Special Who has products for the preparation of indoor wooden/parquet floors i.e. for applying oil, lacquer, or hard wax?

SUCCESS IS OFTEN THE RESULT OF GOOD PREPARATION

PREPARATORY PRODUCTS GIVE THE END RESULT AN EVEN MORE INTENSE LOOK

The same UN1CO (1-coat oil) Wenge used on these three oak planks. On the left is the pre-moistened plank, the middle one was sandpapered with grain 100, and the one on the right was brushed. The difference in the finish is so obviously clear. (Picture: Ciranova)

David Verrue, International Sales & Marketing Manager Ciranova (B) David Verrue from Ciranova Belgium explains: ‘The real preparation consists of sandpapering or brushing the wood. You do have to draw a distinction between either pre-colouring or the use of a coloured oil,’ replies David Verrue of Ciranova. ‘With pre-colouring, you’re not applying any extra protection, and this means that you should apply an oil or a varnish for the protection after the pre-colouring. By contrast, coloured oils provide both protection and colour in one and the same product. I would also point out here that pre-colouring usually gives the wood a more intense colour. The combination of pre-colouring finished with a coloured oil obviously also offers more options for colours. Using a coloured oil means you retain somewhat more transparency and you can see more of the wood through the oil.’

‘The various elements of preparation provide various looks afterwards,’ David Verrue adds. ‘And so, you get other effects if you brush, sandpaper, or moisten. For instance, with that latter, you mop the wood lightly in order to open up the pores somewhat. The result is that the wood absorbs more oil and colour and thereby takes on a more intense colour.’

The secret of a perfect end result lies once again in ideal preparation. It’s a good thing to give the wood a preparatory treatment, certainly for parquet or wooden floors finished with a colour, oil, lacquer, or hard wax. There are several products on the market for that purpose, which ensure that the final floor not only looks great, but also enjoys extra protection. It goes without saying that the most important part of the preparation for colouring with oil or lacquer or the application of a hard wax, for instance, consists of sandpapering the wood with the correct grain and removing any grease and dust. After that, you should mix the colour or oil well before the application, certainly if you are using colour dyes.

More than dusting

Preparatory cleaning, however, includes more than dusting and even more than removing any grease. Using a preparatory detergent not only removes the last residue of sawdust, but also the ideal product minimalises any sandpapering errors and scratches, regardless of other benefits.

Moreover, tests show that wood which is pre-treated can later take on a more intense colour because the use of a preparatory cleaner can also provide for better absorption of a colour dye. Moreover, the adhesion is also stronger, certainly if you use sorts of wood which are naturally greasy and oily. For the rest, it is a nice bonus if a detergent reduces the tannic acid in the wood so that there is less chance of discolouration later. Easy application

The application of such detergents doesn’t have to be difficult. For instance, you will discover that a sponge and a micro-fibre cloth should suffice for the application.

What’s on the market ?

Blanchon

Wood must be prepared according to ‘professional standards’. The bearer has to be sandpapered fine (finish grain 120) and dusted meticulously. If it is an old floor, it is absolutely essential to fit the parquet rustically and to remove fully all traces of previous floor coverings. If the wood is new, the sandpapering makes it clean and flat. If you are dealing with parquet with a structure (e.g. brushed or mechanically distressed), delivered without a finish, simple ginning will suffice. That will remove any contamination caused by the transport, treatment, and fitting. The products which are used to fit the finished products are of vital importance for hard primers and pore fillers or sealers. The most important functions of these are as follows: - The opportunity to apply an initial coat which dries quickly (to save time). - The capacity to insulate the future finish of a wood with properties which could damage the end result. This involves: - ‘blocking’ the tannic acid (oak, cherry, certain exotic wood sorts); - insulating acidic wood sorts (douglas, certain exotic wood sorts); - insulating anti-dryers (most exotic wood sorts, especially iroko, merbau, and ipe); - ‘blocking’ certain wood sorts (walnut, afrormosia) with completely unpredictable reactions (colouring, local glue adhesion). - The opportunity to colour the parquet or, on the other hand, preserve the original colour in full. Of all those items, the first one is the most important by far. In terms of protecting the wooden floor and the parquet, it is noticeable how primers with a ‘hard base’ do not reinforce the hardness of the wood or the parquet, despite what you might think. On the contrary, in a system with one plus two coats, they provide the same result in terms of strength as glazing in three coats. They are not recommended at all in a system of one plus one and a coat of glaze. The advantage with the use of a hard primer for the professional is twofold, namely the time saving and the application of a first coat in which less product is necessary. We could also add technical benefits which we have previously outlined.

