FFI 91 november 2017 by Media-Pact NV / FFI bvba

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

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

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

Advertorial: Cornilly Wooden Floors (BE) presents…

www.kaneka.be

Kaneka MS Polymer™ Special:Producers of silane adhesives Advertorial : Devomat (BE)

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

Your premium polymer of Choice for Parquet and LVT adhesives

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

Editorial

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

“Parquet glues are moving towards ‘hard-elastic’ and bio!”

Advertorial: Cornilly Wooden Floors (BE) presents…

www.kaneka.be

Kaneka MS Polymer™

Your premium polymer of Choice for Parquet and LVT adhesives

To detect market developments in parquet glues it’s well worth asking advice from a supplier of raw materials for that market. Producers of parquet glues have certainly become major clients for chemical company Kaneka, especially in Europe. We spoke to Jo Indesteege, Business Manager for Kaneka.

Special:Producers of silane adhesives Advertorial : Devomat (BE)

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

Floor Forum International n° 91 November 2017 Photo Kaneka

Kaneka MS PolymerTM has been on the European market for over 20 years now. What developments have you noticed in that time?

4 Inside news 8 Advertorial Devomat Industries (BE) 10 Preview Domotex Hanover (DE) 14 Special Laminate floors : part II 16 Special Subfloors : part II 18 Special Producers of profiles present their range 22 Special Sanding machines : part II 24 Special Maintenance and cleaning products for vinyl, LVT

and PVC floors 28 Special Producers of multi-layer floors 34 Advertorial Cornilly Wooden Floors (BE) 36 Special Producers of Hungarian point and Herringbone

parquet (solid and multilayer) 41 Advertorial Trafil® (IT) 42 Special UV lacquers and oils 46 Special Lacquers and oils with real anti-bacterial properties 48 Special Stair renovation 51 Special Skirting boards 53 Special Producers of silane adhesives

‘In recent years, we’ve seen a sharp rise in hybrid parquet glues. This has been driven partly by the success of multi-layer parquet, but especially Jo Indesteege by the replacement of solvent adhesives and (Business Manager, Kaneka) the strong growth of floor heating. Technical authorities strongly recommend the full glueing of parquet in case of floor heating. Furthermore, fitting comfort and the ‘welfare’ of our environment are becoming more and more important. Silane adhesives, especially MS polymers, are playing a prominent role in this. They contain no harmful solvents or isocyanates and are easy to apply.’

To what extent has MS polymerTM developed in recent years? ‘In the past, the sector used mainly elastic and soft-elastic glues. Those glues still have the biggest market share at present, but the trend is certainly towards hard-elastic glues (2nd class ISO17178). The third class, the so called hard glues, are available, but are still in the background. Producers of multi-layer parquet offer their own hybrid glues which they provide as an extra service. In recent years, however, we’ve also been working hard on a D4 wood glue. This also makes it possible to use MS PolymerTM to glue the various layers of parquet structurally.’

What do you think the future holds? ‘Fully glued parquet floors will never disappear entirely, partly due to the growing floor heating market. However, we have noticed that, since last year, the hybrid parquet glue market seems to be getting saturated and is making way for new innovative fields such as glues for LVT, for instance. It’s hard for Kaneka or anyone else to predict what the long-term future will bring, but we’re certain of one thing: the stress on ‘green’ and ‘bio’ will become even more important and will also emerge on the glue market. Therefore, producers like to mention the content of bio-based raw materials in the composition of their end products. However, that’s a development which hardly surprises anyone.’

59 Special Top Italian companies focused on export 65 Industry news 66 Product news

Editing & advertisements FFI bvba PO BOX 29 9870 Olsene, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)9 385 80 40 Fax: +32 (0)9 385 88 85 sales@media-pact.com www.floor-forum.com Publisher Filip De Ridder

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

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

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

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

The copyright of Floor Forum International and the articles appearing herein are retained by the publisher. By agreeing to publication of an article in this journal, the author assigns to the publisher the irrevocable and exclusive right under Copyright law to collect charges due from third parties for copying said article and to undertake legal or other action for this purpose. Editorial and advertising copy in this issue have been carefully checked and Floor Forum International bvba cannot accept any responsibility for any errors.

∂ Inside news HWZ International AG

WOCA Denmark increases efforts in Sweden As part of a planned Scandinavian growth strategy, we have reinforced our team with Michael Ågren who will function as Country Manager for Sweden. Michael has extensive experience with sales and has been working on establishing new markets for building related products for the last 15 years. Michael is joined by the Swedish Helene Billberg, who is assisting him from the Danish headquarters. We are very excited to have them both on board.

WOCA Denmark boosts presence in the UK Since the start of this year, the Swiss company HWZ International AG has begun to extend its operations in various European countries such as the Benelux countries, France, Germany, and Spain. HWZ International is part of the Kuratle Group in Leibstadt, Switzerland. It is a family business and is now the biggest wood and building material trader in Switzerland. Their annual turnover is around 500 million euros and is still rising strongly. HWZI operates independently. They are the biggest importers/distributors of PVC/VINYL floors in Europe with their central stock in Dreis Bruck-Vulkaneifel, Germany. From there they can supply anywhere in Europe within three to four days. The extension of their activities concerns the INDO 3D Decorative Wall Panels programme, the biggest part of which is designed in TEAK. The designs are simple, but they are also absolutely top class in Root Teak. There is the DIAMOND COLLECTION. This is produced from the TEAK ROOTS, which was kept under the ground for a long time so that the fossilisation process had started and the colour changed into a warm orange-brown colour with some grey-black marks from the fossilisation. TEAK naturally has some substances from ‘Teak oil’ so that it is highly resistant to damp and even seawater. The INDO TEAK panels are always glued with D4 outdoor glue so that it can be used in damp rooms and even outdoors!

All INDO 3D Wall panels: DIAMOND - SMARTWOOD - AXEWOOD - BEACHWOOD - CLASSIC are permanently in stock in Dreis Bruck, almost all of them in three designs (Natural, Gun Smoke, and Charred). Delivery time for the Benelux countries is maximum three days after the order! Sales exclusively via the authorised Wholesaler: Dealer in the Netherlands: Houtwerf - Zoeterwoude Dealer in Belgium: Martens Hout - Schoten Dealer in France: Vision Parquet - Breuillet

Floor Forum International 91

We are very happy to announce that Richard Geddes has recently joined the WOCA team as National Sales Manager for the United Kingdom and Ireland. The recruitment is part of a serious growth strategy to strengthen the British market and the organization in general. Richard brings more than 20 years of experience within the flooring industry with him and is very keen on boosting the presence of our WOCA brand on these markets.

Wicanders Hydrocork is taking over the renovations market

With just 6mm thick and a user-friendly and easy installation system, this product has become the fastest-growing product in Wicanders history. Hydrocork has been Wicanders’ biggest success in the past few years. Uniting wood and stone visuals with the most advanced technical properties, it now has innovative characteristics much appreciated by professionals and end consumers. Among these new characteristics, the most revolutionary it’s its waterproof condition, that allowed Hydrocork to enter all rooms of the house, including kitchens and bathrooms, thus creating a uniform look. This versatility

IN LOVE WITH DECKING

REDUCED INSTALLATION COSTS Hydrocork is only 6mm thick making it easy to cut. Avoids the need to remove the existing skirtings or to cut doors and it can be easily installed on top of other flooring materials.

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

HOUTBEDRIJF

Specialist in custom work!

Overlay Solid Engineered Pattern flooring And many other products !

NO PROBLEM, ITÂ´S HYDROCORK. WATERPROOF | IDEAL FOR RENOVATIONS

IMPACT RESISTANCE | BODY WELLNESS | SILENCE NATURAL THERMAL INSULATION | WALKING COMFORT

R E A DY F O R R E A L L I F E

WWW.PARKETKERKHOFS.BE

INFO@PARKETKERKHOFS.BE

+32 11 63 64 00

F L O O R I N G

WWW.WICANDERS.COM

∂ Inside news comes from a multilayer structure, with an agglomerated cork composite core that also ensures a more flexible and durable performance. The well-known five benefits that the Corktech technology brings to Wicanders’ products - silence, natural thermal insulation, walking comfort, body wellness and impact resistance - are now concentrated in planks with just 6mm of total thickness. This makes the product particularly useful for renovation and interior design projects. Since it’s very thin, but nonetheless strong, Hydrocork can be applied on top of pre-existing hard surfaces, with no need to remove skirtings or cut doors, which represents significant savings in terms of time and costs. Another advantage is the PressFit compression system that guarantees a fast and easy installation with a rubber hammer, without electric saws and glue, Wicanders best-seller can be installed without dust or noise. In housing, shops, offices, hotels or museums, the most difficult part will be to decide among the many visuals that cover linen tones and chalk to grey oak and graphite marble - some of those with synchronized texture that gives more realism. To Pedro Pinho, Amorim Revestimentos’ Marketing director, all the afore mentioned aspects confirm Hydrocork as “the market’s most clever solution to quick and practical renovations, in which architects, designers and end consumers can relay on a lifetime warranty”.

Floor Care FAXE Vinyl Cleaner: • Cleaner to maintain Vinyl, Linoleum and Laminate flooring. • Well-suited for PUR-reinforced vinyl, polish- and wax treated vinyl and other polish/wax treated floors. FAXE Spray Mop Kit & FAXE Spray Soap: • Easy floor care. Press and clean. • Spray Mop unit, with integrated spray bottle. • FAXE Spray Mop Soap - 1,0 litre. Ready to use.

T R A DI T ION S I NC E 1926 E S B J E R G FA R V E - & L A K FA B R I K A/S , D K- 670 0 E S B J E R G T E L . +4 5 7512 8 6 0 0, W W W. FA X E LU D.C O M

Floor Forum International 91

Trafil® MULTISYSTEM skirting-board MULTISYSTEM is suggested for all floors, also for the pre-finished ones thanks to its base width. The particular flexibility of the material makes it suitable also on curved and imperfect walls. It is particularly recommended for the do-it-yourself, easy to cut and place. Multisystem is not just a skirting board, but is as well a cable feed-through base. We recommend to apply MULTISYSTEM by using the special clips with interlocking snap. This patented system allows a quick and safe application of the skirting board allowing you to remove it without damaging the anchorage system. We suggest to apply a clip every 25/50 cm, it depends on the type of wall. The accessories are available in the same colour of MULTISYSTEM: external and internal angle, right and left terminal and joints. MULTISYSTEM is available in standard colours, dignified colours that reproduce exactly the wood, marble and aluminium effects and embossed colours with raised pore that reproduce the natural grains of wood.

Heinr. Krueger + Sohn – additional product range Heinrich Krueger + Sohn (HKS) based in Muenster is offering an european produced premium brand „Krügers“. „Our strength lies in oak engineered flooring with a high quality backing in birch plywood”, says the owner Stephan Krueger. “We are concentrating on this growing market with great effort.” Krügers first line is single planked longstriped flooring produced in a broad range of dimensions and surfaces. Meeting the demands of the flooring market, we recently added the patterns herringbone and chevron (hungarian point) and extended our possible surfaces. The classical oak single planked line Krügers is 16 mm thick with a 4 mm top-layer as well as 21 mm thick with a 6 mm decking. The “Reno Plank” is complementing our line being 12 mm thick and 160 mm wide. The standard length for all versions are 2000 – 2800 mm just as the jointing method is tongue and groove. The newest additions to the line Krügers are the patterns Herringbone 90° and Chevron (Hungarian point 45°). Both versions available in the thickness of 16 mm with 4 mm decking, 100 or 120 mm wide and

∂ Inside news 600 mm length. Being consisted only produced with a high quality birch plywood backing. You can choose between 14 individual surfaces with visual names hinting the finishing. If it is rather prepared with oil, brushed, smoked or a combination you can anticipate accordingly: PURE, HONEY, ALMOND, CACAO, CREMA, MACCHIATO, NOUGAT, ORIGINAL, NATURAL, MILK, CARAMEL, VANILLE, SUGAR, COCO. The latest surface addition “ORIGINAL” was just presented on the Domotex 2017 in Hannover. Giving the impression of raw, natural wood while having a highly resistant, easily maintained oiled surface. Our perfect marketing enables a clear presentation of Krügers for commercial and residential use. Our quality designed, convenient, clearly structured and informative presentation folder including wooden samples showing all surfaces as well as the necessary product and technical information. Please visit us in Hall 13 booth No. C87.

Floorservice After another successful edition last year, during which we presented our new booth and the newest Floorservice products, we are again fully prepared to welcome you with the atmosphere and experience for which Floorservice stands. During Domotex 2018 we present: Industrial: LED-oil & UV-oil

Complementary to our range of UV-oils, we now carry a full range of LED-oils. This oil quickly and fully cures under the influence of LED-light and is immediately stackable and packable. Manually: Hardwax-oil 2K The hardwax-oil 2K is now available in a colourless and 12 various coloured options. This solvent-free hardwax-oil 2K is cured and resilient within 24hrs. Tailormade collections: During the Domotex show; we offer more than just our own collections. We also offer the possibility to create your own tailormade ranges. Interested in this service but not able to stop-by our booth? No worries! We kindly offer this service during the whole year. Please contact us to make an appointment. We invite you to stop by and have a look at our renewed Floorservice booth, Hall 13 - E 46!

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

after

HOTEL FOUR SEASONS BAHREÏN

Engineered Parquet Flooring Oak PA R Q U E T

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

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

Engineered Parquet Flooring Oak • Grey Oiled Finishing Thickness : 20 mm • Top-layer : 5,5 mm Diamond and trapezoid units forming a circle pattern. According to the prespiction of the architect. HOTEL FOUR SEASONS BAHREÏN

www.designparquet.fr Floor Forum International 91

Advertorial

Devomat Industries (BE)

DEVOMAT PRESENTS … DUST-FREE MINUTE SANDPAPERING IS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE! No one will be surprised to hear that lots of parquet traders regard Devomat Industries as their ‘main supplier’. Indeed, Devomat specialises in parquet/wooden floors and supplies all machines, products, and related articles for renovating and treating those floors. A whole range of ‘ floor’ questions, contrived ‘ floor’ solutions, and ongoing research and development have yielded their extensive ‘ floor know-how ’. The company shares this knowledge and experience with its esteemed clients.

A one-stop shop

Attracting attention

Devomat Industries is the leading supplier in the field of parquet sanding machines, parquet, glues, varnishes, oils, oil-lacquers, polishing waxes, and such like for wooden floors. The company also supplies scrubbing machines, water vacuum cleaners, vacuum cleaners, and machines for marble renovation, cleaning, and finish products for all stone floors, carpet cleaning machines, carpet cleaning products, etc. Professionals, hirers, and DIY enthusiasts find the right machines and products at Devomat Industries and its dealers. Professionals certainly find a one-stop shop for parquet, wooden floors, and other floors. For example, Devomat offers free technical training in the use of machines and products either on its own testing floors in Edegem or with clients on site. The guarantee and maintenance service is offered by a team of experienced technicians. Moreover, each client has access to a floor renovation ombudsman. Apart from a vast stock of parts for all machines, clients can also count on commercial advice for effective marketing in every respect.

It goes without saying that a leading supplier follows the market and, especially, market needs very closely. That expresses itself like clockwork in the launch of new or renewed products, upgrades to existing machines and products, or genuine innovations to simplify and improve a floor fitter’s work. Here are some of those innovations.

Floor Forum International 91

Devo Turbo Fiberpad The unique Devo Turbo Fiberpad has been developed recently for minute sandpapering of parquet floors and thorough cleaning of various surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal. For minute sandpapering of parquet the Devo Turbo Fiberpad replaces the classic sandpapering discs with sanding grain P80 and P100, which are used on a single-disc machine. Due to the turbo shape and the open fibre structure, this Devo Turbo Fiberpad has a very high sandpapering capacity, outstanding dust suction, and an excellent and scratchless finish. The floor is ready to be oiled or lacquered. The open structure

means that there is no accumulation of dust, in contrast to classic sanding discs. This means that the sanding grain remains free to function efficiently. Moreover, the extremely long lifespan is such that there is no need to stop sandpapering to change a disc. And so, there is no risk of differences in gloss. For a seamless transition to the edges there is the Fiberpad with felt adhesion (150mm diameter), which is compatible with most sanding machines.

Devo Dust Master DM5250 In developing the Devo machines they have paid considerable attention to limiting emissions of fine dust to an absolute minimum. This is particularly a problem if you expect maximum air flow at the same time, something which is necessary to ensure good source suction with machines such as the Devo Belt 200 or the Devo Master 3D. In the Devo Clean Air Technology concept they define optimal filtering in four steps! - 1st filter passage: disposable or re-usable filter bag. - 2nd filter is a 470gr/m² polyester fine dust filter bag. - 3rd filter is a carbon filter bag, which filters the very finest dust from the sucked air. - 4th filter is a class L35500 HEPA filter which stands on the extractor and ensures that no fine dust gets into the extracted air. This very fine and meticulous filtering, in combination with an unrivalled air flow, ensures dust-free work which is unique today, even if two appliances are connected. There are also some more cast-iron assets: - The machine is compact, but powerful. At 57 x 63cm, the DM5250 takes up very little space on the one hand, and thereby also fits perfectly into even a smaller delivery van. On the other hand, the three 2-traps bypass motors ensure powerful pressure of 24kPa with an air flow of 5250 l/min!! - The machine is extremely basic. There are no complex electronic

controls which can break down, and there are no shaking systems for cleaning the filters. Through its ingenious, but basic design, there are no sensitive parts. - The machine is transparent. And so, you only have to look through the transparent lid to see if the dust bag is almost full!! - Undeniably efficient: No fine dust whatsoever comes through the HEPA pattern extraction filter!! And the three powerful motors guarantee a vast air flow of 5250 l/min.

Devo Gear Disc 3D The Devo Gear Disc 3D makes it possible to transform a single-disc machine into a high-performance planetary sanding machine in no time at all. It’s a polyvalent solution, that’s for sure! The Devo Gear Disc 3D can not only be mounted on most single-disc machines such as the Devoboy, the Woodboy, and various Numatic machines, but the machine can also still be used for other applications. And so, you don’t need a second tool for other jobs. The output is impressive. The driven discs and the increased weight in combination with the rotary basic machine ensure outstanding (fast) sandpapering quality. You can get even more output by adding extra weights. After a slight adjustment of the single-disc machine, the Devo Gear Disc 3D can be assembled and dismantled quickly and easily by hand. Moreover, there is a considerable increase in dust suction due to the many open spaces and the rapid rotation of the discs. Innovation is still one of the success factors of Devomat Industries – an ongoing process!

For more information visit our website www.devonatural.be

Floor Forum International 91

Preview Domotex Hanover (DE)

DOMOTEX 2018 PRESENTS… NEW LAYOUT WITH HALL 9 TAKING CENTRE STAGE The upcoming DOMOTEX is taking a fresh new approach, with an improved site layout and a core focus on the product individualization megatrend, as symbolized by the keynote theme “UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE”. A captivating world of trends, innovation and lifestyle in a way we have never done before. Visitors are right to be excited about what awaits them at the show, particularly in Hall 9. Hall 9 is the new jewel in the crown of DOMOTEX. It is the home of “Framing Trends” – a richly diverse and immersive showcase in which established companies, industry newcomers and artists will engage with the keynote theme in an array of creatively staged individual and joint displays, and will also feature a captivating and varied program of talks by f. e. big-name architects and designers. The visitor convenience factor will be further enhanced by the venue’s excellent integration into the public transport system and by the new My DOMOTEX shuttle service, which will transport visitors and exhibitors quickly and directly to wherever they want to go on the exhibition grounds. Floorplan details: - Halls 2 – 4: The world’s widest array of hand-made carpets and rugs - Halls 5 – 7: Classic machine-woven carpets and rugs, bathroom sets and runner rugs - Hall 8: The gateway to the latest carpet creations from the world’s most innovative designers and labels - Halls 11 – 12: Resilient floor coverings and luxury vinyl tiles - Halls 12 – 13: Parquet, wood and laminate flooring - Hall 13: Latest flooring application and installation products and solutions - Hall 13 will also house the “Treffpunkt Handwerk” event, with its extensive array of exhibits and lectures for interior furnishers and decorators, parquet installers and floor layers, painters, varnishers and joiners. The show will feature around 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations from Friday, 12th to Monday, 15t of January 2018. Some exhibitors:

Floor Forum International Visit our stand at the new location – Hall 13, stand F 58.

meet business relations and, of course, to enjoy a drink and a snack. You can get acquainted with our various publications (for France, the Benelux, and other countries) and together we can look forward to all the good things which 2018 will bring. As always, our stand will have a special floor. In view of the success of the floor at our stand during the previous Domotex, the Dutch company Wood Sensation will be responsible again in 2018 for supplying and fitting a top class multi-layer parquet floor at the Floor Forum International stand. Our December edition will reveal which charming multi-layer parquet floor Wood Sensation will fit. We’re already looking forward to it eagerly! The Wood Sensation multi-layer parquet floor will once again have a reliable and silent Maclean subfloor and you can see it in Hall 13 at stand F 58.

Abetech For over 30 years, ABETECH has became one of the leading actors in the manufacture of abrasives and products for renovation, maintenance and soil treatments (parquet, wooden floors, concrete, natural stones…) in Belgium. We put our experience and know-how acquired over the years, serving professionals to advise you the best way possible and give your floorings a brand new life. Our full range of products including our new professional line and our FLOORTECH machines coupled with our own making workshop provide you flexibility and answer to any of your issues. We supply our products all over Europe. For the fifth consecutive time, you're welcome to visit us on our booth (Hall 013/F21) and be part of our success. Browse www.abrasif.com and/or www.abetech.be for more infomation.

Alma and Adisportfloor

In keeping with tradition, your favourite trade journal also has a stand at Domotex, where we can welcome our clients, readers, and others. Once again, this will be the ideal place to chat informally or

Floor Forum International 91

Domotex Hanover is one of the most professionally organized trade shows in Germany, dedicated exclusively to the architectural designing and floor covering industry. During Domotex Alma will propose a large variety of products, including classic and traditional solid designs,

Hungarian and Herringbone Point and also new designs with dynamic patterns. Wooden flooring comes in a wide variety of colours, formats and forms that there are no limits to creating individual pattern combinations to meet personal tastes. Our stand will include Alma, but also two other important brand: Terra da Bosco, focused on the production of wooden floor and Adisportfloor, an internationally renowned brand in the field of sports flooring. Adisport will propose a large range of innovative sport systems, and a world-class, unique in the industry, able to combine the elegance of design and craftmanship of our artisans, with the study and the technical research applied to the sport competitive level. Visit us in Hall 13, Booth E 68.

Auer Metallprofile Auer Metallprofile GmbH (AMP) would like to invite you warmly to the next Domotex from 12.01. - 15.01.2018. To see all news meet us in Hanover in Hall 13 booth E22. The distribution team of AMP will be on site, around interesting talks all around the innovations 2018, individually product ideas and the whole assortment. Auer Metallprofile GmbH is like every year exhibitor and follows the trend of the individualization. As a customer, you are already preparing what products may be tomorrow already in demand by the users. Domotex is therefore an indispensable date for you and your customers in the coming year to be able to offer a large product variety and also individually solutions.

