I S H E S

DECKING “DURO“ DURO Is a bRaND NEw matERIal spECIfICally DEsIGNED fOR OUtDOOR DECKING aND vENtIlatED walls. It Is thE REsUlt Of yEaRs Of REsEaRCh aND ExtENsIvE labORatORy tEstING. Its COmpOsItION Is tOp sECREt, bUt thE maIN INGREDIENt Is RICE hUsKs, a NatURal wastE pRODUCt Of thE aGRICUltURal INDUstRy, whICh Is COmbINED wIth vIRGIN pOlymERs. thE REsUlt Is a matERIal wIth INCREDIblE mEChaNICal pROpERtIEs, pERfORmaNCE aND wORKabIlIty.

CSP Engineering bvba Stenehei 30/10 B-2480 Dessel (Belgium)

Tel: +32 14 37 77 52 info@csp-engineering.com www.csp-engineering.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

Floor Forum International 110

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Advertorial

Bona (SE)

REFINISHING WOOD AND RESILIENT FLOORING SURFACES OFFERS MORE THAN 75% REDUCED CARBON FOOTPRINT COMPARED TO FLOOR REPLACEMENT

A recent report from the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute confirms that refinishing wood and resilient floors is more sustainable for the environment than replacing the flooring itself. The report, which was conducted with input from Bona AB, reveals a 78% reduction in the carbon footprint when refinishing is chosen over

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replacing wood floors. Refinishing resilient floor surfaces can offer up to a 92% reduction in the carbon footprint versus replacing. Additionally, the report found that by refinishing wood or resilient floors, a minimum of 90% savings in resources can be achieved which includes transport, use of electricity, consumables, and materials.

Every year, 25 million square meters of wood and resilient flooring is replaced in Swedish public and commercial buildings. The IVL study, “Increasing resource efficiency in the Swedish flooring industry through floor refinishing,” found that refinishing these flooring surfaces can offer a significant decrease in the carbon footprint, savings on resources and a contribution to a circular economy relative to building materials.

“The norm today is new and fresh. Sales of new flooring material is supported by the linear business model we have in the construction industry today and refinishing is often perceived as more difficult,” said Maria Ahlm, author of the report at the IVL Swedish Environmental Institute. “However, our analysis and final roadmap support that, in addition to the decrease in carbon footprint, floor refinishing is a viable alternative that increases resource efficiency in the Swedish flooring industry.”

“This research study offers a holistic view and is tangible proof that refinishing a resilient or wood floor surface is more sustainable than replacement and at the same time improves the appearance of the floor,” said Björn Johansson, global environmental manager, Bona.

“For more than 100 years Bona has developed products and systems that offer a more sustainable floor renovation solution. To have the support of this report validating the benefits of the Bona System is encouraging.”

About the Study The study analysed the possibility of improving an overall carbon footprint by refinishing rather than replacing these flooring surfaces.

Conducted over 12 months, it focused on the Swedish flooring market and the national construction industry in Sweden, The first part of the report reviews the environmental impact from refinishing wood and resilient flooring by performing a life cycle assessment. The outcome was compared to the impact from producing and installing new flooring in terms of climate change and resource use. In addition, the result was used as a proof of concept that refinishing a floor can reduce the impact of climate change and minimise the use of resources when compared to producing and installing new flooring.

In the second part of the study, a roadmap was developed as a strategic plan to define desired outcomes and to outline important actions to overcome the barriers that separates the current state from the preferred result. The roadmap was developed together with stakeholders from the flooring industry including material suppliers, property owners, architects, and contractors.

The report is now available on the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute website.

About Bona Bona is a family-owned, sustainably driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining and restoring premium floors. Founded in 1919, Bona was the first in the industry to offer a full system of waterborne hardwood floor finishing and floor care products. Today, Bona offers products for most premium floor surfaces including wood, tile, vinyl, resilient, rubber and laminate. Bona’s turnover is 2.8bn SEK (EUR 257 million) 2019. The head office is in Malmö, Sweden, and the company is represented globally by its 17 subsidiaries, 70 distributors, 600 employees and 5 factories.

For more visit www.bona.com.

Floor Forum International 110

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Special

Subfloors for LVT, vinyl, and PVC floors

A BASE FOR VINYL HAS TO BE SMOOTH AND TOUGH DIFFERENT RULES FOR FLEXIBLE FLOORS THAN FOR HARD FLOORS

Photo – STEICO

All sorts of floors require a specific approach and specific products or tools before, during, and after the fitting. We see one of the big differences between parquet, laminate, and flexible flooring, for instance, in the requirements for the base. The tolerances for hard flooring as regards flatness, for instance, are of a completely different order to those for flexible flooring, which is thin and more or less resilient so that any unevenness in the base stays visible in the finished floor. This means, amongst other things, that levelling will very often be necessary for flexible flooring.

The reference framework: TV 241 (B) TV no. 241 is a guideline for fitting elastic flooring. This BBRI document is a partial revision of TV no. 165 on flexible flooring, which was issued in 1986. This voluminous document is subdivided into eight chapters which familiarise professionals with the world of elastic flooring. For instance, chapter three includes a summary of the various types of floors. This chapter is illustrated with various photographs to make everything more attractive and easier to follow. It also includes a number of charts which, amongst other things, help with the choice of flooring for the required use. Chapter five is devoted entirely to the base, an essential element in fitting elastic flooring. The requirements for this base are covered at length so that nothing can be overlooked e.g. flatness, mechanical strength, permissible moisture content, etc. The recording of the latter parameter is also the subject of two appendices.

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Points for attention with subfloors For all floors you have to consider certain specifications before you can choose the most suitable subfloor. Obviously, that is no different with flexible flooring. We consider the floor structure with an occasional focus on features which are more or less typical of these types of floors. Generally speaking, we can say that for full glueing the screed has to be perfect or, if there are other requirements such as sound reduction, for instance, a flat/hard subfloor will be necessary.

Moisture protection For fitting floating floors, the best solution to counter the risk of damp is to fit a foil. Some flexible floors are more or less up to 100% (PVC) waterproof. Nevertheless, producers also recommend fitting a damp screen in those cases because rising damp can lead to mould.

The available foils are usually synthetic. Highly common synthetics for damp screens are polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyisobutylene (PIB). The foils are available in rolls in various widths.

They should be fitted with a 30cm overlap and run up the wall up to 2cm above the final floor height.

Levelling The extent to which unevenness in the base shows up in the finished floor varies partly with the hardness or density of the floor. Small patches of unevenness in the screed will not usually show through with laminate or parquet. In those cases a flexible subfloor with or without

Advertorial

STEICO (D)

NEW PRODUCT STEICOunderfloor LVT: ECOLOGICAL UNDERLAY FOR VINYL AND DESIGN FLOORS SOUND PROOF INSULATION MADE OUT OF NATURAL WOOD FIBRE Modern LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiles) and design floorings are characterised by solidity, easy installation and a wide range of designs. Products made out of recyclable raw materials find high demand in flooring applications, and the new STEICOunderfloor LVT follows the trend to more sustainability. The insulation boards are made from natural wood fibre and are adaptable to floating installations of LVT and vinyl coverings of the MMFA sub group 2.

With an impact sound reduction of 19 dB, the boards provide an excellent acoustic insulation. The special underside surface compensates punctual unevenness. The high compressive strength (>600 kPa) ensures maximum security and protects the flooring. With a thickness of only 2.3mm, STEICOunderfloor LVT is perfectly adapted to new build as well as renovations, where the new flooring can often only have a limited thickness.

The underlay is compatible with underfloor heating systems.

One pack contains 15 panels of STEICOunderfloor LVT, which is enough to cover 7m2. Thanks to their 790 x 590 mm format, they are easy to handle and quick to install. They can easily be cut with a utility knife.

STEICOunderfloor LVT is free from binding agents and contributes to a healthy living environment. STEICO woodfibre insulation boards are ecological and natural products. The wood used in our products is certified by the international organisations FSC and PEFC. It comes from responsible forestry to protect the forest ecosystem for future generations. We use fresh untreated wood from forest residues or by-products from the sawmill industry and transform it in high performance insulation.

1 cubic metre of wood binds up to 1t CO2. In the form of STEICO insulation materials, the CO2 remains removed from the atmosphere over the lifetime of the product. Wood fibre insulation reduces the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Wood fibre insulation also provides security and protection, and it remains stable and durable.

About STEICO STEICO develops, produces and markets ecological construction products made of renewable raw materials.

STEICO is the European market leader for wood fibre insulation materials.

STEICO is positioned as a system provider for ecological residential construction and is the only manufacturer in the industry to offer an integrated wooden construction system in which insulation material and construction components supplement each other.

The Munich-based company’s products are used in new construction and when renovating roofs, walls, ceilings, floors and facades.

STEICO’s products allow the construction of future-proof, healthy buildings with a particularly high quality of living and a healthy atmosphere. STEICO’s products offer reliable protection against cold, heat and also noise, and they permanently improve the building’s energy efficiency. For more information please visit www.steico.com.

Floor Forum International 110

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Special

Subfloors for LVT, vinyl, and PVC floors

an integrated damp screen will suffice. With flexible flooring, however, those small patches of unevenness have to be eliminated by means of a harder subfloor (or, obviously, by means of levelling). The rule stipulates that the subfloor may be pressed in by a maximum of 0.3mm when under pressure of 300Kpa.

One specialist STEICO

Plate or double plate In our articles on floating fitting we have often drawn a distinction between subfloors on rolls and subfloors in plate form. In view of the above with regard to density, here we find ourselves mainly on the territory of plate subfloors. For some time now, a number of specialists have been offering double plate systems. The subfloor consists of a bottom and top plate. A material frequently used for these plates is MDF. In some cases the plates have to be fitted diagonally, whilst in other cases they are glued to each other. One of the most well known subfloor specialists offers various types of such glued subfloor plates.

A soft bottom plate and a hard top plate is a perfect combination for subfloors in the case of a flexible final floor.

Subfloors in rolls Some producers promote a subfloor which admittedly appears in roll form, but which nevertheless offers a sufficiently high density for fitting flexible flooring. In a number of cases these subfloors will have an integrated damp screen.

Acoustic subfloors The full glueing of vinyl immediately yields a striking acoustic benefit.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (and Planks), fitted with a click system, have a lot in common with laminate as regards acoustic features. In some cases a certain degree of sound reduction will be expected from the subfloor.

A lot of subfloors which are recommended for these tiles also offer an impact noise reduction of 10dB.

Floor heating For both full glueing of flexible floors and for floating fitting of LVT, the market provides for subfloors with a heat resistance which allows them to be fitted on top of floor heating. For use in combination with floor cooling, producers once again stress the importance of condensation monitoring.

New product STEICOunderfloor LVT: Ecological underlay for vinyl and design floors Sound proof insulation made out of natural wood fibre Ecological underlay panels STEICOunderfloor LVT are made from resource-saving natural wood fibre without any harmful additives – contributing to a healthy indoor climate. The insulation boards are designed for single-layer floating installation in dry areas of LVT and vinyl coverings of the MMFA sub group 2. Its special underside surface improves punctual uneven floor levels. With an impact sound reduction of 19 dB, the boards provide excellent acoustic insulation.

Different to STEICOunderfloor underlay for laminate floorings, STEICOunderfloor LVT is only 2.3 mm thick (compared 3-7 mm) - perfectly suited for new buildings as well as renovations, where floor constructions can often only have a limited thickness. The high compressive strength (>600 kPa) and density of approx. 600 kg/cbm ensures maximum security and protects the flooring at its best. www.steico.com

®

The wood filler range for wood industry ■ Economical powder 1kg = 1.3kg of paste ■ Ready-to-use, fast drying ■ Depth of filling 20mm ■ 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 20

Floor Forum International 110

TE WA R

BA ED S

Call a specialist

+33 5 61 98 40 88 www.briancon-production.com

INDUSTRY

Special

Finishing and maintaining wooden exterior walls

PROTECTING AND EMBELLISHING WOODEN WALL CLADDING HOW DO WE PRESERVE THE NATURAL LOOK OF WOODEN WALL CLADDING?

Photo – Blanchon

It is clear that the demands made of a wooden wall cladding finish are not entirely the same as those for wooden terraces. We won’t be walking on our wall, so the demands in terms of wear resistance are completely different.

Obviously, wall cladding is exposed less to all sorts of potential mechanical dangers such as falling items or chemical products. Nor do you spill wine or coffee on a wall. Wooden wall cladding has some natural enemies, so the wood has to be protected and maintained, but those enemies are found elsewhere and mainly in the form of the weather conditions.

the larvae, since the wood worm is basically a beetle. The wood worm lives in the wild, especially in trees with hard wood, such as oak and fruit trees. Wood rot is a fungus which mainly affects wood exposed to (excessive) damp. In some cases the fungus is visible. Sometimes, wood rot betrays itself by the fact that the wood surface turns brown and crumbly or looks dirty white and spongy. The fungus often penetrates to the inside of the wood via the ends, such as the underside of a pole, the place where two beams touch each other, the connecting points of window frames, and such like. Wood which is often exposed to wind is particularly vulnerable.

Light, air, water, and bugs

‘Protecting’ is merely one aspect of a treatment for outdoor wood.

We also want our wooden wall cladding to look nice and stay nice. The choice of wood sort is a first step to that end. Some wood sorts are simply nicer than others, even if that is clearly just a matter of taste.

The most coveted wood sorts are usually also the most expensive ones. They do have the advantage of being ‘more durable’ than cheaper sorts. One of the aesthetic reasons for treating outdoor wood is to counteract the aforementioned ageing. Some people like the look of ageing wood, yet we do know that it is an ‘expression’ of gradual decay. Embellishment is possible by applying a product to counteract the ageing. This achieves a dual objective. The more you use colours, the more effective the protection from UV light. The addition of pigments hinders the penetration of sunrays.

Ultraviolet light, oxygen, and water together form the main cause of ageing and possible wood rot. In a photochemical process, sunlight breaks up the dark-coloured lignin, one of the main components of wood. The light-coloured cellulose, the other component, is left behind on its own. The fact that the wood turns grey shows that the colour of the cellulose will prevail. What we perceive visually as ‘greying’ or ‘ageing’ is actually a microscopically thin layer of wood decomposing.

The greying can be darker or lighter, depending on the surrounds and the extent of pollution in the air. Apart from those atmospheric conditions, there is also the threat of living organisms. The major threats to outdoor wood are wood worm and wood rot. The wood worm is a larva of the furniture beetle. The designation ‘worm’ also refers to

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Protecting and embellishing

Floor Forum International 110

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Special

Finishing and maintaining wooden exterior walls

Protective products The products used for outdoor applications have to be weatherproof, water vapour permeable, and preferably pigmented. The water vapour permeability is important so that the damp inside the wood can migrate. The pigmentation of transparent products protects the underlying wood in turn from the UV rays of the sunlight. The usual advice is to use light shades (e.g. light oak) and to respect the prescribed coat thickness. Excessive pigmentation (e.g. rosewood, ebony, or dark paints) is also harmful because the wood surface might get too hot and the woodwork may crack or warp (e.g. opening parts with large dimensions or sliding windows). Below we give a description of the main products which are available on the market for the finish of wall elements (source consulted: BBRI): - Stains contain a low content of resins and therefore form a thin film with a certain transparency so that the structure of the wood is still visible. These are the so called non-film or semi-film forming finishes. They offer a longer lifespan in proportion to the amount of dark pigments with better UV resistance that they contain. In Belgium these products are identified using the homologation code C2 (general) or C3 (wood with sufficient natural durability; cf. STS 04.3).

