FFI 111 September 2020 by Media-Pact NV / FFI bvba

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° 111 September 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

In memoriam : our chief editor Ludwig Janssens

Special: Top German companies focused on export Special: Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood & composite wall cladding

We Say Recoating, They Say New Special: Lacquering machines on site

bona commercial system™ With the Bona Commercial System, you can completely transform worn and damaged resilient floors in linoleum, PVC, Vinyl, LVT, rubber and PU – without having to replace them. Our recoating method allows you to restore the floor’s beauty and prolong its life, with reduced downtime, at a much lower

Special:Colouring : oil or stain

cost.

bona.com

SPECIALIZED IMPORTER IN HIGH-END EXOTIC WOODS

DECKING OR CLADDING IN TROPICAL HARDWOOD: INFO@DENDERWOOD.COM

J. Cardijnstraat 3 - B-9420 Erpe-Mere - Belgium Tel: 0032 53 73 74 74 - Fax: 0032 53 73 74 75

www.denderwood.com

Het keurmerk voor verantwoord bosbeheer

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

In memoriam : our chief editor Ludwig Janssens

Resilient flooring is a steadily growing market yet care and renovation of these surfaces has seen little innovation and change. According to a study by The Freedonia Group, global demand for resilient flooring will grow to 3.9 billion square feet in 2022. Despite this significant market size, most facilities take an antiquated approach to refinishing and maintaining the surface.

Special: Top German companies focused on export Special: Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood & composite wall cladding

We Say Recoating, They Say New Special: Lacquering machines on site

Special:Colouring : oil or stain

cost.

bona.com

Floor Forum International n° 111 September 2020 Photo Bona

4 In memoriam : our chief editor Ludwig Janssens 6 Inside news 10 Advertorial Estaparket (EE) 11 Special Subfloors : part I 13 Special Producers of laminate floors in Hungarian Point and

heringbone style 15 Special Anti-slip finish for in and outdoors 18 Special Colouring : oil or stain 24 Advertorial Wintersteiger (D) 26 Special Suppliers of filling machines 28 Special Elastic adhesives 33 Special Lacquering machines on site 35 Special Producers of Versailles panels 38 Special Sanding machines : part I 42 Special Producers of distressing machines / brushes 45 Special Outdoor floors: care and maintenance 48 Special Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood &

composite wall cladding 52 Advertorial Progress Profiles (I) 53 Industry news 54 Special Top German companies focused on export 58 Product news

Leveraging over a century of experience in wood floor treatment, Bona has innovated a sustainable and efficient solution. The Bona Photo – Bona Commercial System™ is a cost-saving and environmentally minded system for the renovation and maintenance of resilient flooring - including linoleum, PVC, Vinyl, LVT, rubber and PU - frequently found in hospitals, schools, retail stores and other large commercial locations. Traditionally, when these surfaces are worn, dirty or outdated, facilities either initiate a time-intensive process of stripping the floors and adding multiple layers of VOC-intense polish or, they tear out and replace the floors, often causing non-decomposable material to end up in landfills. Both processes are expensive and cause significant downtime. “Renovating resilient surfaces with the Bona Commercial System can cut labor and downtime in half. And with regular maintenance, the facility will never have to use toxic floor stripping products ever again,” explains Lars Högwall, Director of New Business Development EMEA/ APAC at Bona. “Best of all, we are keeping tons of chemical waste out of waterways and massive amounts of non-decomposable resilient material out of landfills.” A life-cycle analysis conducted by IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute, in cooperation with Bona, shows that refinishing of wooden and PVC flooring saves both natural resources and carbon dioxide. “It goes without saying that the environmental impact will be less when refinishing the floors. You grind away less than a millimeter of existing varnish and flooring and re-install the surface layer, instead of adding several hundred kilos of new wood flooring or vinyl plastic”, says IVL’s Fredrik Tegstedt. On top of cutting costs, labor, and environmental impact, the system is highly effective against bacteria and microorganisms. Earlier this year, Bona and the German IFR Institute tested it on LVT flooring, examining if a smooth, joint-free surface, as set out in the rules of the German TRBA standard, could be created by overcoating with resilient lacquer, Bona Pure. The test area was divided into two sections: one which was coated with Bona Pure, and one which was left untreated. After eight weeks, the part of the floor not treated with Bona Pure showed high levels of contamination. While the part treated with Bona Pure showed hardly any. To prove the test results further, the LVT planks were removed to test for signs of contamination below the surface. On the untreated area, a high level of contamination was found below the planks, due to penetration through the joints. The area treated with Bona Pure showed almost no signs of contamination, thanks to its protective layer which seals each joint. “The Bona Commercial System is a true innovation for the building, flooring, and maintenance industries,” continues Högwall. “By offering a clean, sustainable option for floor renovation it ultimately will not only save facilities money but will also create a healthier environment.”

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

Publisher Filip De Ridder

Editors: Ludwig Janssens †, Jean Paul Talbot, 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.

In memoriam Farewell to a good friend and the driving force behind Floor Forum International, our chief editor

Ludwig Janssens In memoriam … our friend

The entire Floor Forum International team is in mourning. Last month, we heard that our chief editor Ludwig Janssens had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. His death is a sad loss for his family and friends, but for us as well. In this article we pay tribute to this creative and talented all-rounder, who was one of the driving forces behind Floor Forum & Floor Forum International for over 20 years. Ludwig grew up in Mechelen and went to school at Sint-Rombouts College, where he studied Greek and Latin. And so, it was no coincidence that quotations in Latin featured regularly in his texts. Ludwig was a creative spirit. His old school reports testified to that: ‘Ludwig is too playful and still doesn’t take his studies seriously enough. And so, obviously, his results suffer. We hope that he will take his work more seriously in the future.’ Yet at the same time he always got full marks for kindness, honesty, and helpfulness. That’s the Ludwig whom we’ve always known.

Love for the catering sector

After his humanities studies, Ludwig intended to study for a degree in law, but those plans were thwarted by his love of cuisine. Ludwig discontinued his studies and committed himself heart and soul to his own restaurant in Leuven. Ludwig followed that up with a few other catering establishments, but finally he settled at the Wingerd, a fish restuarant in Vismarkt in Mechelen (B).

Proverba

In the restaurant, however, Ludwig could not express all his creativity to the full. He also readily took up his pen, and that’s why he set up the editorial office Proverba, concentrating mainly on trade journals. For many years he wrote about fire prevention for the Fireforum Magazine. Furthermore, he not only started work for the magazines Floor Forum and Floor Forum International, but also he discovered that our Il Nostro Ristorante magazine was right up his street, as was our consumer publication Parket & Laminaat. That proved to be a fruitful partnership which lasted over 20 years and meant a lot both to him and to us.

Talented writer

Ludwig was a naturally gifted writer. A former school classmate told us the following anecdote. ‘I met Ludwig when I was fourteen. I sat next to him at school for one term. One Monday morning, Ludwig suddenly realised that he’d forgotten to write an essay. He took out a double sheet and wrote the essay in full in under 15 minutes. A few days later, he found that his essay was given a ten, whilst I had to content myself with a six for my weekend essay.’

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Flowing texts

Readers greatly appreciated Ludwig’s flowing written style. His interesting and informative texts were often seasoned with a touch of wit or personal experiences, and that made his writing all the more pleasant to read. His contribution and commitment were major factors in Floor Forum International success as one of the world’s most respected trade journals within the sector.

His own novel

His passion for writing extended beyond trade journals. Recently, he had also started writing fiction. He devoted himself to the latter in Croatia, a place close to his heart. Last year, he spent several months on the Adriatic coast to work on his own novels amidst the peace and quiet. His first book was largely complete and his children are planning to publish it.

On and around the tennis court

Ludwig had another major love in his life. He was a big tennis fan. Although he’d hung up his tennis racquet some years ago due to health reasons, he could still be found almost every day on the tennis club terrace. Moreover, he was also chairman of Hombeek Tennis Club in Mechelen for 10 years, something to which he devoted himself fully.

Determined, and sometimes too much so

Ludwig was always adamant that he was right. He liked to use his wit to argue for his point of view, but on occasions he did go a bit too far. A story told by a friend testifies to this. ‘We witnessed such a moment during a trip with family and friends to the renowned restaurant of TV chef Piet Huysentruyt, Likoké, in the South of France. On the way to France, Ludwig proudly told us he had already savoured Piet’s culinary skills. Indeed, some years earlier, he’d eaten in Piet Huysentruyt’s De Snippe restaurant in Bruges. After an excellent meal in every respect, Ludwig mentioned this to the wine steward, who happened to be Piet Huysentruyt’s son. The young man replied cautiously and politely: ‘But, sir, I’d be very surprised if that’s true; as far as I know, my father’s never had a restaurant in Bruges.’ Ludwig replied with his customary forcefulness: ‘It’s true, I’ve been there. It was the De Snippe restaurant in Bruges.’ Once again, Mr Huysentruyt junior displayed all his patience and etiquette and said: ‘But, sir, I’m really not sure about that. My father’s never had a restaurant in Bruges.’ After a further lengthy exchange of views in which Mr Huysentruyt junior showed remarkable patience, Ludwig remarked suddenly with a touch of arrogance and a little pointedly: ‘Yes, but how old are you? It was probably before your time.’ Whilst Mr Huysentruyt junior gave a look of astonishment, Ludwig’s son and Ludwig’s best friend both searched frantically on their smart phones to check this out. The De Snippe restaurant in Bruges certainly does exist! The manager is no one less than, yes, Luc Huysentruyt. However, he is not related to our famous Piet and has no connection with him. Ludwig’s friends and family never let him forget that moment! The passion with which he argued his unproven point was typical of Ludwig.’

A few words from Filip

Ludwig, it’s not easy to say goodbye. We had loads of discussions during our 20 years of working together. You inspired me, you asked questions. You often called me a simpleton, usually in jest, but sometimes rightfully so. Sometimes, you were angry because one of our clients hadn’t sent their information, and when I telephoned to ask when you’d have a text ready, it was in my mail box before I knew it. A super writer, a man with charisma, a most pleasant character, always ready, always with a dash of wit. A go-getter like no other, one of the reasons why we got on well, a true friend! You’ll always live on in my heart. We’ll meet again, wherever you are, but we’ll have to wait a while, buddy? Rest in peace, I think you’ve more than earned it. Your publishing chum.

Ludwig, many people’s ‘best friend’. We miss him, not only as our chief editor, but just as much as a man.

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∂ Inside news RECTIFICATION Renzo Srl & FNT Trabattoni Stampi

Our editorial article ‘Mechanical Distressing’ in Floor Forum International edition 110 included content which was open to misunderstanding. We refer in that article to two companies Renzo Borgonovo Srl & FNT Trabattoni Stampi and incorrectly give the impression that both companies produce machines to distress floors using a roller. In fact, Borgonovo produces embossing machines, whilst FNT makes embossing rollers. There was also mention of cold embossing with the use of pulp. To avoid any misunderstanding we would like to stress that this technique is not used on parquet.

Futura Floors Andreas Federkeil, new sales representative Futura Floors presents Andreas Federkeil, a sales and distribution expert for more than 25 years, who joined as a sales representative for the areas of Austria, Northern Bavaria and Northern Italy. “Sales is not about selling, but about building relationships and trust,” says Federkeil, adding that he values “transparency, respect and reliability”. His new role at Futura Floors is characterised by broadmindedness and a spirit of partnership. Coming from a background of renewable energy, Federkeil successfully combined sales and sustainability. He worked with numerous sales partners from Italy, Germany and Austria. As a reliable partner for more than 15 years at the BMW Group, he effectively applied his practical sales and marketing skills. Futura welcomes Andreas to our team! www.futurafloors.com

EPLF enlarges its membership with Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO EPLF, the association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring, recently welcomed Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO, as a new Supporting Member of the association. “As president of EPLF, I’m delighted to welcome Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO as one of our members. Product testing is a key area for the laminate industry as it is committed to providing customers with the highest quality products, while ensuring a reduced environmental impact.” Max von Tippelskirch (Swiss Krono Group) said. “We, at Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO, are very pleased to be joining EPLF as supporting

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members. Our collaboration with the association will surely lead to great projects that will benefit both the organisation and its members”, Marc Lor, Managing Director at Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO, stated. The Belgium-based company Servaco Product Testing - Joint Venture with VITO was launched in March 2019. It provides laboratory and consulting services in the market of product emission testing and volatile organic compounds reduction performance testing. The product emission tests analyse the impact of all sorts of building, consumer products, and materials on indoor air quality. With this new addition to the association, EPLF has now 16 ordinary members, 24 associate members, and 11 supporting members.

EPLF - Sustainability and circularity EPLF adopts a new mission, vision and logo The members of the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) adopted a new vision, mission and logo. After celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019, members decided to revisit the purpose of the association to ensure continued relevance given the context they operate in today and their ambition for the laminate flooring industry. A new vision Max von Tippelskirch (Swiss Krono Group), Chairman of the Board, stated that “The new vision of EPLF, ‘enabling a sustainable laminate flooring industry’, expresses our ambition to support our members in continuously improving the sustainability and circularity of their products and processes; provide them with market and policy insights to inform their strategies and adapt to an ever more green-conscious consumer. This shift will guide our future choices in terms of activities or services to our members”. A new mission With its new mission, ‘raise awareness about the benefits of laminate flooring and represent the interests of the European Producers of Laminate Flooring’, EPLF aims to strengthen the reputation of laminate flooring, by raising awareness around its core characteristics (made with wood, sustainable, circular) and focus on its members. To do so, EPLF will: - EDUCATE by providing information on the product and the industry - PROMOTE the reputation of laminate flooring and the industry - LEVERAGE the wealth of expertise of the network - FOSTER the highest quality for laminate flooring through standardisation. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

FN Neuhofer - Investment in a new plastic suction system With the investment in a new plastic suction system, FN Neuhofer is coming another step closer to realising its 2025 Vision. “Based on the persisting trend of LVT floor covers, water-resistant plastic skirting boards are once more moving into the focus, which is why we are massively expanding this area,” says CEO Franz Neuhofer. “For FN Neuhofer, customer service comes first, which is why we always take a close look at the particular customer wishes and offer them the fitting solutions,” explains Neuhofer. The digital fingerprint “FN digiprint” also plays a central role. That is because it enables producing skirting boards, floor profiles, door frame profiles, etc. with the absolute identical décor as the floor. A big advantage is also the quick and flexible implementation of all possible ideas. This not only saves lots of time but also reduces the costs. Another procedure in this area

concept terrace to clip. invisible fixations. perfect finishes.

∂ Inside news surface possible on skirting and floor profiles. The production capacity in the plastic skirting segment after the expansion will be at 26.4 million running metres per year. The total production capacity of all plants adds up to 165 million running metres per year.

MMFA welcomes Fair Underlay as new Associate Member

is “FN digi-direct” - digital direct printing. Here, the most varied carrier materials such as plastics, aluminium or hardwood can be printed directly – without the further involvement of paper or veneer, which would then, in turn, have to be glued onto the carrier. A new workflow comes along with this, which allows for the smallest lot sizes in the shortest of delivery periods. The flexibility also reapplies to the profile lengths. The endless production of the plastic carrier also facilitates the production of custom lengths. Moreover, the surface structure can be produced in 3D haptics. A special procedure makes this relief-type

MMFA, the Multilayer Modular Flooring Association is pleased to announce that Fair Underlay joined the association as a new Associate Member. Matthias Windmöller (Windmöller), President of MMFA, highlighted that Fair Underlay is a valuable addition to the MMFA and continued: “MMFA especially appreciates Fair Underlay’s innovative approach when it comes, for example, to combining digital technology such as mobile apps with its products.” “At Fair Packaging, we are delighted that Fair Underlay has joined MMFA and look forward to mutually beneficial exchanges with the other members of the association to further sharpen our expertise,” Mateusz Pretki, Chief Executive Officer at Fair Packaging, stated. Fair Underlay is part of Fair Packaging and is the leading European manufacturer of professional grade natural rubber underlays. Its production plant and logistic centre

DESIGN-STEP stair nosing system

Starke Verbindung Kluge Technik Strong contacts Clever technology

DESIGN-STEP clip section 330

DESIGN-STEP screw section 331

• Designed for covering thicknesses 4 to 6.5 mm. • Optional clip or screw attachment. • High stability and resilience. • Simple, quick installation. Carl Prinz GmbH & Co. KG • von-Monschaw-Straße 5 • 47574 Goch

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web: www.carlprinz.de • mail: service@carlprinz.de • phone: +49 (0) 28 23 / 97 03-0

∂ Inside news are located in west Poland (Posnan region). The company has been developing competences in the field of flooring standards and their requirements since 2003. In 2016, they established their own test laboratory to evaluate important product parameters and performances. Each year, the company produces 25 million of square meters of high-quality underlays with focus on performance and parameters fulfilling the most rigorous requirements of European floor manufacturers. With the help of market analyses and a customer-oriented approach the rising Polish brand develops unique products with an excellent price-performance ratio. With this new addition, the MMFA now has 25 ordinary members (producers of MMF flooring or their European representations), 29 associate members (supplier companies) and three supporting members (scientific institutes).

well-known short plank and tile format, MeisterDesign. comfort is now also available in the trendy and popular long plank format. Odourless and without any plastifiers the design flooring MeisterDesign is the healthy living answer to conventional vinyl flooring. MeisterDesign has all the advantages of vinyl flooring (durability, ease of maintenance and elasticity), but manages completely without the primarily ecological and technical disadvantages. It has been awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel and is 100% made in Germany.

