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n R 4 tio na VE 4 t r si e O E V i I nt N tand um a t AN 7 s or H ll rF X ) Ha oo Fl TE 14 O 20 M 1. O .0 D 1 -1 4
INTERNATIONAL trade journal for import, export, distribution and laying of parquet, laminate, cork flooring and related products
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industry news
TOP ITALIAN COMPANIES FOCUSED ON EXPORT
NEW : The European Floor & Wall Exhibition European
Floor & Wall Exhibition
16, 17 & 18 March 2014 - FLANDERS EXPO GENT (B)
After show: MADE expo Milan (I) Special: Elastic adhesives
Special: Distressed floors
Special: Laminate floors (part 2) Special: Stair renovation
Special: Engineered floors
Special: Producers of profiles
N° 63, November. 2013 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept, Nov, Dec) Office of delivery 9099 Ghent X, P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder
Multilayer parquet, multiple enjoyment The engineered wooden flooring by Lalegno is more stable than traditional massive wooden floors and is available in oak, exotic species and durable bamboo. The extensive range of different sizes and finishes available offers solutions to suit every style. Therefore Lalegno flooring is the first choice of every flooring professional.
For more information on our products, please check our website www.lalegno.be or contact us via info@lalegno.be
industry news
N° 63, November. 2013 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept, Nov, Dec) Office of delivery 9099 Ghent X, P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder
TOP ITALIAN COMPANIES FOCUSED ON EXPORT
NEW : The European Floor & Wall Exhibition European
Floor & Wall Exhibition
16, 17 & 18 March 2014 - FLANDERS EXPO GENT (B)
After show: MADE expo Milan (I) Special: Elastic adhesives
Special: Distressed floors
Special: Laminate floors (part 2) Special: Stair renovation
Special: Engineered floors
Special: Producers of profiles
Floor Forum International, N° 63, November ’13 Photo Mardegan Legno
European
Floor & Wall Exhibition
16, 17 & 18 March 2014 - FLANDERS EXPO GENT (B)
NEW :
The European Floor & Wall Exhibition 4 Inside news 9 The European Floor & Wall Exhibition: Latest News 11 Company visit Ardesia (I) 12 Special Producers of Profiles 16 Project Rubio Monocoat (B) Luxurious residence of Johannesburg 18 Special Producers of veneer wooden floors 20 Special Elastic adhesives 26 Special UV lacquers 31 Project Europlac Cabannes (F) Housing complex in Toulouse (F) 32 Special Laminate floors (part 2)
36 Special Stair renovations 39 Company profile Design Parquet (F) 40 After Show MADE Expo Milan (I) 43 Special Sanding machines (part 2) 47 Special Producers of distressed floors 53 Special Producers of engineered floors 58 Industry news
59 Special Top Italian companies focused on Export 66 Product news
Subscriptions to Floor Forum International: Mail to info@media-pact.com
Visit us at
34 Project Z- Parket (B) Hotel Intercontinental Marseille (F)
Editorial “We’re investing in extra production capacity” In this edition Franz Neuhofer from the Austrian skirting board and profile producer FN Neuhofer Holz gives us a look at the market for skirting boards and profiles and the new trends which he has noticed. At the same time, Mr Neuhofer looks ahead and tells us about his company’s ambitions for 2014. “Our company’s market situation is quite favourable. We’re seeing a stable market in Central Europe and slight growth in Eastern Europe. Furthermore, Western Europe and the Franz Neuhofer, managing director of FN Neuhofer Holz United Kingdom are gradually starting to grow once again. In Southern Europe demand is low and prices are under pressure. Our biggest opportunities are in various countries around the world with strong economic growth. This is why we’ve committed ourselves successfully to exporting our products worldwide. We now export 87% of our production and are present in about 70 countries.”
What are the trumps of FN Neuhofer Holz on the global market? “We have a strong reputation because of our superior technology and the innovative products which we launch. Then there’s our reliability and service with the best possible price/quality ratio. This all results in attractive growth for the company. At present, we have a production capacity of 125 million running metres per annum. We’re going to expand this capacity considerably in the course of 2014. We also intend to invest considerably in further improving our production processes and at the same time we also want to increase “automation”. To satisfy our clients’ wishes even more, we’re also enlarging our sales team with a view to improving our service. With our extensive range and good service, we’re able to persuade clients to order their required products from us. That’s easier and more secure for them, and it saves them valuable time.”
What new trends have you seen on the market? “LVT floors continue to grow. And so, our sector is having to develop further applied solutions. Thankfully, digital printing technology nowadays is so advanced that it is easy to provide solutions for these types of floors. For that matter, we’re exhibiting a new range of products for LVT at Domotex. We’ve also found that there’s a growing demand for pastel colours and white skirting boards and profiles. As regards design, clients are looking for higher skirting boards and the shape itself can once again be somewhat more imaginative.”
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Adriana Dascalu info@media-pact.com Hilde De Ridder floorforum@telenet.be Filip De Ridder sales@media-pact.com
Lowyck - Oostende
Publisher
Jean Paul Talbot Ludwig Janssens Filip De Ridder Jacques Legros
Filip De Ridder Lay-out:
Be-able Communication www.be-able.be
Translation:
Michael Robinson Floor Forum International is a publication of FFi bvba
Editors:
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.
Contents, Colophon & Editorial
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INTERNATIONAL trade journal for import, export, distribution and laying of parquet, laminate, cork flooring and related products
www.floor-forum.com
content
> Inside news Ardesia/ presentation of Otello Ceron
Inside News
L.P. Rolle (HQ Netherlands)
Means and persons: the fundamental ingredients of any companies. Persons, first of all, without whom, means cannot be managed. Ardesia has chosen Otello Ceron as its new export manager. He’ll bring to the company his reliability and decennial experience. His central goal is the developing of the foreign markets and, in order to do that, Ardesia has to pass through a full restyling. Collections will be enlarged and modified: new craftings, finishes and products (herring-bone, patterns and mega boards) will be added. Any market, looking for engineered floorings 100% made in Italy will be potentially satisfied and Otello Ceron is firmly convinced that, besides quality and impressive items, an aggressive marketing action is strictly necessary. So, first step will be a total revising of Ardesia’s image with: web site, catalogues and merchandising. Practically: a hard but enthusiastic challenge!
Floor Forum International 63
Domotex Hannover
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The international floor coverings industry is watching Hannover, Germany, with keen anticipation because that’s where the next DOMOTEX show will be held. DOMOTEX is the world’s No. 1 trade fair for carpets and floor coverings. In 2014, from 11 to 14 January, some 1,400 companies from 60 nations will converge on the Hannover Exhibition Center to showcase their latest products and new season’s collections. DOMOTEX picks up on key trends and innovations and sets the tone in international interior design fashions for each new year. And with its new Innovations@ DOMOTEX format, next year’s show will give unprecedented exposure to a select handful of product innovations and design highlights, starting with a major pre-show PR campaign. Exhibitorsinterested in showcasing their innovations in textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and laminate flooring and modern hand-made carpets as part of the Innovations@DOMOTEX format still have until 2 October to submit their applications. Submission is free of charge. Houtimport L.P. Rollé Schijndel B.V. L.P. Rollé was formed about 50 years ago and is now in the hands of Antoon van den Hurk and his two sons, Ton and Deevid. Despite an eventful history (including a severe fire in 2003 at its Schijndel headquarters), the company has grown into a major world player in the field of oak planks and milling. Rollé has of fices in France (including its own drying facilities and warehouse since 1998 and, since 1999, a separate sales office for France)
Arbois Commercial (sales France)
and Ukraine. The head office is located at Schijndel in the Netherlands. This completely new complex is equipped with the very latest technology. The company sells its goods worldwide, but mainly in Europe. 20 people work at Schijndel , and in total the Rollé Group employs about 100 people. The LPR Group takes care of the entire process, from the forest to the artificially dried wood (90% oak). Rollé can saw the most suitable wood from France, Germany, and Eastern Europe following the best procedures since it has its own sawmills and strong links with other sawmills. The group aims for ongoing quality and quantity for its European oak for the furniture, parquet, and floor industries, door manufacturers, and stair and interior builders. The total annual capacity amounts to 60,000m³ of sawn wood.In 2013, the group is starting to saw and plane wood at its offices in Ukraine.
Uro Lumber (concentration yard Ukraine)
Furthermore, in 2013, the group is also trying to expand its market. At present, they are looking to expand in an easterly direction from the Netherlands, namely Germany and Eastern Europe, but they also have their eyes on the United Kingdom and Asia. The Rolle Group, which is based in the Netherlands, has furthered its own areas of concentration in countries such as France and Ukraine. To secure their supply in European Oak, they operate a sawmill in France and, in addition, they have a network of about 60 sawmills in France, Germany, and Ukraine with which they cooperate. www.lprolle.com - +31 (0) 735430043
Ageorges (Sawmill France)
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> continued from page 4
Europlac EUROPLAC has just started using a machine of the make Wintersteiger/ref. TRC-M easy in the factory in France, so that the parquet boards can be treated perfectly with putty. The big advantage of this machine, apart from its speed and precision, is its capacity to fill the smallest open gnarls or splits of less than a centimetre. Putty is applied with the use of a laser point followed by filling with putty and warm rollers. A hardener ensures that the putty dries perfectly in the entire depth and prevents bubble formation, which occurs if putty is applied by hand and thereby hardens ‘slowly’.
Inside News
MULTI TOPFLOOR KNOWLEGDE
Multi Topfloor B.V. is a manufacturer of solid and engineered oak wood flooring, located in The Netherlands near Amsterdam. The main product line is a multiplex birch bedding, glued in a real unique way with a top layer of oak but also bamboo and other
hardwoods are possible. The engineered floors, tongue and groove around, are available in thickness 15,5 and 20 mm and width from 180 till 280 mm. Length up to 3000 mm. With or without UV Hardwax Oil finish, brushed, stained, smoked, aged or lye treated. Multi Topfloor is FSC® certified with focus on sustainability. www.multitopfloor.com PROGRESS PROFILES AT THE BIG 5 IN DUBAI CAST A NEW LIGHT ON YOUR AMBIENT A new concept of profile with customisable light effect: Proled Systems reinvent the idea of profiles focusing on the lighting systems as the creative solution for a new world of furnishing and living. The new line will be presented by PROGRESS PROFILES at The Big 5 fair in Dubai. PROSKIRTING GILED is an innovative profile - conceived by the architect G. Toneguzzi - available in silver anodized aluminum or polished aluminum chrome, with an integrated LED illumination system generating soft and indirect light. This profile can be used instead of the classic skirting board and, rotated 180°, installed along the perimeters nearby the ceiling. The PROLED SYSTEMS include also the strip PROLISTEL LED, perfect
www.multitopfloor.com PRODUCTION
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GLUE KNOWLEDGE Ambacht 24 1511 JZ Oostzaan The Netherlands
Floor Forum International 63
MULTI TOPFLOOR BV is a Dutch manufacturer of high quality solid and engineered oak wooden flooring.
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+31 (0)75-7600100 info@multitopfloor.com
ASSORTMENT
SECRET
The specific knowledge of the production of wooden flooring and the secret of the gluing method, makes the difference as well as the wide assortment. This extreme stable product is through the way of gluing, free from insects, larvae’s and eggs, resistant to moist from air and floors (wet basements) and can stand severe (foot) traffic as in office or museum. Available in various widths, lengths and thicknesses with all kind of finishing from natural, classic or modern art. Tailor made products are also possible. The customers wish is our command. Please contact us for conditions and prices.
DIFFERENCE
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> continued from page 6
for any kind of covering, and the stair nosing profile PROSTAIR LED, the right solution for an elegant atmosphere. More information about the products of Progress Profiles with their complete features are available on the website www.progressprofiles.com
THE ULTIMATE GENERATION OF HIDDEN FASTENERS
PG Hardwood Flooring In recent months, PG Hardwood Flooring surveyed several industry professionals to gain insight into the latest flooring trends. Once again this year, grey is very popular in interior design. So, two new shades of grey have joined our product line: Roccia, a medium grey offered in the preoiled Model Classic Collection and Urbania, a mouse grey available in the prefinished Unique Collection. About PG Hardwood Flooring Urbania PG Hardwood Flooring currently ranks among the largest solid hardwood flooring manufacturers in Canada. Visit our new website today at pgmodel.com.
WITH STAINLESS STEEL REINFORCEMENT
Timber decking & cladding
Proline – Training at Tychon Frères On request of its Belgian customer Tychon Frères, Proline held an intensive training for the Tychon customers and staff. At first Mohamed Belbaz, the Export Manager who is responsible for Benelux introduced into the Proline company philosophy. According to the season, the drainage systems PROCODRAIN, the decoupling mats PROSECURE PE+ as well as PROSECURE fibretec were the focal point. The Proline senior sales technician Eric Pfund introduced a lot of practical examples with the result that the participants could identify with the products, their advantages and their easy way of handling. Rubio Monocoat opens new showrooms in China and Vietnam. Rubio Monocoat is in full expansion. This is why we have invested in two new showrooms. Rubio Monocoat China opened its doors in a business complex in Beijing, where Haro also has one of its departments. The showroom is open 7 days a week. In addition, the finishing touches have been put on the stylish office with adjoining showroom located in Ho Chi Minh City.
info@hardwoodclip.com +32 (0) 474 49 49 99
www.hardwoodclip.com
Discover the Future of Floor & Wall solutions European
Floor & Wall Exhibition
Discover the latest collections and technological solutions for parquet, laminate, cork, bamboo, LVT, PVC and vinyl flooring, terrace floors (wood and composite) and fastening systems, fitting, finishing, and maintenance products, wooden exterior cladding, and related accessories. - The latest innovations and trends in the floor industry. - Add to your expertise via instructive conferences on technical issues. - The ideal opportunity to build up your network and discover new business opportunities. - Free admission for professionals. - Visit the exhibition and win one of the numerous tools and gadgets! - Free WiFi and catering for all exhibitors and visitors.
www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu T. +32 9 385 80 40 sales@european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
European
Floor & Wall Exhibition
16, 17 & 18 March 2014 - FLANDERS EXPO GENT (B)
Floor & Wall Exhibition
16, 17 & 18 March 2014 - FLANDERS EXPO GENT (B)
European Floor & Wall Exhibition: 16-18 March 2014 in Ghent, Belgium: Three days of experience, professional expertise, and inspiration! The new trade fair ‘European Floor & Wall Exhibition EFWEX’, which takes place next spring, has all the ingredients to be an unrivalled success. Huge numbers of exhibitors and visitors have registered and the programme now under construction is both varied and attractive.
Visitors and exhibitors are VIPs: Free catering and Internet access Both exhibitors and visitors get VIP treatment at European Floor & Wall Exhibition. During the exhibition, the organisers are providing free drinks, bread rolls, soup, and pasta for both exhibitors and visitors. The organisers have also considered the working facilities of all those present. And so, there is cable-free Internet access free of charge for professional purposes.
Scores of attractive prizes for visitors The organisers appreciate the professionalism of the visitors who are coming to European Floor & Wall Exhibition. Therefore, they have provided an extensive package of highly trendy and attractive gifts and work tools, which will be drawn by lot exclusively for professional visitors*: These prizes include a series of I-pad Minis, Samsung Galaxy S’4 smart phones, and handy radios for the work place. Prizes will be drawn at various intervals during the three days. This means that all professional visitors will have the chance to go home after an informative, indispensible, and attractive show with a nice useful gift! Attractive and informative range of seminars All professionals in attendance at the exhibition can register for a number of seminars relating to use of material, professional fitting, and avoiding problems. A series of seminars is planned to provide an in-depth and well-rounded insight into various technical challenges. To this end, the organisers have joined forces with the Building Confederation (‘Confederatie Bouw’) and the BBRI (Belgian Building Research Institute) in Brussels. ‘Architecture & Design Room’ Last but not least, the European Floor & Wall Exhibition also provides creative inspiration. In a separate Architecture & Design Room visitors can enjoy a visual presentation on the use of wooden floors, exterior wall cladding, vinyl, and LVT from leading projects completed by architects and interior designers from Belgium and abroad. *The prize draw is reserved exclusively for professional visitors. Exhibitors, students, and their companions cannot take part.
Folow us on:
visit NEW www.floor-forum.com - Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ Visitthe the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
Floor Forum International 63
Full range of collections and product demonstrations by exhibitors European Floor & Wall Exhibition is designed to give the European sector a full range of the best that the sector has to offer in parquet, vinyl, laminate, LVT, outdoor terraces, exterior wall cladding, and all accessories. The exhibitors also have the exclusive privilege of using their stands to organise practical demonstrations of their products and how to use them. When the magazine went to press on 18 November, apart from the still many running options, the following companies/brands had already registered for EFWEX: Amtico International, Muylle Facon/Rubio Monocoat, Debal Coatings/Ciranova, Floorconcepts, WOCA, Stauf, Litubel Staki, Parkettfreund, Fidbox, Menzer, iTools, Air Natural, Adesiv, FSC Belgium, Mac Lean Products, Buzon Pedestal International, Soudal, Vetedy Luxembourg, Spea, Créative Laser Wood, Bona Benelux, Flamingo Parket, Lalegno, Impertek, Bostik Belux, BJ Parket, Z-Parket, V33 Plastor, Blanchon, Klindex, Hoebeek, Leplang, Dust Solutions and Equipment Center, Ipe Latino, Rectavit, Solidor, CSP, Soest, Carpentier Hout Industrie, Alpha Floors, Unifloor, Sika, Holz Bois, PEFC Belgium, Devomat, De parket plaatsers, New Floors, Europlac Cabannes, Oosterlinck NV, VEC Equipment Center, B- Fix/Sindrila, Emfi, …. This list will certainly have grown considerably by the time that you read the magazine. You will find regular updates to the list of exhibitors and brands in our digital newsletters.
Special The European Floor & Wall Exhibition: Latest News
European
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D E S I G N® PA R Q U E T
Pedestals from SOLIDOR will make difference Les Plots réglables de Solidor ferontthe la différence
10 NEW COLORS...
pour ajusterthe la hauteur deyour votre terrasse ! to adjust height of terrace!
F r a n c e
Pedestals from SOLIDOR will make difference Les Plots réglables de Solidor ferontthe la différence
Visit pour us thethe ajuster la hauteur deyour votre terrasse ! to at adjust height of terrace!
European Floor &grilles Wall Exhibition (B) ! METAL GRATES WOOD OR WPC métalliques lames de bois 16/18.03.2014
METAL GRATES grilles métalliques
WOOD WPC lames OR de bois
TILES dalleCONCRETE en béton, céramique
SOLAR PANELS panneaux solaires
TILES dalleCONCRETE en béton, céramique
SOLAR PANELS panneaux solaires
Loft Pro
Semi-solid wood flooring “BASALT”
stable stable •• Remarkably remarquablement
•• Easy simple et réglable avec précision and adjustable with precision
220 mm
•••Fast installation facile et rapide and easy installation stable • Remarkably remarquablement stable •• Very très robuste robust •• Easy simple et réglable avec précision and adjustable with precision •• Durable durable •• Fast installation facile et rapide and easy installation •• Modular système system modulaire •• Very très robuste robust •• Slope Correcteur de pente corrector •• Durable durable •• Easy Facilement accessible pour l’entretien accessible for maintenance and reparation •• Modular système modulaire system
Width 220 mm, thickness 20 mm, length 1500-2200 mm, top layer 5,5mm, Birch plywood base for a better stability of the floor. Natura oiled - Black grey - Old fashioned - Square edge Rustic/campagne oak
•• Slope Correcteur de pente corrector
Solidor Rubber & Products bvba •• Easy Facilement accessible pour l’entretien accessible for maintenance and reparation LAUwBERgSTRAAT 124b B-8930 LAUWE - BELgiQUE TEL.: +32 (0)56 41 35 70 - FAX : +32 (0)56 40 37 68 Solidor Rubber & Products bvba www.SOLIDOR.BE LAUwBERgSTRAAT 124b B-8930 LAUWE - BELgiQUE
www.designparquet.fr
TEL.: +32 (0)56 41 35 70 - FAX : +32 (0)56 40 37 68 www.SOLIDOR.BE
ARDESIA
Floor Forum International 63
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AGENTS FOR U.K., FRANCE AND EAST EUROPE
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www.anticofilo.com
www.ardesiasrl.eu
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Ardesia: Multi-layer quality parquet and ‘Made in Italy’! WILL YOU BECOME OUR EXCLUSIVE DEALER?
Quality: from production to customer service Ardesia takes care of all its own production, so it is 100% Made in Italy. Each part of the production process, from sawing the wood to the final plank finish, is subjected to the quality control of well trained and professional staff. This can also be seen from Ardesia’s extremely stable wooden floors and their long lifespan. The company’s know-how and technology enables them to respond quickly and flexibly to various demands or to deliver tailormade floors. Ardesia’s clients also appreciate the company for its good communication, efficient service, and speedy deliveries. Despite the economic recession which Italy is suffering, Ardesia continues to be a healthy and competitive company with over 40 employees, a turnover of around seven million euros, and annual production of over 200,000 square metres.
New products – international ambition Ardesia does have international plans, however. They will be extending their parquet range considerably and they are looking to increase sales via export. In the autumn, they will be extending the range with a number of splendid, traditional, and timeless wooden floors. These include Italian herringbone and Hungarian point floors, traditional panels (tailor-made, if necessary), and a series of floors with new traditional finishing options such as scraped or sandblasted wooden floors. All these trump cards mean that the company is certainly ready for the export market. They are looking at both traditional export countries and new countries with emerging markets for qualitative and stylish Italian wooden floors. Visit us at www.anticofilo.com and www.ardesiasrl.eu Contact us at otello@ardesia-srl.it
Floor Forum International 63
Core Business: three-layer wooden planks Ardesia’s core business revolves around the successful and greatly appreciated ‘Maxi’ range of wooden floors. Maxi offers threelayer parquet in fifteen varieties of wood, with over thirty varieties of finish and maximum dimensions of 20 x 195 x 2400mm. Another highly successful collection is the ‘Mito’ collection, which accounts for a considerable portion of the turnover. This collection is characterised mainly by variants in Oak wood, also scraped and sawed, at competitive prices (dimensions: 12 x 135-155 x 1200/2000mm).
Antico Filò distressed floors The Antico Filò collection exhibits the technological and traditional expertise of Ardesia. These are wide planks in which the unique and natural character of wood is developed into a unique floor through manual scraping and sawing on the outside. In short, there is a floor for anyone who wants to give expression to their love of antique floors from bygone days. Antico Filò is available in Oak and Larch wood in twenty different finishes and large sizes (maximum 20 x 250 x 2400mm).
Company visit Ardesia (I)
Parquet manufacturer Ardesia from Follina, near Venice, is specialized in the production of two and three-layer wooden floors. The production is carried out in a high-tech, computerised factory and meets the strictest standards of quality and ecology.
Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
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PROFILES ARE GETTING MORE SPECIFIC ONCE AGAIN. Special Producers of Profiles
METAL COLOURS ARE STILL THE DOMINANT TREND If skirting boards and profiles have one thing in common, it is that they both combine a technical function with an indisputable decorative role. The effects of this conclusion are much greater than you might suppose. Indeed, it means that these two product categories are almost constantly in a state of change. At the same time, decorative fashion shifts and new technical application scopes also fan the flames of innovation. It is profiles which present the biggest technical challenges. As for decoration, they simply follow general interior trends. Multifunctional boost A remarkable contradictory development has taken place in the world of profiles over the past few years. One problem for both wholesalers and professional fitters has always been the vast number of possible cases which required a profile. After all, profiles provide an aesthetic bridge for thresholds. Profiles specifically for floors are legion.
Floor Forum International 63
Photo: K端berit
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Photo: Neuhofer
Sorts of profiles Strictly speaking, we identify five sorts of profiles for parquet: corner profiles, threshold profiles, end profiles, expansion profiles, and staircase profiles (see elsewhere in this edition). These different sorts provide for any imaginable transition which floor fitting can involve. Stop profiles or end profiles make a transition between floor and wall. Transition profiles either join two different floors at the same level (e.g. parquet and carpet) or two different floors (different types or the same) at a different level. They have a protective function since they safeguard the edge of the highest floor; they also have a safety function since they stop people from stumbling over the different levels; they also have an aesthetic function since they make the difference in levels less obtrusive. Finally, we mention edge profiles, which we use, for example, to mark platforms, raised floorboards, or staircase edges. New construction and renovation Profiles are used in many construction disciplines both in new construction and renovation. Obviously, the renovation market is the most popular.
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Towards ‘multifunctional’ A movement which we’ve all managed to follow is the trend towards multifunctional profiles. It is clear that the number of differences in height which can occur between two different floors is ‘infinite’ from a mathematical point of view. In recent years, manufacturers have concentrated intensively on developing profiles which can provide a solution for different situations simultaneously. For example, there are various profiles which are suitable for bridging a good number of heights or profiles which can be converted into a horizontal threshold profile, reduction profile, or even an edge or staircase profile. ‘Two-in-one’ has become the norm, but it often seems more like ‘four-or-eightin one’! … and back There is no universal agreement on this point, but a number of dealers have concluded that this dominance of multifunctional profiles is gradually coming to an end. This gives us at once the first real ‘clash’ between the technical function of profiles and, on the other hand, their decorative role. After all, we are seeing that general trend towards personalisation and ‘tailor-made’ solutions. Customised work is even raising its head via digital printing whereby everyone can have their own individual preferences converted ‘down to the last detail’ and, therefore, to the profiles as well. One thing is for sure: a possible return to individualism will not make it any easier for profile accessory dealers to keep items in stock. Metal and dark Then, of course, there is that decorative component. Has much changed? Not really! Metal colours are still proving consistently popular. Profiles in stainless steel and aluminium continue to make strides. What is noticeable, apart from the classical tints such as aluminium, bronze, silver, and a whole series of wood decors, is that ‘black’ is also establishing an important place. As we
have already said, digital printing now makes it possible to design profiles which either correspond for 100% to the look of the floor or deviate from it completely. The motto is the exclusive thing here and, according to some people, it is gaining ground, but other people feel this is more important with regard to skirting boards than technical profiles. Novelties which stand out include bendable profiles (including staircase profiles) and profiles for vinyl. Simultaneously to the creation of a wide variety of aesthetic and decorative possibilities, manufacturers are also concentrating on improving the durability of the profiles. As we have said, the decorative and the technical go hand in hand.
Special Producers of Profiles
Amongst other things, the tendency of modern renovators to convert several small rooms into larger, open rooms creates a surprisingly large number of differences in level to be bridged. Kitchens are opened up into the living room, staircase halls become part of the interior, rooms run through the house, and the bigger the continuous surface, the greater the need for items such as expansion joints and the greater the chance of differences in height and combinations of different sorts of floors.
A look at the range Küberit
At Küberit they see powder coating in black and individual wood decors, applied via digital printing, as the most current trend. Demand for multifunctional profiles is still high for use with floating fitting floors and, especially, laminate, floating parquet, and LVT. In two surveys in 2010 and 2012, floor fitters consistently chose the PPS® Champion range. Naturally, durability is important here, too, and Küberit has even achieved class AC5 with its digital printing technology. As regards innovations, Küberit turns out something new each year. One of the recent innovations is the Design Clip for LVT from 4 to 7.5mm, which can also be used for carpet from 5 to 12mm. This Design Clip saves time and is
We make binding connections. Floor profiles and underlay sheeting for hard, elastic and textile flooring.
Visit us DOMOTEX e th at in Hannover! 14 From 11. –14. 1. 20 35 C Hall 7/ Stand:
www.proline-systems.com
Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
Floor Forum International 63
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Depro Profiles Depro Profiles are constantly developing new products. Since those innovations come about in collaboration with their partners, the company did not wish to give us information about these innovations. However, they did give us their views of the market. Depro Profiles has not really noticed a trend. They told us: “We do certainly spend more time with producers and the DIY sector looking for suitable solutions which provide mainly ‘simplicity and logic’. Here you see that clips, corners, and adhesive strips are becoming more popular, as are flexible systems.” They have also noticed an increasing use of other new materials and new production techniques. The added value which a producer can offer is all about ‘innovation’. Multifunctional applications are definitely on the way up: more applications with less supply for the maker/distributor/DIY sector and more convenience for the end user. They continue: “You can’t afford to stand still in this rapidly changing market.” Many of these innovations are protected by patent and Depro Profiles has been devising innovations in various areas in this way, which will be launched in the near future.
subject to the use of a supplied end piece. The difference lies in the width of the profile: dowel-fix 6 is for laminate, vinyl, and carpet and dowel-fix 7 is for parquet.
Progress Profiles
FN Neuhofer Holz For profile makes, too, the growing prominence of LVT floors is a big challenge. Profiles need to be adapted to this trend, but thanks to digital printing technology anything is possible. At Neuhofer Holz they are still seeing prosperity in multifunctional profiles because end users cannot ultimately be wrong. Furthermore, no one doubts that, apart from functionality, solidarity is also important. In 2011, Neuhofer Holz invested in technology in order to produce profiles with the highest possible durability (AC5). Modern printing technology now makes it possible to print on a broad range of materials in varying degrees of gloss. The big innovation at Neuhofer Holz is FN Sixpack Alu (dowel-fix 6 & 7). This profile is a 3-in-1 profile which can be deployed both as a threshold profile for floors at the same height and for floors at different heights and, at the same time, as an end profile,
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Special Producers of Profiles
available in individually printed decors. The newest products are the profiles in which Swarovski crystals are worked into the surface. Unique and exclusive!
High-quality stair nosing system · for an optical pleasing stair refurbishment without visible screws · for parquet or laminate of 7 – 14 mm height 14 visit the NEW www.floor-forum.com - Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ visit the NEW www.floor-forum.com
www.kueberit.com
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rooms and have always been very popular. Hence, Parkettfreund is always working on new décors following latest trends and they do now present three more wood colours. Moreover that, the company’s innovative digital printing system allows to create any décor in order to match exactly with the requested flooring. All differences in shades, patterns or grains will be avoided. However, not only the respective design is paid attention to, also the usability and functionality will be guaranteed by high abrasion qualities. Contact the Parkettfreund sales team to learn more about Digital Printing Technology and Profiles for Design Floors.
Special Producers of Profiles
Innovation geared to market demand and with an eye for detail is the basic philosophy of Progress Profiles. The company has produced over 12,000 references in various materials. Highlights from the range include PROLED System, PROSKIRTING GILED, PROLISTEL LED, and PROSTAIR LED. These systems have given LED lights a new architectural dimension. At Progress Profiles they are still seeing a high demand for multifunctional profiles, but they are not the best seller because they are not required in all situations. A recent new product is the PROSHOWER SYSTEM, a water reception and conduction system. Finally, we mention the updated version of Progress Profiles APP which makes the company’s intricate range comprehensible and convenient. It is possible to zoom in on any product with technical and aesthetic specifications.
Karl Pedross
Parkettfreund
The increasing demand of profiles especially developed for low flooring heights reflects the current trend towards high-quality design floors, such as vinyl or LVT. Parkettfreund is offering besides a number of universal profiles also its well-known systems Twin Profi and Premium Click as a version for vinyl floorings, a modern alternative to common wooden or laminate floorings. The installer benefits from the advantages of a high-grade profile system in combination with elegant surfaces. Not only anodized aluminium colours but also the variety of wooden décors give special finishing accents to the
The latest profile trends reflect developments on the floor covering market. Each year sees the emergence of new collections, so the skill lies in developing suitable profiles. Rigid shapes, simplicity, and cubic shapes are most certainly trends. Multifunctional profiles are still in fashion, such as the Combistar from Karl Pedross, a floor profile made from liquid wood, which combines the functions of a threshold and height bridging. Karl Pedross produces all floor profiles in class AC3, but even class AC5 is possible on request. The latest innovation at Karl Pedross is a combination of digital print and waterproof material. This results in a waterproof skirting board onto which all possible decors can be printed.
• Specialist in skirtings and profiles • Exact decor matching to every floor • Wide range of products for DIY, whole- salers and flooring industry • Austrian tradition since 1650
www.fnprofile.com
Wir leisten mehr We of fer you more
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Floor Forum International 63
FN Neuhofer Holz
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Project Rubio Monocoat (B) Luxurious residence of Johannesburg
Luxurious villa in Italian style gets its own parquet with marquetry in Greek key pattern RUBIO MONOCOAT OIL PLUS 2C PROVIDES ‘ANTIQUE PATINA’ AND INTENSE CHARACTER. Parquet lovers can be found all over the world, including South Africa! In this luxurious residence on the outskirts of Johannesburg, Forest Flooring, the local parquet specialist, fitted some splendid oak parquet with a border of marquetry in Greek key pattern.
Floor Forum International 63
In this unique residence the living room with a balcony library immediately catches your eye. It houses a magnificent European oak parquet floor with wide floorboards (26 cm wide) and a border of marquetry in Greek key pattern.
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Exotic marquetry work in panga panga and grapia Two sorts of wood were used for the marquetry: panga panga from East Africa and grapia from Brazil. Panga panga is a hardwood (class 2), whose chocolate brown colour strongly resembles wenge and is often used for indoor joinery, furniture, and parquet. (Note: when this wood is processed, you also need a suction unit because this wood produces an irritating dust). Grapia, also called garapa, has a yellowy-beige to yellow colour and also belongs in durability class 2.
Heavy time pressure Forest Flooring from Johannesburg was responsible for the fitting. This company has an outstanding reputation when it comes to innovative and top quality projects. They have a team of experienced floor fitters and deliver ready-made parquet. William Combrinck from Forest Flooring comments: “We aim for top projects and operate in line with international standards. In this case the owner wanted the parquet to suit the Italian style of the villa. A border with Greek key pattern fitted in with this perspective. The biggest challenge was to finish the project on time. After all, this was a major project involving several building contractors. But we managed it: our team of 12 floor fitters finished this project of about 1250 m² in four weeks.”
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Floating wooden floor on multiplex and glued marquetry The multi-layer oak parquet floor (thickness 21 mm with a 6 mm top layer) was fitted floating with adhesive between tongue and groove. This was put on a moisture barrier (200 microns) and a 3 mm Airothene bottom layer. The Greek key pattern marquetry in solid wood was then glued fully onto a multiplex subfloor which, in turn, was glued onto the covering floor using Adesiv Pelpren PL6.
Freshening up the floor William Combrinck concludes: “As soon as we finished that part, other professionals also had jobs to do in the room. We had to clean and freshen up the floor again to restore its new look.” For this purpose, Forest Flooring used the Universal Maintenance Oil from Rubio Monocoat “Pure”, a product which also benefits the durability of the floor. Visit us at www.rubiomonocoat.com
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Aged effect and intense character with adapted colour oil The finish for this parquet floor was extremely important to the project manager. William Combrinck says: “Since the clients regarded the right colour intensity and the antique patina as absolutely crucial, we prescribed Rubio Monocoat Oil. The fact that this is a single-coat oil also helped us to meet the tight deadline. The Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C was ideal for obtaining the aged effect and the intense colour character. The result was good and the aged patina and deep colouring don’t hide the texture of the grain from view.” Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C is a dual
component oil for parquet. It consists of RMC Oil Plus (A) and RMC Accelerator (B), and one coat is enough to obtain a perfect result. William Combrinck continues: “For the oak parquet we chose the Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C colour Dark Oak. We used the Black version for the panga panga and the Pure version for the grapia. We also gave the bookshelves on the balconies a dark finish. This ensured a perfect harmony between the colour of the parquet and that of the furniture.”
Project Rubio Monocoat (B) Luxurious residence of Johannesburg
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Special Producers of veneer wooden floors
WHY VENEER FLOORS ARE SO SUCCESSFUL QUALITATIVE, AFFORDABLE, VARIED, AND ECOLOGICAL There was a time when no one realised that you could use veneer wood to make floors. People knew it could be used to make furniture panelling, but even then it had an undertone of cheapness and, in some respects, ‘imitation’. Yet, as we are aware, all progress now lies at a crossroads of technology. As far as veneer floors are concerned, this means the crossroads of veneer cutting, taken to a new level by ultra-modern cutting tools, and technical developments in wooden panels. New glueing and pressing techniques complete the picture. For the rest, the veneer market reflects exactly the same trends as the parquet and laminate markets. beautiful trees are used to produce them. This is simply because veneer producers pay more for the same tree, so they get ‘first choice’.
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The intrinsic benefits High quality at an affordable price with a very high ecological level. That’s just about all the average consumer is looking for. A floor for the middle segment? Yes, but veneer floors also have their supporters in the higher segment who are charmed mainly by the otherwise pricey sorts of wood. Here we set out the benefits.
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Quality Is there such a thing as a qualitative laminate floor? Of course there is! And so, why shouldn’t there be qualitative veneer? In the final analysis, both sorts of floor technology show unmistakable common ground. Both floors are to some extent the result of the assembly of two components, namely the base and the decor. New forms of glueing, printing, and pressing technology now ensure top quality assembly. In other words, the decor no longer comes loose from the base. Both floors have an HDF (high density fibre) base. Laminate has a paper decor (a photograph), whilst veneer floors deploy real wood. The quality of the HDF base means that the floors can hardly be pressed in at all and the quality of modern varnishes makes them highly scratch-resistant and extremely durable. Moreover, veneer floors offer that little bit extra because the most
The price People often say that you get what you pay for. Of course, that’s not always the case. The sales price is also determined by raw material market prices, production costs, labour intensity, transport, and such like. As we have already said, the fact that veneer producers pay more for a tree is because they get more out of a tree. With a net usable surface of about 700m² per m³ of wood, it is unrivalled amongst natural prodPhoto Europlac ucts. Veneer wood has been used for centuries in the furniture industry, for instance, to make furniture more affordable. The same applies to veneer floors. The price now plays a big part in the eyes of most consumers. Ecological With veneer, the amount of floor surface derived from one tree is, of course, much bigger than with any other wooden floor. An oak trunk of about 5.5m³ provides approximately 95m² of solid parquet, 700 to 850m² of multi-layer parquet, and 3,850m² of veneer. That does make a difference! It definitely makes veneer wood the most economical floor when it comes to treating natural raw materials sparingly. Furthermore, we think of the mass deforestation and destruction by mankind of the rain forest, for instance. That rain forest yields the most beautiful exotic wood sorts, which are eagerly desired and still the object of mala fide illegal cutting. Opting for veneer wood means opting for responsible forest management. What about trends? No one will be surprised to hear that trends in the world of veneer reflect those of the parquet market, as is the case with other sorts
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Colours and shades Those tropical sorts are available in a vast range of colours. Many people like the dark brown, almost black wenge, whilst others appreciate the red shade of merbau. If we drew up a list of tropical floors with the colour specification alongside each sort of wood, we would see that very few sorts have the same colour. Oak takes up something of a different position. In the past, we have already considered the different appearances of oak. After all, oak readily takes on colours and treatments with an endless variety of shades, from naturally oiled to smoked or thermally treated. Oak can be coloured with dyes, with white and grey shades enjoying the consumer preference. Styles We have previously mentioned techniques such as smoking or thermal treatment. Trend imitation on the parquet market goes much further. Distressed versions such as brushed, beaten, and such like are now also all the rage in veneer floors. The fact that the pattern of the wood is transferred to the floorboards so that the grains can be felt intensifies the feel of ‘solid wood’. Let’s be honest: once the floor is fitted, there is no visual difference between a veneer floor and a solid wood or multi-layer parquet floor. And so, from now on, the ‘feel’ is the same. With some producers we are also witnessing the re-emergence of old styles and fitting patterns. Traditionally, strip parquet has continued to add possibilities to the list, but end grain blocks can do so just as well. Veneer is good for floor fitters, too For floor fitters, veneer provides an important extension to the possibilities which they can offer their clients. Veneer floors are profiled somewhere in a zone between laminate and parquet, but one thing veneer has over laminate is that we are talking about real wood. Scores of people tend to opt for laminate for bedrooms and storeys in general. As soon as project managers are ready for laminate, they are equally prepared to fit linoleum, PVC, or wall-to-wall carpet. However, the warmth and character of veneer presents a strong argument for the client to return to a real wooden floor and the professional expertise of a floor fitter. Apart from that, veneer makes a floor fitter’s target group much bigger, since the price of a veneer floor is ‘affordable’ for a big group.
Europlac
At Europlac the top layer of their veneer floors are 0.6mm veneer wood. The full structure of the floor consists of an HDF base, a balance layer in strips, and the top layer in veneer. The floors are already oiled or varnished when they leave the factory. The vast majority of the floors (80%) are designed in oak. The others consist mainly of noble wood sorts such as zebrano, teak, wenge, tigerwood, and walnut. At present, they are also working on a distressed version. The lifespan of the floors depends on their resistance to wear. It is not possible to sandpaper the floors, so they recommend a varnished version for high traffic floors. These floors are usually fitted floating, but Europlac has recently started supplying floors which, for acoustic reasons, are fully glued. In those cases the floors are supplied with tongue and groove instead of a click system (Uniclic).
Special Producers of veneer wooden floors
Wood sorts Oak takes all the plaudits and that applies no less to veneer floors. However, the choice here is not determined or influenced by oak’s traditional reputation as a stable wood. With veneer, the stability of the wood is not quite as important as with other floors with a thicker top layer or with solid wood. We all know the rule: the less wood, the greater the stability. The preference for oak in the veneer market is due to aesthetic reasons. Oak has a smooth design and the grains run evenly. Exotic wood sorts still score highly in veneer floors, unlike with other types of floor. As we have already said, that is partly due to the fact that pricey wood sorts have become affordable. Moreover, tropical wood sorts have suffered a setback in the solid wood and multi-layer markets for ecological reasons in the eyes of consumers. Those reasons apply much less to veneer.
Two specialists :
Par-ky
The design of Par-ky floors, strictly speaking, consists of five layers. Eight UV-dried coats of varnish protect the wood. The top layer consists of 0.6mm of noble wood. A dual component adhesive ensures excellent adhesion to the base via the high-tech DSI technique (double-sided impregnation). The base is an HDF panel, which guarantees the high degree of pressure resistance. This panel is fitted with a Uniclic joint for rapid fitting. Underneath there is a counter layer of 0.6mm for guaranteed stability. A sound-refining layer of cork is possible as an option. In its current range Par-ky offers 16 wood sorts in various collections, sizes, thicknesses, and finishes. For example, oak is available in nine different trendy colours .
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Floor Forum International 63
of floors such as laminate, vinyl, and PVC. Whilst laminate makers can choose the ‘photograph’ of the wood sort from an endless series of pictures, veneer producers can choose from an equally infinite number of ‘real’ wood sorts. Similarly, the sky’s the limit as regards colours and mechanical treatments.
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HARD OR SOFT ADHESIVE? THAT’S THE QUESTION
Special Elastic adhesives
ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGY BECOME HYPER-SPECIALISED Wood adhesive has undergone impressive technological changes in recent decades. Demands from industry, construction in general, and joinery in particular have become increasingly specific and specialised. The chemical industry has provided such sophisticated answers that nowadays professionals are confronted with a vastly extensive range of glues. This range includes parquet adhesives, which then also include an extensive range of products. The standard EN 14293 has already classified adhesives as either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. The ‘curling’ of wood Wood may be hugely popular as a floor covering, but the material does involve certain risks, so the utmost caution is required. We’ve often said that wood ‘moves’. This fact alone means that wood warps or ‘curls’ to some extent. This curling is a natural process; wood inevitably curls if it does not have constant conditions. And so, since such conditions do not occur, wood always curls a little. And so, before wood is fitted, floor fitters allow for a curl tolerance of <0.5% for solid wood planks and <0.2-0.3% for multi-layer parquet. Below we outline the parameters which affect curling.
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The moisture content in wood The difference in moisture content between the top and bottom sides of parquet strips is certainly one of the main causes of curling. This difference (gradient) causes the variety of shrinking or swelling within the wood; this immediately explains why that swelling can be both hollow (concave) and round (convex). After all, swelling occurs on the side of the wood with the most moisture. If the wood has been stored at an adequate humidity level, curling will usually occur due to moisture supplied from the infrastructure which is still too damp.
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The wooden floorboard itself The sawing method, the wood sort, the slenderness factor, and the structure of the floorboard also help to determine the amplitude of the curling. Wood warps to a much greater degree in the tangential direction (the width) than in the radial direction (the length). This is why flat-sawn wood usually curls up the most. As well as the sawing method, the wood sort also has a certain impact on the curling. Less stable wood types become more distorted with the same level of humidity. Furthermore, there is also the slenderness factor, namely the ratio between the width and thickness of the strips. The higher this factor, the greater the risk of warping. If the width is more than eight times greater than the thickness, the risk of warping increases with fairly stable wood. The figure for stable wood sorts is 10 times. Finally, the structure of the floorboard also plays a part. Multi-layer floors are less sensitive. Why glue? Curling of wooden floors is also affected by the fitting method. The different fitting methods are floating, nailed, or glued fitting.
