FFI 122 March 2022 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° 122 March 2022 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Turkey Advertorial Dinachoc (F)

Special Fastening systems for wooden terraces

Advertorial Bjelin (HR)

HIDDEN FASTENERS, TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES FOR TIMBER DECKING & CLADDING

Aftershow Budma (PL) Special Colouring wooden floors

FCBA N° 2010.461.1208 FCBA N° 2018.387.1177 DT FCBA N° 216.511.2348

info@novlek.com, +32 (0)474 49 49 99

www.novlek.com

Installs so fast it’s like having an extra pair of hands There’s no faster way to a great finish. i4F droplock technologies are up to 30% faster to install than basic angle/angle systems. They don’t need any inserts or special tools, feature extremely high locking strength and work seamlessly with all materials, in all formats including 4-sided tiles, chevron and diagonal to create any pattern that’s fully water-resistant. Speak to your existing manufacturers, or contact us to find i4F licensees already producing flooring powered by our drop-lock technologies. And get ready to floor your competitors and reap the benefits – fast.

Content

Editorial

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

N° 122 March 2022 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Turkey Advertorial Dinachoc (F)

Special Fastening systems for wooden terraces

NÖVLEK® : PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR WOODEN TERRACES AND WALL CLADDINGS

Advertorial Bjelin (HR)

HIDDEN FASTENERS, TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES FOR TIMBER DECKING & CLADDING

Aftershow Budma (PL) Special Colouring wooden floors

FCBA N° 2010.461.1208 FCBA N° 2018.387.1177 DT FCBA N° 216.511.2348

info@novlek.com, +32 (0)474 49 49 99

www.novlek.com

FloorForum_cover_159x223_2021.indd 1

22/03/21 23:04

Floor Forum International n° 122 March 2022 Photo NÖVLEK®

Inside news

Advertorial Bjelin (HR)

10 Aftershow Budma (PL) 12 Special Colouring wooden floors 17 Special LVT, PVC, and vinyl floors: extra business for

the floor fitters 18 Special Who sells Ride-On machines for removing old

wooden floors, carpet, stone, etc? 20 Special Fastening systems for wooden terraces 24 Special Who sells waterproof laminate floors? 26 Special Flame-retardant/Fireproof lacquer or oil 30 Advertorial Dinachoc (F) 32 Special Producers of skirting boards with LED lights or

the option of fitting LED lights

For 20 years now, Növlek has developed and manufactured ingenious, simple, and efficient solutions for securing, protecting, insulating, and fitting planks and supports in wood for terraces, wall claddings, and other outdoor works. NÖVLEK® is a Belgian brand, Made in Europe, with products and parts made locally in approved factories. The company devises and develops its own products down to the last detail. They test them extensively in laboratories and on the site itself because they are convinced they have to be approved by the users. Customers and users have always taken centre stage in the daily activities of the NÖVLEK® teams, who make every effort to provide immaculate service and products. NÖVLEK® is the brand which offers the satisfaction and professionalism which you deserve. They work with products which have proved their value, with a simple application, without any compromise on quality and safety, a perfect and durable result and personalised and precise service!

34 Special Who sells which products for giving wood

an aged look? 37 Special 3D wood on the wall 39 Special The new sanding method with various discs, heads,

brushes, and nets 43 Special Who sells cleaning and maintenance products

for wooden floors? 46 Special Staircase renovation with laminate, vinyl, LVT, or

PVC floors 48 Special Turkey 49 Industry news 50 Product news

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

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

Publisher Filip De Ridder

Editors: Jan Hoffman 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.

∂ Inside news CSP Engineering

here: Visit - TimberShow And until then to stay informed of all the news of the show, remember to follow us on our social networks: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the entire program will be unveiled by June 2022 Page d'accueil TimberShow #cib2022

EuroSugi is coming soon!

Left : Geert Van Loocke – Right : Jan Peeters

In 1994 Jan Peeters founded CSP Engineering. With all his heart and soul he has brought the business to what it is today. Now, however, it is time for change. Soon he will step aside little by little, towards a well-deserved retirement, a new chapter in his life. Naturally, he looked for a suitable successor and ... found him! Geert Van Loocke is from now on the new manager. With his extensive experience and good vision, he will continue to lead CSP Engineering to new challenges. “Nothing will change for our customers and our organization.” Jan tells us. “In short, continuity is absolutely guaranteed! What's more, it's our top priority! In addition, the CSP team you trust will of course continue to serve our customers.” With the wonderful achievements and new developments of CSP, the company is ready to further relieve their (future) customers and assist them in their production process.

CARREFOUR INTERNATIONAL DU BOIS, ASK FOR YOUR FREE ENTRANCE BADGE NOW!

Be at the heart of the market, on 1st, 2nd and 3rd June 2022, for the next Carrefour International du Bois, at the Parc des Expositions de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France. An event that is not to be missed for the industry, with more than 500 exhibitors present to welcome you over these 3 days, it groups the most important offer of wood products in Europe: sawn timber, panels, parquet floors, cladding, wood construction solutions, wood for interior and exterior design, ... You are a trader, entrepreneur, carpenter, architect, prescriber, project manager, developer, designer, forester, ... Your trade relations will be at the Carrefour, come and meet them and exchange on current markets and tendencies. Request YOUR FREE ENTRANCE BADGE TODAY! To register it's right

Floor Forum International 122

For some years now, the so called ‘roasted’ black wooden walls have been growing in popularity. Wall cladding is still the main use, but there are several other possibilities. ‘For instance, we’ve already made an entire gate with it, sofas, kitchens, furniture, decorative elements, wood for a food truck, exterior boards, and the interior of a butcher’s shop in France to even fully fledged tree trunks for in the garden as a decorative element. In addition, you will find their roasted wood in parquet floors, lounges, saunas, outdoor strips for sun blinds, and pool houses. Actually, you can deploy it anywhere where wood can be used. At the moment, there’s even a request to make 86 tiny houses in poplar thermowood.’ With EuroSugi there will soon be a product in stock in roasted wood! ‘There’ll be four different finishes, namely EuroSugi Burned, EuroSugi Brushed, EuroSugi Brown, and EuroSugi Black. That’s certainly important in the Netherlands and Belgium because we certainly need to meet the growing demand there for standard products in stock.’ These products will only be available via dealers. If you want to know more or want to be a EuroSugi wood dealer, visit the web site: https://www.eurosugi.com

BAU 2023 We want to create the best conditions for successful networking, for inspiration and for business success. BAU, World's Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials, Systems, will therefore be postponed once to April 17–22, 2023. The postponement of the event is primarily intended to benefit our exhibitors and visitors, so it is important to us that nothing changes for you. The hall structure and the key themes—"The Challenge of Climate Change", "Affordable Housing", "Resources and Recycling" and "Digital Transformation" —will remain. The new theme of "modular building" also remains on the agenda. BAU continues to plan for 19 halls for the April date. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

DOMOTEX will take place in January 2023 The next DOMOTEX will take place from 12 - 15 January 2023. By retaining the established date right at the beginning of the year, Deutsche Messe AG is responding to the wishes of the majority of the market and creating planning security for exhibiting companies and trade show attendees. The next edition of DOMOTEX, the leading trade show for carpets and floor coverings, will take place in Hannover from 12 to 15 January 2023. The decision on the date in January 2023 was taken following intensive market discussions. DOMOTEX will be a face-to-face event

LVT PREMIUM FLOOR & WALL

LUXURY VINYL TILES ADHESIVE

SPECIFIC FOR ELASTIC FLOOR COVERINGS! Long open time

•

High end strength

•

Usable with underfloor heating

•

High initial tack

PLUS

000527-ADVERT

lo w

sio

ve y

MICO V-E

® DE

•

000527-ADVERT_Premium_LVT_A5_landscape_EN.indd 1

26/07/2021 15:22:56

It’s time to make a difference, make it now! Williams & Koch Europe offers the products to do so.

Williams & Koch Europe bv Het Dorlik 11 A B-3500 Hasselt, Belgium www.williams-koch.com info@williams-koch.com +32-473 340 207 www.facebook.com/Williams-Koch-EuroFloor pe Forum

International 122

∂ Inside news with additional digital offerings. This means that all participants will once again have the platform they have been longing for, for networking and to exchange ideas on a personal level. Exhibiting companies and trade show guests from all over the world will be able to exchange information on new products and current trends in the industry - both onsite and virtually. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

1 2 3 4

Bjelin d.o.o. - Wide planks of Hardened Wood Woodura® Bjelin’s wide planks are manufactured with a patented technology Woodura® which makes it possible to harden wood and make it stronger. It’s an innovative wooden floor with a genuine wooden feel that is several times stronger than other wooden floors and utilises renewable raw materials in an optimal way. The Woodura® technology is an improvement on the technology used for the manufacture of parquet floors and is as revolutionary as the 3-layer parquet was when it was launched in 1944 and replaced the homogeneous wooden floor. The technology enables thinner surface layers to be used in production and the entire tree to be used as a raw material. It gives ten times more floors from the same log and the curing process gives a many times stronger surface that never needs to be sanded. It will be cost-effective and sustainable for both you and our environment. Hardened Wood floors are suitable for almost all rooms in homes or commercial areas that are exposed to normal wear (offices, waiting rooms, shops).

5 6

Product composition 1. Surface treatment consisting of hardwax oil or matte lacquer 2. Compressed and hardened surface layer of wood 3. Compressed and hardened wood-based powder layer 4. Wooden core of high quality moisture resistant HDF-board with hardened surfaces at the top and bottom 5. Compressed and hardened wood-based powder layer 6. Compressed and hardened balancing layer of wood

Hardened oak VIKEN VIKEN is our widest hardened oak floor in the Nature sorting finished with a natural hard wax oiled surface. See the entire collection of colors at www.bjelin.com

Wide planks in

Hardened wood Innovative floors for creative interiors

Floor Forum International 122

∂ Inside news 1st Rosenheim LIGNA.Conference to be launched on 1 and 2 June 2022 After its cancellation in autumn 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 1st Rosenheim LIGNA.Conference is now being launched in summer 2022. The organizer of the LIGNA, the world's leading trade fair for the wood industry, Hannover-based Deutsche Messe, and the Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences (TH Rosenheim) are teaming up to welcome you to Rosenheim on 1 and 2 June. Conference topics create link to LIGNA 2023 Well-known speakers to provide insights into wood industry developments Registrations now open for conference attendees After its cancellation in autumn 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 1st Rosenheim LIGNA.Conference is now being launched in summer 2022. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

Välinge A more efficient use of oak with Woodura® surface technology The tragic events in Ukraine have a very heavy impact on oak top lamella supply for the European Wood floor market. Oak raw material will be a bottleneck for traditional parquet production for years to come. The Woodura® surface technology with up to 10 times more efficient use of the oak raw material has a very important role to play

in making the most efficient use of the raw material that is available. Välinge continues to scale up and expand its production of Hardened Wood floors with Woodura® surface and 5G® Dry™ locking system. The growth in demand for this next generation wood flooring is currently very strong with a high appreciation from the market for the combination of attractive design, worry-free features and more sustainable use of the oak raw material. During 2022, Välinge is increasing the capacity at full pace in the factory in Viken (Sweden), and effort will also be spent during the year on the new mega factory for flooring with Woodura technology that is being built in Croatia. Construction of the factory began in 2020 with the first phase scheduled to be operational by 2023 and all phases constructed and up and running in 2027. The development means the production of flooring featuring Woodura surface technology will ramp up incrementally, exceeding 20 million m2 in annual capacity upon completion.

Starke Verbindung Kluge Technik Strong contacts Clever technology

Custom-made

Custom-made solutions for walls and floors

SOLID

PADOUK PARQUET Exotic wood Padouk Satinate varnish finish Section : 14 x 90 x 300-1200 mm • Skirting boards for LED strips. • Direct or indirect illumination. Carl Prinz GmbH & Co. KG • von-Monschaw-Straße 5 • D-47574 Goch • www.carlprinz.de

Tongue & groove - 4 bevels Solid parquet

www.designparquet.com Floor Forum International 122

Advertorial

Bjelin (HR)

WORLD-LEADING TECHNOLOGY FOR DURABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FLOORS

Bjelin is a part of the Pervanovo Invest AB Group and develops and manufactures a wide product range of both traditional wooden floors and innovative floors from new materials. The development is performed in collaboration with the sister company Välinge Innovation AB. The founder of Bjelin and Välinge, Darko Pervan, invented the first click floor and developed the world's first laminate floor. The production takes place in our state-of-the-art factories in Sweden and in Croatia, where we have access to high-quality FSCcertified wood and highly experienced employees who, for generations, have worked to refine the well-known Slavonian oak into wine barrels and today into floors.

Floor Forum International 122

Bjelin in Croatia - 4 factories The flooring plant at our Ogulin 1 site has a capacity of 2 million m² of flooring. The main products are planks, three-strip parquet and parquet strips for herringbone installation. Ogulin1 plant has its own sawmill where logs are sawn, then dried in modern kilns and processed into lamellas for the middle layer part of the parquet flooring. Sawdust and wood waste is used for our pellets and briquettes production. The Ogulin 2 plant will specialize in floor manufacturing with Woodura and Nadura technology to produce Hardened Wood flooring and floors of Ceramic Wood Composite. This production facility, located on a 330,000 m² plot of land, will be Bjelin's main floor production facility in Europe. During 2023 -2027, floor production will be significantly expanded with several new production lines for Hardened Wood and

Ceramic Wood Composite, but also for core materials that will be used for these floors. When the factory is completed, it will be the world's largest production facility for wooden floors with a capacity of 20 million m². The top layer high quality lamellas for our parquet flooring are produced in Bjelovar with FSC certified oak logs. We use the new technique of cutting and drying wood known as FRESH CUTT LAMELLA. A new saw mill plant will be completed this year and the capacity to produce oak lamellas for parquet floorings will be increased considerably. The main raw material for our Hardened wood floors, the oak wood veneer, is produced by Bjelin Otok located in the heart of the famous Spačva forest in Croatia. Spačva is one of the largest intact oak forests in Europe and is well known for its very high FSC certified oak quality. Bjelin Otok is one of the most modern veneer plants in Europe and is well known for its extremely high oak veneer quality.

have long-term contracts with Hrvatske šume, public enterprise for forest and woodland management in the Republic of Croatia, with 100.000 m3 of oak logs agreed on for this year. Unique Slavonian oak (lat. quercus robur slavonica), with the average age of each timber being one hundred years, contributes to the superb quality of our products. Our main goal is to be synonymous with product excellence by using solely esteemed Slavonian oak.

A new revolutionary flooring Bjelin’s wide planks are manufactured with a patented technology to cure wood and make it stronger. It’s an innovative wooden floor with a genuine wooden feel that is several times stronger than other wooden floors and utilises renewable raw materials in an optimal way.

Strong and sustainable Woodura® is the patented technology which makes it possible to harden wood and make it stronger. The technology enables thinner surface layers to be used in production and the entire tree to be used as a raw material. It gives ten times more floors from the same log and the curing process gives a many times stronger surface that never needs to be sanded.

Easy installation with thin floors Normally, wide planks are also thick. The technique of hardening wood allows the floors to be made wide but still remain very thin at just 11 mm so you won’t have to alter your doors or make any other costly changes to your home.

Click flooring for a perfect result The locking system 5G makes it easier than ever to click together a floor. Do it yourself or minimize the project time when hiring a professional. To be installed freely, floating on top of the subflooring without nailing or gluing it down.

Easy to reuse If you want to change to a new floor in the future, your old Bjelin floor can easily be picked up and put back in another room - or maybe sold to a new home!

Colour and format Hardened wide planks in oak from Bjelin are manufactured in different designs based on colors – from light to dark where each color is available in three grades: Select, Nature and Rustic. They are available in two surface treatments: hard wax oil and matt lacquered. The floor planks are available in different widths. To accentuate the shape of the plank we have also beveled the floorboards. With the newest acquisition of Wood industry Spačva, Bjelin has become Europe’s largest manufacturer of oak veneer. Bjelin Spačva, located on the edge of Spačva forest, is our largest factory for processing raw materials. The main product is oak veneer for the flooring and furniture industry. Also manufactures elements and lamellas for parquet floors, solid laminated wooden boards of oak and ash. Sawdust and other wood waste are used for large-scale production of wood pellets and briquettes.

Not just oak We also manufacture Hardened wood ash flooring. Unique to these floors is the calm and harmonious grades of planks, without the usual dark grain and characteristic color variations of ash wood. The ash floor is given a matte lacquered finish in a light, white or grey color.

Herringbone pattern

Rich in unique oak material

Hardened wood is also available in herringbone pattern. Its larger format gives a traditional pattern in a new and modern way.