Denderwood / DDW Hardwoods Denderwood and DDW Hardwoods are specialist importers of tropical hardwood. As of 1 October, Steven Creemers is joining their commercial sales team. Do not hesitate to contact him if you have any questions about sawn, glued, or planed material for indoor and outdoor uses. Steven’s expertise, which he has built up during his 13 years with Mapo Belgium, can only benefit our sector!

Proligna

www.progressprofiles.com

PATE NTED A workmanlike tiling anywhere, everywhere for any type of outdoor raised flooring.

A new location, a new step for Proligna! Proligna was founded a few years ago by the Roos family, as a family business we specialize in the production of parquet and other wood related products. The family character of our company ensures that we are very flexible and can respond to the specific requirements of our customers. A logical step in this whole process was the entry into our new office and warehouses in Rotselaar. By taking care of the warehouse and transport ourselves, we can guarantee a fast and smooth delivery to our customers, quality and service are after all our biggest assets.

MeisterDesign. comfort The authentic flooring with an extra cork layer The design flooring MeisterDesign. comfort features a double layer of cork and thus offers the best footfall noise protection so that an additional sound-absorbing cushion is not necessary. This floor covering is so quiet, easy on the joints and warm to the foot that it is perfectly suitable for all living areas, especially for children’s rooms. Besides the

PROSUPORT TUBE SYSTEM ED

PRORAIL SYSTEM ED

NT PATE

PROSUPORT SLIM SYSTEM ED

NT PATE

ANTI-NOISE AND ANTI-SLIP DISK FIX SIDE

SELF - LEVELING SIDE

PRORAIL PROFILE

PRORAIL RET

LEVELLER

PRORAIL RING

PRORAIL RUBBER BASE WITH FLAPS 2 mm

PRORAIL SPACER 02

PRORAIL SPACER 04

BASE WITH FLAPS 4 mm

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Advertorial

Estaparket (EE)

ESTAPARKET INTRODUCES TWO NEW COLLECTIONS In order to support our customers also with smaller orders, we have developed a Stock Program with decors following latest design trends and mainly finished using innovative 5% gloss lacquer system.

Veneered floors from 100% wood Estaparket is pleased to present NOVA Collection – veneered floors from 100% wood.

The program will cover most of the popular designs in Oak, Ash and Walnut, in 3-strip, 1-strip and also in herringbone pattern. The Stock program allows us to minimize production expenses and give our customers best possible price. We have also developed a new display system, new Stock Collection brochure and visualization possibility to strengthen our brand strategy.

Try Estaparket floor virtually in your room

Nova collections includes only wood of high selection and offers real wood flooring at affordable price range. The product is fully natural and no artificial materials such as plastic, MDF or HDF are used in the board construction.

The visualisation tool is developed to support our agents, resellers and also end customers with interior design decisions. With this new tool you can simply snap a photo of your room, upload it and try out which Stock Collection wood flooring design is best for your interior. The tool is really easy to use and the end result can be saved and shared, so that the everyone can have a say, before the final decision is made. Discover our new Stock Collection brochure and find your perfect floor using our Visualiser tool!

NOVA Collection includes two different types of veneered wood flooring: NOVA – 4-layer flooring with Unilin Click system. - 1.5 mm birch veneer bottom layer - 9 mm spruce strips for the core layer - 3 mm hardwood top layer, that gives the flooring its physical & mechanical properties - 0.5 mm hardwood top layer of A grade veneer selection for decorative properties NOVA PRO – birch plywood multilayer construction and T&G - Birch multilayer plywood - 0.5 mm decorative top layer Wood Species available in NOVA Collection: Oak, Walnut and Ash, all in A grade (select) selection. Nova with the classic click installation is 14 mm in thickness. Nova PRO is produced upon order and it can be in different plywood thickness – in minimum thickness for glue down installation or on thicker plywood for installation on beams. Flooring will have our usual superb finish, that can be in clear lacquer, UV-oil or in color selected from our wide variety of designs. For more information please visit us on www.estaparket.eu

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Special

Subfloors : part I

SUBFLOORS FOR FLOOR COVERINGS A RAPID TOUR OF THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM

Photo – Bona

A subfloor along with substrate preparation, is one element in wooden floor fitting which disappears from sight once a floor is complete. Whether we talk about moisture resistance, levelling, acoustic refinement, or a combination of all those goals, a subfloor still directly affects the quality of the final floor. In other words, it is absolutely vital. Two developments stand out. Firstly, there is the emergence of universal subfloors and, secondly, subfloors designed for a specific case. This time we give a rapid summary snapshot, but in future editions we’ll zoom in.

Clients deserve an explanation! There are certainly more jobs in the construction industry where the final assignment is preceded by a lot of preparation. Take painting, for instance. Painters are often occupied for several days with all sorts of repair jobs before they can put a stroke of paint on the wall. It’s exactly the same with fitting parquet. Preparing a substrate and fitting a mezzanine floor sometimes take up as much time as the final floor fitting itself. Both work and materials show up on the bill. Clients deserve an explanation for those extra costs. Floor fitters should explain why those preliminary operations are so necessary.

Photo – Bona

The substrate Before we present the various sorts of subfloors, it would seem helpful to outline the elementary conditions which the substrate has to meet. Lots of parquet producers put these conditions forward as a guarantee condition.

Dry The fact that the screed and the floorboards have to be checked for their moisture content in advance is absolutely basic. You could call it a basic condition. Floor fitters have at their disposal various measuring instruments for this purpose.

Flat The subfloor onto which a wooden floor is fitted has to be flat. There is sometimes a certain lack of clarity about the term ‘flatness’. It is certainly important to realise that not even a new screed necessarily meets the flatness requirements for fitting parquet.

Solid It might seem obvious that the substrate has to be solid, but this is often taken with a pinch of salt. A grain illustrates perfectly what

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Special

Subfloors : part I

‘solidarity’ means. With a glued fitting, the glue is applied with a jagged spatula. If the screed isn’t solid enough, there is a risk of grit or grains coming loose from the screed and getting mixed into the glue. Obviously, that is disastrous for a qualitative fitting.

Clean When we use the word clean, this means that all possible residue of adhesive, paint, plaster, grease, oil, and dust should be removed completely. The substrate has to be completely free of all those elements. The slightest infringement can impede the glueing.

What does the subfloor do? Now that we have outlined the requirements for the substrate, we can immediately answer the question about all the things which a subfloor can do.

Damp screen A floor needs protection against possible rising damp. This protection can consist of a fluid damp screen (epoxy primers) or damp foils. Apart from these chemical damp screens, there are various sorts of waterproof foils. They can be applied in combination with subfloors which, in turn, serve a different purpose. More and more subfloors are already fitted with damp screen (waterproof) foil so that the fitting can go ahead in one motion.

Levelling Levelling can be done perfectly well with a levelling agent or levelling compound. A levelling agent is generally fluid and self-levelling. The fact that most levelling compounds set very quickly means that very little time is lost. Levelling compounds are suitable for floating and glued fitting. However, for a floating fitting it is also possible to fit a levelling subfloor. The market offers several wood products (plates) for this purpose. Apart from wooden subfloors, we also find soft subfloors (in panel form or in rolls) with a very high levelling capacity.

Sound refinement As we have said, the subfloor has to be dry, flat, solid, and clean. Those are basic requirements. In addition, it might also be necessary

Photo – STEICO

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to improve the acoustics. Subfloors which refine the sound can exert an influence on airborne sounds or impact sounds or both. Airborne sounds are vibrations reproduced by the source of a sound in the air e.g. the human voice, the radio, music, a running engine, and such like. On the other hand, impact sounds are created between materials. Typical impact sounds in buildings, for instance, are footsteps, a sliding chair, or the hanging of a frame.

Multifunctional or specialist For both floating and glued fittings we are seeing the emergence of more and more subfloors which combine as many functions as possible. Various subfloors in rolls (for floating fitting) combine certain (foam) synthetics and a damp screen so that various goals can be achieved in one sweep e.g. levelling, moisture resistance (via an integrated damp screen), or sound insulation. Furthermore, there are subfloors which are designed specifically for a specific application. That can relate to extra sound refinement, fire resistance, floor heating, etc. Food for thought for the next few editions!

One specialist STEICO 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

Special

Producers of laminate floors in Hungarian Point and heringbone style

‘EVERYONE’ IS TURNING BACK TO OLD FITTING PATTERNS HERRINGBONE AND HUNGARIAN POINT IN LAMINATE AND DESIGN FLOORS Plank floors and strip parquet have enjoyed a wide and varied public in the course of history. Those wooden floors were found both amongst wealthy classes and in cloisters or mansions and in ordinary working class homes. In the past, special fitting patterns were the preserve of those who could give themselves a treat, and that’s still the case today. It’s no wonder that floor makers who rely on ‘ imitation’ have included these patterns in their range. Two years ago, ‘ herringbone’ was a hit as a theme at Domotex 2019 and emerged as a universal fitting pattern in all forms of floor technology.

different click system for the ends of a plank than for the length, you can’t have a herringbone pattern or Hungarian point. And so, the click system all round has to be the same. Nowadays, manufacturers are concentrating on providing assistance and helping to speed up the fitting.

Two specialists Aspecta

From ‘exclusive’ to ‘common use’ Parquet came within reach of ‘ordinary’ people with the industrial revolution. In the 20th century, after World War I, parquet production generally blossomed. The refined technical infrastructure and not least the first four-sided planing machine yielded much higher production capacity. As a result, manufacturers could meet the growing demand for parquet for private dwellings and flats. From then on, the Parisian bourgeoisie played a big part in spreading herringbone and Hungarian point. Over the last 30 years, both patterns have briefly gone out of fashion; they were seen as antiquated and totally outmoded. Yet today they are emerging again in highly unusual interior combinations and, especially, in many other forms of technology such as laminate, LVT, and linoleum.

Laminate and LVT Once you can take digital photographs and print just about all materials, there would seem to be no limits any more. Embossing does the rest. And so, old fitting patterns are also appearing in imitation floors. This means a fascinating shift: the degree of difficulty for completing such floors is transferred from the professional to the maker. In the past, producers supplied slats 6 or 9mm thick, neat and straight. Completion from the assembly to the finish was for the professional. Nowadays, however, the innovative element is found more in the floor covering than in the fitting.

In rolls Flexible floors in rolls can take on any appearance. That means that any fitting pattern imaginable can be pressed onto vinyl, PVC, linoleum, or even cork. Nothing is simpler in terms of production.

Planks or tiles It’s a different story when you want to imitate individual floorboards which then have to be laid in the corresponding fitting pattern. Obviously, the click system then plays a crucial part. If there is a

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Our Elemental by Aspecta brand continues to grow! The exciting new Elemental by Aspecta collection update which you can’t ignore. This collection features five different sizes. A XL-Plank, Chevron, Herringbone, Squared Tile and Rectangular tiles with unique designs in fashionable colors. The full collection is available in Dryback (Glue down) and Multilayer (Click) flooring. Unique formats such as herringbone and chevron in light and bright colors, which can be easily and quickly installed into both traditional and contemporary settings. The XL Plank creates an impressive large-scale effect on the floor. The result is truly stunning, especially in the lighter, on-trend tones (available in 14 different colors). With its in-register embossing for heightened depth and authenticity, the XL Plank is a sophisticated look to multiple settings. This collection is available in an 2.5 mm

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Special

Producers of laminate floors in Hungarian Point and heringbone style

Dryback and a 8 mm Multilayer design flooring which features a 0.55 wear layer coated with the Duraspect Extreme Surface Protectant™. For unrivaled abrasion resistance and stain repellency. A Pre-attached HDPE underlayment comes with the Multilayer flooring, which provides sound mitigation and enhanced comfort underfoot. Suitable for private houses and project market segments.

top layer and is suitable for fitting in commercial rooms (class 32). This floor will be available in retail stores from the start of September 2020 at the recommended price of €39.95 per square metre.

Meister ‘MEISTER herringbone laminate M6’: four authentic oak laminate floors Herringbone floors have traditionally been stylish floors with a warm and authentic look. After the successful introduction of MEISTER PS500 herringbone parquet floors, MEISTER believes it is time for a successful heir in laminate. To that end they have developed four oak floors which fit in perfectly with current decorative trends. This userfriendly and authentic herringbone laminate floor comes perfectly into its own in both rustic and modern homes. The top quality synchronous structure of the pores and fine micro-joint all round give this floor a top quality and natural look. Moreover, the special Diamond Pro surface ensures greater scratch resistance and is highly resistant to chemicals. Moreover, apart from the aesthetic aspect, MEISTER has also considered fitting convenience. Thanks to the licensed Unizip click system, there is no longer any hint of a plank A and a plank B. From now on, this MEISTER herringbone laminate floor can be fitted with one type of plank. This helps the fitter to fit the floor faster and reduces cutting waste for end consumers. In short, this is a win-win situation for everyone. This new herringbone collection is available in the following size: 620 x 155 x 8mm. Moreover, this floor also has an anti-static

MEISTER herringbone laminate M6 in the oak champagne design (7001)

THE MOST AUTHENTIC LUXURY VINYL FLOORING EVER! T +31 (0) 88 1662500

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E info@elementalbyaspecta.com

W www.elementalbyaspecta.com

Special

Anti-slip finish for in and outdoors

SLIP HAZARD ON WOODEN FLOORS AND TERRACES MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL OPERATIONS CAN REDUCE THE RISKS

Photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Osmo

Safety is assessed and regulated completely differently in public areas than in the private sphere. Whilst business operators must ensure that their workers are protected as much as possible from the risk of slipping during work, it is of no concern to legislators if private individuals want

to risk falling on their faces from time to time on slippery or shiny floors or staircases. This is quite paradoxical since the risks in private dwellings could be greater than those in the workplace. That is perhaps a responsibility for floor fitters?

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Special

Anti-slip finish for in and outdoors

Slipping … so clumsy! Many people often take a dim view of slipping. The banana skin joke is never far away and accidents involving slipping are usually attributed to ‘carelessness’ on the part of the victim. Nevertheless, that is rather short sighted! The number of accidents each year as a result of ‘slipping’ is hallucinatory. Slips are said to account for 10 to 50% of all industrial accidents, depending on the study in question. About eight million working days are lost in France each year as a result of slipping. The fact is that all studies relate to ‘recorded’ incidents; this means that these figures relate solely to accidents which occur at work or which have been registered in a public area or on a public road. Anything which happens ‘at home’ on the terrace and around the swimming pool is seldom disclosed in public.

Slipping as a concept The slip resistance of a ‘dry’ floor is induced by the microscopic surface structure of the flooring material (BBRI). The rougher a floor is, the more rigid it feels. In dry conditions the rigidness of a floor largely depends on the ‘heel effect’. This is the effect whereby shoe sole material gets hooked to the unevenness of the floor surface. And so, the ductility of that surface and of the footwear also play a part. After all, some of a person’s kinetic energy is converted into distortion so that the movement itself is blocked. That is precisely why people wearing rubber soles are less likely to slip than those wearing leather soles, for instance. In the case of a damp floor the slippery surface is caused by the fact that it is difficult to get a grip because the water cannot drain fast enough. Therefore, the fluid prevents the sole from getting a good grip on the floor surface.

What affects the slip resistance? The BBRI has used two measuring methods to investigate what the most significant factors are in slip resistance.

film-forming treatment to protect a floor can certainly have significant consequences for slip resistance.

Chemical actions With mechanical operations (e.g. creating slopes or sandblasting) it is possible, for instance, to influence the dampness or roughness of a wooden floor. Actions suitable for doing that can be used mainly for (outdoor) terraces. There are various possible chemical actions for both in and outdoors.

Indoors The parquet industry has adopted solutions from the chemical industry, especially regarding the finish of wooden floors or wooden staircase steps. Whether we mean a finish with lacquer or oil, the addition of certain additives can drastically reduce the slipperiness of a floor surface.

Outdoors Some stains act simultaneously as a protective finish for outdoor wood and as security against slipping. For instance, there is one producer which has a transparent, silky gloss, and anti-slip stain based on solvents. This stain feeds and protects terrace wood, but it also makes it anti-slip through the presence of an anti-slip grain. We found another solution in a dual-component polyurethane product which, after the addition of a third component, is sprayed into the groove of a plank. During the setting process, the polyurethane is sprinkled with quartz sand to obtain a narrow and rigid line.

An overview Blanchon

Roughness of the floor surface The roughness of the floor surface is an extremely important factor for slip resistance. The rougher the surface is, the greater the slip resistance. And so, there are various methods which endeavour to make a floor less slippery by making it rougher.