Bijlard International “Our first participation in Domotex in 2017 was very encouraging”, according to the adhesive manufacturer from Zoetermeer. “It was our very first time, and we made many new foreign contacts. We're still working with them now.” There are also high expectations for the forthcoming edition. Last autumn, Bijlard presented two new products at the Interieur Collectie Dagen (Interior Collection Days) in the Netherlands. Now the rest of the world will be introduced to FLEXX FLOOR, which makes creaking floors a thing of the past thanks to its elastic properties, and GAP FILLER FLOOR, which allows simple treatment of irritating hollow sounds in bonded wooden floors. This year, Bijlard International can be found in the completely new Hall 13: all wood-related companies are located here, including many Dutch companies. We look forward to welcoming you at our stand in Hall 13, D11, where our new products and the entire FLOOR range can be seen.

developed a unique profile diversity especially for the growing market of design floorings. The screw profile system LPS Design has been added lately for flooring heights of 3.5 - 8.5 mm. The new „LUXline” LED duct can be combined with any skirting board that has 19 to 22 mm floor covering. The skirting board of choice is then mounted on top. On the front, the LED duct is fitted with a removable flap to allow easy access at any time. „LUXline” can be combined with any commercially available LED strip, so it provides the perfect lighting for night time or emergencies. Of course, the LED duct can also be fitted separately on the floor, wall or ceiling, wherever light is desired. Not horizontally or vertically, but at an angle of 45 degrees: this is the fastening technique for the new aluminium skirting board "Cultus45". This prevents damage of the wall and floor when installing the skirting. The bars of the aluminium skirting are held in place without interlocking. As a result, the base plate can be loosened easily and without damage. Visit us at DOMOTEX in Hanover: Hall 13, booth E-10.

Chimiver It was in 1965 when Mr. Giovanni Panseri and his wife Franca established Chimiver, a small laboratory producing coatings for wood and parquet floors. Since then, Chimiver has become the undisputed market leader in Italy as manufacturer of adhesives, lacquers, oils, outdoor and care maintenance for wooden floors. And nowadays well known in Eurore and worldwide. Chimiver is run by the two sons Oscar and Nevio who, with their distinctive but complementary skills have brought to the company new development, strategies and ambitious goals. Today Chimiver produce complete lines of products for different types of flooring: parquet, resilient, resin and outdoor. Innovative solutions and continuous investments have enabled Chimiver to be present today in more than 60 countries all around the world. LIOS B 100 is a natural oil treatment for wooden floors, it has 100% solid content so it can be considered VOC free. LIOS B 100 protects the wood, enhancing its softness and natural look. ECOTRAFFIK 2K is a two-component water-based hight durability polyurethane finish for wooden floors. ECOTRAFFIK 2K has high abrasion and black heel mark resistances allowing its use for very high traffic. FRESHEN UP OIL is water-based refresher/nourisher for the maintenance of oiled wooden floors. Used regularly, thanks to special oil contained, it helps to keep a natural and uniform appearance of the wooden floor. Available clear and colored. Visit us in Hall 13 - Booth C 36.

CSP Engineering

Carl Prinz GmbH & Co. KG With over 125 years of experience and competence in developing and producing profile systems for floor coverings of all kinds, Prinz is among the leading manufacturers in Europe. Prinz has

Also this year CSP Engineering will be present on Domotex. As developer of technology for the production of wood flooring boards, we will present the latest innovations, options and opportunities. For supporting the producers of wood flooring boards CSP Engineering develops machines which focus on: - The automatic filling of knots and cracks in wooden flooring boards: PAR-Filler® - The production for bonding 2-layer parquet: PAR-Duo® - Automatic measuring, registering, labelling and packaging of

Floor Forum International 91

Preview Domotex Hanover (DE)

parquet: PAR-Scan® - Composing with robot and packaging of colli-fix: PAR-Colli® Red thread in everything that CSP Engineering does, is the pro-active tailor-made thinking. Our internal Research & Development Centre allows to formulate solutions responding on the specific individual needs of the wood flooring producers. 'Let's create your solution together!' is our slogan. Visit us on DOMOTEX Hall 13, stand G82.

Ciranova After the successful launch of the new innovative FORTICO lacquer range and the UNICO-FORTICO system last year, HIGH QUALITY WOODCARE PRODUCTS Ciranova will present 8 new colours in REACTIVE STAIN NT (New Technology) this year. Natural appearances with natural looking protection are still very much in high demand for wooden floor finishes. To avoid complicated systems such as smoking, burning and chemical treatments, Ciranova has the latest innovation with a simple application of Reactive Stain NT. 4 warm smoked stains and 4 grey aged stains are achieved by a completely new and unique concept. Reactive Stains NT are the perfect balance of chemistry and reactive dyes to work with the composition of the wood and the wood fibres, to give the wood an accelerated aged appearance. Ciranova’s Reactive Stain NT is easy to apply and promises a consistent colour of the wood. Make your floor a successful floor ! The full Ciranova range will be presented as well as demonstrations of the UV oil in combination with new industrial stains which enable us to achieve unique industrial finishes. To answer the growing international demand and to guarantee an optimal service, Ciranova always is interested in finding new distributors in different countries all over the world. We hope to welcome you on our stand D58 in HALL 13. In order to receive free-entrance cards, you can always send an email to info@ciranova.be.

Decospan N.V. - Cabbani® Over the past two years, the Decospan group has invested successfully in the Cabbani® parquet trademark. Since the takeover, they have invested considerably in order to modernise production in Bordeaux. They are continuing to work on the future and have recently purchased some new machines to meet the growing demand for Design floors. From January 2018 onwards, they will also be extending their range to include design floors (Hungarian point and herringbone). They will be presenting those floors and much more at Domotex in Hanover in January 2018, Hall 12 Booth C13.

Egger The new floor collection EGGER PRO answers several questions on diversity, flexibility, and reliability. With the main slogan of ‘EGGER has the answer’, the wood-based material producer has introduced new floor collections for specialist dealers. Design floors and laminate have been re-discovered in the EGGER PRO. Apart from the new floor covering and the many decors, this manufacturer offers a comprehensive

Floor Forum International 91

service programme plus a series of attractive accessories. This is how the company provides answers to all the questions which a professional fitter of a contemporary floor expects. The EGGER PRO Collection 2018-2020 offers designs for all possible expected patterns. There are four style worlds: Pure Nature, Used Novelty, Modern Classic, and Light Living. The new collection EGGER PRO Laminate Floors 2018-2020 will also be shown at Domotex 2018. Visit us in Hall 12 Booth B36.

Parchettificio Garbelotto Parchettificio Garbelotto, founded in 1950, is a leader in the wood flooring market. It is a proud ambassador of Made In Italy: every single square meter of wooden floor is designed and manufactured in its factories, in the province of Treviso, and exported all over the world. It offers a wide choice of wooden floors in different sizes and finishes, as well as a wide range of customized options. There is always a special attention to the environment: all the products are CE-certified, E1 class for the emission of formaldehyde and, on demand, customers may have them FSC-certified. At Domotex, Hanover Exhibition, there will be presented many products such as the revolutionary Clip Up System (Italian patent pending), it is a system that allows you to replace one table in less than a minute, ideal for inspecting floors and for the contract sector; Habitat, the new finish that preserves and enhances the natural woodiness of the wood; Xilema parquet, recovered dead plants and Dupla Herringbone, the double length Hungarian herringbone. Visit us in Hall 13 Booth D 60.

La San Marco Profili Italian manufacturer of wood skirting and outdoor flooring for almost 30 years, La San Marco Profili is already looking forward to welcoming many visitors at its stand at Domotex exhibition in Hanover. The Company continuously renews itself to better meeting the changing market demands. In fact, during this upcoming edition, the company plans to launch its new catalogue with a series of innovative products able to meet the needs of the most exigent customers. Our catalogue not only shows many new ideas regarding shapes and finishing, but also it shows the capacity to create natural wood and painted skirting from samples and the ability to guarantee fast delivery of any product thanks to the company’s huge well-organized stock. Furthermore, La San Marco attaches great importance to sustainable forest management, which is why the company is FSC® certified and guarantee quality, traceability and conformity of all its products. Come and discover more in Hall 13 stand D81.

Lamett Lamett launches new product range ParquetVinyl With ParquetVinyl, Lamett launches a new floor that combines all the

benefits of wood, laminate and vinyl. Although Lamett demonstrates a great technical know-how, it took 24 months to adjust and improve this new flooring. ParquetVinyl looks like real wood, but enjoys the benefits of vinyl, namely the ease of maintenance and water resistance. Moreover, this floor overcomes the limitations of a traditional vinyl flooring thanks to its ultra-strong and rigid carrier, transparent wear layer and excellent matt PU top layer. Thanks to the rigid carrier, ParquetVinyl will not deform at high temperatures, and therefore is perfectly suitable to install in verandas. The simple click system provides for fast and easy installation. “Being active in the floor coverings industry for 23 years now, I’ve never had the chance to bring such a good product in such ideal circumstances into the market!”, according to Bruno Descamps, Managing Director of Lamett. Visit us in Hall 12, stand C58.

Osmo Colour diversity, flexible application DOMOTEX 2018: Osmo presents their competencies in wood finishing

From 12 to 15 January 2018, DOMOTEX in Hanover has its doors open for visitors. There, Osmo Holz und Color GmbH & Co. KG will present their entire portfolio of wood finishing systems. As stronger partners for the industry and tradesman, Osmo offers finish systems that reliably protect flooring and furniture exposed to high wear, for example in commercial properties, and make fast and simple applications possible. Thus, Polyx®-Oil Express has received praise for its compelling economic benefits: it enables two coats in one day, and neither primer nor intermediate sanding is needed. For the do-it-yourself market, simple applications and flexible methods are important. Also in this area, Osmo offers a wide choice: regardless of whether with Polyx®-Oil Original or one of seven coloured variations, Wood Wax Finish or Wood Wax Finish Clear Extra Thin, hardly any limits are set on the individual design of flooring and furniture surfaces. For all oil-and-wax-based wood finishes from Osmo, the same applies: they protect wood from inside out, form a microporous surface and are, despite this, still liquid-resistant. All products in the Osmo range are geared towards each other, and therefore, the consumer can get everything necessary for a professional wood surface treatment from one source. Visit us in Hall 13 Stand E24.

Unifloor Unifloor, specialized in fast-track sub-floor preparation solutions, exhibiting new products at Domotex 2018 Also again in 2018 Unifloor will exhibit at Domotex. Besides showing the renowned Jumpax® Family and many other sophisticated and

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economical Unifloor sub-floor preparation solutions, we will be proud to introduce you to the following new additions: EcoFleece®: This is a flexible, moisture and air permeable mesh, which will prevent our ecological EcoPearls® dry leveling granules from trickling away through any wooden base floor construction. Most user friendly. SpaceLeveller2.0: This tool completes our EcoPearls® dry leveling method. A most practical and adjustable screed batten device, to be used for quickly smoothing EcoPearls®. The SpaceLeveller2.0 comes wellprotected in a robust bag. We are very much looking forward in welcoming you to our stand in Hall 13 – D23.

Vetedy Vetedy has expanded its range! Apart from the certified terrace system with Softline® invisible fastening and Techniclic® for the furnishing, two innovations now complete the range. The first is the gamma ‘screw line’ range, with African and Indonesian types of wood, in a width of 140mm. The second and biggest innovation this year is the first ‘Softline® Maxi’ grooved product. This is a certified total system with invisible fastening and, for the first time, in a width of 140mm. This is a new way of designing terraces with the certainty of exceptional quality, whilst they are also going along with the new trend in wide planks. During Domotex Hanover, they will be giving a live fitting demonstration of this product at their stand C82 in Hall 13. They look forward to welcoming you to their stand!!

WOCA

At WOCA Denmark, we look forward to presenting some revolutionary product launches at Domotex 2018. One of the ultimate highlights that will help set the agenda on the market is an eco-friendly alternative to 2K oils. By utilizing the latest technology, we have developed a 1K oil with unique formula that guarantees the same performance as 2K oils and is safe and easy to apply. Our 2018 innovations also include some exciting news for the industrial coating industry, for instance a product equivalent to hybrid oils and several cleaning products. Swing by our stand and get more acquainted with our new WOCA products. We look forward to seeing you all. Visit us in Hall 13 Booth D 21.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Laminate floors : part II

LAMINATE IMPRESSES WITH LARGE SIZES PRODUCERS KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO SHADOW TRENDS They’ve always been good at it! Laminate producers keep a close eye on market developments and jump on board with every new trend, whether it’s in the wooden floor, ceramic tile, or natural stone segment. Any success story is followed up promptly. That’s ingenious! It means that with each new laminate floor with e renewed decor, the end user or fitter gets the technical and intrinsic qualities of laminate for free. Large sizes in wooden floors are very much in fashion.

Larger than life! Let’s be honest. Wood is a sublime and unique material, but, like any other material, it has its limitations or annoying ‘side issues’. In the case of wood, one such issue is the fact that it ‘moves’. Indeed, wood reacts more than any other material to climate changes like temperature and damp.

Wood is limited This has its implications. One of the consequences is that wooden floors are limited ‘somewhere’ as regards thicknesses and sizes. Very large sizes can be found in some multi-layer floors, but in solid wood there really are some limits. The difference lies in the fact that those multi-layer floors absorb lots of possible changes through their structure. Multi-layer floors are also more stable than most solid wood floors and that means they allow for the possibility of something longer and wider. That’s what they call the power of ‘engineered’.

Laminate XXL Large-size laminate floorboards fit perfectly into the current trend towards the open interior design. Indeed, the design of the living room, dining area, and kitchen has changed fundamentally in recent years. People want light, air, and openness. This implies that home renovation usually sounds the death knell of several indoor walls so that several smaller rooms are transformed into a greater whole. Large sizes fit in with this trend perfectly. From a technical point of view, the limitation as regards sizes is less marked with laminate than with solid wood.

The highest segment We find the target group which manufacturers aim for with these sizes in the premium segment. This means that these XXL floorboards also show all the other technological options from that segment as regards surface technology, durability, and fitting comfort.

Top layer The top layers of laminate floors have always been a major point for attention. Coats of lacquer have become increasingly strong and scratch-resistant. Here, too, new forms of technology have been developed or applied. The most recent innovations mention the use of nanotechnology, which makes it possible to use nanoparticles to improve the properties (e.g. scratch-resistance) of the lacquers.

Floor Forum International 91

Anti-static Just about all A-brands offer laminate floors which have undergone an ongoing anti-static treatment. This means that disruptive electrostatic discharges, which can occur, for instance, when computers are used, are more or less eliminated.

Resistance Laminate floors are impact and chip resistant. That is the result of the bearer itself (density of HDF) in combination with the extremely resistant top layer. Most floors are even resistant to cigarette burns i.e. a cigarette which stays lighted for a few seconds on the floor does not leave any marks. A lot of laminate floors are completely resistant to light and the sun in conformity to the standard EN 348-2, and that means that they do not discolour under the influence of sunlight.

Anti-slip Whilst a smooth floor normally implies a risk of slipping, most laminate floors are equipped with an anti-slip top layer.

Anti-allergic The fact that a laminate floor can be kept dust-free makes it suitable for allergy patients, yet there’s more. For a few years now, some brands have even provided floors with an active antibacterial effect through the addition of certain substances to the top layer.

Waterproof Being waterproof is the result of various technical features. The top layer contributes to that, but not just the top layer. The waterproof glued HDF plates, combined with the outstanding click systems, make a major contribution as well. Some producers apply another special coating over the laminate floor to eliminate the problem of damp completely.

Who’s getting on board? Egger The new collection EGGER PRO Laminate Flooring 2018-2020 offers long planks in XXL size. The long-shaped planks (2050 x 245mm) fit in perfectly with the trend towards ‘open rooms’. At EGGER they have noticed that the kitchen and living room is increasingly being accommodated in a single open room. Those long shapes are idea in that respect. These so called long boards offer a high-quality wood reproduction with synchronised pores and authentic decors without a

repetitive effect in the length. These floors have an extremely expressive character. In particular with oak, this creates the look of real country house floors. Even extremely big rooms, such as lofts, take on a warm atmosphere in this way. The joints make eyes at classic wooden floors from old country homes. With the UNI fit! click system, the floors can be fitted quickly and easily, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a plus for the floor fitter. The licensed system makes the floor extremely stable, whilst it is also easy to dismantle.

naturally authentic oak colours. Embossed in register laminate floors at MEISTER are found mainly in the Premium segment, which also includes the XXL sizes. These Premium laminate floors are suitable for fitting in damp rooms thanks to their special Aqua Safe properties and can be used both in kitchens and bathrooms. Special anti-static surfaces and improved protection from scratches (Diamond ProÂŽ) round off the technical profile of the Premium laminate floors completely.

MEISTER

Parcolys Flooring

For interior lovers who like something wider in the living room, MEISTER has developed the LD 300 I 25 Melango collection. This is a splendid laminate collection consisting of 2m long wooden floors with a width of no less than 25cm. The slender surrounding V-joint highlights the sturdy dimensions of this wooden floor. This collection consists of nine oak designs which are geared specifically to the Benelux markets. To provide more comfort, MEISTER also offers these laminate floors with a glued subfloor, which, apart from a warm wood sound, also ensures rapid installation. At MEISTER oak is still very popular and much loved by consumers, and they have also noticed a clear trend towards more

At Parcolys Flooring large-size laminate is a segment which is merely a small part of the production, but it is certainly getting more popular. Firstly, you have Aquastep XL, which is used mainly for walls, but can also be glued to floors. In addition, you have Parcolux and Parcostone, both in large designs. As regards wood sorts, oak is particularly popular, whilst grey shades are the most popular colour. Distressed designs are also a trend. Embossed in register is not applicable in the case of Parcolys. The brand offers a brushed decor, and that yields nice results in combination with an anti-slip property.

Decor diversity, flexible use, reliability. Egger has the answer. www.egger.com/flooring-pro

The new EGGER PRO Flooring Collection provides the answer for both commercial and private customers. Whether they are looking for Laminate, Comfort or Design flooring, they will be delighted with the decor diversity and exceptional quality. Customers will love how easy it is to install and benefit from a comprehensive range of accessories. Available from your EGGER retail partner in the autumn.

Domotex 12. - 15.01.2018 Hall 12 Booth B36

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Special

Subfloors : part II

FLOOR HEATING STILL ON THE UP THERMAL RESISTANCE IS A MAJOR POINT FOR ATTENTION

Photo – Unifloor

Two features typical of Scandinavian countries for many years are now emerging almost everywhere else as a trend; floor heating is (still!) on the up, but also a fondness for wooden floors. And so, logically, the combination of both is also getting a boost. The misconception that this combination would not be feasible has been exposed for several years. Floor heating can be fitted under wood, as can floor cooling. Since wood is sensitive to climate conditions, there are some special points for attention. One such point is the thermal resistance for the fitting of both the floor and subfloor.

A logical progression The marriage of floor heating and wooden floors, which was seen as an absolute taboo in bygone days, has taken place at a junction of trends. Floor heating is all the rage with the increasing demand for energy savings in buildings. Since floor heating operates at low boiler temperatures, it consumes a lot less energy than a traditional heating system. Some things result from the fact that floor heating operates on the principle of radiant heat instead of the convection heat of traditional radiators. The heating result (so to speak) can be felt everywhere instantly, whilst with convection the temperature of the entire room has to rise before we feel any cosy warmth. Parallel with the need for energy savings, there is also a growing preference for sustainability and natural materials. And so, wood has risen in popularity considerably in recent years. The fact that the preference for wooden floors and the popularity of floor heating would correspond was, as it were, written in the stars.

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The misconception found out ‘Some people’ still think that wood ‘counteracts’ the radiation of floor heating because wood is an excellent thermal insulator. In the meantime, scientific calculation has shown that this is perfectly feasible. The extent to which wood counteracts the radiation is determined by the thermal resistance of the floor. The same reasoning applies to any subfloors. With floating fitting of wooden floors, and therefore of laminate as well, you must consider the thermal resistance of the floor and the subfloor.

Thermal resistance Heat resistance (expressed in m².k/w) is determined by the coefficient conductivity and thickness of the floor. Good heat conduction contributes to the spread of energy and therefore to the efficiency of the heating system. The subfloor must have a greater coefficient conductivity than the final floor. Good values for heat conduction are 0.05w/m-k or higher for wood and laminate and 0.04w/m-k for vinyl. Another important factor is the thickness of the material. Even materials with very good conduction can show an insulation effect if they are too thick. Thicknesses of more than 3.5mm are usually not recommended because the final thermal resistance would be too great.

Necessity of the subfloor You could say that if the thermal resistance is so decisive, let’s do without the subfloor. However, the CEN/TS 16354, in which the CEN published a number of technical guidelines for laminate subfloors in 2013 assumes a number of functions which render subfloors necessary in some circumstances. One of those functions is ‘making the

substrate suitable’ for the fitting by levelling out the surface, for instance. Other functions include providing ‘permanent protection’ from influences (damp) from below and providing ‘more acoustic comfort’. In other words, a subfloor is often indispensable.

What’s on the market? The following guidelines are a good rule of thumb for determining the suitability of a subfloor for floor heating: - permitted resistance for floor heating as subsidiary heating = 0.18m².k/w - permitted resistance for floor heating as main heating = 0.14m².k/w.

Two specialists screeds, glues, nails or other fixings and is ideal for use on both solid and timber floor constructions. There’s no drying or setting time as with screeding systems, no priming, no mixing, no rubbing down and it has no smell. It is not necessary to remove old floorcoverings or surface coatings, which can be overlaid, nor it is necessary to decontaminate concrete in order to achieve a good bond, as the floating floor principle employed does not require any kind of fixing or bonding to the substrate. This also means that future removal of both floorcovering and underlay is quick, clean and easy, with no residues or damage whatsoever to the old floor surface, or previous floor finish. An extensive range covers virtually every kind of floorcovering and substrate situation, including underfloor heating. Each product has been designed to perfectly compliment a specific type of floor finish by providing the ideal blend of support and surface quality for a prolonged life and enhanced appearance.

Bona

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Acous tic, fa st trac for AL k floo L resil r prep ient flo system or cov erings ! • Insta nt dry floor le of mo velling st sub strates • A co st effe ctive s proble olutio m floo n to rs • Exce ptiona lly sta floatin b le, free g unde rlay sy • Prov stem ides a s u per sm finish ooth • Read y for g lue-do resilie wn of nts an all d carp • Exce ets llent s ound re 23 dB ductio ∆L n of w • Quic k and e a sy to f handle it and (pack to sizes)

Bona presents three subfloors, namely Bona U300, Bona U310, and Bona U340. Bona U300 is a subfloor of bound cork and rubber granules to be used for parquet, laminate, and other floor coverings. The material has a sound insulation effect. When this subfloor is glued to parquet, it reduces tensions in the parquet and discharges them to the subfloor. U310 is a polyester tension-reduction felt which is glued and used for glued parquet and laminate. This felt is a problem solver with doubtful subfloors. It is damp-proof and has a disconnecting effect. The additional construction height is merely 1.5 to 2mm, including the glue thickness. Finally, Bona U340 is a polyester fibre-plate subfloor, which helps to reduce tension for the final floor covering such as ceramics, natural stone, wooden floors, etc. The great compressive strength facilitates heavy loads (5.0kN/m²). It is suitable for both domestic and commercial use. It improves the acoustics considerably.

Unifloor Fast and versatile Jumpax® fast-track floor prep principle is a popular and successful underlay system. This is because the flooring market is moving more and more towards resilient dry back finished floor coverings such as LVT, PVC and vinyl. Jumpax® is a unique and highly versatile underlay, instantly producing a perfect, stable surface for stuck-down floor finishes. As a pre-fabricated, floating double-layered fibreboard system it combines speed and ease of use with excellent smoothing capacity and the ability to overcome many time-consuming difficulties associated with traditional surface preparation methods. It requires no

FAMILY

JUMPAX® FAST-TRACK FLOOR PREP FAMILY OFFERS THE PERFECT SOLUTION..!!

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JUMPAX® FAST-TRACK FLOOR PREP FAMILY OFFERS THE PERFECT SOLUTION!

Unifloor Underlay Systems BV Arnsbergstraat 4, 7418 EZ Deventer The Netherlands, T +31 (0)570 85 55 33 I www.unifloor.info, E info@unifloor.info

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of profiles present their range

PROFILES ARE THERE TO BE SEEN (SOMETIMES) PERSONALISATION IS ENTERING YET ANOTHER REALM

Photo – Neuhofer Holz

Renovation often creates more ‘thresholds’. That’s what happens, of course, if you demolish interior walls and turn small rooms into big ones. That’s obviously good for profile markets, yet there’s more; today, in renovation and new buildings, different floors are being combined more and more. That’s partly because all floors (e.g. parquet, laminate, textile, vinyl, or linoleum) are increasingly available in the same decors, or at least in combinable decors. That, too, creates extra thresholds.