The timber for the wooden floors comes from forests managed and administered in a sustainable way, based on very strict ecological, social and economic regulations. The logs are processed locally in our own factories, reducing transport while retaining local jobs. We

For more information visit us on: www.bjelin.com and www.spacva.eu prodaja@bjelin.hr - info@bjelin.hr

Floor Forum International 122

Aftershow

Budma (PL)

BUDMA 2022 FAIR THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

The 30th jubilee edition of the BUDMA International Construction and Architecture Fair was accompanied by the exhibition of the INTERMASZ/ INFRATEC International Trade Fair of Technologies and Materials for Infrastructure Construction and of the fireplace and stone industry sectors. From 1 to 4 February, on a total area of 36,000 m2, more than 350 companies from 21 countries presented their offer. Among the thousands of professionals visiting Poznań, a significant group, as in previous years, were traders from the most important building materials chain stores and purchasing groups from 17 countries, who came to BUDMA for the ninth time already as part of the Hosted Buyers Programme. 'At this year's BUDMA, we were looking for manufacturers of doors, windows and roof coverings. We found some really interesting offers, we made new contacts and we will definitely continue to make use of them.' (Vent Aer Dniepr LLC, Ukraine)

Floor Forum International 122

Traditionally, BUDMA is a venue for the presentation of numerous market premieres prepared by manufacturers especially for the Fair. It is worth paying particular attention to those new products that have gained recognition from experts and received Poland's most recognisable innovation award - the MTP Group Gold Medal. From among the products submitted for the award, the Competition Jury selected 26 winners. These include technological solutions distinguished by the care for environmental aspects, surprising functionality and unique design. 6 BUDMA exhibitors who in the most spectacular way reconciled their stand vision with their company's marketing strategy were awarded the Acanthus Aureus award. 'The Poznań construction industry fair - one of the most important events in the sector - is the time for market premieres and gaining new business contacts, which determines further dynamic development.' The jubilee, 30th BUDMA Fair was very successful for Drutex - thousands of visitors appreciated the presented offer, and they had numerous questions about it. In addition, we are very pleased

that our stand, full of new products on the market, was awarded the ACANTHUS AUREUS statuette.' (Zbigniew Bartosiewicz, Commercial Director of DRUTEX S.A.) The four days of the Fair were a time for business meetings, sharing experience, networking, but also discussions about the challenges for the construction industry, also in the context of social change and caring for the environment. In a dynamically changing environment, it is extremely important to have up-to-date knowledge of the current legal regulations and technical aspects of the construction industry. That is why the conference part of BUDMA is so important as well. During the conference organised by the National Labour Inspectorate, the necessity of actions to improve work safety on Polish construction sites was discussed. The Chief Labour Inspector, Katarzyna ŁażewskaHrycko, informed about the preventive campaign organized by the National Labour Inspectorate, entitled "Budowa. Stop wypadkom!" (Construction Site. No More Accidents!) During the two-day Scientific and Technical Conference "Buildings Fire Safety" the issues of fire behaviour of various types of building structures, fire resistance of building partitions and designing structures in view of fire conditions were discussed. The theme of this year's Construction Engineer Day was the decarbonisation of the production process on the example of cement and concrete, and prefabricated concrete as a step towards closed-circuit construction. During Budma, the Energooszczędne Domy Gotowe (Energy Efficient Prefabricated Houses) Association organised a presentation and workshop for architects on the future of timber construction in Poland and worldwide. A special place in the BUDMA programme was occupied by the two-day D&A Design and Architecture Forum. The theme of the Forum was "OdNowa" (ReNEWal) as a new look at buildings, districts, cities. The invited guests discussed the concern for friendly construction and functional planning which accompanies responsible architects who seek inspiration also in existing buildings and boldly reach for new solutions while respecting tradition. Prominent architects, sociologists, local government officials and architecture researchers, such as Jerzy Szczepanik-Dzikowski with Marek Moskal of JEMS Architekci Studio, Hubert Trammer - a well-known participant in the European Bauhaus Round Table, and Jakub Szczęsny - the creator of e.g.. the famous Keret House in Warsaw, took part in the discussions about space without building, revitalisation or renovation of the existing urban fabric, public utility areas, cities and their districts. Oskar Grąbczewski, Jakub Głaz, Monika Arczyńska, Filip Springer, Agata Stanisz, Maciej Frąckowiak, Bartosz Jarosz, Jakub Szczęsny, Małgorzata Tomczak and Arkadiusz Ptak participated in debates about the transformation of matter, transformation, reconstruction and renovation and the revitalisation of medium-sized and small spaces.

Different Perspective on Architecture". The main prize went to Marta Ruselik from the Poznań University of Technology. As in the previous editions, one could not miss interactive demonstrations, workshops and training sessions for professionals. Numerous workshops, demonstrations, training sessions and master exams prepared by the Polish Association of Roofers and the Polish Association of Parquet Layers gathered dozens of participants and crowds of spectators. From the very first day of the Fair, one could see the best young roofers "in action" - they presented their extraordinary skills during the finals of the first Inter-School Trade Competition "Junior Roofing Master". As part of the promotion of parquet flooring and education in the "parquet layer" profession, one could also see the struggle of vocational school students during the examination for a journeyman diploma. The exhibition of companies accompanying the examinations was complemented by presentations, lectures by specialists and experts who presented the latest trends in design, as well as open training for appraisers. 'During the 30th edition of BUDMA, the stand of Grupa Blachotrapez was extremely popular - we were visited by thousands of people. These were four very intensive days from which we returned with full satisfaction, enriched with hundreds of talks with customers, investors and experts.' (Mirosław Stanisławczyk, Operational Marketing Director at Blachotrapez) Anyone who visited the BUDMA Fair information zone of the social campaign entitled "DOBRY MONTAŻ – BUDUJESZ DLA POKOLEŃ" (GOOD ASSEMBLY - YOU BUILD FOR GENERATIONS), organized by the Polish Windows and Doors Association and its Partners, could learn how to build in an economical and environmentally friendly way. During the finals of the 50th Edition of the "Golden Trowel" Building Competition, young people from specialised secondary schools presented their knowledge of the art of building in 6 specialisations: bricklayer, plasterer, painter, floor layer, sanitary fixture fitter and roofer. At the INTERMASZ Fair, the first final of the Operators' Champions League took place as part of a "live" machine demonstration. The live work of the carpentry team from the NARZEDZIOHOLICY.PL portal, who created from scratch a unique piece of furniture in the shape of a construction machine, a WALL-E project, was also a big attraction. As early as today, we cordially invite you to participate in the 31st edition of the BUDMA International Construction and Architecture Fair, which will be held from 31 January to 3 February 2023. Next year, on the same date, the Windoor-tech Fair of Machines, Tools and Components for Window, Door, Gate and Facade Production will be held.

The architectural part of BUDMA also includes a presentation of design projects by architectural studios as part of the 1m/ARCH project, and an exhibition of the winners of the "Architectural Sketches" competition. In this year's competition, students of architecture and secondary school students struggled with the topic of "The Old in a New Way. A

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Colouring wooden floors

NOT ALL WOOD IS EQUALLY SUITABLE HOW DO YOU AVOID THE TRADITIONAL PITFALLS OF COLOURING? Vincent Lepais (Blanchon Group – F) ‘The many benefits of combining a colour oil with lacquer’ When it comes to colouring wood, Blanchon from France is very much a pioneer in this aspect of the parquet narrative in Europe and even worldwide. We asked this specialist company to outline a technique with which parquet floor fitters might not be so familiar, but which could generate extra income for them. In addition we asked them about their partnership with Debal Coatings, which is based in Roeselare, Belgium, and includes the Ciranova trademark. The Blanchon Group took over Debal Coatings in June of last year. To get some answers, we spoke to Vincent Lepais, a highly gifted technician who is responsible at Blanchon for buying products. He doesn’t have to think long about the subject which he wants to consider, namely fitting a seal on colour oil. When he spoke about the takeover as well, he hardly had to think. This was how he expressed it: ‘Obviously, this was a takeover, but in practice it’s more of a strategic, industrial, and commercial synergy, which is the result of a highly flexible partnership.’ ‘Actually, there are very few techniques which are unknown to the better parquet floor fitters, although some floor fitters don’t like to apply colour because of bad experiences in the past. However, that shouldn’t be a reason for working colourless, certainly when you realise that you miss out on considerable extra income,’ Vincent Lepais replies. ‘As you know, you can apply colour on site in three ways, including the distressing narrative. I find it particularly interesting in this connection to consider in more detail how you apply colour oil and then a seal on top. I notice that Belgian parquet floor fitters like to use oil and think it’s nicer to look at (as I do myself), so I want to help fitters to use it properly because it gives so much more flare.’ Fitting high-traffic floors In his explanation Mr Lepais refers to the Blanchon product which stands out the most, namely Solid'Oil™. This product has already yielded exceptional results for several years and is particularly suitable for high-traffic areas. References such as the Pleyel Hall, various Printemps stores in Paris, and Ile de France or the men’s fashion specialist Gant stores are testimony to that. ‘Making parquet watertight with a lacquer offers superior protection to that of oil and also has its place in the ordinary interior. If we think, for instance of the current trend of allowing parquet to run into the kitchen, a high-traffic area. There, too, you have to meet various requirements to keep it looking good. In these cases the use of lacquer on a colour oil is recommended.’ ‘A lot of parquet floor fitters prefer to apply only tinted oil, and that leads to a splendid effect via a simple manner of application, but they thereby forget that clients also opt for easy maintenance. That’s why you can best apply a seal with a finish system which combines decorative beauty and easy maintenance both safely and durably.’ Extra cost is relative Vincent Lepais points out that the costs as compared to traditional oil and varnish are quite modest. Certainly when you realise there’s a remarkable end result just waiting for fitters and end users. ‘That’s particularly the case with the application of a colour before one or two coats of varnish, where very often an interim application of a hard primer is needed to ‘establish’ the colour before the lacquer and at least two layers of kit for maximum protection. In the case of white and pearl grey on wood which contains tannic acid (most of the cases), an anti-tannin primer is recommended. In that case six coats are needed, something which is practically and financially unaffordable.’

Floor Forum International 122

Wood Finish: For any professional, the right product – simple surface treatment and long-lasting care with Osmo. One wood care system for all interior surfaces treated with Osmo coatings.

Maintain surface with:

www.osmo.com

Special

Colouring wooden floors

‘With the “tinted oil + kit” system, it’s seldom necessary to apply two coats of oil. However, it is possible to achieve great depths in colour in certain shades such as white, black, or anthracite. This achieves decoration and protection in three coats (sometimes four).’ Takeover of Debal Finance Over to the takeover of Debal Coatings, or, rather, Debal Finance, well known under the Ciranova and Geka trademarks, in June of last year. This family business is located in Roeselare (Belgium), has over 90 years of history, and specialises in the development and production of finish products for floors, furniture, and related products for professional and industrial clients. Geka Coatings produces special UV coatings for diverse industrial applications.’ Our interviewee explains: ‘This takeover is part of the Blanchon Group’s strategy to speed up its international growth and become a European leader in the protection, maintenance, renovation, and decoration of wooden and vinyl floors. Due to the complementarity of the Blanchon and Ciranova product lines, our strong brand awareness, and the respective client portfolios, this takeover has made the Blanchon Group the Belgian leader in the supply of products and services to professional and industrial clients.’ ‘What I particularly want to emphasise is that this takeover hasn’t involved even the slightest bit of aggression. Both companies have known each other for many years and got on well with each other. Actually, it’s best to call the takeover an enthusiastic partnership because we’ve allowed all 60 well trained Ciranova employees to join our multifunctional Blanchon teams. Moreover, the former owners, Katrien Vandermarliere and Wouter Devaere, are still fully involved in the company and they’ve taken over the general responsibility for the industry segment for both groups and, together with the current shareholders, they’ve invested in the Blanchon Group.’ ‘The reason for this takeover? It enables us to offer our clients new product innovations and services worldwide. Our ambition here is twofold. Firstly, we want to support the development of all our clients in the short, medium, and long term, and, secondly, we’re aiming to expand the market share of the Group considerably both in the professional and industrial segments.’

In previous editions, we’ve outlined on various occasions how to colour wooden floors. However, one point which has had less coverage was how parquet floor fitters can avoid the traditional pitfalls which can arise when you colour wood. To get more information, we called upon two companies with strong reputations in this field, namely the Blanchon Group and Lecol. We start at the very beginning. Which wood sorts are most suitable for colouring and, on the other hand, are there any sorts which are best avoided? Both of them told us at once that in our part of the world oak is by far the most suitable.

Oak – the European leader A spokesperson at Lecol tells us: ‘Other European wood sorts can play a part, but the often reddish tropical wood sorts are less suitable, if at all. Moreover, the use of coloured products with dark wood sorts will often have little effect.’ ‘That’s absolutely right,’ says a spokesperson from Blanchon, where they first consider the correct preparation of the wood before examining the various wood sorts. ‘The first mistake to avoid is incorrect wood preparation. Colour or shade can only be applied properly to wood which has been sandpapered perfectly. Take care if a very fine finish (grain 120 or even 150) is recommended for an oil or a distressing agent, a fine grain is to be recommended for a tinted oil; sanding too finely will ‘close’ the pores of the wood so that the oil cannot impregnate the wood properly and the strength and intensity

Floor Forum International 122

of the required shade will therefore be limited. It’s also important not to work hastily; some products dry quickly, whilst others need more time to accept the application of the chosen finish. Finally, it’s important to check with suppliers that the products used are perfectly compatible.’ ‘One other point when it comes to wood; oak is certainly the most popular wood sort in Europe because it’s absolutely ideal for colouring. Moreover, it’s also a European hardwood which is well known for its durability and the beauty of its grains, with which you can obtain outstanding effects.’ ‘You can also apply oils (coloured oils or wood shades) to chestnut or pine floors where certain prominent grain patterns highlight the effect. What often disappoints us is if coloured oils are applied to exotic wood sorts. In this case it’s best to opt for natural oils (with no pigment) or oils which have been chosen in the original shade of the relevant sort (for instance, a shade which reinforces a floor in wenge, panga-panga, or ebony wood in an interesting manner). Any oil colouring on beech wood should be avoided because its slender grain almost completely disappears under any colour.’

Long-term thinking One point on which everyone agrees unanimously is that you give clients precisely what they would expect of a colour and what can happen in the long term. The spokesperson from Lecol tells us: ‘It’s a good idea to make some samples with exactly the same wood as that from the floor which is

new or to be renovated. When you renovate a floor it is also usual to make a sample in advance in a corner or under a couch. When you make the sample, it’s necessary to sandpaper and, if necessary, treat the wood in advance in exactly the same way as you’ll also do later on the floor. If necessary, get clients to put their signature to the sample to avoid any arguments later. You should always stress that wood is, and always will be, a natural product and that this is part of its charm. This means colour deviations are still always possible.’ The spokesperson from Blanchon comments: ‘You should make it clear to clients that they cannot assume that the shade (or colour) of the wood will stay exactly the same for the entire lifespan of the floor, or at least the finish. With all wood sorts, the original colour changes over time. And so, oak turns brown, pine and chestnut turn yellow, padauk discolours, and so on. Even an extra stain will not stop this development. A ‘medium oak’ stain on new oak will thankfully not hinder the slow transition to ‘dark oak’ and it would be neither technically nor economically ‘reasonable’ to add an anti-UV agent which limits the yellowing efficiently, but merely temporarily. However, the use of a white pastel shade (this means inclusive white) provides a ‘natural’ anti-UV effect, since this pigment is an ideal filter for solar radiation. Sources: Our thanks to the Blanchon Group and Lecol.

What’s on the market ? Blanchon

Bona

Bona Oil System gives you the freedom to create an almost infinite range of colours. The entire Bona Oil assortment is made from vegetable materials and has exceptionally low levels of VOC. The high content of oil combined with a minimal content of solvents guarantees greater saturation and thereby healthy and durable floors. These natural wood-protecting agents possess excellent drying qualities. The 2-compartment parquet oil Bona Craft Oil 2K yields the natural and ‘gentle’ look of an oiled floor, but if the surface requires extra protection, you can apply a top coat of lacquer with one of the Bona Traffic parquet lacquers for extra durability! This is suitable for most sorts of wood, even difficult types such as jaboty, cherry, and walnut. Floors treated with Bona Craft Oil 2K are ready for light use after just eight hours and, if necessary, can be lacquered over after 12 hours. 2-dimensional effects: Bona Nordic Tone helps to highlight the unique character of the interior with the traditional Scandinavian colour treatment. Bona Rich Tone gives the floor the deepest colours and gives the interior an unmistakable touch of elegance. Moreover, Bona Mix Colour intensifies the effects even more.

Ciranova

Blanchon offers a complete range of colour, decoration, and distressing products for parquet and woodwork. It has two ranges of colour shades, one range of distressing products, and various reactive products, all designed for specific effects on parquet. Aquateinte 2K: 2-component waterborne colouring, perfectly stable as regards light, specially created and developed for parquet floors. It is easy to apply, for direct cover with any water-based finish, six wood shades, six shades of pure white to deep black. Teinte à bois (colouring wood): ideal for small rooms. Fast-drying and odourless. 12 wood shades, white, black, and give shades of grey. Vieillisseur Bois (distressing agent for wood): gives an exceptional ‘distressed wood’ effect by highlighting the grains. All wood sorts. Creation of infinite patinas and spheres, especially in harmony or contrast with the Huiles-Cires (wax oils). 10 colours, including five shades of grey. Huile pour parquet (Parquet oil), Huiles-Cires (Wax oil) and Solid'Oil™ (High Solid hard wax oil): 135 shades in total.