Floating fitting Since, with this fitting technique, there is nothing to stop the wood from moving, even the smallest fluctuation in the moisture content in the parquet strips can result in considerable curling. After all, the tongue and groove connections act as hinges and form high or deep points, depending on whether the distortions are concave (hollow) or convex (round). Nailed fitting In this case there is somewhat less risk of curling, and it depends on the slenderness of the strips or the planks and the pulling resistance of the nails. The fact is that the thinner the wooden elements are, the less the pressure which they exert on the nails. Glued fitting In theory, a glued fitting should offer the most resistance to curling, since the distortion of the separate elements is hindered by the fact that in this case they are attached to the substrate over the biggest part of their contact surface. However, you also have to take account of the intricate tensions which are created in the different layers of the floor covering by the distortions inherent in the wood. After all, any fluctuations in the moisture content can lead to swelling or shrinking of the wood, which is different to that of the substrate, which usually has greater dimensional stability (dry covering floor, wood panel, such as multiplex, OSB, or an old floor covering). The correct choice of glue It is clear from the above that the swelling and shrinking of wood is extremely complex and that different parameters have to be taken into account. Glueing is the fitting method which offers the best guarantee against curling. The correct choice of glue once again depends on several factors: - the nature and flatness of the substrate; - the properties and dimensions of the floor covering (as outlined above); - the presence of floor heating; - the fitting features. The assortment of parquet adhesives has varied greatly over the years. Recently, new types of adhesives have appeared on the market such as silane or hybrid glues (combination of sorts of technology), whilst lesser quality or less ecological glues (e.g. alcohol-based) have disappeared. We have expounded the various sorts of glues sufficiently in previous editions. The standard EN
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What’s on the market? Adesiv ADESIV produces two types of elastic adhesives, a silane based MS with Kaneka polymer in 15 kg. package that can be considered a hard and elastic and a one-component polyurethane unlabeled, in 15 kg. package, too and in 600 ml. sausages balanced elastic. Both adhesives are suitable for engineered and solid, mediumsize wooden floors. For bonding large dimension parquet on
Special Elastic adhesives
Elastic adhesives The first elastic adhesives to find their way into the parquet industry over the past few decades were usually too soft. They often didn’t have enough tack, didn’t guarantee enough stability (certainly with solid wood/non-engineered floors), and contained too many softeners, something which created more problems because they proved incompatible with the applied finish (e.g. parquet varnish). Producers reacted gradually by introducing harder elastic adhesives. Nowadays, we speak of ‘balanced’ or ‘calibrated’ elastic. We often hear the expression ‘hybrid’ glues used. Hybrids cannot be subdivided into silicones, polyurethanes, or acrylate, as people sometimes think. A hybrid is a combination of various raw materials in which producers start from the application and then put together the formulation using the best products for that specific application. Elastic adhesives which are available on the market nowadays can generally be divided up into two main groups, namely silane glues (SMP) and PUR glues. With silane glues we make a distinction between the MS polymers (modified silanes based on the prepolymers from Kaneka), SPUR (silane and polyurethane), STP (silane terminated polyurethane), and STP-E (a variant of the previous type).
Respect for people and the environment
www.blanchon.com
The Blanchon range of oils, lacquers, stains, ageing agents and fillers are used by wood flooring professionals the world over. Small wonder given the reassurance of local support staff in each country, and products consistently manufactured to the highest standards. Quality that has been our trademark for over 60 years. Every day, to make sure that your wood is the most beautiful flooring on the market, our team works to develop even more effective products to offer the trade all the answers for perfect wood flooring.
La qualité, notre nature* Blanchon U.K. For more information, please contact: John-David PAPWORTH Mob. 07835 354 871 - E-mail: jdpapworth@blanchon.com Tel Export lines: +33 472 89 06 09 www.blanchon.co.uk
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Floor Forum International 63
Elasticity as a concept The main feature whereby hard and soft adhesives differ from each other is therefore their elasticity. The elasticity of a material indicates the extent to which it exerts an opposing force (the so called resilience) when it is distorted elastically (i.e. not permanently) or the extent to which a material is distorted when subjected to a certain external tension. And so, a material is described as elastic if it returns to its original shape as soon as the external force ceases. Rubber is an example of such a material. ‘Resilience’ is defined as the mechanical force with which the material tries to return to its original position after being distorted.
TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN WOOD FLOOR FINISHES
*Quality is in our nature -
14293 provides a simplified choice between soft and hard adhesives. These two groups provide a solution for a specific expectation. The key question is whether or not you want to counteract the movements of the wood or allow them to a certain extent. A hard adhesive has high physical and mechanical properties, low elasticity, and high break resistance. No movement of the wood should be allowed with floors with straight edges (e.g. traditional parquet). If you wish to allow the wood a certain degree of movement, you must use an elastic glue. In view of the fact that less strength is involved, such glue does not need to have such high resistance. Elastic glues mean less pressure on the substrate.
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non-absorbent substrates such as ceramic or marble, we always recommend the use of epoxy polyurethane adhesives. As for floating floors, in Italy the market is marginal so, the glue is still widely used and required by our customers (especially always the bicomponent one) in the other 36 states where ADESIV is present the percentage of floating floors is various but not in such a way that have an impact on the quantities of adhesives therefore we believe that there is still margin for growth in our industry sector. ADESIV Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glue head!
Special Elastic adhesives
Bona Parquet glue Bona R850 is an elastic single component silane parquet adhesive. Just like traditional glues, the set glue is capable of withstanding the pressure whilst wood swells, whereas its resistance to shrinking is minimal. Parquet glue Bona R844 is an elastic 1-component parquet adhesive pursuant to EN14293 (soft) for dimensionally stable Multi-layer parquet. You should use the less elastic Bona R850 for floors like multi-layer solid bamboo. These glues reduce the pressure on the subfloor. It is not usually necessary to use a primer. The glues bind by means of a chemical reaction with the air humidity. Emfi Emfiparquet presents both PU adhesive and hybrid adhesives. We give an example of both. Emfiparquet PU Mono R800 is a single component parquet polyurethane glue, which sets through contact with the air humidity. The EC1 classification means very low emissions of volatile organic compounds. This glue has been specially developed for the full-surface glueing of solid wood or multi-layer parquet, varnished or pre-varnished and in all wood sorts. Emfi also presents the Emfi Parquet Pro+, a parquet glue based on silanated polymers, which is suitable for the full glueing of all types of parquet. Thanks to plenty of research and development, Emfi Parquet Pro+ conforms to the strictest environmental standards, since this glue contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. This glue is suitable for glueing very wide oak floorboards. This glue gives rapid adhesion and is very easy to apply. The Emfi Parquet Pro+ is a 1-component glue.
Floor Forum International 63
Chimiver Panseri
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Chimiver offers Unisil, an adhesive based on MS technology. This flexible an elastic adhesive is a ready to use product. UNISIL is a prepolymer based, single-component adhesive with a silanic termination (MS technology), totally free of water, solvents, amines, tin, isocyanates and epoxy resins. It
hardens with atmospheric humidity and becomes resistant to water, temperature and ageing in approx. 36-48 hours. Recommended for gluing prefinished parquet onto marble, grit, tiles, ceramic or marble-chip floor, etc. Also suitable for gluing parquet onto underfloor heating and cooling system. CERTIFI-CATES: EC1R; ATTESTATION CCAEnvironmentally Compatible Product (Certificate issued by Department BEST - Politecnico of Milan CCA Registration No. 201216); Sound Reduction (CSI Test Report No. 0056/DC/ACU/06); Heat conductivity (CSI Test Report No. 0020/ DC/TTS/06). Unisil is available in buckets, sausages and cartridges. In addition to Unisil, Chimiver has also Adesiver Elastic which, as Unisil, is EC1 very low emissions certified adhesive. Den Braven Den Braven produces its Parketfix MSPS, a 1-component parquet adhesive based on hybrid polymers. This elastic parquet adhesive reacts to air humidity. The adhesive guarantees excellent adhesion on wood, bamboo, cork, chipboards, plywood, concrete, a cement screed, metals, and tiles. This adhesive can also be used on an anhydrite screed and on floor heating. Parketfix MSPS retains its elasticity and does not swell as it sets. It contains neither water, reactive isosyanates, nor silicones. It guarantees a perfect connection and offsets any unevenness in the surface. Parketfix MSPS offers a better spread of the mechanical pressures between the wooden floor and the subfloor. Henkel Henkel offers P675 Elast (prefinished parquet), P685 Elast Universal (solid wood and prefinished parquet), and P695 Elast Universal Strong (for all wooden floors). These glues are based on a FLEXTEC technology developed by Thomsit. P 675 and P 685 are soft-elastic adhesives, whilst P 695 is a hard-elastic glue. A Thomsit hard-elastic adhesive is an extra strong and fast-working adhesive so that it is also suitable for more critical sorts of parquet, which, under normal circumstances, could be glued only with a dual component PU adhesive. A soft-elastic adhesive is not suitable for this. The star of the show at Thomsit is the P 695 Elast Universal Strong. The benefits of this glue include the fact that it contains no water or solvents, so wood swelling is completely eliminated, it is permanently elastic, it lowers tensile stress on the substrate, and it is suitable for virtually any substrate without the use of a primer. Kerakoll Kerakoll Green Building Company stands out from the rest of the market because Kerakoll attaches great importance to the health of the fitters and the occupants of the homes, Kerakoll is the only producer which does not produce any 1K or 2k reactive elastic parquet glues or primers which include the risk sentences R40 or H351 regarding the risk of cancer through excessive isocyanate content in the product. The SLC Eco L34 adhesives
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MS PolymerTM Your Premium Polymer of Choice! for producing sealants, adhesives, coatings,...
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Special Elastic adhesives
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have never had this. The Kerakoll SLC Eco L34 line consists of 2K Epoxy PU adhesives, which are hard-elastic and have an elasticity up to 25% (L34, L34 Plus, L34 Neutra). The L34 Flex is a 1K adhesive based on MS technology and has an elasticity of up to 100%. All L34 glues can be used on all sorts of substrates and on floor heating. If a primer or moisture barrier is needed, the SLC Eco EP21 is recommended. The ecological SLC L34 adhesives from Kerakoll are classified according to the Kerakoll Green Building Rating, which is certified by SGS as an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;objective measure of the ecological properties of the productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Mr. Wellink from Kerakoll hopes that the Parquet Adhesive Commission will introduce standards regarding mechanical performances. Lecol Lecol presents the MS 260. This is a hard-elastic parquet adhesive, which is suitable for glueing mosaic parquet, end grain blocks, 22mm parquet, multi-layer parquet, solid wood parquet (up to a maximum width of 18cm or 20cm for oak), crosscut RE/WE, and flat cork floor covering on absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. WAKOL MS 260 meets the standard DIN EN 14 293. WAKOL MS 230 is a MS polymer glue for the full glueing of multi-layer parquet with tongue and groove. WAKOL MS 290 parquet glue combines the impact strength of a 2K PU adhesive with the processing properties of a 1K MS adhesive. The high internal solidity means that the system offers the greatest possible safety against the emergence of joints. You can use WAKOL MS 290 parquet adhesive to glue all sorts of wood and parquet as well as flat cork floor coverings and ready-made cork with MS technology. Interactions with varnishes are eliminated because the glue does not contain any softeners, so that migration of any glue components is thereby impossible.
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Mapei
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Mapei offers three elastic adhesives, including a polyurethane glue and two hybrid glues. All three are single component adhesives. The Ultrabond P990 1K, a single component polyurethane glue, does not contain any solvents and provides elastic glueing for all wood sorts. Ultrabond Eco S945 1K is suitable for wooden floors and all types and sizes of multi-layer and pre-finished materials. Ultrabond Eco S955 1K is also for wooden floors, pre-finished, and laminate materials. These glues are suitable for a multitude of substrates. These include cement covering floors,
subfloors to which Mapecem, Mapecem Pronto, Topcem, Topcem Pronto, or similar products have been applied, old wooden floors, marble, ceramic tiles, and anhydrite subfloors. This glue can be used for glueing floors on top of floor heating. Pallmann Pallmann offers its single component STP adhesive Pallmann 5. This glue combines the elasticity of a polyurethane adhesive with the benefits of stateof-the-art STP technology. This glue is extremely easy to apply without any risk of swelling, since it does not contain water. Pallmann 5 is suitable for just about all sorts of wooden floors, including exotic wood sorts. This glue does not contain any solvents. Pallmann 5 has an excellent filling capacity and a long open time. Adhesive residue can be removed easily. Rectavit Rectavit offers both a 1K PU adhesive (Rectavit 247) and polymer glues (Rectavit 248 Multilayer, Rectavit 249 MS Polymer, Rectavit 249 Express, and Rectavit 255 FibreTech). Completely new is the fibre-reinforced elastic parquet glue Rectavit 255 Fibre-Tech. This parquet adhesive belongs to the very latest generation of adhesives from Rectavit. The Fibre-Tech technology ensures a considerably stronger glue with a more rapid effect. The parquet can be walked on within three hours and sandpapered 16 hours later. You can use Rectavit 255 Fibre-Tech to glue all current types of parquet and wood sorts directly onto a cement or anhydrite screed, parquet underlay, leveller, and even onto a tile floor. Floor heating is no problem at all. This easily spreadable parquet adhesive can also be used or glueing bamboo. Furthermore, the width of planks can vary up to 25cm with semi-solid wood/multi-layer and up to 19cm with solid parquet. Soudal NV Parquet floor fitters will be interested in the modernised SMX 30P, which will continue life as SMX 30 Plus. This high-end parquet glue guarantees extremely quick and strong glueing of just about all sorts of parquet on all substrates. If necessary, it is possible to sandpaper just 12 hours later! The new version has a somewhat
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> continued from page 24
longer open time of 35-40 minutes to provide more comfort in terms of usage time. SMX 30 Plus is also in the highest class for VOC emissions and therefore also has the EC1 Plus label. Naturally, this glue retains all its outstanding processability and floor fitters can count on a pleasant spread in combination with an optimal adhesion capacity of the adhesive grooves. This guarantees a perfect transfer of glue.
A strong Duo.
Sika Sika was the first maker to produce elastic parquet glues with a lower shear strength than the subfloor. Sika presents single component elastic PU adhesives and single component silane adhesives. These glues are soft and balanced or semi-elastic respectively. Semi-elastic parquet glues are used on all sorts of parquet, both with solid wood and multi-layer parquet. The increased elasticity reduces the tensile stress on the substrate, which arises through the swelling and shrinking of the wood so that the glue pulls on the substrate. Sika’s products include the 1-component Silane glue (Sika AT technology) Sika Bond AT-80 (full-surface semi-elastic for all sorts of parquet). With more critical conditions (e.g. substrate, indoor climate, critical wood sorts, or floor heating) they recommend (soft) elastic parquet glues. The 1-component elastic PU adhesives (I-cure technology) belong in this category: Sika Bond 52 Parquet (full surface, levelling, also emulsion adhesive and cordon adhesive for Sika Layer) and Sika Bond 54 Parquet (full surface, flexible spreadability, and a top product in the Sika range). Stauf Stauf presents several solutions in all sorts of elastic adhesives. The PUK 450 is a hard-elastic polyurethane adhesive for glueing wooden floors. This is a ready-foruse premium product which is suitable for glueing all sorts of solid wood planks. There is no chance of damage to the subfloor or finish as a result of softeners. The PUK 450 does not contain any water or solvents and has Emicode EC1-R (very low emissions). The other hard-elastic adhesives include: SPU 545, SPU 570, and the PUK 445. The Stauf SMP 930 is a softelastic adhesive. Finally, with the SPU 460, Stauf has started a new range of glues which combine the proven safety and other benefits of a single component PU adhesive with the benefits of silane technology (SMP), especially when it comes to safety at work. This adhesive makes it possible to glue all sorts of wooden floors, even the most demanding types.
STAUF SPU-570 and SPU-545 1 and 2 component hard elastic SPU wood flooring adhesive according to DIN 281 and DIN EN 14293 ▪
no adverse interaction with parquet sealings varnishes flow asphalt or old substrates
▪
high shear strength
▪
adhesive residues easy to remove
▪
integrated vapor barrier
▪
fast setting
▪
no labeling required, EC1-R plus
www.stauf.info
UV LACQUER HAS CHANGED A LOT
Special UV lacquers
APPLICATION ON SITE IS ON THE WAY Some forms of technology seem to be made for industry. This can be the result of certain risks which some forms of technology involve, the long-windedness of their application outside an industrial setting, or simply the high-tech degree of difficulty. The fact is that with every new development simplification invariably follows complexity. This has generally been the case with the introduction of UV lacquers in the parquet and coating industries. Today, UV machines are gradually moving towards application on site. The ‘parquet engineer’ If we consider all the forms of technology which floor fitters have had to face in recent years, you might think that floor fitters need some higher education to do their job. Maybe the training will one day become a practical postgraduate course for those who have successfully graduated in civil or industrial engineering. For example, the emergence of ultra-specialised adhesives such as MS polymers, different silane glues, hybrid glues, and such like has caused shock waves in the building industry. Floor fitters need to know about the specific features of various sorts of wood, the effect of damp and the use of damp testing apparatus, the effect of floor heating systems, the performances of the above-mentioned glues, and all the finishes. Until recently, a parquet finish was ‘saturated’ or ‘sealed’. Then, a renowned producers launched a finish to operate on the basis of a chemical reaction with wood fibres. Then, as floor fitters gradually began to absorb all that data, UV drying and spectres such as nanotechnology came upon the scene. Hats off to the study capacities of today’s ‘parquet engineers’!
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Photo: Blanchon
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Tomorrow’s parquet floor fitter Whilst many people still gasp at the changes of this digital age, similar revolutions are also at hand (in seeming silence) in chemistry and physics. Many of them have also had a direct impact on the lives of floor fitters. Haven’t we often said that parquet floor fitters are amongst the most conservative craft workers? The same wood supplier, the trusty old glue, the favourite sanding machine, X brand oil, Y brand varnish, and so on. That certainly applies to yesterday’s floor fitters, but the floor fitters of tomorrow are not the same breed.
UV in the industry How does it all work? UV technology makes use of the energy from artificial UV light in order to affect processes. The fact is that UV light can affect the binding between molecules. With the influence of UV rays, it is possible to dry inks, lacquers, adhesives, synthetics, coatings, and such like much faster than by means of air-drying. The basic principle is that photo initiators are added to the lacquer or ink so that the lacquer dries very quickly under the effects of UV light. We’ve all encountered UV technology, perhaps without realising it. For example, dentists have had UV technology at their disposal for years for hardening dental fillings extremely quickly. This technology has been in use for years in the graphics industry for drying magazine and newspaper ink faster. In this sector UV drying is now indispensable. Mass production and lack of space Time for a nice anecdote? This is a true story! Until the 1990s, there was a medium-sized joinery in Mechelen (Belgium) next to the city cemetery. This joinery specialised in joinery for construction, outdoor joinery, etc. In the sawing division they often had to saw beams up to six metres long. The problem was that the workshop was only about 10 metres long and you needed at least twice the length of the beams with a certain distance at
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A selection from the range Arboritec
The qualities of UV If you combine all sorts of technology to improve a product, the end result is usually a better product. Floors finished with UV lacquers provide exceptional protection for high and very high traffic rooms. UV lacquer undergoes a strong ‘cross-linking’ (binding) to create a sealed and elastic layer. Moreover, UV technology makes it possible to divide up the total amount of required lacquer into thin coats, up to seven with some producers. This composition also contributes to a stronger top coat. Moreover, it also has the advantage that the wood does not flake. After all, the UV varnish is force-dried and does not contain water. These lacquers are often combined with aluminium oxide or other components to make them more durable and scratch-resistant. In the meantime, the sector is also experimenting with nanotechnology to give lacquers specific qualities such as better fire resistance and a bactericidal nature. Who uses UV? It will be clear from all this that UV technology has provided a huge boost to the further development of pre-finished parquet, but it has also contributed to improved finishes with laminate and veneer floors. And so, the primary users are the big manufacturers of wooden and wood-related floors themselves. Furthermore, and this fits in perfectly with the outsourcing movement which we have covered several times, the bigger coating contractor firms have also adopted this technology. They take over the work from parquet manufacturers whose core business is not ‘finishing’. We must make one thing perfectly clear at this point: UV technology has not entirely replaced traditional oxidative air-drying. One major coating contractor has told us that air drying is still used a lot and actually yields better results for some applications. That’s where we are at industrial level. Where do parquet floor fitters come in? Naturally, floor fitters, together with clients, also enjoy the benefits of pre-finished floors, but there’s more! A (so far) limited number of companies have experimented with the possibilities of UV applications on site in recent years. The results? Apparently successful! On site Some major companies are starting to reap the rewards of their research and development efforts. Harvest time? Recently, it has become possible to finish floors with UV lacquer on site using a sort of drying robot. The benefits: just imagine being able to renovate the wooden floor of a smart boutique in one night! Sandpapering, lacquering, drying, and putting everything back
At Arboritec they are utterly convinced that UV lacquers provide better and more durable protection than traditional paints. UV lacquers are 15 to 40% harder than traditional paints. The reason for this can be found in the chemical
Special UV lacquers
Pre-finished and laminate Obviously, anyone wanting to make a finished and ready-made product also has to apply the finish. We can barely imagine the space needed to air-dry parquet floorboards and laminate on a large scale. At this point, as in the world of printing, UV technology ensures shorter drying times and thereby faster production. Laminate makers have used UV drying for many years. After all, laminate is by definition a pre-finished product.
in place. The coating, whether or not preceded by a UV drying primer, is applied with a traditional roller, just like with traditional paint. After application, the lacquer can be left to air-dry for 45 minutes and then you ride over the entire floor with a mobile UV lamp. There is a portable UV lamp for the sides and places which are largely inaccessible. The floor can be walked on as soon as it is ready. As we have already said, lacquers which are developed for UV drying are high-tech lacquers with very high durability and scratch resistance. Thanks to the drying robots, floor fitters can even apply these very high traffic lacquers (some people call them ‘ultra lacquer’) on site to any floor which clients choose from their range or, as we have said, to an existing floor which is being renovated.
NEW:
Prime Old Grey I V X Prime Old Grey gives a weathered appearance to oak. The possibilities and variations are numerous by finishing the floor subsequently with one of the 27 standard colours of the Floorservice Hardwax-oil Classic, Pro of Profiline. The water-based product Prime Old Grey offers very attractive market possibilities for both industrial and manual application.
Prime Old Grey I
Prime Old Grey V
Prime Old Grey X
Overmat Industries b.v. | Scharlo 11 | NL-5165 NG Waspik | The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0) 416 31 77 88 | Internet: www.overmat.nl | E-mail: info@overmat.nl
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Floor Forum International 63
both ends. The joiner in question could not find a better solution than to make a hole in the wall at the cemetery end. And so, the employees then had to take possession of the sawn beams in the cemetery. However, they always needed to check first to see whether or not there was a funeral in progress. Apart from that, they had little to fear from the ‘souls laid to rest’.