Floor Forum International 91

Developments Recent technical and decorative trends both continue unabated. We have heard some new things as to whether profiles may obtrude prominently. That’s simply the client’s choice. Either they want invisible profiles to correspond fully to the floor and thereby ‘disappear’ or they want to highlight profiles, for instance, by using the furniture. Metal profiles (stainless steel/aluminium) are usually ideal for that. It’s obvious that profiles continue to ‘adapt’ to developments on the flooring market.

Multifunctional or charming? Producers can’t quite agree on this matter. Some of them believe that multifunctional profiles are still very much a force to be reckoned with because they reduce ‘miscalculations’ on the part of the user. Obviously, there is less risk of buying the wrong profile, but that consideration would seem less applicable to professionals. As regards design, some producers believe that those profiles form a problem because the multifunctionality detracts from the aesthetic aspect.

paper, plastic, or metal. Moreover, the profiles can be offered in various degrees of gloss.

Reactions from the market Auer Metallprofile

Glue is ‘in’ As far as the preferred fastening method goes, we have noticed in the range a sharp rise in glued profiles or profiles with an integrated self-adhesive strip. Clip systems are also all the rage. One producer has noticed a growing preference for glue or self-adhesive profiles on the residential market, whilst screwed fittings hold sway in projects and commercial applications.

Thin floor covering Increasingly thinner floor coverings (certainly in renovation) mean that the heights to be bridged by threshold profiles and expansion profiles are getting smaller. Below we clarify the various functions briefly. In view of the function of the profiles and that progression towards thinner floors, we have seen how with several producers the major innovations are found on the flexible flooring market with strong leading positions for both glued vinyl floors and LVT floors equipped with a click system.

Strong profiles It is clear that profiles have to survive the floor, so they need strength, wear resistance, and abrasion resistance. In short, the durability of profiles has increased considerably in recent years. According to some manufacturers, the profile is usually stronger and more durable than the floor itself.

Personalised profiles A major development here, too, has been the emergence of digital print options. As a number of major producers rightly say, it is now possible for the first time to equip profiles with a 3D structure (for example wood grains and patterns) on every imaginable type of material e.g.

The latest trend in our business are metal profiles for cv-linings and even more profiles from massive high-grade stainless steel. Multifunctional profiles have very big growth rates in sales today. However, the profiles made from massive stainless steel have the highest increase rates. The craftsmen prefer a detachable screw connection when fixing the profiles, in order to make the necessary corrections easier. The difference between the profiles for the various types of floors like massive wood, laminate and LVT, etc. exists by the floor covering height. The abrasive-resistance becomes increasingly more important. This is evident in the actual sales figures from massive stainless steel profiles. Since beginning of the year 2017 we offer to our customers, in addition, profiles drawn staircases made of massive stainless steel V4A. They are in their quality, quantity and uniformity been improved. Our newest product is the “Contego” - skirting board series with the necessary attachments.

The complete underlay collection encompasses with currently 22 sales-boosting products solutions for almost all applications. Acoustic underlays for highest demands Underlays for special application areas High-quality products for different requirements Underlays out of natural raw material Cost-effective underlays Moisture protection and self-adhesive tapes January 12–15 · Hannover hall 13 · stand C46

Your complete supplier for flooring accessories www.parkettfreund.com 19 Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of profiles present their range

Carl Prinz LPS DESIGN LPS DESIGN is a two-piece screw profile system for the installation of design floorings with construction heights of 3.5–8.5 mm. Therefore, all design floorings with a floating floor installation - whether click locked or in "loose lay" procedure - can be installed optimally with LPS DESIGN sections. Installation is easy and fast. The LPS DESIGN base section is screwed into or glued onto the surface. After the flooring is laid, the upper section is mounted onto the base section with the included torx screws. Although the upper sections are intentionally slim and decent, they offer generous expansion joints of 8.5 mm per side.

Depro Profiles Depro Profiles from Komen, a familiar name in profiled surfaces, now has 25 years of experience in selling all sorts of floor accessories. A spokesperson comments: ‘Multifunctional profiles are still the preferred choice. They are printed digitally, so it is possible to guarantee a 100% harmony in decor and colour between floor and accessory. The

latest trend in profiles is the 3-in-1 trend. And so, consumers themselves choose what sort of profile they need, and they cut their floors to size using the supplied knife. The 3-in-1 profile can be used as an end profile, an adapter profile, or a transition profile.’ Wear resistance is vitally important to the company. Class 32 is the absolute minimum here so that qualitative products are always supplied. Depro Profiles is a reliable long-term partner which gives pride of place to quality, client focus, and proactive service.

Neuhofer Holz Design floors are a major trend, so the industry has to adapt to them. Digital print is playing an important part here. Neuhofer Holz believes that multifunctional profiles are important because they mean that end users are less likely to choose the wrong profile. That is definitely one of the assets of the multifunctional profile FN Six-pack, which makes it possible to convert reduction profiles or T-profiles into an end profile. Glue is the preferred fastening system at FN. Apart from that, they also attach great importance to wear resistance and invest heavily

Strong contacts. Clever technology.

Prinz® Profiles for floorings Perfection down to the Detail

plastics in the best shape

PROFI-TEC clip profile system Perfect look due to concealed attachment, elegant design and high resilience are the strengths of PROFI-TEC profiles, which automatically adjust in height and inclination.

LPS DESIGN screw profile system LPS DESIGN is a two-piece screw profile system for the floating installation of design floorings with construction heights of 3.5–8.5 mm.

PROFI-DESIGN clip profile system

recycl able materials an ecologically sustainable production italian qualit y production

Via Peschiere, 52◦10040 Osasio (TO) ITALY T. (39) 011.97.93.103◦F. (39) 011.97.28.605◦info@trafil.it◦www.trafil.it

Floor Forum International 91

The new Prinz PROFI-DESIGN section system was specially developed for floating installation of design floorings. The profiles are designed extremely discreet and flat.

Aluminium skirting boards The new skirting board „Cultus45“ is mounted at 45 degree angle to prevent damage to the wall and flooring. „Cultus45“ also provides a large trap to cover cable routing.

www.carlprinz.de

in machines to make durable products. FN pro-tect is a profile with exceptional resistance and strength thanks to the Corundum particles which are mixed into the coating. They are a little softer than diamond. The abrasion resistance of FN pro-tect is also AC2-4. A major innovation is the FN Clip Holder CH28, which yields excellent results either screwed or nailed. Another innovation is the FN Click-fix 17, a fastening rail for wires.

Küberit Black profiles are a major trend. In addition, there are new solutions for floors such as LVT and increasingly thicker laminate. Profiles which are easy to install are extremely popular, whilst retailers in particular like multifunctional profiles so that they can avoid huge stocks. Amongst other things, Küberit presents a stair profile which is equipped with a floor strip and information. The fastening method is regionally influenced, amongst other things; in Germany they prefer to use screws, whilst in the Netherlands they tend to choose glue or even self-adhesive. Depending on the types of floors, and certainly the thicknesses, you get different profiles. With floor profiles the wear resistance here, too, is vitally important. A recent innovation is a solution for stair nosing for LVT, PVC, and carpet. The very latest novelties will be revealed at Domotex 2018.

Progress Profiles Progress Profiles creates innovations every year on the basis of architectural trends. Aluminium, stainless steel, and other metals are doing well here. Colour, too, is important. That’s why Progress Profiles offers an extensive range of finishes. In their view, multifunctional profiles are useful, but they lose out somewhat in design, as people attach great importance to

functionality in combination with elegance. Glue and clips are the favourites for fastening. Durability is seen as essential. The Progress Profiles range is very extensive. Next year, they are unveiling a new line, namely the Pro-shower Profile. This line comprises the profiles Pro-shower Profile Glass, Pro-shower Profile Front, Pro-shower Profile Wall, and Pro-shower Profile Panel. All are components of the Pro-shower System, an innovative solution for bathrooms.

Perfilstar Whilst all markets have their own specific demands, Perfilstar has noticed a general demand for increasingly higher quality and better service. There is also a growing interest in ecological products. Perfilstar does not use any EPS in its products. Demand is growing here for multifunctional profiles. The latest product from Perfilstar is a 2-in-1 self-adhesive profile in aluminium or MDF. Glue is the most popular fastening method, although Perfilstar does offer other solutions such as clip systems. Glue usually does the job better since floors are seldom really straight. Today, they are also working on profiles with a self-adhesive strip. Generally speaking, profiles are adapted to the different types of floors. For example, Perfilstar has the Compact PVC skirting board, which is 100% waterproof and ideal for LVT. They also focus a lot on wear resistance, where Perfilstar exceeds client expectations every day. They swear here by digital print technology for the perfect match with the various floors.

Trafil® PVC profiles are self-extinguishing, environmentally-friendly and recyclable. High resistance against water and humidity. The special consistency and flexibility of the material makes it suitable for all surfaces. Easy to cut and place. It is possible to use these profiles as: plinth, hygienic connection (cove formers) between two walls or between floor and wall, waldable shelled skirting board, shelled subfloor (recommended to place it under the floor to round the angle between walls and flooring). Recommended applications: hospitals, food and chemical industry (butcheries, kitchens, laboratories, bathrooms, etc.).

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Sanding machines : part II

ROTARY DISC SANDERS HAVE A PART TO PLAY ... … IN ALL FITTING PHASES (BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER) The great value of belt sanders is their levelling ‘power’. For example, ‘ belts’ make short work of levelling mosaic subfloors. By then going over the floor in a rotating motion, we erase the (inevitable) belt sander marks and create a uniform surface ready for the finish. The rotating motion is carried out using the disc sander or ‘rotary disc sander’. However, these machines are also used for several other phases in the process of fitting a wooden floor. They are multifunctional jacks of all trades!

Machine functions Whilst the belt sander is used primarily for heavy sandpapering work in order to level out a parquet or wooden floor, a rotary disc or orbital sander has a whole range of uses.

Substrate preparation Rotary disc sanders can take on various tasks which precede the fitting of parquet. There are various cases where the substrate (e.g. the screed) is not suitable for fitting parquet immediately. With a new screed it is possible that the screed is too rough or too porous to glue a floor onto it. In that case you can use a rotary disc sander, fitted with an aluminium stone grinder disc, for instance, to prepare the screed. With an old screed it is usually glue or felt residue which would hinder the fitting. In that case you can fit a cross scrubbing brush onto the sander. This machine can also be deployed after the fitting for finely sandpapering a levelling course. Special scrubbing brushes are fitted for roughening up a surface which is too smooth (such as ceramic tiles).

Applying oil Applying oil to solid parquet or a wooden floor is completely different to varnishing. A good buffing machine is necessary to spread the oil uniformly and evenly over the floor surface. The ‘buffing machine’ which professional floor fitters use for that purpose is basically a surface sander with the sanding discs replaced by brushes or pads. The surplus oil is removed using a white pad. Surplus oil gives the look of an extremely irregular surface and adversely affects the setting. Once the machine has done its work, the impregnated floor can be maintained from now on simply with oil. Makers offer solutions for both the finish applied by floor fitters and for maintenance by end users.

Maintenance tasks It would appear helpful to mention that rotary disc sanders can also be used for all sorts of maintenance tasks in and around the home. Apart from the ongoing maintenance of waxed or oiled floors, sanding machines can also be deployed to restore natural stone to its natural beauty. There is a whole range of brushes, sanding discs, scrapers, pads, and such like for rotary disc sanders.

Sandpapering after the belt

Renovating parquet and terraces

The endless belt sander is generally used for the initial sandpapering. This involves sandpapering lanes over the length of the floor. Some floor fitters are exceptionally adept at this, even though it is a difficult task. A common problem here is that those lanes remain visible, a little bit like with mowing a lawn. To remove those ‘optical’ marks, once this line sandpapering is done, you need to sandpaper again more finely using an orbital or a rotary disc machine, which sandpapers via rotating motions. The round pattern which these machines leave behind offsets the straight lines made by belt sanders so that the chance of visible marks is considerably reduced.

For floors with a lacquer finish, heavier machines are deployed to sandpaper the floor completely blank. At this point the rotary disc sander enjoys a clear preference at the expense of the belt sander. After all, it is not necessary to remove a (costly) layer of wood in order to level the surface. Only the coat of lacquer needs removing. This can be done both with floors fitted in the traditional way and pre-finished floors. Besides the various tasks involved in fitting indoor floors, this sanding machine also proves its versatility for renovating wooden terraces. When the rotary disc sander is fitted with the right (hard) brush, it can be deployed to clean terrace wood thoroughly and even renew it.

Intermediate sanding

A selection from the range

Rotary disc sanders are also deployed to sandpaper between the various coats of lacquer. Those intermediate sandpapering sessions are necessary because the wood swells up slightly with each coat of lacquer without removing the lacquer already applied. The wood ceases to swell as soon as a film forms on the wood. Intermediate sandpapering is then no longer necessary.

Applying beeswax Rotary disc sanders lend themselves ideally to applying beeswax. Depending on the sort of wood and the room temperature, after the

wax has been left to dry for 15 to 30 minutes, the floor surface will need to be treated with a single-disc machine fitted with a red pad. Dull spots in the applied layer of wax disappear because the rubbing of the machine warms up the wax lightly to give a better spread. If the shine fails to return after polishing, we apply extra wax. Soft wood sorts usually saturate very quickly, but harder sorts might require several layers of wax.

Floor Forum International 91

Alvaket As the official dealer of Frank, Wolff, Numatic, and Bona, Alvaket Belgium BVBA can recommend (and supply) the machines below for tasks such as sandpapering parquet. All the different motors of those makes are induction motors, so they operate without carbon brushes. These machines possess every imaginable technical gadget to promote work quality, efficiency, human engineering, and convenience. We list them below with their ‘power’ and ‘weight’. The Frank Spider has an extremely powerful 2000 watt motor with soft start. It weighs 42kg.

Then we have to add the weight of the driven satellite disc (11.5kg.) plus a detachable weight of 15kg, which is supplied as standard. It is also possible to order one or even two extra weights of 15kg in order to apply more pressure to the floor. A new feature is that the Spider can now also be used to brush parquet. The Frank Mambo Evo has the same motor with soft start as the Frank Spider, but its centre of gravity is somewhat higher. It weighs 52kg plus a detachable weight of 18kg, which is supplied as standard. The Frank Samba has a powerful 1700 watt motor. It weighs 44kg and has an optional detachable weight of 11kg. The Numatic Wood Pro II (Hurricane) has a powerful 1500 watt motor. It weighs 31kg and has an optional weight of 10kg. The Bona Flexisand offers a choice of engine, namely 1500 or 1900 watts. The 1500 watt version weighs 45 kg, whilst the 1900 watt machine weighs 50 kg. A wide variety of discs and grinding tools means that these appliances can be deployed for a wide range of tasks. For efficient dust suction Alvaket offers the Bona DCS70 (235m³/hour dust suction) and the Numatic NDD-900 (320m³/hour), and the Wolff Vacuclean 2 (360m³/ hour) and dual-motor fine dust vacuum cleaners. The Vacuclean 2 LP is a new tool.

Bona For a few years now, Bona has been offering the Bona Flexi Sand (1.5 and 1.9), the ultimate all-round machine for sandpapering and preparing parquet. It can be used to optimise subfloors through the use of the (optional) Diamond or PCD Disc, sandpaper floors bare with the (optional) Power Drive (driven satellite disc), polish floors with the (optional) ‘traditional’ satellite disc, or oiled with the drive pad supplied as standard. The 1.9 version offers 25% more power and 11% more weight than the 1.5 version. The Bona Power Drive NEB, exclusive for the Bona Flexi Sand 1.9, creates a new dimension for sanding and brushing wooden floors with only one disc. With the flexible Bona Power Drive NEB it is easy to switch between the traditional sanding discs and the specially developed brushes. It is possible to change the accessories in just one minute using the simple click system. This tool gives you a brushed and structured floor. Good dust suction is also vital for these machines. Here, too, of course, Bona has an adequate machine, the professional Bona DCS 70 for powerful and effective dust suction.

Devomat Industries The new Woodboy 4000/32-3 is the workhorse of Devomat Industries in every respect! The new 1500W motor has 50% more capacity than the previous Woodboy model! The cog wheel casing, which is filled with oil, ensures a perfect drive. The machine is equipped with an easy fastening system for assembly of various accessories. Each accessory turns the Woodboy into a different machine. Depending on the chosen application, it is also possible to equip the Woodboy with dust suction or a water tank! Moreover, you can reinforce its performances by adding a 10kg weight to the machine. Moreover, the new Woodboy

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model is equipped with an ATC system (‘Automatic Torque Control’). This is an electronic control to absorb peaks and troughs in the current. Devomat presents various solutions for dust suction. Devomat Industries also has the Devo Master 3D in its range. This 3-disc machine ‘for removing sawdust and adhesive residue’ also offers several other applications. Unique features include the strong casing in high-quality steel, the specially developed Lönne motor steered by an ABB frequency regulator, the ring-cog wheel casing with double-teeth Contitech belt, and the base drive plate with three Flexinav segment holders. These rotate in opposite directions on the base drive plate. The diamond segments slide into the holders in a conical groove. Click clack and ready to start! The renewed zirconium parquet sanding discs with rapid adhesion are fastened and removed in an instant! The machine is designed for connection to the Jumbo Fine-dust NDD-900 and Fine-dust NDD-570 source suction units.

Overmat For decades our Woodboy has been the most multi-functional single-disc machine in the market. This machine is (a.o) being used for sanding, cleaning, buffing and polishing of floors. Also for floor preparation such as residue-removal, the Woodboy is the perfect machine. HTC assortment with machines that have a working width from 27 up to 2500cm In the Benelux Overmat is exclusive dealer of the high quality machines of the innovative Swedish company HTC. They recently introduced new machines: DURATIQ 6 and DURATIQ 8. With more than 100 new features and up to 54% higher productivity these machines are born to set new standards. They are suitable for as well concrete, floor prep and wooden floors. Frank assortment The Overmat belt sanders Frank Viper C and Frank Cobra Classic offer a high output. This is ensured by its powerful engine and robust construction. They are the ideal machines for professional sanding of parquet and plank-flooring. For edge grinding our edge-grinders Frank Gecko S, Frank Gecko L and Frank Gecko Star offers the solution.

Pallmann The Pallmann Spider has an extremely powerful 2000 watt motor with soft start. It weighs 42kg, but we also have to add on the weight of the driven satellite disc (11.5kg) plus a detachable weight of 15kg, which is supplied as standard. It is also possible to order one or even two extra weights (15kg) in order to exert more pressure on the floor. The three-disc plate of 400mm makes it possible to sandpaper very close to the wall to render edge sanding almost superfluous. The endless adjustable variations of the handle mean that the tool’s use is adapted to suit the user. The open construction makes cleaning extremely easy. The big wheels leave no marks. The dust bag and stainless steel adapter mean that the vacuum cleaning Pallmann Dust sucks up dust excellently.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Maintenance and cleaning products for vinyl, LVT and PVC floors

MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS FOR DESIGN FLOORS LVT AND PVC MAINTENANCE PROVIDE EXTRA INCOME The growth of design floors Vinyl, PVC, and linoleum are obviously not new. What is new, however, is the form in which they have been coming onto the market in recent years. With designs in the shape of tiles and planks, manufacturers have provided extra competition for both the commercial and residential flooring markets. Although people have generally been familiar with these products for a long time, it is helpful to put them in the right context. Here are some technical notes about these products.

Linoleum Linoleum is a virtually 100% natural product. Raw materials include linseed oil, wood dust, limestone, and jute. A linoleum floor can be fitted on just about any subfloor which is sufficiently flat and strong. Floors with a marble decor are called Marmoleum. Linoleum is one of the ‘older’ floor coverings. Indeed, linoleum as we know it was licensed by the Scotsman Frederick Walton in 1860 and 1863. In various experiments with linseed oil Walton noticed that linseed oil forms a skin when exposed to oxygen, just as paint also forms a film. Linoleum has made great strides over the years. It is no longer the floor covering which we associate solely with hospitals. Linoleum was given that ‘starring role’ due to its antibacterial properties and its great durability and wear resistance. The floors are really easy to maintain and when they are fully glued they possess excellent acoustic qualities. Nowadays, linoleum is available in lanes, strips, and tiles. The possible choices of decors and colours are well nigh infinite. Here, too producers have discovered the click system.

PVC Photo – Bona

We’ve said in the past that lots of floor fitters waste opportunities as regularly as clockwork. There are lots of items which could yield so called ‘supplementary business’. You could call it ‘earning more money from the same client’. Parquet oil has always been a good example. After all, clients willingly agree that their oiled floors MUST be fed with that same maintenance oil. If we can present similar arguments for cleaning and maintaining design floors, our little store gets somewhat bigger.

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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), systematic name polychlorethene (PCE), is a commonly used thermoplastic which is created after the polymerisation of the mnomeric vinyl chloride (VCM). Since PVC is cheap and simple to process, it is often used in all sorts of branches of the industry as a replacement for materials like wood and concrete. And so, PVC is an ideal material for producing floors. The material is waterproof and thereby suitable for damp rooms. 100% PVC floors are even suitable for use in showers. They are highly durable thanks to the reinforcement PU coating. PVC floors are available nowadays in a great variety of decors. In recent years, we’ve seen the emergence of click systems here, too, so these floors can be fitted floating quickly and easily. We call that type of floor Click PVC.

Vinyl

What’s on the market?

A vinyl floor is a resilient synthetic (PVC) floor covering consisting of several layers (the bottom layer or back, a protective glass fibre layer, the design, and the top layer). The durability of vinyl depends on the thickness of the top layer and the strength of the support structure. An extra protective layer increases scratch and wear resistance. There are big differences in price and quality within the range. Remember that the quality of the floor is adapted to how it is used. High-traffic floors require a stronger and thicker quality than floors with less traffic. There are also woven vinyl floors on the market. These consist for the vast majority of a small quantity of polyester. Woven vinyl is highly durable, long-lasting, attractively priced, and easy to maintain. However, it is not suitable for damp rooms, it cannot be combined with floor heating, and it’s best not to walk barefoot on it.

Cleaning and maintenance Products for cleaning and maintaining LVT and PVC are part of the comprehensive clean, care, and maintenance range of reputable producers. ‘Cleaning’ means the removal of dirt, dust, and grease; it is almost a daily task. ‘Caring’ means looking after the floor. This involves protective measures or repairs for minor damage. By ‘maintenance’, we really mean keeping the floor healthy. Just as oiled wooden floors need maintenance oil every now and then and lacquers can use some nutritional ingredients to stop them becoming lacklustre and dull, LVT floors, too, have specific needs.

Adesiv Adesiv presents ‘Detpro’, a detergent to restore gloss to all types of floors e.g. marble, terracotta, parquet, linoleul, vinyl, or laminate. The packet includes a spray which is ready for use. And so, Detpro makes it possible to clean a floor without using a bucket and water, so it’s extremely practical for use on stairs, in lifts, in store rooms, etc. You simply spray the product onto the floor and wipe it up with paper, a mop, or a fibre cloth. You can repeat the treatment for stubborn dirt. Detpro cleans in an instant and gives the surface a new gloss. The product does not create differences in gloss on the cleaned surface, as is often the case with traditional products.

Bona The Bona Spray Mop for Tiles & Laminate and other hard floors enables the user to clean and maintain the floor in no time at all. The Bona Spray Mop has an ergonomic design and is easy to use. It can be put together quickly and refilled using the specially developed Bona Floor Cleaner Cartridge. The Bona Tile and Laminate Polish is a ready-for-use product which provides glossy protection for floors with a hard surface such as laminate, vinyl, linoleum, unglazed tiles, stone, and polished marble. The Bona Tile and Laminate Polish restores the gloss and protects against wear and tear.