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Ciranova is the reference when it comes to color your wooden floor with water-based color stains for on-site use or industrial application. Reactive Stains interact chemically with the natural tannins inside the wood and this interface creates very unique finishes. There are endless possibilities in combination with coloured oils (reaction time +/- 6 hours). Aquastain is a new water-based pigment stain

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Colouring wooden floors

based on micro pigments for staining all types of wood for indoor use. Aquastain provides a uniform coloring that accentuates the woodgrain (drying times +/- 3 to 4 hours). After drying, the stains can be finished with oil or waterborne finishes, such as our new PLUS RANGE to achieve an invisible finish and natural appearance. It is also possible to finish the stains with our coloured Hardwaxoils, creating unique finishes and endless possibilities.

Chimiver

oak, ash, pine on site. The surface can then be protected with the 2 component water-based wood floor coatings Pall-X 98, Pall-X Zero 2K, Pall-X Pure as well as with the 2-component wood floor oil Magic Oil 2K Original. We provide special trainings for the individualisation and for the coloring of wood floors for our customers as well as a huge package of marketing and sales support e.g. color tester to see the color result on the wood chosen by the end customer. 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.

Osmo

Osmo offers different products for applying a coloured base coat to wooden flooring: Oil Stain, Polyx®-Oil Tints, Polyx®-Oil Effect as well as Wood Wax Finish. With Oil Stain, Polyx®-Oil Tints and Wood Wax Finish, different colour intensities can be achieved from transparent to intensive and even opaque; depending on the product and the application, different results are created. Shimmering gloss effects are made with Polyx®-Oil Effect Gold/Silver. Wooden floors treated with Polyx®-Oil Effect Natural look if they are almost completely untreated. The final coat should always be carried out with a clear Polyx®-Oil. The products can also be used by professional craftsmen as well as by end consumers.

Pallmann With the Pallmann Color Collection Pallmann provides a range of 24 coloured oil primers. Each color consists of 3 components: The 2K oil primer Pall-X 333 A / B is given a color C concentrate as a third and final component: This combination is suitable for the priming and simultaneous colouring of many commercial wood types, especially

Floor Forum International 122

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. 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 Overlakbare Kleurolie. The colour options are identical to the ROYL-OIL line. SKYLT Overlakbare Kleurolie can be varnished directly with SKYLT after it has been wiped dry.

Special

LVT, PVC, and vinyl floors: extra business for the floor fitters

THE GROWTH JUST GOES ON AND ON MMFA MEMBERS REPORT IMPRESSIVE GROWTH FOR RIGID EPC AND SPC PRODUCTS Parquet floor fitters who offer LVT, PVC, and vinyl floors can certainly generate extra income. In the first half of March, the MMFA (the Multilayer Modular Flooring Association an organisation which represents the leading producers of floors in Europe and their suppliers) announced some interesting figures for 2021, which indicate that it is precisely these ‘new’ floors which are continuing to grow and that further growth can be expected in 2022. The MMFA celebrates its tenth anniversary in October of this year and has announced global total sales growth figures of 27% in all categories as compared to 2020. In contrast to previous years, sales of wood products by members dropped by 1.6%, whilst sales by members for all polymer products grew by 32%. In those figures Rigid EPC (expanded PVC core) and SPC (solid polymer core) products recorded impressive growth of 79% and 30% respectively as compared to 2020. According to the MMFA, the significant total growth springs from consistent efforts by Rigid EPC and SPC. Amongst members, Western Europe and North America are consistently the top markets in sales volume, whilst Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Australia and Oceania are the most dynamic.

Volume per category and area As we’ve said, sales of polymer products from all members have continued to grow in all regions. In particular, sales of LVT have risen this year (+27%), whilst sales of SPC have risen by 30%. During 2021, both categories achieved sales of 46 and 49 million square metres respectively. Finally, sales of EPC this year have also recorded a considerable rise amongst members this year, with a rise of 80% to 9.3 million square metres. Members in Western Europe and North America account for 90% of turnover for all categories of polymer products, with the United States, Germany, and France as the top three markets. France scores considerably better than Germany in sales of LVT click. According to sales volumes of polymer products for each region, Western Europe leads the way with sales of 54 million square metres, followed by North America (41 million square metres),Eastern Europe (6.1 million square metres), Asia (2 million square metres), Australia/ Oceania (811,617m²), Africa (654,124m²), and Latin America (634,731m²).

USA is the biggest internal market This year, the USA has been the biggest market for the MMFA members for by far all polymer products, with sales of 39 million square

metres. In Western Europe the top markets for all polymer products in 2021 were Germany (17 million square metres), France (14 million square metres), Great Britain (5 million square metres), and the Netherlands (4.5 million square metres). This year, Germany has also been the biggest market for rigid polymer products, with total sales of 10 million square metres, followed By France (6 million square metres), and the Netherlands (2.6 million square metres). The USA is still the biggest market for sales of rigid products in North America, with 21.5 million square metres sold in 2021. On the Eastern European market Poland leads the way (1.4 million square metres), followed by the Russian Federation (369,667m²). As for sales of LVT click, France is the biggest market for the MMFA in Western Europe, with sales of 8.2 million square metres. France is followed by Germany (6.9 million square metres), Great Britain (3.3 million square metres), the Netherlands (1.9 million square metres), and Switzerland with 295,083m² in 2021. In Eastern Europe the Russian Federation has been the biggest market this year for LVT click (912,887m²). In North America the United States is still the biggest market with sales of 17.4 million square metres of LVT click products in 2021.

Growth potential What stands out amongst MMFA members is that those in Western Europe (+43.7%) and North America (+16%) lead the way in sales of all polymer products. At the same time we note that the African market is growing rapidly amongst members and that also the Asian market is showing a nice even spread over a number of countries for all polymer products.

Waterproof design flooring by MEISTER Design flooring MeisterDesign. rigid: 25 new decors The waterproof rigid core flooring range from MEISTER will be launched on 1st April 2022 with a fully revised selection of decors. Instead of 20 products in the three collections MeisterDesign. rigid RD 300 S, RL 400 S and RB 400 S, MEISTER customers will be able to choose from 36 variants, including 25 new designs. The rigid core floors are characterised by high stability and brilliant decors, and – like all other MEISTER floors – are made in Germany.

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Who sells Ride-On machines for removing old wooden floors, carpet, stone, etc?

THE SECRET OF MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE THERE ARE PLENTY OF SOLUTIONS FOR EACH TYPE OF WORK Martijn Wouters (Husqvarna Group) ‘Type, location, and scale of a project determine whether or not you choose Ride-On.’ When it comes to Ride-On machines, the Swedish Husqvarna Group stands out, certainly after the takeover of Blastrac at the end of 2020. They provide parquet floor fitters with an extensive range, which further builds on the range of walk-behind machines and even offers a machine which you can stand behind. In some cases you can even operate machines by remote control. Martijn Wouters, sales manager for surface and floors at Husqvarna Benelux since the start of this year after being director of sales at Blastrac Benelux, shows us the range. Before he does so, he takes a detour to the ‘step machines’. This is necessary because you can’t see one without the other. ‘In some cases a Walk-Behind is the only solution. Think, for instance, of works which have to be carried out on a storey. In that case we offer a smaller model which can be dismantled. Our smallest in the series, the BS 75, is easy to dismantle and is especially suitable for smaller projects. Think of the removal of wall-to-wall carpet or PVC, for instance. Then, there’s the BS 110, which cannot be dismantled and has more weight and somewhat more power, although it is still manageable and two people can lift it up. I refer to these machines because it’s important for floor fitters to realise that ride-on machines aren’t the solution for everything since weight is a restriction.’ From stripper to grinder With the Ride-On machines, Martijn Wouters starts with the BMS 150, which is the smallest Ride-On stripper in the range. ‘Here, we’re talking about a weight of 400kg, which you can raise to 600kg. This BMS 150 is driven by 220 volts, with a smart reel, so that you never cut the leads by accident. It’s very suitable for smaller rooms and ideal for places where you can’t put too much pressure on the floor. Think here of the renovation of flats or care homes where there’s a maximum weight limit of 800kg in lifts. You can always get this machine upstairs for a project.’ ‘A heavier machines is the BMS 220, with weights up to 1100kg and ideal for more difficult floors. Think here of the removal of elements such as tiles, epoxy, or chipboard. The BMS 220 is driven by battery and can run for between six and eight hours on a full battery. And so, this Ride-On machine lasts for a whole working day.’ ‘The last sit machine which I want to mention is the powerful BMG 2200, a grinder which you sit on. The BMG 2200 has a grinding width of 2.20 metres, possesses a fully integrated system with a dust suction unit, and can be operated by remote control. And so, you can also walk alongside the machine. Here you notice that the dust suction and pre-separator protrude at the rear and that you can use this machine for much more than just grinding. Amongst other things, for instance, you can freshen up floors (e.g. cleaning, polishing, renovating) or you can remove levelling layers or coatings. If you have to do a lot of square metres, this is the ideal machine because it’s highly efficient.’ BMP 4000: a Stand-On In closing, Martijn Wouters also mentions the BMP 4000. Strictly speaking, this isn’t a Ride-On, but it does have all the benefits of one. ‘This BMP 4000 is actually a milling machines which you stand behind on a sort of platform. This machine is now also available with remote control and is deployed for the removal of top layers, which are literally shattered by a series of tiny hammers.’ For more information or a demonstration, please call Husqvarna on +32-(0)3-6466212 or send an e-mail to bds.customerservices@husqvarnagroup.com

Floor Forum International 122

Concrete Disc. The magnetic holder of the Bona Concrete Disc makes it possible to change segments quickly and easily, including Diamond, PCD Split, and PCD Maxi. Available segments with diverse functions: The Bona PCD Maxi is for removing thick adhesive residue, epoxy, and carpet foam. The Bona PCD Split is for removing polyurethane, thin adhesive residue, and paint. The Bona Diamond Segment is for removing sinter layers, processing concrete surfaces, and more. You can sand in any direction with the Bona Concrete Disc and the easily replaced magnetic segments.

Photo – Husqvarna

During the pandemic, which is hopefully almost over, we all discovered the interior. The renovation market played a big part there, so that machines used for renovation work were in great demand. What solutions do manufacturers offer? We asked them, for instance, which chisels and blades they fit onto these ride-on machines, what the situation is in 2022 with machines powered by fossil fuels or electrically driven, or what the various machines can achieve in surface and/or working hours.

Traditional stripper One appliance which manufacturers are promoting is the floor stripper for loosening floor coverings like carpet, vinyl, linoleum, or even concrete or wooden flooring tiles. Here we find that most strippers are electrically driven. Moreover, it is also clear that the battery is the future, since most equipment now operates cable-free. We also notice how the operating width and the blade sections largely vary from 20 to 35 centimetres. You should remember that there is a direct link between the work surface and the choice of tool. For instance, we note weights of 150 to 500kg for medium and bigger appliances, often with the option of making them even heavier. Really big machines even weigh up to one tonne.

A brief summary If we summarise the features of professional machines, a number of elements recur frequently. In particular, remember that you should look out for convenience of operation and that the tools are controlled hydraulically. It’s also important that they operate silently and without any emissions, that the work surface can be adjusted in height and angle, that there is no loss of swivel and that tyres don’t leave any marks, that the machines are easy to transport, load, and unload, and that they fit in average size lifts, that there is a wide choice of work sheets, and, finally, that there are various options for increasing the weight.

Renovation of old wooden floors with the IGEL milling drum for the HUMMEL ®/ELF and the milling attachment for the FLIP ®. Remove: ✔ Paint and carpet adhesive residues, ✔ Leveling compound, ✔ Carpet and cork back residues, ✔ Multiple layers of old varnish and ✔ Lubricating parquet varnishes. Preprocessing: ✔ Heavily cupped floorboards. For more information, please visit our website at: www.laegler.com/en/applications

Another specialist has his say Bona The Bona Flexi Sand 1.9 is a powerful multifunctional machine for all floor operations. This machine can be fitted with various drive discs for various tasks such as sanding down to the bare wood, fine sanding, or applying oil. It can even grind concrete using the special disc the Bona

+49 (0) 7135 98 90 0

info@laegler.com

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Fastening systems for wooden terraces

THE MARKET HAS MATURED ADVANTAGES OF INVISIBLE FASTENING HAVE BEEN QUITE CLEAR FOR SOME TIME Quentin Van Winckel: (B-Fix – B) ‘Our approach comprises three main points.’

Left : Quentin van Winckel – Right : Raphaël Pieters

When it comes to the world of invisible fastening systems, the Belgian company B-Fix hardly needs any introduction. B-Fix, based in Villersla-Ville, has perfected products for this invisible fastening system for many years and over the years has also become a permanent fixture in many countries outside Belgium. That’s certainly the case with fastening wooden deckings and wall cladding.

Business manager Quentin van Winckel sees three different points which have led to the growing popularity of the B-Fix approach. Here, he looks beyond the delivery of a quality product, which is accompanied by the highest possible flexibility in market operation. After all, quality and service should be standard conditions in the strategy of any ambitious company. 100% European, almost 100% Belgian Quentin comments: ‘First of all, I’d like to take readers back to about 15 years ago. B-Fix was created in those days with the explicit intention of helping the company respond to outdoor fastening needs. The intention was to set up a relatively universal system and from the beginning we were fortunate enough to be able to rely on Belgian partners. From the very beginning until now, we’ve produced in Europe for the full 100%, and actually almost for 100% in Belgium. Our initial partnership with the sheltered workshop is still functioning in full swing. Moreover, this initiative is an integral part of our structure and helps us to keep our know-how about our products close to the source.’ Universal system ‘A second point which the firm identifies is its technical approach. B-Fix always wanted a universal system which could also be used for both terraces and walls. Furthermore, it also had to be suitable for both exotic and local sorts of wood or for adapted cladding, such as with thermally treated wood or composite planks. Our aim has always been to make life easier for clients and dealers by offering them a single system which they could use anywhere. That universality will be vital in our production in the near future and, furthermore, everything revolves around impeccable quality and high-speed fitting. Moreover, in the next few years, we’re going to be moving clearly towards a more integrated solution to extend our activities to cover all deckings and their structures.’ Love of wood ‘People who know us can certainly guess the third point. I want to stress here once again how closely we’re still connected to the wood industry and also stress that this is now a fully fledged market. The wood industry now operates more sustainably, and thereby all our partners (and we’ve worked with almost all of them for many years and will continue to do so) are constantly on board with that.’ ‘In particular the wood market has now become much more structured and B-Fix is making every effort within its segment to provide the best possible accessories for the fitting. If I want to stress one thing, it would be how much we will continue to foster excellent relations with everyone in the wood industry in the future. This isn’t just a product which we’ve got to know through and through; it’s also an industry in which we can operate with complete confidence with all partners and thereby create only win-win situations. Don’t misunderstand me, with our company we also respond to wood derivatives and do so via the well known B-Fix method of approach.’

Floor Forum International 122

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

O-Floor O-Profile O-Panel Multilayer Parquet

www.progressprofiles.com

IN LOVE WITH DECKING

A New evolution with the goal of flexibility, innovation and energy efficiency PATE NT

PRODESO® HEAT GRIP SYSTEM

DIGITAL WI-FI

Progress Profiles SpA

UNCOUPLING

WATERPROOFING

VAPOR AND MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

LOAD DISTRIBUTION

WOODEN FLOORS FOR OUTDOORS

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

Company certified UNI EN ISO 9001:2015

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Fastening systems for wooden terraces

For many years the big problem with fastening for wooden terraces was the fastening system which was used. Screwing through the wooden floorboards was regarded as necessary. And so, not only was the look disrupted by visible screws, but also the fact that elements were driven into the wood exposed the vulnerability of the material. There might have been some developments in the area of stainless steel screws, for instance, but it could have been so much better. Moreover, there could have been a much closer similarity to the perfectly finished parquet indoors, which contrasted sharply with what was on show on the terrace. In the meantime, the solution came over a decade ago with the launch of the first invisible fastening systems. Now, in 2022, invisible fastening systems have turned the market upside down and ensure that you can almost say that a terrace is a synonym for ‘outdoor parquet’.

prevailing rules in Belgium for fitting terraces, we do see that the market now operates more flexibly precisely because we and others stayed strong and continue to insist on quality fitting. We link this as much as possible with training, and this bears fruit.’