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Special UV lacquers
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process. The disadvantage of conventional paint is the drying time, during which the floor is vulnerable. By contrast, UV lacquer provides immediate protection due to the rapid drying time. Applying these lacquers requires a perfect symbiosis between the composition of the lacquer and the machine used. The number of coats helps to determine the strength of the floor. Arboritec believes that UV drying is advancing rapidly. The company also believes strongly in application on site, which, as with dust-free sanding, means an improvement for the floor fitter’s work. Strictly speaking, the application is comparable to the application of a traditional paint, but in this case a UV drying machine is used as soon as the treated floor is dry enough for that purpose. “Arbortitec’s UVElite takes UV finishes to the next level. UVElite’s photoinitiators deliver an instant cure to completely eliminate both early use damage and contractor call back complaints. By coupling instant cure with the hardness and durability of ceramic fortification, we have created a simple solution which is over 40% more durable than other 2 component finishes on the market. UVElite also only needs to be cured one time - other site-cured UV finishes need to be cured after every coat. As such, UVElite saves contractors time and effort and is poised to quickly become the premiere waterborne finish on the market.” Blanchon Blanchon has several quality levels in the field of UV lacquers. The lacquer will give the wood a different level of protection (e.g. impressions, chemical resistance, or sanding resistance), depending on the raw materials and the composition and nature of the industrial application. Thanks to the latest developments, in which nanoparticles can also be deployed, you get exceptionally strong lacquers. The big differences to traditional paints are the raw materials used and, of course, the drying method. UV lacquers are geared to the client’s machines. For example, the fluidity is adapted to the client’s infrastructure. Blanchon believes that the number of applied coats is important, as is the total grammage of lacquer. A spokesperson commented: “If you don’t combine those two factors, you don’t get good protection: it is easy and cheap to apply several thin coats using modern machines, and that does yield good results, but the level of protection is average.” Chimiver Panseri presents three new products
ONE OIL UV 1317 is a HQ UV oil treatment with a high solid content (99%) to be used both on non-absorbent and porous woods
and particularly recommended for natural and colored oak planks. UV OIL ONE 1317 assures excellent hardness, flowing and elasticity and gives the wood a warm and natural look of waxed floors. VERNICE UV ALL’ACQUA S49 AB is a special antibacterial UV lacquer conform ISO 22196:2007, which proves a 99,9% reduction performance against bacteria development at home, among which are Escherichia-coli and Staphylococcus Aureus. For this reason VERNICE UV ALL’ACQUA S49 AB is recommended for residential use and particularly in public buildings (medical,etc.). The new ECOCLASS ANTI-BLOCKING is a 1K water-based antibacterial product for industrial applications. It has rapid-drying properties and allows to stack already after 24 hours varnish-tovarnish. The “anti-blocking” feature avoids delivery problems at temperature of 50/60° (e.g. when shipping into container). Ciranova The fact that UV lacquer affects the strength of the floor is also confirmed by Ciranova. This is the result of the three-dimensional compounds which are made under the influence of UV light. If necessary, some properties such as viscosity and gloss can be adapted to the client’s line. Even specific demands such as antibacterial properties are possible. The number of coats is important since each coat has its own specifications. The primer provides adhesion to the substrate, the spatula provides extra filling so that the wood can be completely insulated, the sealer provides good scratch resistance (the more sealer, the higher the durability), and, finally, the top coat provides the visual aspect, gloss, chemical resistance, anti-scratch, and so on. In recent years, Ciranova has witnessed a drop in the use of UV lacquers in contrast to the emergence of UV oil. DecoRad® Systems: European portable UV equipment specialist DecoRad® Systems is the independent European specialist for on-site UV curing equipment. With its facilities in the Netherlands, products can be easily shipped throughout the world. American Ultraviolet is the US distributor for the DecoRad® products. The benefits of on-site UV curing are evident: 1. The floor can be used straight away (minimal downtime) 2. Environmentally friendly UV lacquers 3. Industrial quality. Good equipment is required for good results. The DecoRad® system can be used in combination with all available (on-site) UV lacquers. Equipment development is done in close cooperation with floor contractors. Important DecoRad® product characteristics are durability, safety and ease-of-use.
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Developing and producing portable UV curing equipment is our specialty. ICA Group A floor which is finished with a UV lacquer is much more resistant to external influences (mechanical, chemical, and physical) than a floor finished with a traditional paint. The photochemical reactions which arise with the use of UV lacquer make sure of that. It is clear that the lacquer used and the machines with which it is applied have to be perfectly in harmony with each other. And so, here, too, the specifications (e.g. viscosity and equalisation) have to be adapted to the machine. The proportion of UV lacquers in the total ICA turnover was no less than 13% in 2012. ICA also offers waterborne UV products for application on site. Lecol Lecol sells a UV lacquer from Loba (in the Netherlands, Belgium, and in the UK), namely the LOBACURE WS Rush. The LOBACURE WS Rush is the new generation of finish products. This 1K waterborne UV lacquer is absolutely ideal with projects where you need to use the floor again the next day (time is money!), such as in hotels, restaurants, public houses, shops, and such like where the highest quality of finish is required. You can dry the lacquer immediately with a special machine with UV lamp so that the floor can be used again immediately. And so, there is no waiting time!
Rubio Monocoat A treatment with Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2 helps to reinforce the wood. It increases durability as the wood fibres undergo a molecular binding. It also increases indelibility. The properties of Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2 are almost identical to those of the oxidative oil. The big difference lies in the fact that the UV oil is UV-dried. Rubio Monocoat recommends the use of their UV oil mainly for industrial finishes which require high production speed. Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2 is universally applicable. Muylle Facon offers technical assistance with the initial deployment of the machines and with the ideal setting for the machine as regards consumption. It is possible to develop personalised colours. The product itself does not change at all. UV lacquers are specifically for use with UV units. On site, workers usually opt for the RMC Oil Plus 2C, which is one of the fastest drying oils on the market and is also very durable.
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Pallmann UV lacquers do not change the physical properties of the wood, certainly not the impressionability. And so, in developing these
lacquers, producers pay attention to resistance to chemical aggression, dirt, and scratch resistance, and resistance at this point is also outstanding. Pallmann has the Pallmann X-Light system, a solvent and ozone-free system for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mobileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drying of UV varnish on site. This system consists of a dual component primer X-Light Base, a single component lacquer X-Light Coat, and the X-Light Mobile, which has been specially developed for drying this lacquer. The result of the treatment is solid protection, which can immediately withstand footsteps.
Special UV lacquers
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HIDDEN
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“Wood veneer floor means everyone can have a real wooden floor.” There is a new council housing complex in Toulouse which proves that the beauty of real wood is within everyone’s reach. And so, ‘egalité’ (equality), that last value of the French Republic, expressed itself here in the choice for a wood veneer floor in French oak from Europlac-Cabannes. Wood veneer floor for bedroom and hall Bourrassol is a housing project along the banks of the River Garonne. It is a mixture of council housing and individual homes, which have been developed by Martini, a local firm of architects. They opted for stone tile floors in the living room and wood veneer floor in the bedrooms and the hall. Wood veneer floor is an unusual choice for these sorts of homes, but it proved a success. Without going over their budget, the planners managed to upgrade the look of the homes. After all, such housing projects are still often synonymous with floors which are not so attractive and even of poor quality.
Project Europlac Cabannes (F) Housing complex in Toulouse (F)
650 square metres of wood veneer floor in French oak for council housing complex in Toulouse
0.6mm veneer on HDF base The selected wood veneer floors in French oak originated from Europlac Cabannes and were supplied in two colours, namely Chêne Désert, a pale shade of oak, and Chêne Naturel, a blond oak floor. The wood veneer floor was from the ABSOLU 8mm range in wide planks. All together, the floor fitters installed 650m² of wood veneer floor in 25 flats and four houses. The floor consisted of a waterproof HDF base with a top layer of 0.6mm of veneer with a counterlayer underneath for extra stability. The floors were equipped with a Uniclic® system and were fitted floating.
Durable and scratch-resistant wood Jean-Marc Meyer from the manufacturer Europlac-Cabannes was pleased to supply the floor for this project and he told us why wood veneer floor is a good choice for these types of projects: “These floors are easy to fit and under these circumstances yield a result which is equal to multi-layer or solid wood parquet. It is true, of course, that these floors cannot be sandpapered, but thanks to the seven-layer matt ‘grand traffic’ (hightraffic) varnish finish and the huge density of the HDF base, they offer a long lifespan and outstanding scratch-resistance. Moreover, the floor can be supplied in 15 different colours, so there is a suitable style and colour for the most diverse locations. This project proves that everyone can have a real wooden floor. Today, council housing agencies want value for money and respect for the environment at the same time. The EUROPLAC ABSOLU fits the bill perfectly and will probably be used for other projects as well.” Upon request Europlac also offers a fireproof varnish which meets the European standard while the demand for higher fire resistances is growing. You can visit their web site on www.europlac.eu
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Floor Forum International 63
Healthy ecological footprint The ecological footprint played an important part in the choice of the floors. With its A+ rating for VOC emissions, the Europlac ABSOLU met the required standard perfectly and, furthermore, the veneer wood was PEFC certified French oak. The veneer floors were made not too far away in the region around Bordeaux, so the transport was fairly ecological.
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Special Laminate floors (part 2)
LAMINATE TENDS TOWARDS TECHNICAL PERFECTION A FLOOR WHICH DEVELOPS WITH TECHNOLOGY A more engineered product than laminate is certainly hard to find in the world of flooring. The technical specifications and qualities arise from a combination of various sorts of technology. Whenever a certain type of technology makes progress as a result of an innovation, this usually helps to improve the quality of laminate very quickly. Over the years, the major laminate producers have also developed systems to make the level of quality clear to the end user. We musn’t lose the woods for the trees.
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Photo Balterio
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Bad reputation Laminate certainly has come a long way. There was a time when hardly anyone had a good word to say about these imitation floors. In fact, laminate makers themselves were largely to blame. Laminate was soon available in the three market segments. From the very beginning, there was wheat and chaff. Yet no one informed end users about the existential differences in quality between the various laminate floors. The result: the clients, who were often looking for a cheap alternative to parquet, very often opted for the ‘best price’. Laminate soon acquired a general reputation of chaff. No wonder floor fitters were reluctant to include it in their range. Only as the middle segment gradually disappeared did the difference in quality, and therefore the reason for the difference in price, become clear to consumers. Towards a quality system In 1995, the major laminate producers of the time jointly formed the EPLF (European Producers of Laminate Flooring) to set up recognised testing institutions to provide quality research and improvement for laminate floors. This led to an internationally recognised quality system, which is set down in the European standard EN685 by means of usage classes for laminate. This has ensured that the quality and appearance of laminate has
improved vastly since then and that users now have the opportunity to compare the quality of different laminate floors in a simple manner. Not only are the different durability values of floors (the so called AC values) on show, but also a laminate floor has to meet more specific standards in order to be put into a particular usage class. Here we mean aspects such as pressure resistance, stain-resistance, resistance to cigarette ash, the effects of furniture legs on the floor, and the thickness swelling of the product if it is immersed in water for 24 hours. If a laminate floor is not up to standard on one of these points, it is not approved for the usage class in question. Furthermore, the wear value test has been further standardised so that all laminate floors are now subjected to the same strict tests. Below we outline the usage classes: Residential use: 1. AC1 Class 21 Light use 2. AC2 Class 22 Normal or average use 3. AC3 Class 23 Intensive use. Commercial use: 1. AC3 Class 31 Light commercial use 2. AC4 Class 32 Normal commercial use 3. AC5 Class 33 Intensive commercial use 4. AC6 Class 34 very intensive commercial use. AC6 Class 34 means very intensive commercial use and is only available in HPL (high pressured laminate). Technological junction As we have already said, laminate develops with technology. Innovations within technology soon result in improvements in certain qualities of laminate. First of all, there has been vast progress in those forms of technology which affect the genuineness of laminate: developments in photography have had a big impact, and the arrival of digital photography has been the ultimate step towards personalisation. Printing and pressing techniques have made great strides in recent years. The ‘embossing’ technique means we can now feel the grains of the wood. Then we have seen one revolution after another in the adhesive sector. Of course, adhesive is still an elementary part of any composite product. Today, it is virtually impossible for a photograph to detach itself from the base at the edges, but that could happen in days gone by. Probably the most important development in the improvement of laminate traces its origin to developments in the field of coatings. The top layer largely
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determines the durability and scratch-resistance. Whereas until a few years ago we could not imagine this chapter without the expression UV, nowadays the first ‘nanoparticles’ are seeping into this segment. Talk of a junction! Voices from the sector Balterio
structures. The Osmoze range with five different decors is an answer to this trend. As regards the fitting, Epi Flooring has turned out a brand new (patented) system for joining the short side of the floorboards, namely Zip’n’go. You only have to remove the yellow strip on the short side and join the sides together. This new system, combined with the Unilin licence, ensures quick and easy fitting. Also in the realm of technology, Epi Flooring presents various floors with an integrated subfloor.
EPI Flooring
The major tendencies as regards surface treatment are the matt and semi-gloss finishes in combination with synchronised surface
Windmöller Flooring Products GmbH At Windmöller Flooring Products GmbH they do not (yet) use any nanoparticles. The company says that its most important innovations in the field of surface treatment are anti-static, anti-bacterial, and Teflon. Windmöller regards antistatic as the most important treatment on the market. In terms of fitting, Windmöller uses the Unilin click system. In order to improve the acoustics, the company offers the Sound Protect system, which is produced by its own subsidiary.
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Floor Forum International 63
To make laminate floors resemble parquet even more closely, Balterio uses matt structures and a deeper embossing. As far as the fitting is concerned, Balterio offers three click systems of its own: Click Xpress® (CXP), Drop Xpress® (DXP), and Press Xpress ® (PXP). Click Xpress® [CXP] ensures extremely quick installation. This rotating system makes it easy to rotate the panels together with no problem at all to result in a solid and seamless floor. If you decide to move house or renovate, it is easy to dismantle the laminate panels and then fit them back together again. These floors are solid and reliable and the fitting is up to 25% faster. With Drop Xpress® (Stretto collection), the sections on the crosswise side fit together easily. Finally, the innovative Press Xpress® (PXP) fold-down installation system is available in the Infinity and Xperienceplus collections as well as the Grandeur collection. The clip in the planks ensures that the short sides are fastened directly to give a strong and seamless joint. The panels are pressed together at the ends.
At Haro, too, various surfaces provide the variety in the assortment. Haro offers 13 different surface textures ranging from smooth to authentic and from matt finishes to finishes with highlighted grains. Recently, the company has developed matt and glossy effects to give the floor the appearance of a natural oiled parquet floor with a fibre depth (embossing) of no less than 200µ. The three Haro Tritty Series (75, 100, and 250) are all equipped with the Top Connect click system, which ensures fast and easy installation. Haro laminate floors are equipped with an integrated layer of insulation (Silent Pro). The odd man out as regards sound is the Haro Tritty Silent CT, which provides 60% more sound reduction than ordinary standard laminate floors. Each floorboard is equipped with a self-adhesive strip underneath for sticking the planks to the subfloor. The adhesive strips do not contain any solvents.
Special Laminate floors (part 2)
Haro
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Project Z-Parket (B) Hotel Intercontinental Marseille (F)
1800m² Z-Parket for prestigious Intercontinental Hotel in Marseille Marseille is still the Cultural Capital of Europe until the end of this year. The city is celebrating this with a whole range of top cultural events and the re-opening of the renovated historic ‘Hotel Dieu’ as a luxury hotel. For this prestigious project, the renowned interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel chose floors from Z-Parket.
Floor Forum International 63
Courtesy of Intercontinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu Agence Nuel
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Historic hospital Hotel Dieu used to be a hospital and dates back to the eighteenth century. It lies on a hill on the outskirts of Marseille and offers a breathtaking view of the city’s Old Port. The building was designed by the famous architect Jacques Hardouin-Mansart, nephew of the famous Hardouin-Mansart, architect of the Sun King Louis XIV. The design of the building is characterised by monumental stairs, long archways, and French gardens and terraces. A century later, the building was inaugurated again after renovation by Napoleon III and still served as a hospital in the twentieth century. Towards the end of the previous century, it fell into disrepair, partly because it no longer met the requirements of a modern hospital. Conversion to a hotel What was remarkable about the design of the building was that people had to go along the outside to go from one hospital department and room to another. This was meant to reduce the risk of infection. The final patient left the hospital in 1993 and, after
that, the building was used only for medical training. The municipal authority then looked for a new use for the building and they found one when the Intercontinental hotel chain unveiled its plans for a prestigious hotel. The hotel group’s interest was no coincidence. Ever since its formation after the second world war (it was an initiative of the legendary airline company Pan Am), this luxury hotel chain has concentrated on luxury hotels and has usually opted worldwide for buildings with a rich history. Rooms, suites, and private terraces The conversion of the historic, dilapidated hospital to a luxury hotel required considerable study and subsequent alteration work. Eventually, it resulted in a precisely finished hotel with 172 rooms and 22 suites, 72 rooms with a view of the Old Port and 33 with private terraces. Z-Parket New York for the guest rooms It was Jean-Philippe Nuel, internationally renowned interior architect, who was responsible for the hotel design and he opted
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Those terraces now have beautiful outdoor wooden floors. Obviously, the interior side of these rooms and suites also have parquet. Here, the choice fell to an oak floor from Z-Parket. It was particularly the top quality wood selection, the technical quality of the product, and, of course, the special colours, which won over Jean-Philippe Nuel and his colleagues. They opted for the New York tint because it suited the other interior colours perfectly and it would create an elegant threshold once the outdoor floor on the terrace began to turn grey with the ravages of time. The Z-Parket planks in the rooms were 15mm thick, equipped with a V-groove, and had a width of 190mm.
Courtesy of Intercontinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu Agence Nuel
Two different tints for the restaurant, spa bath, and cultural hall The designers also opted for a Z-Parket floor for some of the other rooms in the hotel. We are talking here about 250m² of parquet (plank width 190mm with V-groove) in the restaurant, which, at the request of Jean-Philippe Nuel, was given a tint specially developed by Z-Parket, namely ‘Massilia’ (a reference to the old Latin name for Marseille). The Clarins Spa bath and the ‘Espace Culturelle’ cultural hall in the hotel were given Z-Parket in the Paris tint. The planks were equipped with a scratched out groove and came in three widths (150, 190, and 240mm).
Courtesy of Intercontinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu Agence Nuel
Courtesy of Intercontinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu Agence Nuel
Prestige du Parquet The work itself was entrusted to Prestige Du Parquet from Marseille. This family parquet business, which is led by André Peysson (second generation) was given the assignment of fitting all the parquet floors in the hotel, including all the rooms, with Z-Parket. André Peysson comments: “The entire job took us a good 10 months. We fitted the parquet floors at the speed of the work carried out by a fellow building firm which did the renovation. It was an honour to work in such a prestigious building in our own city and the result was absolutely splendid. The work did not really present any major difficulties. The biggest challenge was finishing the floor in the cultural hall. That room accommodates the historic uneven stone wall and we had to take extra care to make sure that the parquet linked up elegantly. For the rest, we did everything in the traditional way. We worked on an anhydrite subfloor, which we cleaned before applying glue, and then we used a 2K PU adhesive from SLC Rinaldi. We applied a hard wax oil from Osmo as a finish for the parquet floor. This product provides an attractive finish, is easy to maintain, and also provides enough protection for the fairly intensive use in a hotel like that.” Visit us at www.z-parket.be Contact us at : 0032 (0) 89 380 863
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Floor Forum International 63
for a style which shows respect for the soul of the building. What stood out was the choice to have the outdoor corridors, formerly used by the nursing staff to move around the hospital, serve as private terraces for the luxury rooms and suites.
Project Z-Parket (B) Hotel Intercontinental Marseille (F)
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FROM ACCESSORIES TO COMPLETE ‘RENOVATION KITS’
Floor Forum International 63
Special Stair renovations
Joiners regard staircase makers as experts in their trade. That description is justified because making stairs involves a whole host of challenges as regards aesthetics, shape, and construction. Staircases must allow the occupants a safe passage between different floors, but they are also usually expected to contribute significantly to the architecture of the building. And so, what is the significant merit of these experts? Answer: that even stairs built several decades ago are still entirely or largely stable. A renovation market for floor fitters!
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What is a staircase? As we have already said, staircases lead us safely from one floor to another. This is why they need to be easily navigable, sturdy, and easy to maintain. It would appear helpful to consider the components of a staircase. A little joinery jargon! The most important parts of a staircase are the steps, possible risers, cornices, and an end step and the side pieces. The step is the part of the staircase on which people put their feet to walk up or down the stairs. The riser on a closed staircase forms the vertical connection between two consecutive steps. The connections between the step and the buffer are sometimes finished with a cornice. The side pieces are the sloping parts of the staircase which support the steps. By milling in the side pieces we create nests or rebates in which the steps, buffers, and cornices are supported. With some (wooden!) staircases with cut out side pieces, the steps are on the side pieces so that the side pieces are not visible. We limit ourselves here to the parts of the staircase which apply to renovation . Some other parts are: - The banister: The banister or balustrade provides support as people walk up and down the stairs and helps to prevent falls. Furthermore, the banister also forms an important decorative element on the staircase. The banister has a handrail, which is connected to the steps or the side piece by balusters. - Stairwell cheek and landing: the horizontal section along the stairwell or along the landing is called the stairwell cheek (or case). The landing is a part of the staircase with a horizontal surface, which is bigger than a step and breaks up the staircase. - End step: the end step is the last step of the staircase or of a staircase arm the treading surface of which is at the same height as the floor or landing. Staircase renovation Strictly speaking, in new buildings we make a distinction between two sorts of (wooden) staircases: fully customised new wooden staircases or brick/concrete staircases furnished with wood. The second sort (furnished) answers to the same principles as the renovation of an existing staircase by means of furnishing (see below). In order to renovate existing staircases, there are also two options, namely restoration or renovation. Restoration When an old, existing staircase needs to be modernised, it is possible in many cases to restore the staircase. The same rules and skills apply to this work as for restoring a parquet or wooden floor. Only the thorough sandpapering of an old painted or varnished floor can lead to a good result. Sometimes, patchwork
repairs are needed. Restoration is worth considering if you have a staircase with special decorative added value. This can be due to a valuable wood sort or the authentic style of the staircase or banister. If the thickness of the steps permits, it is more or less possible to level the worn staircase surface once again. With closed staircases, this can mean that splits might occur at the height of the contact point of the step and the riser, which need to be sealed professionally: that is no sinecure! Sometimes, it is precisely because of the authenticity of the staircase that people decide not to level the walking surface. That probably benefits the architectural and decorative value of the staircase, but it always means a compromise on safety. One solution could be to restore the staircase and banister completely, apart from the steps, which are then renovated by furnishing them as outlined above. Renovation Renovating staircases means that the staircase is preserved. This is possible as long as the staircase has retained its strength and stability. There is then no reason to dismantle the staircase. The most common way of renovating a staircase is by re-furnishing the steps. This can be done with wood, bamboo, solid wood or multi-layer parquet, laminate, or veneer. The new staircase steps are usually glued to the old and reinvigorated steps. Profile manufacturers supply a wide range of corner profiles to finish steps perfectly. Some laminate manufacturers (A brands) even offer complete staircase renovation or furnishing systems where floorboards and accessories are geared to each other perfectly. It is only the accessories which play a major part in the profile range. - Stair nosings: ‘Stair nosings’ are available in various materials and colours. They form the transition from the step and the buffer edge and guarantee the staircase a longer lifespan. Furthermore, stair nosings contribute towards safety in two ways: if they are designed in a different colour to the steps, they increase the visibility of each step and they are often designed as anti-slip. - Banisters and banister corners: old staircases do not always have ‘modern’ banisters. Moreover, restoring or replacing old staircase banisters does not come cheap. And so, it is perfectly feasible to renovate the staircase and replace the banister. Manufacturers offer accessories such as adjustable banister corners for fitting banisters, apart from modern banisters in an extensive range of materials and designs. The advantages of renovation When we speak of renovation, we mean ‘re-furnishing’. When we have to make a choice between furnishing or demolishing
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Photo: FN Neuhofer
STAIRCASE RENOVATION
an existing staircase, we really don’t have to think for very long. Demolition is the very last resort due to the cost and the impact of demolition on the building. Furnishing staircases results in very little inconvenience for residents, even in occupied homes. The furnishing items are usually customised and are mostly glued. One of the biggest advantages of staircase renovation is certainly the total freedom of material. After all, the client can choose from an equally high number of materials as there are floors. He or she has complete freedom to opt for the same sort of wood (or bamboo or laminate, for instance) as the floor adjoining the staircase or to choose something else. Continuous floors over staircases, landings, and thresholds are very much a trend. This trend can be reconciled quite happily with the trend towards ‘open spaces’. Many radical home renovations nowadays sound the death knell for various interior walls: open kitchens or open offices, for instance, border on the living room or are even integrated into it. Even the staircase hall is now an open space and is incorporated into the living room. Combinations of classic and modern are also possible: metal accessories (such as banisters) and integrated lighting are becoming more and more popular. What’s on the market? Küberit Küberit offers a wide range of stair nosings and step profiles for new construction and renovation. There are solutions for all sorts of floors. The company even offers stair nosings with LED lights for steps where visibility is limited. The assortment consists of
over 60 types in various materials (e.g. aluminium or brass) and various lengths including 5m. The aluminium version gives clients a choice of five anodised colours and a polished finished. The matt brushed version in stainless steel is something special. Küberit offers complete staircase systems with various anti-slip solutions such as inserts, inlays, or a special surface treatment. The assortment also includes an insert with anti-slip classification R13 (DIN 51130). In order to meet the growing safety requirements, Küberit, as well as deploying its own quality system, also has its products tested by TÜV Nord, a recognised external inspection agency. For staircase renovation Küberit offers a system of stair nosings whereby you can renovate the staircase in the
Special Stair renovations
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CONNOISSEURS CHOOSE QUALITY! BALTERIO LAMINATE FLOORING IS THE PERFECT FLOORING SOLUTION. IF YOU CHOOSE BALTERIO YOU ARE OPTING FOR TOP QUALITY AT A REALISTIC PRICE.