Displacement space Another important factor for slip resistance is the so called displacement space. This is the amount of material (e.g. dirt, oil, or water) which can be applied to a surface without covering the tops of the profilings. This is expressed in cm3/dm2.

Completion level of a floor tile The completion level of a floor tile also affects the slip resistance. The more a floor is polished, the lower the slip resistance becomes. However, this also depends on the structure of the material.

Wear Floors which were originally quite rough can become extremely slippery as a result of wear. That wear can be attributed to a combination of use (footsteps) and (fine) dust. Whether or not a floor becomes slippery as a result of wear depends largely on the environmental conditions. For instance, floors in dwellings on the coast usually become less slippery in the course of time than floors in buildings in regions with loamy soil.

Surface treatments and slip resistance Test results show that impregnation agents and pore fillers have only a negligible effect on the slip resistance of floors. A

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To understand this issue clearly, we need to know the difference between ‘slipping’ (sliding sideways when completing a movement) and ‘slipping over’ (falling over). There is a European standard for the former. The issue with outdoor terraces is that, apart from being walked on, they are also exposed to the weather, UV rays, and differences in temperature. If a terrace is dry, it is certainly not slippery. However, damp wood certainly can be slippery and terrace manufacturers soon found a solution by making terrace wood ribbed (a natural solution subject to regular maintenance). Unlike an anti-slip lacquer, which achieves its effect with added mineral particles, an oil cannot be made anti-slip in the same way. Blanchon believes that the aforementioned natural solution is to be recommended in combination, if necessary, with anti-slip strips. It is assumed that a finish for parquet and steps is non-slip and that real anti-slip treatments are meant for sports floors and for certain high-traffic public places. The anti-slip effect of finishes is obtained through the addition of tiny particles with a measured grain thickness. The load of grains should yield a perfectly uniform spread (so shaking them first is necessary). For some industrial applications it will be necessary to ‘sprinkle’ the grains into the first layer when it is still wet. These finishes derive their durability, amongst other things, from the fact that qualitative products are used as the base. Since a renovation immediately also means complete sanding, the aim is obviously to give these finishes the longest possible lifespan.

Chimiver

and has a slip-resistant effect after drying. Both coatings are based on natural oils and repel water. The microporous coat will not crack, peel or flake.

Pallmann

ECOSTAR 2K SPORT is a two-component water-based polyurethane lacquer for sportive wooden floors. ECOSTAR 2K SPORT has same technical characteristics of our standard ECOSTAR 2K; it has been formulated in order to meet the highest anti slip standard requirements for sport wooden floors. ECOSTAR 2K SPORT is in conformity with European standards for sportive wooden floors meeting EN14904 standard's requirements, DIN 18032-2 for slip resistance and it's classified as EN 13501-1. Hardness, distension, chemical and mechanical resistances put ECOSTAR 2K SPORT on top of range's quality. It is recommended and certified by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA Approved Equipment).

Osmo

For interior wooden flooring and stairs that require increased slip resistance, Osmo offers Polyx®-Oil Anti-Slip. It is a clear coating, which achieves a more harmonious appearance through the use of plant ingredients. Slip resistance up to Class R11 can be achieved (Polyx®-Oil Anti-Slip EXTRA). For outdoor use, Osmo offers Anti-Slip Decking Oil, a satin top coat for timber decking and stairs already treated with a pigmented oil. It contains a special high-density organic non-slip additive, which is evenly distributed in the coating

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In Germany the anti-slip properties of a floor surface is legislated by the “DGUV-Rule 108-003” of the “Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung” (German statutory accident insurance) which regiments floors in work rooms and work areas with danger of slipping. Legislation is the same indoor as outdoor and is valid also for stairs. Floors in work rooms and work areas with danger of slipping are always reglemented by the above mentioned rule. In general slip resistance R 9 is mandatory. Pallmann offers a structure powder that can be used in combination with the 2-component lacquer Pall-X 98 Gold to achieve slip resistance R 10 according DGUV-Rule 108-003. The durability of a surface with added anti-slip structure powder Pall-X Grip de-pends on the frequency of floor cleaning, the frequentation of the floor and the used care/cleaning product(s). As the structure powder is added directly to the lacquer, application is the same as for lacquer renovation (with all sanding steps etc.).

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Special

Colouring : oil or stain

WHY CHOOSE A STAIN WHEN THERE’S COLOUR OIL? OR, BETTER STILL, WHY CHOOSE IT WHEN IT’S NOT NECESSARY? In this connection it is important to realise that a stain does not in any way protect a wooden floor. You can use a stain to ‘pre-colour’ a floor and apply a finish after that. Those who wish to stick with parquet lacquer as an end protection and yet also want some colour are recommended to use a colour stain. Those who in any case prefer the look of an oil treatment can surely just as well opt immediately for a colour oil? Yet that’s not completely true since the combination of pre-colouring with colour oil can yield surprising effects.

Colouring? Why not? Some people still feel wooden floors should fully preserve the look which is typical of the wood sort. In other words, don’t tamper with wood. Some people see colouring parquet as a tacky violation of the ‘elegance’ of wood. Yet that’s a little surprising. After all, colouring wood takes nothing away from the look of the wood sort, in fact quite the contrary. Some sorts of wood are enriched by a dash of colour, and oak in particular, which oozes enough class on its own, takes on a touch of added value. According to many people, the wood with the most ‘elegance’ is still European oak and that is precisely the wood which has been coloured in various ways for several years now. The fact is that oak has the big asset of being suitable for various treatments. For instance, it is perfectly possible to give oak the look of a tropical wood, partly due to the fairly neutral wood grain.

Staining or oiling? As we’ve said, some ways of colouring wood relate to ‘pre-colouring’ and do not protect the wood at all. That applies, for instance, to treating in lye and smoking, but therefore also to staining, the most commonly applied method for colouring wood for many years. Staining parquet can give wood any colours as required, from black over blue-grey to white, anything is possible. A stain penetrates deep into the wood, makes a nice contrast, and thereby highlights the specific wood structure. It can be combined afterwards with oil, bees wax, or varnish. With a colour oil, we apply protection and colour in one finish product. This method is suitable for all new wooden floors or parquet in all wood sorts which have just been sandpapered. Colour oils include a wide range of modern and timeless colours. They are usually prepared by adding pigments to the natural oil. Moreover, you can still combine colour oils with other treatments such as lye, smoking, or staining to obtain highly individual results.

Conclusion A balanced view Oil requires only one work session Most techniques for pre-colouring wood still don’t offer any protection. And so, they need a supplementary finish. That can be wax, lacquer, or oil. In the case of colour oil the colouring and the protection is applied in one sweep. That obviously saves time.

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With all the well known advantages of oil Oil preserves the natural look of the wood like no other finish. The structure, the grains, the colour, everything still closely resembles the features of an untreated floor. Since the oil impregnates the wood (i.e. fills the pores of the wood), a floor treated with oil is waterproof and dirt-proof. Scratches can obviously still occur in an oiled floor, but they are less noticeable than scratches in a lacquered floor. Moreover, an oiled floor is easy to maintain and when it is due to be touched up, it doesn’t have to be sandpapered. The durability with a renovation The fact that oil penetrates deep into the wood is a blessing and a curse in the case of renovation; a blessing because the colour is preserved, but a curse because it’s not easy to change that colour.

What’s on the market ? Blanchon Colouring wooden floors has been a major trend in the parquet world for some years and all parties from producers to fitters have joined in. Oak is still the most popular wood and, moreover, lends itself best to a colour treatment. Blanchon has offered a full range of oils, wax oils, and hard wax oils for over 20 years. As of this year, the assortment in five ranges with 45 nuances now has the option of ordering no fewer than 90 shades which are supplied in a week. That immediately means a choice of over 135 colour shades, but in fact options are unlimited since the oil is often applied to a parquet floor already coloured in some way or other e.g. by some distressing techniques. The shades of white and grey have been the most striking for about the last 10 years, but with various derived shades. Experienced fitters even use a wet-in-wet technique to obtain special effects such as marbled or with shadows. Pigments are generally used to obtain colour because they are more resistant to light than colouring agents and also because there is no such thing as a white colouring agent. Moreover, pigments give deeper and more intense shades of colour. The addition of a UV filter, certainly with water-based oils, can give added value both decoratively and technically (durability).

OSMO: THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR WOOD INTERIOR Oil Stain

Wood Wax Finish

Polyx®-Oil Original

Polyx®-Oil Anti-Slip

Country Colour

One Coat Only HSPlus

UV-Protection-Oil

EXTERIOR Natural Oil Woodstain

www.osmo.de/en

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Colouring : oil or stain

DevoNatural®

colouring of all types of parquet planks and wooden floors, furniture, interior doors, and such like, and for indoor use. The available colours are pure white, cream white, snow white, clay, pepper grey, old grey, pearl grey, basalt grey, walnut, dark oak, mahogany, ebony, river blue, caramel, forest green, aubergine, mustard, flamingo, canary, hydrangea, mint, mandarin, and customised colours.

Chimiver

DevoNatural® presents DevoNatural® Easy Colour, odourless and water-based colour stains with ‘character’. You can now colour a floor ecologically with DevoNatural® Colours, which are water-based! They can be finished with all DevoNatural® finish products. The combination of traditional wood colours and contemporary trend colours gives the DevoNatural® Colour assortment a great variety to satisfy contemporary demand. DevoNatural® Easy Colour is a vegetable colour stain for parquet and wooden floors. Easy Colour is easy to apply and is compatible with all DevoNatural® finish products. DevoNatural® Easy Colour is particularly recommended for easy and contemporary

LIOS BIOIL Colorato is a colored natural oil treatment for wooden floors with easy application, very durable and soft effect on the surface. LIOS BIOIL Colorato is available in 20 different colors, miscible together to make a wide range of new colors.

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

FIRST IN EUROPE CHIMIVER is the only company in wooden floor business able to offer ECO-FRIENDLY packagings

All packagings of our adhesives are made from 100% RECYCLED POLYMERS

% of post industrial plastics

% of post consumer plastics

100%

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS

EVERY 1000 KG of adhesives (100 packagings) 36 Kg of recovered plastics

50 Kg of CO2 spared

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 :

CHOOSE SUSTAINABLE. CHOOSE CHIMIVER CHIMIVER PANSERI S.p.A. PONTIDA (BG) - ITALY - chimiver.com

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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

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.

Osmo

Colour and protect wooden flooring The wide product range from Osmo offers numerous possibilities to colour wooden flooring. First Osmo Oil Stain offers the choice between transparent or intense colour. The treated wood is protected optimally with two coats of a clear Osmo Polyx®-Oil. As a second possibility, one of seven colours from the Osmo Polyx®-Oil Tints range can be chosen. For this two coats are necessary. As another option, Osmo Wood Wax Finish can be selected – it is absolutely essential to apply a second coat with clear Polyx®-Oil, which is available in various sheens. Starting from this year, Osmo Reactive Stain, creates various greying effects on Oak flooring, is new to product range.

Pallmann

Since 1832

INTENSIV® LACQUER The favourite high traffic lacquer which keeps the natural colour of the wood Colouring and individualization of wood floors is a huge trend and becomes an element to express individuality and uniqueness. It is also helpful for wood types whose natural pigments are not UV-stable and whose colour change intensively or become optically unattractive over time. With the Pallmann Color Collection Pallmann provides a wide range of coloured oil primers. A spectrum of 24 colours encourages every opportunity for creativity and individual interior design. The surfaces created with the Pallmann Color Collection can

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

Special

Colouring : oil or stain

then be protected with the 2 component water-based wood floor coatings Pall-X 98 Gold, Pall-X Zero, Pall-X Pure as well as with the 2-component wood floor oil Magic Oil 2K Original. Best sellers are all different shapes of white and light grey followed by classical brown tones and black. In comparison to a colour stain an oil has the advantage of a homogeneous appearance and a wide range of finishing options.

RIGO Verffabriek A wooden floor lends a timeless, natural foundation to an interior. By experimenting with the type of wood, laying method and finish, any desired style can be achieved on oak, but also on many other wood varieties. The ROYL-OIL from RIGO Verffabriek penetrates deep into the pores of the wood and gives the wood a matt natural look. The oil can also include colour pigments so that the floor can be coloured and protected in a single process. The finish is so strong that a single layer is sufficient. RIGO Verffabriek displays the standard colours in two colour swatches with a letter/number combination. The letter refers to the base, the number to the colour pigment (W10 Livid = base White + colour pigment 10). The ROYL Wood Tone Range features 24 colours from Basis Clear. The ROYL Greyscale Range contains 18 colours from Basis Clear, White, or Black. As the bases and colour pigments can be blended with one another, the colour possibilities are endless. The most popular colours are also available ready-mixed in a half-litre container. Convenient for furniture craftsmen and interior designers. With ROYL Reactieve beits, you can create your own unique finish. With this stain, you can apply an aged effect to the wood.

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Depending on your preferences, you can achieve a greyscale, smoked, burned black or whitewashed look. The stain must be finished with oil. Would you like the appearance of an oil floor, but with the power of a varnish? Use SKYLT oil which can be lacquered. The colour options are identical to the ROYL-OIL line. SKYLT oil which can be lacquered, can be varnished directly with SKYLT after it has been wiped dry.

Williams & Koch

Rubio Monocoat

The combination of this “Fumicolor smoke-stain” with 6 especially developed colorants makes a quasi-endless variety of antique effect colors possible. For special effects like the appearance of tropical wood species, the 2 component version is used. (Branton C2). Application with polishing machine and white pad is efficient and fast, but can also be done with brush, spraygun and/or roller. In 2011, Linochrom changed the whole concept of reactive stains. The built-in retarder and reaction buffer guarantee an equal result without overlaps. Application with polishing machine and white pad is efficient and fast, but can also be done with brush, spraygun and/or roller.

Tastes differ, also when it comes to the finish of wood and the choice of parquet. At Rubio Monocoat we can easily respond to almost all market trends through our extensive range of colours. We are therefore known as the King of Colours! Our top product, Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C colours and protects your wood in one single layer and is available in 40 standard colours. The colours can be mixed together and preserve the natural look and feel of the wood. Which is important, because we notice that customers often choose natural colours that enrich the beauty of the wood even more. With the introduction of the Rubio Monocoat Colour Trends, 13 trend colours were added to the collection, based on the colour trends for interior design. What do you think of the colours “Touch of Gold” with real gold pigment, “Winter Blush” or “Pomegranate Pink”? With our Rubio Monocoat oil, almost all wood types can be coloured and protected. We offer the customer a range of unlimited creative possibilities, making Rubio Monocoat the ideal partner for the project market.

An extensive range of colours for your indoor wood colours and protects in one single layer 40 standard interior colours and 13 trend colours based on our signature technology of molecular binding 0% VOC • natural look & feel • easy to apply and to maintain

www.rubiomonocoat.com

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Advertorial

Wintersteiger (AT)

ONCE AGAIN VENO TURNS TO COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FROM WINTERSTEIGER & VAP application unit with special application system to fill smaller defects with filling material, which is then subsequently rolled in. Larger defects are repaired by the injection head. This results in an excellent price/performance ratio.

Order placed: TRC 1500 NT with non-thermoplastic filling material As the company had had such positive experiences, Veno decided to opt for WINTERSTEIGER again and order the TRC 1500 NT – the evolution of the TRC 1500. This machine works with non-thermoplastic filling Veno employee Mike Merlijn using the TRC 1500 system for the fully-automatic repair of wooden surfaces: User-friendly operation, precise results, and speed are some of the main advantages of this system for Veno. material and can be used universally. It was important to Hielke Oosten that they stuck with one solution provider. "Veno Wood Flooring" is known for its high-quality "Made "WINTERSTEIGER customer and after-sales service is unbeatain Holland" oak flooring. The company has been working ble and we always look forward to a new machine!" says Oosten. with WINTERSTEIGER machines for 5 years and now has

2 DSB Twinhead NG XM thin-cutting band saws with a total of 4 saw modules, 2 DSB Compact XM thin-cutting band saws, and a TRC 1500 system for fully-automatic repair of wood surfaces. 40 employees use this to produce 500,000 m 2 of oak flooring with 3, 4, and 5 mm top layers per year. As the company was highly satisfied with the machines and service from WINTERSTEIGER, Veno recently decided to order the newly developed TRC 1500 NT system, based on non-thermoplastic filling material, as an addition to its existing TRC 1500 system, based on thermoplastic filling material. The TRC systems are developed by "VAP Gruber Automations GmbH", a member of the WINTERSTEIGER group.