An overview B-Fix

Use of clips What are we actually talking about when it comes to an invisible fastening? To understand this properly, you should realise that floorboards are fastened in place without using visible screws. Moreover, you use a system which doesn’t fasten the wooden planks directly to the beams, but via the use of a clip on this support structure. This method of assembly means that the floorboards are almost always equipped with a groove into which the clip fits and clip systems are geared to absorb the swelling and shrinking of the wood. When there is due regard for the correct distance between the terrace planks, a good system ensures that the wood can swell and shrink. Moreover, the fitter shows due regard for the humidity level of the wood at the time of the fitting. The next question which we could ask is one of a technical nature. We’ve already covered the aesthetic aspect, but what is the difference between this and the traditional fastening in terms of quality?

Technical advantages + safety You should realise that an invisible fastening allows a terrace to keep its good looks for much longer. Since wood fitted outdoors is exposed to various forces, the fitted screws are precisely the elements which can cause problems in the long term. In particular, you have to allow for crack formation here, something which is not the case with invisible fastening. Furthermore, you will also notice that the inevitable curling of the wood outdoors may be regarded as virtually non-existent with an invisible fastening. Moreover, you also have a safety argument to fit in with the technical element. Splinter formation can occur at any time whenever you damage wood, such as with the use of screws. That’s exactly what you don’t want, certainly if there are children who dare to walk barefoot on the wood.

B-Fix presents a range of solutions for terraces and deckings. Since the launch of the system, it has already been used on millions of square metres. The assortment includes several types of invisible fasteners e.g. B-Fix One, B-Fix Black One, and B-Fix Border. And also the brand new B-Fix Connect. Furthermore, the assortment also includes various accessories. The B-Fix range is designed in stainless steel with memory effect so that the wood can act naturally and yet still stay perfectly in place. Each plank can be removed individually. The fastening system can be mounted onto 3 different profiles and can be deployed on a wide range of wood sorts and composite. Thanks to the screws, the system adapts to various types of structures e.g. wood, aluminium, and layer structure. For the cladding, B-Fix can be fitted horizontally and vertically. These systems can be fitted much quicker than a classic system.

Eurotec GmbH Practical deck systems from Eurotec

Mature and structured Finally, we also consider how mature the market now is. Do invisible fastening systems still have teething problems and, if so, what are they? In answer to that question Quentin Van Winckel from specialist B-Fix has given an absolutely clear answer in the preface to the previous edition. This was what Quentin said: ‘The terrace market is now much more mature and structured; in terms of both the quality and quantity of the wood everything is going well and the installation follows with an increasingly structured approach, with increasing quality. What stands out is how professionals have come to put the stress on technical questions. It’s also clear that the other brands are also investing constantly to operate on this market. Although there are no generally

Floor Forum International 122

Eurotec GmbH is a medium-sized company and has established itself as a permanent fixture in the fastening technology segment with more than 20 years of existence. The product range includes a variety of high-quality items for patio and garden projects. From load-bearing adjustable pedestals and robust system profiles to coordinated accessories – the company offers its customers a variety of fastening

systems and tools with which all types of patio projects can be realised. With the help of dimensionally stable aluminum system profiles, in contrast to wooden profiles, a durable basis is created for laying and fastening the desired covering. The range provides various products for visible or hidden fastening for fixing wood decking boards. Eurotec has many years of experience and know-how in the field of deck construction and is happy to support you in the planning phase and the realization of your deck project.

La San Marco Profili

La San Marco Profili offers a wide choice of materials and profiles, such as the traditional female/female lateral milling, the invisible profile and others. From Decking to Deck Tiles, for outdoors floor, we offer different solutions to every need. Both standard and custom millings are available, along with all the necessary for installation. Furthermore, the company offers different methods of fitting that give many advantages to the customer; the most important advantage is to reduce time of installation. Among our systems, there is the “Easy change system”. The planks are supplied exclusively prepared for mounting with this patented system, a revolutionary installation system that speeds up the fitting process, reduces the fitting costs and eliminates the possibility of errors by giving the chance of removing only one plank in any point of the floor with just the use of a special key. Another solution we offer is the I-FLY clip, the smart decking clip that could be installed as the traditional clips of conventional installations. This special clip can be used with any kind of joists. As the easy change system, I-FLY clip allows you to easily remove and replace any planks at any point in the floor and it is incredibly quick and easy to install. These installation systems could be used for both wood and composite decking.

ArchiWood / NÖVLEK® NÖVLEK® develops and manufactures ingenious, simple and effective solutions to fix, protect, insulate and install wooden boards and supports for your decks, cladding and other outdoor structures. DURABILITY, STABILITY AND BEAUTY GUARANTEED HardWood Clip® is the most advanced, effective fastening system on the market for timber decking and cladding, thanks to its exclusive and outstanding technical characteristics.

Visit www.floor-forum.com

HardWood Clip® brings a real revolution to the field of invisible fasteners for timber decking. The innovative technique involves both the unique 45° screwing process, and the use of two, high-performance materials together ensuring greater strength, rigidity, absorption capacity and durability. HardWood Clip® is the most advanced, effective fastening system on the market for wooden decking, thanks to its exclusive and outstanding technical characteristics. The invisible HardWood Clip® fastenings (fasteners) ensure complete stability over time, along with their superb looks and unparalleled durability. The quality of each of the components of the HardWood Clip® fastening system help to make the work of users easier, while saving at least 40% of the time needed for laying (apart from the structure), compared to traditional methods. The invisible SoftWood Clip™ fasteners are designed especially for decking and cladding, in stable modified timber: heat-treated pine, heat-treated ash, Accoya®, Kebony®, bamboo, etc. SoftWood Clip™ fasteners ensure complete stability over time, along with their highend aesthetic and unparalleled durability. Easy to install and to dismantle, the Square Clip™ allows the assembled decking or flooring tiles to be endlessly reorganised and rearranged. The tiles are fixed firmly to each other, with no risk of shifting. The Square Clip™ connector can be placed or screwed directly onto the support structure (concrete floor, joists, pedestals, etc.). A tile can be removed without having to dismantle the whole layout, and without damaging the connector.

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Who sells waterproof laminate floors?

THE FINAL VICTORY? MANUFACTURERS HAVE MADE A PRIORITY OF WATERPROOF LAMINATE FOR MANY YEARS Over the years, laminate has had to conquer several hurdles. For instance, it once looked artificial, it had the annoying sound of footsteps, and the fitting always involved glueing. Those problems have hardly been an issue, if at all, for many years now. If there is still one problem, it’s the issue of a waterproof floor. Yet here, too, we note that this is now much less of an issue.

Watertight or waterproof In recent decades, laminate manufacturers have made an absolute priority of making floors which are watertight, or perhaps it would be better to say waterproof. To judge by what we’ve seen coming onto the market in recent years, they’ve largely succeeded so that we can put a number of prejudices firmly to bed. To mention one, for instance, laminate isn’t suitable for the bathroom. That was largely the case ten years ago, but nowadays you have to give a much more refined answer. In particular, we wonder how producers make these floors more dampproof. To get a better grasp of this, we look first and foremost at the product structure. For instance, the base is the first crucial factor for deciding whether or not a particular laminate floor is suitable for use in damp surrounds.

A treated base We know that a laminate base is almost always HDF. Generally, this HDF (or high density fibre) easily absorbs water so that the material swells. And so, in the quest for refinement, manufacturers firstly examined this base and considered how to treat the HDF to counteract water absorption. With the products now emerging on the market, we notice that makers have found solutions to treat HDF to make it more waterproof. For instance, with waterproof laminate they have inserted a synthetic profile into the base and have impregnated the surfaces and edges of the plank.

Adapted joints That latter brings us to a second weak point in these floors which had to be tackled, namely the joints. Here we note how there are now scores of systems which pay extra attention to making the joints watertight. And so, the edges have extra protection and even make the entire locking system watertight. Sometimes a rubber strip is also added here.

Extra coatings Equally important, obviously, is how to tackle the surface of the floorboards. In this connection you will notice that just about all manufacturers apply their own extra coating to the product. This yields a system where the floor is sealed at the joints after the fitting via a waterproof treatment, coating, or wax. This is almost always in combination with both items which we’ve already outlined.

Floor Forum International 122

A practical example We found a practical example of how to make laminate floors waterproof for use in damp rooms at Berry Alloc, a well known pioneer in this field for a long time. Back in 2008, this market player introduced its hydro+ technology, which has been further refined over the years. This player applies specifically a water-repellent coating to the sides of each plank so that the water cannot penetrate into the joints. They implement this process during the production so that the collection is fully waterproof when it leaves the factory. Since they also realise how important the finishes to walls and thresholds are, they have developed a whole range of accessories to protect the room completely from water and other fluids. Amongst other things, we refer to their jointing strip as a basis for filling. This is used to fill all expansion joints with the so called Filler Twine, whereby the floor can swell and shrink, whilst it is still protected against damp.

A specialist has his say Välinge Why Välinge’s 5G® Dry™ is making a big splash in the world of flooring The world of floor locking is a dynamic one — and Välinge has innovation engrained in its DNA. The desire to evolve, redefine, and improve is omnipresent, so, as the demand for waterproof flooring increased, the engineers at the company’s HQ in Viken, Sweden, were already into advanced testing of the technology that would become 5G® Dry™. “Most of the water-resistant laminate flooring on the market today doesn’t utilise a fold-down locking system — they are usually based on a simpler angle/ snap solution,” says Laetitia Kimblad, Välinge Innovation’s Director of Floor Locking. “What we wanted to achieve with 5G Dry was to take everything great about 5G Fold Down — such as the fastest and easiest installation and strong locking provided by the plastic tongue — and add a watertight joint that reduces surface swelling and prevents water from penetrating through the joint.” To achieve their goal, they tweaked the locking profiles, creating a lip that prevents the water from penetrating. The result is that both the long and short sides of the plank gain watertight joints while retaining the fast and easy installation that people love and expect from 5G Fold Down. “When customer see that a floor uses 5G® Dry™ — whether that’s a Hardened Wood floor, resilient, or laminate — they know they’re getting the easiest, fastest, and best installation out there and a worry-free floor that can handle whatever life throws at it.”

Licensed by

Special

Flame-retardant/Fireproof lacquer or oil

DON’T FORGET THE FLOOR EUROPEAN FIRE SAFETY DIRECTIVES ARE BECOMING MORE MANDATORY Tassilo Hochstein (CEO/Managing Director Heidelberg Coatings Dr. Rentzsch GmbH -D) ‘Fire resistance is becoming an increasingly mandatory demand with projects.’ Barely two years ago, the German company Heidelberg Coatings, which is located in the city of Heidelberg in the north-west of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, launched its first flame-retardant finish products for wooden floors and cork floors. It did so under the name PROLiGNUM. There were good reasons for this decision. Standards are getting stricter, so you have to respond accordingly. That applies particularly to the project market, where the use of flame-retardant and fire-resistant lacquers and oils is becoming increasingly mandatory. CEO and managing director Tassilo Hochstein of this company, which was formed back in 1952, gives more details about the products launched for these floors and goes into more depth about the flame-retardant Natur Hartwachs Fire Protec FP-8713-0112, Natur Reaktiv Öl Fire Protec FP-1387-0112, and Natur 2K Ölfinish Fire Protec FP-8525-0112. The first product is a single-component wood finish for parquet, based on renewable raw materials. The second is a reactive, hardening, and natural oil where the binding agent consists of durable raw materials. On parquet and wooden floors you achieve much greater scratch resistance than you can achieve with a classic oil coating. The third and last product is a wood finish which is made according to the latest know-how in the field of natural surface coating on wood and is based on renewable raw materials. It is designed for high-traffic surfaces and makes the floor highly waterproof. Industrial partners especially, but also parquet floor fitters ‘We work mainly for industrial partners, usually for three-layer parquet traders. Moreover, we also supply parquet floor fitters who want to apply a finish on site,’ says Tassilo Hochstein. ‘This range, in which we are heavily committed to the use of ecological components, has developed because clients are still making specific demands.’ ‘Fire resistance has become hugely important for various reasons. One of the most important ones is that an increasing number of buildings are being constructed in wood. In addition, there is also an explicit demand from the project market. Think here of buildings for the government, schools, blocks of flats, museums, and such like. Fire resistance is strictly regulated in those categories, so you have to adapt your products accordingly.’ ‘We launched our products about two years ago because we saw a clear trend and assumed that demand would continue to grow. In the meantime, that growing demand has been confirmed and that comes as no surprise, certainly not if you also see how the trend towards ecological construction is gaining the upper hand.’ Responding to legislation: CFL and BFL Obviously, we wanted to know how Heidelberg Coatings has responded to the legislation. ‘Europe is our biggest market and you need permanent certificates to trade there. If we trade outside this market, we send samples which are usually analysed in the testing institute of the country in question and, depending on the size of the client, we help to cover the costs. That has happened recently with a client in Albania, for instance.’

Floor Forum International 122

PROL GNUM ‘It’s important to add that we have our products tested in accordance with both CFL and BFL. Most clients ask for CFL because with BFL the wood has to be at least 5mm thick. Most products in multilayer floors are only 3mm thick and the tendency now is even only 2mm because producers are saving on the amount used due to the rising prices of raw materials. To be absolutely clear, some of our clients work with solid wood, certainly in Belgium where there are still a lot of traditional parquet floor fitters. BFL then comes into play to ensure the correct fire resistance class.’

When it comes to fire safety, people often forget the floor. Yet this part of a building also needs to be considered. We consider the requirements of European legislation and how flame-retardant and/or fireproof lacquers or oils are responding to the legislation. What you yourself have to realise is that European legislation is becoming more mandatory. At present, legislation takes account not only of the flammability of materials and their potential contribution to any fire, but also of the chances of spreading the fire to other rooms or even to adjoining buildings.

Construction Products Directive Remember that you have to keep the European Construction Products Directive in mind. This Construction Products Directive includes fire safety as one of the six basic properties of building products (alongside stability, health, user-safety, sound insulation, and energy saving). Buildings, too, have to meet these six requirements, both for new buildings and renovation projects, obviously including the wooden floor.

Three sorts of products Materials can be adapted in three ways to modify their flammability or fire resistance. Firstly, there are flame retardants, which are used to reduce the flammability of the synthetics used and thereby increase the ‘escape time’. Secondly, there are flame-retardant coatings and/or fluids. If we consider the parquet lacquer specifically, you have to realise that the only function of such a flame-retardant fluid is to reduce as much as possible the contribution of the material on which it is used. To sum up, the fact is that such a parquet lacquer must never have an adverse effect on the fire reaction class. Finally, there is flame-retardant paint. This paint is designed to increase the fire resistance of a building material and consists of a primer, a flame-retardant paint, and a top coat. The specific properties of a flame-retardant paint mean that it protects a flammable surface against the penetration of fire within certain time and temperature limits.

What’s on the market ? Bona The European Standard for fire resistance EN 13501-1 sets out seven fire resistance classes from A to F, with A being the best and F the worst. The general designation is usually the following Afl-s1: A = fire classification, fl = floor – designation for floors, s = smoke – smoke development class ranging from s1, the best, to s2, the worst. What is also tested is the entire floor construction i.e. adhesive, type of floor, (e.g. wood, stone, or PVC), and finish. Even if a wooden floor were to obtain a class A test result, it would automatically be put in class B, since class A is reserved for inorganic materials such as stone, metal, or concrete. Various Bona lacquers have been tested in this way, applied to a chipboard (subfloor panel) with a European standard of Bfl-s1, and have all obtained class Bfl-s1, something which is quite possible if you use inorganic materials.

NATUR HARD WAX OIL colourless/coloured

TOY

ANTI-SLIP EFFECT

FIRE PROTECTION

LFGB § 31

LOW EMISSION

SAFETY

tested for food safety LFGB § 31 0% VOC suitable for colouring DIN EN 71 Teil 3 LFGB § 31

DIN 68861

on basis of renewable raw materials www.hd-prolignum.com

ZERO TO HERO

Note: This means that Bona lacquers do not worsen the inflammability of the floor, but they don’t improve it either! If the subfloor had a class C or D, the final test result would also have been the same. According to Bona’s information, the following standards apply in Belgium: Cfl for public places and Bfl for fire exits.

Blanchon

BRAND NEW: PALL-X ZERO 1K www.pallmann.net

Zero solvents? Zero problems. Michael Garbe, PALLMANN Technician, Elena Schraut-May, PALLMANN Laboratory Manager

Strictly speaking, Blanchon doesn’t bring fire-resistant finishes for parquet floors onto the market (which make inflammable items non-inflammable), but high-grade sealers and oils in Euro classes. Blanchon sealers and oils have unique qualities and don’t owe their characteristics to additives, which are often subjected to a discriminatory health labelling and are added during the production or during use. It should be pointed out that these additives often come in solid form whereby transparent products such as varnishes, sealers, or oils sometimes have a whitish look. On the other hand, we’ve often noticed that the addition of such additives in high-quality sealers results in a noticeable reduction in durability. They operate in all ranges of sealers, namely 2-component and 1-component waterborne polyurethanes and traditional polyurethanes. They have a range of 10 products in two classifications.