- Top coats contain more resins. These products are generally opaque i.e. the relief of the wood structure is still visible, but not the veins.

They are identified using the CTOP code (cf. STS 04.3).

- Paints can contain a very high content of resin which covers the structure of the wood fully; the so called film-forming finishes. The use of darker paints is not recommended since the film absorbs the heat of the sun. This results in the surface temperature rising sharply (from 60 to 70 °C) in the summer and, in some cases, the resin from certain wood sorts separates, the coat of paint cracks, or the wood splits.

- Natural or modified oils (urethane or acrylic) are transparent and more or less coloured products, but with no pigments. A finish using natural, non-modified oil for outdoor applications is not recommended since it creates a breeding ground for fungi and algae.

Moreover, oils are used a lot in the production of alkyd resins for stains and paints.

Film-forming varnishes are not considered suitable by the BBRI for outdoor use. Since they do not contain any pigments, they are extremely susceptible to photochemical dissolution of wood under the influence of sunrays and therefore they flake very quickly.

What’s on the market ?

Blanchon Blanchon believes that some wood sorts such as red cedar, douglas, and meleze can remain untreated. Other wood sorts can be left untreated after they have had a preservative treatment. The application of a protective coat is usually designed to preserve the original colour of the wood. Before the new generation products existed, ‘saturation’ was the only possible means of protection. Blanchon has a double assortment here. The Blanchon Wood Saturator is a saturator based on the traditional formula with oil which was coloured or clear (Saturator and Single-coat Saturator). For some years, Blanchon has also offered the Ecological Saturator which is in the Environment Quality Line and scores well on all points. This can also be applied to exotic wood sorts immediately after the fitting. Also in this range Blanchon offers the Blanchon Ecological Opaque Saturator. Nowadays, with the new anti-UV systems, you can apply a finish/protective coat to preserve the original colour of the wood perfectly. These products counteract UV on the basis of new ‘agents’ so that the lignin is not affected by sunrays.

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The Colourless Anti-UV System is a colourless protective system from the effects of sunlight on the wood. Whilst protection from UV light is related traditionally to pigment additives, this system is therefore colourless. A new type of protection is Weatherproof Oil which provides a shade of colour, but leaves the wood grain visible. Finally, there are the new glazers Tech Wood and All Wood Ecological Stain, which is based on new generation resins and is meant for all sorts of wood.

Briançon

Briançon believes that wall claddings in horse chestnut, oak, douglas, and meleze can be left untreated perfectly well. A treatment can be applied to counteract the natural ageing. The best products for that are azures, paints, or saturation products. It might be necessary to repeat such treatments, depending on the level of exposure to the weather. Briançon presents Special Outdoor Oil for Terrace Wood (‘Huile Extérieur Spéciale Terrasse Bois’). This is an impregnation and protective product for all sorts of wood (native, exotic, coniferous, and deciduous trees). It is excellent for new wood. Azure Impregnator (‘Lasure Imprégnante’) is also a wood protection product for outdoors with UV protection. It is waterproof, odourless, and fast-drying and provides protection deep down.

Chimiver LIOS Sundeck Wood Oil is an outdoor wood impregnator particularly recommended for the treatment of outdoor wooden floors (swimming pool edges, verandas, walkways), window and door frames, fences and canopies made of wood. It contains natural and synthetic oils, with the addition of UV ray absorbers and special anti-ageing ingredients against the wood decay. It doesn't crack. Also available in LIGHT version,

which doesn't alterate the natural colour of wood, particularly indicated for the treatment of south-american species (i.e. IPÈ Lapacho, Tobaco etc.) and other similar types of outdoor woods painted in autoclave (usually green colour). Doesn't degrade rubbers and expansion joints.

LIOS Sundeck Soap is a nourishing cleaner used to clean outdoor wooden floors. Used regularly, keeps a natural wood appearance, avoiding wood decay caused by adverse weather conditions. It efficiently removes dirt, traces of chlorine, salt etc.

Osmo

For the treatment of exterior wood, Osmo offers numerous products for different purposes: Osmo Country Colour is ideally suited for an opaque, biocide-free and particularly durable finish. Osmo One Coat Only HSPlus is also free of biocides and, like Osmo Country Colour, is suitable for children's toys. After just one coat, the wood is optimally protected. Osmo Natural Oil Woodstain protects wood against mould, algae and fungal attack and contains biocides. All products are available in various colours.

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The master oil makers of RIGO Verffabriek have been making ROYL floor oils from 100% vegetable oils for almost 40 years.

ROYL OUTDOOR was developed and added to the ROYL range for the protection of exterior wood. Just like ROYL OIL, Outdoor protects the wood from the inside out.

Finishing your wood with ROYL OUTDOOR will enhance its durability and longevity by impregnating and nourishing the wood, seeping deep into its pores and polymerising into a tough, dense protective layer inside the wood. ROYL OUTDOOR gives wood a beautiful, highly water and dirt-resistant surface. ROYL OUTDOOR can be tinted with separate colour pigments. Besides, adding a colour pigment will also protect the wood against aging caused by sunlight.

ROYL OUTDOOR comes in 23 authentic wood colours. Treat your wood regularly with ROYL OUTDOOR for long-lasting protection and to prevent weathering. ROYL OUTDOOR can be used for both vertical and horizontal surfaces.

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OSMO: THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR INTERIOR WOOD Oil Stain

Wood Wax Finish

Polyx®-Oil Original

www.osmo.de/en

Polyx®-Oil Anti-Slip

Floor Forum International 110

23

Special

Hard wax oil

LOTS OF FLOOR FITTERS STILL SWEAR BY HARD WAX OIL INTRINSIC QUALITIES AND LOW MAINTENANCE PROVE A HIT

Photo – Ciranova

Anyone whose childhood included a whiff of the ‘aroma’ of a polished floor will surely never forget the experience. For many people that is precisely the experience of real parquet.

The patina is obtained through years of polishing, polishing, and even more polishing. Hard wax oil is undoubtedly the most recent wonder of the technological advance in wooden floor treatment. For floor fitters hard wax oil is a real technological blessing. It means they can apply a longstanding and much loved finish in just a single working session for many products.

Protection through saturation The principle of a film-forming finish like that of lacquer is totally different to the saturation of the wood. When we apply a lacquer finish, we apply a film all over the wood. Obviously, that means you can no longer feel the actual wood grain as clearly. Saturation fills the pores of the wood. And so, there is no layer of film, but the wood is filled to the

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top so that dirt and water cannot penetrate inside the wood. The layer which is deposited onto the wood surface after saturation is still open.

With polish It goes without saying that the look of floors from grandma’s day can never be copied for the full 100%. After all, that look was not only the result of a product, but also and especially of a treatment. Year in year out, the floor was maintained by treating it with wax. In other words, maintenance also meant nourishing the floor at the same time to keep the saturation at the right level. Floors which have been treated in this way for years have a warm and unique patina.

With oil When we consider that maintaining such floors (e.g. in museums and public buildings) is now more tolerable since we can use a buffing machine, the step towards saturation with oil is only logical. After all, the buffing machine heats the wax slightly to make it more fluid. Oil

has always been a popular finish for wooden floors. This, too, works on the principle of saturation or impregnation. Since oil has an impregnating effect and fills the pores of the wood without leaving a sealed film, it preserves the direct contact with, and the warm feeling of, the wood for the full 100%. Even the scent of an oiled floor seems to be more natural.

coat of wax or lacquer are sandpapered with grains 40, 80, and 120.

For engineered or traditional parquet floors you use grains 80 and 120. After sandpapering with grain 80, any joints or cracks should be removed using a filler kit. The next sandpapering is done with grain 120.

With wax oil

Just about all hard wax oils are products which are ready for use.

And so, they should never be diluted and should be well stirred. The application procedure depends on the product. Some brands require two coats, whilst others can be applied in a single work session. In the case of two coats you first apply a thin coat which is left to dry for 24 hours. The second coat is applied in the same way. A number of makers recommend a treatment with maintenance oil about two weeks after the initial floor treatment. For the one-coat system you should read the maker’s instructions carefully with regard to the amounts to be used and the application method.

The first logical step in the development of the use of polish wax is obviously that you can saturate the wood with oil and then apply the polish wax as a hard, protective, and waterproof top coat. Obviously, that means the step to wax oil and/or hard wax oil is no longer so big.

From now on, the hard labour of bygone days is now replaced by a simple treatment with just one product. Some products allow for a finish in just one coat. The end result is a saturated wooden floor with a hard and protective top coat which nevertheless does not form a film.

Main benefits Just as was previously the case, this coat gets harder over the years and in proportion to how often the floor is maintained. The surface is very hard so that the floor is highly resistant to wear and scratches.

Since the coat of wax remains elastic, it cannot burst.

Handling

What offers the market ?

Blanchon

Maintenance and repair As we’ve already said, the film which hard wax oil leaves on the floor gets stronger over the years as a result of the floor maintenance. That maintenance is fairly simple. A basic clean means vacuum cleaning first and then wiping with a well wrung mop. A detergent can be added to the water. To maintain and nourish the floor, makers offer maintenance wax or oil. Some brands recommend a maintenance session shortly after the treatment. Certainly one of the main benefits of hard wax oil is the fact that, just as with an oiled floor, it is possible to treat the floor locally in patches, either by treating high-traffic zones more intensively or repairing damaged sections locally. This is not possible with a traditional lacquer treatment.

Going along with trends A floor treated with hard wax oil looks like old castle or cloister floors.

Today, we see that producers are concentrating strongly on colours.

They clearly want to reconcile the look of bygone days with the needs of modern interiors, with due regard for current colour trends. With various makers the highlight in recent years has been on an extension to the colour pallet. Another trend, but along the same line, is that of distressed floors. Indeed, in both classic interiors and hyper-modern homes there is a good chance of encountering a distressed wooden floor. A lacquer finish is obviously entirely out of the question for these distressed floors. This is not only due to the much coveted contact with the wood and (in this case) with the flaws of the wood, but also for a purely practical reason. Lacquering a distressed floor would mean you could never renovate or treat the floor without eliminating the effects of the distressing process. Hard wax oil also benefits largely from the fact that distressed floors account for a good share of the market.

Applying hard wax oil The way in which hard wax oil should be applied varies according to the brand of the oil. Nevertheless, we see a number of common procedures which always apply.

Base preparation The surface has to be dry, free of grease, dust, dirt, and any residues of old coasts of wax or lacquer. The bare wood should not be cleaned with water under any circumstances. New floors and floors with an old

The ‘Hard Wax Oil from Blanchon offers nothing but benefits for both floor fitters and end users. The ease of application is one thing, but the simplicity and speed of maintenance is another asset. Moreover, the hard wax oil from Blanchon offers endless application possibilities for finishes (shades, wood tones, and colour nuances). In natural silk matt and natural ultra-matt Blanchon presents firstly Easy Oil™, which offers a very attractive result in two coats without sandpapering. Apart from the traditional hard oil Easy Oil™, Blanchon also presents its Hard Wax Oil high solid’. This hard wax oil impregnates, colours, and protects a parquet floor in one single operation. The hard wax oil feeds the wood and protects it deep down. Thanks to the composition of the hard wax oil, which is very rich in natural and renewable raw materials, it dries very quickly and with hardly any unpleasant smells. Since this year, they have had 41 colours (20 of which are shades of grey and one metal colour). Due to the addition of a pre-dosed hardener (20%), drying and setting take just a few hours. This system is highly recommended for high-traffic floors such as in shops, museums, catering establishments, and such like. New in the Blanchon range is the Hard Wax Oil SD (Superior Density), which offers excellent resistance and can be applied in one day (2 coats/8 hours to dry). They have 36 powerful and deep colours available. Finally, Blanchon also offers a Maintenance Oil for the maintenance of all floors finished with oil or wax oil, including floors oiled in the factory. Worth knowing: the new ‘ultra-matt’ finish gives exceptional results when applied in thin coats along the strips.

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Briançon The main extra benefits offered by hard wax oil as opposed to conventional oil are the silky feel and the look. Briançon offers a hard wax oil in the L’Arbre de Noé range. Obviously, this product is based on natural resources. It is applied with a roller or spatula.

The two finishes are ‘colourless matt’ and ‘oak’. This hard wax oil is designed specially to bring out the best in noble wood sorts.

Amongst other things, the oil contains water, soya, modified wax, transparent iron oxide, and hydroxyethylcellulose.

Chimiver

Since 1832

INTENSIV® LACQUER The favourite high traffic lacquer which keeps the natural colour of the wood ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

2K Water Based PU Lacquer Exceptional Resistance Odourless Natural finish gloss - satin - matt - invisible effect - ultra matt bare timber (unfinished look) www.blanchon.com

LIOS HARD WAX BOIL 3D is a product based on natural oils and waxes that gives to the treated wood a warm and smooth look, typical of natural oil finishes. Its excellent impregnating power makes it ideal for direct treament of wood; the second coat protects and gives depth enhancing the wood grain. Fill the wood floor and sand it with 120 paper grit vacuum it carefully.

Apply by roller / brush the first coat along the wood grain. Once the floor is walkable, after 6-8 hours (depending on temperature), apply the second coat following same procedure. After 12 hours in order to give more smoothness to the floor, is suggested to felt the surface with a soft cotton cloth. The drying time of the product on some wooden spieces (i.e. IPE LAPACHO) is quite longer. If customer needs to stain the wood, is possible to apply ourrange of LIOS BOIL Color making exception of LIOS BIOIL Bianco. After 24 hours proceed with standard application of 2 coats of LIOS HARD WAX BOIL 3D as above explained. The ordinary maintenance has to be done with LIOS SOFT BALM.

Ciranova Ciranova has a detailed range of different oils. The oiled floor gives a matte, natural finish that maintains the natural appearance of the wooden surface. The oils are providing natural protection to the wood and have excellent chemical and mechanical resistances, easy to maintain and to protect. The most popular oils are the Hardwaxoil TITAN, UN1CO and Hardwaxoil MAGIC. Hardwaxoil TITAN is especially developed for onsite application with a roller providing natural protection. It’s also possible to finish our Hardwaxoils and UN1CO with the Hardwaxoil TITAN as a finishing coat for a perfect protection.

UN1CO is our 2-component, 1-coat oil of the newest generation to

Special

Hard wax oil

Osmo

colour and protect the wood with just one coat. The combination of oil with hardener ensures quick drying and excellent chemical durability. Hardwaxoil MAGIC gives the wood a good filling, a natural colour and very good chemical & wear resistance. The MAGIC is available in 16 trendy colours for onsite and industrial application.

Please contact us if you need more information or if you want to have samples.

Osmo Polyx®-Oil Original is a microporous and breathable wood coating that is especially suited to protect wooden flooring. After two coats, the wood surface is water and dirt repellent, hardwearing and extremely durable. Osmo Polyx®-Oil Original is based on natural raw materials that enhance the colour of wood. When dry, the wood coating is resistant to saliva and perspiration and thus also suitable for children’s toys. Osmo Polyx®-Oil is available in different variations: Original, Rapid, Effect, Tints and Pure.