Feeding the floor The need to ‘feed’ a surface is all about porosity. Extremely porous surfaces can contain a lot of dirt, so they have to be saturated in some way or other. PVC is hardly porous at all. And so, there’s no real need to feed it, but it does need cleaning. By contrast, vinyl is (often) very absorbent and porous and requires maintenance treatment similar to the pore filler of wooden floors before you can apply a so called metallisation. This should protect the floor continuously from dust and stains.

Extra income It will be obvious that these cleaning and maintenance products for LVT and PVC, just like those for parquet and wooden floors, have a place in a parquet trader’s showroom and in a specialist parquet store. Offering them for sale is one thing; presenting them in order to promote sales is something completely different. It is important for both producers and retailers (in this case specialist parquet traders) to realise that consumers make a fair percentage of their purchase decisions in the shop and that percentage will only increase in the future.

Blanchon At Blanchon they point out that ‘anyone who can cope with hard work can cope with easy work, too’. A product which has been developed

§ A fiber sanding pad for wood,

Turbo Fiberpad

Maak kennis met de schuurrevolutie ! Reﬁnement-Disc

PROFESSIONAL FLOOR PRODUCTS

The unique Turbo Fiberpad was developed recently for the fine sanding of parquet floors and the deep cleaning of various surfaces such as wood, stone and metal. On single-disc sanders the Turbo Fiberpad replaces the traditional P80 and P100 sanding discs used to fine-sand parquet floors.

The extremely long life of the Turbo Fiberpad means no disc replacement on the job, thereby eliminating the risk of varying sheens. For a seamless transition to the sides use the Velcro Fiberpad (150 mm diameter), which is compatible with most hand-held sanders. Manufacturer Belgium : Devomat Industries NV Florent Geversstraat 31 - B-2650 Edegem T +32 (0)3 450 94 70 - F +32 (0)3 457 94 24 info@devomat.be - www.devomat.be

Distributor Holland : Torren Technical Solutions De Run 5413 - NL-5504 DG Veldhoven T +31 (0)6 12 17 61 63 info@tts-nederland.nl - www.tts-nederland.nl

stone and metal surfaces. No sanding scratches. No loss of sanding power = no difference of sheen in sanded area. Higher finish quality. Sands faster than traditional sanding methods. Extremely long life.

Distributor Germany, Austria and Switzerland : Janser GmbH Böblinger Straße 91 - D-71139 Ehningen T +49 (0)7034 127-0 info@janser.com - www.janser.com

Its shape and open ﬁbre structure gives the Fiberpad an extremely high sanding capacity and excellent dust extraction rate, resulting in a scratch-free ﬁnish which is ready to oil or varnish.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Maintenance and cleaning products for vinyl, LVT and PVC floors

for parquet can therefore also be deployed for thoroughly prepared ‘plastic’ floors. ‘Metallising agents’ are for regular maintenance, power cleaners for ‘restoring’ lacklustre top layers, and this goes for various types of floors. Blanchon also makes the aforementioned important distinction between ‘feeding’ and cleaning. The range of products from Blanchon goes by the comprehensive name of Blanchon Maintenance (‘Blanchon Entretien’). This range is presented in a handy showcase. One of their star products is ‘Lagoon’, a rapid cleaning product with a spray and micro-fibre cloth. This combination is available in a ‘kit’. The cloths can be machine-washed up to 500 times. For maintenance and renovation Blanchon presents a full range including two metallising agents Gloss Renovator (‘Rénovateur Satiné) and Ultra-matt Renovator (‘Rénovateur Metamat’). These products are designed for renovation. For standard cleaning there is Lisabril Cleaner (‘Nettoyant Lisabril’) to complement the aforementioned metallising agents. Finally, two products which are perfect for cleaning and preparation for renovation are the Anti-Grease Cleaner (‘Décapant Dégraissant’) and the Superactivated Cleaner (‘Nettoyant Suractivé’).

Ciranova UNICARE X-MATT is a new unique and Universal product for maintaining and protecting all matt substrates from Ciranova such as Aquafix MAGIC & OCULTO. Furthermore, you can also use UNICARE X-MATT on laminate, LVT, vinyl, and PVC floors. As the name suggests, UNICARE X-MATT is extra matt so that it gives the floor extra invisible protection. UNICARE X-MATT provides invisible protection and a nutritional effect on the floor. This product needs to be maintained regularly with Hard Floor Fresh Ciranova. From time to time, you can clean the floor more intensively with Hard Floor cleaner. After that, you can apply UNICARE X-MATT once again. UNICARE X-MATT comes under general MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS from Ciranova. In addition, Hard Floor Fresh and Hard Floor Cleaner are two products also used to maintain varnished floors. For parquet traders and retailers Ciranova has an attractive display case for traders to present maintenance and other products as well as maintenance flyers for oiled, varnished, and laminate floors, plus the flyer for UNICARE X-MATT.

Chimiver VELUREX Vinyl Cleaner SUPER is suitable for cleaning vinyl flooring. The antistatic emulsion helps the absorption and prevention of dust

Color Hardwax-oil 2K Lanai 071

The VOC-free finishing product with fast curing and full chemical and mechanical resistance after 24 hours.

Janna 170

NEW

Denali 175 Kamet 179 Pago 770

Available in 12 colours!

Pinta 773

POLYX®-OIL EXPRESS The fast drying Polyx®-Oil for the professional user – also suitable for oily and resinous hardwoods! > Clear, for interior use > Highly recommended for solid wood, plank, strip, OSB and cork flooring > Polyx®-Oil Express enhances the colour tone of wood and is wear-resistant, water and dirt-repellent, durable and extremely hard-wearing

www.osmo.de/en

Tanna 776 Savo 872 Rossing 875

Easy maintenance with

Floorservice Maintenance Oil!

Koro 972 Taupo 975 Sakar 979

Floor Forum International 91

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13.10.17 HWO 15:492K_92,5-136mm_09-2017_GB.indd 1 FLS_Color

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build-up. Further more VELUREX Vinyl Cleaner SUPER contains special nanoparticles which give to the treated surfaces a long lasting sanitizing action. Rinse free, it does not leave halos, assuring a sanitizing and fresh smell/scent in the ambient. VELUREX Cleaner LBT SUPER is a sanitizing anti-static cleaner for vinyl fabrics and tatami. Cleaner LBT SUPER is suitable for cleaning vinyl flooring. Further more it contains special nanoparticles which give to the treated surfaces a long lasting sanitizing action. Rinse free, it does not leave halos, assuring a sanitizing and fresh smell/scent in the ambient. Specifically for use with water extraction machine. Thanks to its composition based on biodegradable surfactants, VELUREX Cleaner LBT SUPER has a strong action on dirt.

DevoNatural® Devomat presents the following DevoNatural® products. The DevoNatural® Soft Cleaner is a cleaner for regularly maintaining varnished parquet, bamboo, cork, vinyl, and laminate floors. It leaves no residue. DevoNatural® Polish is a waterproof and protective maintenance product for varnished parquet and wooden floors, cork, and bamboo. Finally, DevoNatural® Intensive Cleaner is a powerful cleaner for removing old layers of detergent, polymer layers, and polishes, and for degreasing strongly contaminated wooden floors, tropical wood sorts, etc. Devo® includes Devo® Soft-clean, a natural domestic universal cleaner and Devo® Strong-clean, a powerful degreasing universal cleaner.

PVC Polish PVC, Linoleum and Marmoleum floors can be perfectly maintained and protected with Floorservice PVC Polish. It creates a matt finish. The applied protective layer is very durable. PVC Polish Remover This PVC Polish Remover removes old layers of Floorservice PVC Polish, or other water based maintenance products. Floorboy XL 300 For removing Polish on large areas the Floorboy Xl300 is a very capable and handy machine. The colour and structure of the floor won’t be affected.

Tover Tover offers in its range several maintenance products for resilient floorings like PVC, linoleum or rubber. For the frequent cleaning of surfaces subject to high traffic, the neutral detergent MyFloor Cleaner is particularly efficient as much concentrated and with good degreasing properties. For their periodical maintenance, the metalized wax Resinal Wax creates a washable protection coat, resistant to spots and wear. Nettar Due, once diluted can be used to wash floors or, applied pure, to eliminate old wax treatments. For laminate, a specific neutral and ready to use detergent, Ready-Pro with antistatic properties against dust is recommended to get a bright and clean surface. Tover proposes a display to present these products in a show-room and also the possibility to have private labeling.

WOCA

Floorservice PVC floors are becoming more and more a trend when it comes to floor covering. You can find three maintenance and cleaning products for PVC floors in the Floorservice product range. PVC Cleaner Floorservice PVC Cleaner can be used for daily and periodical cleaning of PVC, Linoleum and Marmoleum floors. Stubborn dirt can be removed easily, while the original colour and appearance of the floor is being protected.

WOCA Denmark offers two products for the maintenance and cleaning of vinyl, laminate and lacquered flooring. The specially formulated products help ensure premium protection and long durability, while preserving the floor’s beautiful, original look. WOCA Vinyl- and Lacquer Care leaves a microscopic, protective film on the surface and repairs the tiny scratches that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The product benefits from a ‘self-removable’ feature, meaning that the microscopic film will automatically be dissolved at the next application. The surface obtains a mat sheen, while some of the severe wear under tables, caused by chairs being pulled back and forth, is heavily reduced. WOCA Vinyl- and Lacquer Soap is used for regular cleaning of vinyl, laminate and lacquered flooring. The soap removes dirt and dust efficiently from the surface and does not leave a buildup of soap. This makes the soap very suitable for use on floors exposed to high wear, e.g. hallways or entrances.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of multi-layer floors

MULTI-LAYER PARQUET IS ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMICAL LESS WOOD FOR THE SAME LOOK

Photo – La Fabrique de Parquet

The essence of this subtitle is a truism. Once floors are fitted, you have to be well trained to tell the difference between a solid wood floor and a multi-layer engineered floor. With top quality in laminate it is even possible to confuse some people. However, with multi-layer wooden floors the top layer is also in solid noble wood, so the look is absolutely identical. And so, the fact that multi-layer floors also have a number of cast-iron mechanical assets forms the basis of their success.

‘Industrial’ assets A solid parquet floor fitted in the traditional way is in all respects the fruit of a professional artisan with a whole series of special skills and

Floor Forum International 91

expertise. The know-how and experience of the professional parquet floor fitter is a basic condition for successful fitting.

Stability as a goal The traditional fitting of wooden floor coverings is based on the idiosyncrasies of the material known as ‘wood’. Wood displays a number of features which affect the stability of the product being made with it. Wood is vital in several ways. The fact that wood moves under the influence of damp makes a number of steps necessary to create a stable floor covering. ‘Stable’ means that the wood is allowed to ‘move’ to some extent, but only within certain limits. Some construction measures and products are devised so that a wooden floor covering can retain its charm for many years. Professional floor fitters are expected

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Special

Producers of multi-layer floors

to have a sound knowledge of the substrate, the influence of damp, the features of various forms of glue technology, the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies of the various wood sorts, the available finish products, tools, and accessories. The ‘skills’ listed above are absolutely crucial for fitting a traditional parquet floor onto an oak (mosaic) subfloor. In fact, floor fitters in times past fitted multi-layer floors on site.

Industry is taking over By putting wooden floors together in advance, producers have taken over some of the floor fitter’s work. The traditional structure of a parquet floor is geared to fitting a wooden floor in such a way that it remains stable for years. The steps which are needed to do that are carried out in the factory in the case of engineered floors. The top layer appears on a bearer, which replaces the former subfloor or intermediate floor. The proportions (e.g. as regards thickness and width) are calculated scientifically to ensure maximum stability. That’s exactly why some people still refer to multi-layer floors as ‘pre-fab traditional parquet’. Indeed, assembling a bottom layer, middle layer, and top layer in a mechanical and industrial setting guarantees a stability which is ‘always identical’ and calculated. It is ‘calculated’ because human errors do not occur in an industrial setting. For that matter, this industrial guarantee also applies to all phases of the production process, which was formerly done by the floor fitter (when solid wood was fitted): subfloor, top structure, sandpapering, and finish.

A selection from the range Almafloor- Barrique Model Thanks to its ability to transmit warmth and cosiness, parquet is one of the most popular floors. With the new Barrique Model, Alma by Giorio proposes a parquet characterized by a smooth surface, which enhances the natural peculiarity of the wood. Characterized by embossed knots, repaired with declining filler, it has a brushed, irregular not-planar surface. A forceful personality parquet, able to bring a touch of style to any environment: a mixture of originality and refinement, for a strong character parquet. This collection includes wooden floors whom total thickness is 17 mm, the top layer is 6 mm European Oak on a support of birch plywood. The boards width is 220 mm. Durable and functional these floors are suitable for any space.

BJ Parket At BJ Parket they talk of multi-layer parquet from a top layer of at least 2.5mm. BJ Parket presents multi-layer floors with top layers of 4 and 6mm respectively. The company sells its home-made Duo Line, Solid floor, Cabbani, BJ Best Selection, and Baltic Wood. Duo Line has a highly stable birch plywood base. Cabbani allows a choice between birch plywood or HDF. Solid floor is mounted on a block panel. At BJ Parket the ratio of finished and raw supplied floors is 50/50.

Ecological and economical Consumers have become sensitive to ecological issues. Multi-layer floors consume precious wood to a lesser extent (less volume). The top layer is obviously considerably thinner than a solid wood floor (minimum 2mm versus 15 to 22mm) so fewer trees have to be cut for the same amount of wood. The bearer of multi-layer floors can consist of various sorts of wooden panels (e.g. multiplex or HDF). These are usually panels produced from waste wood from other product segments. The choice of thickness is determined partly by ecological and economic motives. It is certainly a misconception to think that the thinner the top layer, the cheaper the floor. That theorem holds good for extremely expensive wood sorts. With ordinary sorts of wood, the difference in price in relation to the thickness of the top layer is minimal. Another important aspect is choosing the thickness of the floor, especially when it comes to renovation, is the available construction height. With many renovations, that construction height is limited by circumstances (e.g. doors and thresholds).

Nothing but ‘growth’ In previous editions we’ve often posed the question as to whether multi-layer parquet would ever replace solid parquet completely. We’ve also put that question several times to leading players on the market. The answer was usually the same and generally widespread i.e. no, because there will always be a group of people with a distinct preference for solid wood. That preference can be inspired by various premises. Some people love the feel of wood and swear by solid wood. They have the feeling that anything which differs from solid wood is ‘not real’, so they categorise multi-layer, veneer, and laminate in the same box. Many people’s preference for solid wood is fuelled by ‘ignorance’. Multi-layer is most certainly not inferior; on the contrary, from some dimensions upwards (extra large) multi-layer constructed parquet is simply more reliable than solid wood from a technical point of view. The advance of multi-layer does not lie. In 2012, the share of multi-layer in the wooden floor sector was already at 78%. As time goes by, solid wood is becoming ‘rare’.

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Cornilly Wooden Floors Henk Cornilly and his team are driven by their passion for wood, work ethic, vast enthusiasm, and sound knowledge of wooden floors. In short, this is a company expanding fully. Cornilly possesses the very latest and high-tech machines for producing solid wood & semi-solid parquet and all wood tailor-made and also convector grids, skirting boards,

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staircase steps, style panels, Hungarian point, and herringbone. The company takes care of the entire process itself, from the trunk to the plank. This means the company can always meet the client’s preferences. The two-part floorboards are semi-solid floorboards in fixed or variable widths of 10-30cm, standard lengths of 1-4 metres, and lengths of up to 7 to 8m are also possible. Standard thicknesses are 16, 19, and 21mm with a minimum of 10mm and maximum of 24mm. The floors are made by glueing a top layer of 3, 4, or 6mm onto a birch multiplex of 8, 12, 15, or 18mm, and these floorboards are ideal in combination with floor heating or cooling.

Decospan At Domotex 2018 in Hannover Decospan will be launching a few innovations such as design floors (Hungarian point and herringbone) in several dimensions and the brand will also be able to offer (mechanically) distressed floors. This is a result of the vast sums which the Decospan Group has invested in the Decospan France Sud (South) site and the desire to make Cabbani a Premium/High-end brand which is made in France. In the Par-ky range Decospan presents a multi-layer parquet of 3.2mm top layer with an HDF core, with or without a cork bottom layer for better acoustics. The dimensions are 1184 x 148 x 14mm with a Uniclic® system. In the Cabbani range Decospan has multi-layer parquet of 3.2 and 5.5mm top layer, with an HDF or a multiplex birch core. Dimensions: (Premier) 1190 x 150 x 14mm, (Elite) 1940 x 150 x 14mm (top layer 3.2) and 19mm (top layer 5.5mm and only with a multiplex birch core), and (Designer) 1940 x 194 x 14mm (top layer 3.2mm) and 19mm (top layer 5.5mm and only with a multiplex birch core), with a tongue and groove joint and optionally (in some collections) with Uniclic®.

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

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Flamingo Parket About ten years ago, Flamingo Parket switched from a three-layer system with a back veneer (peeled veneer) and pine as a middle layer to Twin-Plank. Twin- Plank consists of glued birch multiplex (glued on the outside), which is nine or twelve millimetres thick and waterproof. A top layer of three, four, or six millimetres, usually in oak, is glued onto it. Flamingo Parket has had much better experiences with a multiplex bearer than with a three-layer system with pine wood. For instance, a two-layer floor with birch multiplex can be glued directly onto the cement covering floor in combination with floor heating or not, as the case may be. Solid wood at Flamingo Parket in terms of square metres accounts for about 20% of its total volume. The market for solid wood floors is smaller. However, there are also a lot fewer vendors. Multi-layer floors (two layers) can be fitted both floating and glued. It is much better to glue or nail solid wood floors. However, there are lots of companies which fit solid wood floors floating. A good 70% of floors from Flamingo Parket are supplied pre-finished.

Interply ‘Interply’ has been operating on the Belgian market since 1984. The range has developed and grown over the years together with client demand. Today, the company offers a wide selection. The Interply range of oak parquet is sold under the Interparquet trademark. What can they offer which differs as compared to most products available on the market? The fact is that Interparquet combines the feel of solid parquet with the properties of multi-layer. After all, their parquet consists of three layers of oak – the top layer, middle layer, and the bottom layer are in oak. This means that the density of the three layers is the same so that you also get great durability and strength. Moreover, this structure creates greater stability. Interply offers both unfinished parquet and a wide range of pre-finished parquet with the natural oil from Woca. Each parquet is also available brushed. The finish is applied and simple maintenance with natural soap and conditioner from Woca helps to maintain the floor. Interparquet is available in 15 x 150/170/190 and 220mm: top layer = 4mm and also in 10 x 150mm (top layer 3mm). The parquet can be fitted both glued and floating and is suitable for use with floor heating. Interparquet has been tested by

the BBRI and awarded the PEFC certificate. The client is given a 10-year guarantee, subject to compliance with the general terms and conditions of sale.

La Fabrique de Parquet La Fabrique de Parquet is a French trademark of the company FPPI Parqueterie Berrichonne, which is located at the heart of French forests. They offer several ranges of multilayer composite parquet on HDF and multiplex birch bases. As regards a ‘customised’ range, they present an ‘à la carte’ range of their parquet collections in varnished and oiled oak. Moreover, there are several thicknesses, several widths ( 90/140/180/200mm), and several wood sorts available for all their finishes. Their speciality is based on a unique product with an HDF base and no middle layer. The product is completely stable and stands up to various fluctuations in humidity, despite the lack of a middle layer. This is based on expertise in drying wood and production backed up by over 15 years of know-how. This composite parquet with no middle layer has an extremely attractive market profile as regards price, especially for property projects. For the property market they have engineered parquet with an integrated bottom layer in natural fibre and with exceptional acoustic properties. This parquet can be fitted floating (Unifit® profile) or glued (tongue/groove profile, as is the case with all their multi-layer parquet floors.

Meister Meister parquet floors always have a 2.5mm thick top layer of real wood. These parquet floors with a 2.5mm thick top layer are always produced on an HDF base with a backing veneer underneath for shape stability. The top layer of Meister HDF parquet floors is much more impact resistant to impressions from falling objects as compared to other parquet floors. Another benefit of this type of structure is that floors keep their shape and are easy to fit due to the handy Masterclic Plus system. Meister parquet floors are suitable for both renovation and new buildings. All Meister floors are completely pre-finished and ready for use. These parquet floors are

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mainly given a matt lacquer or natural oil. A small part of the parquet range is also available in a high-gloss and lacquered finish.

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

Yepp At Yepp, too, they believe that multi-layer parquet must have a top layer at least 2.5mm thick. Otherwise, those floors are veneer floors. Yepp presents Bauwerk wooden floors with various thicknesses, widths, selections, finishes, and wood sorts, with or without a V-groove. The floors are fitted with tongue and groove or with a click system. Furthermore, they also offer herringbone, Hungarian point, and decorative panels. This is an extensive programme with scores of possibilities. Yepp can offer this entirely customised. The company sells only two or three-layer floors. Due to its great flexibility in dimensions and sorts, the two-layer floor DOUBLY is the best-seller. This two-layer floor consists of a top layer on birch multiplex and the three-layer consists of a top layer on Solid blocks glued crosswise and with a counter layer. Both types can be used in the various applications. Yepp is selling more and more untreated floors in Doubly (=twolayer floors) and completely finished three-layer floors.

Floor Forum International 91

CORNILLY WOODEN FLOORS PRESENTS… … PURE EXPERTISE IN WOODEN FLOORS AND PARQUET

Woodwork, making ‘things’ in wood, has always been something of a craft. Or do we call it ‘art’? Why not? Since time immemorial, woodwork has had scores of ‘crafts’ which have always commanded admiration. Any wood trade requires a sound knowledge of the product itself. Wood is lively, it moves, and that movement varies depending on the type of wood. It’s no sinecure; that’s for sure. You achieve a certain completeness when that sound knowledge of woodwork is reinforced by high-tech machines for doing the job. That’s the case at Cornilly Wooden Floors.

Working with wood History has witnessed countless forms of cross-fertilisation in woodwork. In its heyday, woodwork was elevated from a craft to an art. Due to the refined colour differences between types of wood, combining wood types has given rise to ‘marquetry’ in furniture making. Sheer class! Often in veneer wood, sometimes in solid wood. Inlay work skills have permeated wooden floors. Cross-fertilisation has yielded masterpieces worldwide, especially in manor houses and palaces. Nobility calls!

The power of technology The influence of engineering and technology has resulted in lots of changes. Marquetry was the result of handwork, the fruit of wood

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engravers. Blocks were cut by hand, as were drawings. Today, that is done using CNC-operated mechanical saws and high-tech laser technology. Machines play a part from the ‘harvesting’ of the trunk to the conversion into planks and the logical application in all sorts of end products.

Traces of those days The success of distressed floor designs shows that there is a certain nostalgia towards that period. Amongst other things, the process of distressing floors means a return to manual techniques used before the days of the industrial revolution. Hand-sawn, hand-scraped, and brushed instead of scoured, shelled, and such like.

Cornilly – expertise and technique! Wood as the starting point The Cornilly Houtbewerking web site (in Dutch) begins with the words ‘Hout is een dankbaar materiaal’ (wood is a grateful material). We are seeing wood increasingly in the interiors of all homes, both in modern design interiors and in the classic genre. This isn’t limited to the floor for that matter. Wood is used equally as a wall covering, on the ceiling, or as furniture. Wood has also found a permanent place in the garden, on the terrace, and even around the swimming pool. The fact that wood provides insulation, feels warm, and is healthy obviously plays a

major part here. Every type of wood has its own grain structure, colour, and specific applications. And so, it is always unique! Wood is strong by nature and some types last for centuries. Its durability is expressed in classes divided up from I (highly durable) to V (not durable). All products are tailor-made at Houtbewerking Cornilly in no fewer than 40 different types of wood. The company either completes the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own design or even develops something for the client. The range of possibilities is certainly extensive: wooden floors, mouldings, skirting boards, staircase steps, tablets, flower pots, convector grids, etc.