Ciranova

Flame-retardant coating products have the function of slowing down or even suppressing the burning process. This is achieved through the elimination of at least one of the elements (fuel-oxygen-temperature) necessary for causing and/or perpetuating a fire. Since both physical and chemical effects have an impact on the fire cycle, products with different properties, compositions, and structures are often combined in the formulation for greater effectiveness. It is important to mention here that they do not use any harmful substances (e.g. halogen). For wooden floors the certification is cited in the CE label (EN14342), especially in the section ‘reaction to fire EN13501-1’. The products are

Special

Flame-retardant/Fireproof lacquer or oil

divided up into classes (Euroclass) on the basis of standardised tests and according to their contribution to fire. These tests are conducted by recognised institutes, and as regards floors the most important one is the ‘radiant panel test for flooring EN ISO 9239-1’. A detail which is not insignificant in this context is the fact that the entire composite is tested, not just the coating itself. And so, the Ciranova products (UN1CO, a one-coat oil, and Fortico 2C, a PU 2-component varnish) are put in fire class Bfls1 (fl for flooring & s1 for minor smoke development) when applied according to the technical regulations and on a substrate which is produced to comply with the standard EN 312:2010-P2. FORTICO is an on-site product and can therefore be applied on site.

ECOSTAR RF 15T is suggested for the treatment of wooden floors and wooden materials only for flooring purposes. The class of reaction to the fire is italian 1. ECOSTAR RF 15T has been formulated in order to meet the highest anti-slip standard requirements for sportive wooden floors. ECOSTAR RF 15T is in conformity with European standards for sportive wooden floors meeting EN14904 standard's requirements. CERTIFIED CflS1 ACCORDING TO EN 13501-1.

Osmo

Chimiver

ECOSTAR RF 15T is a two-component water-based polyurethane flame-retardant lacquer in line with the D.M. 6 Marzo 1992 following the UNI 9796 norm.

The world watched in dismay in 2017 as the Grenfell Tower in London was engulfed in flames. Quickly the fire spread over the timber cladding on the high-rise apartment building. As a result of the blaze, consumer demands for fire retardant wood coatings used in construction have grown. To determine the fire classification of construction products and building elements, standardized fire tests are carried out. In these tests, wooden floorboards are treated with maximum 60 g/m² of Osmo Polyx®-Oil. Due to the low amount of coating needed, adding fire retardants will not have a significant effect on the fire behaviour of the flooring. The fire rating is largely determined by the substrate itself. Regardless of whether with or without fire retardants, flooring certified Cfl-s1 (normal flammability) as per EN 14342 and treated with Osmo Polyx®-Oil will achieve the same results.

Photo – Heidelberg Coatings

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 122

Advertorial

Dinachoc (F)

PUT A STOP TO POOR INSULATION!

DINACHOC – THE TOP PARTNER FOR GOOD ACOUSTIC INSULATIONE DINACHOC revolutionises the insulation market

SUSTAINABLE ACOUSTIC PROMISES

A lot of acoustic underlays are only effective for a short time. By contrast, with products based on recycled rubber from DINACHOC, you are guaranteed the prescribed acoustic gains on your site for the long term. They will bring you efficiency and serenity by simply complying with the acoustic obligations which all project managers have to consider.

DINACHOC offers efficient and effective solutions which can reduce impact sound by up to 40dB. DINACHOC insulation materials have a 50-year guarantee and offer maximum and long-term acoustic comfort. They are effective above and below a floor covering.

As a professional, you have to follow up your clients’ instructions with due regard for the legal recommendations for acoustic insulation. With renovation, it is no longer possible to replace a floor covering with another one without taking certain acoustic precautionary measures. Otherwise your clients or their neighbours will have plenty of complaints about the noise. DINACHOC offers clients, developers, and contractors an effective acoustic solution which suits their site and makes their work simpler. Whether we are talking about a public area, a new flat, a renovation, a house, a commercial area, or a place where music is played, the DINACHOC range is always suitable for the project.

RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS The acoustic programmes from DINACHOC are one step ahead of the current insulation solutions. DINACHOC rubber has been specially designed to make a strong, healthy, and durable insulation product. Unlike most base underlays, the rubber used for DINACHOC underlays is made from regenerated products. Instead of taking new raw materials, which eventually contaminate the environment, DINACHOC re-uses existing materials (recycled tyres) to give those materials a second life. Moreover, the DINACHOC range is classified as A+, and that makes it one of the healthiest solutions in terms of volatile substance emissions. Striving for performances without cutting ethical corners, being an integral part of the circular economy by preferring recycled products, and not harming the environment are the ambitions of DINACHOC.

Floor Forum International 122

They absorb the sound of footsteps, avoid resonance boxes, all impact sounds in low frequencies (the most disruptive sounds for the human ear), and also filter vibrations. Unlike customary insulation products, those of DINACHOC guarantee effective performances in the very long term. DINACHOC rubber is unchanging and will not shrink or fall apart, and very few underlays currently on the market can say that.

MEETS YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS WITHOUT RISK With DINACHOC, you avoid the risks of a poor choice of material. All professionals have an obligation to give their clients the correct guidance. If they fail to do so, they are responsible for the materials which have been chosen and the acoustic results achieved. If those results do not conform to the legislation of the DTU directives, the site management is held responsible. With the DINACHOC range you can meet the legal acoustic obligations. By failing to fit a proper subfloor under a new floor covering or by renovating your floor without offering a sound insulation solution which is at least as effective as the previous one you run the risk of your clients and their neighbours taking you to court. This is a waste of time and money which can nevertheless easily be avoided. Failing to observe acoustic regulations can be very costly, so don’t ignore them.

DINACHOC 170 RUE DE LA ROQUETTE - 75011 PARIS contact@dinachoc.com - www.dinachoc.fr Tel : 0033783020314

DINACHOC INNOVATIVE ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS DINACHOC S801*

ACOUSTIC UNDERLAY FOR FLOOR AND WALL INSULATION UP TO 22dB

DINACHOC X3D

ELASTIC UNDERLAY UNDER THE SCREED (35dB) OR UNDER FLOORING (23dB)

DINACHOC S700

DINACHOC THERMO-ACOUSTIC SYSTEM UP TO 40dB

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Producers of skirting boards with LED lights or the option of fitting LED lights

BACK TO THE FUTURE? LED LIGHTS HAVE BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK AND ARE STILL MAKING STRIDES Did you know that LED technology is older than you might think? Almost 100 years ago, Oleg Losev, a Russian professor, carried out tests on it, but the first functional LED lamp didn’t appear until 1962. The first specific applications then came along in the 1970s, but after that it was a long time before LED was used for anything other than remote controls. If Domotex had gone ahead this year, you would certainly have noticed that LED lights in skirting boards continue to grow. In recent years, we’ve seen everywhere how makers produce LED lights in skirting boards and now in 2022 it’s clear that the market is still far from saturated. In all cases, we’re seeing lots of makers come up with attractive applications. When we look at the market, we see that progress is still ongoing and that for some time the range has gone beyond just any possible light colour. For instance, the ever-refining technology enables us to integrate lights into skirting boards with minimal built-in or structural height. Moreover, the range of handy LED strips is also growing and they are now part of almost all skirting boards and/or profiles.

what is typical for each ‘new’ application; firstly, the makers work on technical refinement and only then (at least in most cases) do they consider what the product looks like. What particularly stands out is how manufacturers are increasingly pointedly looking to buyers, whereby, obviously, apart from you, we also mean architects and interior designers. If we may give one piece of advice, you are now well aware of the technical aspects of LED, but never forget your end client’s interior wishes. And so, don’t just assess which solution is the best one from a technical point of view, but look at other things as well and consider the type of floor, the design, and even the home itself as part of the proposal which you draw up.

An overview Auer Metallprofile

Examples on the market We take just two selections from the range to illustrate the point above, namely the Austrian FN Neuhofer and the Italian Progress Profiles. At Neuhofer, amongst other things, we see the clik-fix 23 LED. At first sight this seems to be nothing more than a light which shows you the way at home, but this LED light is much more than that. Indeed, this light can be controlled and deploys a fastening rail and LED channel. Each skirting board up to 90mm in height which is fitted with a clip groove can be plugged on, and this shows that nowadays it’s all about flexibility. Another interesting point is that the system can include both LED strips of different wattage and colours or just wires in the channels. Any surplus heat is discharged, if necessary, by using an aluminium design. Progress Profiles confirms that the development which we see in Austria is also taking place elsewhere at lightning speed. Here we notice, for instance, the marketing of anodised aluminium cablechannel skirting boards with integrated LED lights. This is once again ideal for illuminating corridors and entrances of homes, offices, and such like, but it can also do much more than just that. Here we see how these lights not only generate mild and indirect light, but also that they solve many other problems. Think here not only of the fitting of the skirting board itself, but also at the same time the conduction through the skirting board of electric wires, such as those for computers, telephones, and other installations. Moreover, we also notice how the range can include both an inspection joint skirting board, comprising support for fastening with screws on the wall or vision profile, and a visible skirting board profile which is secured directly with silicone/adhesive.

Attention to design is growing What’s interesting to note in all this is that year after year we’re noticing the increasing attention to design. The LED light actually demonstrates

Floor Forum International 122

Auer Metallprofile offers LED stair nosings and LED skirting boards made of aluminum for the creative design of modern room worlds with direct or indirect lighting. LED skirting boards for indirect lighting are available in the dimensions 60x15 mm and 100x15 mm in silver anodised and powder-coated and, in addition to their functional elegance, impress with their simplicity and their spacious cable duct, which enables accurate, clean installation. The Auer range also includes 2 LED stair nosings in various anodised colours; one for direct and one for indirect lighting. Depending on the customer's requirements, the Auer LED profiles can be equipped with discreet illumination with 10 LED/m, medium illumination with 30 LED/m or an LED lighting band with around 500 LEDs per running meter for very strong, continuous, non-punctiform lighting shape. This opens up a multitude of design options for setting lighting accents. To round everything off, the Auer team offers various accessories, either as individual components or, depending on the profile, as a ready-to-screw all-round carefree package. All details are available at www.Auer-Metallprofile.de or on request.

Carl Prinz At the moment, we have 5 different profiles in our range that can be equipped with LED strips. Thanks to their versatility they cover more application ranges as it seems. For example the Prinz aluminium skirting board no. 358 can also be mounted on the upper side of the wall to create a discreet ceiling light. Furthermore: depending on the wall construction, Prinz LED aluminum skirting boards can be fitted onto the wall, or they can be installed flush-mounted. The LED-duct "LUXline" can extend to any direction, thanks to its universal corner piece. Plus, it can be combined with any skirting board of choice - so the scope of design is almost infinite. Our profiles are designed so they can be equipped with any LED strip up to 10 mm in width, so the planner can use almost any system of choice. Most products are equipped with a diffuser that is clipped on, so the LED strips can be installed easily while they remain accessible at all times without disassembling the skirting board. As for the trends, we notice that the technology is developing towards a more professional appliance. Some years ago it was hard to find high quality strips with good components. Nowadays there are professional system suppliers that provide LED strips without visible light dots or adjustable colour temperatures, and high quality accessories to integrate the LEDs perfectly into the building automation without using small infrared remote controls that can get lost any time.

Progress Profiles Lighting in skirting boards is quite a trend in interior decoration, a creative solution to replace traditional lamps and lights. Each space has specific requests: in hospitals, these products are installed to reassure patients, whereas in hotels’ hallways are used to show the way in the dark as well as to enrich spaces with a fancy touch of design. Progress Profiles offers a wide range of profiles that respond to the latest market requests and design trends. PROLEDLIGHT System is the ultimate LED range of profiles suitable for walls, stairs and skirtings. This system reinvents the concept of profile and transforms light into a bright and creative solution for a new way of fitting-out and living in private and public spaces in an aesthetic-emotional dimension. Designed by Arch. Gilberto Toneguzzi, Proskirting GILED can be fitted along the ceiling as a contemporary fitting-out or to decorate walls; Prostair LED, instead, is a non-slip stair-nosing profile with an integrated LED lighting system. Lastly, Proskirting LED is the patented skirting that solves problems like the passage of electric cables and also the ones for PC and telephone.

FN Neuhofer An option for LED lights in skirtings is to integrate the LED-lights in the fixing system of the skirting. So you solve two problems with one product. The LED-track fixes the skirting and in a special duct under the skirting you can insert LED-strips and cover it with a semi translucent covering. The trend of integrating LED-lights in the skirting is going on since app 7-8 years, it is still a kind of niche, but it is a good niche. People like to lighten their homes with a hidden soft light and so the skirting or stair noses are perfect for that. The lights can be fitted as common LED-strips into e.g. the LED-track. The strips are self-adhesive and you can get it in many different options of lumen and light colours. For our LED-track, we use aluminium or plastics. There it is no problem to fit the LED-lights in. You just have to take care on the plastic-track that do not use strips with more than 9,6 W/m. Otherwise the strips get too hot and have a reduced lifetime.

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Who sells which products for giving wood an aged look?

WHEN WOOD STANDS STILL OPTIONS FOR HIGHLY NATURAL CHEMICAL DISTRESSING ARE WELL NIGH ENDLESS Gérard Poulet (Easy Lab – F) “You can obtain any colour yourself by combining products.” Gérard Poulet from Easy Lab has been active for several years on the market of distressing products for wood. The company operates from Lyon and since its formation has made products for the restoration, renovation, and maintenance of mainly furniture and works of art and their surrounds, but he now operates more widely. For many years, the company has been led by Gérad Poulet, who formed it in 1989. Initially, the operation started on a small scale. Mr Poulet comments: ‘When you restore furniture, you have to add old wood or find a way to restore it. Therefore, we decided to make a range of products which enabled us to distress wood in various ways. This included both wood sorts which contain resin and oak. The time came when we noticed how demand was growing vastly and that in the short term we had to go to several bigger supply containers. That’s how we grew to where we are today, with the supply of products which can give an antiquated aspect to just about all wood sorts.’ Small production in Los Angeles Easy Lab has now extended its operations beyond the borders of Europe and even has a small production plant in Los Angeles. There’s a practical reason for that: ‘The American market attracted us, but transport to and from there presented problems. The products overheated in the containers, so we decided to produce locally. This involves solely oxidising products for wood and the production itself is fairly modest.’ ‘For that matter, in Europe I work mainly with agents and they can be found in virtually every country, including the Benelux, Italy, Austria, Spain, and Germany and especially in the former Eastern Block. These people represent me locally and take care of demands from those countries.’ The colour narrative We also wanted to know how Mr Poulet applies the narrative of the diverse colours. ‘Actually, all colours are possible,’ our interviewee clarifies. ‘We have all the possible products which users can then combine with each other for an extremely personalised end result as regards colour. We also give training sessions on our own site so that we can clearly illustrate the main oxidising processes to users. Once we’ve done that, you notice how you can obtain any desired result. Here I can add that I see a clear trend towards colours like honey, cognac clear, or pastels.’ Also active on the chalet market We also wanted to know who the clients actually are. They appear to range from very big players such as Baltic Wood, Chêne de l’Est, or Bimbo to much smaller buyers. What’s remarkable is the rising demand from the chalet industry. ‘Newly distressed chalets are a real hype,’ says Mr Poulet with a laugh. ‘Firstly, those chalets are distressed on site, then we carry out our colour distressing, and after that you can’t distinguish a new chalet from an old one. We can even tackle the four sides of a chalet separately, depending on the orientation and there are even products for processing metal.’

Floor Forum International 122

‘The main advantage of these treatments is they go on and on and move with the times. Once the wood is treated, it develops naturally and you get genuine distressing with no pigments or colouring.’ Finally, we wanted to know how Easy Lab responds to the increasingly strict environmental requirements. Apparently, they don’t really have a problem in that respect. Our interviewee stresses: ‘We don’t have any hazardous products and nothing is toxic. Obviously, you can’t really call these products ecological, but they do not cause any major problems to the environment and we don’t have to take any special precautions.

Distressing wooden floors is still all the rage. Actually, we have to say that this is true not only for floors, but also for just about all possible types of wood both in and outdoors. The testimonial with this article shows that demand is varied. Amongst other things, it appears there is a huge demand for artificially distressed wooden chalets, which can hardly be distinguished from naturally aged ones. First of all, they are furnished with traces of use and, after that, ‘the chemistry’ does the rest. Actually, such a demand for distressed wood really shouldn’t surprise us. The range of really old is both small and very costly and, moreover, the various techniques and, especially, the chemical products have developed in such a way that you really have to look closely to see the difference.’

Industrial distressing How does the industry approach this? We asked a specialist, the French Blanchon Group. They explain: ‘In practice, we use various sorts of distressing. The industry doesn’t venture to use all wood sorts. Metal salts are used for staining, distressing agents in the form of so called positive stains, tinted oils, and so on. It’s important to say that some effects cannot be obtained on certain wood sorts. For instance, tropical wood sorts cannot cope with any white-based stain and the result will always be awful. Moreover, you can’t get certain effects on some wood sorts. For instance, it is not possible to get a stain on a white base and the seldom requested brightly coloured ranges ( e.g. red, green, and blue) tend to be obtained more on coniferous wood, where oak accounts for the vast majority of all trendy decors.’