Pallmann

DevoNatural®

Devomat presents DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil in colourless and whitewashed white. DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil can be applied to both commercial floors and high-traffic domestic floors. The product is easy to apply and kneads simply into open wood pores. Once the product is dry, it forms a strong seal to ward off dirt and fluid. DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil can be applied to all sorts of wood (e.g. parquet, wooden floors, cork, furniture, wooden walls, etc.) and also to porous stone floors such as terracotta. Since the product is waterproof, it can also be used on bathroom parquet and furniture. Special features: Parquet, and wood in general, stays elastic with DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil and the oil film ensures greater resistance to wear and stains. Maintenance products, such as the detergent DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil Cleaner and the renewer DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil Renewer, keep your floor in ideal condition and extend its lifespan considerably.

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Compared to ordinary oils, floors treated with hard wax oil are suitable to be used in heavy wear areas due to their good resistance to mechanical and chemical stress. Hard wax oils dry very fast and can be cleaned more easily than other oiled floors. The application of hard wax oil via roller is easy to handle. In general hard wax oil products contain solvents and are therefore cheaper than other oil products.

Pallmann provides the solvent-based 1-component Pallmann Hardwaxoil and the solvent-free Eco Oil 1K. The new Eco Oil 1K is ready to use without mixing, and can easily be applied with an application roller. Eco Oil 1K is also available in three color variants. After applying twice, no polishing is necessary. Thanks to the fast drying, the oil can be sanded and reworked after approx. 2 hours drying time. This allows a fast application process and reduces costs. Eco Oil 1K has been awarded the Emicode EC1 Plus for very low emission products. To be awarded this merit, a product must meet the highest standards for a healthy living environment.

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Special

Curing oil/lacquer using LED

LED CURING IS NOW THE MOST NATURAL THING IN THE WORLD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SERVE TO AID THE PROGRESS In the past we reported on UV technology as if we had seen a UFO, but the principle of UV drying has now established itself fully in fields such as the parquet industry. UV finishes for wooden floors have the pleasant novelty of drying almost instantly. Using UV technology is not only attractive for parquet manufacturers and coating contractors for that faster drying, but also it yields a better quality finish, something which benefits the project manager, floor fitter, and end client. The switch from halogen lamps to LED lamps makes the process even more attractive.

LED lamps are taking over LED lamps are also UV lamps, because they emit light which falls within the UV spectrum (mainly UV A). The light is emitted via Light-Emitting Diodes instead of via a fluorescent lamp. The light which LED lamps radiate has a smaller spread of UV light than UV lamps which use a compact fluorescence lamp. LED lamps do radiate a higher concentration of UV light and more energy. In any case, it is clear that those who already use UV curing will make the switch to LED in the near or somewhat longer term future and there are various reasons for that.

Energy-saving The basic difference with UV drying is the huge energy saving. Those who dry using LED light save up to 60% immediately on energy consumption. Yet that’s only the start! Unlike UV lamps, LED lamps don’t need to warm up, so production can start at once. Moreover, LED lamps do not radiate infrared light which is converted into heat. And so, the wood no longer warms up, so that roughening up and problems with glueing are kept to a minimum. The minimal development of heat reduces the risk of fire (due to a delay in the production process, for instance) to virtually nil.

Constant quality Apart from all these practical benefits, the use of LED lights instead of UV lights also offers a huge quality benefit. We refer here to the constant quality of the LED. Whereas a UV lamp diminishes in quality over time, the light of a LED lamp retains the highest quality throughout its lifespan. Never again will you have problems with a covering layer which is not completely dry.

Ecological The environment benefits fully from LED light drying. For instance, the lamps do not contain any mercury or calcium, but certainly just as important is that LED lamps transmit energy solely in the UVA range.

This means that no ozone is emitted. And so, expensive extractor systems are a thing of the past. Moreover, LED lamps have a very long lifespan of over 10,000 hours of use, unlike UV lamps which have a lifespan of only 800 to 1000 hours of effective use.

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An overview Blanchon LED curing has been in existence for about ten years and was used originally in the packaging of cosmetics and in graphic applications. The big advantage of LED drying over classic UV lamps is the energy saving. Blanchon is of the opinion that a lot of lamps are too ‘weak’ to be used on finishes for parquet without compromising on quality. Blanchon offers various oils and lacquers which can be cured with LED in the factory where LED can gradually be used. However, at Blanchon they are not yet convinced about applications on site.

Chimiver 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.

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 - 0% VOC - Natural look and feel - Available transparent and colored - Easy maintenance with Lios range of products LED-CURING UNIT: - Longer service life: LED lights last up to 20000 hours whereas UV lights up to 700/1000 - Energy saving - Low working temperature

The use of LED technology is relatively new for the wooden INDUSTRIAL FINISHES flooring industry, so there’s still a lot of unknown territory UV LED OIL to explore. The system has lots of positive features and Ciranova - Debal Coatings is continuing to investigate the correct applications, drying techniques, and product development. The company has expanded its know-how of LED products and application this year thanks to the takeover of the company Geka Coatings from Deinze (B).

Geka Coatings (B) already has several years of experience in LED and UV technology in various sectors. They are using this know-how for research in order to obtain top quality LED drying products for the parquet sector. We are familiar with Light Emitting Diode or LED from daily life. A UV LED generates UV energy in the form of photons. The interaction of these photons with the photo-initiator creates a chain reaction between binding agents (monomers and oligomers) and the fluid is converted into a solid substance. Knowing that short wavelengths are good for surface drying and that longer wavelengths have less energy, but penetrate deeper into the coating, we can say that UV LED performs well for drying in depth and that the classic UV technology (halogen lamps in particular) yields better surface drying.

At Ciranova, too, they have great faith that LED will be the technology of the future. Since both the product and drying are still developing rapidly, Ciranova prefers to concentrate on industrial finishes.

DecoRad® UV Curing Equipment For 395nm LED curing as industrial process we offer our retrofit model LC40 to be placed on your existing oil-line.

This is our entry level LED cure equipment with the best possible balance in price and quality.

Next is our fully automatic Linemate with integrated conveyor and smart cure control systems to be placed behind your existing oil-line.

On-Site LED curing In the same high quality we offer mobile equipment for on-site LED curing, such as our Floormate LED and Handmate LED. We develop and produce these products in our new factory in the Netherlands under ISO 9001 quality assurance.

The LED chip/modules used originate from a cooperation with IST Metz GmbH. Mobile LED equipment units sold on the European market

are not what we have hoped for. We do experience more attention for DecoRad mobile LED equipment as contractors more and more back down from cheap Chinese import units with big issues and no support.

Please visit www.decorad.com for more information or contact us at info@decorad.com

Pallmann

LED curing is no new topic on the market. It occupies our industry since several years. It is used especially in the pre-finished parquet flooring industry. The technology is very similar to UV curing. It is just a different way of UV-curing. In difference to UV-curing the process of LED curing is very cooling-intensive and demands a high amount of energy. The quality of an LED cured lacquer or oil is comparable to UV-cured products - the process is different, the result should be comparable. It can be used for industrial processes as well as for on site renovation.

As energy consumption is very high and the cooling process is a challenge, Pallmann actually does not provide any product for this use and does not offer any machinery for this use. As the two processes are very similar, the German company fully concentrates on its very successful on site UV-system.

Covid-19

Ciranova

Portable UV Equipment

used for disinfection Floormate UV

3000 Watt

Handmate UV

1800 Watt

• Ozone free technology • UV-C 250nm - 280nm • Single phase electricity • High power output • Easy to operate • Personal safety package

Handmate UV

600 Watt

included

• Flightcase included

Public areas OFFICE

OFFICE

RAILWAY STATION

NURSING OFFICEHOME

SCHOOL RAILWAY STATION

NURSING OFFICEHOME

RAILWAY STATION HOSPITAL NURSING HOME

SCHOOL RAILWAY STATION HOSPITAL

AIRPORT SCHOOL

AIRPORT

HOSPITAL NURSING HOME

AIRPORT SCHOOL

Ozone-free

Surface disinfection HOSPITAL

• Non-contact to object • Object can be used straight away • Minimal inconvenience • Eco friendly AIRPORT

Please visit www.decorad.com for more information and dealer-location

 

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Floor Forum International 110

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Advertorial

La San Marco Profili (I)

“FEEL WOOD TO FEEL GOOD” THE POWER OF WOOD IN YOUR HOUSE In just a few short months, our world has completely changed. It is currently in the grip of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This global health crisis is the greatest challenge of our time. However, COVID-19 is much more than a health crisis. By stressing every one of the countries it touches, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic and political crises that will leave deep scars. We have seen dozens of the world’s greatest cities deserted as people were forced to stay indoors, either by choice or by government order.

This surreal situation has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. As many other companies in the world La San Marco Profili has been forced to close for about a month and to reorganize business also by adopting the smart working solution. In this homely business surrounding, we could notice even more the importance of the natural element, which is part of our business philosophy. This context of social and physical distancing gives more value to all the things that surround you and your home becomes your “free zone” where you will always feel safe and protected. Hence the importance of your home styling, because a “safety house” is also a comfortable and relaxing house.

Within this context, what makes your home a more comfortable and relaxing place? When you are forced to stay inside a place, you feel almost like in a cage, but if you decorate the place with elements that give you the sensation of absolute tranquility and peace you will certainly feel better. The wood plays a crucial role from this point of view. Nothing could give you this feeling of warmth and connection with nature and freedom more than wood.

Wood creates a strong and undoubted conjunction with nature.

In facts, nowadays, because of the constantly careful attention to nature, the construction industry is finding several options in order to create a harmonious cohesion between structural elements and the environment.

Wood is one of the best solution to create this bond between nature and home interior and exterior decoration. With this regard, La San Marco Profili focuses its production on a balanced match between wood quality, nature and design.

We propose different wood solutions for terraces, patio and outdoor wall cladding and we offer a huge variety of wood skirting to match with your favorite parquet flooring. Indeed, the unique feature of our products lies in the fact that they have been designed to perfectly

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Wood the natural stage for your lifestyle.

preserve the beauty and elegance of natural wood whilst meeting the highest and various market demands.

Moreover, the company invests all its experience and knowledge of wood to provide ad hoc working process and accessories for easy installation without compromising the natural result. Our love and passion for wood is strictly connected to our respect for the environment, and that is why we offer products with FSCÂŽ certification that guarantees a sustainable forest management. Our aim is to preserve the space where we live and create harmony between nature and artificial elements. We strongly believe that the power of wood as a home decorative element could have long-term benefits, in this sense.

Not only because it recreates in your home a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, but also because, by creating this harmony between humans and nature, it encourages the commitment to preserve the environment and to improve people’s life. Nothing can compare with the powerful, warm and relaxing touch of wood in any place you will live.

Discover more on our website www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

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Special

The various adhesives and glueing techniques for LVT, PVC, vinyl, and design floors

FLEXIBLE FLOORING OPTS FOR DISPERSION ADHESIVE LOW VISCOSITY HELPS WITH THIN-FILM GLUEING

Photo – Thomsit

Adhesives for PVC, linoleum, and vinyl have to meet different requirements to those of wood adhesives. For instance, those floors have a smoother and more sealed structure than wood. This means they can hardly absorb the water in the glue, so semi-wet or quasi-dry glueing is necessary.

Moreover, these materials swell and shrink a lot less than wood, so the elasticity requirements are different. The adhesive and the subfloors are put under much less strain (fewer sideways tensile forces) than with wooden floors.

Nevertheless, the adhesive has to be strong enough to achieve durable bonding. Dispersion adhesives and some PU adhesives meet these requirements perfectly.

It all starts with the base The thinner a floor covering is, the more any unevenness in the base shows up on the ‘visible’ side. Obviously, the combination of thin and flexible only serves to increase that effect. If we put a sheet of silk paper onto a table full of crumbs, every crumb is visible. The same test with a piece of solid cardboard yields a completely different result. All this means that glueing flexible flooring requires a lot of preparatory efforts to make the base suitable. By suitable we mean ‘perfectly level’ and free of any remains of dust and dirt. In many cases prior levelling will be essential for glueing LVT, PVC, linoleum, or cork. In equally as many cases the nature or ‘health condition’ of the screed will still require a primer first before the levelling agent is used.

Then comes the adhesive It is clear that if you set very demanding rules for the evenness of the base, you apply them also to the type of adhesive and, in particular, to the nature of the set adhesive. A sturdy adhesive groove, which we admire in lots of floor coverings such as parquet, is not really

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desirable for flexible flooring. It should be possible to spread an adhesive equally without too much difference in thickness and the adhesive should set evenly. For glueing vinyl and lots of other flexible floor coverings we prefer to use a dispersion adhesive, which works on the basis of a physical adhesive bonding.

Physical adhesive bonding We’ve outlined this adequately in the past. Adhesive bondings can be created from a physical or chemical reaction between different components. It is clear that the wood sort plays a part in glueing parquet. That is no less the case for glueing flexible flooring. Damp and oxygen almost always play a part in the glueing process. No chemical reaction occurs with adhesives which work on the basis of a physical reaction. Various mechanisms are possible. For example, an adhesive reaction can occur as a result of the loss of solvent. This occurs via evaporation. Usually, the solvent evaporates for a certain time before the parts to be glued are secured. Another physical adhesive reaction occurs by means of cooling. The adhesive mass is applied as hot fluid to the surface to be glued. The adhesion to the second material to be glued takes place by means of cooling.

Dispersion adhesives Dispersion adhesives belong to the category of glues which enter into a physical adhesive bonding. With these adhesives, a synthetic resin such as polyvinyl acetate, acrylate, or polyurethane dissolves in water. An organic solvent is added for some applications. Emulsifying agents, cross-linkers, and preservatives can be found in the adhesive in some sectors. Dispersion adhesives set through the extraction of the water from the glue to create an adhesive film (water disappears, solid substances remain, and the bonding is created). This means that one of the parts to be glued must be capable of absorbing

water. Metal, synthetics, wood, paper, and textiles can be glued using dispersion adhesive. However, metal cannot be glued to metal in this way.

Misfits Cork tiles or rolls are also flexible floor coverings, but the glueing is done differently. Contact adhesive is used for cork and is applied on two sides. The adhesive bonding is achieved by spreading adhesive onto the substrates (surfaces) first. Once the solvents evaporate, an adhesive film forms which is almost dry. A solid bonding is created after a quick press on the contact surfaces. The materials are joined securely together at once, so sliding is no longer possible. Adhesives for non-permanent glueing are another misfit which we can mention for flexible flooring. Some adhesives allow for non-permanent glueing, and this means that the flooring can be removed without damaging the subfloor. That is the case, for instance, with a modified polymer-acrylate bonding.

Some specialists Chimiver

ADESIVER RE 400/EXTRA Universal acrylic water-based adhesive with excellent permanent stickiness for vertical profiles and resilient linings laying on absorbent or semiabsorbent walls and subfloors.

ADESIVER RE 400/EXTRA is a terpolymer acrylic water-based thixotropic adhesive characterized by high solid content, excellent spreadability and low water content. Suitable for indoor of: - carpet and needle punched textile with any backing provided they are dimensionally stable: - linoleum up to 3 mm thickness; - vinyl floors supported by felt; - PVC flooring in rolls or tiles; - textile floor coverings; - semi-rigid vinyl; - rubber sheets up to 3 mm thickness; - PVC flooring and coverings; - flooring and wall covering made by coco with back in latex; - styrofoam linings and styrofoam flooring.

ADESIVER RE 400/SP Universal acrylic water-based adhesive for vertical laying of profiles and resilient on absorbent or semi-absorbent walls and subfloors, with very long open time.