Cornilly Wooden Floors From trunk to plank Henk Cornilly and his team are driven by their passion for wood, work ethic, vast enthusiasm, and sound knowledge of wooden floors. In short, this is a company expanding fully. Cornilly possesses the very latest and high-tech machines for producing solid & semi-solid parquet and all wood tailor-made and also convector grids, skirting boards, staircase steps, and style panels. Even old fitting patterns such as herringbone and Hungarian point are perfectly possible. Cornilly takes care of the entire process itself, from the trunk to the plank. This means the company can always meet the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferences and guarantee outstanding quality in all phases of the production process.

Two-layer and solid wood Cornilly offers two-layer floorboards in fixed or variable widths of 10-30cm with a standard length of 1-4m, but lengths of up to 7 to 8m are also possible. The standard thicknesses are 16, 19, and 21mm with a minimum of 10mm and a maximum of 24mm. The floorboards are created by glueing a top layer of 3, 4, or 6mm onto a birch multiplex of 8, 12, 15, or 18mm, and these floorboards are ideal in combination with floor heating or cooling. In solid wood the plank floor can be produced up to 60cm wide, whilst lengths of up to 10m are possible, if the type of wood permits. The qualities are extra, 1st choice, 1b, and rustic. The finish is chosen by the client.

The top speciality Cornilly specialises mainly in producing customised plank floors in some 40 types of wood, long lengths (up to 7 or 8m are possible if the tree permits) , and widths of up to 30cm in engineered wood and 60cm in solid wood. Their selection of wood includes wenge, padauk, afrormosia, sipo, moabi, bubinga, macasar, teak, afzelia, iroco, douglas, larch, pitch pine, pine, yellow pine, oregon crown, French and American walnut, French oak, elm, beech, ash, etc. Tel : +32 (0)495 205 740 - E-mail: parket@cornilly.be More information on www.cornilly.be

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of Hungarian point and Herringbone parquet (solid and multilayer)

THE REAL HUNGARIAN POINT AND HERRINGBONE THE WORK OF REAL PROFESSIONALS

Photo – Fetim

Recently, more and more people have been saying that real floor fitters are a dying breed threatened with extinction. A profession on the wane? Nothing could be further from the truth! What is true is the fact that wooden floor furnishing producers are increasingly unveiling products and systems to simplify really difficult jobs considerably. Floor fitters really do have to ‘pull out all the stops’ to complete old fitting patterns in the traditional way (traditional parquet). The appearance of those fitting patterns in multi-layer, veneer, and even laminate have made this a completely different story.

Over old and new Interior designers are increasingly combining styles which might seem hard to reconcile. The result? Usually amazingly original and sometimes even architectural gems. We found a fine example in a doctor’s waiting room in rural Bonheiden, Belgium. You could hardly imagine a more modern and rigid villa. High walls, all straight, huge stairs overlooking a void, huge glass panes to ensure lots of light, all painted in pure white. This was only the waiting room. The imposing rigid wall opposite the lofty windows hid the stairs to the surgery. The architect chose jet black tiles in various sizes (black & white) for the floor. The huge glass dome in the waiting room ceiling (height about 6m) gave a real ‘open-air feel’. Now, here’s the anachronism. The huge white staircase wall has a painting (2 x 3m), at first sight a work by some Flemish master, around 1700 or so. The painting depicts an impressive naval battle, a skirmish between dozens of ships on a turbulent and swirling

Floor Forum International 91

sea. The water had a red glow, the air was dark blue. It was virtually impossible not to look at this work. It attracts attention – an antique in a hyper-modern interior. It’s all there, including the frame furnished with gold leaf.

Old fitting patterns This theme tells a similar story. Fitting patterns such as Hungarian point and herringbone had fallen somewhat into disuse in recent decades. Experienced floor fitters with an excellent reputation occasionally got such jobs for renovation or restoration projects, usually in listed public buildings such as libraries, museums, court houses, and old town halls. They usually got the job after a public tender which didn’t attract many offers. A different job? Perhaps, to some extent. Nowadays, however, we see that these old fitting patterns are once again a core part of a floor fitter’s training and, in particular, they are all the rage in new buildings, even in hyper-modern new buildings.

Exclusive and warm Anyone who builds hyper-modern usually moves in a higher price class and is surely an adherent of ‘exclusive’ materials and looks. Let’s be honest. Patterns like Hungarian point and herringbone are fitted mainly by top-quality professionals who know their value. This comes at a price, and rightly so. Fitting these floors is more complex than fitting ordinary strip parquet or wooden floors, so the job can take a lot longer. That, too, inflates the price of these floors. Anyone who yearns for an exclusive floor and also prefers the natural look of wood turns automatically to these exclusive fitting patterns.

Oak, of course Oak accounts for up to 90% of the total production for these old fitting patterns. The reason for that is quite simple; oak is the wood used most in Europe for all wooden floors, so it gets used for these special fitting patterns as well. The consumer’s preference has some historical support. Today, oak is still the most ‘available’ sort of wood in our parts of the world, but, in times past, it was virtually the only sort of wood available. People often associate a parquet floor naturally with oak.

Warm minimalism Modernism and certainly minimalism leave a somewhat chilly impression. That shouldn’t be seen as a flaw or an inevitable drawback; it’s a conscious choice on the part of the client. He or she wants rigid forms in his or her interior, straight lines, usually as little colour as possible. He or she wants to colour that void according to his or her own taste through the choice of interior and decoration objects. The role of the floor in such an interior is surprisingly fundamental. Without taking anything away from the decorative freedom, the floor provides warmth from below. A gentle, mild, and assuaging undertone against the rigidity of the rest. Hungarian point and herringbone have a depth and colour motions which intoxicate the entire room.

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

The professional’s realm Old fitting patterns such as Hungarian point, herringbone, brick pattern, or English bond are within the realm of the real professional. Offering these floors with the traditional method and therefore in solid wood is not only attractive financially, but it is also excellent for the floor fitter’s reputation. Let’s be honest. With multi-layer floors with a click system, producers have put fitting wooden floors well within reach of DIY enthusiasts. Stiff competition for professionals, surely? With these old fitting patterns, professional floor fitters have nothing to fear from the competition of the odd jobber. The fitting requires sheer classic professionalism and lots of experience. And so, it’s a stand-out job.

Multi-layer as well Herringbone and Hungarian point have also entered the multi-layer floor segment. The reason for that is quite obvious; multi-layer can serve up its cast-iron assets for these fitting patters as well: speedy fitting, dust-free fitting, often fully finished, and in minimal heights, something which often makes them more suitable for renovation. Strictly speaking, there is no reason whatsoever for not choosing multi-layer. Therefore producers offer solid wood and two and three-layer floors.

A selection from the range Almafloor -Spine Collection

B.J. Parket

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

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Producers of Hungarian point and Herringbone parquet (solid and multilayer)

The Spine collection, in the Hungarian Point (45 Â°) and Herringbone (90â&#x20AC;ŻÂ°) model , offers different designs and makes it suitable for architectural styles. Able to combine old and modern furnishings, it represents the perfect example of how tradition and modernity can blend together, giving timeless elegance to every environment and making the parquet the real protagonist of the home. This collection is available in different finishes and sizes, to be combined with any furniture, in order to meet all the needs.

BJ Parket

A few years ago, there was less demand for herringbone, but that situation is changing. Hungarian point, by contrast, has always been a product with good sales. There are important points for attention as regards the fitting. Firstly, lining out the floor for the fitting is absolutely essential. Usually, the floor fitter will start laying the first strips in the middle of the room so that the strips end parallel with each other as they run towards the sides. Basically, you can use any sort of wood which is suitable for parquet floors. With Hungarian point the lanes are clearly delineated, whilst with herringbone the strips overlap somewhat so that the lanes are less clearly delineated. For a good quality result these patterns have to be perfect in terms of dimensions, and that requires some skill. Otherwise, some of the parquet will be wasted and the floor fitter may find this hard to absorb. BJ Parket offers both solid wood and multi-layer. In recent years, the distressed versions, both Old Flemish style and style panels, have been very much in fashion.

Design Parquet Design Parquet, which has great expertise in the manufacture of special panels, has noticed that people greatly appreciate these floor patterns. The company also has some prestigious projects as references to its name. For the fitting it is important to start in the middle of the room. Here, too, oak is the most popular and most suitable type of wood. Other wood sorts are sometimes used, albeit less frequently, such as doussie, wenge, or cumaru. At all events, all

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types of wood could be used for these fitting patterns. At Design Parquet most of these floors have been made in solid wood, but, over the last four years, the company has also offered multi-layer, which is growing strongly.

Fetim These patterns are all the rage at Fetim. They are seeing a huge demand for these types of floors in their Solid floor new Classics collection, Piet Boon by Solid floor, and the Create your Floor customised programme. At present, Fetim has a total programme of no fewer than 24 colours in both types of floor. The customised programme Create your Floor will shortly be extended to include a rustic variant in 14 colours. These floors should be fitted glued. They are also ideal for use with floor heating. All herringbone and Hungarian floors at Fetim have an oak top layer, partly natural and partly rustic. It is

harder for a manufacturer to produce these patterns than ordinary strips because the measuring precision is more critical. Fetim presents only multi-layer. They see solid wood as a less durable product now that oak is becoming more scarce.

Flamingo Parket

they can deploy the full depth of their range (25 finishes and four different types of wood) and on the other hand that they can offer a comprehensive range of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;customisedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parquet. Their factory is the only one to offer a Unifit profile on the Herringbone product, something which facilitates a floating fitting, which is simplified by a basic application thereof (composition, relocation of parquet tiles). For the construction market and the property world they also offer the option of adding a bottom layer in natural fibres to their range so that both floating and glued fittings meet acoustic standards.

Parqueterie de Bourgogne

Flamingo Parket has noticed a clear increase in both herringbone and Hungarian point patterns. However, the number is still relatively small in proportion to strips which are fitted straight. At Flamingo they estimate that the proportion is less than five per cent. With the fitting of herringbone, with or without a tape and frame, it is a question of expertise. On the one hand, a person has to have some ability for this job, supplemented by proper training. As with the fitting of all floors, the subfloor needs to be in good condition. After that, it is essential that the first few lanes are fitted properly. If that is not the case, there will be an increasing amount of wastage in the floor. As is the case with all other parquet floors, at least ninety per cent are oak floors. These floors are not hard to produce as such, but it does take more time. Flamingo Parket can supply these patterns in both solid wood and multi-layer. About eighty per cent of their pattern floors are supplied in solid wood.

Until a few years ago, fitting Hungarian point and herringbone was something reserved for the renovation of old parquet floors, Haussmann apartments, prestige homes, and such like. Now, however, Parqueterie de Bourgogne is witnessing a growing demand for design projects. These are always projects in the upper range. And so, to have these parquet floors fitted, you need the services of a professional fitter capable of drafting a work sketch which takes account of the specific requirements of the site. Fitting rules must be respected. For example, the fitting has to consider the position of the windows, the axis of the passages, if there is a chimney, the width of the passages, etc. There are no particular requirements in terms of wood sorts. Here, the requirements are the same as with fitting classic parquet in English bond. They produce these floors tailored to client demand. The production must be very meticulous. Indeed, the slightest fraction more or less or the slightest variation in cutting angle can lead to significant aberrations in the fitting. Most of their production of these

La Fabrique de Parquet La Fabrique de Parquet is a French trademark of the company FPPI Parqueterie Berrichonne. They design and make their own products in France. Recently, they have seen a sharp rise in demand for herringbone parquet and Hungarian point. They have those composite floors on multiplex and HDF bases and in widths of 90 and 140mm. Their speciality lies on the one hand in the fact that

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of Hungarian point and Herringbone parquet (solid and multilayer)

floors consists of solid parquet floors, but in order to keep in line with current requirements such as floor heating, requests for long floorboards, and such like, they also produce these parquet floors in multi-layer designs.

MEISTER

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

Yepp

Herringbone parquet is clearly enjoying a revival. MEISTER has now developed a new product PS 500 (a liberal strip of herringbone 710mm long x 142mm wide) with options for all sorts of patterns. It converts classic â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;herringboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to a modern version. This is done quite naturally, cosily, and timelessly beautifully with light colours and pure shades, but also in dark oak variants. The new Quadroclic Plus is used as a click system with PS 500. This fold-down system facilitates quick and easy work and, apart from classic herringbone, other patterns like irregular bond, regular bond, or block ladder and plait patterns are also possible. MEISTER herringbone floors are on offer in several oak variants. To make the fitting of the PS 500 parquet floor somewhat easier for floor fitters, MEISTER has developed a herringbone fitting model so that fitters can always start perfectly with fitting the herringbone floor. Professionals can buy this fitting model from the professional MEISTER dealer.

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

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Bauwerk

Hungarian point and herringbone are still requested regularly at Yepp, but mainly in multi-layer at the moment. The solid herringbones tend to be the more affordable versions in lamb parquet in standard sizes. At Yepp, they believe that these more unusual fitting patterns can help professionals to stand out from the rest and specialise. It is important for the fitting to start correctly and to use the corner as a reference. Just about all types of wood are suitable, but in practice it is oak which is generally requested. Other high-quality types of wood such as walnut, wenge, afrormosia, and such like are also requested to a lesser extent. The production of these floors differs from that of ordinary strips. The production is somewhat more precise so the tolerances are lower and the production also requires somewhat more work (certainly with Hungarian point). Yepp has both multi-layer and solid wood. Multi-layer is more in demand than solid wood.

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Trafil® (IT)

TRAFILPLAST ‘WORKS MAGIC’ WITH PLASTIC 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND FURNITURE INDUSTRIES such as wall protection (with or without LED), step covers, radiator covers, handrails, and such like make up the ‘security’ division. Finally, there is also a group with ‘technical profiles’, and, as we’ve said, ‘tailor-made’ production at the client’s request.

Italian, quality, and durable These are three ever-present keywords. The Trafilplast production site is located in the Italian municipality of Osasio, Turin. And so, these products are ‘Made in Italy’ for the full 100%. The company works with highly qualified staff and state-of-the-art equipment. Trafilplast is a company with a strong client focus; they take flexibility and respect for deadlines very seriously. Whilst ‘top quality’ is regarded as essential in maintaining a strong market position, ‘durability’ is an ongoing point for attention where Trafilplast wants to stand out. All production waste is re-used and recycled in the production process. Moreover, they use green energy for the production process in the form of photovoltaic panels to keep energy consumption low. All end products can be recycled.

Those who fully control all phases of the production process determine for themselves the quality of the end product. Moreover, ‘all phases of the production process’ will include the very start, namely the basic raw material. In the timber industry that phase starts with ‘cutting the right tree’. That’s where it all starts. In the production of synthetic products such as PVC, it starts with the ‘grain’ itself. Those in possession of it can do anything. That’s exactly what Trafilplast has been doing for the construction and furniture industries for over a quarter of a century.

Extrusion and design

A partner for retail Trafilplast also has a strong client-focus when it comes to communication regarding the products. Technical jargon in publications such as manuals is re-written in comprehensible language for everyone. Illustrations are used to show how products work. For agents Trafilplast offers a whole series of displays and showcases for every imaginable product. That’s what ‘partnership’ is all about! For more information please visit us on www.trafil.it Tel. +39 011 97 93 103

Since 1992, Trafilplast has been operating in the versatile ‘plastics’ market. The company has specialised in the extrusion and design of various synthetic products for the construction sector and interior design. Trafilplast develops and manufactures products from elements such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC, where the production process starts with the basic raw material. Trafilplast has an extensive range of standard products on show in a sturdy catalogue. Furthermore, however, the company also makes products upon request from the client. ‘Tailor-made’, you could say. For example, it is perfectly possible to manufacture profiles from PVC or thermoplastic rubber according to the client’s design and in a chosen RAL colour. The products can be divided up into various product groups. One of the groups is the DIY market, which includes skirting boards and skirting board systems, strips, and end profiles. Safety products

Floor Forum International 91

Special

UV lacquers and oils

THE AMAZING POWERS OF THE LIGHT SPECTRUM DRYING BY ‘LIGHT’ IS A LOT QUICKER THAN DRYING BY ‘AIR’ most developed and are being used increasingly on a large scale. Other sources of radiation have the major disadvantage that the drying apparatus to be used is complex and expensive.

Any paint can be UV paint If a paint consists of monomers together with a photoinitiator, the coating dries within a few seconds of application and radiation under UV light. Since monomers are of low viscosity, there is no need to use solvents or make dispersions in water. This means there is no evaporation of solvents or water. Monomers are the base of most binding agents used in the paint industry. For example, an acrylate binding agent consists of various monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, styrene. Basically, polyurethanes and epoxies can also be put together with photoinitiators. This means that basically a UV light-drying paint can be made from any paint with no pollutant solvents or water being present.

Exceptional quality Using UV technology is attractive to parquet manufacturers and coating contractors not only due to the rapid drying time, but also because it yields a better quality finish. Some qualities are the result of a factory finish, whilst others are attributed to the UV lacquer itself. Photo – Lecol

In short, most of us still regard drying as a process for removing moisture in some way or other. Or should we say ‘for transferring moisture’? For instance, we can ‘transfer’ water from our body to a hand towel after we have been swimming. However, we can also be passive and simply let the water ‘transfer’ itself to the atmosphere. Ventilation can lend a helping hand there. Matters become less clear if we speed up that process by using light - not the ‘heat’ of a lamp, but the radiation of the light. We no longer speak of ‘drying’, but of ‘setting’ or ‘curing’. That’s something totally different!

Drying by radiation Radiation-drying coatings are developing at lightning speed in all industries. UV-drying systems have been introduced in car repair paints and in construction, but also in dental surgery and nail beauty shops. Once the coating is applied, the material is radiated with lamplight and it dries. You wonder why there are still materials on the market which dry in a different way; which have to be mixed in advance, set under raised temperatures, or dry slowly through the operation of oxygen from the air. Paint systems can dry out under various radiation sources and are developed mainly to achieve rapid drying times. At present, they are deployed mainly in order to meet strict environmental demands regarding water and air pollution. The various radiation sources which can dry a coating are UV light, electron radiations, infrared light, radio waves, and microwaves. The fact is that UV-drying coatings are the

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Industrial application If a lacquer is applied on a computerised production line, you can be sure that the quantity of lacquer applied will be perfect and always identical. There isn’t a single parquet floor fitter capable of applying the correct amount of paint just as precisely and spreading it evenly, without streaks or overlapping. Another result of an industrial finish is the fact that all floorboards are finished in an identical manner. The lacquer is always applied under controlled conditions. This means that adverse fluctuations in temperature or atmospheric damp are eliminated.

Superior quality All manufacturers who now use UV lacquers and/or oils agree that those products simply provide better protection. In the area of mechanical qualities, ‘better’ can be interpreted in various ways. A product can stand out by yielding better results with the same amount of that product than with other products. However, a product can also stand out by yielding the same result with less product. That is certainly the case with UV finishes. Depending on the brand and composition, a quantity of 8 to 50g/m² of UV product can vie with 100g/m² of a traditional product for similar quality. That’s a difference which can ‘count’. Another important aspect is the fact that UV lacquers and oils are formulated without solvents or waters and consist of (usually) 100% solid components, and that helps to increase their strength and durability. The resins used are already harder in any case and finally offer the product better protection. Moreover, the fact that these finishes allow the addition of inorganic ceramic components means that they offer considerably greater abrasion resistance.

dutchy qualit

another product from another vesting product from vesting

 

LED light is UV light To prevent any misunderstandings, we repeat once again that LED lamps also work with UV light (see also Floor Forum edition 121). ‘UV light (ultraviolet light) is an electromagnetic ray which falls just outside the part of the spectrum which can be observed by the human eye. All sorts of light can be subdivided under other words in accordance with their wavelength. The wavelength of UV light (UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C) lies between 100 and 400 nanometres. And so, this is beyond the violet, to which UV light owes its name. Due to its shorter wavelength, UV light is richer in energy than the light which we can see. This means that UV light can cause chemical reactions such as the curing of gel or lacquer. LED lamps are also UV lamps because they give light which falls within the UV spectrum (especially UV-A). The light is emitted via Light-Emitting Diodes instead of via a fluorescent lamp. The light which LED lamps emit has a smaller reach of UV wavelengths than the UV lamps which use a compact fluorescence lamp. LED lamps do emit a higher concentration of UV light and more energy.’

the new standard in ﬂoor ﬁnishing

xiSand 1.9, creëert lechts één schijf. UV light on site

For a few years now, we’ve been witnessing the emergence of UV dryers which floor fitters can use on site. The principle and the working method are similar to the industrial procedure. The UV coating, which might or might not be preceded by a UV-drying primer, is applied using a classic roller, just as with a waterborne single-component lacquer. After application, the lacquer can be left to air-dry for about 45 minutes and then you can ride around with a mobile UV lamp over the entire floor. There is a portable UV lamp available for the edges and places which are difficult to reach. As we have said, the floor is ready for use immediately after the finish. Floor fitters do need to wear suitable eye protection when using UV lamps.

nele schuurschijven soires in een mum

What’s on the market? Bona

Bona has an ‘Industrial Coatings’ department where they develop a full range of high-quality parquet lacquers and such like on the basis of a UV finish. These treatment systems have been available since the 1980s and are designed to give the best adhesion to the wood and the highest levels of durability and scratch resistance. Pre-lacquered parquet is available in many colours with Bona UV Colours. Bona offers a full range of colours. The colours are added to a special sponge roller and usually brushed for the best optical results. The colours are applied directly to the wood. Bona also offers a full range of waterborne primers, which adhere excellently to the most common types of wood used for wooden floors. The waterborne primers can be coloured in a wide range of colours. The UV Repair Kits flatten the surface out, repair is ideaal voor druk belopen plaatsen die zeer snel damages, and fill holes. The range of repair kits consists of all sorts of materials for filling worden genomen. pores, knots, and damages and consist of transparent and coloured products. Furthermore, ampen droogt hij offers zeer parquet snel enprimers is uwfor vloer gelakt en Bona also pre-lacquered parquet and UV Parquet Lacquers. The ® n 8 uur.UV parquet Cimethane UV heeft een lacquers give floors the high quality sterk and sparkling look that clients want. At the tzonderlijke en have slijtvastheid en such chemische samekrastime, they good properties as scratch resistance, gloss, chemical partner dieresistance, u dagelijks bijstaat. and friction, and they can be lacquered over. *Blanchon, kwaliteit is onze natuur

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Quality is in our nature*

According to Blanchon, there are various quality levels in the field of UV lacquers. Depending on the raw materials, the composition, and the type of industrial application, the lacquer will offer the wood a different level of protection (impression resistance, chemical resistance,

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FROM THE INVENTORS

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Special

UV lacquers and oils

and abrasion resistance). The latest developments, whereby nanoparticles can also be deployed, mean that you can get exceptionally strong lacquers. The raw materials used and, obviously, the drying method are the big difference with a traditional lacquer. UV lacquers are geared to the client’s machine. And so, for example, the fluidity is adapted to the client’s infrastructure. According to Blanchon, the number of coats which are applied is important, but also the total grammage of lacquer. With the Ciméthane UV, Blanchon has taken a step towards UV curing on site. The results in recent years (partly thanks to new machines) have been highly satisfactory (75,000m² since 2014).