Already in operation: TRC 1500 Veno owner Hielke Oosten commented on the purchase of the first TRC system for the fully-automatic repair of defects: "One of the reasons why we invested in the TRC system was that we really trust WINTERSTEIGER machines. One major advantage is that with the TRC 1500, we can continue to process the wooden slats right after filling. All the other providers require 12 to 24 hours of drying time." The injection head carries out 1.5 million injections before it needs servicing. The TRC 1500 can repair 700 m2 in 1.5 work shifts. The injection head of the TRC 1500 works in tandem with an application unit, significantly increasing capacity. It uses an

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In focus: User friendliness, precision, and speed For Veno, user friendliness, precision, and speed were top of the list for the new machine's characteristics. When working manually, it was not possible to adjust the pressure during filling to ensure optimum filling of knotholes. Veno uses the TRC 1500 to process 30 % of the wood floorboards. The company is expecting that the new TRC 1500 NT with non-thermoplastic filling material will increase performance, so that TRC systems can be used to cover almost 100 % of the demand. Oosten is optimistic about the future: ‘Our mission is to provide top quality and give our customers peace of mind. Moreover, despite the level for which we strive, our prices are remarkably affordable. We are expecting the parquet flooring market to change considerably, since we work with a natural product and technology, neither of which ever stands still. We’ve been a major player on the Dutch market for year, but over the last two years we have also established ourselves internationally within our sector. It is important for us to maintain a healthy market share. As regards exports, we expect to make more considerable progress in 2020 en 2021. Thanks to the WINTERSTEIGER machines, we are at the cutting edge of technology and ready for the future.’ For more information please visit us on www.wintersteiger.com

Veno Wood Flooring:

A reliable partner around the world Veno Wooden floors are 100% made in Holland and founded on truly artisanal craftmanship. This means unique unfinished or prefinished engineered flooring and tailor-made wooden floors for any purpose. We deliver our top-quality products around the world, shipped right from the Port of Rotterdam to your doorstep. Our people speak multiple languages, so feel free to give us a call. Please contact us via info@venowood.com or, contact our export manager Peter Knegt directly by phone +31 6 835 714 29

venowood.com veno.wood.flooring

company/veno-wood-flooring/

veno WOOD FLOORING

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Suppliers of filling machines

REPAIRING HOLES AND CRACKS MECHANICALLY BOTH SMALL PARQUET PRODUCERS AND MAJOR FITTERS ARE INCLUDED

Parquet production involves some manual work. One job which springs to mind is the manual and visual inspection of the floorboards. Planks with obvious cracks, gnarls, or other flaws are removed by one manual worker and collected by another for repair. We can all imagine how that repair work proceeds. The hole is repaired with a filler which is spread, dried, adjusted, sandpapered, and possibly coloured. All those chores are carried out away from the production line.

Machines for parquet production We now know that some renowned machine makers have designed several high-tech machines to computerise parts of the parquet production process. A modern parquet production line is full of those technological solutions. As we have often said, anything can be computerised, from the plank input over the floorboard production, finish application, and packing and labelling to the collection for transport to the warehouse. Since the application of the finish (oil or lacquer) is now increasingly part of the production process, the preparatory tasks for the finish also have to be included: tracing and repairing small flaws which cannot be reconciled with the planned selection (A, B, etc).

Smart filling machines Semi-automatic or fully automatic filling machines can be deployed on the production line to take over partly or fully the tasks of everyone who is (was) involved in the inspection and repair of possible imperfections. The extent of perfection with which this is done has given rise to the term ‘wood cosmetics’: manicure, pedicure, and perfect facial treatment down to the last detail. Here, too, technology yields a higher degree of perfection than that of human skill. The machine simply doesn’t make any human errors, either in terms of judgement or in terms of repair.

Tracing faults Faults in the floorboards are detected via scanning. The scanner works in 2D or 3D and processes the images in seconds. One thing’s for sure:

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Nothing escapes the watchful eye of the scanner. Each flaw, however small, is detected and assessed. No human being could ever rival that same vigilance over each individual floorboard. Since the machine is deployed for use on the production line, it is also not necessary to collect the damaged plank from the conveyor belt for repair.

Measuring and filling In this area, too, the machine achieves a higher grade of efficiency than a human being. Indeed, the scanner measures the exact dimensions of the damage and calculates infallibly the amount of filler required. Another important point here is that the filler achieves the same hardness as the wood. The filling is done under pressure. The amount of filler is calculated exactly so that no product is lost.

Machines for large and small The big specialists offer solutions in fully automatic or semi-automatic machines. They can be stand-alone or included on a fully computerised production line. This means that machines also offer solutions for smaller parquet manufacturers or for fitters who carry out some of the production themselves. You could call this ‘semi-customised’.

Two specialists CSP Engineering PAR-Filler® is the brand name for automatic filling machines, developed for the industrial production of wooden floors. These high-tech machines have a unique detection and injection system. Defects such as cracks and knots in the surface of wooden floorboards are detected with great precision, after which wood filler is injected under pressure into the defects. CSP Engineering has 3 models in the range, each aimed at a specific production capacity. In consultation with the customer, CSP Engineering provides the most appropriate configuration on the input

and output, ranging from semi-automatic to full-automatic solutions. Most PAR-Filler® installations are operated by 1 operator. - PAR-Filler® Mono is equipped with 1 applicator. This machine is set up as a singular machine for limited production capacities. A duplex arrangement of this machine is particularly suitable for growth companies. - PAR-Filler® Duo is equipped with 2 applicators, particularly suitable for medium-sized production companies. - AR-Filler® Duplex is a high capacity machine and has 2 parallel filling lines. The 2 process lines can work separately for filling different qualities and / or various colours. This machine comes with automatic feed for loading the machine and can be equipped with a double push-off buffer for manual stacking of filled floorboards. Since 2014, more than 30 PAR-Filler® machines are operational internationally. PAR-Filler machines are developed in accordance with Industry 4.0. The many data generated by the machines enable CSP Engineering to advise its customers on various facets of the machine, capacity utilization, yields, periodic maintenance and more. New developments: - Through this 'partnership' with the customers, new needs in the market are noticed, which are converted by the R&D engineers of CSP Engineering into new functions, new product types and even 'smarter' working of the machines. - CSP is fully committed to new developments. With regard to wood fillers, innovation projects are in progress. The new fillers will be even better suited to the needs and finishing processes of large industrial production companies.

Wintersteiger NEW: TRC Preclean.

Automated system for removing soft, loose damaged parts. TRC Preclean enables automated pre-cleaning of wood surfaces. Before repairing defects – before filling – it used to be necessary to manually pre-clean raw planks. For example, bark inclusions or soft parts are removed from knotholes while cracks or similar defects are cleaned. The TRC Preclean scans the defects, evaluates the data, and processes these areas, leaving the wood with a completely natural appearance. Process-optimized alternate processing of two clamping tables allows secondary processes such as loading and unloading, scanning, and evaluation to be carried out while defects are being cleaned. The TRC Preclean can be upgraded with additional modules and can process plank layers and boards up to 2,500 x 1,300 mm. Wood dimensions: Length: Up to 2,500 mm Width: Up to 1,300 mm More information: www.wintersteiger.com/trc

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

after

High quality ﬁlling result Reduction of labour costs High production capacity Only 1 operator Wood ﬁller ready for use Available in 8 colors

CSP Engineering bvba

Stenehei 30/10

Tel: +32 14 37 77 52

B-2480 Dessel (Belgium)

info@csp-engineering.com

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Special

Elastic adhesives

ELASTIC PARQUET ADHESIVES THE QUALITY OF THE ADHESIVE IS CRUCIAL TO THE LIFESPAN OF PARQUET

Photo – Pallmann

The elasticity of a material indicates the extent to which a material exerts a counterforce (the so called resilience) when it is distorted elastically (not permanently) or the extent to which a material is distorted when external pressure is exerted on it. A material is called elastic if it returns to its original shape once there is no more external force. The elasticity of a parquet adhesive largely determines how it responds to the ‘ forces’ of a wooden floorboard and the substrate.

Dangers everywhere

A composition in motion

Everything moves

The structure of the floor is a composition with various assembly elements. There is the building structure itself, the screed or covering floor, the subfloor or intermediate floor, the finish floor, or the actual

It will be clear that the composition of various elements has to stand there like a ‘rock’. However, the thing is that all those parts of the total system ‘move’. Moreover, they each do so in their own way: the steel of

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parquet floor. Then there are nails or staples, the adhesive and adhesive bonding, and, finally, there’s the finish. All those elements combine into one whole designed to defy the years.

The threats? There are mechanical threats following the use of the floor by the occupants (furniture, footsteps, and damage) and/or as the result of climate conditions (e.g. temperature or air humidity). Does anyone still dare to say that glueing parquet is ‘easy’?!

Visit our website

www.floor-forum.com !

You can consult both the most recent and previously published magazines, read the vacancies and news reports from the sector, and find a summary of the leading national and international trade fairs. Last but not least, you will also find all the answers to your questions regarding applications and the use of machines and products.

More information :

sales@media-pact.com

Special

Elastic adhesives

the nails, the concrete construction, the screed, the wood, etc. Of all those materials used, wood is still the most susceptible to fluctuations in the room temperature and air humidity (which are closely related for that matter).

Wood moisture content

Versatility wins the day

The finish

In the past, we limited ourselves to oak, but nowadays all combinations are possible, so parquet glue has to be versatile. According to one makers whom we consulted, the parquet adhesive market is moving towards hybrid polymer adhesives to the cost of all other forms of technology. Time will tell.

The end treatment obviously helps to determine the extent to which damp is added to the wood. The supply of water and/or solvents must be kept within acceptable limits. Glazed parquet sections (lacquered) are optically more sensitive than oiled parquet sections.

The legislators provide order The standard EN 14293 provides a basic choice between flexible and solid adhesives. These two groups offer a solution to a specific expectation. The key question is whether to counter the movements of the wood or allow them to some extent. A solid adhesive possesses great physical and mechanical properties, weak elasticity, and great breaking strength. For floors with straight edges (e.g. traditional parquet) you don’t want to let the wood to move at all. If you do want to let the wood move to some extent, you have to use an elastic glue. Since fewer forces are involved, such an adhesive doesn’t need such high resistance. Elastic adhesives ensure less pressure on the substrate.

The co-efficient of the typical wood moisture content and the swelling differential help to determine the speed at which and the extent to which the wood can/will become distorted.

What’s on the market ? Blanchon

BBRI clarifies In practice, the complexity has led to the BBRI Parquet Work Group updating the technical reference documents. For instance, that group has started revising TV 218 'Wooden floor coverings: plank floors, parquet floors, and wood veneer floors’ from 2000. This TV keeps the sector informed of the rules of the trade and offers precise technical information about product families and fitting techniques without any commercial bias.

As a rule, the highly elastic adhesives available on the market today can be divided up into two main groups, namely silane adhesives (SMP) and PUR adhesives. Amongst silane adhesives we identify MS polymers (modified silanes based on the prepolymers of Kaneka), SPUR (silane and polyurethane), STP (silane terminated polyurethane), and STP-E (a variant on the others).

Forms of technology commonly used in hybrid adhesives are vinyl glues, epoxy polyurethane, polyurethanes (one and two components), and hybrid polymers. These adhesives have the following major assets: They are versatile, mono-component (and therefore easy to use), flexible, durable, and perfect for glueing wide floorboards. Moreover, they are only slightly susceptible to residual damp in the screed and they maintain the same consistency in all seasons. The minimum requirements as regards elasticity, fluidity, and adhesion are stipulated in standard DTU 51.2. The three references at Blanchon in this connection are hybrid polymers. AB 1300, which is very easy to use, will suffice for all glueing up to 130mm wide. AB 2000 can be deployed for glueing up to 200mm. Finally, there is the indispensable sausage adhesive, which does not run when used vertically.

Suitability of parquet adhesive

Chimiver

Types of adhesive

The technical suitability of a parquet adhesive is determined partly by the type of parquet (structure, dimensions, and surface treatment), the type of wood (wood moisture content and swell co-efficient), the subfloor, and the surrounding conditions (in the long term) in the room where the floor is fitted. For the choice of the most suitable adhesive technology, a number of parameters of the parquet floor should be considered:

Dimensions of the floorboards In particular, you should consider the thickness/width ratio. This affects the extent of swelling if there is contact with water or solvents, but it is also important for the dimensional stability of the floorboard with varying humidity.

The structure of the floorboard Potential distortion and dimensional stability are also affected by the structure of the floor and vary depending on whether it is a solid wood or multilayer floor.

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Chimiver in the last few years has developped various types of glues including the sophisticated single component adhesive based on a silane-terminated prepolymer (MS technology).

UNISIL one of these is not only highly recommended for gluing pre-finished wooden floor onto marble, grint, tiles, ceramic or marble-chip floor but also suitable for gluing wooden floor onto radiant floors and cooling system. UNISIL can also be used with several other uses including the adhesion of thermal insulation panels (cork, expanded polyurethane, rock-woll) the adhesion of tiles on asbetos cement and chipboards and wood adhesion and building materials on metal substrates. Our adhesive can be used for other applications such as the adhering of heat and sound insulating panels (cork, rock-wool, expanded polyurethane, the adhering of tiles on asbetos cement and chipboards and the adhering of wood and building materials on to metal bases. These features together the EC1 and LEED certifications make us understand how this adhesive has multiple functions and applications making it a universal adhesive.

Devo® Amongst other things, Devo® presents Devo® Glue MSP 150 1C, a mono-component and semi-elastic hybrid MS polymer adhesive which contains no silicones or isocyanates. It is designed for multilayer stabilised parquet, whilst Devo® Glue MSP 250 1C is the best-seller at Devomat Industries. This glue is suitable for

glueing all types of wood (solid wood up to 20cm wide) and is particularly recommended for fitting pre-finished parquet. The glue contains no water or VOCs and spreads excellently. Devo® Glue MSP 250 is a hard-elastic glue (about 70 Shore) with great adhesive strength, it conforms to the standard CSN EN 14293, and it has the EC1-Plus (EC1-R) classification. Devo® Glue MSP250 is packed in bags of 5kg. Devo® also has dual-component adhesives in its range. Devo® Glue PU 570 2C is a waterless, dual-component, polyurethane epoxy, and semi-elastic parquet glue which is specially for glueing wooden floors onto cement-bound substrates or existing floors (tiles, marble, wooden floors, etc.). Devo® Glue PU 650 2C is also a waterless, dual-component, epoxy-polyurethane parquet adhesive, but this product is hard-elastic.

Emfi

At present, the market comprises mainly 1-component PU and hybrid adhesives. The NF 14293 and ISO 17178 standards define the elasticity of a parquet adhesive. Emfi offers EMFIPARQUET PRO PLUS

SMX®-30 PLUS • MS®-30 PLUS • MS®-20 PLUS

A PLUS IN PERFORMANCE, ENVIRONMENT AND EASE OF USE UNIVERSAL, ELASTIC PARQUET ADHESIVES

Faster curing, higher bond strength Wooden floor can bear load and be sanded way faster Excellent ease of use Very low emission (EC-1 Plus) ® DE

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Special

Elastic adhesives

and EMFIPARQUET PRO ECO for full glueing and EMFIMASTIC PU or PS PARQUET for cordon glueing. DTU 51.2, the reference in France for fitting glued parquet, specifies that the adhesives must conform to standards NF 14293 and ISO 11178. The DTU also specifies that adhesives should be verified via a test in a climate chamber (NF B54-008).

Pallmann

Adhesives can be divided into elastic and hard-elastic adhesives. Wood floor adhesives are classified according to DIN EN 14293 where this standard is currently revised, in order to better differentiate between hard, hard elastic and soft. As there are no fix standards or technical regulations all wood floor installers should read the product data sheets of the different manufactures strictly, to find out for which kinds of wood floor the adhesives are approved. Pallmann offers the 1-component STP wood floor adhesive Pallmann P5. This hard-elastic adhesive can be used for all common wood flooring types. It combines the powerful elasticity of a polyurethane adhesive with the benefits of the state-of-the-art STP-technology. It is solvent- and water-free and therefore very easy to apply without any risk of damaging swelling. Additionally the long working time facilitates the work of the processor. The adhesive has a good filling capacity and ridge formation.

also because there is no danger of damage to the surface finish of your parquet. You can rest assured even in the long term. This parquet adhesive is universally applicable for nearly situations and contains no plasticizers and is hard-elastic – two characteristics that result in a durable parquet adhesive, which fulfils virtually all recognized norms and tests, including the latest ISO 17178 standard. The hard-elastic composition of Rubio EasyBond parquet adhesive gives the wood just enough room for movement so that the wood does not start to deform or cup.

Thomsit

Rubio Monocoat

Parquet adhesive is currently often sold based on price. You cannot see the adhesive in the end result. We at Rubio® Monocoat see this differently. Most of the elastic adhesives available on the market are liquefied by plasticizers. As plasticizers migrate, the adhesive loses its elasticity over time. Rubio® EasyBond new generation one-component parquet adhesive based on silane-polymer technology aims to make a difference on two levels. We first of all aim to make your life easy: one parquet adhesive for almost all wood types and substrates. Easy

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The P 665 is an elastic glue for parquet which is ready for fitting. Thomsit also presents P 675 Elast (for parquet ready for fitting), P 685 Elast Universal (solid wood and parquet ready for fitting), and P 695 Elast Universal Strong (for all wooden floors). These three glues are based on the Flextec technology, which has been developed by Thomsit. This Flextec™ technology protects the wood from shear stresses. P 675 and P 685 are soft-elastic glues, whilst P 695 is a hard-elastic glue. At Thomsit, a hard-elastic glue means an extra strong and fast-action glue so that it is also suitable for more critical parquet sorts, which, normally speaking, can be glued only with a 2-component PU glue. A soft-elastic glue is not suitable for this purpose. The showpiece par excellence is Thomsit P685 Elast Universal. This is an elastic 1-C parquet glue based on the Flextec™ technology. The glue is spread lightly and can be applied to both absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. For most substrates you don’t need a primer. Thomsit P 699 is a 1-c-SMP parquet adhesive which prevents gaps by means of an extremely hard adhesive groove and is thereby ideal for solid wood floors.