Mechanical and chemical How is the distressing process tackled in practice? There we need to draw a distinction between two things. On the one hand you have mechanical distressing, and on the other hand you have the chemical section, where the one can complement the other. We’ve explained mechanical distressing at length in previous editions. We’ve clarified how there are two major objectives which you want to achieve with this operation: to create the impression that floorboards have been produced using old techniques and to imitate the effect that the wood has been used intensively. You achieve that effect with lashing, beating, or flogging. We think it’s better this time to focus more on chemical distressing. With chemical products, you tackle both the appearance and colour of the wood.

Whitewashing and smoking Parquet floors are often distressed by adapting the colour. To do that, professionals often adopt shades of white or grey by means of (intensive) whitewashing. What happens is that the floor is brushed first, and then a whitewash is carried out to yield a matt and chalky look. Darker shades are also popular and in that case we’re going to ‘smoke’ the surface, a common distressing technique with wood sorts containing a lot of tannic acid. What it boils down to is that you work towards a reaction from the tannic acid (tannic acid is founds a lot in our native oak, with the highest concentrations in European and American oak). A name which you’ve often heard is that of reactive stains. Remember, here, that this, too, is about provoking a reaction with the tannic acid in the wood, which creates a discolouration in the cell wall of the wood. Since this discolouration penetrates into the cell wall, it is highly intense and you get unique colours which are different with each piece of wood.

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Who sells which products for giving wood an aged look?

Some other specialists have their say Blanchon

clearly visible and attractive effects are created. The possibilities are legion, from two-coloured contrasts to striking and modern dualcolour effects with the parquet oil and parquet lacquer from Bona. The Bona Brush Technology includes: the 1-disc sander Flexi Sand 1.9 equipped with the drive disc Bona Power Drive CONNECT. A steel brush set is mounted firstly to the Power Drive CONNECT (formerly NEB) for an initial brush passage. After that, a nylon brush set is fitted, which brushes away the soft wood between the hard wood to create depth and texture on the wooden surface. This ensures that the colour oil can soak into the grain to create the two-dimensional effect and improve the natural pattern of the wood.

Ciranova

Blanchon has two ranges of wood stains in watery phase for parquet floor fitters who finish parquet on site. One product is single-component and based on colouring agents, whilst the other is dual-component and based on pigments (excellent colour depth and remarkable resistance to UV). They also offer a range of distressing agents, which are reactive stains with a positive effect. These three series have a purely decorative purpose. Once products are stripped of what they had previously been processed with, they are covered with a sealer (usually ultra-matt, even invisible) or an oil with or without a shade, which can help to stress the distressed decoration even more. Blanchon also offers its industrial clients several colour solutions (and a great amount of know-how), whether a distressing effect is involved or not, where the use of very precise machines is required.

Bona

Ciranova is the absolute market leader in reactive stains. Ciranova has various ranges such as Reactive stain, Reactive stain NT, Aquavintage and Vintage. Each Reactive stain has its own specific properties and applications. Since parquet fitters and manufacturers are always looking for novelties, Ciranova reactive stains offer a wide range of possible colours. The big advantage is that you can obtain highly natural distressed floors in combination with the water-based Ciranova finishes. You can also combine reactive stains with Ciranova colour oils to obtain unique finishes. Many parquet manufacturers worldwide are industrial spraying reactive stain and finishing with industrial products from the Ciranova range of industrial products. Onsite our reactive stain is used more frequently by the specialized professional. They are using a pressure sprayer to apply the reactive stain on the floor and for leveling afterwards. The floor can be finished with a Ciranova Hardwaxoil. For more information or for samples please contact Ciranova.

Chimiver

Bona subjects all products to strict tests to be sure that the products emit fewer or no volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air. In addition, Bona is committed to healthy indoor air quality with innovations to products and machines. To give a parquet floor a distressed look, Bona has the specific ‘Brush Technology’ which highlights the natural character of the wood and gives existing wooden floors a new look. With the Bona Brush Technology, contra-rotating cylindrical brush heads brush the soft wood away so that the wood grain structure becomes more

Floor Forum International 122

The use of OLD WEST allows to obtain a large variety of effects imitating the old weathered woods. OLD WEST is different from classical stains or dyes which are coloring the wood hiding its grain structure; OLD WEST enhances the natural beauty of wood standing out color differences into the wood grain. The OLD WEST reacting solutions are clear and pigments free; the natural wood color is changed through the reaction of the solution with the tannin or resins contained in the wood.

Special

3D wood on the wall

REVIVAL OF THE RELIEF EVEN 3D WOOD PRINTS ARE NO LONGER A WILD DREAM Bart Van Herreweghe (Product-Proof - B) ‘Working with relief has become all the rage with burned wood.’ Bart Van Herreweghe is the manager of Product-Proof, a company we’ve mentioned elsewhere in this magazine. With its burned wood, Shou Shugi Ban, and the soon to be launched EuroSugi, this company is meeting the demand for burned wood for every possible use both in and outdoors. Mr Van Herreweghe has also noticed a clear tendency to use this burned wood as 3D wall furnishing. Mr Van Herreweghe comments: ‘Roasting gives you a 3D effect in any case, and clients are picking that up in interior design. What it boils down to is that you always get more or less relief when you burn the wood. This creates a “charcoal” layer on the surface, which is given a finish so that no black particles are emitted.’ ‘The type of relief depends mainly on the sort of wood which you burn. For instance, wood sorts such as douglas or larch soon give you relief if you brush them after the burning. Other wood sorts such as the very popular thermowood ayous stay a lot flatter after brushing, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any relief at all. If you run your hand over the surface, you can feel this clearly and something like this satisfies the modern yearning for “caressability” of a material.’ Two important aspects ‘It’s important to remember that burned wood is all about two aspects. On the one hand, you have the burned, natural, and black effect and, on the other hand, there’s the brushed product in every possible variant which can be coloured. The options are infinite and that appeals to people.’ Since the proof of the pudding is in the eating, Mr Van Herreweghe illustrates the above with some recent projects. For instance, recently there was a project by a well known architect in Deurle (B), a perfect example of a flat brushed surface. Mainly in the upper segment ‘This project illustrates the use of burned wood as 3D wall furnishing perfectly and also indicates how it often occurs in the middle to upper segments of the market. This architect, Benoit Viaene, used special thermowood ayous, washed and waxed it, and the end result was used as furnishing for a lounge with a bar and open hearth.’ ‘We find an example of a brushed surface with much more relief in the furnishing of a food truck. Here De Vitrinair (Gregg Van Malderen) worked together with the client with burned and subsequently brushed larch wood, which was rounded off with a waterproof treatment. In that connection I can also mention a project by AD Bouwteam at Chocolaterie Dossche in De Pinte (Belgium). They worked with accoya, both indoors and outside, and finished the medium burned wood with Rubio Monocoat Sealer 707 Matt Black.’ ‘There might possibly be a major project shortly for the Japanese architect Terunobu Fujimori, whom you can call the father of Yaki Sugi in some respects. Fujimori contacted us for an initial project with burned wood which he has in Belgium, in Terhulpen, but we don’t have any more details as yet. However, you can certainly assume that it’ll be about the use of natural objects in 3D.’ How does Bart Van Herreweghe see this 3D wall furnishing market developing? ‘It’s obvious that it’ll continue to grow because it fits in so well with the spirit of the age. People long for unique and original items which are as natural as possible and burned wood fits in perfectly. We certainly find that demand is still growing and I’m expecting things to stay that way for some time.’

Floor Forum International 122

Special

3D wood on the wall

People have hung wood on the wall for centuries. Who doesn’t remember the classic ‘ boards’, which adorned the wall mainly in grandma and grandpa’s house? Fitting wood on the wall had fallen into disuse in recent decades, but in the last few years it has come back into fashion. It’s not the same as it was in the past, but we are now seeing the use of wood in all its facets, literally in three dimensions.

Applying specific highlights Home owners are making a statement with these 3D walls. In some respects you can regard this statement as an extended use to highlight one wall literally with paint, something which, amongst other things, was in fashion in bedrooms for some time. The reason for such an operation is obvious: You keep most of the wall modest, but apply specific highlights. In our case we use wood, but that certainly doesn’t mean that wood is the only material used for this purpose. For instance, 3D wallpaper in particular is proving just as popular. The use of wood in the interior is no more or no less than a normal development in times when natural elements are becoming increasingly important. We’re going back to what is real, but at the same time we like to keep it as durable as possible. There’s a wide choice on the market, ranging from what is literally customised to pre-fabricated wall furnishing and wall panels, which can be fitted on a wall without causing any damage. Even waterproof covering is possible, although in that case it’s much more a question of a 3D effect rather than real relief.

As regards types of wood, the range is actually limited only by one’s own taste. Most wood sorts are possible and there is now increasing attention to upgraded wood which might or might not be treated and is given a protective coat.

3D wood prints To give a completely full picture, we mention one more development which we found at the Dutch company Material District. This is a matchmaking platform in the field of innovative materials and it targets various building professionals. They say it’s now even possible to print 3D elements in wood! The American start-up Forust appears to have developed a method for printing 3D with sawdust so that the look and feel of the end result are very similar to the real material. Via this method they are responding to growing ecological awareness and aiming for a greener future where raw materials are used as efficiently as possible. In this case you reverse the traditional woodwork order by using the several million tonnes of waste wood created each year in the form of sawdust. So far, that waste wood has been processed into pellets, for instance, or simply burnt, but the latter emits large amounts of CO² into the atmosphere.

American start-up Forust Forust has developed a method of joining up sawdust and lignin, a waste product in paper production, and thereby printing in 3D. In this way they ‘connect’ wood digitally, complete with the grains found in natural wood. The created end product can then be sanded just like real wood and its strength is comparable to that of the natural material. According to this start-up, this technology makes it possible to print virtually any sort of wood, from ash to zebrano and from ebony to mahogany. Since the sections are formed layer by layer without the need for a base, it is possible to create products which are complex or even impossible to make using classic woodwork methods. Finally, they say you can crush the items again after use and re-use them ad infinitum.

#ShouSugiBan #BlackWood #BoisBrûlé #Yakisugi #BurnedWood #GebrandHout

Product-Proof bv Dendermondsesteenweg 120 B-9260 Wichelen Tel. +32 (479) 022224 info@yakisugi.black www.yakisugi.black 38

Floor Forum International 122

You will find more information on the web site: www.forust.com.

Photo – Product-Proof

Special

The new sanding method with various discs, heads, brushes, and nets

SANDING IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS IF YOU DON’T FOLLOW THE RIGHT STEPS, YOU’RE JUST ASKING FOR TROUBLE Michaël Devriendt (Bona - B) ‘The aim is still to help parquet floor fitters work as ergonomically as possible.’ What do new abrasives mean for parquet floor fitters? We called on Bona Belgium, where Michaël Devriendt is well qualified to give us some idea. Not only has he worked for 18 years as a parquet floor fitter, but also in the last three years he’s been working as a travelling sales representative for Bona Belgium with responsibility for the whole of Flanders. First of all, we want to know which products Bona sells as new abrasives. ‘Our range of abrasives specifically for the parquet sector is highly varied. It goes from classic silicon carbide 8100 and aluminium oxide 8500 over the better zirconium 8300 and the modern ceramic mix (8600 and 8700) to the ultimate Diamond Abrasive System,’ says Michaël Devriendt. ‘Our abrasives are available in endless belts, discs, and even material in mesh form, and in all sorts of measurements and /or widths.’ What are the main developments which Bona will have for the sector within the foreseeable future? ‘In all honesty, this is a matter of conjecture. Our sector has progressed quite fast in recent years after a period of standstill and further progress actually depends mainly on what floor fitters want. In all cases, Bona is pressing on, and certainly in developing machines which are designed mainly to help users work as ergonomically and efficiently as possible.’ Efficient alternatives One of the key questions is why we have to abandon the classic abrasives at all. How do you see new abrasives at Bona? ‘Our classic abrasives, types 8100 and 8500, are still good, but Bona can now offer better and more efficient alternatives. I’m thinking here of the 8300 series, for instance, and the newer 8600 and 8700 series. These types of abrasives each have a longer lifespan and work more aggressively. The purchase price may be somewhat more expensive, but in this case a higher price is far from being a negative factor. It is precisely due to the longer lifespan that these new abrasives are cheaper to use than the classic types.’ On which machines can these abrasives be used? Are there any restrictions? Our interviewee laughs: ‘Qualitatively correct abrasives require qualitatively correct sanding machines. In the past, you always started sanding parquet with a belt sander, then you switched to an edge sander, and you ended with the buffer. That’s still the same in many cases, certainly when it comes to bigger rooms. An interesting development is that we’re living in increasingly smaller homes and that rooms have thereby become more compact. In those cases rotary sanding wins the day from classic sanding with the belt sander. Rotary sanding is just quicker in combination with the right abrasives.’ ‘The time saving lies mainly in the fact that you have fewer machines to transport. This means that you spend a lot less time and effort on the edge sanding, precisely because you can sand closer to the edge. My advice: Do you have a room of 400m² with a floor with an old coat of varnish which has to be completely removed? If so, use the belt sander first and then switch to the Bona Flexi Sand, and that will save you lots of time. By contrast, if you are talking about a room of 70m² which has to be sanded to remove a top layer, you only have to take the Bona Flexi Sand with you to the site. This powerful, versatile, and rotary machine makes sanding seem a “little job”, certainly in combination with the right choice of abrasives.’

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 122

Special

The new sanding method with various discs, heads, brushes, and nets

Third Bona DCS is on the way Finally, we ask about the dust extraction: ‘All Bona sanding machines are compatible with our two types of dust extraction: the Bona DCS25 in combination with the Bona Flexi Sand and the edge sanders or the Bona DCS70 in combination with a belt sander like the Bona Belt. With both types you can sand virtually without any dust.’ ‘The Bona DCS70 goes even further. This vacuum cleaner operates with seamless dust bags of 20 metres, the Bona Longopac. And so, there are 20 metres of dust bag ready for use in the vacuum cleaner. And so, the sum of 20 metres x 70 litres of content means that you can suck up 1,400 litres of dust without coming into contact with the sanding dust. For that matter, hot off the press, I can share this: This year, we’re unveiling a third Bona DCS version!’ This is a translation of an interview conducted originally in Dutch.

In the testimony with this article Bona tells us how they deploy new abrasives and we present in detail what it has on offer. What’s worth considering again is how to approach the various sanding jobs and how you can avoid a lot of common sanding mistakes. For that purpose we spoke to Lecol The Netherlands. Sanding is a part of the parquet trade which is harder than it looks, certainly with the use of coloured finish layers where pigments from used colours reveal deeper abrasions. And so, that’s why we asked how you can best tackle this job. We list the various steps, illustrated by Lägler sanding machines.

Coarse sanding Coarse sanding is usually the first step. Its purpose is clear, namely to remove old finish coats, grind the floor flat, and remove deep scratches from the floor. After this coarse sanding, you certainly can’t yet apply a finish and the scratches which have arisen need to be removed. To do this, it’s best to grind with a medium coarse grain for the removal of deep scratches. After this step, the wood still isn’t fine enough for a finish layer. That’s why the floor usually still has to be fine-sanded. As a last step, the floor is often polished to yield a smooth and even end result.

Common sanding mistakes Lecol provides training in scratch-free sanding for experienced workers and it is noticeable how the same sanding mistakes tend to occur regularly. We list a number of them here: - Sanding scratches which stand out mainly on a coloured finish such as coloured impregnation oil are a regular cause of complaints. And so, it’s good to be well informed in advance. - Beginners often make the mistake of lowering the cylinder of the belt sander to the floor quickly and abruptly. This causes a deep indentation of 20cm wide in the wooden floor and something like that isn’t always easy to rectify. - No more than one grain should be bypassed in the sequence of abrasives to be used. If you fail to respect to this rule, it might not be possible to rectify deeper scratches which have arisen from the sanding with a previous grain. - Always remember to vacuum clean between the various sanding sessions. Otherwise, scattered sanding grains from a previous and rougher sanding session could be left lying on the floor and be absorbed by finer abrasives. This can cause deep abrasive scratches. - You must keep sanding machines well tuned, cleaned, and maintained for a good end result. And so, be sure to check the tuning of the machine and, if necessary, have it examined by a specialist technician. Source: Lecol.nl: Sanding parquet.

The item used by this company for the grinding of the entire floor is a big belt sander with sanding belts of 200 x 750mm in size (often with the Lägler Hummel). An edge sander is then used for the edges. For the bigger edge sander you have the Lägler Unico with discs with a diameter of 178mm and for the lighter models the Lägler Flip, with discs of 150mm. An eccentric hand sander with a diameter of 150mm is often used to polish the edges. A 16” buffing machine is often used to polish a whole floor. This machine is suitable for sanding discs or abrasive nets with a diameter of 406mm. A high-quality polishing machine is the stationary Lägler Trio. This sanding machine has three discs with a diameter of 200mm and yields a scratch-free result. Sanding machines need abrasives and the abrasives of the Swiss trademark Sia are commonly used. Several qualities of abrasives and various grains from very rough (grain P16) to very fine (grain P240) inclusive can be deployed for both the belts and the discs. Various abrasive grains are also on offer, such as aluminium oxide grains, zirconium grains, and ceramic grains.