ADESIVER RE 400/SP is a terpolymer acrylic water-based thixotropic adhesive characterized by high solid content, excellent spreadability and initial adhesion. ADESIVER RE 400/SP has an extended open-time recommended for the laying of stable resilient flooring provided they are dimensionally stable. Suitable for indoor of: - carpet and needle punched textile with any backing provided they

are dimensionally stable; - linoleum up to 3 mm thickness; - vinyl floors supported by felt; - PVC flooring in rolls or tiles; - textile floor coverings; - semi-rigid vinyl; - rubber up to 3 mm thickness; - PVC flooring and coverings; - flooring and wall covering made by coco with back in latex; - styrofoam linings and styrofoam flooring; - LVT (luxury vinyl tiles) flooring.

Devo® There are permanent and removable adhesives for LVT. The most commonly used compound is a polymer-acrylate bonding.

Glueing LVT also makes no extra demands of an adhesive. Permanent dualcomponent adhesives have a similar base and do not differ much from parquet adhesives.

Removable acrylate adhesives are not used for parquet. They don’t have enough tensile strength and cannot be combined with most primers. This is a completely different technology. Generally speaking, we can say that LVT adhesives differ mainly as regards viscosity. Their viscosity is much lower because they have to be applied in a thin layer, often using a roller or notched trowel. This is in contrast to a parquet glue where the standing time of the adhesive grooves is of crucial significance. Devo® Glue VNR150 spreads very easily and is usually applied with a roller. The floorboards are glued using a roller (for a removable fitting on a porous and smooth base). Floorboards are not fitted until the colour of the applied glue changes from milky-white to transparent (this takes 5 to 10 minutes).

Thomsit Thomsit has a number of dispersion adhesives for the bonding of vinyl, linoleum, PVC and LVT floors.

The latest adhesive in the Thomsit range is K 190 F, fiber reinforced PVC and rubber adhesive which is particularly suitable for PVC design with easy workability, short evaporation time and low consumption.

Thomsit K 188 E is one of the top products in the range, a special high efficiency dispersion adhesive for wet and contact bonding of PVC floors in sheets and tiles, CV floors and rubber up to 2.5 mm thickness.

The adhesive is unique in its kind due to the contact bonding that allows non-absorbent floors to be adhered to non-absorbent surfaces, such as PVC on PVC. Some PVC or LVT floors are also fixed instead of bonded so that elements can easily be replaced later. The roll fixation K 145 DesignTack is ideal for this and can be ergonomically applied with a roller. K 188 S is a very low emission dispersion adhesive with a very fast initial tack and good workability, excellent for LVT.

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Special

Discover the possibilities of industrial lacquers

RANGE OF ‘CONTRACT WORKERS’ DEVELOPS WITH TECHNOLOGY THE LOGIC BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF OUTSOURCING IS SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE

Photo – Mapo Group

‘Subcontracting’ or ‘outsourcing’ basically means that a trader entrusts one or more aspects (subtasks) of an economic activity (service provision or production) to an external partner. The concept is as old as economics itself and is applied in scores of sectors. In the realm of the parquet industry we find various specialities: knowledge of chemical products, how they react to various wood sorts, various forms of drying technology, etc. ‘Contract workers’ have the big advantage of working for various clients so they acquire the combined knowledge of all their clients.

They have experience in a greater variety of situations than manufacturers which only make their own product.

Why outsource?

There are lots of reasons for outsourcing a particular activity. The three most common reasons are that someone else can do the job cheaper, faster, or just better.

Financial reasons and timing There are various sorts of financial reasons for outsourcing an activity.

Some requests from clients may deviate from a normal production process. In that case manufacturers can meet those requests only by temporarily adapting the normal production process. That often costs more than outsourcing and, furthermore, a lot of time is lost. New forms of technology (e.g. UV drying) can also emerge which obligate manufacturers to invest in order to remain competitive. That, too, can lead a trader to consider outsourcing to someone who has already

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made the investment. Bodywork in the vehicle industry is a good example of that. Bodywork jobs and repairs after an accident comprise only a very small proportion of the work done by garage owners. It is not worthwhile for them to invest in an expensive spray cabin.

Knowledge and expertise Anyone who is skilled in a niche activity usually develops into a specialist. It is undoubtedly a fact that outsourcing a specialist part of the production to such an external partner offers greater likelihood of top quality. Examples which apply to the parquet sector are legion: knowledge of chemical products, how they react to various sorts of wood, various forms of drying technology, etc. Contract workers have the big advantage of working for various clients so that they acquire the combined knowledge of all their clients. They have experience in a greater variety of situations than manufacturers which only make their own product. That raises the question: Isn’t it more worthwhile for a garage owner to pay a bodywork specialist to repair bodywork damage from time to time?

What do they offer?

Applied specifically to parquet, outsourced operations take place between the time when rough floorboards leave the production line and the time when they appear in the store or show room.

Interventions with the production Some contract workers carry out grinding, planing, and milling work, but probably the most commonly requested operation is that of

mechanical distressing. Beating, lashing, brushing, and exclusive operations such as hand-scraping are all amongst the possibilities.

The most common chemical intervention is undoubtedly distressing by smoking by means of ammonia.

Finish operations The application of the finish to wooden floors has been a speciality of the so called ‘coating contractors’ since time immemorial. They have followed developments in the chemical industry closely for all sorts of finishes. The emergence of UV technology has enabled them to increase their capacity considerably and thereby together to reduce the delivery period. Most companies offer lacquer, oil, and hard wax as well as colours.

Marketing operations Less common, but emerging strongly is work at the end phase of the cycle, namely labelling, reading, registering, and packing. The fitting instructions and all other communication for end users are added by machine. This means the floors are ready for the store when they leave the ‘coating contractor’.

For whom do they work?

easy to maintain for competitive prices. Vepola, our manual painting department, offers you special painting treatments in a matt or high gloss paint whereas Mapo Print, digital printing company, services you with a customized image on your panels, well protected with 2 coats of lacquer. Think finishing, contact Mapo ! www.mapo.be

ZABOLAK A fixed value for the long term.

Who are the clients?

Parquet manufacturers The clients are parquet producers which are increasingly facing requests for small and ‘tailored’ jobs. You can hardly invest in the required infrastructure merely to distress 100m² of parquet. Since coating contractor companies work for various clients, that investment becomes viable.

Parquet floor fitters Another client group are parquet floor fitters who wish to have some ‘operations’ (e.g. colouring or distressing) done in advance. They see the benefits of pre-finished, but stick to their own formula. Coating contractors apply that formula on request in accordance with the floor fitter’s instructions. This can be done directly, but usually it is more attractive to do it via wholesale because in this way floor fitters can benefit from the bulk discount which wholesalers can offer their suppliers.

Two specialists Mapo Group

Mapo specializes in the pre-finishing of flooring, ceiling and exterior wall claddings. She distinguishes with a large but flexible pre-finishing equipment. The combination possibilities are unlimited : UV lacquer, UV or oxydative drying oils, with additional treatments as there are brushing, staining, distressing and smoking on traditional planks, herringbone or chevron and surfaces of 1 m² and more. Finishes

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Zabolak means Creativity - Flexibility – Reliability, as a specialist in the finishing of wooden flooring, we fill in the missing link for manufacturers and wholesalers who trade wooden flooring. This has been done for a period of more than 20 years in which the required expertise has been built up, together with a team of people and a modern and versatile machine park, work is done for relations at home and abroad.

The result can be found all over the world. A great deal of value is attached to creating a long-term relationship, whereby the aim is to be a partner in business in addition to providing a high-quality product. In a world that is completely upside down while writing this piece, we see the finishes of floors change more and more. The oil / paint industry is coming with more and more innovations that we embrace and follow, but in which we prioritize proven quality / reliability. With this vision, we aim to be a colourful long-term partner. Within Zabolak we can treat floor parts from small to large size, even panels are possible. We are able to carry out the most well-known applications, for example, distressing and brushing, use of reactive or colour stains, oils, lacquers, etc. We are also able to smoke in a controlled environment by means of ammonia. All this or in combination of several allows us to realize almost any desired finish. We work in a customer-oriented manner and we will examine per customer what are the specific wishes / requirements that are set. After that, a product is developed specifically for each client, sometimes even with an exclusive character. In the end, we pack the product responsibly with straps and foil and put it on pallets according to agreement so that it can be collected. We can load both on trucks and containers..

Creativity, Flexibility, and Reliability, that's ZABOLAK.

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Special

Producers of distressed floors

NOSTALGIA STILL KINDLES THE ‘DISTRESSED FLOOR’ MARKET THE BEST DISTRESSING TECHNIQUE IS A COMBINATION OF TECHNIQUES Parquet floor fitters can apply distressing techniques to a new floor as one of the possible finishes. They can do that themselves to some extent or they can outsource the job to a specialist company. Most coating contractors (see elsewhere in this edition) offer these services as part of their service package. Nowadays, however, parquet manufacturers themselves offer a very extensive range in solid wood, multilayer, and veneer. In the meantime, manufacturers of other floor coverings have also started to regard ‘ distressed’ as a finish like any other.

What makes distressed so coveted?

The success of ‘imitation antique’ mirrors the huge popularity of ‘genuinely old’. When something becomes rare and therefore valuable (and expensive), we start to copy it. To copy something as realistically as possible, you have to know what it is that you want to copy. Strictly speaking, there are two ‘sources’ of old wooden floors. They may be recycled old floors or new floors produced from old wood. In both cases the wood bears the marks of old age. The origin affects the colour, hardness, and grain. If supplies of real old wood are ‘all’ exhausted, you have to apply the marks to new wood.

What are those ‘marks of old age’?

Strictly speaking, there are three groups of features related directly to the (old) age: marks of woodwork with less developed materials than those nowadays, the colour of the wood due to its age or use, and, finally, the marks of ‘use’ and ‘maintenance’ of the floor over the years.

Flaws in the woodwork Before the start of the 19th century, wooden planks were sawn from tree trunks by hand. And so, those planks were not as smooth and unblemished as those today. If we also consider that planks were not sandpapered, but planed, we realise at once that an ‘antique’ wooden floor showed (and still shows) a whole serious of ‘natural’ flaws. Old techniques such as the brushing of wooden floors are coming back as a distressing technique.

The colour of the wood Houses were not heated uniformly as they are today, so the moisture content was well above 55%. The tannic acid in the wood turns darker when it is exposed to water. And so, light yellow or honey-coloured wood is never antique. Possible previous uses of the wood from which the floor is produced can also affect the colour. For instance, wood which once served as a ‘buoy’ has a dark colour with sometimes a dash of blue.

A ‘used’ floor Whilst the specific look is a result of technology and the colour is the result of external circumstances and age, the unmistakable look is the result of the use itself. A real old parquet or wooden floor is a floor which consists of planks which have always served as floorboards and we retain the ‘used’ side as the upper side. That used side is difficult to copy.

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How do you copy those marks?

Artificial ageing therefore aims to copy those ‘marks’ which are described above.

Mechanical distressing The most well known and commonly used mechanical distressing techniques also find their origin in the furniture industry. We aim to ‘damage’ the wood in some way or other by means of lashing, beating, brushing, scraping, hand-scraping etc. The application of holes caused by wood worm is usually combined with the other methods. At present, brushing is also being promoted as a distressing technique. For machines which apply an effect such as brushing we can go to Italy where some companies specialise in embossing on various materials. Both Trabattoni Stampi under the trading name FNT and Borgonovo design and produce roller for embossing for both warm engraving on wood and cold with the use of pulp. The parquet industry has been a target market for both companies for a long time.

Colour distressing The use of special pigments or colour oils can give the impression that a new parquet floor is an old floor. White and grey shades are extremely popular for that purpose. There is talk of a white wash or even a super white wash. In the latter case the floor is brushed lightly first. If you carry out a white wash, you get a floor with a somewhat matt and chalky look.

Extremely dark colours can also help to give an old appearance.

Smoking Smoking wooden floors is one of the most commonly used and most attractive distressing techniques. Smoking is a process in which a reaction is generated with the tannic acid in the wood. Several wood sorts have no or insufficient tannic acid to generate a distressed colour. Oak does have this, specifically in the form of European oak and American oak. Russian oak and Chinese oak both have a lot less tannic acid and can be smoked only lightly at best.

Combinations As the subtitle of this article suggests, the most beautiful results usually arise from a combined use of various techniques. Colour distressing and smoking, in combination with mechanical distressing techniques, yield extremely realistic results.

What’s on the market Chêne de l’est Plancher d’autrefois Chêne de l’est Chêne de l'est is the specialist for oak antique plankflooring. We offer a wide range of aged distressed oak plankflooring with several types of engineered French oak TOP 2.7, TOP 3.3, TOP 4.5 and TOP 6 and solid wood in thicknesses of 14 and 21 mm; widths ranging from 70 to 220 with lengths of up to 2,200 mm. Also in XXL with widths up to 335 mm, with lengths up to 5,030 mm. Aged parquet floors are always in

the trend and are suitable for all destinations that are perfectly suited for high traffic. We have a wood ageing technique that is very close to natural ageing. We work on the structure of the floor until we obtain an old wood like a reclaimed parquet.

Our oak antique collection provides a natural antique look.

About 40 finishes are available, from the raw wood aspect to black, as well as white, beige, grey and brown. We provide advice as well as maintenance products adapted to the finishing.

Design Parquet Design Parquet sells multilayer parquet for 60% and solid oak parquet and exotic wood sorts for 40%. The best-seller is the multilayer Loft Pro Chêne in exotic wood. Distressing is possible with all types of parquet from the range. English bond, herringbone, Hungarian point, anything is possible. Design Parquet is a specialist in customised work.

They pay prominent attention here to broken edges and distressing.

Oak accounts for the lion’s share (99%) of the products.

ESTAPARKET ESTAPARKET manufactures and sells 3 layer and multilayer floors that can also be distressed, meaning these floors have more character and antique look. We can wire brush, engrave certain pattern and also finish the surface with reactive stain to achieve a truly unique look.

We have a collection ESTAPARKET “Infinity” where boards have a unique geometrical shape. The boards are not straight edged and have curved geometrical shape. Distressed floors are more demanded in such unique flooring segment. http://www.estaparket.eu/?s=infinity

Custom-made

LOFT PRO

PARQUET COGNAC Chevron Oak Rustic/Campagne

www.q-floor.com • sales@q-floor.com • +32 16 90 45 15

O-Floor O-Profile O-Panel Multilayer Parquet

Grade : 16 x 130 x 800 mm Top-layer : 4,5 mm Matt varnish Tongue & Groove - 4 bevels Semi-solid wood flooring (Birch plywood base)

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Producers of distressed floors

These floors are of course less popular and more expensive.

Such floors are mainly used in Restaurants and similar commercial areas. Today the traditional beating machines for handling wood grain depth have been replaced with brushes and engraving rollers that can imitate almost any pattern. Estaparket offers distressed floors mainly in Oak and Ash, as these are most popular species.

Futura Floors The beauty of distressed hardwood floors Creating a living space that is completely unique has never been easier.

The distressed style of hardwood flooring is increasingly popular in the interior design industry and allows for just such distinction. At Futura Floors our handmade distressed hardwood possesses an authentic weathered look for each plank. The vintage hardwood brings out texture and grain, adding a country-inspired feel to your home. It reminds us of a serene time when homes were lit by candlelight and wood floors were hand-cut and laid with care. The Futura Floors wide plank distressed wood flooring is beautifully worn and uniquely rustic.