Special

Lacquering machines on site

LACQUER AND OIL DRY ON SITE LED LAMPS ARE TAKING OVER FROM FLUORESCENCE What an evolution! Or even a revolution! The step from drying to curing in finishing wooden floors has passed rapidly in a flash. Lacquer used to be applied on site and was part of a floor fitter’s expertise. In recent years, that noble task has gradually made its way into the factory where ‘pre-finished’ was born. UV technology gave rise to that movement. Now that UV technology can also be deployed in a floor fitter’s workshop or even on site, professionals can once again do this job themselves. That’s development and progress for you!

From the site to the factory and back There is no doubt that UV drying in an industrial setting has huge benefits. The floorboards are finished much faster and take up less space in the process. Now that it is also possible to use UV light on site, questions are emerging about the benefits and drawbacks. Why should a parquet floor fitter use UV light? Obviously, lack of space isn’t an issue here. It’s all even faster! The applied UV lacquer is dried mechanically immediately after the application by means of a drying machine developed specially for that purpose and the floor can be walked on immediately. It goes without saying that such speed is of inestimable value, for instance, in business premises (e.g. shops or offices). A parquet floor in a shop can be done overnight as it were. Moreover, lacquers developed for UV drying are high-tech lacquers which are usually highly durable and scratch-resistant.

LED is ousting the fluorescent lamp here as well

Photo – DecoRad®

Many people used to think that drying with UV light was an activity destined to remain in the factory. They felt that the technology ‘might’ involve certain dangers which ‘might’ mean risks for the user, so the protective measures of a continually controlled environment seemed essential. However, the technology has gradually extended its use outside the factory. Good examples include dental fillings or drying nail varnish at the beauty salon. Nowadays, the most important transition is taking place in the field of lamp technology, namely from fluorescent lamps to LED lamps.

Once we start using an innovation in practice, the move towards refinement starts. In the application of UV light, that relates primarily to the nature of the source of light with which UV light can be produced. As we’ve often said, UV light (ultraviolet light) is an electromagnetic ray which falls just outside the part of the spectrum which can be seen by the human eye. Due to its shorter wavelength, UV light is richer in energy than the light which we can see. This means that UV light can cause chemical reactions, such as the hardening of gel or lacquer. LED lamps are also UV lamps, since they give light which falls within the UV spectrum (mainly UV-A). The light is transmitted via Light-Emitting Diodes instead of via a fluorescent lamp. The light which LED lamps emit has a smaller reach of UV light wavelengths than the UV lamps which use a compact fluorescence lamp. LED lamps do emit a higher concentration of UV light and more energy.

What about the future? Making predictions in the field of technology is now quite risky. Innovations often emerge from the most

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Special

Lacquering machines on site

unexpected corners. In other words, it is hard to predict whether or not the breakthrough in applying finish lacquers on site using UV technology will continue. The fact that classic halogen lamps will have to compete more against LED technology seems inevitable, albeit due to the many benefits of LED. Several aspects tilt the balance in favour of LED such as energy consumption, the constant quality of the drying process, and the environmental benefits to mention a few.

Three specialists Blanchon The transition from UV curing in the factory to on site is now a fact due to new and sturdy machines, but Blanchon points out that the quality between different UV lacquers does vary. The applied lacquer will offer better or less effective protection from elements such as scrapes and chemicals depending on the components, formulation, and production process. We now have exceptionally strong lacquers, due to the latest developments, which include nanoparticles. With Ciméthane UV, Blanchon has taken on UV curing on site. Work in recent years has yielded highly satisfactory results.

DecoRad® Systems DecoRad® Systems on-site UV curing equipment is suitable for curing all worldwide available UV lacquers and coatings on various surfaces. Our biggest market is resilient flooring, such as in hospitals, nursing homes, schools or airports. Below a reaction from one of our customers: “PSR Facility Services

FLOORMATE

GEN6

HANDMATE

UV600

HANDMATE

located in Mierlo (NL), uses DecoRad® UV curing equipment in combination with UV Waxnomor, a UV coating from Dr. Schutz. Water-based PU, eco-friendly and easy to apply. We treat e.g. linoleum floors in hospitals. The big advantage is that after UV re-coating and curing, the floor is ready for immediate use. Another great advantage is that the top layer is much more resistant than that of traditional polymers, so that it is no longer necessary to apply a new layer every year (industrial quality). In addition, we use the equipment to finish the color coatings in apartment hallways, so that the houses can be reached again at the end of the day. ”

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Monocoat LED Oil is becoming the new standard for instant curing with LED light. The fact that wood, treated with LED oil, is instantly cured with LED light, and can therefore be walked on immediately, means gigantic time savings for the project market, as well as for stair builders and furniture makers. In addition to Rubio Monocoat LED Oil, Rubio Monocoat offers three on-site LED drying units. The investment in this machine is negligible compared to the savings this LED technol-ogy brings with it. Compared to traditional UV lamps, LED lights are less sensitive to warm-up time and have a longer lifespan. During the curing process, it is sufficient to wear sunglasses with a UV filter as protection as there are no ozone emissions or toxic odours. Another advantage of on-site application that should not be underestimated is that LED lights are very shock-resistant and can resist cold and vibrations better than other (UV) lights. Add to this all the known features of Rubio Monocoat oil (one coat, no overlaps, preserving the natural look & feel), and it is clear that the switch to Rubio Monocoat LED drying is more than worth its investment.

UV1800

LED LINECURE

LC40

www.decorad.com facebook.com/decorad youtube.com/decoradsystems 34

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Nr.

Contractors choice for UV CURING

Special

Producers of Versailles panels

PANEL FLOORS CAN BEAR ANY FITTING PATTERN IMAGINABLE ‘VERSAILLES’ IS STILL THE BIRTHPLACE AND THE MOST POPULAR DESIGN

Photo – Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs

Panel floors; design floors; cassettes; you immediately think: ‘What’s in a name?’ Nevertheless, in view of the huge spectrum of possible designs in the world of parquet, it would be good to speak more or less the same language. ‘Versailles floors’ are certainly examples of pre-assembled wooden panel floors, but they are definitely not the only one. ‘Versailles’ is one of the patterns in that segment. It is certainly also the oldest pattern, and that is why people often refer to all panel floors as Versailles panels. Nevertheless, this type of parquet lends itself to an infinite range of patterns.

knights’ hall of a restored medieval castle, equipped with every imaginable ergonomic technical gadget? Of course you can!

The height of eclecticism!

Strictly speaking, the production method is an ‘engrafted method’. These floors are formed with pre-engineered square panels into which wooden sections are fitted in accordance with a particular fitting pattern. Each panel forms a mini-parquet floor in some respects. The sections are sawn and mitred as required and are glued to each other sideways and tightened in order to dry.

Eclecticism is a trend from 19th century architecture. It is a cross between cultures and, in particular, human emotions; a mix of styles, cross-fertilisation between tastes and aesthetic approach. Can you fit a parquet floor in a fitting pattern which originates from the palaces of Louis XIV in a hyper-modern and futurist building? Warm renaissance in a cool silo? An old herringbone amidst sheer rigidity? Why not? Herringbone parquet tends to drill its way through the room like an arrow and give life to the immobility of scarcity. White walls and dark oak. Yes, you can! Can you in that same futurist context plant a real old Chesterfield for visitors and guests? An ‘antique’ sofa in a ‘future’ setting. Or vice-versa, could you set out a rigidly modern salon in the

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Technical misfit Versailles panels are certainly the most popular panel or design floors still fitted today. We’re talking here about design floors with a so called ‘historic’ fitting pattern. It is essential to make that point because design floors are actually the result of a production method for which all sorts of designs can be used, even new and as yet non-existent ones.

Always an identical method

Versailles is unique The real original Versailles pattern is a diagonal wickerwork. The panels in the renowned castle of Louis XIV are precisely 1m² (100 x 100cm). They are separated by three strips (8cm) which come together in a corner to form a point. A specific feature of Versailles panels is that

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Producers of Versailles panels

they are fitted in diamond shape. This therefore means that a half panel (diagonal) is always needed for each row. And so, Versailles floor lovers also make provision for those half panels so that sawing is not necessary.

Three specialists Chêne de l’est

Historic? Amongst the historic design floors we identify several other designs apart from Versailles. Chantilly, for instance, is a somewhat intricate variant which consists of several small panels which also form a wickerwork. The great classics of ‘Hungarian point’ and herringbone, which are normally fitted full, can be included as patterns of a panel floor. With Hungarian point, the strips are fitted to each other at an angle of 30 to 45°. Sandpapering creates a subtle difference in colour which provides a three-dimensional effect. With herringbone, the strips are fitted in herringbone bond, the top sides straight against each other to create a zigzag pattern.

Or something totally different? Modern fitting patterns, patterns with a company logo, even with a photograph, it’s all possible. Any imaginable geometric figure can be designed in a panel. We did find one misfit at the PlyQuet stand at the most recent edition of Domotex, namely panel floors with cross-cut inlay. That looks modern to the core and yet so classic. The step to this application is not so great since cross-cut in most cases is supplied in some or other pre-engineered form. A typical application for offices, for instance, is pre-fitted cross-cut floorboards onto aluminium tiles. These tiles (in tub shape) have a base fitted with an MDF panel onto which the cross-cut sections are glued.

Versailles parquet enjoys worldwide renown thanks to the Versailles Palace in France. The design not only seduces people, but is also simply the international reference for parquet. Obviously, Chêne de l’est works with oak because it is most in demand, but it is also the most accessible type of wood. Distressed versions are very much in demand here. Chêne de l’est works on the distressed versions with care and they stick as closely as possible to the colours of the original Versailles panels. They offer multilayer and solid wood. Multilayer (15mm) is in sizes 800 x 800 mm, whilst solid wood (also 14mm) is in size 800 x 800mm and 22mm in size 980 x 980mm. They sometimes make customised panels. This design requires extra skill due to the diagonal fitting in relation to the walls.

Design Parquet

Panel floors continue to charm people even today due to their history and appearance. Although panel floors are usually associated with

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prestigious projects such as hotels, companies, and shops, Design Parquet has noticed a growing demand from private customers. Here, too, oak is the absolute champion. Since Design Parquet produces customised work, they can also offer lots of other wood sorts and in all finishes, such as distressed, brushed, or structured. And so, they offer customised work ‘on request’. The designs can be personalised or can revert to the old classics such as Versailles, Normandy, Aremberg, and such like. They offer a choice of wood sort, size, and finish. That’s exactly why panel floors are less attractive as ‘standard’, something which leave little scope for creativity. At Design Parquet these panels are produced by specialist teams, professionals with the qualities and experience required to make these design floors.

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs In recent years we have found Style panels are gaining popularity. We at Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs have had increasing demand and received many commissions for this product. Mostly commercial projects, think hotels, bars, restaurants and other public spaces. There is also growing demand for these Style panels by private customers who have a larger budget. People like to create a traditional atmosphere combined with a modern twist. When a specific request comes for something bespoke, we first do design drawings. After approval our highly skilled factory team starts production. Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs is very flexible when offering Style Panels. This can be done in several dimensions, pattern and wood species. Material can be smoked, brushed or aged (distressed) before the panels are assembled. Finishes such as staining, oiling or lacquering will be done on site. Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs produces Style Panels with great precision care and quality.

Custom-made

Quality Parquet

FOR PROFESSIONALS LOFT PRO

PARQUET JASMIN Herringbone

Promoting sustainable forest management

“Every product you need for a perfect �loor.” Tel: +32(0)11 63 64 00 - www.parketkerkhofs.be

Oak: Prime/Rustic Grade: 12 x 145 x 800 mm Top-layer: 3,2 mm Natura Oil Tongue & Groove - 4 bevels Semi-solid wood flooring (Birch plywood base)

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Sanding machines : part I

SHOULD THE ‘BELT’ MAKE WAY FOR THE DISC MACHINE? IT WOULD SEE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ‘UNIVERSAL SANDER’

Photo – Janser

Is the endless belt sander in terminal decline? Certainly not! Or is it in something of a technological rut? Not even that! On the contrary, in terms of power and design endless belt sanders have been achieving perfection for a few years. In recent years, producers have concentrated mainly

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on refinement, ergonomics, dust suction, and technical progress. However, at the same time, those same producers are unveiling a constantly growing versatility of the rotary machines and the much talked about multi-disc designs. It doesn’t sound too much different from cannibalism.

The Belt outlined With manual sandpapering we tend to sandpaper initially along the length with rough sandpaper, using one hand to steer the sandpaper along the wood and the other one to drive the handle to increase the pressure. Pressure, abrasive, and motion determine the result. When we do the finer sandpapering, we apply somewhat less pressure, take a finer sanding grain, and make a soft rotating motion. That sequence is comparable with sandpapering parquet, where the belt sander is deployed first. A weight of 80kg together with a powerful motor gives the ‘belt’ the sanding capacity to sandpaper a wooden subfloor or floor covering perfectly level.

Improvements in the sanding capacity Measures to improve the tools target handling, for instance, to make the drawbacks of so much weight bearable for floor fitters. In that respect, we are seeing with the current generation a lot of attention being given to topics such as stability, perfect belt tension, as few vibrations as possible, adjustable work pressure, and such like. These topics help to achieve a better sandpapering result, but they also serve to increase user comfort.

Conclusion The rotary sander has a comparable capacity and weight, a versatility which is much greater due to the motions and the various discs, and the asset of being able to carry out several tasks with one machine. Those are the points which make the rotary sander a threat to the endless belt sander. Yet the belt sander continues to hold its own. It will certainly continue to do so for large surfaces!

Some specialists Devo®

More comfort The important features for user comfort include the accessibility of the parts, the ease with which the roller can be tightened, the method of removing and cleaning the suction ventilator, and, finally, the dismountability of the tool.

The threat of multi-disc The great merit of belt sanders should still be found in their levelling power. A mosaic subfloor is levelled with no problem at all after a session with the belt. As we’ve often said, the success of each sanding session is determined by the pressure, abrasive, and motion. The pressure, call it the power of the sanding, arises from the capacity and the weight of the machine. The disc machines already stood out for their versatility. People have often wondered if they could also take over that levelling task from the belt. When several discs are used at the same time, anything is possible, but it is mainly the weight which is the issue.

Motions The endless belt sander simply goes ‘straight on’. The disc sander has more in its armoury. Rotation is the circular motion of a body round one (central) point of that body. An eccentric motion is a turning motion (rotation) combined with a motion up and down. With eccentric machines you obtain this motion by attaching a piece of circular-shaped sandpaper to a flat sole with a resilient layer. Finally, oscillation is a periodically repeated reversal of the movement direction. We make combined turning motions with several discs. You can reinforce the effect of the rotation by using three or even four discs which rotate in opposite directions. Strictly speaking, we are then combining rotation and oscillation.

Then there’s the power As we said above, the success of the sanding session is determined partly by the power of the sanding. That is generated by the capacity and weight of the machine. The rotation tools on the market all have powerful motors which vary from 1500 to 2000W. As regards weight, the machines have their own weight which fluctuates between 40 and 55kg. All the machines can be made heavier with ad extra weight of between 10 and 20kg, depending on the machine, in order to exert even more pressure on the work piece (the floor or the floor covering). The extra weights are sometimes supplied as standard. Those extra weights bring the rotary sander extremely close to the belt.

Devo® presents various belt sanders, including the new Devo® Belt MC 200. The Devo® Belt MC 200 is compact, mobile, and not too heavy, yet it performs like a professional belt sander at an unrivalled price. Other recent Devo® belt sander machines are the Devo® Belt HP 200 and the Devo® Handy II. Most Devo® machines have their own dust suction unit and can be connected to the Devo® Fine-dust for a dustless operation. The Woodboy machine and the Devo® Master 3D are already equipped as standard for connection to the Fine-dust and the new Devo® Dustmaster. Although Devo® attaches great importance to the external design of a machine, their priority is the technical side. That’s where they pay most attention in their constant endeavour for improvements. Ergonomics is essential. Obviously, parquet sanders are always heavy appliances. That is inevitable, since the output of a professional machine is in direct proportion to its weight. Nevertheless, Devo® tries to offset this as much as possible, partly by making machines which can be dismantled and by developing carrier braces. Ergonomics during work is also extremely important. For instance, when the Devo® Master 3D is being used, there is much less strain on the user’s back due to the machine’s own stability and the ergonomic position of the user during work.