Floor Forum International 122

Bona Bona Flexi Sand 1.9, the powerful, multifunctional machine for all floor operations, from sanding down to the bare wood and polishing oil to grinding concrete. The Bona Flexi Sand 1.9 can be fitted with various drive plates for various tasks such as sanding down to the bare wood, fine sanding, applying oil and polishing it, and grinding concrete. Thanks to its powerful 1.9kW motor and its sturdy construction, the Flexi Sand is always easy to operate. The system is compatible with the unique Bona Power Drive (CONNECT), a drive disc which enables you to sand powerfully and in any direction down to the bare wood. Connection to Bona DCS is possible for maximum dust reduction. The machine can be deployed for various tasks such as applying oil or cleaning floors. However, sanding is the primary function: ∫ With the Bona Power Drive (CONNECT) + Coarse sanding: Bona 8700 / Medium sanding: Bona 8300 abrasive. ∫ Fine sanding: Bona Diamond Abrasives material ∫ Medium sanding + parquet joint kit; removing: Bona Net discs.

TRUE WOOD FEEL

RAW EXPERIENCE, TRUE PROTECTION Bona Traffic HD Raw – Creating ultra matt floors with great durability Bona Traffic HD Raw brings a uniquely true wood experience into the world of lacquered floors. Offering an ultra matt floor surface with a high level of protection, Bona Traffic HD Raw creates a soft haptic feeling of untreated wood. A pleasure to walk on with high slip safety makes Bona Traffic HD Raw great for homes with both children and pets, as well as commercial floor surfaces. Bona Traffic HD Raw - the raw experience of wood, protected.

bona.com/trafficHDraw

Special

The new sanding method with various discs, heads, brushes, and nets

Pallmann

But also for brushing wooden floors: To obtain a nicely brushed structure floor. With the Bona Power Drive CONNECT: 1 disc for sanding and brushing. Simple click system for a simple change (within one minute) between the traditional sanding discs and specially developed brushes. Moreover, also concrete grinding, for a smooth base. Accompanying segments: Bona PCD Maxi Segment for removing thick adhesive residue, epoxy, and carpet foam / PCD Split Segment for removing polyurethane, thin adhesive residue and paint / Diamond Segment for removing sinter layers or processing concrete surfaces. Other types of floor surfaces: The Bona Flexi Sand can be fitted with the Bona Diamond Blades for stripping elastic floors.

Sanding, polishing, basic cleaning or brushing - the rotary sanding machine Pallmann Spider is very versatile and user-friendly. The tripledisc-plate is suitable for coarse, fine and intermediate sanding of wood floors. Thanks to the drive plate with coupling, the low machine weight and infinite speed adjustment the Pallmann Spider can be used for a variety of jobs, e.g. deep cleaning, daily cleaning and application of oils and polishes. The Spider dusk skirt enables almost dust-free working and comes in a dust repellent material. The LED light ring guarantees a 360° illumination for easy work. With the Pallmann brush technology and the dedicated brush set for the Pallmann Spider the unique structure and the special character of a real wood floor can be created. The softer annual growth can be brushed out, while the hard wood is preserved.

Professional Flooring Technology

t classes! Floor Scrapers in suitable weigh German Quality

Power-Stripper 14 kg

Ride-on ADB HS 1180 kg

COSMO IV 39 kg

MASTER MOBIL III 105 kg

Ride-on ADB 950 kg

STRATO MOBIL IV 190 kg

Your projects - our equipment - your success! 42

Floor Forum International 122

Ride-on Electro 565 kg

JUNIOR Ride-on 420 kg

Janser GmbH Böblinger Straße 91 D-71139 Ehningen www.janser.com

Tel.: +49 (0) 7034/127163 Emai: daniel.buscaglia@janser.com

Special

Who sells cleaning and maintenance products for wooden floors?

ADVISE CLIENTS PROPERLY SOME TIPS TO KEEP WOODEN FLOORS LOOKING GOOD Wood, including oak which is so popular in Europe, can lose its colour when exposed to cleaning and maintenance products which are not PH-neutral. For instance, some floor cleaning products on sale in supermarkets are often alkaline (with a high PH value). They clean effectively, but, in particular, they do cause the joints of the wood to become discoloured, and that’s not so attractive. Moreover, they are so aggressive that they affect the finish coat and they are not kind to human skin. The message is quite clear: Don’t recommend just any product whatsoever for cleaning and maintaining wooden floors. You should also consider the fact that wooden floors have various finishes. For instance, an oiled floor may require a different approach to that of a lacquered floor.

wooden floor. That’s why we consider it briefly here. In this case you have to make it clear to users that untreated wood will absorb water, and that in turn can lead to stains and even mould. The important point is not to use water to clean such a floor, but to use a special floor wax. Rub a small quantity of this floor wax into the floor with steel wool, for instance, until all stains have disappeared. As with water, you still have to take great care: Do not use too much of this wax; otherwise you risk creating even more stains!

What’s on the market ? Bona

Cleaning finished wooden floors If we consider firstly the most common case, namely finished wooden floors, always remember that they might have a solid and durable coat of lacquer which protects the underlying wood. The most popular lacquers (polyurethane and polyacrylic) are both waterproof and therefore easy to maintain. Here you just clean with soapy water and a very mild soap. The key message to give the client is always to keep the use of water to an absolute minimum. Moreover, some floors have only undergone a pre-treatment; this means that the planks were lacquered before the fitting. Various factors mean that untreated gaps will emerge between the planks and those gaps will not be waterproof. Cleaning with a mop is an option, but you must wring it out thoroughly so that it is only damp. How do producers tackle various factors? For this edition, to get an example of the assortment, we called on Lecol, which offers a waterbased and solventless full range of cleaning and maintenance products for wooden floors. These maintenance products have been developed and produced by its exclusive producer LOBA from Germany. The products are tailored to the lacquers and oils from LOBA, although they can also be used on finishes of other brands. Amongst other things, we note how for daily (or weekly) cleaning they offer a detergent based on acrylate to combine a cleaning and maintenance product in one. This is a 100% solventless product which makes it possible, for instance, to preserve and protect an extremely matt exterior. Specially for white oiled floors they offer a solventless soap, which is available in natural and white. What is special here is that the producers have thought not only of cleaning, but also nourishing the oiled floor. They do advise clients that it is better to provide extra nourishment with a thorough clean.

Cleaning untreated wooden floors One special case is an untreated or merely lightly finished floor. This is very rare, but you might encounter it in older houses with an ‘old’

Maintaining wooden floors requires attention from all floor owners. Regular maintenance is needed to keep floors looking good for years. Bona offers all the necessary maintenance products of high quality for all lacquered and oiled wooden floors. Their maintenance range includes products for both professionals and consumers. The first condition for the choice of suitable products is whether we are talking about a lacquered or oiled wooden floor. The Bona assortment of maintenance products for lacquered parquet floors: - Regular cleaning: Bona Cleaner (soluble), Bona Spray Mop & assortment (ready for use, for daily use) - Deep cleaning: Bona Deep Clean (for machine use, with the Bona Power Scrubber) - Protection: Bona Polish, Bona Polish D509. For oiled floors Bona has: - Regular cleaning: Bona Oil Soap (intensive cleaning), Bona Spray Mop & oil assortment (for daily use) - Deep cleaning: Bona Deep Clean (for machine use, with the Bona Power Scrubber) - Protection: Bona Oil Care (maintenance oil), Bona Hard Wax Oil (waterproof and dirt-proof).

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Who sells cleaning and maintenance products for wooden floors?

Blanchon Blanchon has a complete range of maintenance and renovation systems for sealed, oiled, and waxed parquet floors. This range is designed for specialist floor fitters, cleaning companies, and end users. We highlight the approach to sealed floors: 2 metallising agents: Renovator Metallic Satin for glossy floors and Renovator Metallic Metamat® for matt floors. Metallising agents are designed particularly for renovation because they fill in micro-scratches, renovate the surface of faded seals, and thereby restore the original look of sealed floors. 1 product for regular cleaning: Lisabril® Cleaner, which is used diluted and perfectly complements both metallising agents. Note: The new formula is ideal for big surfaces (e.g. restaurants, communal areas, or classrooms) and for wooden sports floors. 1 ultra-strong cleaner (safe on glazings), ideal for preparation before metallising, is Décapant Dégraissant (grease stripper), with a new formula and greater efficiency.

available in a convenient (useful) maintenance kit. Its the perfect way to promote the maintenance products and to stimulate sales through our distributors and parketshops.

Chimiver VELUREX Cleaner Star is an intensive multiuse cleaner, recommended for maintenance of lacquered wooden floors. It also efficiently acts on PVC, linoleum, melamine, marble, etc. removing dirt, black heel mark, various stains; it doesn’t leave halos and perfume the environment. VELUREX Cleaner Star is a neutral cleaner with addition of special nanoparticles which guarantee to the treated surfaces a deep cleaning and a long lasting action, even in the presence of pets.

Osmo

Ciranova

Ciranova has a complete range of products for the maintenance of oiled, varnished, laminated and LVT floors. For the regular maintenance of oiled floors we recommend Flooring Soap Ciranova®. Flooring Soap cleans and nourishes the floor and provides extra water-resistant protection. For a dirty and dull floor it is recommended to treat the surface with Intensive Cleaner for removing stains and soap residue. After use of the Intensive Cleaner its recommended to treat the surface with Maintenance Oil. This Maintenance Oil nourishes the floor and gives extra protection and a new look. For the regular maintenance of varnished floors, laminate and LVT, Hard Floor Fresh can be used. Hard Floor Fresh cleans the floor and gives a fresh smell. UNICARE X-MATT or Hard Floor Polish can be used for periodical maintenance. Both products provide an extra protective film and hide micro-scratches, maintaining the original look of the floor. Hard Floor Cleaner is especially developed for the removal of old layers of polish. Hard Floor Cleaner can also be used as a degreaser to remove stains and stripes on varnished floors. The maintenance products for both floortypes are

Floor Forum International 122

Wooden flooring treated with Osmo Polyx®-Oil is hard-wearing, requires little maintenance and repels dirt and liquids. At the same time, the wood can still breathe. In this way, wooden flooring enjoys long-lasting and optimal protection. A further advantage: upkeep and care are easy. It is essential to choose the right care product: Aggressive all-purpose household cleaners damage the Polyx®-Oil layer, and so the flooring becomes more susceptible to dirt and grime. Therefore, Osmo recommends cleaning regularly with a damp mop and the moisturizing Osmo Wash and Care. For suborn dirt and stains or for regeneration, Osmo Liquid Wax Cleaner is suitable. It provides flooring natural hard waxes and regenerates the oil-wax layer without forming a film. For the simple and optimal application of cleaning and care products, Osmo offers a multitude of various tools, such as Osmo Spray-Mop.

Pallmann The correct and tailored cleaning and accompanying care procedure can, in regular application, preserve the beauty of a wood floor and prolong its life for up to 5 times. For the day-to-day cleaning of wood floors Pallmann recommends Pallmann Clean, a neutral all-purpose cleaning agent for all types of floors. Pallmann Clean can be applied

with Pallmann Mop or cloth. The maintenance cleaning depends on the degree of soiling and the desired hygiene. For the thorough cleaning of wood floors Pallmann Clean Strong is available. Pallmann Magic Oil Care and Eco Oil Care are suitable for the surface care of all oiled hardwood and wood floors. For the surface care of all sealed wood floors, Pallmann recommends Pallmann Finish Care.

containing wax, for open-pore oiled and impregnated wooden floors and wooden surfaces. It has optimal polishing properties after drying. - AKZENT EASY PROTECT is a water-based emulsion for the care of wooden floors, multi-layer wood flooring, laminate, PVC, linoleum and plastic. - AKZENT CARE OIL is a care and maintenance oil made of naturally refined oils, for open-pore oiled surfaces. It offers very effective care and protection, refreshes oiled surfaces and has an impregnating effect. The products are easy to use and suitable for all types of application. www.AKZENT-woodcare.com

STAUF AKZENT care and cleaning agents for wood flooring Protecting and caring for your wooden floor has never been easier than with the AKZENT cleaning and care products. The environmentally-friendly products ensure that you can enjoy a well-preserved, scratch-free floor for a long time. - AKZENT EASY CLEAN is your choice when it comes to basic cleaning. This cleaning agent has excellent dirt removing properties and is suitable for use with floor cleaning machines. - AKZENT EASY OIL PROTECT is a water-based care product

Lignum a r u P

THE ULTIMATE INVISIBLE FINISH

INVISIBLE

WOOD

PROTECTION üExtremely matt üFast-drying üNon-yellowing üDurable

LIGNUM PURA : Extremely matt, noncolouring, single-component wood and parquet lacquer with high resistance to wear. Sustainable water-based, biobased polyurethane.

BEST SOLD PRODUCT for a natural finish

BLACK LABEL BY

PROFESSIONAL FLOOR PRODUCTS

35% BIO-BASED CONTENT

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

ULTRA MATT APPEARANCE

EXCELLENT STAIN & SCRATCH RESISTANCE

Tel. +32 (0)51 30 11 40 - info@ciranova.be – www.ciranova.eu Devomat Industries NV - Florent Geversstraat 31 - B-2650 Edegem - T +32 03 450 94 70 - info@devomat.be - www.devomat.be

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Staircase renovation with laminate, vinyl, LVT, or PVC floors

THE REALM OF UNLIMITED OPTIONS STAIR COVERS MAKE RENOVATION OF CLOSED STAIRCASES IN PARTICULAR AN EXCELLENT CHOICE

Photo – Küberit

There are plenty of reasons for renovating a staircase. For instance, perhaps it is showing signs of wear and tear and you want to do something about it. The stairs may also have become slippery and therefore unsafe or the staircase is simply behind the times. Staircase renovation often involves the use of laminate, vinyl, or PVC, but the question is how to go about it and what the best options are and when. This article covers the various options.

Floor Forum International 122

What happens with a thorough renovation is that you can use stair covers, which are available in various materials. First of all, these stair covers are made customised and then fitted over the existing steps, always using an adhesive.

Staircase renovation with laminate The material with which most people are familiar will be laminate. Here, it’s helpful to realise that you can go to work in two different ways.

You can opt for stair covers which are made from HDF. Another option is to finish the staircase with laminate. The laminate on the stairs is glued and you make use of corner profiles to finish the sides. These can be fitted in the colour of the laminate itself or in a contrasting colour. This sort of staircase renovation is recommended mainly for a closed staircase. It is also possible on an open staircase, but this is not often recommended because all the sides are finished with the corner profiles to yield a more solid look. In this case we discovered that PVC or vinyl is often a better choice.

Staircase renovation with PVC The benefits of staircase renovation with PVC lie mainly in the durability and moisture resistance because there are no ‘bubbles’ due to damp. With a staircase renovation with PVC, you will use a levelling profile with this thin material which is glued to the staircase steps and where, with PVC, a levelling profile of barely 1.5mm will suffice to cover the corners. And so, you don’t need ordinary corner profiles as you do with laminate because there is much less height to cover. An open staircase can also be furnished with PVC, but be sure to take account of the levelling profiles which are fitted on all sides of the staircase steps. In addition, PVC is given an antibacterial treatment, doesn’t swell, and there are no differences in colour. Another advantage with PVC is the minimal impact sound and the material is given extra reinforcement with an additional protective layer. At present, researchers are working hard to ensure that the product can be recycled more to make it more ‘sympathetic’ to the environment.

Staircase renovation with vinyl Just as with PVC, vinyl (which strongly resembles PVC) also has the advantage that the material stays durable for many years against wear and tear and it is easy to clean. Another advantage is that vinyl, just like PVC, is available in various colours so that there’s something to suit the interior.

a special spring supplied, this profile can be used for coverings from 2.5 to 9.5 mm. The profile with the type designation 847 also has outside corners and end caps, so this profile can also be used on one side or completely open stairs. Stair treads are exposed to high loads every day. Therefore, Küberit pays attention to highest material and manufacturing quality when developing its profiles and thus guarantees a long product life. At the same time, the convenient, time-saving Küberit assembly technology minimises possible processing errors. Profile 847 and the matching fittings are available in the modern anodised colours silver and stainless steel look as well as black powder-coated. The 3 m length is supplied countersunk drilled with fixing material as standard, but can also be mounted with a suitable adhesive.