‘BALTERIO IS THE BEST AND MOST RELIABLE LAMINATE FLOORING SUPPLIER AROUND.’ BTH-HEIMTEX, GERMAN TRADE PUBLICATION, SEPTEMBER 2012
‘BALTERIO.COM IS THE BEST FLOORING WEBSITE’ INTERIORS MONTHLY, BRITISH TRADE PUBLICATION, AUGUST 2013
Style. Quality. Simplicity. Wakkensteenweg 37B - B-8710 Sint-Baafs-Vijve - T. +32 56 62 80 81
info@balterio.com - www.balterio.com Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
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same wood sort (or laminate) as the steps. The Euro-Step Champion two-part screwing system can be used for 7-16mm, whilst the Step-Clip Champion clip system is used for 7 to 14mm.
Special Stair renovations
Design Parquet For staircase renovation, Design Parquet presents complete staircase steps in over 30 different sorts of wood. The company has also responded to the growing trend of designing steps in the same wood sort as the floor. Design Parquet offers a complete system. The client provides a metal anti-slip inlay strip, whilst the manufacturer provides the groove for this inlay strip. This staircase renovation system is tailor-made. Design Parquet works according to the specifications stipulated by the architect or other client.
Parkettfreund As one of the leading complete suppliers of flooring installation products Parkettfreund is of course also offering a well-structured range of stair profiles. Different stair profile systems (for screwing or click installation) available with high-quality aluminium surfaces or modern wooden decors combine functionality, elegant design and safety. The optimal finishing for stairs will be also offered by various standard universal stair nosings for the most different flooring types. Changeable PVC inserts or mineral slip-resistant inserts allow individual colour combinations while the main focus is given to safety. Stair profiles with LED illumination are very popularly used in public buildings like for example theaters, cinemas or even cruise liners. In addition to that, Parkettfreund is also putting its emphasize on presenting different possibilities of stair renovations. The brochure “universal profiles” contains descriptive and detailed information for example for the renovation of worn-down straight and rounded wood or concrete steps. Parkettfreund – your partner for installation and renovation!
Progress Profiles
Floor Forum International 63
FN Neuhofer Holz
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Progress Profiles launched several new items recently at the Cersaie trade fair. One of them was the Prostair Grip ACC, a lightglossy stainless steel profile with a visible flat surface (36,5 and 56,5mm) with anti-slip inlay strip in carborundum. The 20mm visible vertical side is rounded. This profile is available in various heights: 4.5, 8, 10, 12.5, 15, and 20mm. Also new is the Prostyle Grip ACC, which is also in stainless steel (satin), fitted with a groove for the anti-slip inlay strip. Very popular is the Prostair LED, a profile in anodised silvery aluminium and polished chrome aluminium with an integrated LED lights system. Progress Profiles doesn’t really offer a full staircase renovation system, but, depending on the model, the profiles can be fastened using a selfadhesive strip or screws. An important accessory is the Progripp, the self-adhesive strip in carborundum, anti-slip, and with very high durability. This is available in six colours and widths to satisfy all technical and aesthetic requirements.
Neuhofer Holz presents the ‘FN lock-on’ profile, which is used as a stair nosing profile. FN lock-on is available in anodised aluminium or furnished with veneer or laminate in an extensive range of decors. Apart from profiles for stair nosings, Neuhofer also offers these in a user-friendly package of 16 stair nosings for a complete staircase. Combined with a height-adaptor, a profile can be deployed for floor thicknesses varying from 7 to 24mm, something for which three profiles used to be necessary. Anti-slip is also vitally important here and the fastening method for FN lock-on means that there is no irritating difference in height to be seen between step and profile. The standard lengths of the profiles are 120 and 240cm.
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Design Parquet: Style and comfort go hand in hand! The Design Parquet factory is equipped with the very latest and most efficient technology and makes floors which are varnished (matt, satin, and colourless or ROC varnish for high traffic use), oiled (Natural, Authentic, or EKO colourless), or coloured. The wood is also brushed, lightly brushed, distressed, or sawn (light or strong).
for all interior styles. This comes in three widths, namely 90, 145, and 190mm. Dolomites simply invites you to try out variable widths and thereby give the interior some extra vitality and rhythm. The colourless oil finish helps to illuminate the room and provides a widening effect. Carpanthians is a multi-layer parquet in a grey oiled colour, which adds a touch of elegance and character to modern interiors.
New series of trendy, grey tints: Guérande, Sésame, and Cumin The colours Gris de Guérande, Sésame, and Cumin. Are ideal for interiors which are modern and focus on warm joviality. The combination of a modern colour with the natural nobility of visible wooden joints and grains gives authenticity. The bathroom welcomes parquet thanks to Navylam + from Design Parquet Navylam+ from Design Parquet is a unique and patented system for a ready-made and watertight floor in ship deck style. This makes Navylam+ suitable for use in bathrooms. The floorboards are pre-oiled and fitted with an integrated seal. You only have to glue the parquet in the grooves in order to fit finished and watertight parquet. Attractive and comfortable, it is the ideal parquet for the bathroom. Visit us at www.designparquet.fr
Company profile Xx Design Xx Parquet (F)
As a manufacturer with over 15 years of experience in solid parquet, Design Parquet offers a varied and innovative range. Today, this Breton producer has a diverse, elegant, and special range of FSC and PEFC certified parquet, solid wood, and multi-layer in classic, distressed, rustic, or modern styles.
Tailor-made panels Design Parquet also makes tailor-made panels thanks to its team of experienced professionals. If necessary, the patterns can be personalised or clients can also opt for historic and authentic designs (e.g. Versailles or Normandy). New shades in the Design Déco collection Basalt, Ardosa, and Sable : shades which give elegance and refinement colours. For example, in 2013, they have introduced the colours Basalt, Sable, and Ardosa. Whether we are talking about an austere interior with design furniture or a rustic interior with a vigorous style, these rejuvenating colours give all interior styles a special furnishing. Three new shades for the Loft Mountains series The Loft Mountains series is also turning out new shades. For example, there is the Alpines multi-layer parquet in smoked oak with a horse chestnut colour, a curved surface effect and rounded V-groove for an interior with a sense of tradition. Dolomites is a multi-layer parquet in oak with small joints and finished in a splendid classic tint and suitable
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Floor Forum International 63
The Design Déco range from Design Parquet is ideal when it comes to
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MADE Expo 2013 reinforces its international character After Show MADE Expo Milan (I)
THE ITALIAN PARQUET MANUFACTURERS DON’T REALISE SUFFICIENTLY THAT EXPORT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION! Between 2 and 5 October, Milan hosted the international construction and architecture trade fair MADE Expo. The organisers and exhibitors can be satisfied with the number of visitors, the growing international interest (14% more visitors from abroad), and the remarkable focus amongst the visitors on new innovative products and technology. Construction industry must give Italy a boost During the opening of the fair, Giorgio Squinzi, director of Mapei and president of ‘Confindustria’, the umbrella federation of Italian industry, stressed once again what entrepreneurs and many Italians long for: “We want to be a normal country.” He referred to the political instability and the financial crisis confronting his country. According to Confindustria and the fair organisers, the solution lies in an economic recovery and the construction industry can play a crucial part here. A number of ministers had understood the message and were present at Made Expo. The ministers responsible for infrastructure and transport, the environment, and public works were in attendance. Another major visitor to the fair was European Vice-Commission President Antonio Tajani, himself responsible for trade and industry in Europe, and all these visitors promised some support. International trade fair In view of the encouraging number of visitors, the quality of the range at the 1432 stands, and the interest in innovation and new technology, there is clearly some light at the end of the tunnel. What was noticeable was that there were increasing numbers of visitors from outside Italy and that considerably more turned up from Eastern Europe. The International Business Lounge at Made Expo was equally a great success. There were over 1000 contacts in all between operators involved in larger international building projects. As regards the subjects, it was energy efficiency, sustainability, and new solutions for urban development and green urban surrounds which claimed the attention of the professional public. Below you will see a summary of the news which the representative exhibitors for our industry presented.
produced with different wood species and a lot of different finishing. Upon request they can be enriched with marble inserts. The visitors, architects, interior designer and retailers, was very interested in our products and in the Parquet Transparency Code. Bolzan works with wood for over 60 years, that’s why today is a reliable and internationally renowned landmark for anyone who wants high-quality parquet flooring. Buttonstep® Buttonstep presented for the first time at Made Expo 2013 his innovative anti-slip system, which solves problems of slippery public o private surfaces by combining design and safety. Buttonstep can be applied to any existing kind of material, according to two simple systems: pin or glue. The shown items, with R13 certification, have aroused the interest of architects, designers, engineers, stairs manufacturers from all over the world. Particular attention was paid to BUTTONLIGHT, which, by charging with sun or artificial light emits at night luminescence making visible stairs or obstacles.
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Buzon
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Next MADE Expo is in 2015 From now on, MADE Expo will be a biannual event. And so, the next MADE Expo is planned for 2015. On that occasion, the fair will be part of the world exhibition Expo Milano 2015. We visited some booths for you: Bolzan Srl Made Expo 2013 was the opportunity to show our new square compositions, 100% made in Italy, which are compatible with Teorema Tre and Teorema Plus for laying with glue or floating and
It had been over three years since Buzon had exhibited at Made Expo. The company decided to return to the fair because they now have a new dealer for Italy. At the fair, they made some good contacts for the Italian market, but very few from abroad. They presented their three generations of Buzon floor pedestals: BC,
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Garbelotto/Master Floor Even during this edition of Made Expo in Milan, the big success of the brand products Garbelotto and Master-floor has been confirmed. The stand has been visited from a lot of operators, especially coming from abroad, who were interested in the Italian style of wooden floors, and they were also looking for new solutions to propose to their clients. This expectation has been satisfied by the news presented at the fair, as the new lines “Antichi”, “Tavolati” and “Le Murrine by Creator”. All the visitors were really interested in products completely Made in Italy, certified and eco-friendly, characteristics that the wide production of Garbelotto and Masterfloor share. Karl Pedross The participation of PEDROSS at the MADE EXPO exhibition in Milan from 2 to 5 October was once again a big success. During the exhibition, they were able to introduce a large number of visitors to their wide range of mouldings, including CREATIVA (skirting board system flush with the wall) and their new waterproof PVC skirting boards. The visits were all of a high qualitative level and they obviously had opportunities to make several new contacts. The recognition of their good work from their existing customers has given them great pleasure and it represents an encouragement to continue with their efforts towards a continuous service improvement and increased closeness to their clients. The company wishes to thank all its customers for their trust in PEDROSS as their future depends equally on their success! Mardegan Legno
of design and innovative finishes and colors: LIVE IN NEW YORK - MILANO STYLE - FIRENZE STYLE - HARMONY & NATURE LOIRE CASTLES - NATURAL WOOD. In Mardegan Legno each floor is the result of experience combined with passion in a constant research in order to make your realization one of a kind. Our craftspeople are experienced, skilled and are at full disposal to make your wood floor. You will customize your parquet according to your personal taste, with a choice of many colors and finishes to suit every environment. Our workshop aim to satisfy even the most demanding customer, combining taste with handicraft. Impertek During the Made Expo 2013, IMPERTEK presented two new ranges of supports for raised floors. Visitors were mainly floor contractors or retailers, and they had the opportunity to discover the new products. The S-Mart, with a new system of extensions, will be the most innovative support on the market. The second new product was the new Jack Supports. The main feature of this product is the screw and extension that together increase the adjustment scope. The exhibition was a success for IMPERTEK because it gave them the opportunity to contact professionals in the Italian and International floor sectors.
After Show MADE Expo Milan (I)
PB, and DPH. Furthermore, the floor pedestals in polycarbonate for illuminated wooden floors proved a big hit.
Profilitec Profilitec has completed their third appearance at Milan’s Made Expo and had over one thousand visitors to their stand during the 4 days. The visitors were mainly archietects, interior designer, contractors but also resellers and producers. Their interest was attracted thanks to a the wide range one innovative and decorative solutions presented by Profilitec. Of particluar interest, Regolo a new system allowing to make a tileable shelf, the innovative systems for balconies, profiles allowing customers to finish 2 cm tiles and also a full solution to linear drain laying.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVE WHAT YOU DO. This year Mardegan Legno is proud to present 3 new collections: LONDON MY LIFE COLLECTIONS - EMOTIONS AND COLORS COLLECTIONS - ANTICHI SAPORI COLLECITONS. These 3 new collections complete the MARDEGAN range always at the search
Progress Profiles attended successfully the Made Expo with a brilliant stand, where visitors came in large number (mostly retailers, contractors and architects). Top new products were: the PROLED System which reinvented the concept of profiles focusing on the lighting systems as the creative solution
Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
Floor Forum International 63
Progress Profiles
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(PROSKIRTING GILED, PROLISTEL LED and PROSTAIR LED), the PROSHOWER SYSTEM (a water collecting duct system), the PROTERRACE DRAIN (a profile that protect the edges of tiles on terraces and allow the waterflowing), PROSKIRTING SHELL (an aluminum skirting board) and the PROJOLLY QUART (a profile that protect the external corners of wall coverings). More information about the products of Progress Profiles with their complete features are available on the website: www.progressprofiles.com
After Show MADE Expo Milan (I)
Recoll Recoll International has partecipated also this year to this important trade fair considered one of the most interesting appointment for the flooring market segment. Unfor-tunately the signals of the current European economic crisis have been evident with a lower number of exhibitors and visitors in comparison to the previous year. In spite of this, considering the particular period the number of people visiting the Recoll stand collecting news and informations concerning adhesives and paints for wood flooring it has been acceptable and a positive commercial return is expected. Nothing new has been
BUZON Pedestal International s.a. Manufacturer of adjustable pedestals for all types of wood terraces Adjustable from 11 to 1120mm Visit us at the EUROPEAN FLOOR & WALL EXHIBITION (B) 16/18.03.2014
hightlighted in terms of new products and innovations for wood flooring and in the specific case of adhesives the interest remains for the one component silane modified still too expensive for the current market conditions. Stile Stile traditionally wants to take advantage of the exhibitions to present new and innovative products. This time we introduced the new line Stilelab, a range of items that go far beyond the standards. Such a line has created a great interest and it has not been uncommon for visitors asking to take a picture of the panel we set up, after have enquired for all the information about the products. Visitors were usually professionals and, especially the opportunity offered by the “business Lounge”, has been very useful to have new contacts from Asia, Russia, Singapore and the Middle East. WST®: the Palckè®™ Maobamboo® producer The Maobamboo ® is a woody bamboo. The splendid chromatic tones range from a honey yellow colour to tobacco-tinged dark ochre and almost black. Its many high quality characteristics, including hardness, flexibility, stability, durability, and eco-sustainability are considered to be unrivalled. The PALCKE’ ®™ Maobamboo ®is manufactured using wide strips of laminated interlaced extruded blocks. All WST® floors are certified according to the standard UNI EN. Positive feedback at Made from architects, engineers, and designers of small/medium size and some businesses. For more information about WST Collection, visit www.wstsrl.com.
Floor Forum International 63
Mister Parquet
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90° 5%
90° 10%
Slope correction of up to 10% by combining 2 correctors.
BUZON Pedestal International s.a. Tel : +32 (0) 4 248 39 83 - Fax : +32 (0) 4 264 82 38 info@buzon.eu www.buzon.eu
Our real revelation at Made Expo 2013, namely WOOD MOSAIC, can, thanks to our system, be “signed” by designers or yourself in an infinite number of variations and colours. This “CARPET” of wood, which is fixed into the floor, becomes the most original “piece” of the whole environment and enriches it in a unique and individual manner. We were delighted with the first presentation at Made Expo 2013, especially among visitors from abroad. Made Expo provides a great opportunity for businesses and was a timely and successful event.
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Photo: Bona
DISC SANDERS ARE GENUINE ALL-ROUNDERS.
Rotation movements In bygone days, when people polished their cars it was necessary to apply the wax to the bodywork with rotating motions and polish it that way as well. The reason for that is simple: with straight movements (up and down), we would never be able to spread the wax as evenly and smoothly and we would end up with streaks. The attentive reader will certainly recognise in this illustration the primary reason for using a rotation sander, namely to remove evenly the marks made by belt sanders. It is interesting to clarify that sanding machines also make various sorts of rotation motions. - Rotation movement: In physics, ‘rotation’ is the motion of a body whereby, in a two-dimensional space, the points of that body rotate around one point of that body in a circular motion. With a singular rotation (multiple is not applicable), one point is the centre around which all other points follow a path in a perfect circle. - Eccentric movement: In simple terms what we get here is a rotation combined with a movement up and down. With eccentric sanding machines you get this motion by attaching circular sandpaper to a flat sole with a resilient layer. The sole is mounted with an eccentric (a tool which converts a rotation movement to another movement) to the motor axis so that you get a combined motion. - Oscillation: An oscillation or vibration is a periodic repeated reversal of the movement direction. A vibration is caused by the disruption of a stable balanced condition. These concepts are important because they are used by various manufacturers in their machine instruction manuals. The functions As we have said, sanders (with one or three discs) are used in the various phases of fitting a wooden floor. Let’s consider these functions briefly: - Preparation: Whether we are talking about new construction or renovation, a screed is rarely perfect. With a new construction it is possible that the screed might have to be levelled in order to obtain a flat substrate. The sander is then used to polish the levelling compound. When a floor is fitted onto an old screed, the machine can be deployed to remove old glue or paint residue before a leveller or primer is applied. - Removing sandpapering marks: Belt sanders will almost always leave wide sandpapering marks behind, even when operated by the best floor fitter. With a one or three-disc machine, it is
possible to remove those marks evenly. The marks disappear thanks to the rotation sanding movement. This always has to be done in different phases in which you always change to a finer grain (gauze disc 100/120/150). When floor fitters sandpaper the floor, they make a pivoting movement with the machine back and forth whilst they step backwards. - Finish: Whether you apply a finish in varnish, oil, or wax, you still need to keep the rotation sander within reach in this phase. If the floor is finished with varnish, you use the sander to sandpaper between the application of coats of varnish. After the initial coats of varnish, various wood sorts (certainly tropical sorts such as merbau) have a tendency to flake sharply. That’s the time for some intermediate sanding. As soon as the varnish has formed a film, sandpapering is no longer necessary. The rotation sander can be deployed for oil and wax to apply the product and for polishing. - Maintenance and renovation: The lighter versions of the disc sanders are used to apply oil or wax and to maintain or renovate oil or wax floors. For floors with a varnish finish, these machines are used to sandpaper the floor completely pale. This is possible with both classically fitted and pre-finished floors. Technical points for attention What do floor fitters need to look out for when they acquire a disc sander? There are several technical topics which are included in an increasing number of machines or which manufacturers are concentrating on. For example, there is the ease of changing the discs, something which saves a lot of time during the fitting. The machines have different speeds, depending on the job. The adjustable height of the machine arm has an impact upon the ergonomics and user-comfort. Some machines can be adapted as regards weight in order to exert more force with less effort. Dust suction is provided on all disc sanders. Several machines can be connected to an external dust suction unit. The machine is even more versatile if it can also be fitted with a water tank. Finally, the full or partial detachability is an important point for transporting the machine. What’s on the market? Bona The new Bona Flexi Sand 1.5 has revolutionised the bare sanding of wooden floors. Equipped with the unique Bona Power Drive, it is the first rotary disc sander to sandpaper down to the
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Floor Forum International 63
Even if we had a situation in which only semi or fully finished wooden floors were fitted (this is not the case!), disc sanders would still be indispensable tools for floor fitters, whereas belt sanders would be hard pressed. Tools which make a rotation movement (see below) can be deployed at different stages of the fitting and even later as well. These machines are also used in some maintenance phases and, moreover, they can often be deployed for floors other than wood.
Special Sanding machines (part 2)
THE FLOOR FITTER’S MOST VERSATILE ALLY
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Special Sanding machines (part 2)
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bare wood. It is possible to sandpaper in any direction, and that makes sanding easy and comfortable. The rotating sanding of the driven rotating discs produces a completely smooth floor surface and yields outstanding results, with only a minimal risk of sandpapering too deep. Rotating discs follow the line of the floor surface and this results in smooth and easy sanding. The ergonomically improved and compact design mean that the Bona Flexi Sand 1.5 is easy to use, transport, and store. It offers a wide range of facilities, and whether you want to sandpaper, oil, polish, or clean, you always get excellent results. To ensure dust-free work, it is perfectly possible to combine the Bona Flexi Sand Pro System with the powerful Bona DCS dust suction.
for preparing the substrate. For example, the Carborundum is an excellent tool for levelling cement covering floors for fitting parquet. A special feature of the Timba is its high versatility thanks to the 360째 rotating wheels and the fact that it can also be deployed as a mono-brush.
Kunzle & Tasin
Floor Forum International 63
Dismac The DS 430 from Dismac is the fruit of over 50 years of experience with sanding machines and sandpapering technology. This machine is extremely reliable for both preparing the substrate and finishing the wooden floor. The DS 430 is available in various designs. The DS 430 HS is designed mainly for giving parquet a quality finish, whilst the DS 430 HDM and DS 430 HHDM are designed mainly for stone floors. The machines can be connected to a powerful dust suction system. These machines are accompanied by a whole series of switchable accessories so that you can adapt the machine to make it suitable for the job at hand, removing rubber or adhesive residue, fine sandpapering parquet, and, finally, maintenance. For maintaining household floors Dismac also has the DS 330.