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Sanding machines : part I

FG Floortec FG FLOORTEC BORA II Heavy belt sanding at it‘s best from one of Germany‘s eldest floor sanding machine manufacturer. Experienced engineering, proven through customers all over the world. No matter if it is coarse sanding of old planks or sanding of fishbone parquet – the BORA II convinces through high abrasion and easy handling. And here the features: Weight 80 kg. Powerful 2,5 kw motor with a lot of reserves. Perfect equilibrated drum and pulleys and the use of poly – V – belts give a smooth running and perfect sanding results. Comfortable handling through well equilibrated weight distribution. Efficient dust suction and special filtre

Janser

Powerful machines, the craftsman's real partners of every day's hard work, are our mission. Each of them is made with ambition, know how and diligence, on modern plants and with the best components.

FG Maschinenbau GmbH - Neustädter Straße 5 a - 01877 Bischofswerda - Telefon 03594 77 92 600 - info@fg-online.net

bags for low dust emission. A vacuum cleaner can be connected. Easy positioning after belt changing, easy also the unmounting for transport, special transport device available. Sturdy construction with aluminium moulded engineered parts are the guarantee for a long live. Find more informations on www.fg-floortec.de

WOOD FLOOR SANDER

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DRUM BRUSHER

www.fg-floortec.de

Special

At Janser, too, there haven’t been many recent technological innovations specifically for endless belt sanders. The fact that ALL Janser machines can now be connected to an external dust suction unit is obviously a nice bonus. Sales points for attention are not always the same, but with Janser it is generally noted that user-comfort, safety and precision, durability, and low maintenance are the main arguments. From Janser’s point of view, ergonomics has always been a point for attention, although few professionals have really considered it. At Janser they know ergonomics can make a hard job easier. As for abrasives, research is always ongoing. Several products are at the test phase.

Pallmann The belt sanding machine Pallmann Cobra comes along with some technical features such as the variable handle adjustment for ergonomic working, the noise-reducing full covering housing, LED lights that illuminate the working area and a comfortable display to monitor the machine’s power and settings. The Pallmann Cobra features an integrated suction. Also a supplied adapter for an external vacuum cleaner can be connected optionally. Finally, the Pallmann Cobra has a one-belt-system which makes the machine smoother and easier to dismount. This is supported by the perfectly matched mounting system of the engine.Today much emphasis is placed on design because buying a machine is also an emotional decision. The more modern and appealing a machine looks like, the more trust the fitter gets from the end customer. Nevertheless the trend is more and more to work with multidisc-machines e.g. Pallmann Spider. For this reason there is more research and development in multidisc-machines than in belt sanders.

New Products 2020 HUMMEL® New Paddle System

TRIO Brushing Discs

HUMMEL® LED Work Light

Nylon

Brass

Stainless Steel

The classic among belt sanding machines is now equipped with a newly-developed paddle system handle. The ergonomic paddle lever together with an adjustable quick lift plate and a larger ball-head ensure a completely new sanding experience. This system now also allows secure fixing and significantly faster separation of the upper and lower parts of the rod. Every HUMMEL® since 1990 can be equipped with the new paddle system.

Texture in just one pass

Thanks to the new robust LED work light - working in poor light conditions belongs to the past. The assembly and disassembly of the LED work light can be carried out extremely fast and easily. For the LED work light no external power supply is necessary!

Your benefits:

✓Brushing close to the wall ✓Effective dust extraction ✓quick and easy conversion from sanding to

Every HUMMEL® since 1990 can be equipped with the work light.

brushing discs

We sell our products worldwide! For more information about your local partner, please contact us at: +49 (0) 7135 98 90 0

info@laegler.com

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Special

Producers of distressing machines / brushes

DISTRESSING IN QUANTITY IS POSSIBLE, BUT ONLY BY MACHINE IMITATING OLD TECHNIQUES WITH MODERN MACHINES: GREAT! penetration by water. And so, colour distressing is a commonly used technique, often in combination with mechanical techniques (see below). Oak in particular can be treated in several ways so that it is perfectly suitable for taking on various guises. Apart from the classic treatments with lacquer, oil, wax (hard wax), or soap, oak lends itself to various special treatment techniques (e.g. thermal or chemical modification), prior treatment with colour stains, lye, white wash etc.

Mechanical distressing

Photo – Renzo Borgonovo/FNT Trabattoni Stampi

Obviously, it’s not only enthusiasts inspired by grandma who fall for the charms of antique floors. More and more project managers are opting for them because they believe these floors give added value to the interior which they have in mind. As well as those project managers, decision makers such as architects, interior architects, and designers have also discovered that nostalgic charm. Now that antique floors and floors produced from old wood are barely available, all those adherents have no other option but to accept floors which are aged artificially. And, believe me, the techniques used for that purpose most certainly achieve their goal.

Colour distressing Wooden floors can turn darker over the years under scores of influences. The way in which they have been protected and the regular maintenance (mainly with wax), the use of colours and stains, but also influences from damp, oxidation, fluctuations in temperature, dust, and dirt mean that wood turns darker over the years. When old wood is recovered, its former use also shows up. For instance, wood which was once used for old mooring posts turns darker after years of

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Most forms of colour distressing can be carried out on modern lacquering or oiling lines i.e. on a production line. To find out more about mechanical distressing machines, it is useful to have a brief outline of the distressing techniques themselves. Strictly speaking, with mechanical distressing we have two objectives in mind. We want to create the impression on the one hand that the floorboards have been produced using outdated techniques from 100 years ago (brushing and scraping), whilst on the other hand that floors have suffered from years of use (scouring, beating, and lashing).

Mechanical operations In view of the growing popularity of ‘distressed floors’, there’s a big need for mass production. It is essential to ensure there is no hint of a repetitive pattern in the applied damage. One solution for this is ‘constant distressing’ (source: Soest). Some machines can distress planks continually at high speed without leaving a repetitive pattern. The required sort of damage and depth are easy to set.

Beating or scourging By scourging and beating, we apply damage to the floor to give the impression either that the floor is worn out with use or the floorboards have been consumed by insects or micro-organisms. By making tiny holes, we imitate woodworm, something which often found in older (damp) houses on floors in pine or pitch pine. The principle is simple; the planks are put inside a drum which is full of bolts, nails, and such like. If we rotate the drum, the loose flying objects in the drum apply random damage to give the floor a distressed look. According to some people, the main drawback with ‘beating’ is that the process is cumbersome and time consuming and may cause unwanted damage to the tongue and groove. The rear side of the plank is also damaged and the corners are rounded off.

Rolling Then there is the rolling method. A metal roller can be equipped with various forms of unevenness which are pressed into the wood. The big drawback here is that there is clearly a repetitive pattern in the damage applied. The same markings appear on the wood each time that the roller rotates. Here, too, the solution lies in continual distressing (at various speeds).

Brushing Brushing highlights the wood grain. The ‘soft’ parts of the wood grain are the most susceptible to wear and tear (through abrasion). This means that over many years of use, even the most perfectly maintained floor will show increasingly prominent wood grain. Brushing is done with a structure brushing machine which (just like the colouring procedures) can be included perfectly well on the production line. These machines are available in various widths and can be fitted with various brushes. Apart from machines with cylinder brushes, there is also the rotor scrub machine (Trivec) which, as it were, scrubs away the soft wood instead of brushing it. The distressed effect is an excellent basis for strong colour highlights which can be stained and/or oiled later.

Scraping, scratching, and ripping Diagonal damage can be applied across the wood surface using a special grinding technique. The effect is comparable to that of sawing, but this technique is easier, faster, and much more consistent. The effect can be established with extra accessories in the machine e.g. continuous diagonal lines or broken diagonal lines. The scarving technique can be combined with one or more brush modules.

Three specialists Cardotech CARDOTECH: A DISTINCT RANGE IN EUROPE

- Formed in 1886, or five generations - Design and manufacture of technical and industrial brushes on the basis of specifications - Factory in Sainte Hélène, France, near Le Creusot, Departement 71 - ISO 9001 certified, 2015 version - Exports 30% of its production to Europe and Asia - Supplier to the wood sector since 1998 and a sector leader in Europe - Supplier to parquet manufacturers in France, Belgium, Germany, and Poland - Brushes for removing fibres, structuring, finishing, and ginning - General offer: engineering, production, commissioning, testing, and training

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Producers of distressing machines / brushes

- Quality commitment in terms of lifespan, quality, and general cost price - Apart from the quality of its recognised products, CARDOTECH offers excellent service (testing, commissioning, training, speedy delivery, and a focus on results).

Trivec Trivec Tumbler machine (new)

The most attractive distressed floors are made using a tumbler machine. This involves a technique where several planks are put in a large tumbler simultaneously. The tumbler itself is full of specific

tumbler equipment designed to cause random and intentional damage to the wood surface. Trivec makes and supplies an industrial Tumbler Machine for this application. This machine can be supplied in various designs of 3, 3.5, and 4 metres. The tumbler is equipped with a touch screen which programmes the rotation speed and cycle time. Together with the right tumbler equipment, this can determine the extent of distressing as required by the user. The entry doors for loading and unloading are big (stretching over the whole width of the machine) and open automatically. Depending on the programme setting and plank size, you can distress between 8 and 16 square metres of planks every two to three minutes. The machine is supplied with a safety gate around it. On the entry side (for loading/unloading) a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;light curtainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ensures that the machine switches off automatically whenever someone or something crosses the light curtain. Trivec Surface Finishing programme Trivec supplies the most extensive programme in distressing machines. Apart from the Tumbler machine, they also supply the Trivec Surface scraping machine, the Trivec Edge Cutter for causing intentional damage to the bevelled edge, the Cross Cutter with the unique Tapper System for random band saw effects, the Trivec conveyor belt machine with a distressing module, the Disc Cutting machine, and a wide range of brushing machines in working widths of 400 to 1400mm. In fact, the Trivec Reactive Stain Sprayer also belongs to the group of distressing machines. This machine has been developed specially for reactive stains and it is therefore built entirely using non-corrosive materials. This machine is used to apply reactive stains quickly and very evenly to yield colour effects with a distressed look.

Renzo Borgonovo /FNT Trabattoni Stampi

Renzo Borgonovo and FNT produce embossing machines and rollers for the embossing (and distressing) of wooden floor, panels, and more. The machine and roller work using pressure and heat, to replicate the pattern present on the mold onto any kind of wood (solid, plywood, MDF, scrap-boards, reclaimed wood, etc). The machines are safe, fast-pace working, and up to the latest technological standards and can thus be integrated into any working line. These units are capable of hosting rollers with a huge variety of patterns (also customized ones), for the taste of every culture and customer! Our main model, Borgore 500/ITI, has an embossing width of 500 mm., but also wider models, reaching 1,0 and 1,3 meters, are available. Our main buyers are parquet and wall panel makers, and all those who work in the furniture and interior design industry. For more info, feel free to contact us: we will be glad to help you out!

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Special

Outdoor floors: care and maintenance

THE ‘HOLY TRINITY’ TAKES CARE OF OUTDOOR WOOD OUTDOOR WOOD LASTS MUCH LONGER THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY suppose that we can be well satisfied with 25 years. However, the durability class does not give the maximum lifespan of a wooden terrace. A professionally fitted wooden terrace does not come into contact with the ground, is regularly cleansed from the natural effects of the climate, and is given a treatment so that it can withstand the ravages of time. And so, a wooden terrace can certainly survive its proud owner.

Enemies of outdoor wood

Photo – Rubio Monocoat

Indoor wooden floors are susceptible to numerous influences which cause wear and ageing e.g. the use, the fitting of furniture, moisture content, temperature, accidental threats, etc. No one doubts the fact that wooden floors need to be treated and maintained in a suitable manner. With outdoor floors we can go a step further. In this case the causes of that wear can be compared perfectly well with those of indoor floors, but there are some extra ones as well. The major threats stem from the climate and nature. Humankind and science are ‘on the alert’.

Misleading misunderstanding Wood is divided up into durability classes. These durability classes indicate the lifespan of the wood when it is left untreated in outdoor conditions. In other words, classes refer to the ‘natural lifespan’ of the wood. The natural lifespan of wood is the resistance which the wood puts up against the deterioration of organisms when it has not undergone any treatment to increase that resistance. Wood sorts are divided up into five categories. Class 1 has the longest lifespan and class 5 the lowest. Wood which is used for gardens, terraces, wall cladding, or other outdoor applications should obviously come from class I or II. Obviously, we need to take care that communication on the lifespan of wood does not lead to misunderstandings. The much talked about ‘quarter of a century’ is not the maximum! The information which we often find on the ‘durability classes’ of wood sometimes leads us to

UV light, oxygen, and water together cause ageing and possible wood rot. In a photochemical process the sunlight breaks up the dark-coloured lignin, one of the main components of wood. The other component, the light-coloured cellulose, is left behind on its own. The fact that the colour of the cellulose is going to dominate can be seen from the ageing. What we visually perceive to be ‘ageing’ is actually a microscopically thin layer of wood which is decomposing. Wood worm, wood rot, and fungi also constitute a major threat to all outdoor wood. The wood worm is a larva of the furniture beetle. The designation ‘worm’ therefore refers to the larvae, since the wood worm is basically a beetle. The wood worm lives in the wild mainly 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 that fungus is visible. Finally, the polypore is a mushroom-type fungus which can cause a lot of damage to woodwork. The most notorious polypore is the so called dry rot.

Protective products A number of mechanical achievements extend the lifespan of wood in outdoor applications. These include the use of floor supports (so that water from below can no longer cause problems), the use of clip fasteners (so there are no vulnerable ‘wounds’ in the wood), and the design of the planks which avoids the problem of residual water. Other weapons come from the chemical industry. Terrace oil, terrace anti-ageing, and terrace cleaner are the top products in this category. Terrace oil provides effective protection from the penetration of damp and dirt since the oil impregnates the pores and saturates them. To provide protection against UV light, it is necessary to use coloured oil. Terrace anti-ageing is designed either to counter the ageing process or eliminate the decomposing layer of wood which is the source of the ageing. Anti-ageing products remove the veil and restore the original colour of the wood. Finally, terrace cleaners effectively counteract

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Special

Outdoor floors: care and maintenance

moss formation and dirt. They can be deployed for all sorts of tropical wood. Most cleaners are diluted with water and applied using a brush. The dosage can be adapted to the severity of the contamination.

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.

What’s on the market ?

DevoNatural®

Blanchon Blanchon suggests impregnation by saturation to protect outdoor floors. This means all fibres (pores) of the wood are saturated and only a small amount of product is left on top. You should clean the wood thoroughly before it is saturated. Blanchon has a full range of products for the preparation, finish, and maintenance. Firstly, there is Blanchon Wood Anti-ageing (‘Dégriseur Bois Blanchon’). This is a high grade gel specially recommended for cleaning outdoor wood exposed to the weather and the formation of fungi and moss. Blanchon Wood Saturator (‘Satureur Bois Blanchon’) is a saturator based on traditional compounds. For some years now, Blanchon has also offered Ecological Saturator (‘Saturateur Environnement’), which is in the Ecological Quality Line (‘Ligne Qualité Environnement’) and scores well on all points. It can also be applied to exotic wood immediately after the fitting. New for 2020 is Terrace Cladding Oil (‘Huile Terrasse Bardage’) which, with a unique composition, protects terrace wood effectively and sustainably and reduces the frequency of maintenance. There is Blanchon Terrace Cleaner (‘Nettoyant Terrasses Blanchon’) for periodic cleaning and Blanchon also has Blanchon Composite Terrace Renovator specially for composite wood.

Tropical hardwood ages relatively quickly. If you want to preserve the original colour, it’s best to protect the wood after it has been cleaned thoroughly. Just like terraces in other materials, wooden terraces can become contaminated or susceptible to moss formation and such like. To clean weathered and contaminated wood thoroughly, it is best to use DevoNatural® Outdoor Wood Cleaner, whilst for removing dirt and grease there’s DevoNatural® Intensive Cleaner! DevoNatural® Outdoor Wood Cleaner is a cleaner for outdoor wood which is easy to use and has a preventive effect. It tackles all outdoor contamination ecologically. A treatment afterwards with DevoNatural® High Solid Oil is recommended to protect outdoor wood. DevoNatural® Outdoor Wood Cleaner can be applied to all wood and composite wood. It is easy to use: If necessary, sandpaper lightly first and/or scrub with a brush + black pad, then apply DevoNatural® Outdoor Wood Cleaner before applying DevoNatural® High Solid Oil to aged/weathered garden furniture, terrace planks, parquet, etc., or apply DevoNatural® Intensive Cleaner before applying parquet oil or oil renovation. After drying, treat with DevoNatural® High Solid Oil ‘Colour and Protection’ in just one coat of parquet oil!