We hand tool character markings like worm holes, nail holes and kerf

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marks. It is treasured for its reclaimed look and traditional appeal. At Futura, we look forward to custom making your distressed wood floor.

Why not add one of our stunning earth toned oil finishes to complete a charming look to your creation? For more information visit www.futurafloors.de

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs offers distressed designs in traditional parquet 6mm, 9mm Burgundy, 15 and 20mm Solid wood, and 15/16 and 20mm engineered. Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs still sells lots of distressed floors.

At all events, these floors are fairly popular, but it is questionable as to whether or not we can talk of a trend. The most popular method of distressing is by beating. Something also very popular at the moment are manually distressed sides with no distressing on the flat surface.

They have their own opinion on the brushed design: ‘In my opinion, this is a completely different look. What I personally find more attractive is to use planed planks with a distressed floor. When you start brushing,

the distressing doesn’t stand out on the flat part. You probably notice it only on the sides because they are more broken/deformed.’ At Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs, too, most of what is used for distressing is oak.

However, it is also possible to apply it to many other types of wood.

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs delivers what the end client wants.

Remmery Remmery makes both solid wood and composite floors in various thicknesses and widths up to 27cm. Distressing techniques can be applied to both solid wood and composite floors. Distressed floors are still a trend, but the nature and style have certainly changed in recent years. Whilst previously the darker colours were more popular, people are now opting mainly for (light) shades of grey. Also very popular at home and abroad is the new ‘Montelimar’ finish. This is often combined with a very rustic and half-planed composite floor. Nowadays, almost

all distressed floors in the range are well brushed, usually in combination with hand-scraped edges and a surface which may or may not be damaged.

These techniques are often applied on semi-rough floors (half-scraped top layer). This yields finishes with a look to raise projects to a higher level. Over 85% of distressed floors at Remmery are in French oak.

This is because most distressed floors are coloured by oxidation, something which works best with wood sorts with a lot of tannic acid such as French oak. Floors in native ash wood are also being distressed more and more, partly with diverse stains and lye to obtain a beautifully distressed floor.

Quality Parquet

FOR PROFESSIONALS

Promoting sustainable forest management

“Every product you need for a perfect �loor.”

Tel: +32(0)11 63 64 00 - www.parketkerkhofs.be

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Special

Skirting boards with LVT-PVC & laminate inlay

WHEN FLOORING ITSELF BECOMES A SKIRTING BOARD INLAY SKIRTING BOARDS WITH LAMINATE, VINYL, OR PVC GIVE A FULL MATCH There are all sorts of diverse views on the role of skirting boards in the interior and ‘points of view’ about interior styles. Sadly in many cases, those points of view continue to exist next to each other. The key issue is still the impact of skirting boards on the room and therefore the sphere. There is a world of difference between adapting skirting boards to walls to make them part of the walls or to the floor or to nothing at all. The ultimate choice manifests itself in the similarity or otherwise of skirting boards to the flooring.

‘Inlay’ offers the ‘ultimate match’.

Laminate skirting boards If laminate makers don’t do it themselves, skirting board makers do it for them. Some of them make skirting boards in laminate with so many decors that there is a tailored skirting board for any floor. However, there are also collections which are brand-related and therefore match the accompanying floor for the full 100%.

Inlay is the ultimate brilliance

Medium Density Fibre or MDF is a compressed board with a medium-hard density. MDF is a sort name, not a brand name. The range of MDF skirting boards in various designs is huge. Examples of types include founded (2X) in waterproof MDF and ready for painting, lacquered in an RAL colour (founded + white lacquered), and wrapped in foil ready for use or painting over.

One of the problems facing wholesalers and retailers is the huge range of technical and decorative accessories such as profiles and skirting boards. If we look for a range with ‘something for everyone’s taste’, that gives traders a headache when it comes to stock. Indeed, the number of references required in stock is growing all the time. And so, the concept of skirting boards with inlay provides an ingenious answer to the question of how you can still improve such a range of materials.

Whether you are looking for a match or not, this concept always works!

In the case of inlay skirting boards the skirting board becomes a purely technical solution. In other words, the functional and the decorative are detached at source. The skirting board becomes a bearer into which a fragment of the floor is inserted. This means floor fitters themselves finish the floor, so the match is obviously complete. The inlay skirting boards on offer usually provide for various thicknesses of floor types so that, for instance, they can be used for both vinyl and laminate.

Solid wood or veneer

Some specialists

All materials are possible Skirting boards are produced from a huge quantity of materials all around us. Here we mention the most current and popular types of materials and skirting boards.

Versatile MDF

There are just as many sorts of solid wood skirting boards as there are wood sorts. Both native and exotic sorts are available, so there is a matching skirting board for any wooden floor. Obviously, the same applies to veneer skirting boards, which, strictly speaking, look exactly the same.

Auer Metallprofile

Aluminium and stainless steel In a somewhat more costly segment various skirting boards are available in aluminium or stainless steel. There is also a vast range of metal colours (e.g. bronze or silver). Aluminium skirting boards make the perfect finish for the modern interior. Aluminium is a stable and light material which can be processed in several ways. It can be polished, sandblasted, lacquered, or coated.

Bendable skirting boards Curves and arches are also found more often in modern home construction. Until recently, it was no easy job to give these arched walls a suitable edge finish. That is now easy with flexible/bendable skirting boards. These skirting boards can be made, for instance, in polyurethane foam.

PVC skirting boards PVC is easy to process and another benefit is that it doesn’t swell or shrink after the fitting. PVC is scratch and chip-resistant. PVC skirting boards are used a lot in rooms where floors are cleaned with large equipment or rooms where hygiene is vital.

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In addition to a multitude of stair nosings, connecting profiles and special profiles, Auer Metallprofile also has various skirtings made of stainless steel and aluminum. From flat i-shape, via click-skirting, and then to edged and extruded L-shapes, to r-skirting boards to bump and push a variety of coverings, such as the 60 x 10 x 3,2 mm aluminum design skirting. This is suitable for bonding 2 to 3 mm floorings and adapts optimally in every room by the combination with the laid design floor. This skirting board is available in the anodized colors silver and stainless steel colored as standard colors. Other anodized colors or with powder coating are available on request.

Matching inside and outside corners can either be miter cut or

manufactured as a 30x30 mm corner by us. Special cuts or bended skirtings are also available on request.

Progress Profiles

Carl Prinz

Carl Prinz produces skirting boards with a slide-in unit to insert a strip from the floor. The strips are cut from the floor itself so that in some respects the floor is transferred to the wall. This system can be used for floors 2 to 5mm thick. The skirting board is in one piece and 60mm high. Obviously, all special items such as bends and corners are available. Carl Prinz also has a skirting board system for skirting boards of variable height. The floor strip determines the skirting board height at that point. The bearer is made from aluminium, anodised in classic silver with a fine touch of titanium. These systems mean it is easy to replace the floor strip without having to dismantle the skirting board itself.

Among the wide range of skirting boards produced by Progress Profiles, many of them correspond entirely to the floor. SKIRTING 7016 and SKIRTING 7011, for example, are two models for floating floors in laminate wood: thanks to over 100 different shades of wood, they can be chosen of the same color of the floor, by harmonizing the space.

Made of PVC foam, the laying of these skirting boards can be performed with gluing (acetic silicone-acrylic-mastic) or with a simple structure fixed with screws, bolts or nails. The Italian firm produces the bearing element in aluminium, stainless steel or PVC expanded foamed vinyl resin. For the inlay, it fits to order and is industrially applied, varying one from another.

Profilpas www.progressprofiles.com

www.progressprofiles.com

Transparency for a perfect laying ED

NT PATE

Profilpas produces a wide variety of skirting boards, both in metal and in PVC, for meeting any aesthetical and technical requirement.

Metal Line range includes different models of skirting boards in aluminium and stainless steel, in different shapes, measures and finishes.

Among these, there are Metal Line 87/6 and 88/6: two flush recessed skirting boards in aluminium for plaster and plasterboard. These are composed of two separate elements: a base in natural aluminium and an insert in silver anodised aluminium or matt white RAL 9010 colour-coated aluminium which can be installed directly on site. These skirting boards also come in the version with LED light for creating original light effects.

PVC Line range is composed of skirting boards in PVC, in different shapes, measures and with the possibility to choose among several decors, from wood to stone, cement and metal. Profilpas gives the possibility to choose between over 400 standard decors to create a perfect combination between the floor and the skirting board. Thanks to our innovative digital printing technology PDS, we can reproduce any effect on film, thus not giving limit to imagination.

PROLEVELING SYSTEM PROLEVELING SYSTEM is a revolutionary and innovative system to make the laying easy and quick only with two elements.

A complete range of levellers in form of cross, T and linear of 1, 2, 3 and 5 mm, for floor and wall with thickness from 3 to 40 mm.

PROLEVELING WEDGE SYSTEM: the leveling system with wedges improved in efficiency, ergonomics and in compliance with regulations, thanks to the fins directly fixed on the base.

PRLW 120

Linear Leveler

“T�

Leveler

Cross Leveler

Tie-rod

Tie-rod

Levelling wedge

PRLW 1

PRLW 2

PRLW 220

PRLW 3

PRLW 15

Plier

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Providers of abrasive materials

THE AMAZING POWER OF MINUSCULE OF ABRASIVE GRAINS FROM CRUSHED SEASHELLS TO CRUMBS FROM CAST-IRON CABORUNDUM How difficult is it to sandpaper a parquet or wooden floor?

Difficult! Each sort of wood is different and each sanding machine has different specifications. The various sanding sessions, the sanding order, the grain size, the type of sanding machine depending on the sanding session, these are all elements of a parquet floor fitter’s training. Apart from that training, floor fitters can contact most agents for demonstrations, workshops, and product presentations.

That also applies to abrasives, another product group which is developing rapidly.

What’s new today?

A piece of history

Some specialists

The first record of sandpaper dates back to 13th century China where crushed seashells, seeds, and sand were stuck to parchment using natural rubber. On 14 June 1834, Isaac Fisher from Springfield obtained four patents on sandpaper. His sandpaper could only be used dry and the dust caused lead poisoning amongst the labourers who had to use it. The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, now known as 3M, discovered sandpaper early in the 1920s which could also be used wet. In the past, natural materials such as pumice and shark skin were used to roughen up the base. The term in Dutch for sandpapering (‘afhaaien’), which is still used a lot by older painters, is derived from this. The difference between abrasives lies in various elements: - the underlayer used: paper, synthetics, textile (the latter is often called emery cloth); - the sort of adhesive used (especially whether or not this is waterproof; waterproof adhesive and underlayer can be used for wet sandpapering, otherwise the sandpaper is suitable only for dry sanding); - the grain size of the abrasive: usually designated with a number, where a higher number indicates finer sandpaper: 24 or 40 is rough, 600 is fine; degrees of fineness are available up to 12,000 for use in the metal industry. The number comes from the sieves of the material. Theoretically, the diameter of the grain is as follows. Each square inch divided by the P size in the square is the grain diameter.

And so, with grain P80 the grain diameter is 25.4mm x 25.4mm/80 x 80 = 0.1008mm diameter; - the material of the abrasive: from sharp sand or glass powder (the English word for these abrasives is still sandpaper) to the much harder korund or the even harder carborundum; - the shape of the base: ordinary sandpaper skins, or cut as required for the sandpapering sole of an electric sanding machine, or in the shape of belts for the belt sander; - the thickness of the abrasive powder on the underlayer: In particular for machine sanding, the grains should not be too close to each other because then the space in between soon fills up with sanding dust and the paper soon wears out and is of no use.

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For parquet and wooden floors, and certainly for the application of certain specific finishes such as ‘distressed’, the market offers scores of new and innovative brushes and other fairly hard motion tools.

There, too, we see constant development. Grinding no longer means just sandpapering. As far as pure sandpapering is concerned, we see that the various materials of which the grains can consist determine the scope of the abrasive. Certainly in the world of parquet in the field of abrasives there has been an increase in quality in the direction of zirconium and ceramics.

Blanchon

In the parquet industry there has been an improvement in the quality of abrasives towards zirconium and ceramics. Glass is not used in the parquet industry and diamond even less so due to the cost price. The four most important materials are corindon, carborondum, zirconium, and ceramics. Each of these materials has specific assets and drawbacks. The key is to choose the right material for the right application.

At Blanchon, too, they operate on the basis of three sanding sessions (with separate grain) and (usually) a polish with the single-disc machine. And so, Blanchon offers a range of different abrasives and bearers such as endless abrasive belts, rollers, and discs. A major trend which they have noticed here is the increase in the use of multi-disc sanding machines. These machines are extremely efficient, but due to their relatively low weight they are not used for some heavy tasks (e.g. removing old coats of lacquer).

Devo®

Pallmann

Over the last 40 years, the range of Devo® sandpapering materials has become a regular fixture amongst parquet traders due to innovation and high quality. There has generally been little renewal in terms of basic raw materials. Most ‘new’ materials which enter the parquet sector have existed for a long time, but are now also found on the parquet market due to a growing demand for high-performance materials. In the past, parquet traders used hardly anything except aluminium oxide and silicon grains. Nowadays, they also use zirconium and ceramic materials due to the greater sandpapering grain hardness. The composition of the materials has undergone some change as a result of technical developments. For instance, in 2017, Devo innovated with the Devo® Fiberpad™. This is a completely new sort of sanding disc which offers scores of benefits for floor fitters.

Aluminium oxide abrasives have been virtually obsolete in woodfloor sanding and technological progress has moved on from zirconia alumina to ceramics and finally to diamonds as the current cutting materials for sanding wood flooring. Diamonds are becoming more and more important for the sanding of wooden floors, because it is possible to remove extremely hard coating systems, such as UV-hardened lacquers or DD lacquers. Pallmann abrasives are optimally adapted to Pallmann sanding machines and the intended use. So Pallmann recommends ceramic abrasives for coarse sanding, zirconia alumina for subsequent sanding and silicon carbide for fine sanding.

With the new abrasives, it is possible to replace almost all the work of a belt sander with the Pallmann Spider triple disc sanding machine. In addition, the brushing technique for the Pallmann Spider offers the possibility to structure existing floors as well as to renovate already structured surfaces without having to sand the structure.

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

Machines and abrasives from LÄGLER Everything from one source!

You are still not using a LÄGLER ® abrasives?

Then you are missing out on the following advantages: superior quality, efficiency and profitability when sanding.

Since our abrasives are characterized by: • high aggressiveness • long lifetime • long-lasting sanding performance Only these abrasives are optimally matched with all our machines and their diverse application possibilities.

Get the most out of your machines with the LÄGLER® - Abrasives!

+49 (0) 7135 98 90 0

info@laegler.com

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Producers of hybrid adhesives

HYBRID SOLUTIONS ARE TIMELESS IMPROVING ONE ADHESIVE WITH INGREDIENTS FROM ANOTHER

Photo – Soudal

We’ve come a long way from the days of glueing floors with pitch or loam to today’s silane adhesives. All that is because floor coverings make a lot of diverse demands, and wood not in the least. Various factors help us to decide which adhesive is most suitable for glueing this or that wooden floor. The number of forms of adhesive technology is the story of ‘the wood and the trees’. To make user choice easier, some standards try to classify adhesives into properties rather than the underlying technology. Hybrid adhesives lead us gradually to more or less universal solutions.

Choosing an adhesive, but on what basis?