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Klindex At Klindex they offer the Timba. The Timba is a light sander which, unlike most belt sanders, requires little instruction, training, or experience. The work is easy, quick, and economical. The Timba operates dust-free thanks to a vacuum suction system. The Timba can be deployed for all sandpapering related to fitting parquet or other wooden floors. As long as sanding grain 24 is used, we can deploy the Timba for smoothing or levelling the floor. We then sandpaper using grains 36 and 40 in that order. To seal any open holes and cavities, the Timba also has a scraping function. The floor can be polished between two coats of varnish using a pad or grain 220. The Timba also has related accessories
In addition to the well-known range of sanders and edgers, Kunzle & Tasin manufactures three models of single disc machines (RT58, New Golia Plus and New Golia) and the Planfix Pro55 orbital sander that can be used for many operations on different kinds of floors (hardwood, concrete subfloors, ceramics, natural stone floors, resin floors, etc). All the single disc machines proposed by K&T are equipped with industrial motors at 1500W/150rpm for the S model, 1850W/150rpm for the ES model or at 1850W/250rpm for the
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even in the most difficult conditions. The angle of the handle can be adjusted at any time without the operator removing his or her hands from the hand grip. This means the machine can be adapted for use in various conditions. The entire handle can be removed so that the machine can be transported very efficiently. The Lägler Single machine meets the requirements of parquet floor fitters uncompromisingly. This versatile machine can be deployed not only for fine and intermediate sanding, but also for maintenance work and heavy subfloor operations. All Lägler machines have the ‘GS Wood dust test’ certificate. Only the Single has to be connected to an external dust suction unit. Overmat
Lägler
The Trio three-disc machine is a special all-round sanding machine for the practically minded professional floor fitter. It is suitable for both fine sanding, intermediate sanding, and renovating (ready-made) parquet, sanding cork floors, sand-cement, and other covering floors, roughing up subfloors, removing impurity, adhesive, carpet, and felt residue, applying wax and oil, and polishing surfaces. The Single guarantees long an inexhaustible use with no problem at all thanks to its simple operation. The ergonomically shaped handle means that the Single is easy to control,
Following on from the Woodboy 4000/30, Overmat has now come up with the new Woodboy 4000/32-3. This Woodboy has the same powerful motor and design, but also has a new handle. And so, it is even easier to use and safer. The fact is that you use two hands to start this machine so that it meets all the labour health and safety regulations. Furthermore, this new type of Woodboy also has improved ventilation. This means that the motor cools more effectively so that it works more efficiently and is more robust. The machine can be made heavier as an option by adding 12.5kg to the Woodboy for a higher yield. The machine is supplied as standard with a dust suction kit for connection to dust suction unit Vac-1. This Vac-1 Unit is a professional and durable dust suction unit with by-pass cooling, including a tube. Apart from use on wooden floors, such as a drive disc for sandpapering parquet and applying beeswax, the Woodboy has a wide range of discs and accessories for all sorts of varied applications. Overmat is exclusive dealer in the Benelux of the HTC quality label. The planetary sanding machine HTC Greyline 450 is suitable for sanding both concrete and subfloors and wooden floors. The machine is easy to dismantle, so it is easy to transport. The EZ Change™ system makes the machine diamonds very easy to change. The HTC Greyline 25D vacuum cleaner is specially designed to support the single-phase Greyline sanding machines, such as the GL 450.
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Floor Forum International 63
EH model whereas the orbital sander has with a powerful and reliable 1100W motor together with an on-board 800W vacuum unit. Going back to the operations for which the machines are needed for, the orbital sander is mainly recommended only for finishing jobs on wooden floors, whereas the single disc machine has to be completed with the proper accessory: at www.kunzletasin.com you can find full info about what model of single disc machine to use and what is the best accessory according to the specific task to be done on the floor. In fact, operations on concrete floors (like grinding, scratching, scarifying, glue removal) and on wooden floors (like fine sanding, finishing, distressing, oiling) require a machine (like the S or the ES models), running at a low speed. If on sanders or edgers there is a dust fun built inside the machine, on single disc machine you are in need of suctioning the dust through an external device: you can choose between having an on-board vacuum unit or, as nowadays is more and more popular, connecting the single disc machine to an industrial remote vacuum unit. Choosing the first or the second solution proposed normally depends to the jobsite; what is the type of floor you have to work on, what is the maximum power supplied and how big is the jobsite, how frequent you want to dispose of the dust generated, etc. On the other hand, a higher speed (at 250rpm for example like for the EH model), combined with the right planetary disc and effective diamond tools, is recommended when you have to grind natural stone floors, normally wet in order to prevent burning marks on the stone floors.
Special Sanding machines (part 2)
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Classic Line Wengé chevron 45°
Classic Line, traditional 9mm parquet in French oak and various exotic wood species. Selected at the highest standards and available as strips, herringbone, chevron or any custom made pattern. Master Line, unique 9mm pre-glued open book parquet, known for its increased stability and special design. Top Line, 13 or 18mm two-layer parquet with solid top layer on birch multi-ply board. All French oak parquet floors can be delivered with a PEFC certificate. Distribution: Holz Bois • Bosdel 41 • B-3600 Genk • T 0032 89 32 95 80 • holz.bois@skynet.be Albers Parketgroothandel • Franklinstraat 4 • NL-6003 DK Weert • T 0031 495 58 08 08 • info@albersparket.nl Advertentie 1/2 liggend.indd 1
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Ask for the wide range of Heywood Vloeren, wholesaler / manufacturer of all kinds of wooden floors. Knotting Hill characteristic knot
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Floor fitters would be crazy if they didn’t include ‘distressed’ floors in their range. This trend emerged several years ago and has now made itself at home amongst the other finishes. Nowadays, we name ‘varnished’, ‘oiled’, ‘waxed’, or ‘distressed’ in the same breath. It is possible for floor fitters themselves to distress a floor, but this is not necessary. After all, the major parquet manufacturers offer distressed versions in just about all types of floors (solid wood, multi-layer, or veneer). Laminate makers and even producers of synthetic floors have simply followed suit. Here are some points which need attention.
What does my client want? This might be a question which we need to ask more often in this magazine. “What does my client want?” A floor fitter who asks that question immediately has a better idea of what he or she has to offer. Today’s client is looking for a combination of atmospheres. We’ve known for some time that people like natural materials, but they also want a certain exclusivity. This ‘exclusivity’ should not be defined as ‘expensively exclusive’ or ‘elegant and lavish’, but rather as ‘an expression of myself’, something that another person does not have. Think of that 17th century grandfather clock, a stand-out masterpiece of ancient craft. Today’s cross-fertilisation of styles and the availability of aged or distressed objects and materials have opened up a world of possibilities for the interior. We can just as easily turn that story of that grandfather clock in an austere interior on its head. What’s wrong with a cosy and homely old interior, somewhat shabby and with the smell of mothballs and honeysuckle where an ultramodern and austere work of art is on display in an old recess? Or where the big white wall with artistic panelling displays a breathtakingly colourful work by Corneille, Alechinsky, or Appel?
Why distress? The answer to this question is relatively simple: the old wood has gone! Or, to be more precise, the availability of old wood from cloisters and castles, old trains, old and weathered mooring posts, and cheeseboards is so limited that the price is in proportion. The real ‘stuff’ is for the happy few. However, the demand is just as great for all the reasons mentioned above. To meet this demand there is a need for a good deal of creativity and technology. The technology has been around for some time; making old furniture look even older dates back to the period when real antiques were rare. In those days, traders often intended to confuse their clients. Nowadays, craft workers and engineers have joined forces to develop various techniques for this process, and without wanting to throw dust in their clients’ eyes. Clients ask for it, and they get it. The genuineness is no longer important, but the feeling certainly is. Craft and technology In this magazine we have often outlined the processes of making materials look older. There are various techniques. Traders generally deploy a combination of techniques for most distressed floors. With so called ‘damaging’ we apply artificial traces of years of wear and tear or, by using old processing techniques, we give the impression that a floor can trace its origins to an earlier period. We apply ‘damage’ by flogging, beating, or lashing. By brushing the floor or scraping it by hand, we create the impression that it comes from the age in which those techniques were still applied. Colouring floors can also give the impression that the wood is old. This can be done using colour products such as stains, but also via the now well known ‘chemical smoking’. Various chemical makers provide special distressing products which can also be applied on site, something which is useful in the case of renovation. What do makers offer? The commonness of ‘distressed’ as an interior style is clear from the fact that even makers of ceramic tiles create ‘vintage’ products: there is such a thing as a brand-new tile which looks as if it has been broken out of an old medieval church building! However, let’s concentrate on the wood sector. Floor fitters can apply distressing techniques to a new floor as one of the possible finishes. They can do this themselves or outsource the job to a specialist company. Most coating contractor companies offer
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Floor Forum International 63
A return to the past Recently, I had the privilege of talking to a man who has amassed a fortune by importing shoes, believe it or not. He’s certainly a man of means, but mainly a generous host whom you wouldn’t expect to be an ‘austere thinker’. The combination of those two features was in evidence in abundance in the magnificent loft where he had designed and developed an old steam plant entirely on his own. An open space with an open kitchen, and an open staircase lobby to an equally open mezzanine. Plenty of black and white, the hallmarks of a modernist interior. The entire area had a continuous polished concrete floor with the necessary and clearly visible expansion joints at regular intervals. Anything more austere would be hard to conceive! Then there was that apparent note of discord which testified to the romantic that my host clearly was. On the wall which bordered the street I noticed a sumptuous 17th century grandfather clock, designed in walnut and furnished with a colourful clock face. The clock had two weights which were hoisted up and down in opposite directions behind a narrow window. The clock was ticking, albeit almost imperceptibly. My host had to wind it up regularly, but he clearly felt it was worthwhile to hear that nostalgic tick-tock.
Special Producers of distressed floors
THE TREND WHICH CREATED ITS OWN SEGMENT
Photo: Design Parquet
DISTRESSED IS A ‘MUST’ IN THE RANGE
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these techniques as part of their service package. Nowadays, however, the range which parquet manufacturers themselves offer in solid wood, multi-layer, and veneer is extremely wide. After all, the manufacturers have also come to regard ‘distressed’ as a finish like all others. Some traders do this work themselves, whilst others outsource it to specialists. We will see below that the vast majority of distressed floors are designed in oak. We have often pointed out the reasons for this clearly enough: oak is in good supply, it is a stable wood sort, it adapts easily to various colours, and is ideal for chemical distressing (smoking) due to a tannic acid content which is higher than with many other sorts of wood.
composite floors includes a good number of ready-to-fit floors which are distressed or which have been distressed by BJ Parket itself. The floors distressed by BJ Parket are beaten. The planks are rotated in a large drum together with sophisticated material so that damage occurs on the planks to break their sharp edges. After this treatment, the loose splinters are removed. The planks can then be smoked, if necessary, to give them a dark brown tint. The floors are finished with oil to preserve the natural tint of the wood. Structuring and brushing are also forms of distressing which are applied either separately or in combination with beating. Distressed floors are offered mainly in oak. Chapel Parket
A selection from the range
Chapel has a balanced range of solid wood floors in thicknesses of 15 and 20mm. The so called in-between floors, composite floors with a 6mm top layer, are also available in the above thicknesses. Chapel also offers traditional parquet floors (6mm thick) and colonial floors of 8mm. Distressing techniques can be applied to all these floors. Various sorts of wood can be used for distressing, but oak is by far the most common one.
Ardesia
Design Parquet Ardesia produces solely multi-layer floors, a good 90% of which consist of three layers with a counterbalance layer in spruce or oak. On request, Ardesia can also produce two-layer floors with a solid wood top layer on a birch plywood base. The distressed floors are offered mainly in oak and larch. However, other sorts of wood can also be distressed on request. ‘Hand-scraped’ is the most common distressing technique. This can be obtained in several versions, from soft to extremely rough. Sandblasting is another possibility. Whilst oak is still the most important wood sort, clients do occasionally ask for walnut and larch. BJ Parket
Floor Forum International 63
Design Parquet offers solid wood parquet, multi-layer parquet, and veneer floors. Distressed designs are offered mainly in oak, but the company likes to adapt its production to meet clients’ wishes. The most popular distressing technique at Design Parquet is still manual distressing. The result of this is that the treated floor looks like a genuinely aged floor.
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BJ Parket manufactures solid wood floors such as old Flemish style, strips, herringbone, style panels, Hungarian point, crosscut, and such like. The company also supplies engineerd floors. They offer distressed floors mainly in solid wood. Their range of
Flamingo Parket Flamingo Parket is a comprehensive supplier of wooden floors. They supply solid oak planks (20mm), the dual layer system Twin Plank in thicknesses of 12, 16, and 18mm, traditional parquet floors of 6mm/wide floorboards (8mm)/mosaic parquet (8mm), and tablets (10mm). A good 95% of the products come from their own factory. Flamingo Parket can distress all floors and they do so in their own factory. The most common distressing technique is beating, but band sawing (making rough marks across the plank) and fossil sawing and brushing floors are becoming more popular.
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The floors are offered in an extensive range of finishes. A number of the finishes are designed specifically to give a distressed look: brushing, smoking, colouring, oiling, varnishing, distressing, or beating (this is usually done on oak floors), and belt sanding.
The Haro assortment consists of engineered floors in two or three layers. Distressed designs are offered mainly in oak, beech, and ash. The major distressing technique used by Haro is brushing or scraping. For the retro brushed one-strip plank Haro has developed a special drying process which results in highlighted gnarls. In Haroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parquet manufacture they also offer individual surfaces such as Vintage Oak and a woodworm look.
FB Hout FB Hout offers distressed floorboards in oak. This collection, which is called Old Floor Collection, is supplied immediately from the stock in six colours and three widths. FB Hout has its own distinctive method of distressing to stand out from their rivals. They must do of the work by hand to give the product a more natural look instead of an artificial one. Despite all these intricate processes, FB Hout is still able to supply its products immediately from its stock at very competitive prices. Basically, FB Hout can distress any sort of wood. This is partly because the company controls the entire process from the tree to the finished product which the client receives. Naturally, oak is still the product most in demand. Heywood Vloeren As a production company, Heywood Vloeren offers solid wood floors and multi-plank floors consisting of a solid wood top layer glued onto birch plywood. These floors are offered in various sorts of wood such as European oak, American white oak, walnut, wenge, merbau, curupixa, jatoba, ipe, afrormorsia, afzelia, ash, maple, pine maritime, Russian pine, douglas, sucupira etc.
Junckers Junckers presents an extensive range of solid wood floors in an equally extensive range of wood sorts and shades, ranging from light to dark shades. The floors meet two basic requirements: the decorative look (colour and design) which only real parquet can offer and a stable and durable floor solution for many years. Distressed floors are available in oak. The techniques applied most often are brushing and the application of a rough sawn effect.
Special Producers of distressed floors
Haro
Lalegno At Lalegno, their range of manually distressed floors is limited to the range of oak floors of 15mm (top layer 4mm) and 21mm (top layer 6mm). The untreated hand-scraped parquet 15-CLASSIC26 0 - B R U T- G H V and the oiled equivalent, the 15-CL ASSIC-26010-classic-148-latour MEURSAULT, are very popular with both floor fitters and the general public, particularly because the planks are extra long (2200mm) and wide (260mm) and therefore resemble an authentic castle floor.
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Floor Forum International 63
Band sawing in combination with brushing, distressing, and colouring is also very popular. This is called Robust. Flamingo Parket does all its own processes. Oak is the sort of wood which is distressed most often, but actually it is possible to distress any sort of wood. Since Flamingo Parket does all this in its own factory, many options can be discussed.
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Furthermore, in the meantime, the sandblasted RELIEF and the smoked floors with resounding wine names like BEAUNE, LOIRE, CHABLIS, LATOUR, POMMARD, MARGAUX, and PETRUS have proved a real hit. A new chapter in the Lalegno collection of distressed floors is the BARN collection, which was launched early this year during Domotex Hanover. As the name of the series suggests, the planks for these floors have been treated in such a way that they evoke the atmosphere of typical old wooden barns, which are well known from American western films. The wood from such barns is weathered and worn, but tough and unique. At Lalegno they distress the floors manually plank by plank to create an irregular pattern. Moreover, at Lalegno they also use various distressing tools and techniques (smoking, hand-scraping, sandblasting etc.). Litubel Parket Litubel primarily has solid oak parquet in various dimensions: in 14mm thickness they have widths of 130, 150, and 180mm. In 20mm thickness widths are available of 150, 180, and 216mm. Furthermore, Litubel also offers two-layer parquet with a thickness of 14mm and a width of 180mm, consisting of a 6mm solid wood top layer on oak strips. Distressed designs are offered in the whole range. The most popular distressing techniques are smoking and brushing. Mister Parquet
B.J. Parket BVBA I NDUSTRIESTRAAT 44 9240 Z ELE – BELGIUM TEL: +32 52 44 45 57 FAX : +32 52 45 06 71 E MAIL: INFO @ BJPARKET.BE WWW. BJPARKET. BE TRADITIONAL PARQUET MANUFACTURER
Style panels, end grain, distressed floors (different ageing techniques ‘sanded, brushed, tumbled, smoked and structured’)
Mister Parquet distressed floors exude the spirit of the past. ‘Circolo dell’ Antico Parquet’ is an exclusive floor which is the result of a careful process of distressing which restores the wood to its original beauty. Restoration and hand work to the gnarls and edges bring the wood back to life so that it offers warmth and feeling. Thanks to the expertise of the craft workers, the floor takes on a valuable and exclusive character and it suitable for public spaces, offices, homes, and for meeting the endless expectations of architects and designers. The exclusiveness arises from the distressing process itself. After the nails and other remnants have been removed and the gnarls and edges restored, the floor is scraped by hand. Oosterlinck – Greenparket Oosterlink produces both solid wood and engineered floors. The solid wood floors are made in thicknesses of 9mm (old Flemish style or Burgundy) , 14, and 22mm. These latter two thicknesses are fitted all round with tongue and groove and they are called wooden floors. The engineered parquet is available in 16/4 , 18/6, and 21/6 whereby the final figure refers to the thickness of the
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Parador
floors are available in various tints and finishes. The multi-layer floors form the Tabula range, whilst the Legend range consists of solid wood parquet floors. As regards distressed floors, Parqueterie Berrichonne presents oak floors. The distressing technique deployed is semi-industrial.
Parqueterie de Bourgogne Within its extensive range of parquet, Parqueterie de Bourgogne offers parquet with distressed finishes. Their method of distressing damages the floors unevenly to give each floorboard a unique and old appearance. The company’s distressed planks are offered in exceptional widths, which go up to 450mm and even higher. Their parquet floors, which are in solid oak or as engineered parquet, can be subdivided into an extensive range of personalised finishes: - Naturally distressed (oiled) - Untreated distressed look wood - Vintage distressed collection - Coloured distressed.
Special Producers of distressed floors
top layer. Both the solid wood and enginereed floors are available both in oak as in tropical wood sorts such as afrormosia, wenge, teak, and such like. The oak used is always French or European oak of very sound origin. The distressed floors are available only in oak whereby mainly the rustic selection is taken as the basis. The most common distressing technique is beating the planks so that the planks show signs of damage on the surface and at the edges. Brushing the planks reinforces the distressing in some cases. The floors are then finished with oil.
PlyQuet Holzimport GmbH
Parqueterie Berrichonne Parqueterie Berrichonne’s range includes both solid wood floors and Multi-layer parquet in various widths, lengths, and thicknesses. The
At PlyQuet Holzimport they have engineered, ready-tofit wooden floors in thicknesses of 14 and 18mm. Distressed designs are offered in European oak from France and Germany. All floors are distressed by hand so that they get the appearance of genuinely natural aged floors. Stia Holzindustrie Stia offers three-layer floors with tongue and groove or with a click system. Dis-tressing techniques are offered with larch and oak. The In-tensive Oak Dis-tressed floors have a natural look with contrasting colour variations, open gnarls, and irregular damage. The Intensive Oak Distressed Brown floor is also given the colour of a smoked floor. Intensive Larch Aged Distressed undergoes a special distressing treatment in the depth. A contrast is created with the Intensive Larch Aged Distressed White through the application of
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Floor Forum International 63
Apart from laminate, Parador also has both multi-layer and solid wood floors. Dis-tressed floors are available in oak. In order to develop the individuality of the wood even finer, Parador has a new parquet series (Trend-time 8) for finishing surfaces manually. The manually treated planks win over clients with their authenticity and poise. Parador offers them in both variants, namely Handscraped and Elephant Skin. Hand-scraped stands for unique floors, for the surfaces of these planks are planed separately by hand and remind us of ‘the good old days’. The traditional process leaves behind irregular marks on the wood. At this point these parquet floors are following a trend, which rates naturalness and genuine handwork according to its value. The parquet Trendtime 8 Elephant Skin radiates the charm of a historic floor. To do that, specialists carefully treat each surface separately by hand in order to produce the features of wood such as grains, knots, or cracks specially. For example, some material around knots can be removed using a very fine technique. This creates the impression that the floor has been used for several centuries so that typical marks have arisen.
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French oak Exotic species Finished and unfinished
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white dyes, whilst the Intensive Larch Aged Distressed Black is given an additional treatment with black dyes.
Special Producers of distressed floors
Custom made in Belgium Just-in-time delivery
Solid and engineered flooring
Zabolak
Picking out the finest wood...
Oosterlinck NV Schaapsdreef 8b B-8750 Wingene (Belgium) Tel: 0032 51 65 75 41 info@oosterlinck-hout.be
www.oosterlinck-hout.be
30/10/12 07:41
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UM CE 1948 SIN
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TOP QUALITY WOOD
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At Zabolak they consider distressing every possible sort of wooden floor, from 4 to 40mm thick and from 50 to 500mm wide. This applies to both solid wood as engineered. Since Zabolak is a so called ‘contracting firm’, distressing is always at the client’s request. The most authentic distressed look is obtained by beating and scraping the side (felling). Another, less popular technique is roller distressing. The main wood sorts for distressing at Zabolak are oak, nut, larch, and teak.
Yepp
W W A P. B E .T R
Yepp has both solid oak distressed floors and multi-layer floors in its range, in thicknesses of both 14 and 21mm (solid wood and multi-layer). The distressing processes are applied to solid wood and multi-layer tongue and groove systems, both in plank design and in herringbone and Hungarian point. The most used distressed technique consists partly of mechanically distressing the visible surface and edges and partly applying procedures such as smoking or staining, which work into the tannic acid content in the oak. Due to the good reaction to smoking and staining, this distressing technique is used only with European oak.
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People sometimes say: “They don’t make bad cars any more.” In fact, we could apply that to just about any group of products. Serious manufacturers realise that you might just as well make good products and that that is the only way to survive. The same applies to wooden floors. A few decades ago, if there were flaws in some multi-layer floors, people looked for the cause in the products used and/or the production method. Adhesives, perhaps once the Achilles tendon of multi-layer products, are now high-tech products which are 100% reliable. ‘Multi-layer’ stands for certainty.
Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Market share
Total market
Market share
76% 77% 78% 78% 78% 78%
100,344,000m² 84,725,000m² 67,523,000m² 70,298,000m² 70,713,000m² 68,266,133m²
76,261,440m² 65,238,250m² 52,667,940m² 54,832,440m² 55,156,140m² 53,169,661m²
(Figures derived from a comparison of the FEP annual reports) What do we learn from this? It’s fascinating to compare figures like this. Some general conclusions: 1. We can see perfectly well when the general crisis emerged. In 2008, the wooden flooring market suffered a severe setback. From one year to the next, floor production fell by no less than 15,619,000m². Other FEP statistics show that the share of wooden flooring in the flooring market as a whole has stayed the same (5.6%). Almost all other sorts of floors have lost their market share, with the exception of laminate, which has recorded growing figures.
2. We see from the figures that the industry has still not fully recovered from the setback of 2008. Over a period of five years, wooden flooring producers have lost a production quantity of no less than 32,077,867m². The figure for multi-layer floors is 23,091,779m². If we convert that to an average sales price of thirty euros per square metre, then we see that multi-layer floor makers lost about 700 million euros between 2008 and 2012. What about multi-layer? Naturally, the most important conclusion for this article concerns the development of multi-layer floors. We can say that multilayer parquet has been dominating the market for several years with a market share of 76% in 2007. This growth has emerged, as it were, ‘from nowhere’. In the years which followed (i.e. at the height of the crisis), the volume fell, but the share of the total wooden flooring market has grown. Over the past four years, that share has been 78% and this figure looks likely to remain stable. The explanation for the success Everything is engineered, with the exception of solid wood. We all agree on that. By ‘engineered’, we mean that the properties of a natural product are improved by the intervention of the human brain and, therefore, science. This applies to all composite floors: two-layer, three-layer, veneer, and laminate. Here are some points for attention: ‘Industrial’ craft By engineering floors 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 many years. With engineered floors, the steps required to achieve this are carried out in the factory. The top layer appears on a base which replaces the former subfloor or intermediate floor. The proportions (including thickness and width) are calculated scientifically for maximum stability. This is exactly why some people still call multi-layer floors ‘pre-fab traditional parquet’. Ecological/Economical Consumers have become more aware of environmental issues. Multi-layer floors consume less precious wood. Naturally, the top
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Multi-layer on the ‘market’ In previous editions, we have often considered the question as to whether or not multi-layer parquet might ever replace solid wood parquet. Furthermore, we have often put this question to the leading players on the market. Their answer was always the same and generally spread: “No, because there will always be a group of people with a distinct preference for solid wood.” That preference can be inspired by different premises. Some people love the feel of wood and swear by solid wood. They have the feeling that any variation on solid wood is ‘not the real thing’ and they tar multi-layer, veneer, and laminate with one brush. Many people prefer solid wood simply because they are ‘poorly informed’. Multi-layer is not inferior. On the contrary, from some dimensions (extra large) multi-layer parquet is simply more reliable than solid wood from a technical point of view. The emergence of multilayer does not lie. However, if we look at the share of these so called engineered floors in the parquet market as a whole, we discover that the players mentioned above were right. Multi-layer has conquered a huge market share and has consolidated its position for a few years now.
Special Producers of engineered floors
QUALITY IS ALMOST TAKEN FOR GRANTED
Photo: BJ Parktet
ENGINEERED PARQUET STILL DOMINATES
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Special Producers of engineered floors
What’s on the market? layer is considerably thinner than a solid wood floor (min. 2mm versus 15 to 22mm) so that you cut fewer trees for the same amount of wood. The base of a multi-layer floor can consist of various sorts of wooden panels (e.g. multiplex or HDF). These are usually wooden panels produced from waste wood from other product segments. Amongst other things, the choice of thickness is determined by both ecological and economical motives. It is a misconception to think that the thinner the top layer, the cheaper the floor. That statement is true for extremely expensive sorts of wood. With ordinary sorts of wood, the difference in price in proportion to the thickness of the top layer is extremely small. Another important aspect in choosing the thickness of the floor, especially when it comes to renovation, is the available construction height. With many renovations, the construction height is limited by the surrounds (e.g. doors or thresholds). The thickness of the top layer Multi-layer parquet can consist of two or three layers. With twolayer wood-engineered parquet, the top layer is fastened onto one base. Two-layer wood-engineered parquet is often fully glued. Three-layer wood-engineered parquet also has a counterlayer as well as a counterlayer in MDF, HDF, multiplex, or pine or fir strips. The layers are fitted cross-linked to each other and are glued together under pressure. The total thickness of a multi-layer floor is about 14mm, something which is an ‘attractive detail’ with renovation. Some manufacturers have two-layer wood-engineered parquet of 9mm. The thickness of the top layer varies for both two and three-layer floors from manufacturer to manufacturer. Those thicknesses vary from about 2mm to 6 to 7mm. According to the BBRI, a multi-layer wooden floor has to have a top layer of at least 2mm in hardwood before we can describe it as parquet. The thickness of the top layer is particularly important for the number of times that the floor might be sandpapered. Everything is wood Some people still use the term ‘semi-solid’, and that’s misleading to put it mildly. It would seem helpful to point out that most floors discussed here are made virtually 100% from wood. If wooden panels are used for the multi-layer floor base, this means that the product consists entirely of wood, namely triplex, multiplex, OSB, MDF, and HDF. With floors where the layers are glued cross-linked to each other, all layers consist of solid wood. And so, why do we speak of ‘virtually 100 %’ wood? The answer is that the wooden bases do contain some binding agent or glue, even if this volume is negligible as a proportion of the total mass.
Ardesia Ardesia produces multi-layer floors. Over 90% of the floors consist of three layers. As regards the top layer t hi ck n e s s, Ardesia usually offers a choice between 3, 3.5, and 4mm, but they are very flexible with top layer thickness and can, on request, make floors with thicker top layers (5 or 6mm). The base and the counterbalance are usually designed in spruce, but here, too, Ardesia is flexible: for oak it is possible to provide a counterlayer in oak. Only 15% of the floors leave the factory untreated. 85% is pre-finished (oiled, varnished, or waxed). Alpha Floors Alpha Floors presents two collections in Multi-layer parquet, namely the Classic Collection and the Essentials Collection. The Classic Collection is a three-layer floor with a total thickness of 15mm. The top layer in solid oak has a thickness of 4mm. Floorboards from the Classic Collection are 189mm wide and 1860mm long. The Essential Collection is a two-layer floor with a total thickness of 10mm. The floor is composed of an oak top layer (2.75mm thick) on a multiplex base. The width of these floorboards is 158mm and the length 1830mm. Over 85% of the floors are supplied pre-finished. As regards the finish, Alpha Floors Works together with WOCA.
COLOURS AND PROTECTS IN ONE SINGLE LAYER – MOLECULAR TECHNOLOGY – VOC FREE Floor Forum International 63
HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN A GREEN CAN!
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www.rubiomonocoat.com
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BJ Parket For several years now, BJ Parket has enjoyed an outstanding reputation in the field of solid wood parquet floors. In the field of ‘traditional’ parquet, including old fitting patterns and marquetry (e.g. Versailles panels), the company is undoubtedly an authority. However, BJ Parket also imports the multi-layer Solidfloor. These floors are available in three thicknesses, namely 10/3, 15/4, and 20/6. And so, the minimal noble wood top layer is 3mm. All Solidfloor floorboards are completely finished. BJ Parket also acts as an agent in Belgium for Europlac floors. All together, the ratio of raw/finished floors is about 20/80%. Main suppliers in the field of glues and finish products are Sika, Osmo, Den Braven, Bona, and Ciranova. Bolzan Srl Bolzan offers both two and three-layer parquet. The bottom and middle layers are made from spruce. The plentiful wood sorts include Canadian maple, oak, iroko, doussie, steamed beech, teak, afrormosia, American cherry, wenge, American walnut, etc. In the collection of two-layer floors we find various top layer thicknesses. Teorema is 11mm thick with a top layer of 5mm of hardwood. Super Teorema and Maxi Teorema are 14mm thick and have a top layer of 5mm of noble wood. Teorema Plus is 16mm thick with a noble wood top layer of 7mm. In three-layer parquet, Bolzan offers the Teorema 3, which has a total thickness of 16mm. Over 70% of the floors are supplied completely finished. The major suppliers as regards the finish are Bona and Osmo.
presents wood including oak, American walnut, afrormosia, bubinga, doussie, wenge, and many other sorts besides. The floors are offered in three widths, namely 180, 220, and 295mm. They can be delivered untreated with a view to finishing them on site. The finished floors are varnished, oiled, or coloured in the factory.
Europlac Europlac has devised a full concept of floors with various top layer thicknesses, but available in the same colours and finishes. This makes it easier for consumers to recognise the complementarit y and it is easier for dealers or floor fitters to sell the products. The veneer floors from Europlac Cabannes also have a place in this concept. In the present assortment the best selling floor is the Absolu 10 (on HDF). It has a top layer of 2mm of noble wood. The Absolu 14 (on HDF) has a top layer of 3.2mm. On a plywood base Europlac presents the Prestige 10, 14, and 19 with top layers of 2, 3.2, and 5.5mm. At present, just about 75% of the floors are supplied completely finished.
Special Producers of engineered floors
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Chapel Parket
Design Parquet Design Parquet offers solid wood parquet, multi-layer parquet, and veneer floors. The added value of the multi-layer floors lies in their great stability. The thickness of the multi-layer floors varies between 16 and 20mm with a top layer from 4.5 to 5.5mm and a base in birch. The same wood is used for the counterlayer and the top layer. In the ‘Gamme loft pro’ Design Parquet
Heywood Vloeren Heywood Vloeren is a production and wholesale company. It was formed in 1998 and arose from “Houthandel Van Der Heijden” in Heesch, the Netherlands. Over the years, Heywood Vloeren has proved itself to be a supplier of top quality products and services through efficient management throughout the entire supply chain, starting with the careful purchase of raw wood and ending with the supply of finished products. Heywood Vloeren produces solid wood floors and multi-plank floors. The latter are made from a solid wood top layer varying between a 3mm, 4mm, and 5.5mm top layer, glued onto birch plywood. These products are offered in various sorts of wood, such as European oak, American white oak, walnut, wenge, merbau, curupixa, jatoba, ipe, afrormorsia, afzelia, ash, maple, pine maritime, Russian pine, douglas, sucupira etc. The variation of the assortment is not limited to the wood sort. There are also several sizes, colours, and treatments available: brushing, smoking, colouring, oiling, varnishing, distressing, or beating (which is usually done on oak floors), and belt sawing, all based on specific assignments from clients.
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Floor Forum International 63
At Chapel they speak of multilayer parquet as soon as parquet is constructed with several layers. The company has a wide assortment of top quality wooden floors, including solid wood floors in thicknesses of 20 and 15mm, traditional parquet floors (6mm thick), and colonial floors, which are 8mm thick. In the field of multi-layer floors, Chapel offers floors with a total thickness of 20mm, consisting of a 6mm top layer on birch plywood (14mm), and floors with a total thickness of 15mm, consisting of a top layer of 4mm on birch plywood (11mm). for adhesives and finish products, Chapel works mainly with Overmat Industries.
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Lalegno
Step on real wood with the price of laminate
ABSOLU 8 range is composed with real wood veneer and ultra strong varnish or oil finish available in width 150mm et 195mm retailer adviced price : 30 EUR/sqm* ABSOLU 8 has been developped in correlation with our other ranges of parquet and flooring on HDF and birch Multiplex * price for Oak one strip warnished or oiled
europlac le cabaret - 17210 chevanceaux - fr tel. 0033 5 46 04 66 88 www.europlac.eu info@europlac.eu
Lalegno floors generally have a top layer of 2, 2.5, 4, or 6mm. Lalegno floors are available in (European or Chinese) oak, bamboo, and tropical wood sorts 10-classic-148-latour (wenge, doussie, merbau, teak, and walnut). The floors have thicknesses of 10mm (top layer 2.5mm), 15mm (top layer 4mm), or 21mm (top layer 6mm). Most of their products are 1860mm long, but there is also the option of extra long planks of 2200mm or even 4500mm. There is also a choice of width; the possibilities vary from 127 to no less than 320mm. The floors can be fitted with tongue and groove or with a click system. Lalegno has untreated floors as well as oiled, varnished, smoked, and distressed parquet. All together, Lalegno offers a standard range of about 100 different parquet floors. Furthermore, there are several possibilities for customised work. Traditionally, many floor fitters opt for the unfinished version, which they themselves can then treat in line with client preference. Nevertheless, it is quite noticeable that the proportion of finished floors is still increasing. In particular, the smoked oiled floors such as the CHABLIS, LOIRE, BEAUNE, and CHARDONNAY are enjoying huge success. Mardegan Legno Mardegan Legno offers both two and three-layer floors. The two-layer floors are offered in thicknesses of 10 and 14mm. The wood sorts oak, elm, and walnut are offered in 14mm whilst European oak comes in a thickness of 10mm. The three-layer floors are available in thicknesses of 15 and 20mm. As regards wood sorts, Mardegan Legno offers a choice of oak, walnut, elm, black acacia, and cherry in 15mm. European oak comes in a thickness of 20mm. With three-layer floors the same sort of wood is used for the bottom layer as for the top layer. The intermediate layer consists of softwood. For the two-layer floors we get a top layer of one of the wood sorts mentioned above on plywood. With Mardegan Legno the proportion of rough finished floors is negligible. Practically 99% leave the factory completely finished and coloured. Mardegan Legno Works with adhesives of Italian origin. Parqueterie de Bourgogne The engineered parquet floors from Parqueterie De Bourgogne consist of two layers: there is a top layer in French oak and a French plywood bottom layer. Their engineered parquet floors are particularly recommended for use with floor heating, in unusual places such as at a great height, near the sea, second homes, which are often not inhabited permanently, and in all places where high fluctuations in air humidity can be expected. The company presents these parquet floors in various plank thicknesses and widths, adapted for fitting on floor heating: - Thickness 21mm, 6mm thick top layer in solid oak: XXL Grand Large widths between 250 and 420mm, with exceptional lengths from 3500 to 4800mm. - Thickness 20.5mm, 6mm thick top layer in solid oak: widths 180, 200, 220, and 240mm. - Thickness 16mm, 4.5mm thick top layer in solid oak: widths 140, 160, 180, 200, and 220mm.
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Oosterlinck - Greenparket The composite floors which Oosterlinck produces have a thickness of either 16/4, 18/6, or 21/6 and in each case the latter figure refers to the thickness of the top layer. The standard widths are between 12 and 22cm, going up per 2cm. This means that the client has a choice of a fixed width or varying widths. Moreover, Oosterlinck is able to produce floors up to a maximum width of 28cm. They always use an indelible birch multiplex of 12 or 15mm as the substrate/base. Apart from oak, the processed wood sorts also include various tropical sorts such as afrormosia, wenge, and teak. The oak is always French or European oak and originates from the best breeding grounds. This means that oak floors from Oosterlink have a much more attractive appearance than most imported floors, especially those from China. Oosterlinck saws top layers, glues the multiplex, and planes the wood all on its own so that the company is able to respond flexibly and speedily to specific client needs. ‘Made in Belgium’ and ‘Just in time delivery’ are its strong points. A good 60% of the floors are delivered unfinished (untreated). Select Wood Select Wood offers an extensive range of multi-layer floors. The wood-engineered parquet consists of two or three layers in which the top layer, consisting of 100% wood, is glued to a layer of material consisting of wood fibres. Depending on the chosen floor, the top layer is available in a thickness of 2 to 6mm. There is two-layer parquet with a top layer on HDF and three-layer in line with the traditional structure with a top layer, pine middle layer, and birch plywood. Over 75% of the multi-layer floors leave the
Stile Stile, too, is of the opinion that an engineered floor has to have a top layer of at least 2.5mm in order to be designated as parquet. Otherwise such floors are simply designated as wooden floors. Stile produces two-layer parquet floors and the floors are 10 or 20mm thick in total. The base is always produced from (Baltic) birch. The top layer in a noble wood can be designed in various thicknesses, ranging from 2.5 to 6mm. Top quality products are used for the finish. At least 90% of the floors leave the factory completely finished. The finish products come from Bona: oil, varnish, Natural UV, Natural UV White, and Traffic UV. Trap Flooring The multi-layer parquet floors (Multrifloor) from Trap always have top quality birch plywood as a bottom layer. The Multrifloor always has tongue and groove on the long sides and on the heads. Multi-layer parquet floors from Trap Industries are available in various thicknesses. The greater the total thickness of the floor, the thicker the top layer will be. The Project version has a total thickness of 12/13mm with a top layer of 2 or 3mm. This parquet has a somewhat thinner top layer, and this makes it ideal for bedrooms or rooms with lower traffic. The Royal has a total thickness of 14.8mm, which consists of an 11mm bottom layer in birch multiplex and a solid wood top layer of 3.8mm. Majestic parquet has a total thickness of 19.5mm with a solid wood top layer of no less than 5.5mm. Over 50% of the floors are finished in the factory, either oxidatively or by means of UV.
Special Producers of engineered floors
PlyQuet / TEKA As far as PlyQuet is concerned, a wooden floor must have a 2mm thick top layer in noble wood to be worthy of the name parquet. Floors from PlyQuet and TEKA Parquet have a thickness of 14mm with a top layer of 3mm or a thickness of 18mm with a top layer of 5mm. The structure consists of three layers. A good 90% of TEKA floors are supplied completely pre-finished. Major suppliers in the field of adhesives and finishes are Dynea, Akzo Nobel, Klumpp Coatings, and WOCA Denmark.
company pre-finished. For the glues Select Wood Works with Lecol and Sika, whilst Rubio Monocoat and Saicos help with the finishes.
Yepp Yepp presents both two and three-layer floors. There are two types of two-layer floors. Floors with a solid wood top layer on a plywood base are sold under the name Doubly. In addition, there is also the Top Floor, a multi-layer floor with a solid wood oak top layer on solid wood oak strips. Yepp has three brands of three-layer floors, namely Thrice, Thrice Plus, and Quick-Step Parquet. Thrice is a Multi-layer floor with a solid wood top layer on wooden strips with a veneer counterlayer underneath. Thrice Plus, like Quick-Step Parquet, has a similar structure, but is also equipped with the Uniclic Multifit click system. All these floors are available in oak, but also in other sorts. The ratio of raw finished and pre-finished here is 40/60%.
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- Thickness 11mm, 3.3mm thick top layer in solid oak: width 180mm. A width of 140mm is also practicable for fitting on floor heating and cooling. Our engineered parquet floors are offered in rustic shape or finished in the factory, varnished or naturally oiled, varnish coloured or oiled, look of sawn wood, distressed, or brushed INTENSIVELY. The top layers in French oak guarantee a uniformity of colour which is identical to that of the company’s solid wood parquet floors.
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> Industry news
Floor Forum International 63
Industry News
Domotex Asia Chinafloor The floor coverings markets of Asia are booming, with 377 million square meters of floor coverings having been sold in China in 2012, alone. Next year, the DOMOTEX Asia/CHINAFLOOR tradeshow will once again provide the international floor coverings industry with a powerful, high-yield springboard for new business and new markets in Asia.
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Domotex Asia/Chinafloors brings new flooring perspectives From 25 to 27 March 2014 Shanghai will open its gates fort the 2014 DOMOTEX ASIA/CHINAFLOOR exhibition. The leading trade flooring exhibition for the Asia Pacific region is the second largest flooring show in the world (second to DOMOTEX Hannover). Presenting all types of flooring solutions, from carpet to wood, from laminate to resilient, from flooring machineries to installation and maintenance tools, from residential to commercial and industrial floorings, the show has 140,000sqm of exhibit space, about 1,200 exhibitors and welcomes 45,000 visitors. The professional visitors’ profiles include distributors, wholesalers, retailers, franchise dealers, buyers, real estate developers, architects and designers, contractors, project managers, owners, government officials ... DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2014 InnovAction Flooring Last year, nearly 4,000 visitors voted in the on-line InnovAction flooring campaign where 200 new and innovative products could be pre-viewed. A selection of those products was also displayed together in a special venue at the show. The InnovAction program, which is designed to highlight the show’s newest products, is also meant to increase interaction between visitors and exhibitors by providing a convenient, on-line method to set appointments with manufacturers. In its first year, the program resulted in 644 pre-show contacts. In 2014, show organizers will expand the interactive online system for pre-viewing selected products, promotional opportunities and appointment setting. The physical InnovAction spotlight venue will move into the Architects and Designers Hub. All pre-registered visitors will have access to the on-line service. Visitors’ pre-registration is open! The on-line pre-registration portal for DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR 2014 is now open at domotexasiachinafloor. com. Admittance for pre-registered visitors is free. Preregistered visitors gets access to the InnovAction online centre starting from December 2013. MMFA association grows to 23 members First General Assembly in Berlin More than 30 professionals of the sector gathered in Berlin on 9 and 10 October 2013 for the first General Assembly of the MMFA – Multilayer Modular Flooring Association. On this occasion Matthias Windmöller, chairman of the board, received the application letter of the producer Tarkett GDL SA (Luxemburg). Furthermore, the companies Dai Nippon Printing Europa GmbH (Germany) and NMC Deutschland GmbH (Germany) joined the
association in Berlin as extraordinary members. Prior to the event, Välinge Innovation Sweden AB (Sweden) had become a new extraordinary member of the MMFA. And shortly after the Berlin event Austrian producer Tilo GmbH was welcomed as an ordinary member. This means that the association, which had only been founded in October 2012, has grown to 23 members within just one year.
THE SECRET OF MULTI TOPFLOOR
Unique and absolutely the best, is the gluing method of Multi Topfloor BV. The special 2-component gluing method to bond the oak lamella and the birch bedding under pressure and dry with high frequency, results in a very stable product, free of insects, larvae’s and eggs. This makes the product perfectly suitable to be used in conjunction with underfloor heating. The flooring is so stable, that it can be laid floating and it withstands moisture from basements and air which saves a lot on laying costs such as coatings. The average shear stress is more than 8000 N/cm² so it can stand severe foot traffic. www.multitopfloor.com Proline Exhibition „Branchentag Holz“ in Cologne
The motto of the 12th “Branchentag Holz“ in Cologne was „Plant for the Planet“, an environmental initiative that offers a compelling marketing tool for the wooden sector. Due to the positive development of sales within the branch in September, the atmosphere at Proline Systems and Proline Energy was very positive. This was confirmed by the other manufacturers and dealers. “As in the past, this event is characterized by a high quality of visitors”, so Karl-Heinz Fiedler, President and owner of Proline Systems. Proline particularly convinced with its underlay web PROBASEprofi folds PS+, a mat that is water and slip resistant, has a high pressure resistance and compensates uneven floors.