Bona

You can use the Bona system in various ways to treat an existing wooden floor which looks worn out before you apply a fresh coat of oil or lacquer: Freshening up The Bona Power Scrubber together with the Bona Deep Clean Solution detergent clean the floor thoroughly and remove the most stubborn dirt, grease, and stains. You can then apply a new coat of Bona Polish, Bona Oil Care, or Bona Hard Wax Oil, depending on the type of floor finish. Recoating If a coat of lacquer on a wooden floor gets stained or scratched lightly, Bona Recoating treatment is an effective way of quickly restoring the gloss and the defence mechanism of the floor. You can clean it thoroughly with the Bona Power Scrubber, sandpaper lightly with the Bona Flexi Sand 1.9 and the Bona Diamond Abrasives, and apply a thin coat of Bona parquet lacquer (e.g. Bona Traffic HD). Renovation If a wooden floor is severely damaged or a client just wants a new look, a restoration treatment is the ideal solution. You sandpaper the floor to the bare wood with our professional Bona sanders, Bona abrasives, and Bona dust suction systems and then finish with the look and protection which it needs.

Chimiver

LIOS BIOIL Natural is a natural oil treated for wooden floors. LIOS BIOIL Natural is very durable, protects the wood, giving a smooth effect enhancing the natural look of the wood grain. LIOS B 100 is a natural oil treatment for wooden floors, it has 100% solid content so it can be considered VOC free. LIOS B 100 protects the wood,

EVEN WHEN THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN 96 IS STILL 96!

THE WORLDS FAVORITE 1K WOOD FLOOR LACQUER

enhancing the softness and the natural look of the wood. LIOS HARD WAX BIOIL is a product based on natural oils ad waxes. It gives to the wood a satin and uniform aspect with excellent characteristics of water repellence, hardness and soft touch. It keeps the wood with its original tone. It is suggested for treatment of wooden floors in commercial premises. The product can be mantened easily.

Osmo

In comparison to many other wood coatings, the surface preparation before an application with Osmo coatings does not require much effort. Untreated flooring just has to be freed from any dust and dirt and if desired, lightly sanded. Through sanding, the oil can penetrate the surface and be absorbed into the wood better. As soon as these steps have been completed, the surface is ready for treatment. Stir the Osmo product well and apply to the untreated surface with appropriate tools. Follow the correct application for each product.

Pallmann Plastor

DE OPLOSSING VOOR UW INTERIEURHOUT

The protective layer of a lacquer makes the floor extremely resistant and very easy to clean. 2-component lacquers provide an extra strong protection and are recommended especially in highly frequented areas. Lacquers exist in different gloss-values. When oiling or waxing, the parquet floor is treated with a mixture of different natural oils and waxes. The mixture is worked into the wood floor after installation and sanding. This makes the wood waterrepellent and keeps it breathable. A natural, open-pored surface with a unique natural touch and matt look is the result. There are several ways to prepare a parquet floor before you apply the finish. It depends primarily on the condition of the substrate (raw wood, old wood, varnished wood, etc). With a raw parquet floor, it will be necessary to sandpaper the surface with grain 120. In the case of varnished, oiled, or waxed parquet, it is advisable to sandpaper the surface ‘thoroughly’ in a professional manner in at least three

Hardwax-Olie Anti-Slipphases. Once you have sandpapered the floor, PLASTOR recommends applying a primer before you apply the finish (e.g. oil or varnish) for better adhesion and to reduce the rise of tannic acid. The oiled finish retains the feel of wood and is easy to maintain because local repairs are possible, depending on the wear and tear of the finish. By contrast, a varnished finish creates a film on the surface to give the parquet durable protection. PLASTOR offers various oiled and varnished finishes. For parquet varnishes there are levels of As a professional in the field of surface finishing for wood floors with a performance, depending on how frequently the floor is used tradition of more than 100 years, Pallmann offers a wider range of (irregular to extreme use). products for surface treatment. They can basically be classified in These products make it possible to retain the beauty of parquet floors lacquers and oils. Before applying lacquer or oil products, a preparation by protecting them from the pitfalls of daily use (e.g. stains, chips, of the wood floor with a filler or a primer can be required. etc.).