Various factors help us to decide which adhesive is the most suitable for glueing this or that wooden floor. For instance, you need to consider the type and flatness of the substrate. The properties and dimensions of the floor covering also affect the stability. Then there’s the type of floor. With some types of floor we want to restrict the wood’s natural movement completely, whilst with other types of floor we want to tolerate it to some extent. The number of forms of adhesive technology has increased enormously over the years. It’s the story of ‘the wood and the trees’. The standard EN 14293 provides a simplified choice between flexible and sturdy adhesives. The main property by means of which sturdy and flexible adhesives stand out from each other is

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the elasticity. The elasticity of a material designates the extent to which a material exerts a counterforce (the so called resilience) when the elastic is distorted (i.e. not permanently) or the extent to which a material is distorted when external pressure is applied. With hybrid adhesives we find ourselves (for the time being) mainly in the field of flexible adhesives.

Choosing an adhesive, but from what?

Just as the correct extinguishing agent is crucial for putting out a fire, so, too, is the use of the correct adhesive of paramount importance for glueing parquet properly. The ‘correctness’ of the choice of adhesive is determined partly by the type of parquet, the type of substrate, weather conditions, and structural circumstances. Floor fitters have all they need since for all circumstances and combinations of circumstances the chemical industry supplies an adhesive which is more or less suitable. The range is extensive: dispersion adhesives, mono or dual-component adhesives, polymer adhesives, etc. The ingredients, too, are extensive: acrylate, polyurethane, silane, epoxy, and such like.

Wide as that range is, researchers nevertheless continue to work on the development of new adhesives. Floor fitters had only just adapted to the breakthrough of MS polymers and other silane adhesives when the technological world came out with the term ‘hybrid’; so far, so good.

Parquet floor fitters can live with that, too.

Choosing an adhesive: a little bit of everything!

Hybrid adhesives combine the strong properties of various forms of technology in order to obtain specific properties. Amongst other things, silane adhesives can have as a backbone a silicone or a polyurethane with one or more functional silane groups which cross-link during the reaction process. Combinations of technology based on polyurethane and these silicones are often called STPU adhesives. These contain no isocyanates. According to most producers, these hybrid adhesives are gaining ground. That certainly applies to professional clients.

Professionals have access to different product groups than private clients, usually as a result of legislation with regard to hygiene and safety. Parquet floor fitters appreciate these adhesives mainly due to the easy spreading and the extensive possible uses. These adhesives are making great gains especially in the form of elastic adhesives.

not flow when used vertically. Worth knowing: Each year, Blanchon organises its ‘Technical Training Days’ for parquet floor fitters.

Chimiver

There are no easy professions, that’s for sure. The world is complex and each ‘trade’ is based upon at least a modicum of science. Why? Because science serves the trade and leads to better results. Most producers have noticed that modern parquet floor fitters, unlike their predecessors and despite the rapid developments in the range, are well aware of which sorts of adhesive are offered for which applications. It wasn’t always like this. Where have the days gone when parquet floor fitters were handy joiners who had a feel for wood and were trained by their ‘mentors’ in fitting a certain type of parquet with a certain type of adhesive and a certain type of finish? Technology has (figuratively) put a bomb under that simplicity. Like so many others, floor fitters are now dependent on continuous further training. Lots of manufacturers/ suppliers organise training sessions for professionals to help them use these adhesives properly. Information sessions in schools and training centres are also possible. During such sessions, the stress is on how these adhesives differ from other adhesives.

UNISIL is a prepolymer based, single-component hydrocuring adhesive with a silanic termination (MS technology).

Recommended for gluing pre-finished wooden floor onto marble, grit, tiles, ceramic or marble-chip floor, etc. Also suitable for gluing wooden floor onto underfloor heating and cooling system. It can be also used for gluing panels for heat and acoustic insulation (cork, polyurethane foam, rock wool); gluing tiles on asbestos cement and chipboard panels and gluing wood and building materials (ceramics, gres-slabs) on metal supports. UNISIL has different certificates such as: EC1; ATTESTATION CCA Environmentally Compatible Product (Certificate issued by Department BEST - Politecnico of Milan CCA Registration No. 20163); Sound Reduction (CSI Test Report No. 0056/DC/ACU/06); Heat conductivity (CSI Test Report No. 0020/DC/TTS/06).

UNISIL can contribute to the achievement of QI CREDIT 4.1 according to the parameters of the GEV dated 03 March 2009, because it meets the certification LEED protocol (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

What’s on the market ?

Devo®

The ‘studious’ floor fitter

Blanchon

Forms of technology commonly used in hybrid adhesives are vinyl adhesives, epoxy-polyurethane, polyurethanes (one and two components), and hybrid polymers. Some major assets of these adhesives: They are versatile, mono-component, and therefore handy in use, flexible, durable, and perfect for glueing wide floorboards. Moreover, they are moderately sensitive to residual moisture in the screed and they have the same consistency in all seasons. At Blanchon the three references in this connection are hybrid polymers. The AB 1300, which is very comfortable to work with, will suffice for all classical glueing up to 130mm wide. The AB 2000 can be deployed for glueing up to 200mm. Finally, there is the essential sausage adhesive, which does

According to Devo®, a hybrid adhesive is an adhesive for which two or more forms of binding/setting technology are used. The combination which is used a lot at the moment, and to which one refers with this term, is the hybrid binding of MS polymer and silane. Obviously, other hybrid bindings are also possible. The term hybrid adhesive is sometimes used wrongly as a positive or negative indication of quality, whilst hybrid adhesives are not per se better or worse than other sorts.

Devomat presents three MS polymer adhesives, namely Devo® Glue MSP 150 1C (semi-elastic), Devo® Glue MSP 200 1C (soft elastic), and Devo® Glue MSP 250 1C (hard elastic). Devo® Glue MSP250 is packed in 5kg bags. That means you can work cleanly without spills. You apply the amount of adhesive needed at the time, whilst the rest stays in the bag. This aluminium bag also ensures a longer shelf life. The open time of Devo® Glue MSP250 is 50-80mins. until a skin forms, and that is a long open time. The rapid technological progress and the changing market mean that in-depth knowledge is still limited in this area.

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Producers of hybrid adhesives

Devo® does organise monthly workshops and training sessions to keep parquet professionals informed about these new forms of technology.

Training sessions take place every Friday afternoon. Themes like substrate preparation and glueing, sandpapering parquet, and DevoNatural® finish techniques follow each other in succession and are repeated each month.

Emfi At EMFI, they, too, have seen how hybrid adhesives are gaining ground on solvent and PU adhesives.

Emfi Parquet has both PU adhesives and hybrid adhesives. As regards hybrid adhesives, Emfi presents Emfi Parquet Pro+, a parquet adhesive which is based on silanated polymers and suitable for the full glueing of all types of parquet. Thanks to a great deal of research and development, Emfi Parquet Pro+ complies with the strictest environmental standards; this adhesive contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. This adhesive is suitable for glueing very wide floorboards in oak. It adheres rapidly and is very easy to apply. Emfi Parquet Pro+ is a mono-component adhesive.

Pallmann

hardener component necessary. The adhesives have a shelf life of 12 months in tightly closed containers. The open time varies according to the particular type of product - it is about 25 minutes. Pallmann offers regularly trainings for woodfloor professionals at its headquarters in Würzburg (Germany) as well as in various countries.

Soudal Nowadays, 1-component hybrid adhesives are a familiar segment in the market. They contain no water, solvents, or isocyanates, so they can be used without any extra precautions.

Moreover, spilt adhesive can easily be removed without damaging the base. The combination of a high strength and ongoing elasticity means they can be deployed very widely, often even without treating the subfloor first. Thanks to their high elasticity, they give the wood more space to swell and shrink, but without compromising on efficiency. Soudal hybrid parquet adhesives comply with the EU standard for elastic parquet adhesives, have an EC1+ grade, and stand out for performances and convenience.

Furthermore, they are easy to spread, the adhesive grooves show excellent form stability, and they set quickly, things which are all important for a perfectly finished wooden floor. Moreover, all hybrid parquet adhesives from Soudal are used in combination with floor heating and cooling.

Thomsit

A hybrid glue or hybrid adhesive is a kind of glue which reacts with atmospheric moisture. This procedure of crosslinking is similar to silicones. Silane polymer adhesives are mostly viscoplastic and have a high adhesive strength. As polymers and silanes yield a hybrid, they are also sometimes called hybrid adhesives. These are the so-called 1-component STP-adhesives. Generally there is a distinction between 1-component-STP-, 1-component-PUR and two-component PUR wood flooring adhesives. Hybrid glues are easy to apply and suitable for a wide range of wood floors that is why they are gaining ground. The advantages of these adhesives are the very good ridge formation and the hard-elastic adhesive ridges. They are solvent- and water-free, there is no swelling pressure in the timber and they have low odor. They can be spread easily and there is no complicated mixing with a

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A hybrid adhesive is a combination of different bonding technologies, for example SPUR, STP or MS Polymers.

These hybrid adhesives like Thomsit's Flextec adhesives win ground because of their many advantages over the classic PU adhesives and dispersal adhesives.

The adhesives are already sufficiently known to the parquet layer, but the higher price prevents some parquet layers from choosing this completely. Important advantages of these adhesives include easy workability, the elasticity of the glue and stains that are easily removable from parquet. They are also water- and solvent-free.

Thomsit has a suitable hybrid adhesive for all types of parquet; Thomsit P 675, P 685 and P 695 all equipped with the in-house developed Flextec technology. There is also a price-friendly alternative in the form of the elastic glue P 665, suitable for multi-layer parquet. In order to allow the parquet layer to experience the benefits of these adhesives for themselves, Thomsit provides training both in-house and on location at the customer.

Special

Adjustable floor support systems for terrace floors

ADJUSTABLE FLOOR SUPPORTS ‘RAISE THE STANDARD’ TERRACE TILES AND PLANKS ARE ‘SUPPORTED’ TECHNOLOGICALLY

Photo – Grad 2020

Terrace supports or ‘pedestals’ (in French) are high-tech and sophisticated support pillars for constructing elevated floors. They can be used for the floor of a trade fair stand, a concert stage, a dance floor, and, obviously, terraces. We can identify ‘stationary’ floor supports and floor supports which can be ‘adjusted in height’. In some ways, stationary floor supports replace the peg of bygone days and are available in various sizes. Floor supports which can be adjusted in height form a sort of universal support i.e. they fit anywhere. The refined feature of the latter is their versatility: They solve various problems simultaneously. They provide a solution for everything!

of outdoor floors they are a real problem solver, but on the other hand they can also be used perfectly well for making eye-catching architectural creations. Which problems do they solve and how do they do it?

Common situations

Garden extension and swimming pool

A floor support forms a point of support which is usually designed in a certain synthetic onto which an elevated floor can be mounted. Most manufacturers offer two types: one type for the assembly of a wooden floor on beams and another for an elevated tiled floor. For the fitting

It will often also be necessary to eliminate differences in height in order to fit a swimming pool onto an existing terrace. Another common problem is the expansion of the terrace to the garden, certainly if the garden has a slope.

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Outdoor parquet In view of the current trend to ‘extend’ indoor floors to the terrace, the existing tile terrace will often need to be raised. That’s perfectly possible with a wooden floor. It goes without saying that such an elevation will also involve some degree of levelling. After all, a wooden floor doesn’t need any slope at all, but an existing tile floor will have one. At the same time, all of us are increasingly likely to want to expand our terrace as a whole.

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Adjustable floor support systems for terrace floors

Rooftop gardens

Hapax Atlas Terrace

Land is becoming increasingly scarce and more and more people in towns and cities are extending their habitat. What we have said above about gardens and terraces plays out (usually) in miniature on scores of roofs and roof platforms in big cities. Floor supports are usually essential for the construction of green roofs and rooftop gardens.

What can they all do?

Great and small differences in height Since the differences in height to be bridged with terraces or other applications are always different, terrace supports need to be adjustable in height. Otherwise there would have to be an endless range of various sizes in stock. Moreover, since it is sometimes merely a matter of levelling out a drainage slope of 3 or 4%, they also have to be suitable for extremely small differences in level.

Adapting the slope Apart from different heights, it should also be possible to absorb different slopes. This means that the upper side of the floor support has to be somewhat pivotable. The floor support foot is usually a wide disc which ensures that the floor support is stable on its base. Judging by the brands which have given us some technical information, it is not necessary for the floor supports to be fixed to the base.

And all that is for a long time!

Finally, the fact that the floor supports which we have found on the market are produced from synthetics means they are fairly indifferent to fluctuations in weather conditions or temperature. Since the floor supports are located under the terrace, they are not affected in any way by UV light, something to which some synthetics are vulnerable, especially with regard to colour fastness.

Discover the adjustable terrace carrier from Hapax.

The Hapax Atlas terrace supports are the ideal base for an excellent wooden terrace. Quick to build, easy to install and ecologically responsible.

Characteristics: - Adjustable from 3 cm to 100 cm.

- Material: thermoplastic elastomer - UV resistant - Resistant to extreme temperature fluctuations - Can be disassembled - Reusable - Maximum weight per terrace support: 800 kg - Also available with plate for tiles Would you like to know more ? Take a look at our website: www.hapax-europe.com

Profilpas

Two specialists Grad The GRAD concept is four aluminium rails fitted in advance with clips on computerised lines. The Grad clip is the first invisible fastening system for wooden terraces and is the only one recognised Photo – Grad 2020 for conformity to the requirements of the FCBA DTU 51-4 standard (fitting standard for wooden terraces). It ensures the connection of the clips and floorboards down to the mm. For each fitting, thanks to their Grad 3D software, each rail, with its functionalities and accessories, is made in such a way as to meet all the required configurations. The four rail profiles make it possible to achieve a terrace height of up to 400mm, thanks to the Top Lift® pedestals and their supplements. The terrace gains in durability because there is no contact whatsoever between the floor and the planks so that water cannot infiltrate at all.

Their system is for all types of professionals. The benefits: time saved due to quicker fitting, no anchorage points, no connected screws, and the option of dismantling each plank individually.

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With the new supports for raised floors PP Level DUO® by Profilpas, there is the possibility to choose between fixed and self-levelling head in an instant, directly during the installation. A choice that can be made easily, thanks to the special converter Perfect Ring. Indeed, if you insert it between the head and the screw, the support becomes fixed. On the contrary, if you need to compensate the slope of a surface up to 6%, it will be sufficient not to insert the ring to obtain a self-levelling system.

Another important advantage of PP Level DUO® is the maximum speed of installation: you can assemble the entire support in just 5 seconds, thus saving a lot of time in the construction site.

You can reach all heights with just five supports, thanks to the possibility to add one or more extension elements. Moreover, PP Level DUO® can be adjusted in height from the top thanks to the specific adjustment key.

In addition, for the installation of single-format and multi-format ceramic planks, we have created a special double joist system for guaranteeing a greater stability and resistance.

Special

Who has reaction stains?

THE ‘MAGIC POTION’ FOR INSTANT AGEING REACTIVE STAINS REACT TO THE TANNIC ACID IN THE WOOD wood. Stains which are suitable for outdoors usually have a moisture-regulating effect and often provide UV protection. There are also stains which give a different shade, but no protection. There are stains based on water, oil, and alcohol. Transparent stains use different colours to give a hint of different wood sorts. There are also colourless variants; these variants preserve the original colour, but offer less protection against sunlight and discolouration.