Ciranova Apart from elements such as coat thickness, the extent of cross-linking in a lacquer system also helps to determine the chemical and mechanical resistance of a parquet finish. UV drying lacquer systems have a high degree of cross-linking and surpass the resistance of a traditional finish system. The chemical composition of UV drying systems differs completely from that of traditional lacquer systems. The drying is an irreversible chemical process which starts after the UV lighting. UV oil is still an oil, but UV radiation lighting gives it some more beneficial properties. The various suppliers of machines and rollers all have their own specific points. Ciranova lacquer systems are suitable for this and, if necessary, can be adapted, often in consultation with the machine manufacturer. Ciranova sees UV lacquer as a declining trend as compared to UV oil. UV Oil is the best-seller of the protective products in Ciranova Industrial Finishes. Ciranova Industrial Finishes also enjoys global renown for the conversion of traditional finishes with stains, lye, and oils to solutions for industrial processors with the same look and appearance, but with adapted formulations and extremely good UV oils. On-site finishing with UV finishes is still rather limited, with some benefits, but also drawbacks and limitations. The technology is there, but it isn’t something which they are promoting at the moment.

Chimiver

Lecol Lecol sells a UV lacquer from Loba (in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK). This is the LOBACURE WS Rush. LOBACURE WS Rush is the new generation of finish products. This single-component waterborne UV lacquer is really ideal for projects where the floor needs to be ready for use the next day (time is money!), such as in hotels, restaurants, pubs, shops, etc., where the highest quality finish is required. The lacquer dries at once under the influence of a special machine with a UV lamp, so the floor can be used at once. And so, there are no waiting times!

Pallmann

ECOFAST UV ECOFAST UV is a single-component polyurethane-acrylic waterbased UV curing lacquer in situ for wooden floors. ECOFAST UV has high abrasion and traffic resistances allowing its use for high traffic surfaces. ECOFAST UV is UV curing with portable UV machines where a fast walkability is required.

Hesse A finish system for finishing a floor increases resistance to mechanical pressures (e.g. wear and tear and shocks) and chemical elements (e.g. water, coffee, ketchup, and such like). The various finish systems differ from each other in resistance to those elements. UV drying lacquers generally have fairly good mechanical resistance. However, various

elements depend largely on the coat thickness of the finish. A UV lacquer dries as the molecules in the lacquer react to each other under the influence of UV rays. A UV lacquer can be adapted to a limited extent to the client’s machines/lamps. It is possible to set the reactivity to some extent. Most UV lacquering lines have standard UV radiation tools so that the lamps can be switched between mercury rays and gallium rays. Furthermore, it is also possible to vary the belt speed to some extent. If you want to increase the belt speed even more, extra machines will be needed on the line. It is necessary to maintain a certain minimal coat thickness in order to create a certain level of resistance. This minimal coat thickness can be obtained with a few thick coats or with several thin coats. Several thin coats yield the most attractive finishes. Since a considerable proportion of the Hesse clients are involved with industrial finishes, UV lacquers constitute one of the most important pillars of Hesse GmbH & Co. KG. Hesse supplies UV both for application on site and for application on lacquering lines.

Floor Forum International 91

UV lacquers don’t change the physical properties of the wood, certainly not the impressionability. And so, in the development of these lacquers most attention is paid to resistance to chemical aggression, dirt, and scratch resistance, and UV lacquers score excellently in that respect. Pallmann does not have any UV lacquers for industrial application. Pallmann has the Pallmann X Light system, a solventless and ozone-free system for the mobile drying of UV lacquer on site. This system consists of a dual-component primer X Light Aquabase, a single-component lacquer X Light Coat, and the X Light Mobil, which has been developed specially

for drying this lacquer. The result of the treatment is solid protection, yet the floor can be walked on immediately.

Plastor UV lacquers provide excellent resistance to abrasions, scratches, and stains. Traditional finishes such as dual-component PU lacquers form a constant film, which arises more or less from strong bindings between the molecules. This gives them some resistance. With UV finishes that belt is much stronger due to the formation of bridges between the numerous molecules. The formed film is stronger and provides better protection against aggressions and stains. The UV finishes from Plastor are adapted to the machines which are on the market. The star product is the UV TimeÂŽ. Thanks to the instant drying, the treated floors are ready for use again immediately. This finish offers an unprecedented protection for the most high-traffic floors. UV TimeÂŽ contains no isocyanates. And so, there is no mixing with a hardener. With only 3g/l of volatile organic compounds, this finish is EC 1+ and it scores an A+ as regards indoor air.

Rubio Monocoat

Vesting Vesting LED-drying UV hard wax oil is generally stronger than the traditional treatments of wooden floors. Traditional oils often contain a lot of solvents. That is not the case with LED hard wax oil. And so, with drying you retain more solid substances, and that ensures better protection for the floor. UV finish dries under the influence of UV lamps and the traditional finish means oxidative drying. Regular UV drying has a number of drawbacks. Think here of the expensive and vulnerable UV lamps, which have a relatively short lifespan and, moreover, have to be maintained intensively. Think of the ozone released during drying, and that means suction is required, and think of the heat development which the lamps produce. At Vesting, with LED-drying UV hard wax oil, none of that applies. The lamps are extremely sturdy and hardly require any maintenance. They hardly consume any energy (-60%!), have a long lifespan (factor 20!), the heat development is zero, and the investment costs are low. Since Vesting enjoyed a global first in 2015 with the introduction of the innovative LED-drying hard wax oil, this exceptionally high-quality oil for surface treatment has immediately become the show pony of this family business from Someren in the Netherlands. The oil also combines excellent quality (protection and colour) with convenience through the handy spreading with a mobile and a hand-held unit. Moreover, the processing costs through drying under the influence of durable LED light are exceptionally low, certainly in comparison with traditional UV oil.

Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2 is a UV-catalysed finishing oil for application on wood in industrial application lines. Just like the manually applied RMC Oil Plus 2C, this UV R2 oil is based on our signature molecular binding technology. Because Rubio Monocoat UV R2 is a natural oil, it is compatible with our standard series of products. Following the industrial application of Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2, the wood may be easily reconditioned with Oil Plus 2C, the unique oxidative oil. The curing of RMC Oil UV R2 occurs by means of photoinitiators, in contrast to the manually applied Oil Plus 2C which works via an oxidative process. In 2017 Rubio Monocoat introduced RMC LED Oil, a true innovation for industrial as well as on-site applications. The benefits of LED for industrial finishers are many: since there is no ozone emission, there is no investment required in a vacuuming system. LED lights have an extremely long lifespan and consume up to 80% less energy than traditional mercury lamps. While UV curing requires two drying units, only one is required when using LED, a savings that is not to be underestimated in driving startup companies toward using LED. The main reason for switiching to LED is the fact that wood treated with LED oil is cured instantly with LED light and therefore can be walked upon or packed away instantly, which translates into a huge time gain for the project market, for stair and furniture makers as well as industrial finishers. In addition to RMC LED Oil, we also offer professional LED dryers for on-site as well as industrial applications.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Lacquers and oils with real anti-bacterial properties

DESIGN FLOORS JOIN THE BATTLE AGAINST BACTERIA THE SECRET LIES IN THE FINISH, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE

Photo – Tip Top Schuurmaterialen

Properties such as ‘ hygienic’ and ‘antibacterial’ are appearing increasingly in lists of favourable properties (read: sales arguments) for building materials, not least amongst floor coverings and interior objects. The growing number of elderly and care homes, which is in turn a result of the ageing population, will certainly have played its part here. The emergence of more and more allergies also obliges the client to be cautious in the choice of building materials. Furthermore, since design floors are becoming popular, there, too, we see the same demand and, yes, the same range.

Intrinsic properties Some materials have certain intrinsic properties, which, without requiring further interventions, are useful for a number of specific purposes. For example, some materials are naturally ‘incombustible’. The mineral asbestos, which has now been completely banned from the construction industry, was a good example of that. The reason for that incombustibility arises from the fact that the mineral itself, from which scores of building materials have been produced, cannot burn. Cork,

Floor Forum International 91

in turn, possesses great impressionability, something which, together with its watertight character, makes it ideal for sealing up wine. Yet cork quite obviously also has evident acoustic and thermal qualities which make it an ideal floor covering. In short, a number of products possess unique products which require no technical or technological manipulation whatsoever except for improving them even more. With many other products, the unique properties are the result of human ‘intervention’. For example, combustible materials can be made less combustible by covering them with a coating or furnishing them with fire-resistant or flame-retardant material. Other materials can be made ‘waterproof’ with a different type of coating. Similarly, lots of materials get their anti-bacterial character by means of a coating with certain properties.

Bacteria – what’s that? Bacteria are single-celled organisms. They are everywhere, but they are not visible to the naked eye. The average size of one bacterium is one micrometre, a thousandth part of a millimetre. Most bacteria are harmless or even useful for humans and animals, but some of them cause illnesses. Bacteria grow and split up. The better the

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Blanchon Cimethane UV is ideaal voor druk belopen plaatsen die zeer snel opnieuw in gebruik moeten worden genomen. Dankzij het gebruik van uv-lampen droogt hij zeer snel en is uw vloer gelakt en opnieuw gebruiksklaar in 8 uur. Cimethane® UV heeft een sterk dekkingsvermogen, een uitzonderlijke kras- en slijtvastheid en chemische weerstand. Blanchon is de partner die u dagelijks bijstaat.

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conditions for the bacterium, the faster it grows and splits up. Each division means that one bacterium produces two new bacteria, which both split again into two parts etc. Under favourable conditions, for instance, one E. coli bacterium can split up in 20 minutes. That means that one bacterium becomes two bacteria in 20 minutes, two bacteria become four over 40 minutes, and there are eight bacteria within an hour. Over an entire day, that comes to over 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (a thousand quadrillions)!

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Hygiene does help A hygienic surface (e.g. sink unit, floor, or wall) is not necessarily antibacterial. If a material is hardly porous at all, that material will give bacteria fewer chances to attach themselves and, if they nevertheless do so, the material will be easier to clean. Nowadays, researchers look more specifically for possible ways of counteracting the adhesion of bacteria themselves on surfaces. The microscopic structure of a shark fin, for example, has proved to be suitable for this purpose and has now been imitated in the form of a synthetic oil which can be laminated onto various surfaces. In the medical sector these coatings have now proved their worth with implants and catheters. These have also been applied to building materials, certainly for ‘high-touch areas’.

Tackling bacteria Good hygiene is therefore a means of stopping bacteria from ‘nesting’ on a surface. Joining the battle against the bacteria themselves is a step further.

Synthetics to kill bacteria Nowadays, there are innovative synthetics and rubbers developed to which organic biocides are added such as triclosan, chitosan, isothiazolinones, OBPA (10,10'-oxybisphenoxarsine), IBPC (4-iodo-3-butynyl propyl carbamate), and ammonium silane. These must work effectively throughout the lifespan of the material. It is vital that these biocides are compatible with the synthetic substance, do not affect the properties of the synthetic substance, and do not waste away. The latter is important for meeting the new regulation ‘regarding plastics in contact with food’ (EU Regulation 10/2011).

The power of silver A lot of attention is paid nowadays, however, to inorganic silver additives. Indeed, silver ions (Ag+) already have the properties to kill bacteria (broad spectrum activity) using low concentrations (0.001 ppm), which are not harmful to humans. Moreover, silver ions are formed under damp conditions i.e. conditions which are favourable to the growth of bacteria. Silver additives can be used very widely in synthetics, metals, composites, and lacquers. By applying ion exchangers around silver it is possible to release the silver ions effectively and less silver is needed. Silver additives can withstand frequent cleaning, are resistant (500°C, pH 1-13), and do not waste away (extremely low solubility). All this guarantees a safe and long-term operation. An example of such an additive is AgCl absorbed on a porous bearer (zeolites, SiO2, etc.), which, in combination with food grade polyester binding agents, forms a powder coating approved by the FDA for contact with dry and watery foods containing fats.

Copper as an alternative Apart from silver, copper is gaining more attention as a cheaper alternative. Its antibacterial operation also relies on the formation of ion (Cu2+) and is also marked by a long-term operation without wasting away. We note that copper seems more effective in counteracting mould.

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Two specialists: Blanchon

*Blanchon, kwaliteit is onze natu

Quality is in our nature* At Blanchon they were a little ‘reticent’ towards this article. The fact is that EU member states have strict legislation regarding strong biocides. The so called biocide regulation (BPR, Regulation EU 528/2012) refers to the use of biocides as protection against harmful organisms such as vermin or bacteria, more specifically to the operation of active substances in the biocide. A spokesperson from Blanchon commented: ‘European legislation is very strict on the use of biocides in paints, lacquers, and oils. Claiming certain antibacterial properties and linking certificates to them without providing relevant safety labels is difficult, if not impossible.’ They also point out that traditionally the sector has assumed that pine tree oil has some ‘purifying’ properties and that attributing those properties or comparable properties to other oils is entirely the maker’s responsibility. ‘Someone could claim that certain ethereal oils (which must be used cautiously) possess antibacterial properties, but there is no official confirmation,’ they point out. ‘Besides, those oils might yield a nasty smell.’ As an aside, they point out that silver ions are not used much, and even then only in industrial applications.’

Ciranova The antibacterial theme is still a current one and is being monitored closed by the R&D department at Ciranova. If a product is launched on the market, it will conform to the latest biocide regulations and will show due regard for humans and the environment. It is necessary to draw a distinction between passive and active antibacterial operations. By a passive operation we mean the property of a coating which hinders or obstructs the adhesion of bacteria or food to restrict the growth of bacteria severely. When we speak of an active antibacterial operation, we are talking about coatings which contain additives (biocides) which kill the bacteria effectively. Originally, those products were developed by the medical sector. It goes without saying that places where hygiene plays a major part are amongst the most important target group. It should also be noted that the effectiveness of such a coating depends in most cases on the surrounding conditions such as the temperature and relative humidity. And so, their technical and economic usefulness has to be considered case by case. The active components are built into the coating and basically can be applied in the factory or on site.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Stair renovation

STAIR FURNISHING CAN ALSO BE ‘FLEXIBLE’ THE STAIR CARPET IS BACK, BUT IN FULL WIDTHS Renovation versus restoration Restoring stairs is about solid wood staircases. If the staircase is designed in an attractive wood, it might be worth restoring. That brings us to the same realm as parquet. Restoration means ‘restoring something to its original condition’, whilst renovation means more like ‘freshening up or reviving something’. In many cases, however, genuine restoration is not worth it. In other words, the cost price of restoring a staircase to its original condition is often sky-high and certainly too high to justify the end result. One related problem is the actual wear and tear through use. That means replacing parts of the staircase, often due to safety considerations.

Safety aspects If the thickness of the stairs permits, it might be possible to some degree to level out the worn walk section of the stairs again. To do that, you need to check that the wood will still be strong enough to bear a person’s weight after it is sandpapered. Moreover, with closed staircases the sandpapering could result in splits at the point of contact between the step and riser; any such splits must be sealed properly, and that’s no easy task! Sometimes, precisely because of the authenticity of the staircase, people opt not to sandpaper the wearing surface flat. That certainly means a compromise in terms of safety. Indeed, the worn surface makes it harder to walk up and down the stairs safely.

Cost price

Photo – Küberit

Who remembers stair carpets from bygone days? Strictly speaking, they were a waste of effort, yet at the same time they did give some protection. You had attractive wooden stairs in oak, beech, or pitch pine and you fitted a ‘carpet’ on the ‘walkway’, usually fastened with special clips or holders. The idea was to protect the steps from wear and tear and, to some extent, muffle the sound. The carpet decor was, as such, susceptible to trends. A waste of effort? Actually, yes, since attractive wood was pushed completely into the background. Nowadays, stair furnishing is a ‘skill like any other’, both in renovation and new constructions, and flexible floors are a perfectly viable option.

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The cost price of a restoration should not be underestimated. Sandpapering steps and risers, and especially sandpapering banisters (balusters) can be extremely time-consuming, certainly when it comes to twisted (antique) balusters. The complexity of the staircase partly determines the extent to which manual work is necessary for the restoration. Even small repairs after sandpapering are time-consuming. In many cases re-furnishing will prove less expensive than restoration.

Furnishing stairs The ‘antique’ stair carpet, as mentioned in the title of this article, was usually fitted on wooden stairs. Nowadays, when we talk about ‘furnishing’ stairs, we might be talking about existing stairs (to be renewed) or newly constructed stairs in wood or other building materials. You can use any materials for furnishing. You can furnish a staircase, old or new, perfectly well with wood, laminate, or flexible floor coverings. The same rules apply with the latter as for floor coverings i.e. the substrate (in this case the staircase steps) must be perfectly level. Any

imperfection would show through the top layer. As far as types of flexible floor coverings go, anything is possible e.g. cork, linoleum, PVC, and vinyl. These floor coverings will then usually be fully glued (in their most flexible form) onto the staircase steps (and, if necessary, the risers). Flexible floors have some tremendous assets, even for stairs.

The construction height The minimal thickness of these floors usually turns out nicely for renovation where you are often limited for differences in height between connecting floors. That applies no less to treading on stairs where the height of the parts helps to determine comfort and safety.

Scratch and wear-resistance The scratch and wear resistance of the top layer determines the lifespan of a floor, certainly if the floor cannot be renovated. The same applies to staircase steps. Coats of lacquer have become increasingly stronger and more scratch-resistant. Here, too, new forms of technology have been developed or applied. The most recent innovations have apparently deployed nanotechnology.

Anti-slip Whilst a smooth floor normally means there is a risk of slipping, most flexible staircase steps are equipped with an anti-slip top layer.

Relatively waterproof In the case of PVC furnishing, this is completely waterproof.

A selection from the range

onto which the new staircase is fitted. In this way Maëstro Steps gives your staircase a complete make-over in barely a single day without any annoying demolition work. The handy measuring tool aids rapid measuring and rapid sawing of the new steps. Maëstro Steps is a total solution for closed, open, or winding stairs. The accompanying finish accessories offer an ideal solution for this. Moreover, they are available in the same decors as those of the steps and risers. Depro presents eight new and true-to-nature laminate decors ranging from light to dark wood, but also two trendy concrete decors, which are very durable and low-maintenance and can hardly be distinguished from the real product. Lovers of the real and authentic material opt for Maëstro Steps with oak veneer top layer and finish to suit their own taste. Maëstro Steps has various floorboards with regard to the acquisition of a new staircase; it is much more budget-friendly, there is no demolition work, and it’s easy to fit, something which means you can save a lot of time. The client can add a personal touch.

Auer Metallprofile

GmbH

for t s i l cia el e p s Your nless ste stai Our main focus on profiles for staircase renovation is to ensure the slip resistance. Regardless of which surface the customer chooses, we deliver in each case an optimal and tread-proof profile. Whether it‘s a new staircase, or you can renovate an older staircase depends on the overall condition of the staircase. Staircase renovation is usually more cost-effective than a complete new building, in addition the staircase is accessible during the renovation. When placing the staircase with a new covering, we offer different profile systems for different floor heights, stair nosings in various dimensions, as well as insert profiles with nose for insertion heights from 2 to 22 mm. If the stairs are very steep, the straight form of the steps should be restored first. This can be achieved using a repair angle and compensating masses. We offer various angles of stainless steel and galvanized steel. Then attach a suitable step with anti-slip on it to put the stairs completely back into position.

Depro Profiles Depro has almost 20 years of experience in staircase renovation and has launched its own trademark in the shape of Maëstro Steps. This staircase renovation system is easy for DIY enthusiasts to fit thanks to the step-over-step system where the old staircase forms the base

Find out more about our

News at Domotex 2018

in Hannover: Hall 13 Booth e 22 muldenstr. 2 | D-08280 Aue | tel. +49 (0)3771 2868-0 info@auer-metallprofile.de | www.auer-metallprofile.de

Floor Forum International 91

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Stair renovation

K端berit

Progress Profiles

K端berit believes that stair profiles are designed primarily to avoid accidents. And so, they have to be anti-slip. Moreover, they also have to form a contrast with each step so that they are clearly visible. In response to the high number of accidents K端berit presents an extensive range of stair nosing with a TUV certificate. For example, the company offers a two-part stair profile for laminate. The lower and upper profiles make it suitable for all sorts of stairs. For floors with a thickness of 7-16mm there is Euro-Step Champion, which is specially for high traffic floors. The new generation of stair nosing at K端berit makes it possible to slide a strip of LVT, PVC, or Vinyl into the profile. At present, they are working on some new models which will be on show at Domotex 2018.

There are several points for attention in stair renovation. For example, Progress Profiles stair profiles (with anti-slip) protect ceramic, wooden, and laminate staircase steps at the same time. The anti-slip element is essential for avoiding accidents. One of the latest products is the Prostair Botton, which is made of stainless steel and even rectifies invisible irregularities. Progress Profiles has solutions for all floor installations in just about all materials. For example, there is the licensed Proinsert System, a full range for parquet, wooden floors, laminate, and melamine. The system includes, amongst other things, connecting profiles (SOL 30, SOL 40 P, and SOL 50), transition profiles for floors on different levels and with different thicknesses (ZERO CURVE), end profiles, corner profiles, and stair nosing profiles (STYLE STAIRS). An important accessory is the Progripp, a self-adhesive strip in carborundum, anti-slip, and with high wear resistance. This is available in six colours and widths to meet all technical and aesthetic requirements.

wrapped profiles and flooring accessories

stair renovation systems

HALL 13 - D59

GUIDING OUR CUSTOMERS FROM CONCEPT PHASE TO FINISHED PRODUCT made in SINCE 1992. belgium www.depro-profiles.com

ceiling Forum covering International 91 50wall and Floor

Special

Skirting boards

INLAY GIVES A ‘TOTAL MATCH’ SKIRTING BOARDS STILL PLAY A MAIN PART IN THE END FINISH There are diverse opinions on the role of skirting boards indoors. Are those opinions merely trends which develop over time? No, they aren’t. They are rather ‘points of view’ about interior styles and they have continued to exist alongside each other over the years. The key question always relates to the impact of skirting boards on the room and therefore the sphere. There is a world of difference between adapting the skirting board to the walls, so that they become part of the wall, to the floor, or to nothing at all. Skirting board producers need to give an answer for each of those points of view.

Much used materials The materials from which skirting boards can be produced are well nigh endless. The material used for skirting boards partly determines whether or not the skirting board ‘blends in’ with the interior or ‘stands out’. It is obvious that a skirting board which is painted in the same colour as the wall will remain ‘invisible’. In this article we consider the most important materials.

Painted skirting boards

easily (via notches at the back). PVC, in turn, is a material which is easy to process and it no longer moves once it is fitted. PVC is scratch and chip resistant. PVC skirting boards are used a lot in rooms where the floors cleaned with large material or rooms where hygiene is important. PVC is also completely waterproof.

Laminate skirting boards The laminate flooring market offers a wide range of decors, including wood decors, Stone decors, or completely neutral ‘colour decors’. Anyone looking for a skirting board to correspond perfectly to their laminate floor has, strictly speaking, three distinct options.

From the ‘magic box’ When we say ‘magic box’, we literally mean ‘the magic box’. Some skirting board manufacturers offer a vast range of wood or stone decors, designed in laminate. They obviously draw inspiration from decors which do well on the laminate market. That starting point also makes the range so extensive that for every decor you can find a skirting board which more or less corresponds.

Medium Density Fibreboard or MDF is pressed board with a medium hard density. MDF is not a trademark, but a generic name. The wood fibres are dried and joined to each other by means of resins. The stronger (harder) version is called HDF (High Density Fibreboard). Obviously, the high density of HDF is not really necessary for the production of skirting boards because very little ‘force’ is exerted on them. By contrast, the range of MDF skirting boards in different designs is vast.

Suitable skirting boards

Wood

Inlay skirting boards

There are just as many sorts of solid wood skirting boards as there are wood sorts. Both native and exotic sorts are available, so there is a suitable skirting board for any wooden floor. Obviously, the same goes for veneer skirting boards, which, strictly speaking, look exactly the same. The advantage of solid wood and veneer with wooden floors is the (potentially) even discolouration under the influence of sunlight.

One of the problems facing wholesalers and retailers is the huge range of technical and decorative accessories such as profiles and skirting boards. If we’re looking for a range with ‘something to everyone’s taste’, that leaves traders with a painful stock problem. Indeed, the number of references which have to be in stock is increasing all the time. In the case of inlay skirting boards the skirting board is purely a technical solution. In other words, functional and decorative aspects are separated at source. The skirting board is a base into which a ‘fragment’ of the floor is inserted. This means that floor fitters themselves finish the skirting boards, so obviously the match is then complete. The inlay skirting boards on offer usually provide for different thicknesses or floor types, so they can be used, for instance, for both vinyl and laminate.