Osmo

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

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To meet the specific needs of several softwoods and fine wood species, Osmo Decking-Oil was developed. It smoothens the wood surface and makes it water and dirt repellent. The oil is applied thinly and evenly with the wood grain; Osmo Decking Brush with a width of 150 mm is suitable for such applications. Resinous and oily hardwoods must weather off before the initial treatment, and then two coats are carried out on the raw wood. For renovations, one coat is sufficient, and spot repairs are possible for small damages. To clean decking regularly, Osmo offers Decking Cleaner. Depending on the amount of contamination, one litre of the concentrate cleans 30 – 100 m². Polymer composite surfaces are optimally cleaned with the Polymer Composite Cleaner from Osmo.

Pallmann

For finishing outdoor floors Pallmann recommends to clean the wooden surface thoroughly with a brush and a cleaner, e.g. Pallmann Turbo Scrubber in combination with Pallmann Wood Refresher. Afterwards the wooden surface is ready to be oiled with a suitable oil, e.g. Pallmann Outdoor Oil (available in four different colours) in combination with Pallmann Endgrain Protector. After the treatment with the finish the surface must be still open without a diffusion barrier, it should be UV-stable (e.g. through pigments) and the wood must be durable and fit for all weather conditions. To clean the outdoor surface we offer Pallmann Wood Refresher. The mentioned product range can be used also for the maintenance of composites (e.g. WPC). Exotic wood types need on rare occasions a special treatment. In normal cases a treatment with oil-based systems, like our Outdoor Oil, is sufficient if the surface is prepared well.

RIGO Verffabriek 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 horizontal and vertical surfaces.

www.lithos.it

Rubio Monocoat

Good preparation is crucial for an optimal end result, at Rubio Monocoat we are convinced of that fact. That is why we provide a complete range to prevent your wood from deteriorating. For an optimal end result, we recommend that you first carry out a thorough cleaning with an adapted product such as Rubio Monocoat Exterior Wood Cleaner. This cleaner thoroughly removes dirt, grease, and green deposits on all wood types. Once the wood has been cleaned, it is time to colour and protect it. With Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Wood Protector, all this can be done in one single layer, which is also very easy to apply. Due to its innovative technology, this oil is suitable for colouring and protecting all wood types, even exotic woods. Moreover, it is an ecologically friendly product: it contains no solvents, no water, and no VOCs. For interim cleaning of your exterior wood, we have a mild soap, Rubio Monocoat Exterior Soap. And if a local repair or freshening up is needed, this is also possible with Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Wood Protector in the original colour, without sanding!

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.

La San Marco Profili srl Viale Europa 63 - 31010 Soligo, TV - Italy - Tel. +39 0438 980106 r.a. - Fax +39 0438 980176 info@lasanmarcoprofili.com - www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

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Special

Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood & composite wall cladding

CLIP SYSTEMS GIVE WALL CLADDING ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE INVISIBLE FASTENING GUARANTEES A LONGER LIFESPAN

Photo – Plastivan/Durasid®

The benefits of invisible fastening systems for wooden wall cladding are the same as those for terraces: quicker fitting, no nails or screws in the planks or boards, no splinter formation, a longer lifespan, and a much better-looking result since there are no visible fasteners. Although wooden wall cladding is subjected much less to mechanical pressure (you simply don’t walk on it), several of these systems are nevertheless recommended all at once for both terrace wood and wall cladding.

Other points for attention It sounds rather strange, but there are some renowned and greatly respected technical bodies in the construction industry which still ignore invisible fastening systems. There are all sorts of regulations regarding the initial damp content of the planks, the choice of wood sort, the nature (width) of the profiles, ventilation, fire safety, and such like. As far as invisible fasteners are concerned, there is hardly any technical input at all. We can therefore say that vendors of these systems are some way ahead of the market. And so, it is no surprise that those vendors are usually the same ones who have made a (patented) spearhead of invisible fastening for wooden terraces.

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The visible dictates the invisible The visual possibilities are infinite in various ways. For instance, you can cover an entire wall with wood, a part of the wall, or even simply add a highlight. As regards plank sizes, there are no limits. The possibilities range from narrow slats of barely a few centimetres wide to panels of one or more square metres. Visually, the size gives an entirely different picture. You can use varying widths. Then there is the choice between horizontal and vertical fitting and between ‘open’ or ‘closed’ planks. The latter in particular has a huge impact on the substructure, especially as regards the ventilation.

Protection against damp Two elements are vitally important in the context of protection against damp: the creation of an air cavity and the provision of a damp screen. The damp screen, which is obligatory for most types of fitting, should be fitted continuously onto the insulation along the side of the air cavity. The screen should be watertight, airtight and damp-proof. The damp screen should have an md value (also called an sd value) of 0.5m. In the case of open wall cladding you should choose a damp screen which can withstand UV rays, frost, and wind.

Vertical and closed: what about the cavity? With vertical planks the support beams (rafters) obviously run horizontally. And so, with continuous rafters there should hardly be any adjoining cavity behind the planks, so that there is little or no ventilation. Strictly speaking, there are two solutions so that you can still ensure a well ventilated cavity for closed vertical planks in order to avoid fungus: horizontal slats with a number of breaks to facilitate an upward air stream and fitting double horizontal slats onto vertical planks.

What’s on the market ? B-Fix

Horizontal slats with recesses Lots of ingenious discoveries are quite simple. That is no less the case for Ventiwood®. The rafters have a recess at regular intervals so that they are ventilated. This not only yields excellent ventilation (>100cm²/m), but also the fitting can be done rapidly. The rafters are 33 x 60/41mm and 3.60m long.

Invisible fastening Most clip systems for terraces are designed to absorb the movements of the floorboards. They are designed in such a way that the wood can swell and contract if you ensure the correct distance between the sections. To that end, the humidity level of the wood is taken into account during the fitting. Clip systems draw a distinction between wood which is dried in conclave and wood which is naturally air-dried. An advantage: The fitter no longer needs to take account of the wood swelling. The clip indicates how far the planks have to be kept apart from each other. The existing systems require a groove (cutting) in the side of the planks, a groove underneath the plank, or no groove at all. The latter case has the advantage that all planks in all sizes are suitable.

For B-Fix it seems that the wooden wall fastening market is in a constant state of flux. There is great interest from architects in the many possibilities. The B-Fix fastening system is deployed for both terraces and wooden walls. That is a conscious choice; after all, it simplifies the work of both traders (e.g. with stock) and fitters, who only have to work with one system. For wooden wall cladding it is possible to fit the planks vertically or horizontally. For fitting with B-Fix there are no special points for attention, but, as with all wall cladding, you have to consider the structure, damp, and ventilation. The B-Fix system will mean higher purchase costs for the material, but, on the other hand, the system does offer huge time savings on the fitting and it does yield a much more attractive finish. B-Fix can be deployed for various materials.

A NEW GENERATION OF CLADDING CREATE THE LOOK OF REAL WOOD, WITH THE EASE OF MAINTENANCE & DURABILITY OF PVC!

Produced by PLASTIVAN

made in Belgium

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Wantestraat 3 | B-8780 Oostrozebeke | T +32 (0)56 66 75 51 | info@durasid.com | www.durasid.com

Special

Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood & composite wall cladding

Burger

- Planed thermally treated ash (1.50 to 3.60m) - Planed Accoya® (3.00 to 4.80m) Their system has lots of advantages: - Quick and easy fitting - Perfect air and creeping distances and enclosures between the planks - Invisible fastening elements - Individually dismountable planks - A structure with a 30-year guarantee. Their system complies with the standard NF DTU 51.4. Their wooden profiles make 128 combinations possible over one metre. Each home is unique.

Denderwood NV

Wood is a noble and durable material and people really love its aesthetic aspect. That applies to both private individuals and professionals, especially architects. At Burger, they are sure that screws will disappear from walls. Their R & D department has developed the rails + clips system for fastening wall cladding. With this system, no longer is each individual plank screwed in place, but fastened with clips. They offer four types of profiles and three wood sorts with various profilings. This wood comes from sustainably managed forests, so it is suitable for all projects. - Brushed thermally treated pine (2.70 to 4.80m)

Furnishing & wooden walls and UPM composite solutions from Denderwood NV Denderwood, an importer and processor of tropical hardwood, offers a high end range of wall claddings in exotic wood. In profiles of the types click plank, plank

materia infinita

Cédric Dasesson Ph. Orma Studio_Cagliari Private House in Cagliari, Italy

www.novowood.it

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

O-Floor O-Profile O-Panel Multilayer Parquet

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with sparrow beak, or steel cladding, the Belgian firm can also offer ‘tailored’ stock products, a range of its raw planed planks (false open-ended double or triple, gradient slats, abbreviated profiles). The invisible fastening systems which can be used for horizontal or vertical cladding are also part of the company’s entire range. The main wood sorts are afrormosia, doussie, iroko, ipe, meranti, merbau, padauk, etc. Denderwood is also the exclusive dealer for the BENELUX for UPM products in composite (terraces, clusters, claddings). ProFi cladding is available in stock in various colours.

NOVOWOOD NOVOFIX Contemporary architecture is often defined by attention to the detail, therefore Novowood R&D puts a lot of effort into the design of the fixing systems for its Wood Plastic Composite cladding elements. WPC Louvers can be used for wall cladding with very interesting results, therefore Novowood provides a lot of solutions for fixing the brise-soleil to the structure without any visible element. One of the most interesting is the Novofix System, an exclusive Novowood solution. The first step requested by this system is the creation of holes in the wpc profiles, that allow the insertion of particular connectors on the inner aluminium frame. The brise-soleil are then assembled with the bearing structure through special hidden fixing elements. The aesthetic result is extremely minimalist, since the connectors are completely hidden and not visible from any point of view.

Outdoor Wood Concepts® Woodface®, original façade solutions from Outdoor Wood Concepts® Outdoor Wood Concepts® launched its Woodface® façade cladding on the market in 2013. This © Outdoor Wood Concepts® - Architect : Christophe Baetens unique solution, in which wood is alternated with aluminium, allows for infinite combinations. Woodface® owes its timeless appeal to designer Roel Vandebeek - #itsaroel. Woodface® was conferred a Henri Van De Velde label in 2014 and selected by Designregio Kortrijk as one of the region’s 50 most innovative products. Thanks to Woodface®, every façade is given a distinct #itsaroel stamp: - A pronounced vertical interplay of lines - A sense of rhythm and texture thanks to the pattern created by alternating differently shaped wooden profiles - A distinctive contrast between wood and aluminium The benefits of Woodface® in a nutshell: - A unique combination of 9 wooden and 2 aluminium profiles

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- Infinite combinations in diverse types of wood - Available in all RAL colours, Qualicoat Seaside finish possible - Technical construction details available - Fire safety rating: Ds2d0 or Bs3d0 If you have a concrete project or technical questions, do not hesitate to send an email to info@outdoorwoodconcepts.be or give us a call on +32 (0)56 - 967140.

Plastivan/Durasid® NATURAL WOOD LOOK WITH THE EASE OF MAINTENANCE AND DURABILITY OF PVC Plastivan NV, with more than 50 years of experience in the extrusion of PVC & WPC building profiles, launches a new and revolutionary range of cladding. Via a unique process of digital printing, the rigid foam façade panels are provided with a realistic wood design that can hardly be distinguished from natural wood. Durable and longer lasting appearance Rigid foam is a durable and resistant plastic that withstands the rigours of time and weather. You will never have to paint or oil again. A warm and natural look A print with a natural appearance is applied to the co-extruded protective top layer. This gives them a warm, natural look and means that DURASID® sidings can barely be distinguished from real wood. Simple to put in place DURASID® profiles are considerably lighter than equivalent products in solid wood or fibre cement. Installing them is therefore easier and they make less heavy demands on the facade or the supporting structure. In addition, the tongue-and groove joints make them quick to install. Easy to maintain The top layer makes sure that the structure is closed. Dirt and green algae deposits can therefore not penetrate the top layer of the material, a problem that does often occur in porous materials such as wood and fibre cement. Perfectly impact-resistant The material is known for its superb impact resistance. With alternative materials, impacts may result in a permanent dent relatively quickly, or may even crack the profile. Protecting and upgrading the outer wall DURASID® sidings protect your outer wall and add value to your home. The panels also protect any isolation layers inside, against all kinds of weather, guaranteeing that optimal insulation will be retained in the future. Environment Durasid rigid foam cladding fits perfectly into the context of sustainable construction. Production waste is recycled and used cladding at the end of its life cycle can be completely recycled. The estimated lifetime exceeds that of conventional wood or other alternatives. It is also easy to maintain so that no harmful products are needed such as paints, oils, varnish, lacquer, mold and algae resistant products ... More information on www.durasid.com

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Advertorial

Progress Profiles (I)

Academy

NEW PROGRESS PROFILES ACADEMY TRAINING SCHOOL EXPANDED WITH AN AREA FOR PRACTICAL TESTS, THE PROGRESS TRAINING CENTER IN ASOLO (TV) IS THE AVANTGARDE POLE FOR THE QUALIFICATION OF INSTALLERS

Academy

For 35 years, Progress Profiles, leader in technical and decorative finishing profiles and fixing/laying systems including membranes for construction and interior design, has been actively engaged in the professional growth and updating of tilers and installers by offering them training courses and workshops in Italy and abroad. Advanced for innovation and experimentation, the firm inaugurates the new Progress Profiles Academy training school: a large space where installers, architects, designers and industry professionals can follow diversified and free technical seminars and carry out practical tests together with the qualified staff, touching more than 15,000 products and the 15 systems developed by the company. Opened in 2014 at the Asolo Headquarters, the Progress Training Center has been enlarged with an additional 300 m2; it offers a 200 m2 Show Room, a 200 m2 Training area and an equipped workshop area, covering 250 m2. Unlike other training courses in the sector, the Progress Profiles Academy involves participants, in addition to an initial theoretical study of a specific system, to carry out a practical session supported by the help and professionalism of the Progress Profiles staff.

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Furthermore, customized courses are organized at request of retailers and companies where the participants have the opportunity to study the most interesting construction issues, the certification and UNI regulations, discovering the high-quality materials and the innovative technology of the numerous laying systems. Moreover, the new training courses at the Asolo center allow installers to be qualified as "Progress Profiles Certified Installers". Also, the costs of board and lodging are covered by the Venetian company, which also offers each participant a kit of accessories and clothing for work. Even the lockdown period did not prevent Progress Profiles from organizing training events: to stay close to customers, architects, professionals and professionals such as surveyors and construction companies, more than 100 free webinars were activated and were attended by more than 3,000 people. Essential to the professional growth of installers, engineers, technicians and retailers, the new training courses result from the experience and creativity of the entire Progress Profiles team, which has always invested in exploring new development spaces and creating stimulating synergies. For more information www.progressprofiles.com

∂ Industry news ASPECTA™ FLOORING STRENGTHENS ITS COMMERCIAL TEAM MÁRIO PINHO JOINS ASPECTA™ FLOORING AS VP SALES EUROPE, RUSSIA & MIDDLE EAST Netherlands, Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 – Marcel Kies, president of Aspecta™ Flooring announces that the highly respected Mário Pinho with over 15 successful years of Sales & Marketing experience in the International flooring industry, will join Aspecta™ Flooring as VP Sales Europe, Russia and West Africa, as of September 1st, 2020. Mário shares the brand’s ambition and continued commitment for growth of its activities in the European Flooring market, with an intention to claim at least 5-8% market share of the estimated 75 million square meters European LVT market within the next three years. Prior to joining Aspecta™ Flooring, Mário spent over 15 years with the Portuguese publicly quoted Amorim Group. Most recently he was Sales & Marketing Director of export markets at Amorim Cork Flooring SA. This remit covered 55 countries across Europe, North America, Greater China and the Asia Pacific region. Mário has a reputation for innovation, creativity, strategic planning and sales success on a multi-national, multi-cultural scale. Global President of Aspecta™ Flooring, Marcel Kies, commented that: “Recruiting Mário is a huge coup for our company and so we are thrilled to have brought him on board. He is a true professional with extensive experience in the flooring industry and has an excellent track record for driving revenue growth alongside sustainable profitability. Above all, Mário is a team player and honest person who fits perfectly within the HMTX culture and spirit. He will have the necessary resources, our complete backing for continue fulfilling our growth ambitions in the European market! And……, we are going to go fast!” Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

Prinz expansion joint system 778 with exchangeable expansion joint strip When laying floor coverings, it is inevitable to bridge expansion or movement joints. According to DIN 18365, expansion joints must be taken from the subfloor into the top floor. With fully bonded floor coverings, expansion joint profiles are used that cover the joint, but at the same time do not restrict their freedom of movement. The joint material should be as elastic as possible. In practice, expansion joint profiles with glued silicone joints are often used. But under tension, silicone can tear off from the profile. Silicone also tends to attract dust and dirt. The joint becomes shabby over time. Prefabricated expansion joint profiles with a vulcanized EPDM material are of higher quality and technically much better. For construction heights of up to 6 mm, however, four different expansion joint profiles would have to be stored for each desired color. With the new expansion joint system 778, Prinz is now taking a completely new path and offering the user flexibility, technical perfection and more design options. Unlike conventional expansion joint profiles,

it is not preassembled, but is processed on site as required. It consists of a universal base profile and two matching expansion joint strips for flooring thicknesses of up to 4 mm and up to 6 mm. The expansion joint strips are made of co-extruded hard and soft PVC. The rigid PVC substructure guarantees secure, permanent anchoring in the base profile. The upper part made of soft PVC ensures the necessary elasticity for upsetting and stretching movements. Tensions from the substrate are absorbed without the expansion joint strip tearing or detaching from the profile. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

FN Neuhofer Neuhofer continues to invest. A former primary school becomes a multi-family property

The continued growth of the successful family-owned and operated company FN Neuhofer in Zell am Moos and, as a result, the steady stream of new hires are one of the reasons why the company, led by owner Franz Neuhofer, are investing yet again. "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to build a multi-family property just a few minutes from our office and to offer living space nearby", explains Neuhofer adding: "The building site is of special importance to me as my former primary school once stood there". A multi-family property with 13 rental units will be built in this sunny, peaceful location in Haslau, a district of the municipality Zell am Moos. From the functional 2-room apartment, charming two-level maisonettes to the spacious penthouse apartments boasting a spectacular, sweeping view of the green surroundings. The building spans three storeys plus a basement level and 26 car parking spaces – 16 of which are covered. The property offers 1,075 m² of living space with completion planned for late June 2021.