Colour stains of parquet

Photo – Blanchon

There are various sorts of stains. That is sometimes extremely annoying because the term stain applies to several products which are basically not related to each other at all, but which on the other hand all relate to some kind of wood treatment. We identify indoor and outdoor stains, covering stains, normal and transparent stains, and solvent stains or water-based stains. If we limit ourselves to indoor applications, we look for colour stains and reactive stains.

Stains for colouring We cast a glance outdoors Staining means applying a transparent or covering coat to protect wood fibres in all weather conditions and make the surface look attractive. Unlike varnish and lacquer, stain penetrates partially into the

Staining parquet can colour the wood as required, from black and blue-grey to white, anything is possible. The stain penetrates the wood deeply, gives it a nice contrast, and thereby highlights the specific wood structure. It can be combined afterwards with oil, beeswax, or varnish. A stain is often a traditional wood refinement product based on natural linseed oil. This wood stain is ideal for colouring wood, parquet, and wooden floors and can be used on both ordinary and noble wood.

Stains appear in a vast range of colours. In the past, most stains were available in wood colours, so it was possible, for instance, to make a cheap pine floor look like oak by using a dark oak colour. Nowadays, colouring agents are appearing in a range of trendy colours. Any wood sort can be given a completely different appearance by applying certain colours. By applying a red shade, for instance, you get the look of American red oak.

Yes, there’s reactive stain Reactive stains work entirely differently to ordinary colour stains.

When a reactive stain is applied, it enters into a reaction with the tannic acid to bring about a discolouration in the stained wood.

Since the discolouration occurs in the cell wall of the wood, it is very intense. The final colour is affected by the amount of tannic acid in the wood. And so, that is the way to obtain a unique floor covering.

The tannic acid in wood is never identical in two different trees. Even if the producer offers dozens of colours, the end result will still depend on the tannic acid. An example of a reactive stain is the lye stain

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Who has reaction stains?

offered by several brands. This gives you an effect comparable to that of traditional ‘leaching’. With oak, in particular, you get the look of an aged floor.

Pigment versus colouring agent Ordinary colour stains work on the basis of pigments. Pigments derive their colour effect from the absorption of certain wavelengths of visible light. A pigment which absorbs all wavelengths has a black colour, whilst a pigment which reflects all wavelengths is white. A pigment which absorbs mainly red, orange, and yellow wavelengths will display a green-blue shade. And so, the pigment displays the colour of the light which reflects onto it. Unlike colouring agents, pigments generally don’t adhere very well to the object to be coloured, so a binding agent is usually needed.

Ordinary colouring agent versus reactive colouring agent Reactive stains work via a reactive colouring agent. Unlike a pigment, a colouring agent has a dyeing capacity; it adheres to some extent to the substance to be coloured. Moreover, colouring agents are used as a rule in solution, whilst pigments must not dissolve. Virtually all colouring agents are organic compounds. Reactive colouring agents enter into a reaction with the fibre and thereby form a chemical bond. This bond is very strong so that the colouring agent in textile, for instance, is very hard to wash out and therefore has a good wash fastness.

Acid dyes form a salt bond with basic groups in a fibre. These groups are present in wool, silk, and polyamide. By contrast, basic colouring agents react to acid groups in a fibre. Acid groups occur mainly in polyacrylic fibres.

What offers the market ?

Blanchon Everyone who works with wood for a living has been looking for ways to adapt the colour or shade since way back. In the last thirty years, modern chemistry has made water-based colourings or pigments which are more resistant to the effects of light. Blanchon offers a full range for colouring, decorating, and distressing parquet and woodwork with two ranges of tints, one of which being a distressing range and the other comprising several reactive products. Aquateinte 2K is a water-based colouring specially for parquet. There are six wood colours and another six tints from pure white to deep black. For small surfaces there is the Wood Tint (12 wood shades in white, black, and five grey). The Wood Distressing has 10 nuances, including five grey tints. Furthermore, Blanchon also has various Reactives and Patinas. Note: Only oil can give both decoration and protection. And so, all these colours still need to be given protection. A good example is the combination of the Wood Distressing and the tinted Wax Oil. These colours can be applied both on site and in the factory.

Chimiver We Have Old West SERIE EFFETTO (LUNA - GIOVE - TERRA - VENERE)

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ULTRA MATT APPEARANCE

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Tel. +32 (0)51 30 11 40 - info@ciranova.be – www.ciranova.eu

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The R&D laboratory in CHIMIVER has developed a new and innovative range of reacting solutions for ageing your wood OLD WEST EFFETTO RANGE is a one-coat reacting solution which enhance the texture of natural wood giving an aged and weathered look. The product is water-based and is working by reacting with tannin contained in some woods such as oak and chestnut.

The use of OLD WEST allows to obtain a large variety of effects imitating the old weathered woods. OLD WEST is different from classical stains or dyes which are coloring the wood hiding its grain structure; OLD WEST enhances the natural beauty of wood standing out color differences into the wood grain.

The OLD WEST reacting solutions are clear and pigments free; the natural wood color is changed through the reaction of the solution with the tannin or resins contained in the wood.

Consider that the final results can change based on: - Quantity of product - Possible dilution of product

- Reacting solution overlap - Humidity and temperature during working and drying.

- Drying conditions in between the coats - Wood preparation (sanding, scraping, brushing etc..)

- Application method - Tannin and resin content - Country of origin of the wood - Chemical nature (water or solvent-based) of the fixing prymer

Oak. Depending on the amount applied and the natural tannin content, this creates the greying effect. For optimum wood protection, Osmo recommends treating the surface with a clear or transparent coloured Osmo coating for interior use.

RIGO Verffabriek

Ciranova As market leader in reactive stains, Ciranova has various ranges such as Reactive stain, Reactive stain NT, Aquavintage, and Vintage. Each reactive stain has its own specific properties and applications. Reactive stains need time to react to the components of the wood. Ciranova reactive stains have a minimum reaction time of six hours, but they generally advise you to leave stains overnight before applying a finish.

Since parquet fitters and manufacturers are always looking for novelties, Ciranova reactive stains offer a wide range of possible colours. The big advantage is that you can obtain highly natural distressed floors in combination with the water-based Ciranova finishes. You can also combine reactive stains with Ciranova colour oils to obtain unique finishes. This market is still growing because the demand for such unique and natural finishes is still growing.

DevoNatural® Reactive 300-600-1200 is a reactive distressing product with a smoked effect for ‘oak’ parquet and wooden floors, doors, windows, furniture, etc. The product is an ecological mix of hexa hydrates and does not contain any harmful or irritating substances or ammonia! Reactive 300-600-1200 can be applied only to oak!

DevoNatural® Reactive is a distressing product which is available in three concentrations, namely 400, 600, and 1200. The higher the figure, the stronger the reactive distressing. On oak wood DevoNatural® Reactive gives the wood a naturally aged look. The effect can vary, depending on the area of growth, the sort of oak, and the diversity of the oak wood. The tannic acid content of the oak determines the colour effect!

Osmo Greying stain for Oak in three different intensities!

Specifically developed for professionals, Osmo Reactive Stain is used for staining furniture, stairs, flooring and other building elements made of Oak. Osmo Reactive Stain works by reacting to the tannin in

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The master oil makers of RIGO Verffabriek have been making ROYL floor oils from 100% vegetable oils for almost 40 years. ROYL oils are available in the 45 standard colours of our Greys and Woods ranges.

These colours can also be mixed.

By combining ROYL shades of grey and wood colours with a primer coat of ROYL REACTIVE STAIN, you can open up a world of limitless colours to create your very own, unique finish.

ROYL REACTIVE STAIN gives wood an aged look. The stain can be processed as oil: apply, rub, rub dry. 1 coat is sufficient and after drying overnight, the floor is ready to finish.

ROYL REACTIVE STAIN is available in four colours: White #4011, Grey #4012, Burned #4013 and Smoked #4014.

The stain must be finished with a ROYL oil product or SKYLT Overcoatable colour oil + SKYLT. Only the white stain can also be coated immediately with STEP or SKYLT.

Williams & Koch

Williams & Koch is a decade ahead in development of eco products for wood coloring and -ageing purposes. In a growing market that is extremely demanding when it comes to special effects in wood finishing, our flexibility and expertise combined with creativity leads to results beyond imagination. Products as Linochrom, Fumicolor, Branton C and many others provide a wide range of effects on different wood types in both industrial and domestic application. Together with new technologies in the field of color fixation, Williams & Koch products are the new generation: easy to use, versatile, eco-friendly and safe.

Find us at www.facebook.com/Williams-Koch-Europe-3130648390322169/ e-mail info@williams-koch.com or call +32-473 340 207

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Invisible lacquers: who has them?

HOW MATT IS EVEN ‘INVISIBLE’ PARQUET LACQUER LOSES ITS GLOSS AND SHINES AS NEVER BEFORE

Photo – Pallmann

The comparison between lacquer and oil is actually the same as that between a finish which forms a film and a finish which doesn’t. Lacquer protects by means of an impenetrable coat which sits on the wood, whilst impregnation finishes such as oil, wax, and hard wax protect the floor from the inside out and do so partly by saturating the pores and partly by means of some hardening on top.

Whilst lacquer and oil could look different up until a few years ago, the difference is now much less due to the arrival

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of extremely matt lacquers. Lacquer is gradually becoming invisible.

The alchemist at work We all understand the illustration of a chemist looking for a solution.

Think of a chemist, for instance, who comes across an excellent product with lots of good features, but in each case there is always one small drawback which sticks out. A good alchemist searches for a solution until he or she has eliminated the drawback. He or she tries

all sorts of additives in bubbling test tubes and laboratories, nestled in the catacombs of the ‘castle’ and protected from the curious glances of possible hijackers. The philosopher’s stone is often ‘almost’ found at the end, but ‘not quite’. The flaw was always the same. The cure for a certain illness comprised a mix of various medicines plus a specific medicine to protect the stomach from all those medicines.

Another example: How do you remove the annoying gloss from an excellent parquet lacquer without the lacquer losing its protective properties?

The Achilles heel of parquet lacquer The gloss of a lacquer or varnish was the ‘weak point’ of a lacquer finish in many people’s eyes. Whilst beeswax and oil easily respected the authenticity of wood so beautifully, a covering coat of lacquer yielded a satin or even a shiny gloss on the floor so that the look of the wood lost a lot of its character. That, together with the annoying effect of many lacquers, made several clients opt for oil or wax. For a few years now, producers have also managed to produce matt lacquer finishes. They even speak of ultra-matt or ‘invisible’ lacquers. That has completely removed one of the biggest objections to lacquer. The alchemists have claimed victory!

What is gloss exactly?

Gloss is a property which occurs whenever the surface of a material is so smooth that the relief is smaller then the wavelength of visible light. Gloss is measured by recording the reflection of a ray of light falling on the material. That measurement of the reflection has to be done using the following rule: The angle of incidence is the angle of reflectivity. Gloss depends heavily on the angle from which the material is viewed. If an observer looks straight ahead at an object, that object will hardly have any gloss at all, but if he or she looks almost parallel along the material, gloss can be seen.

How do you measure gloss?

When measuring gloss, it is important that the angle is standardised. Typical angles are 20°, 60°, and 85°. For a high gloss, the gloss is usually measured with 20°, whilst for a lower gloss this is 60°.

Matt materials are measured with 85°. Apart from the method with remission, gloss can also be measured by comparing the amount of reflecting light with the amount of diffused light (this can be seen with different angles to the angle of reflection). The degree of gloss is expressed as a percentage. For instance, a high-gloss paint has a gloss level of over 85%, a semi-gloss paint about 70%, silky gloss 30%, and matt 0 to 15%.

What’s on the market ?

Blanchon A lacquer is invisible if the gloss level is below 4 or 5% when recorded at an angle of 60°. Invisible means it is hard to see if the wood is treated.

There is no legislation for the terminology.

There is a big demand for these lacquers in North-Western Europe, especially in the Benelux and Northern France, but less so in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

In Southern and Eastern Europe people tend to prefer satin gloss. The ratio, quality, and nature of the matting agents for getting invisible effects are decisive for the gloss level, ease of application, maintenance, etc. Agents should always be spread over the full thickness of the film to ensure the user doesn’t ‘walk off’ the effect over time. The relevant matting agents are certainly more expensive than those which stay on the surface. At Blanchon, the ‘star’ product is Intensive with its Natural Effect (3%!), then Invisible Effect (12%), and Ultra-matt (8%).

Another thriving product is Iceberg, which has had a successful launch and booming sales this year. With a gloss level of 4%, this product, too, easily qualifies as an invisible lacquer.

Chimiver ECOWOOD 2K is a two-component water-based polyurethane lacquer with natural wood look effect. The use of special resins gives to the flooring an extremely matt, natural and anti-reflection effect. Thanks to its special formulation ECOWOOD 2K is also suitable for coating light and dark wood species.

ECOWOOD 2K has also excellent chemical and physical characteristics and is suitable for heavy traffic floors.

Mattifying and protection Now, what did we ask the alchemist just now? ‘What medicines can you use to remove the annoying gloss from an excellent parquet lacquer without the lacquer losing its protective properties, and how do you protect the lacquer from those medicines?’ All varnishes are glossy without a matting agent. The dosage of the Ad M (matting additives) in the lacquer and the quality thereof have consequences for both the quality and the applications of the lacquer. A matt surface is relatively rough (at micro-level) and therefore also more vulnerable to scratches.

A matt surface is also more vulnerable to the adhesion of dirt due to that roughness. Due to the extra vulnerability to scratches and dirt adhesion, a matt surface wears out faster and is therefore ready for renovation sooner than a glossy (i.e. smooth) surface. In order to nullify the adverse aspects of a matt lacquer as outlined above, all sorts of additives are used and tricks are pulled out for recipes. These tricks and additives are often the reason why a matt lacquer is more expensive than a glossy one.

Ciranova Ciranova leads innovation in both on-site and pre-finished floors in natural and almost invisible oiled appearances, which are still growing in popularity and Ciranova is no exception here. However, for Ciranova such a finish isn’t proven unless it enhances the natural character of

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Invisible lacquers: who has them?

the wood in pale, coloured, and distressed finishes.

With the new PLUS range, Ciranova has the number one reference for invisible finishes for wood. This new range which has been developed amongst other things with an innovative self-matting and bio-based raw material has three different versions, depending on the client’s wishes.

Woodlook PLUS gives a light bleaching finish, Ecofix PLUS provides a natural finish, and Oculto PLUS yields a slightly intense finish. For industrial finishers Ciranova Industrial Finishes offers a customised UV oil system to suit the client’s wishes. Here, too, we can obtain the required matt finishes in combination with their water-based which ensure a natural undercoat.

DevoNatural® Apart from the standard matt lacquers, namely DevoNatural® Passage Matt, Finish Matt Oiled Aspect, and Transit Matt, Devomat also has the following ultra-matt and invisible varnishes in its assortment: DevoNatural® Passage Ultramatt and DevoNatural® Transit Plus Pure. At present, the invisible and matt lacquers are the most popular in the range of varnishes. The use of a greater quantity of matting agent normally has an influence on durability. However, DevoNatural® makes use of a new generation matting agent, which reduces this effect considerably. This, in combination with the conscious choice of superior quality in raw materials, means that the invisible DevoNatural® lacquers score better in the field of durability than most other similar lacquers on the market.

Pallmann Pallmann defines all lacquer with gloss level below 5 as ‘invisible’. In the last few years the demand of these type of lacquer is rising more and more. Some customers prefer to use an invisible lacquer over a matt oil because the cleaning and maintenance required is much lower

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than for oiled floors, while the optical effect remains the same.