Metal In a somewhat more expensive segment there are various skirting boards on offer in aluminium or stainless steel. In metal colours, too, there is a vast range (e.g. bronze or silver). Aluminium skirting boards are the perfect finish for a modern interior. Aluminium is a fixed and light material which can be processed in several ways. It can be polished to look like a mirror, but, for instance, it can also be sandblasted to give it a matt appearance. If necessary, aluminium can also be lacquered or coated.

Synthetics Curves and arches are appearing in modern home construction with increasing frequency. Until recently, it was no easy job to give those arched walls a suitable border finish. However, that is now easy with the flexible/bendable skirting boards. These skirting boards can be produced, for instance, in polyurethane foam. The height can often be adjusted

Lots of laminate floors, especially in the higher segment (premium), are coming with accompanying skirting boards. Those skirting boards also offer total harmony between the floor and skirting board and are therefore linked to a trademark. They can be made by the laminate manufacturer itself or by a skirting board manufacturer in consultation with the laminate manufacturer (i.e. by order).

A selection from the range Depro Profiles Formed in 1992, Depro Profiles has 25 years of experience in producing customised encased profiles, especially skirting boards and other accessories. These are mainly in MDF (sometimes also aluminium or PVC) and are furnished with a decorative foil such as laminate, paper foil, veneer, or vinyl. Depro has several skirting boards in its range. For example, the white skirting boards can be painted over so they can be

Floor Forum International 91

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Skirting boards

harmonised perfectly with the colour of the wall or floor. They can be glued to the wall or fastened using nails or a clip system. Self-adhesive sticky skirting boards are part of the floor. These skirting boards prevent damage to the wall during the fitting. If you don’t wish to replace existing skirting boards, you can also opt for transfer skirting boards. This type of skirting board is fitted over the old one. This type of skirting board often proves popular in rented homes. Decor skirting boards: Thanks to the latest digital technology, it is possible to guarantee a 100% match between floor and skirting board for laminate and LVT floors. Innovation and customised work are in the Depro DNA, so they like to work something out together with the client.

Carl Prinz Aluminium skirting board "Cultus 45" Not horizontally or vertically, but at an angle of 45 degrees: this is the fastening technique for the new aluminium skirting board "Cultus45". This prevents damage of the wall and floor when installing the skirting. Only in its very final position the skirting gets in contact with wall and floor.The fixing clip has a large reservoir for laying cables. The securing bars allow easy insertion, and at the same time they prevent stiff cables from falling back or disturbing during installation. The bars of the aluminium skirting are held in place without interlocking. As a result, the base plate can be loosened easily and without damage. Thus, cables are accessible at all times, renovation and painting work is no problem.The system includes inner and outer corners, connectors and end caps made of solid aluminum.

Neuhofer Holz Digital print now enables us to design all skirting boards, profiles, and joints to match a floor entirely. Neuhofer Holz also has aluminium skirting board profiles for vinyl inserts in different thicknesses. Laminate inserts can also be used. Moreover, Neuhofer Holz has now launched the waterproof skirting board FN water-pro specially for rooms where a waterproof quality is an issue and, for example, for waterproof LVT. Another perfect match option is the profile KU037, which is attached to the wall and to which a strip of floor covering can be attached. The profile has a seal lip on the floor. For skirting board bases Neuhofer Holz uses various materials such as MDF, solid wood, aluminium, or plastic.

Floor Forum International 91

Perfilstar Digital print technology is part of Perfilstar’s core business. At Perfilstar they make skirting boards to correspond fully to the floor decor. All skirting boards and connecting profiles are possible with any base (MDF, waterproof MDF, Aluminium, Compact PVC, finger joint pine, and birch). For example, the company has developed a new sort of skirting board with the same features as vinyl floors where the harmony is perfect thanks to digital print technology. The inlay is fitted in the factory at Perfilstar because they believe that is the only guarantee of a quality result. Professionals then only have to do the fitting. They work with fixed dimensioning, but the company is extremely flexible in that respect.

Progress Profiles Progress Profiles offers the new Proskirting INS. This new skirting board is an innovative product fitted with an integrated system to give you a modest boarding which fits in with contemporary trends. The aluminium board of the Proskirting INS can be furnished with the same material as the floor. This can be done with glue or silicone. The skirting board then looks identical to the floor. The Skirting 7016 and Skirting 7011 (70mm high and 16mm thick) are two PVC profiles which can be combined with over 30 decors. The base of these skirting boards can consist of aluminium, stainless steel, or PVC expanded foam. The inlay is fitted in the factory at Progress Profiles.

Trafil® BASIC skirting-board BASIC skirting-board is PVC expanded, self-extinguishing, lightweight and flexible. High resistance against water and humidity is one of the main features. The particular flexibility of the material makes it suitable also on curved and imperfect walls. It is particularly recommended for the do-it-yourself, easy to cut and place. BASIC skirting-board is paintable with standard wall paints. BASIC is available in standard colours, dignified colours that reproduce exactly the wood, marble and aluminium effects and embossed colours with raised pore that reproduce the natural grains of wood. BASIC is versatile and is suitable for all types of environments and fits all types of flooring. Thanks to the wide range of colour, BASIC can be placed in schools, public and domestic environments.

Special

Producers of silane adhesives

PARQUET GLUES MOVE TOWARDS HARD-ELASTIC AND BIO SILANE GLUES ARE PLAYING A MAJOR PART IN THAT TREND

Photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rubio Monocoat

The standard ISO17178:2013 draws a distinction between hard glues, hard-elastic glues, and elastic glues. The difference with the standard EN14293 is limited in the sense that, at first sight, it appears that little has changed as regards the testing method, but there is now an extra category. Indeed, the former standard drew a distinction solely between hard and soft glues. The demands as regards elasticity have been adjusted down, whilst those for shear strength for the elasticity have been increased. According to Kaneka, parquet glues are moving towards hard-elastic, whilst hard glues are still in the background. This article summarises the state of affairs.

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Elasticity: What is that? Since everything revolves around the elasticity of glues, it is worth explaining that concept briefly. The elasticity of a material indicates the extent to which that material exerts a counterbalance when it is contorted elastically or the extent to which a material is contorted when a certain external force is exerted on it. And so, a material is described as elastic if it returns to its original shape once there is no longer any external force. Rubber is an example of a highly elastic material. Plastic or ductile contortion or distortion is also a material science term, which says something about the behaviour of a material whenever force is exerted on it. A material can be distorted plastically when, for instance, compressive or tensile strength is

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of silane adhesives

exerted. In contrast to elastic distortion, this distortion is not rectified when the exerted force is withdrawn. Plastic distortion often occurs together with elastic distortion. In that case only part of the distortion is ongoing when the force is removed. The maximum tension which a construction element can bear without becoming plastically distorted is called the elasticity limit or the yield point.

physical and mechanical properties and has low elasticity and great strength. For floors with straight edges (e.g. traditional parquet) the wood should not be allowed to move. If you do want to let the wood move to some extent, you need to use elastic glue. In view of the fact that fewer forces are in play, such a glue doesn’t need such great strength. Elastic glues ensure there is less pressure on the substrate.

Elasticity and parquet glue

Combining forms of technology

As we have already said, elasticity is essential in order to achieve good-quality glueing of parquet. Over the years, makers have constantly covered a lot of ground to help them arrive at new insights and increasingly better compounds. The old solvent and dispersion glues are usually called ‘hard-plastic’. This means that those glues could absorb brief and limited forces, but they could also distort under the exertion of long-term and stronger forces. If there is a good chance of the wood moving to a large extent (e.g. through big fluctuations in humidity), we can use a high-elastic glue to prevent the exerted forces from affecting the substrate directly, especially the screed. The glue then absorbs the wood movements and always returns to its initial shape. The drawback with a high-elastic glue is that you get more or less a ‘floating’ floor. And so, the truth must lie somewhere in the middle.

The high-elastic glues available on the market today can generally be divided into two main groups, namely silane glues (SMP) and PUR glues. With silane glues we then draw a distinction between MS polymers (modified silanes based on the prepolymers from Kaneka), SPUR (silane and polyurethane), STP (silane terminated polyurethane), and STP-E (a variant of STP). In recent years, it seems that researchers have achieved the best (safest) results by combining forms of technology. Call it taking the best of what is good or creating hybrids. Forms of glue technology which often attract attention are PU, epoxy, and silane; combinations of them have led to the ‘glues of the new generation’.

Supple or stiff The standard EN 14293 provides a simplified choice between supple and stiff glues. These two groups offer a solution for a specific expectation. The key question is whether you want to counter the wood movements or allow them to some extent. A stiff glue possesses great

Silane glues The success of silane glues today comes from the fact that they are perfectly in line with a number of other prevailing trends. This is summarised perfectly in the editorial of this edition by Jo Indesteege, business manager for Kaneka: ‘In recent years, we’ve seen a big increase in hybrid parquet glues. This has been driven partly by the success of multi-layer parquet, but mainly by the replacement of solvent glues and the strong growth of floor heating. Technical agencies strongly recommend glueing parquet fully, if there is floor heating. Furthermore,

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Expert in Silane Modified Polymers

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Floor Forum International 91

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fitting comfort and the ‘well-being’ of our environment are also becoming increasingly important. Silane glues, especially MS polymers, play a lead role here. They don’t contain any harmful solvents or isocyanates and are easy to apply.’

Health The health of the floor fitter and the eventual end user (who uses the floor) is obviously a topic which we mustn’t neglect. Parquet floor fitters and consumers can’t simply ignore the argument that polyurethane glues, which may contain isocyanates, can be carcinogenic. By contrast, silane glues do not contain any harmful substances for human beings or the environment.

Outstanding quality Silane glues ensure excellent and durable adhesion, but remain elastic. The glues set fairly quickly so that it is usually possible to sandpaper and apply a finish the next day. Silane glues remove the pressure on the substrate. According to the makers, various silane adhesives can be used on covering floors with a residual moisture percentage higher than 2.5%.

version of the Bona Optispread, which makes it possible for the user to apply glue to the floor from a standing position. As regards application, there is a distinction. R848 is suitable for composite parquet and narrow strips with a minimum ratio of 1/5 between the thickness and width of the strips. R850 and R850T are excellent for glueing composite parquet, 6mm traditional parquet 70 and 90mm wide, and 9mm traditional parquet with a maximum width of up to 18cm. Finally, R870 is suitable for all sorts of parquet, including solid wood parts. The latest addition is Titan. Bona Titan is a brand new strong parquet glue from a new generation. Some important properties: fourfold ‘cross-linking’ for ultimate durability and the fastest possible adhesion strength; perfect for wide solid wood planks ; it contains no softeners, so it doesn’t cause any discolouration in the joints.

BASF Laying parquet places high demands on the performance of the parquet fitter and on the quality of the product that is used. For pre-finished parquet, Thomsit presents P 675 Elast - high quality for a competitive price. P 685 Elast Universal, however, is more widely applicable and is suitable for solid parquet, among other things. P 695

Clean When traditional parquet is fitted, adhesive residue is simply removed after the fitting. That’s simply not on any more with the unstoppable advance of pre-finished floors. The only possibility for the floor fitter is to work carefully, and that obviously takes time. Silane glues are the dream solution here since they can be removed easily from material and hands. They are clean glues and, apart from other qualities, they owe their success to the fact that they solve a problem in a growing market.

What’s on the market? Adesiv Adesiv presents two monocomponent silane glues based on the MS polymer of Kaneka. The WB Mono MS is a 1-component adhesive specially for glueing pre-finished wooden floors onto concrete substrates or existing non-absorbent floors (marble, tiles, Palladian, and wooden substrates). For engineered floors Adesiv recommends WB Mono MS-LE. WB Mono MS ‘performance plus’ is regarded as a ‘universal glue’. Both glues have a different elasticity. WB Mono MS Performance plus is available in buckets of 15kg.

Bona

The Bona assortment includes the following glues, which are based on ISO 17178: Hard = R870, Hard-elastic = R850 and R850T, and Elastic = R848 and R860. Bona R850 is a real all-round glue, which can be used for virtually all wooden floors and use on virtually all substrates, whilst all other variants each have their specific field of application. Bona R870 stands out and can be used in combination with the latest

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Special

Producers of silane adhesives

Elast Universal Strong has pride of place and is suitable for all types of parquet. These three glues all offer the benefits of FLEXTEC™ technology, which Thomsit has developed in-house. Thomsit’s elastic adhesives absorb the movements in the parquet floor, permanently reducing the tensile stresses on the subfloor. They are also strong and flexible, adhering firmly to almost any substrate so that no sealant primer is needed. Apart from the costs, it also saves valuable drying time.

Bijlard International With the arrival of Bijlard MS FLOOR, the development of floor adhesives during the past decades has reached a new level. Whereas adhesives used to get very hard after hardening, nowadays elastic adhesives are found to have a high bonding strength as well as the ability to absorb movements between materials, making these adhesives far more universal and functional. Bijlard International in Zoetermeer (NL) manufactures a wide range of Hybrid Polymer based adhesives (also known as MS, SMP, SPUR or STP) for construction and industry. These 1-component adhesives have a very high bonding strength and elasticity, do not contain solvents or water (and are thus non-shrinking), and do not contain harmful substances such as isocyanates. Bijlard supplies an elastic adhesive specially designed for floors, with the name MS FLOOR, which is available in 4 colours as standard: natural/oak, mahogany, white wash and wenge, which meets the desire of parquet installers for adhesives to match the colour of the wood. If desired, the adhesive can be produced in any required colour. To complete the range, two products have recently been added: GAP FILLER FLOOR, for the treatment of irritating hollow sounds under bonded wooden floors, and FLEXX FLOOR, which permits the elastic bonding of multi-layer flooring using tongue and groove joints. And of course, the best way of working with our adhesives is with the Sqraper®.

Bostik ‘Silane’ (or ‘silanes’ to be more precise) is a broad concept. The term refers to a group of chemical compounds based on silicon. The functions of silanes can be wide-ranging. They can act as a kind of drying agent, as a type of adhesion improver, as a binder or as a primer. They are used in glues and sealants (both 1 and 2-component) based on silicones, polyurethanes, polysulphides and what are known as SMP systems (silyl modified polymers). From the Bostik range, we mention Parfix Classic and Elastic. Parfix Classic is in the middle ground between soft and elastic, making it usable in 95% of cases; including gluing underfloors.

Floor Forum International 91

Chimiver UNISIL is a prepolymer based, single-component hydrocuring adhesive with a silanic termination (MS technology). Recommended for gluing pre-finished wooden floor onto marble, grit, tiles, ceramic or marble-chip floor, etc. Also suitable for gluing wooden floor onto underfloor heating and cooling system. CERTIFICATES: EC1R; ATTESTATION CCA Environmentally Compatible Product (Certificate issued by Department BEST - Politecnico of Milan CCA Registration No. 20163); Sound Reduction (CSI Test Report No. 0056/DC/ACU/06); Heat conductivity (CSI Test Report No. 0020/DC/TTS/06). ADESIVER ELASTIC is a single-component hydro-curing prepolymer based adhesive with a silanic termination (MS technology). Recommended for gluing of pre-finished wooden floor onto marble, grit, ceramic or marble-chip floor tiles, etc. Also suitable for gluing wooden floor onto subfloors with radiant heating. ADESIVER ELASTIC has very good acoustic insulation characteristics. CERTIFIED EC1R, Ü-Mark of Conformity. UNISIL and ADESIVER ELASTIC can contribute to the achievement of QI CREDIT 4.1 according to the parameters of the GEV dated 03 March 2009, because it meets the certification LEED protocol (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Devo® The Devo® silane and hybrid glues are suitable for all wood sorts. There are some types of glue which are geared specifically to multi-layer or solid parquet. Devo® Glue MSP150, MSP200, and MSP250 are all silane glues or hybrid glues. Devo® Glue MSP 150 1C is a 1-component and semi-elastic MS polymer glue for multi-layer stabilised parquet and it contains no silicones or isocyanates; Devo® Glue MSP 200 1C is a 1-component, soft-elastic, and hybrid MS polymer parquet glue, which contains no silicones or isocyanates. Devo® Glue MSP 250 1C is the best-seller at Devomat Industries. This glue is suitable for glueing all wood sorts, solid wood up to 20cm wide, and is recommended particularly for fitting pre-engineered parquet. The glue contains no water or VOCs and spreads excellently. Devo® Glue MSP 250 is a hard-elastic glue (about 70 Shore) with great adhesive strength, conforms to CSN EN 14293, and is in class EC1 Plus (EC1-R). Devo® Glue MSP250 is packed in bags of 5kg.

Emfi For glueing all sorts of parquet Emfi recommends its hybrid polymers, including two spreadable glues (Emfiparquet Pro Plus and Emfiparquet Pro Eco) and the tube glue Emfimastic PS Parquet. Emfi presents as its ‘star product’ Emfi Parquet Pro+, a silane polymer glue which is suitable for the full glueing of all types of parquet. Thanks to extensive research and development, Emfi Parquet meets the strictest environmental standards i.e. the glue contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. This glue is suitable for glueing very wide floorboards in

oak. It adheres rapidly and is very easy to apply. The Emfi Parquet Pro+ is a 1-component glue. This glueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high resistance to damp and fluctuations in temperature make it ideal for fitting parquet on top of floor heating.

Lecol/Wakol WAKOL MS 230 is an MS polymer glue for the full glueing of multi-layer parquet with tongue and groove. Wakol MS 260 is a hard-elastic parquet glue which is suitable for glueing mosaic parquet, end grain blocks, 22mm parquet, multi-layer parquet, solid parquet (up to 18cm wide, oak up to 20cm wide), cross-cut RE/WE, and flat cork floors on absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. WAKOL MS 260 meets the standard DIN EN 14 293. Wakol MS 260 is suitable for a lot more applications than other glues. For example, this glue is also suitable for fitting distressed floors without the risk of the glue damaging the floor. There is also Wakol MS 265 in sausage shape.

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Easy Bond parquet glue is hard-elastic and 100% free of softeners so that the polymer content is greater than in most other silane glues. This greater polymer content means we get a much greater adhesion capacity with the highest possible durability. This high durability is guaranteed since there are no softeners to migrate, so the composition and properties of the glue will not change in the long term, not even with heated floors. Moreover, finish layers can never be affected later by migration of glue components (softeners) through the wood. The hard-elastic composition of Rubio Easy Bond parquet glue gives the wood just enough room to move, but not so much that the wood begins to warp or bend. This type of glue is also easy to sandpaper and can also be deployed as a filler paste. In other words, Rubio Easy Bond parquet glue is a universally applicable glue with the very highest durability (very high distress resistance, even on heated floors) and an ultimate in adhesion capacity.

Soudal Soudal is a major player regarding silane glues for parquet and assembly glues. For parquet Soudal currently has three parquet glues which make use of silane technology. There is SMX-30 Plus, the driving force behind the silane parquet glues, MS-30 Plus, the all rounder in parquet, and, finally, MS-20 Plus, which is ideal for multi-layer parquet. Furthermore, Soudal also has a very strong line in silane assembly glues under the name Fix All. Soudal has a complete range here. This starts with the Fix All Turbo, the rapid Fix All which gives a good secure bonding in 20 minutes. Fix All Flexi is the Fix All which is ideal for both glueing and repairing. It combines good end strength with high elasticity. The Fix All with the greatest end strength in the range is Fix All High Tack (Clear). This combines good initial adhesion with great end strength. If you have to glue to provide bearing strength which has to withstand a weight of up to 400kg/mÂ˛ immediately, you can best use Fix All X-treme Power, which can bear such weights without any support. Finally, there is Fix All Crystal, which is perfect if you are looking for a transparent product which can both glue and repair.

Pallmann Pallmann products are based on silane-terminated products and are used as the base for parquet adhesives and seals. In application and composition they correspond largely to 1-component polyurethane glue. These 1-component glues set by reacting to humidity from the atmosphere. If it is possible to make a choice between a 1-component (1K) glue and a 2-component (2K) system, floor fitters will usually prefer 1K products. Soft silane glues yield only minimal tensions from the wood in the substrate and they allow parquet to swell and shrink. Hard/Hard-elastic silane glues offer greater certainty if there is a need to resist the swelling and shrinking of wood and minimalise any warping in parquet. These glues have greater scope than soft silane glues. Pallmann offers the 1-component STP parquet glue PALLMANN P5. This is a hard-elastic solventless and waterless parquet glue in conformity with DIN EN 14293 for glueing parquet. This glue is suitable for strip parquet (19-22mm), end grain engineered parquet (1622mm), solid parquet, and exotic wood. The 1-component STP glue combines strong elasticity with the benefits of modern STP technology. It contains no solvents or water, so it is largely user-friendly and without harmful effects from the parquet. PALLMANN P6 is the hard-elastic 1-component STP glue of the new generation.

Floor Forum International 91

Special

Producers of silane adhesives

Stauf

Tover

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

Tover MS polymer adhesives: 9 years of success!

Photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tover

Floor Forum International 91

Tover chose Kaneka MS polymer resin for the production of its silane adhesives in 2008. This technology has got many advantages to lay wooden floorings: the adhesive is single-pack with a high coverage, suitable on any subfloor including heating, cooling systems, ceramic tiles and metallic supports, solvent and isocyanate free, with no symbol of risk. It complies with the UNI EN 14293 norm regarding elastic adhesives. Moreover it is easy to clean from prefinished floors and has a long working time. Tovcol MS is available in pails, bags, sausages and cartridges and usable to lay engineered wood of any sizes and species and solid wood till 200 mm wide. Tovcol MS Start is the perfect adhesive for engineered boards of any dimensions and solid till 140 mm.

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Top Italian companies focused on export

ECONOMIC MIRACLE HAS MADE ITALY WEALTHY YET TODAY ECONOMIC GROWTH IS STEADILY WANING

Italy, once the home of the ‘rulers of Europe’, is still a coveted destiny even today. Apart from its world famous culinary traditions (the country is strewn with delicacies), there is also the ‘Made in Italy’ label, which says a lot about the peninsula. After all, Italy is also synonymous with ‘ design’ and ‘style’. The latter expresses itself in the Italian lifestyle, fashion, and interior trends. It’s no wonder that various Italian parquet manufacturers regard ‘ design parquet’ as a star product.

The Italian miracle Germany had its economic miracle (‘Wirtshaftswunder’), but Italy, too, has enjoyed its own economic miracle (‘miracolo economico’). The Italian economic miracle was a period of exceptionally strong economic growth in Italy in the 1950s and 60s. In Italy they refer to that period as ‘boom economico’ or ‘miracolo economico’. That strong economic growth ensured that Italy developed from being a largely underdeveloped agricultural country to a modern industrial nation and one of the biggest economies in the world.

The run-up The basis for that growth was laid in the years prior to the economic miracle. After World War II, policy makers opted for an approach in which industrial modernisation and a pro European stance took centre stage. Finance Minister Luigi Einaudi put a stop to inflation and restored confidence in the lire by means of a strict monetarist policy. Savings increased and money flowed via the banks into industry. Thanks to the Marshall Plan, the country received about 1.2 billion dollars of financial support from abroad in the years from

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1948 to 1951. Furthermore, business leaders selectively applied new American technology and management styles and there was talk of continuity of leadership within the major economic institutions.

Exceptional growth In the fifties and sixties, economic growth figures in Italy reached record levels. Between 1950 and 1973, Italian GDP grew by an average of 5%. Various factors contributed to that strong growth. The world economy grew strongly in the fifties and sixties and world markets continued to open up. Italian entrepreneurs knew how to take advantage of this, so Italian medium and small businesses played an important part in Italy’s economic growth. You still see this feature in the Italian economy and it clearly distinguishes the Italian economic miracle from the German ‘Wirtshaftswunder’. The industrial sector achieved high growth figures through modernisation and the discovery of large quantities of cheap natural gas in the Po plain. The industrial sector grew by 31.4% between 1957 and 1960. The car industry even enjoyed a production increase of 89% in that period and Fiat was the biggest motor car maker in Western Europe in 1967.