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Special

Top German companies focused on export

THE ‘GERMAN MIRACLE’ IS STILL BASED ON ‘SOLIDARITY’ YET CORONA HAS ALSO STRUCK MERCILESSLY IN GERMANY The Federal Republic of Germany was formed on 24 May 1949. The German economy had been ruined by World War II, but soon started to revive just after the monetary reform of 1948. In 1962, there was even talk of full employment. This post-war period is known as the German Economic Miracle (‘Wirtschaftswunder’). In ‘East Germany’ the economy was less successful and, at the end of the 1980s, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) fell into terminal decline until the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989. On 3 October 1990, both German states were reunited. What followed was an economic transition process which is still going on today.

Citizens also pay

Solidarity works

The German economy finally contracted by 2.2% in the first quarter of this year as compared to the previous quarter. This downturn was due to the corona crisis. With these final figures, the German federal statistics agency has confirmed previously issued estimates. The contraction corresponds to the average forecast by economists. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the gross domestic product of Europe’s biggest economy contracted by 0.1%, so the German economy is now officially in recession.

The German economic system functions as a social market economy (‘soziale Marktwirtschaft’). Former Minister of Economic Affairs Ludwig Erhard introduced this notion in 1948. He believed the market works well if the government ensures there is enough competition and sets preconditions for a just and social society. The German constitution stipulates that the market is bound by social limits. The social market economy finds expression in economic legislation and institutions such as the cartel ban; shop closing times laws; the independent position of the Federal Bank; the social security system; autonomy of employers and employees during pay negotiations.

Ultimate solidarity The federal structure of the Federal Republic largely determines financial affairs and public finances in Germany. The central government (‘Bund’), states (‘Länder’), and municipalities each account for a part of government expenditure. To facilitate an equal standard of living over the entire country, the rich states (particularly in the south) cede a portion of their income to the poorer states (especially in the east and north); this is referred to as state finance balance (‘Länderfinanzausgleich’). Apart from this horizontal budgetary settlement, Germany also has a vertical settlement (from the central government to the states). Due to the former division of Germany, the economy in the west had developed completely differently to that in the east.

After the reunification in 1990, the government had to invest several billions. Since 2005, the Solidarity Pact II (‘Solidarpakt II’) has been in force, which stipulates that the German government will make 156.5 billion euros available for East Germany until 2019. In addition, all German citizens pay a solidarity supplement, a percentage of their income, to help cover the cost of reunification. Economically, the region of the old GDR still trails that of Western Germany. Unemployment there is considerably higher, although there has been some progress in recent years. In 2013, unemployment in Western Germany was 6%, whilst it was 10.3% in Eastern Germany.

2020: Corona strikes!

Dramatic contraction The statistics agency had already announced that the contraction was the biggest since the financial crisis of 2009. Consumer spending fell by 3.2%. That fall was the biggest ever recorded. Due to the uncertainty of the situation and the closure of many shops and catering establishments, the Germans have cut back their spending. Moreover, companies have invested noticeably less in machines, vehicles, and other equipment. Government spending rose by 0.2% and there was more investment in the building industry. According to press agency DPA, this helped to avert a more severe decline.

The storm isn’t over yet Forecasts suggest the German economy will suffer even more in the second quarter of 2020. In the first quarter, corona measures were only in force for a few weeks. To counter the negative impact of the crisis on the economy, the German government has announced extensive support packages for companies.

EPLF adopts a new mission, vision and logo in 2020 Announced in January 2020, the new mission, vision and logo of EPLF, the association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring, was released last July. The organisation’s mission aims at ‘raising awareness about the benefits of laminate flooring and representing the interests of the European producers of laminate flooring’. In addition, EPLF’s vision to ‘enable a sustainable laminate flooring industry’ translates the ambition to support members in continuously improving the sustainability and circularity of their products and processes. These mission and vision are supported by the new logo ‘Made with wood” tagline which reflects the sustainability, renewability and circularity of laminate floorings’ raw material. The new logo is a quality-stamp for products made in Europe that respect the highest European quality and environmental standards (See the EPLF infographic). For more information: www.eplf.com

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MMFA welcomed new members and re-elected its Executive Board in 2020 During the first half of 2020, the Multilayer Modular Flooring Association (MMFA) increased the ranks of its members with four companies joining the organisation. With these additions, the association currently has 25 ordinary members (producers of MMF flooring or their European representations), 29 associate members (supplier companies) and three supporting members (scientific institutes). On another note, last July, the association held its first ever virtual annual General Assembly due to the covid-19 pandemic. Members re-elected Matthias Windmöller (Windmöller), Carl Ruland (Novalis) and Sebastian Wendel (Classen) to head the Executive Board for another two-year term ensuring continuity in the ongoing work of the association such as the digital transformation of the organisation to serve its members efficiently, and the cooperation with EuFCA, the European Floorcovering Association, on circular economy and data collection. For more information: www.mmfa.eu

components.

www.fg-floortec.de

FG Maschinenbau GmbH - Neustädter Straße 5 a - 01877 Bischofswerda - Telefon 03594 77 92 600 - info@fg-online.net

FG FLOORTEC Reliable machines for flooring craftsmen all over the world Since 1950 FG FLOORTEC produces heavy duty the floor sanding machines. A long experience in high Powerful machines, precision manufacturing and a constant investment in research and development together with a craftsman's real partners consciousness for the practical problems of the flooring business have made the FG machines to of every day's hard work, appreciated partners of flooring specialists in more than 60 countries. The range today includes are our mission. belt sanders in different belt widthes (200 and 250 mm) and different motors (2,2 kW and Each made 2,5 kW), a drum sanderof withthem expansionis drums, edge sanders with different lengthes (120, 200 and 330 mm), a bufferambition, and a 4 – disc grinding and sanding with know howmachine. A patented system of brushing machines in different sizes for the cleaning of wooden deckings without chemical agents - as a and diligence, on modern tribute toplants sustainabilityand the brushing of internal and with the bestwooden floorings as well as dust containment accessory round off the range. More information on : + 49 3594 7792600 - www.fg-floortec.de

JANSER – PROFESSIONAL FLOORING TECHNOLOGY For more than 60 years we are your specialist for professional tools, machines and equipment regarding flooring. Whether you are planning to renovating or rather install a new floor and looking for new machines or new equipment or simply looking for advice, we are ready to take care of your specific needs and help resolve any questions you might have. Flexibility and reliability are the key factors for success. Our primary objective is to give you the high quality products and advice you expect and deserve. The Company In 1961 JANSER was established. The company saw substantial growth in 1969 with the start of tool and machine manufacturing and international expansion. Today, JANSER is still a Family Business. The company now offers approximately 4,000 different products and a wide range of equipment. We serve more than 26,000 customers in WOOD FLOOR SANDERToday, JANSER employs 80 people DRUM BRUSHER Germany and 50,000 worldwide. in Germany and approximately 160 in total, including our subsidiaries. The organisation has expanded to include 9 subsidiaries and 21 agencies in 26 countries around the globe. Production takes place in four countries and is targeted to reach more and more markets. + 49 (0) 7034 / 127-0 - Info@janser.com - www.janser.com

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Special

Top German companies focused on export

FUTURA FLOORS Committed to establishing a presence on the international market, Futura Floors produces and delivers its sustainable, natural and bespoke flooring throughout Europe. Operating a fleet of articulated lorries, Futura champions fast delivery to France, Luxemburg, Belgium and the DACH region. In addition, we export globally to Asia, Africa and the Americas. Creating a personalized, luxurious hardwood floor is our DNA. Our clients have a multitude of flooring options to select from, including solid wood flooring, mosaic and industrial parquet, multilayer parquet, decking planks for the outdoors and luxurious vinyl flooring. From a wide selection of beautiful colors to texture and design, Futura proudly meets growing demands for personalized flooring. Order your personalized floor for delivery within one to two weeks of order confirmation at : +49 (0) 9543 418 09-0 or visit www.futurafloors.com.

PALLMANN GMBH Pallmann GmbH based in Würzburg is an international, premium manufacturer of wood flooring sundries for the installation, renovation and maintenance of wood flooring with roundabout 100 employees. As part of the Uzin Utz Group and with over 100 years of tradition, Pallmann offers system based product solutions for the entire installation or renovation process of wood flooring, from maintenance and cleaning, surface finishing, machines, adhesives, and sub-floor preparation products. In addition to high-quality products Pallmann offers a comprehensive technical and marketing sales team to support the wood flooring contractor. All products are developed and manufactured in close cooperation with customers. Pallmann’s signature products are the 2-component wood floor lacquer Pall-X 98 Gold and the solvent free Magic Oil product line. This year’s focus is the multi-coloured individualization of structured wood floors with the Pallmann Freestyle Collection and the celebration of the most successful 1-component wood floor lacquer in Europe: Pall-X 96. Pallmann is present in almost all countries of Europe, the United States of America, CIS countries as well as New Zealand and Australia. The annual production volume is approx. 3.000 tons. In 2019 the company realised a turnover of approx. 32 Mio Euro. + 49 (0) 931 27964-30 - www.pallmann.net

THE WORLD SANDS WITH LÄGLER Decades of experience combined with the highest quality standards and own research and training facilities have made Lägler the leading manufacturer of floor sanding machines. Founded in 1956 and managed by the second generation, the independent family business has always been synonymous with innovation, quality, customer orientation and sustainability. With locations in Germany, the USA and a total of over 100 employees as well as sales and service partners on all continents, Lägler machines are now in use in over 120 countries around the world. Production takes place exclusively in Güglingen with an in-house production rate of approx. 80%. The required raw materials and components are manely manufactured and sourced from regional suppliers. However, the company does not limit itself to the production of machines "Made in Germany", but also offers its customers the unique Premium Sanding Training (PST®), a training concept for holistic support. For more information: +49 (0) 7135 9890-0 - www.laegler.com

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OSMO: INNOVATION AS TRADITION Many years ago, Osmo Holz und Color GmbH & Co. KG developed a new product in their own coating production: Polyx®-Oil Original. The wood coating is based on natural oils and waxes and offers durable protection for wooden floors and furniture in indoor areas. This product revolutionized the surface treatment of wood all over the world. In addition, the range has been expanded to include further interior products, products for the exterior and care and cleaning products for treated surfaces. Today, the Warendorf-based global player is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of modern wood products and specializes in the effective surface treatment of the natural material. + 49 (0) 25 81 - 922 – 219 www.osmo.de

MEISTERWERKE MeisterWerke is a family oriented business which was founded in 1930. Under the leadership of Mr. Johannes Schulte, Guido Schulte (third generation) and Mr. Ludger Schindler, Meisterwerke now employs over 650 people and realizes an annual turnover of more than €150 million. MEISTER is the main brand and has a clear focus on wood specialist trade in DACH and export. Currently Meister exports its goods to more than 80 countries worldwide ranging from Taiwan, Chile to Iceland. The main products are laminate and parquet flooring, vinyl without vinyl floors, rigid core floors and panels. MEISTER has always focused on innovation and is the industry´s innovation leader with the unique flooring products Lindura and Nadura, based upon wood-powder technology. 2020 MEISTER renewed its parquet, laminate and vinyl without vinyl flooring collections and added a successful waterproof rigid flooring collection. 80% of the laminate flooring collection now is 4h up to 24h water resistant and therefore bathroom-proof. + 49 (0) 29 52 816-13 66 - www.meister.com

CARL PRINZ GMBH & CO. KG With more than 130 years of experience and competence in the development and production of profile systems for floor coverings of all kinds, Carl Prinz GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading manufacturers in Europe. For years, the fortunes of the family company with headquarters in Goch (Lower Rhine Region) have been shaped by solid, continuous sales growth. There is a reason for the high demand for profile systems made by Prinz, because innovation has a tradition in Goch: Founded in 1890, Prinz enriched the development of profile systems nationally and internationally again and again with future-oriented ideas. Today Prinz offers one of the broadest product and accessory programs in Europe. Prinz has developed a unique variety of profile systems, lately especially for the growing market of design floorings and aluminium skirting boards for all types of flooring, most of which can even be mounted flush with the wall. Direct and indirect LED lighting is another trend that Prinz is taking into account with various stair nosings, skirting boards and an all-purpose LED channel. + 49 (0) 2823 9703 19 - www.carlprinz.de

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∂ Product news FUTURA FLOORS: CREATE AN OUTDOOR HAVEN WITH MARFIL DECKING You can create your own oasis of pleasure and relaxation by adding Futura Floors exotic outdoor timber decking. Choose your decking then order under construction, clips and bases to easily complete your new decking installation! This season’s most popular, value oriented exotic species is Marfil, from South America. EUTR certified, Marfil adds a natural ambience to your outdoor living space. Characterized by its natural light-red colored tint, Marfil is excellently suited for outdoor flooring due to its dimensional stability and durability. Arriving to your home smoothly sanded multiple times; Marfil can also be finished with a beautiful selection of oils to suit your every desire. Our Marfil decking comes in long specifications and Futura delivers your order to your front door. Give your outdoor space a fresh new look with the exotic Marfil decking and find all the accessories for the job at Futura Floors. www.futurafloors.com

NOVOWOOD: NEW SKIN MAX SYSTEM Skin max is the new wall cladding system by Novowood. Its main feature is the big size of the staves, combined with their reduced weight, that makes the installation very easy and fast. The staves have a 250 x 20 mm section and they are characterized not only by their dimension but also by their extreme versatility. In fact, they can be applied on both the ‘smooth’ side or on the 'staved' one, and they can be installed both in vertical and horizontal. The system can be integrated with all the different types of support and is available in all Novowood colours and finishings.

PROGRESS PROFILES: PROSUPPORT TUBE SYSTEM Progress Profiles patented two solutions to realize perfect outdoor floating floors from a height of 29 to 1000 mm. Composed of 7 elements only, Prosupport Tube System is equipped with a great load resistance. For heights over 74 mm, it’s recommended to insert the pipe of the desired height into the base, push it all the way and insert the ring; the screws have to be screwed on the base with the hollow side upwards for self-levelling heads up to 5% slope or upside down to have fixed heads. Prorail System guarantees a steady and resistant substructure providing to the installer all the necessary elements for the work.

Q-WALL OUTDOOR : NEW IN OUR RANGE! Due to the increasing demand we expanded our outdoor range with a Triple profile ( 22 x 132 mm ) in padouk. The popular facade profile that was already available in Thermo Ayous, can be placed horizontally as well as vertically. The block profiles are provided with a tongue & groove all around, the end connection is after all a great asset and ensures a higher efficiency! Our padouk wall cladding comes standard in varying lengths according to stock. For more info +32 16 90 45 15 / sales@q-floor.com.

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50 YEAR WARRANTY

uct

INSULATION ΔLW 20DB IN 5MM

Our commitment to Sustainable Developmentsable Recycling is a necessity. That’s why Dinachoc makes every eﬀort to oﬀer you only recycled products. This s�mulates the circular economy and looks to the future for everyone.

S�ck the Dinachoc S801 with Dinachoc C901 adhesive for maximum comfort. 4

PARQUET

3 ADHESIVE C901

Adhesive Dinachoc C901 spread with spatula 15kg pot

INSULATION S801

1 ADHESIVE C901

Double glueing

FFI 111 September 2020

Articles inside

Advertorial Progress Profiles (I

Industry news

Special Top German companies focused on export

Special Invisible fastening systems for exterior wood & composite wall cladding

Product news

Special Outdoor floors: care and maintenance

Special Sanding machines : part I

Special Producers of distressing machines / brushes

Special Elastic adhesives

Special Producers of Versailles panels

Special Suppliers of filling machines

Advertorial Wintersteiger (D

Inside news

Special Colouring : oil or stain

Special Anti-slip finish for in and outdoors

In memoriam : our chief editor Ludwig Janssens

Special Subfloors : part I

Special Producers of laminate floors in Hungarian Point and heringbone style

Advertorial Estaparket (EE