Furthermore extramatt surfaces appear less affectable for visible scratches. As scratches in matt lacquer are optically less important.

The application of such lacquers is the same than for other lacquers.

Special attention to overlapping-effects for example is not required.

Processors should always pay attention to the correct application roller. After 5 hours the lacquer is walkable and recoatable and can be walked on after drying overnight. Final strength is achieved after approx. 7 days.

The two-component Pall-X Pure wood flooring lacquer with its special extra matt surface can give the “natural look” with the protection of an extraordinary lacquer with a high resistance to extreme mechanical and chemical wear.

RIGO Verffabriek The master lacquer makers of RIGO Verffabriek had been looking for a way to preserve the untreated appearance of wooden surfaces, when they developed SKYLT ORIGINAL. The invisible lacquer for pure wood enthusiasts.

SKYLT ORIGINAL provides invisible protection to matt and freshly sanded wood.

Whatever the light and from whatever angle you may look, you will not see any layers or lacquer. The untreated look is currently very popular and is making its way into more and more homes.

SKYLT is a water-based lacquer that is easy and quick to work with.

SKYLT is non-marking can also be applied to surfaces smoked oak flooring and patterned wood floors, and can be coated after a mere 3 to 4 hours. SKYLT need only be buffed before the final layer.

SKYLT ORIGINAL was developed especially for light surfaces, while SKYLT TITANIUM is particularly suitable for dark surfaces.

SKYLT can be combined with SKYLT Coatable 2K Colour Oil, allowing users to mimic the appearance of an oiled floor whilst retaining the strength and ease of maintenance of a lacquer.

∂ Industry news Domotex USA Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA), the organizer of DOMOTEX USA, announced today that after careful and thoughtful consideration, the trade show scheduled for March 1-3, 2021, will be postponed.

The decision to postpone the 2021 edition of the show was based upon several factors, including the results of extensive market research as well as ongoing global conditions. In the months following the 2020 event, an outside research firm conducted an in-depth market study including a survey and interviews with floor covering retailers, distributors and other flooring professionals (inclusive of previous DOMOTEX USA participants) intended to help the organization further understand the industry’s needs, with the ultimate goal of adding more value to the show experience. "We were pleased with the research results, which indicated a continued need and desire for the DOMOTEX brand in the U.S.," said Donna Busse, show director of DOMOTEX USA at HFUSA. "With this new insight, we look forward to using the remainder of 2020 and 2021 to develop a show that will incorporate strategic changes for an even better and improved experience for both exhibitors and attendees. "We would like to thank all stakeholders, partners and interested parties for your support of DOMOTEX USA and we look forward to welcoming you back at the next show," Busse concluded.

The new date and location for the next DOMOTEX USA will be shared when available. For updates and the most current information, visit www.domotexusa.com .

NOVOWOOD: MATERIA INFINITA Iperwood, originally founded as a company for the import of exotic timber, which later became a pioneer in the creation of wood bank protection, along with the University of Ferrara, has created NOVOWOOD, a mix of Wood Flour, HDPE and additives. The product achieved essential features for outdoor use, such as high resistance to weathering, lack of maintenance and versatility. Born from the need to remedy the intrinsic defects of natural wood, the WPC Novowood is the result of scientific research applied to building materials. Conceptually, a composite material benefits from the advantages of the "basic materials" that make it up, then you can create materials with hi-tech features and application areas significantly broadest. Novowood is used in the construction of floating flooring, pavings on frames, wall coverings, sun screens and other design elements, possessing a degree of workability comparable to the natural wood and an unparallel aesthetic finishing.

Novowood can provide innovative systems and solutions and is often used as a detail of architectural value for decking, cladding, louvers and sliding panels, giving to its customers also special under structure systems for many fields of application and thinking forward in order to

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achieve new goals through the design of innovative profiles.

We expect to keep growing our market quote during the next 3 to 5 years for cladding, ceiling and louvers systems, this is the reason why we are glad to announce that by the end of next month we will place our 4th EXTRUSION LINE in our factory based in Ferrara, where our technical team is always working deeply on products and solutions.

Thanks to an internal laboratory for tests on produced material, as for example dimensional test, breaking test for flexion and traction, absorption test, OIT test and a long term partnership together with the University, Novowood is able to supply safe products and competitive solutions.

Pallmann is looking for the best wood floor installers Pall-X 96 Wood Floor Cup started on 9 June 2020 Pallmann, internationally active manufacturer of products and systems for the new installation, renovation and maintenance of wood floors, is anouncing the 9.6. as the International Day of Woodfloor Lacquer and is launching a world championship for wood floor contractors. At the so-called Pall-X 96 Wood Floor World Cup, Pallmann is looking for the best reference projects worldwide, where great craftsmanship combined with the 1-component wood floor lacquer Pall-X 96 was used.

"Pall-X 96 has shaped the field of water-based systems and the success story of Pallmann like no other lacquer," claims Stefan Neuberger, Managing Director of Pallmann GmbH. "Since the end of 2019 we have been underlining the great importance of Pall-X 96 in our product range and in the wood flooring industry with various activities. However, with 9.6.2020 as the International Day of Wood Floor Lacquer and with the Wood Floor World Cup, we would like to pay tribute not only to our successful lacquer, but also and above all to the wood flooring trade", explains Neuberger.

23 countries are represented at the Pall-X 96 Wood Floor World Cup In an international competition, Pallmann is looking from June to November 2020 for the best wood floors finished with PALL-X 96 and which demonstrate the craftsmanship of the companies carrying out the work. Wood floor contractors and Pallmann customers from a total of 23 countries have the opportunity to compete themselves and their craftsmanship. With their reference project, the participants first take part in the national competition in their own country. The closing date for entries is 30 November 2020. In December 2020 a panel of industry experts will select the winner per country from all entries. All national winners will be announced by Pallmann at the beginning of 2021.

Grand finale on 9.6.2021 in Würzburg All national wiinners will be invited by Pallmann to the grand finale, which in turn is planned for 9.6.2021 in Würzburg. There, the world champions will be determined and duly celebrated among all present. All award-winning projects will also be presented internationally by Pallmann from January to June 2021 and communicated in the form of project reports, company portraits and interviews in all Pallmann chanels.

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Special

Tanzania

TANZANIA HAS LOTS OF FOREST, BUT NOT MUCH WOOD ILLEGAL CUTTING REMAINS A THREAT, BUT THE ‘CAVALRY’ IS COMING

Some initiatives are emerging here and there to safeguard the forests in Tanzania from complete disintegration. Indeed, as is the case in so many places, large areas of forest have been cut for years in order to create extra land for farming or to extract wood for the production of charcoal, the most important household source of energy for families. Tanzania has been a poor country for years and remains poor for the time being. Yet the country has loads of natural resources in the ground, the harvest of which is not shared. In the context of forest management lots of organisations have sprung into action. Let’s hope that the cavalry, for once, doesn’t arrive late.

Geography Tanzania borders on Kenya (769km) and Uganda (396km) in the north, Mozambique (756km), Malawi (475km), and Zambia (338km) to the south, and Congo (459km), Rwanda (217km), and Burundi (451km) in the west. Tanzania borders entirely on the Indian Ocean to the east and the other borders also consist largely of water: Lake Tanganyika in the west, Lake Victoria in the north-west, and Lake Malawi in the

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south-west, whilst the border with Mozambique comprises the River Rovuma. Tanzania has a total surface area of 945,087km² and that makes it 22.5 times bigger than the Netherlands and equally as big as France, Germany, and Belgium together. It is also the biggest country in East Africa. The longest distance from north to south (Moshi-Songea) is over 1300 kilometres and from east to west (Dar es Salaam-Kigoma) over 1600 kilometres.

Economic development Until the end of the 1970s, Tanzania was a shining example of a developing country, partly due to large amounts of development aid from abroad. However, early in the 1980s, economic decline set in as a result of price depressions on the world market for major export products such as coffee and cotton and with an underdeveloped transport and communication sector as the main cause. In 1986, the country signed a reform agreement with the IMF and the World Bank, in which the agricultural sector had to act as the base and driving force for development in other sectors. The liberalisation of the economy was set in motion and foreign investment was encouraged. However, development is still running extremely slowly.

The nineties In the late 1990s, the economy took a turn for the worse following a sharp drop in exports. In 1999, the IMF granted Tanzania the status of Heavily Indebted Poor Country. That led to a remission of foreign debt.

The economy is extremely vulnerable because it depends for a quarter on the farming sector. 80% of the working population operates in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, cattle breeding, and fisheries. Heavy rainfall or extreme drought result in severely diminished production which once again weakens economic growth. In the East African Development Strategy Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda have agreed that a customs union and a common market will be established.

A poverty-stricken country Tanzania is currently one of the poorest countries in the world and a fifth of the population lives below the poverty line. The majority of the poor are in the countryside, but the number of poor people in the towns and cities is also growing rapidly. It is estimated that only about half of the population has access to pure drinking water, whilst diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoea, and infections are very common.

Moreover, the high mortality is further adversely affected by aids; it is estimated that almost 10% of the population is seropositive, especially in the age group between 15 and 49. In recent years, the economy has grown on average by 6-7% per annum (2017). The GDP per head of population is $3,200 (2017).

Major sectors Agriculture The farming sector contributes about 23.4% to the GDP (2017) and provides employment for 66.9% of the working population. Apart from self-sufficiency, this sector also makes a big contribution to the export income. Most farmers have a plot of land of no more than two hectares. The major farming areas are the coastal plain, the areas with volcanic soil in the north around Tanga, Moshi, and Arusha. Then, there is also the area around Lake Victoria and the south-west.

Mining Mineral mining is in the hands of the State Mining Corporation, but it doesn’t yet contribute very much to the GDP, even though it is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Tanzanian economy. The soil in Tanzania contains a lot of minerals, including coal, iron ore, diamond, gold, Tanzanite, salt, gypsum nickel, and cobalt. Recently, companies from western countries have invested heavily in the mining sector.

For instance, the great gold mine of Bulyanhulu is in Canadian hands and a large portion of the profit disappears abroad. And so, the local communities get very little benefit and that has regularly led to riots and even bloody confrontations.

industry. The major buyers are India (especially cashew nuts) Kenya, China, South Africa, and the EU countries. The total value of export is five billion dollars.

Sustainable forest management is creeping in About 45% of the country (about 38.8 million hectares) is covered by forest, but this can be exploited in a commercially responsible manner only to a limited extent. Important wood sorts for export are ebony, mahogany, and sandalwood; by-products include bees wax, resin, and rubber. Since more and more land is being released for farming and the production of firewood and charcoal, deforestation is forming an increasingly big problem. The pressure being exerted on forests results in deforestation of an estimated 91,000 hectares per annum. In the agricultural sector soil degradation and erosion also constitute a major problem.

Projects bring relief Thankfully, on the initiative of various environmental organisations and NGOs, reforestation projects are being set up all over the country or alternatives are being created to the production of charcoal, so that illegal wood cutting can be reduced. An example is a project in the south where areas which cover more than 7,252 hectares (Uchindile) and 3,562 hectares (Mapanda) have been enriched with the planting of four sorts of trees: two sorts of eucalyptus and two sorts of pine.

The eucalyptus and pine trees are harvested every 13 and 21 years respectively and the wood is used for telegraph poles, furniture, and pallets. The net growth of the forest biomass in the course of the harvest cycle is controlled by satellite images from the geographic information system (GIS), personnel on the ground, and local residents.

Furthermore, a variety of exotic and native types of trees and local fruit sorts have been planted in order to increase diversity and also to benefit the health and resilience of the forest. The conservation of rare and threatened sorts of trees is an integral part of this project and the local communities are working together with the project developer to protect them.

Conclusion: Seeing that a lot of these projects have been set up, there is still hope for Tanzania.

Industry In 2017, the industrial sector accounted for 28.6% of the GDP. Industry is occupied primarily with the processing of agricultural products and is concentrated in Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Tanga, Arusha, Mwanza, Morogoro, and Dodoma. Furthermore, the country also has an oil and petroleum refinery and cement, fertiliser, tobacco, paper, and textile factories.

Export The government has interfered heavily in foreign trade in the past. And so, it was not until 1996 that the import and export restrictions which had been in force until then were lifted. Although the trade deficit is gradually diminishing, in 2017 it was still almost three billion dollars.

The following items are exported: coffee, cotton, cloves, tea, tobacco, cashew nuts, gold, diamond, sisal, and products from the processing

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Floor Forum International 110

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∂ Product news ESTAPARKET ESTAPARKET was one of the first manufacturers of portable sport floors for Olympic Games (London, 2012).

According to EN 14904 Sport Floor should preform well in the following properties: friction, shock absorption, ball bounce, rolling load, deformation. There are many innovative alternatives that are introduced every year, but wooden floors remain industry classic. When recyclability and reliability are vlaued, there is nothing to beat real-wood floors. The most widespread species for ESTAPARKET sport floors are Oak (natural grade) and Ash (Elite grade with no brownheart). These floors have calm natural wooden shades and sport lines are well visible on such floors.

ESTAPARKET has sport floors with 3.2 and 6 mm thick top layer, in parquet thicknesses 14-25 mm, 3 layer and birch plywood core constructions. Dependant of the requirments of the sport hall, specialists can choose the optimal construction.

NOVOWOOD: FLOATING DECKING SYSTEM With a long experience in the field of external flooring started from the nautical field and now available for residential and commercial use, Novowood has made several profiles and solutions for different kind of applications. Especially in those projects where it is not possible to drill the ground, as for example a terrace, Novowood can provide a complete system which contains adjustable jack supports and a double layer understructure that makes decking stable and safe.

Novowood is also able to provide support to the architects through its technical department and, if required, to give to the final client or the building company an installation layout and an estimation of the required quantity, by using an advanced software that calculates the exact dimension of the levelling support needed.

Decking can be finished on the edges with special profiles, made with Novowood or Aluminium, completely integrated and studied to make an unparallel aesthetic result to the entire project.

FUTURA FLOORS: SPECTACULAR HARDWOOD FLOORING – THE BEST RESPONSE FOR ANTI-BACTERIAL SURFACES Futura Floors hardwood is natural and organic, sourced from local woods. We pride ourselves for producing environmentally safe hardwood floor.

Our floor doesn’t attract any type of allergens, animal dander or mold. It is recommended by medical experts for patients suffering with allergies, asthma, and similar conditions. Hardwood flooring has much lower levels of chemical emissions and immensely improve indoor air quality over other flooring options. It is a healthy choice due to its hypo-allergic nature and does not trap unpleasant odors.

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Futura can produce any floor to suit your home decor with a lavishness of style, grain and color. It’s such an important organic material and the healthiest solution for your home – take advantage of this option and call Futura!

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TOVER Tover understood the growing importance of the resilient floor market and was able to seize this new opportunity by adding to its range of parquet adhesives a complete system for the installation of all these coverings. However, we focused on the most “noble” and most used: the LVT. First of all by offering a very resistant acrylic fiber adhesive, especially without waiting time: Tovcol LVT Fiber + for quick and safe installation of tiles on absorbent supports. But our MS polymer adhesives suitable for sticking in damp places like bathrooms and kitchens represent the real innovation: Tovcol MS LVT for the floor and Tovcol MS LVT Wall for vertical installation on the walls even inside the showers!

Tover is always at the forefront.

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