Progress Profiles

The big advantage of vinyl is that, just like PVC, it consists of several layers. The difference between the two lies in the bottom layer. This bottom layer is softer with vinyl, so the material has a rather ‘springy’ nature. Vinyl also has a different material composition and thereby comes in many different sorts and sizes. PVC consists mainly of synthetics, so it is more solid and sturdy than vinyl (but often also a little more expensive). If we consider vinyl from a trendy point of view, we can say that this material is ideal for modern and minimalist Interiors, certainly because there are no visible joints. The material thereby has no splits or gaps which could attract dirt. Moreover, vinyl can also be recycled, so it is an ecological choice. Sources: Profitrap and laminaatenparket.nl

Two specialists Küberit Safe, beautiful, easy to install The universal Küberit profiles for staircase renovations The idea of easy-to-install stair nosing profiles that can be laid with LVT and laminate came earlier from the think tank in Lüdenscheid. The successor model 847 which is based on already successful stair nosing solutions for LVT can now also be used with laminate. Thanks to

Visit www.floor-forum.com

In case of stair renovation, it’s essential to check out the quality of the material used and to choose profiles to protect stairs exposed to wear. Progress Profiles offers a very wide range of profiles for LVT, vinyl and PVC floors. They are required mostly to cover the joint between two types of floor, ensuring a unique aesthetic effect; but they are also used to protect steps and to compensate floors with different heights or thickness. Among the several profiles, Progress Profiles realized SOL 30P, TERMINAL PIN and ZERO CURVE, specific for LVT floors and composed of a BASE in PVC to fix to the support and of three TOP to choose on the base of the application. For what concerns laminate, Progress Profiles has patented a new performing laying solution, Promultifix System: it’s composed of a special TOP with adhesive, covered with wood-effect film or in anodized aluminium, to join floors at the same level or to connect those at different levels, to cover joints and also to finish the flooring along the perimeters.

Floor Forum International 122

Special

Turkey

FROM PRICE TO QUALITY PRODUCTS ARE THEY PREPARING A SEQUEL TO THE TURKISH ECONOMIC MIRACLE?

Turkey is the place where East meets West. The Republic of Turkey, led since 28 August 2014 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, lies literally at the crossroads of South-West Asia and South-Eastern Europe. Turkey as a country has grown rapidly over the last century. At the start of the 20th century, the country had a mere 12 million inhabitants, but that figure is now 82 million. This means that the number of inhabitants (70% of whom live in urban areas) is now six times bigger. The best way to understand this state is to look at a map of Turkey. This makes it clear that the vast majority of the country lies geographically in Asia, including the capital Ankara. Only a small area lies geographically in Europe. We’re talking here about the western part of the biggest city, Istanbul, and the area to the west of it. This latter part forms a mere 3% of the country’s entire territory.

Geography explains a lot The Asiatic and European parts of the country are separated from each other by the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus, which together link the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea. Geography can help to explain why the country is sometimes considered to be part of Europe for political and historical reasons, but is more often considered to be part of Asia for cultural and religious

Floor Forum International 122

reasons. Let’s briefly list the neighbouring countries Turkey borders on Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria and the country has a total of 6530km of coastline.

Member of the G20 If we consider the country economically, the fact that this state is a member of the G20 speaks volumes. This means that Turkey belongs to the group which comprises the 20 biggest economies in the world. Moreover, there are other indicators which show the significance of the country. It was a co-founder of the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Moreover, it has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1949 and of NATO since 1952 and has been conducting admission negotiations with the European Union since 2005. As regards industry it is particularly interesting to see how the country enjoyed spectacular economic growth after a huge crisis in 2001. The growth was particularly explosive between 2002 and 2007 when Turkey was among the fastest growing economies in the world and rose from 26th to 15th place on the list of the world’s biggest economies. Turkey, too, did not escape the monetary crisis of 2008, but the economy recovered very strongly from 2010 onwards.

∂ Industry news The fact that the monetary policy has remained fairly volatile is shown by the high inflation of 20% at the end of last year, something which still plagues the country. The huge devaluation of the Turkish currency, the lira, has had an extremely adverse effect on the spending power of the average Turk and, obviously, this also affects us because it has created huge price disruption due to the currency devaluation for industrial products which are made both in Turkey and in other countries.

Carpet leads the way And so, what about flooring? What stands out mainly is how Turkey has enjoyed fame and renown since time immemorial for the export of carpets. This is linked to the country’s traditionally strong position in the fields of textiles and clothing. In recent decades, the country has clearly progressed from a price product to a quality product. Some figures: In the first half of 2019, carpet producers sold their products to about 177 countries. They earned over one billion euros from the export of carpets and other flooring materials (we didn’t find any figures, but there is nevertheless a growing trend towards vinyl floors, PVC, and laminate, supplemented by wood). For those who want more figures: At present, the worldwide export of carpet accounts for a market share of about 15%, whereby Turkey is in second place behind China. In recent years, the Turkish export trade has actually increased staggeringly. For instance, exports from the past five years have accounted for almost 10 billion dollars, 2.2 billion dollars of which were exported in carpets and other flooring materials in 2018 alone. According to the Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM) Carpet Sector Council, the export of carpets makes a huge contribution to the country’s economy. In terms of the provinces, we note that the city of Gaziantep accounts for 782 million dollars of the total export, followed by Istanbul with 281 million dollars, Usak with 43 million dollars, Bursa with 18 million dollars, and Denizli with 7 million dollars.

Construction drives the market What also stands out is how the market is driven mainly by building activities which are in progress in the country and worldwide. This is supported by a growing industrialisation and a rapidly growing middle class. Expenditure for utility and commercial construction also contribute largely to the income of the flooring market. A document from the renowned Mordor Intelligence, which regularly issues industrial reports, shows in its conclusion why Turkey has made such huge strides (certainly until the new bang at the end of 2021). The report considers the major players operating on the Turkish flooring market, together with their product portfolio, main financial details, and developments. To sum it up, we notice here how the report concludes that the flooring market is being transformed rapidly via a boom in technological progress through product innovation. According to Mordor, there has quite clearly been a shift in the interests of the leading market players. They have also invested heavily in launching on the market ecological floor materials which can be recycled and they have done so for both residential and non-residential applications.

Sources: Wikipedia, Mordor Intelligence report, Market Overview Turkey Report, and Fedustria.

The laminate flooring sector’s recovery post-COVID shows no signs of stopping as EPLF members sales grow by 5,3% in 2021 Brussels, 25 February 2022 – For the second year in a row, EPLF members have continued to prosper thanks to their focus on innovation and sustainability. In 2021, EPLF members’ sales growth persisted with an increase of +5,3% compared to 2020, and a total of 483.4 million m² of flooring sold. Members had already benefited from the consumer craze for DIY and interior design in 2020 by growing their business by +2,7% compared to 2019. Despite the difficulties in sourcing raw materials and the disruptions in the supply chains, our members have shown extraordinary resilience, and a capacity to seize any opportunities to foster business growth. Looking at the global markets, Latin America witnessed the biggest growth in 2021, with +61,5% in comparison to 2020, and 22.8 million m² of flooring sold. Sales in Western Europe reached 231.5 million m² in 2021, an increase of +2,59% compared to 2020. In line with previous years, Germany remains our most steady market, with 49.4 million m² sold in 2021, despite a decrease of -6,12% compared to 2020. Our second strongest market, France, grew by +13,30% compared to 2020, with a total of 42 million m² sold in 2021. Great Britain places itself in third position, despite a decrease of -5,72% since 2020, with 34.6 million m² sold this year. In Eastern Europe, Russia, the biggest market continued to grow with +16,24% compared to last year, and a total of 53.6 million m² of flooring sold. Poland comes second with 30 million m² sold (+3,64% compared to 2020). Romania comes in third place this year, ahead of Ukraine, with a growth of +3,14% compared to 2020 and 9.8 million m² of flooring sold. Meanwhile, sales in Ukraine decreased by -18,63% (8.4 million m² sold). Georgia is the country to have experienced the biggest increase in the region, with +37,74% compared to 2020. In 2021, North America experienced a decrease in sales, with the US witnessing -21,46% compared to 2020. Canada on the other hand pursued its growth, with +16,80% sales and 12.8 million m² flooring sold. Contrary to 2020, Latin America, Asia and Australia/Oceania have all seen an increase in sales this year, with each region recording +61,58%, +30,45% and +12,78% respectively. Finally, all other countries however reported a decrease in sales of -22,59% compared to 2020 (and 1.81 million m² of flooring sold). Consumers around the world are more and more aware of the sustainability challenges that our societies are facing. Laminate products are made with wood, our most renewable resource. By reducing their carbon footprint and managing their wood supply in an eco-friendly way, our members positively contribute to overcoming today’s global challenges. Our members are dedicated to innovating and offer the best products to enhance the attractiveness and the quality of their designs. It is therefore very gratifying to see more and more consumers are buying our products. This boosts the confidence of EPLF and its members for a bright future with Laminate.

Floor Forum International 122

∂ Product news EGGER AQUA+ & DESIGN GREEN TEC EGGER has been one of the leading suppliers of wooden floors in Europe for over 20 years and has two waterproof types of floors in its assortment: the popular all-round laminate floor Aqua+ and the high-quality and sturdy Design Green Tec floors. Laminate is rightly a highly popular flooring. Egger’s laminate floors will win you over with their strong functionality, durability, and optic inviting designs for any interior style. Good-bye, cold tiles! Opt for a warm and durable floor which is easy to fit. Choose the waterproof Aqua+ fibreboard, which is perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, corridors, and commercial use with frequent cleaning. Our Aqua+ laminate floors are easy to maintain, even with steam cleaners. Egger’s Design Green Tec floors combine living comfort and functionality splendidly for a pleasant and natural feel without PVC. Thanks to the innovative top coat, their Design Green Tec floors are sturdy, scratch-proof, stain-proof, and low maintenance. Moreover, they are waterproof for up to 72 hours thanks to a special structure with a watertight surface, the Green Tec fibreboard, and the close-fitting CLIC-it! fitting system. Unlike conventional vinyl floors, their Design Green Tec floors do not use PVC. 100% of the wood originates from regional and certified forests. The integrated sound insulation layer is made from recycled cork.

MEISTER MEISTER is offering laminate floors which remain water-resistant for between 4 and 24 hours. This means that all MEISTER laminate floors with a minimum thickness of 8mm are suitable for bathrooms. The MEISTER laminate floor Aqua Safe system comprises several elements which protect the floor against moisture penetration: a watertight melamine surface, new Aqua Stop edge impregnation, a refined joint seal, and a swelling-enhanced base plate. Both the LL250 (S) and LD 250 collections are 10mm thick and therefore have an exceptionally stable product structure and, according to the definition of the European and American laminate sectors, remain water-resistant for 24 hours. The LD150 stands out for its price-quality ratio. The excellent technical features, combined with splendid designs, mean that this 8mm laminate floor with four V-grooves and a water-resistant character for four hours is absolutely ideal for the bathroom.

PREMIBEL C901 – THE PROFESSIONAL HYBRID ADHESIVE They offer DINACHOC C901 adhesive for use in combination with parquet and wooden floors when the whole structure has to be compatible with floor heating at high and low temperatures. They recommend this in combination with the Dinachoc S801 subfloor to ensure excellent acoustic insulation. And so, the fitting is done with double glueing. If we consider the preparation for application on site, their DINACHOC C901 adhesive is used without an adhesive primer and it adapts to all types of bearer (tiles, concrete screed, anhydrite screed, wood, ceramics, natural stone, etc.), all widths (even extra wide), and all sorts of wood. Remove all grease and dust from the bearer for the best possible adhesion. Their adhesive composition is the fruit of years of progress in the search for the ideal formula and includes no isocyanates, silicones, solvents, or formaldehydes. Moreover, VOC content is also very low. The adhesive is graded as A+ and its EMICODE® class is EC1PLUS, the highest EMICODE® grade.

WILLIAMS & KOCH EUROPE It’s time to make a difference, make it now! Williams & Koch Europe offers the products to do so. Over the last 20 years we specialized in producing products to create the most beautiful, rich and extravagant effects on all types of wood. Designers know it makes the difference. That’s why Williams & Koch coloring systems stand out in the high-end market. Today, these clients are even more demanding, so you need reliable products and know-how to cope with that. With more than 1,800 formulations in our archive, going from chemical pre-treatment to ageing stains, reactive dyes and metallic patinas, we’re pretty sure you will get what you want. It’s time to make the difference, to stand out, to raise your profile. Williams & Koch systems will do the trick. www.williams-koch.com - www.facebook.com/Williams-Koch-Europe

Floor Forum International 122

Take advantage of our promotion and become part of the large reader family of the magazine Floor Forum International:

* 49 eureoars per y ues for 7 iss

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

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

N° 107 Februar y 2020 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Poland

The concept of decking to clip

Review: Domotex Hannover (D)

Advertorial: Belgiqa (B) Special: Outdoor floors: wood & composite

For more than 17 years already, Floor Forum International is appreciated by all the major players in the sector, who help determine the contents of the magazine thanks to their novelties that are accompanied by the necessary explanation. In every edition, the magazine singles out one particular country. In doing this, the readers not only discover the sociopolitical history of that country, but at the same time are also informed about the economic potential for what wood is concerned.

Special: Who has handmachines for roughening up old tiles, scraping the screed,…

Special: Repairing substrates: who has the products for this purpose?

www.gradconcept.com

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

Are you an installer of parquet floors or a timber trader, an importer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a carpenter with employees, an agent, an interior architect, an interior designer, a decorator, a manager of a shop specializing in decoration, an entrepreneur in the world of construction or a manufacturer…? If this is the case, our magazine is an exceptionally good source of reference for you.

N° 109 May 2020 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 - Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

Special: Rwanda

Special: Producers of wooden/composite wall cladding

Advertorial: Q-Floor Parquet (B)

Special: Parquet oil

Advertorial: Dinachoc (F)

concept terrace to clip. invisible fixations. perfect finishes.

Special: Producers of style panels

WWW.GRADCONCEPT.COM

If you want to take a subscription, all you need to do is send an email to info@media-pact.com. You can also surf to the header ‘Subscribe’ on the website of Floor Forum International : www.floor-forum.com.

Subscribe right away and become part of our family of professionals to stay informed about the trends and novelties in the sector of floor coverings and wood façades, deckings, finishing products,… Become part of the large family of the sector of the wooden floor coverings, vinyl and PVC and the wooden façade claddings, thanks to the most popular magazine in the sector in Europe. Take a subscription right away and enjoy our promotional price of 49 euros*. * 79 euros per year for dispatching outside Europe

170 rue de la Roque�e 75011 Paris contact@dinachoc.com - www.dinachoc.fr Contact : +33 7 83 02 03 14

Votre Spécialiste Acoustique

100% rubber TOP CLASS TECHNOLOGY - THE FRUIT OF RECYCLING Dinachoc S801 is the ﬁrst rubber underlay to emerge from the circular economy. It is produced from recycled and re-used car tyres. These used products are not naturally biodegradable, so giving them a second life helps to protect the environment.

INSULATION FLOORS AND WALLS

OFTEN IMITATED, NEVER ECLIPSED Special binding agent and special granula�on of Dinachoc S801. This formula is the fruit of long-term technological research, including tests both in the laboratory and on site under extreme condi�ons. This gives it an excep�onally long life span and at the same �me it also guarantees you the best quality of air in the interior.

Thickness

INSULATION AND DURABILITY PERFORMANCES S801 is in classes A+ and EC1. It also complies with the criteria of the LEED and EUROFINS Indoor Air Comfort labels and makes it possible to aim for the HQE label. Guaranteed to provide 50 years of excep�onal insula�on with the use of already available raw materials makes Dinachoc S801 an excep�onal product.

FILTERS NEIGHBOUR NOISE

2mm 3mm 5mm 10mm

50-YEAR GUARANTEE

Tested (and approved) S801 technology for over 10 years

MUFFS ANNOYING SOUNDS

Long-lasting performances Shared serenity!

- Available thicknesses : 2 mm , 3 mm, 5 mm et 10 mm - Acous�c insula�on : from ΔLW 19 dB to ΔLW 22 dB - Highly resistant to cracks, even at extreme temperatures (-40°C to + 110°C) - Unchanging : It does not shrink or distort - Compa�ble with ﬂoor hea�ng at both high and low temperatures

LABORATORY TESTED

ADDITIONAL DINACHOC RANGE

UNFINISHED

DINACHOC C901 ADHESIVE

VITRIFIED

WHITE

ELECTRIC DINACHOC P154 SKIRTING BOARDS (NF STANDARDS)

SCAN ME

FFI 122 March 2022

Articles inside

Industry news

Product news

Special Turkey

Special Who sells cleaning and maintenance products for wooden floors?

Special Staircase renovation with laminate, vinyl, LVT, or PVC floors

Special Who sells which products for giving wood an aged look?

Special The new sanding method with various discs, heads brushes, and nets

Special 3D wood on the wall

Special Producers of skirting boards with LED lights or the option of fitting LED lights

Advertorial Dinachoc (F

Special Colouring wooden floors

Advertorial Bjelin (HR

Special Fastening systems for wooden terraces

Special Flame-retardant/Fireproof lacquer or oil

Special LVT, PVC, and vinyl floors: extra business for the floor fitters

Aftershow Budma (PL

Special Who sells waterproof laminate floors?

Special Who sells Ride-On machines for removing old wooden floors, carpet, stone, etc?