Migration Furthermore, there was also a big selection of cheap labour. Unemployment was high until the end of the 1950s and there was a mass exodus from the countryside to the towns. The percentage of employees in the agricultural sector fell from 42.2% in 1951 to 17.2% in 1971. The strong economic growth, however, was concentrated mainly in the north of Italy. That led to mass migration from

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Top Italian companies focused on export

the impoverished south to the north of Italy. It is estimated that about 9,150,000 people moved to a different region of Italy between 1955 and 1971. In the period from 1960 to 1963, migration from the south to the north even numbered 800,000 people per annum. The flow to the north could hardly be absorbed as cities saw their populations rise sharply, but facilities such as housing couldn’t keep pace. In 1961, Turin numbered over 300,000 more inhabitants than in 1951 (a rise of about 43%). The vast supply kept wages low and the trade unions had little power in those days.

Prosperity increases The strong economic growth also saw an increase in prosperity amongst Italians. Lots of homes acquired refrigerators and washing machines (which had also been produced mainly by small and medium Italian businesses), motor scooters and cars came within reach, and television entered the living rooms. All this wrought great changes in the lifestyles and habits of Italians. The sixties witnessed the end of that period of pay restraint and the social security system was extended considerably under the influence of the trade unions. The socialists have been part of the government since 1963 and they have provided more scope for the wishes of employees. Unemployment also fell sharply and, between 1964 and 1968, wages rose by an average of 23%. By about 1970, labour costs had become so high that Italian companies found it harder to compete on foreign markets and the oil crisis of 1973 saw the end of the high economic growth.

Crisis, and yet …! Italy is a wealthy country. The total wealth is no less than nine thousand billion euros; that is higher than Germany per head of population. Moreover, the Italian central bank possesses 2450 tonnes of gold, and that figure puts the country in third place in the gold reserves world rankings behind the USA and Germany. In contrast to France, Italy has a primary surplus in the budget. This surplus was 3.5% in 2012 and is now 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This provides a solid basis for financing the national debt. Moreover, the people of Italy have the lowest share of debt in the euro zone with 45% of the GDP. By contrast, the Dutch have by far the biggest share of debt with 130%.

Huge national debt For a long time, the problem of the Italian economy has been the huge national government debt. The joint share of public and private debt in Italy is about 300% of GDP and comparable with that of France and Germany. Apart from public debts (or government debts), this share also comprises the private debts of citizens, companies, and banks. At present, the total Dutch share of debt is 375%.

Shrinking economy The real stumbling block, however, is not the high government debt in Italy, but rather the ever shrinking economy. This denominator effect, which was 2.4% in 2012, means that government debt is getting bigger and bigger as a percentage of GDP. According to the IMF, this percentage has risen from 120% in 2011 and 126% in 2012 to 130% in 2013. And so, the Italian government is poor, whilst its citizens are rich. In the final analysis that is a choice made by the Italians themselves. This choice means that any form of support for Italy via funds from Brussels is inappropriate.

Wood and parquet About 22.7% of Italy is covered by woods. The regions with the most woods are Trentino Alto Adige (46.5%) and Liguria (53.2%). And so, it is in those regions where we find most woodwork companies. Yet in contrast to other sectors in Italy, the woodworking sector gives less rise to cluster formation. A lot of woodworking is still done in the traditional way. Apart from a number of renowned parquet manufacturers, there are lots of supplier companies for the parquet industry, especially in the chemical industry and in the manufacture of woodwork machines and tools.

Parquet production The total production in the FEP countries fell in 2012 by 4.7% to 68,266,133m². The total parquet production with non-FEP countries included is estimated at 75 million square metres. Italy accounts for 4.83% of the FEP production. That is good for 3,208,508m² of wooden flooring. In 2011, the produced number of square metres was still 3,569,922. That was still 5.48% of the total FEP production. Nevertheless, this represented a considerable drop which corresponds perfectly with the general financial and economic situation.

ECO V

Single-component water-based polyurethane lacquer for wooden ﬂoors Reduced content of volatile organic compounds Very high abrasion resistance

Parquet consumption Parquet consumption in the FEP countries also fell sharply in 2012 by 5.88% to a level of 87,509,000m². In 2011, Italy had a 10.33% share in the total consumption. During that year, the country consumed 9,449,367m² of parquet. That share fell to 9.32% in 2012. The total number of parquet floors still amounted to 8,155,838m², also a very sharp fall.

CHIMIVER PANSERI S.p.A. ECØ V Zulassungsnummer Z-157.10-180

EU Ecolabel: IT/044/004

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

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EFWEX EUROPEAN FLOOR & WALL EXHIBITION

14|16.03.2018

For more information contact us via sales@media-pact.com, or +32 (0) 9 385 80 40 or www.efwex.eu

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Top Italian companies focused on export

CHIMIVER PANSERI S.P.A Chimiver Panseri S.p.A. is a family business with 52 years of experience in making varnishes, glues and related products for parquet floors, resilient, syntethic turf and floors in general. The company was started up by Giovanni Panseri and is now still run by him and his 2 sons Oscar and Nevio. Key words at this Italian company based in Bergamo are a strong work ethos and excellent customer service. Other concerns in this company are the environment and quality through research. Nowadays Chimiver employs 65 people. The company is based on 12.500 m2 of surface and has a capacity of 40.000 kg of glue production per day on 2 different plants and 10.000 liters of varnishes in 1 plant. Apart from traditional parquet products, thanks to long experience, since more than 20 years Chimiver offers on the market also a wide range of UV products supplying the Italian and European leading producer of pre-finished or engineered parquet. Chimiver can satisfy any need in the UV line and its actual range is including fillers, primers, finishing lacquers and complete UV treatment of UV-oils. As Chimiver values the environment, its range include also a complete UV water-based treatment. Chimiver has excellent lab technicians who watch over the quality of the products and who try to develop them even further. Each Chimiver product is a mix of several factors: from the exhaustive research into how it functions to the investigation of any aspect that could make it more effective and longer lasting. This is the way of thinking and research that leads Chimiver into choosing components to use from among all the raw materials available, and into taking notice of suggestions from users. Chimiver is recognized as the biggest player in Italy for parquet products and is now trying to focus even more on export. At present 60% of the company’s turnover is made in Italy and 40 % abroad. Chimiver already exports all over the world from Europe to South-America, Africa and Australia, China and India. +39 (0) 35 795 031 - www.chimiver.com

PROGRESS PROFILES Lino Bordin, founder of Progress Profiles, crossed the Atlantic Ocean after World War II in search of a better life. However, in the early 1980s, he returned to Italy after building up a strong company in Canada in the extrusion of plastic and metal profiles. His son Dennis, who has managed the company since the 1990s, went down the road of technological innovation, encouraged by his brother-in-law Fanio Pontin, who entered the company in the same period. In 2015, the company opened new headquarters in Asolo. They also have divisions in New Jersey, Dubai, and Australia. Progress Profiles makes scores of accessories for the interior, including skirting boards and profiles. The company supplies lots of licensed systems for all types of floors from the installation to the finish. Additional products include LED lights, terrace insulation, protection for balconies, floor heating, etc. The company continues to invest in the latest technology. Progress Profiles makes over 13,000 products in stainless steel, aluminium, bronze, PVC, and real wood. They employ 130 staff and have network of 120 dealers. Their annual capacity is about 12 million square metres. Progress Profiles exports products to over 50 countries worldwide, and exports account for 36% of their turnover. As regards new products, we mention the Pro-shower System and the Pro-shower Panel with innovative solutions for combining functionality and design. Other innovations are Prodeso, Pro-foil Panel, the Go-Board Panel, and Pro-terrace Drain Drip. +39 (0) 423 950 398 - www.progressprofiles.com

LA SAN MARCO PROFILI La San Marco Profili was formed in 1989. Nowadays, it is the expression of two generations of management dedicated to innovation originating from continuous research into, and a passion for, wood. The company is a benchmark on the Italian and foreign markets for the supply of high-quality skirting boards, as well as wooden floors for outdoors installations. La San Marco Profili offers a wide range of skirting boards in different compositions, sizes and finishes. Each skirting board is available in various finishes that provide aesthetic and practical comfort, including lacquer, oil, brushed, and stained. The secret of the company’s success and increasing turnover is its constant adaptation to client demand and changing market situation. Its attention to detail, especially to aesthetics, has inspired the company to create a series of new products with different shapes and finishing that easily match the requirements of the most demanding interior designers and architects. Over the years, the company has developed a policy of prompt delivery thanks to its strong purchase network gained in several years of experience in this market to grant availability and a complete service to all clients. La San Marco Profili exports its products to lots of countries, especially in Europe, but is always interested in finding new distributors in different countries all over the world in order to expand its already wide distribution network and achieve its aim of selling its products internationally. Tel. +39 (0) 438 980 106 - www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

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PARCHETTIFICIO GARBELOTTO

PARQUET IN

A passion for wood, ongoing technological research, and the vast experience of the Garbeletto family have together resulted in Garbelotto/ Master Floor now offering an excellent range of wooden floors and accessories. The company is growing constantly thanks to investment in new machines and production sites. Their philosophy is a combination of art, fashion, technology, and the natural beauty of wood. Garbelotto wooden floors are 100% Made in Italy. The quality undergoes no fewer than three separate controls (computer + manually). The assortment consists of an extensive range of (pre-finished) two and three-layer wooden floors in various dimensions and an endless number of finishes. An impression: 40 colours/treatments, 22 available wood sorts, 19 product lines, in short 999 possible combinations of colours, sizes, finishes etc. An excellent example of innovation is the ‘Line Noblesse’, a pre-finished floor in Hungarian Point. Here, too, there are different sizes, thicknesses, and finishes. Another example is the Creator range with timeless inlay and designs. In 2016, Garbelotto achieved a turnover of 17 million euros with a workforce of 60. Their innovations for 2017-18 include the revolutionary Clip Up System. +39 (0) 438 580 348 - www.garbelotto.com

Parquet In Srl was formed in 1970 and is based in Barletta in Italy. The company specialises in the production of exclusive parquet floors which are ‘Made in Italy’. Years of experience and well trained staff make the difference here. Wood is cherished and processed according to the old processes. Parquet In provides floors for any style and any interior. Old traditions from the world of marquetry are brought back to life in multicoloured and versatile variations. Parquet In has recently added a satin finish to its Elegant Collection. With this new finish, the company achieves a unique gloss and look. This is a confirmation of the vivid creativity of Parquet In. Apart from the satin gloss, Parquet In also presents in this collection a number of modern colours. Colour takes centre stage in the New Mosaics Collection. These floors give a totally new colour expression with black and white as leading shades and grey as a mysterious background. Young and functional! The new mosaic collection presents a vast range of material combinations (e.g. ceramic and glass mosaic). The entire Parquet In philosophy can be found in the Old Chic Collection. For the first time, designer and company manager Eliana Delatte has let loose her creative energy on furniture. The Old Chic Collection is brushed and pre-finished with UV oil, so it is ready for fitting. The latest collection is the Capsule Collection of Samuele Mazza. The company employs about 20 people (Italians) and turnover is about one million euros. +39 (0) 883 536 726 - www.parquetin.com

LECHNER SPA

TOVER

Lechner is a family business, which was formed in 1920 by Ernesto Lechner and specialised originally in the development of resins for quality paints. Over the years, and thanks to intense R&D efforts and acquisitions of other companies, the range has increased considerably. Today, Lechner has three divisions, namely shipping, construction, and Drenatech, a revolutionary system for outdoor floors. The company presents over 200 products and operates in 28 countries in four continents. Over 30% of their turnover comes from exports. The company specialises primarily in the production of glues for PVC, linoleum, rubber, carpet, and wooden floors. Their secret formula comprises quality, innovation, and technical expertise. Key words here are professionalism and flexibility. Lechner is a company with a strong client focus. Major products include Hycol KD Eco, Gommapur, Poliplex 44, Greenpur (for artificial turf), Sipol for wooden floors, and Primer PU 150 (substrate preparation). An innovation this year has been the silane glue SMP Bond 200 for Solid wood. +39 (0) 143 636 103 -www.lechnerspa.it

Tover bases its internationalization development on one fundamental principle linked with the Company story and at the origin of its success on the domestic market: tightly cooperate with customers, stay tuned to their needs to bring the best possible solutions; offer them a wide products range, a high constant quality, anticipate international norms concerning the Environment and humans security thanks to the Research. The recent investments to enlarge the structure and potentiate the productive devices demonstrate the will to expand the company. Its managers are convinced that innovation, flexibility, sustainability and above all the quality of partnerships are determining factors for the firm growth both in Italy and abroad unlike the race to low prices. Many times Tover was a forerunner to reply to specific requests, as for example with Bella isocyanate free two-component lacquer necessary in Belgium, Pro-Deck, the water-based high resistant protective agent for outside used for a cycle track in Milan or Belle Epoque, the water-based stain overcoatable on site with an oil. These excellent results achieved thanks to a common work and the perspectives in various geographical areas are there to confirm the accuracy of their choices. +39 (0) 111 987 8476 - www.tover.com

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Top Italian companies focused on export

ADISPORTFLOOR - SPORT FLOORING

Adisportfloor, founded in 2015, benefits from the extensive experience and passion for wood possessed by two long-standing companies in the industry - Cerlogne Pavimenti, established in 1963 and Giorio, established in 1969. Over the years, these two companies have seen considerable development, becoming an international reference for the production, distribution and laying of wooden floors. The declared aim of this new partnership is to develop high quality sports flooring. The passion of Adisportfloor’s founders drives the pursuit of increasingly better results, just as it does in sport. Thanks to continuous research conducted in relation to products and installation systems, Adisportfloor leads the way in the innovation and development of new solutions, ensuring sports facilities comply with the strictest international certification requirements. Flooring is not just a simple surface for Adisportfloor, but an essential and integral part of sport itself. +39 (0) 173 975 664 - www.adisportfloor.it

ALMAFLOOR- GIORIO

Alma is one of the most renowned brands of wooden flooring and is well established in both the Italian & international markets thanks to the wide range of solutions offered. Alma combines the warmth and naturalness of wood with exclusive finishes and will enhance any space. A combination of the best raw materials and the latest trends in the world of parquet have created a series of collections with a unique style thanks to their appearance, the way they feel to the touch or the look they create. Vintage, classic, elegant or even modern, Alma flooring offers a captivating new look. Those who choose Alma, choose style and beauty without compromising on quality, the trademark of the Giorio brand. Now Alma focused on the production of wooden floors, in particular, laminated, classic and traditional solid designs. +39 (0) 173 976 520 - www.almafloor.it

ADESIV

www.progressprofiles.com

Exteriors finishing details Protects, enhances

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PROTERRACE SYSTEM Profile Systems for terraces and balconies, that protects the edges of the tiles and guarantees the flow of water. A full range of multi-functional perimeter profiles, in aluminum and stainless steel, to replace the “L” element in ceramic and the marble thresholds. Proterrace profiles have a vertical section that finishes the edge detail and a built in lower flap that sheds water away from the structure. These profiles have a punched flange to facilitate its bonding to the substrate and optional water draining holes to remove any water that may have infiltrate the coverings and need to be elinated. (Drain Version Only)

PR O FI L E S & SY S T E MS

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Adesiv was formed in 1971. The company produces adhesives for various industrial sectors and has established a fine reputation thanks to its ongoing product development. The company has always set great store by quality, image, and care for the environment. Adesiv exports a lot of products, and export figures are rising each year. The company has its own network of distributors in more than 40 countries to ensure that its clients always receive excellent service. The clients are mainly wooden floor fitters who purchase products from dealers, but also parquet industries buy products and much importance is given to the ‘private label’ sector. In fact, many international companies have been turning to Adesiv for a long time to have a range of customised products. The company is well known for its high quality adhesives, but has also made significant progress in coatings and wooden floor maintenance products. Given that pre-finished wooden floors are becoming much more popular, Adesiv is ready with its varnishes for the day when all those floors need renovating. At all events, Adesiv is fully convinced that wooden floors have a great future. What many clients do not know is that Adesiv, ever since its opening, has been producing with increasing success adhesives for the footwear industry and paper converting. It is in these fields that the company is investing in R&D laboratories and advanced machinery. +39 (0) 424 566 406 - www.adesiv.it

∂ Industry news Soudal announces the acquisition of the South-Korean sealant producer Dong Yang

After studying business administration in Reutlingen with a major in international marketing, Hanspeter Bressa began his career at UZIN in the field of product management and later held a leading position in international marketing. Bressa succeeds Alexander Magg, who left the company at his own request.

Neuhofer Holz

Soudal is proud to announce the acquisition of the South-Korean sealant producer Dong Yang Silicone Co. Ltd. The company has a turnover of 30 million euro and a product portfolio similar to that of Soudal. This acquisition is a further step in the geographical expansion of Soudal and strengthens its position in the Asian markets. Dong Yang Silicone was established in 2003 and develops and manufactures silicone sealants, MS sealants and acrylic sealants. The company employs 52 people and focuses on the construction sector, industrial markets and the glazing industry. In these sectors, Dong Yang has achieved a leading position in its Korean home market. Dong Yang‘s current management will stay in charge and the entire company staff will remain in place. For the coming years there are plans to expand both production capacity and employment. Vic Swerts, founder and president of Soudal: “The acquisition of Dong Yang fits into our strategy to strengthen our sales and production capacity on the Asian market. It is part of our geographical expansion, our third pillar of growth, together with product innovation and development of new applications. As we did with previous foreign acquisitions, the acquisition of Dong Yang will be used as a platform for further growth in the country itself and in the wider region. We plan to invest in the expansion of Dong Yang and to add our products to their portfolio. Dong Yang becomes our 17th production site worldwide. It is an important new step to achieve the global ambitions of Soudal and to reach our target of 1 billion euro turnover in 2020.”

UZIN: Hanspeter Bressa new Marketing Director Hanspeter Bressa (49) has taken over the management of UZIN's national and international marketing with effect from 1th of September. Bressa has been a member of the company for 17 years and worked most recently as Marketing Director for UZIN France in Paris. With Hanspeter Bressa, we are able to fill the position with an internationally experienced manager," says Jürgen Walter, Head of the UZIN Business Unit. This decision strengthens both the national and international orientation of UZIN-Marketing, in which we have already invested and will continue to invest in the future." Christof Folkerts already strengthened the international marketing at the beginning of the year.

FN digiprint 4.0: Investment in a new digital printing machine At Neuhofer Holz, Industry 4.0 is given a high profile and has been implemented step by step in almost all areas. In order to further expand its technological lead, the company has invested in a new, cutting-edge digital printing machine. This system convinces by its variety of innovative functions and thus substantially contributes to increasing the process efficiency. Benefits of the new digital printing machine: - Print width up to 330 mm - Excellent print resolution up to 1260 dpi (high definition print) - Stone designs and one-colour decors corresponding to pantone colours can be printed - Colours: 4 standard colours (CMYK) - Ample print head assembly provides for a reliably high print quality - Many different materials are printable: paper, PP film, PE film, PVC film, PET film, BOPP film, aluminium film - A variety of possibilities for final coat: matt or high-gloss - Very quick sampling of films compared to gravure printing The digital printing machine that has been in service since 2010 is additionally adapted to the latest state of the art. The total capacity is thus quadrupled! Perfect results The results are flawless. With the same print and via different surface coatings, decor paper for a wide range of applications can be produced, such as skirting boards, floor profiles, corner sticks, doorframe strips. And all this perfectly matching the decor of the floor. Digitally printed boards Printed three-layer boards or MDF boards with different surface treatments, e.g. brushed, chopped, or plainly sanded, are an innovation in the FN portfolio. Each surface brings out the printed images and designs very individually and strongly. In this way, it is possible to use these boards with e.g. a matured timber look for interior decoration or furniture, or to simply print a beautiful picture as a wall decoration. The cut surfaces of the panel can be covered using the veneer edge that is designed to match the decor. Further investment In addition to the acquisition of the digital printing machine, the company also invested in a new patterning room: the “FN Digiprint Competence Center”. This room is provided with optimum lighting conditions in order to even further perfect the results when patterning the designs and to ensure the best possible customer service.

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∂ Product news BASIN : NO VISIBLE GREEN+ Do you want an invisible finish for your sandpapered or untreated parquet? Now you can! BASIN offers you the perfect solution with its new NO VISIBLE green+ which is presently on sale in its completely new ‘improved’ formula. As a matter of fact, the NO VISIBLE green+ is more ecological because it now contains no isocyanates and is low in VOCs. Its application open time has increased to almost three weeks and it is more resistant to wear and tear. Last but not least, the BASIN knowhow enables them to achieve all these extra benefits for the same price as the old NO VISIBLE ! The new NO VISIBLE green+ is now the ONLY product which you need to treat your wood whilst guaranteeing its natural look. For more information you can contact them by e-mail via info@basin.be or by telephone on +32-51-650010.

BOSTIK Bostik is a leading global specialist in joint and seal technology and has now extended its range with a new skirting board glue, which can be painted over. Bostik Skirting Board Glue is a universal assembly glue developed by Bostik for skirting boards and profiles. This glue and joint sealant in one can be painted over using most alkyd resin lacquers and waterborne paints and sticks well to various materials. Bostik Skirting Board Glue is suitable for glueing skirting boards and profiles in wood, MDF, natural stone, PVS, stainless steel, or aluminium onto bases such as stone, concrete, brick, or stucco work, and this also applies for glueing onto uneven substrates and natural stone. The glue adheres immediately, so pressing is not necessary. Bostik Skirting Board Glue can be supplied immediately in 290ml cylinders.

CABBANI Cabbani has issued an architect file with real samples and a completely renewed brochure. This file is designed to introduce architects to the timeless finishes and designs of the Cabbani range. This completely renewed source of inspiration includes attractive project photographs, an outline of the à la carte system, and technical information. It is a vital tool for interior architects and professionals! Ask for your copy by e-mail today. You can also visit Cabbani at Domotex Hannover in Hall 12 C13.

HE HESSE : PURA-ONE NOW IMO CERTIFIED Hesse is the only parquet supplier with an IMO certificate for virtually non-inflammable parquet lacquer in its range, namely ‘PURA-ONE’. The IMO (International Maritime Organisation) certification for Fire Safety is increasingly a requirement in ship building. PURA-ONE with the IMO certificate is therefore listed as mandatory by some ship building sites for the treatment of parquet floors in new cruise ships. A product with the IMO certificate can be recognised by the helm.

OSMO : HARDWAX-Oil Express Polyx®-Oil Express is a very fast drying, clear wood finish for professionals. It is ideal for the protection of wooden flooring and furniture surfaces, and it enhances the colour intensity of wood surfaces. The finish is resistant to wear, moisture and stains, durable and extremely hard-wearing. In combination with Hardener 6632, the finish cures completely after as little as 1 or 2 hours, and so the second coat can be applied on the same day. Polyx®-Oil Express is, in combination with the Hardener, also suitable for the treatment of oily and resinous hardwoods, such as Wenge. And also available as a matt finish.

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Bo Powe na r Dr NEB ive

Bona Brush Technology Enabling new heights in wood floor texture & effects Bonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique Brush Technology allows you to enhance the natural character of wood and create dramatic new looks on existing pre-laid wood floors. Bona Brush Technology gets down to the grain to create texture and wood floor effects with a difference. From two-tone contrasts, to eye-catching, contemporary 2-colour effects, when combined with Bonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range of oils and finishes, the possibilities are endless.

bona.com/brushtechnology

Introducing the first 1k oil that works like a 2k Discover our new woodfloor oil at Domotex 2018 12-15 January Hall 13 Stand D21