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Everyone agrees that Italy is a wonderful country with so much variety. It has mountains, valleys, a host of seas, lakes, forests, a wealth of cultural heritage, and a huge variety of ‘people types’: someone from Milan is different to someone from Naples! The country’s history is equally varied, from the glory of the great Roman Empire to the complete loss of that same empire. The economy? That’s equally colourful, for Italy is one of the few countries where regions are so strongly associated with specific products. The instability of yesteryear has been transformed into ‘stormy weather’. Italy is in a fight, but there is hope. A brief sketch Italy is one of the bigger European states with a surface area of 301,323km². The country borders on France in the north-west, Switzerland and Austria to the north, and Slovenia to the northeast. On the west coast Italy borders on the Mediterranean Sea via the Ligurian Sea (near the Riviera), the Tyrrhenian Sea (between Italy and Sardinia), and the Ionian Sea (east of Sicily) respectively. On the east coast we find the Adriatic Sea. The entire Italian coastline amounts to 7,600 km. Inside the geographical borders of Italy lie the independent republic of San Marino and the sovereign state of Vatican City. San Marino, situated in the eastern part of the peninsula, was formed in the fourth century and is the oldest republic in the world. Its surface area amounts to 62km² and the republic numbers about 24,000 inhabitants. Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, has a surface area of a mere 44 hectares. It is the smallest state on earth where about 200 people live permanently and over 800 people go to work every day.
The weaknesses As we have already said, Italy is an extremely colourful country in terms of its businesses. This means that we find spread all over the country scores of small to medium-sized businesses, many of which are family businesses. This is, of course, very novelistic, but it also has disadvantages: small family businesses are not well placed to defend themselves against competitive prices on the international markets. As production increases in low cost countries, even from traditionally Western European companies, pressure on prices will rise further. Another problem is that neither the Italian government nor the business world have the motivation and means to invest in innovation in this economic depression. Result: the country’s infrastructure is poorly developed, as is that of most companies. The labour market operates on the basis of ‘sink or swim’. If there is some production, there is also some work, but otherwise nothing. There is no flexibility whatsoever between the different industries and Italy hardly has any form of ‘interim’ system like that in most other European countries.
The climate The Italian climate is similarly varied. Now why is that so important? Precisely because the climatic differences lie partly at the heart of the different regional specialities in different industries. On the whole, Italy has a Mediterranean Sea climate, yet we can clearly identify a number of different climatic regions. For example, the Po Plain has hot summers with temperatures almost as high as in Sicily, but the winters are cold and damp, with lots of haze and mist. The lake region on the southern side of the Alps lies more sheltered, so it has a milder climate. The northern part of the Apennine Mountains and the highlands of Tuscany and Umbria are covered in snow during the winter. An exception is the Italian Riviera on the north-western coast, where the winters are always mild and the summers have dry periods, albeit with quite a lot of rain. Southern Italy has very hot and dry summers, and that is also a Mediterranean Sea climate in an extreme form with a much higher percentage of sunshine than in the rest of the country.
Rays of hope? This lack of flexibility on the labour market stands in stark contrast to the existence of the so called ‘districts’ or ‘clusters’. As we have already said, Italy has various regions which specialise in a particular branch. The companies which are based there make those regions self-supporting in that they all supply each other. And so, within the recognised industrial districts and a number of other spontaneously developed districts, companies all produce related products. And so, in a particular district we could find a parquet manufacturer, a wood panel producer, a timber merchant, a sawmill, and a furniture factory, which are largely dependent on each other. At the same time, these cluster companies enjoy the huge impact of the Made in Italy label, the hallmark which helps them to stand out.
Italy - economics Italy is sitting in a downward spiral and has been in recession since 2011. Forecasters had predicted that 2013 would be a year of recovery, but so far the indicators are still no better than ‘fluctuating’ to ‘very sombre’. This is worrying for an economy amongst the world’s top 10 biggest economies. What’s wrong, what improvements are possible, and how do economic and financial analysts view the country’s prospects? Below we give an update.
Economic forecasts The Italian central bank expects the country’s economy to shrink by 1.9% this year, whereas in January 2013 they were still counting on a drop of 1%. For 2014, the central bank is counting on growth of 0.7%, but they do warn that this forecast is shrouded in uncertainty. The central bank expects unemployment in Italy to rise to almost 13% next year. In May of this year, unemployment rose to 12.2%, the highest level ever recorded. According to the National Institution of Statistics (Istat), export can provide some comfort. Istat believes that exports until the end of 2014 will rise by 9.7% and thereby contribute considerably towards the country’s economic recovery. Exports of goods will rise by 10%,
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Special Top Italian companies focused on Export
THE ECONOMIC BAROMETER READS ‘CHANGEABLE’
Floor Forum International 63
ITALIANS LOVE PARQUET
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Special Top Italian companies focused on Export
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whilst the export figure for services is 7.5%, according to Istat. They have based these figures on estimates provided by Sace, the Italian insurer of business credit. Earlier this year, Istat forecast that the Italian economy would shrink by 1.4% in 2013 and then enjoy growth of 0.7% in 2014. They claim that an increase in exports this year and next year will add 1% to the growth of the gross domestic product during that period. The shackles of bureaucracy Need for political stability Between 1945 and 1994, the political situation in Italy was highly volatile. The country had no fewer than 50 cabinets, including Christian Democrat prime ministers such as Alcide De Gasperi (between 1946 and 1953), Aldo Moro (between 1963 and 1978), Mario Rumor (between 1968 and 1974), Gulio Andreotti (between 1972 and 1992), and Amitore Fanfani (between 1954 and 1987). The most famous non-Christian Democrat premier was the Social Democrat Bettino Craxi (1983-1987). Since 28 April 2013, power has been in the hands of a broad coalition led by Social Democrat Enrico Letta. He formed a cabinet after (early) elections had failed to yield a clear result. It was not until after the re-election of 87-year-old president Napolitano and the resignation of PD leader Bersani that the left-wing and Silvio Berlusconi’s PDL were prepared to co-operate. The early elections of 2013 were necessary after the fall of the Monti cabinet. That cabinet had been formed in November 2011 by former European Commissioner Mario Monti after the resignation of the centreright cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi. The fourth Berlusconi cabinet
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had ruled since 2008, but fell early due to divisions on how to tackle the country’s financial problems and due to scandals. Government takes measures The economic weaknesses mentioned above did not escape the notice of the government, of course, and they are now giving some clear signals. Indeed, the Italian government has approved a package of measures to boost the economy. Apart from providing financial resources, they have also announced measures designed to tackle the country’s bureaucracy. The Italian government of premier Enrico Letta has invested three billion euros in infrastructural projects in order to stimulate the economy. That money is being spent on tunnels, railways, and antiquated school buildings. Those investments are designed to create 30,000 temporary jobs. The country is facing high youth unemployment. Five billion euros have also been set aside for companies which, amongst other things, want to replace machinery and the government has reduced taxation on renewable energy. According to premier Letta, Italy’s budget deficit will stay under the European standard of 3% of GDP. Italy and parquet About 23% of Italy’s surface area is covered with forests, which are used for wood and fuel supplies. Sixty per cent of Italian forests are located in Northern and Central Italy, whilst forty per cent are found in Southern Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia. For hundreds of years, the forests were ravaged on a large scale, but now there are some re-planting programmes, which are designed to reverse
43
years...
let’s glue!
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Dust Extractor
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KLINDEX s.r.l. s.s. 5 Tiburtina Valeria, Km 209+200 65024 Manoppello (PE) Italy tel: +39 085 859 546 fax: +39 085 859 9224 mail: info@klindex.it web: www.klindex.it
since 1971 glues and varnishes for parquet made in italy
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the erosion. Trentino-Alto Adige and Lombardy are real wood regions. As far as the parquet sector is concerned, Italy is an average player in terms of production, but when it comes to consumption she is one of the better pupils in the class.
An overview:
ARDESIA
Parquet production The total parquet production in the FEP countries fell in 2012 by 4.7% to 68,266,133m². Total parquet production including non-FEP countries was estimated at 75 million square metres. Italy accounts for 4.83% of the FEP production, namely 3,208,508m² of wooden flooring. In 2011, the country still produced 3,569,922m². That accounted for 5.48% of all FEP production at that time, but the latest figures still represent a considerable drop, which is a perfect reflection of the general financial and economic malaise.
Ardesia was formed in 1999 by Franco Gelmo and is located in the Italian municipality of Follina, near Venice. The company specialises in two and three-layer floors. For more than eight years, the company has had at its disposal a high-tech and fully computerised production line. The company takes care of each stage of the production process, from the raw wood to the finished product. The products are also 100% made in Italy. Ardesia employs over 40 people and has an annual turnover of about seven million euros. Annual production is a good 200,000m². The crown jewels in the range include the Maxi collection, a threelayer floor which is available in 15 wood sorts, scores of finishes, and has a maximum size of 20 x 195 x 2400mm. Another important collection is Mito, oak floorboards in 12 x 135/155 x 1200/2000mm. There is also the hand-distressed collection Antico Filo, which is available in oak and larch in no fewer than 20 possible finishes and dimensioning of up to 20 x 250 x 2400mm. For Ardesia 2014 will be a year of consolidation with a view to expanding its market and its range.
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 accounted for 10.33% of the total consumption. The country consumed 9,449,367 square metres of parquet that year. Its share fell in 2012 to 9.32%. Total parquet floor consumption was still 8,155,838m², but that figure did represent a sharp fall.
www.ardesiasrl.eu - +39 (0) 438971821
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Floor Forum International 63
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ADESIV
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. It has its own network of distributors to ensure that its clients always receive excellent service. Its clients are wooden floor fitters who purchase products from dealers. Adesiv exports a lot of products, and export figures are rising each year. The company is well known for its high quality adhesives, but in recent years has also made significant progress in coatings and wooden floor maintenance products. Adesiv focuses mainly on Europe and would like to have a greater presence on the British market, but the company also has its eyes on the Far East. 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. Adesiv, looking for distributors in the countries of Northern Europa and Scandinavia. www.adesiv.it - +39 (0) 424566406
KLINDEX
KERAKOLL GREEN BUILDING COMPANY Kerakoll was formed in 1968 by Romano Sghedoni and is now called the Kerakoll Green Building Company and is led by Gian Luca Sghedoni. The company’s range includes a good 1,700 ecological products. The full volume comes to 950,000 tonnes per annum, 200,000 tonnes of which consist of recycled natural materials. Respect for the environment and for the health of the users of the products and final occupants of a building constitute the major objectives. The Kerakoll Green Lab in Sassuolo (Modena) is a good illustration of this, with its nine advanced laboratories and over 100 researchers. This laboratory was one of the first examples of an industrial building which is ecological, extremely comfortable, and highly energy-efficient. Today, Kerakoll Green Building Company employs 1,350 staff and 450 sales agents. In 2011, the company achieved a turnover of 340 million euros. Its most important products include the SLC Eco L34 range of adhesives for hardwood floors. For 2013-14, the company is working further on various products for the speedy and durable installation of wooden floors.
www.kerakoll.com +39 (0) 536816511
TOVER
Year 2013 is characterized by a steady export growth for Tover; indeed the turnover made through export sales will represent 40% of the global one. A big success achieved thanks to high quality products, complete flexibility and a expansion commercial strategy towards new countries. Investments dedicated to R&S remain a priority to create innovating products, secure for users and environment friendly and to use advance technologies to improve existing products. Tover range is one of the most complete and performing in the chemicals for parquet field. Moreover strong partnerships have been sealed with important European companies to reinforce Tover position on some markets and penetrate others in a more incisive way to ensure a significant presence.
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www.tover.com - +39 (0) 117792823
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Klindex was formed in 1988 by the Bibiano brothers, who, at that time, already had between one and ten years of experience in selling cleaning machines. It all started with a patented new system for polishing natural stone with diamond pads. For many years, the brothers had to put up with a certain scepticism, but, thanks to their perseverance and the quality of the machines, they were able to promote the brand into a permanent fixture. At the Amsterdam Inter-Clean 2000 Convention, they were nominated for the ‘Most innovative Product Award’ with the Unika brushing machine. In 2004, the Idraulikus machine won an award. Today, the company exports to over 60 countries worldwide. Turnover in 2012 was about 10 million euros. Klindex employs 100 people and has planned the following new items for 2013-14: a new Hercules series, Expander 530, and 580.
www.klindex.it - +39 (0) 85859546
TRABATTONI
Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l (FNT for short) is located in the north of Italy near Lake Como and the Swiss border. The company was formed in 1948 by Nando Trabattoni and grew strongly when his sons Flavio, Giancarlo, and Alberto came to the fore. Today, FNT is led by the third generation of the family. FNT makes templates for the application of relief (embossing) in wood and MDF. These are tailor-made in line with the client’s wishes. Turnover in 2012 was three million euros. FNT employs 25 people. The company will be presenting new products at Made Expo and Xylexpo 2014. FNT has its eyes on markets all over the world.
www.trabattonistampi.it - +39 (0) 31621303
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IMPERTEK
Dismac was formed in 1983 when it acquired the experienced employees and technology of a company which had been active since 1953 in the field of sandpaper and polishing. Thanks to years of experience and ongoing innovations, the company has managed to improve the quality and safety of the machines consistently under the Hevery® brand. Dismac is an extremely client-driven company which strives to guarantee machine users the greatest possible satisfaction. Optimal service from the quotation request to the after-sales is a key concept. The strength of the company lies in its extensive range of machines and accessories. The most important machine is the belt sander thanks to its outstanding results and user-friendliness. Dismac operates worldwide. www.dismac.it - +39 (0) 117395260
GARBELOTTO/MASTER FLOOR
Today, Garbelotto/Master has an outstanding range of wooden floors and accessories on offer. This has come about through its passion for wood, constant technological research, the vast experience of Antonio Garbeletto, and its collaboration with Francesco Dalla Colletta, who founded Master Floor in 2003. Garbelotto is growing constantly through its investments in new machinery and new production plants. Its corporate philosophy: a combination of art, fashion, and technology and the natural beauty of wood. Garbelotto wooden floors are 100% Made in Italy. The range consists of an extensive range of (pre-finished) two and three-layer floors in various dimensions and an endless number of finishes. The two major collections are Listo Floor and Master Floor with a thickness of 10 or 14mm and a top layer in noble wood of 4mm. In 2012, the company achieved a consolidated turnover of 20 million euros with a workforce of 70. The total capacity per annum is 600,000m² and the company launches new products each year. A good example is the manually distressed ‘Gli Antichi’, a three-layer and pre-finished floor available in oak and elm. These floors have a thickness of 15mm in various lengths and widths. A new exclusive product is ‘Le Murrine di Creator’ which, partly due to the use of Murano glass, looks like a genuine work of art. www.garbelotto.it - +39 (0) 438580348
RECOLL Recoll started its operations in 1987. The company aims to produce the best adhesives and paints for wooden floors. To do this, Recoll uses the very latest technology. Over the past decade, Recoll has climbed to the top of the market, partly by taking advantage of new applications. Recoll International has a prominent presence on the Italian market, but also in Southern and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. The company owes its success to the trust of its clients in the constant quality of the products. The main products are epoxy-polyurethane adhesive, silane adhesives, and waterborne varnishes. 15 people work for Recoll. Its new products for 2013-2014 include the silane-modified adhesives. As regards exports, the company has set its sights on the whole world, especially China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
www.recoll.it - +39 (0) 424471189
Impertek is a leader in the national and international construction market with an extensive range of pre-fabricated components for waterproofing systems. The Company started in 1985 as contractor and from the 1987 shifted its activity becoming a manufacturer of accessories, gradually expanded its range introducing adjustable supports for raised floors. Initially, Impertek stayed on the Italian market, participation in trade fairs and promotions have taken the Company in the international market. Technological innovation has been the key to this success. Well trained staff and synergy between all departments and a 90% availability of the products in stock make Impertek an unique partner. The core business consists in the production of adjustable supports for raised floors with the MegaMart as main product. Impertek employs 15 people and the Company has an annual turnover of 4/6 million euros. For 2013-14, the MegaMart is being modernized becoming the S-Mart. www.impertek.com - +39 (0) 421322525
CHIMIVER PANSERI
Chimiver Panseri S.p.A. is a family business with a strong work ethos, a focus on research and development and an excellent customer service. It is now run by Giovanni Panseri (founder) and his 2 sons Oscar and Nevio. Chimiver employs 53 people and has 11.000 m2 of surface and a capacity of 40.000 kg of glue per day (2 plants) and 10.000 liters of varnishes (1 plant). The company slogan is “Il Mondo del Parquet” (The world of parquet) is proved with the widest range of products for parquet: primers, adhesives, lacquers, oils and maintenance products for indoor and outdoor wooden floors. Since more than 20 years Chimiver offers a wide range of UV products supplying the Italian and European leading producer of pre-finished or engineered parquet. Chimiver’s UV line includes fillers, primers, finishing lacquers, UV-oils and a complete UV water-based treatment. Chimiver is recognized as the biggest Italian player for parquet products and is now focussing more on export (from Europe to South-America). At present 65% of the turnover is made in Italy and 35 % abroad. The aim is to get to a 50%-50 % balance the next years.
www.chimiver.com - +39 (0) 35795031
Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
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KUNZLE & TASIN
PROGRESS PROFILES
E & TASIN Kunzle & Tasin established in 1946 by Ezio Tasin and Massimo Künzle is from July 2010 part of the Biffignandi Group. Over the past 70 years has evolved from a company which main business was the production of sanding machines for the Italian market to an international market leader manufacturer of floor treatment equipment with customers (professional and rental companies) in more than 60 countries worldwide (Europe, US, Latin America, Far East , Africa and Australia). The new ownership, Biffignandi S.p.A., pushed the developing of new products (the first ones are Gemini 100 steering sander and New Golia Plus single disc machine) for seeking innovative and efficient solutions in the surfaces treatment. In May 2013 Kunzle & Tasin signed a partnership with the Swedish company BONA AB, the experts in products for wooden floors for the distribution of a combined range of products and for the development of a new range of equipment for hardwood floors. The current range of products proposed by K&T are entirely manufactured in Cinisello Balsamo, just outside Milan, in a plant of 4000 m² and counts with 6 floor sanders (among which Scorpion is the most successful model, especially in the rental business), 5 edgers, 1 steering sander, 1 orbital sander and 3 single disc machines. Please, visit our website www.kunzletasin.com for all the details about our products. www.kunzletasin.com +39 (0) 266040930
Progress Profiles sprouted up in Italy in 1985 through experience gained in Canada since 1965. The company was a specialist in the extrusion of plastic and the production of metal profiles. During the 1990s, the company invested heavily in people, material, and research. Progress Profiles soon developed into a leading producer of profiles for the finish of floors and wall furnishing. The company offers more than 12,500 products in stainless steel, aluminium, PVC, wood, etc. The company invests constantly in research and training for both staff and clients. Today, Progress Profiles has over 5,000 satisfied clients and its products are 100% Made in Italy. Over the past decade, the company has recorded growth of over 20%. The national market (71%) is still stable, but the proportion of exports is growing. The company has over 75 members of staff, 100 external workers, and about 120 sales representatives working under the leadership of general manager Dennis Bordin. Each year, Progress Profiles launches new products in answer to prevailing trends (e.g. PROLED system, PROSKIRTING GILES, and PROLISTEL LED). The company exports to over 50 countries.
www.progressprofiles.com - +39 (0) 423950398
KARL PEDROSS
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Successful companies can often trace their origins back to an exceptional person and this is also true of Pedross. The company was formed by the Southern Tyrolean master joiner Karl Pedross in 1956. From the 1970s, he concentrated fully on natural skirting boards, and that represented the start of constant growth. Today, Karl Pedross Spa, the Business Unit Vicover, the company Bürkle Leisten & Profile GmbH, and Pedross USA LLC are world leaders in the production and sale of floor accessories and coating material. The company employs a total of 250 people. Production capacity for skirting boards and profiles is no less than 120km/day. Pedross sells its products in 56 countries and continues to expand with a view to operations in China and India.
www.pedross.com - +39 (0) 473722200
WST® THE PALCKÈ®™ MAOBAMBOO® PRODUCER
WST was formed in 1990 with a view to producing ecological and natural wooden floors. They produce the Palckè® ™ brand in a high-tech production facility. The company is situated near a location where (cloned) Maobamboo® is grown on a terrain of 65,000 hectares. This is because the tree trunks have to be processed within three days of being cut. The quality control and the finish are also completed in-house, so the company controls the entire process, from the cutting to the final floorboard. In 2012, they achieved a turnover of four million euros. The company employs 15 people in Italy and its capacity is 130,000m² per annum. For 2013-14 there are a number of new colours on the programme (varnish, oil, and RAL) and a number of Furniture products are being launched (including kitchen worktops). WST is interested in the European market (including Russia) and the Arabian Peninsula.
www.wstsrl.com - +39 (0) 141969419
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ICA GROUP
STILE
Stile was the brainchild of the Onofri and Colcelli families. The company was formed in 1965, but its history actually goes back to the 19th century when the core business developed from supplying firewood to producing railway sleepers. Nowadays, Stile is well known worldwide for qualitative and elegant wooden floors. The assortment is quite complete, ranging from solid wood and multi-layer floors over design floors to outdoor parquet. Stile makes all its products in house using state-of-the-art machinery. Stile stands out from others through the combination of 10 unique selling points: Made in Italy, carefully selected raw materials, hightech production, outstanding logistics, transparency through certification, durability (FSC and PEFC), wide range of products, infinite finish options, flexibility in production and service, and, finally, a fair and balanced price. In 2012, Stile achieved a turnover of 12 million euros with 70 internal workers and an extensive network of agents. The most complete collection is still ‘Stilnovo’ with 12 wood sorts in nine standard sizes and an infinite number of possible finishes. For 2013-2014, Stile is presenting the Stile Lab Line, a collection which enables clients to choose their own personalised floors under the motto: “The only limit is your imagination”.
ICA Group was formed in 1971 and is located in Civitanova Marche. The company is one of the leading Italian producers of special coatings for wood. ICA Group has been a family business from the very beginning, and that is still the case. ICA Iberia (Spain) and ICA China are part of the group. Since the 1980s, ICA has invested heavily in research and development in its search mainly for ecological products. In 1995, the dual component range with waterborne finishes was awarded the LIFE label from the European Union. In 2003, the company opened a new research complex of 3,700m² with laboratories and training rooms. In 2004, the group took over the wood division of BASF coatings and created a new company called Salchi Wood Coatings. In 2006, the group was awarded the ISO 14001 certificate. Today, ICA Group employs 380 people and has a turnover (from three factories) of 104.6 million euros (2012). A good 42% of that figure was achieved via export. In the next few years, ICA will be continuing with a focus on top quality and collaboration with designers and architects. www.icaspa.it - +39 (0) 07338080
www.stile.com - +39 (0) 75864761
®
www.progressprofiles.com
Masterpieces to highlight
With a glance always oriented to the future.
Skirtings and Trims
Only Progress Profiles offers you a full range of skirtings and trims meeting every single need. When beauty makes the difference. New series have enriched our wide range of finishes: black line, with anodized, polished, brushed and crepè finishes and tuscany line, dedicated to modern country style. Eye-catching details, it’s difficult to overlook them.
Exposure for show room
The true Italian Manufacturer of
Palckè®™ Maobamboo® Tel.: + 39 -0141 - 969259
Progress Profiles SpA
Certificated company UNI EN ISO 9001:2008
e-mail: wstsrl@wstsrl.com
Visit the website of the NEW FAIR www.european-floor-and-wall-exhibition.eu
Floor Forum International 63
studioverde
Wood Stone & Technology
Viale Artigianato 15 - Motta di Costigliole d'Asti - 14055 - AT ITALY
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> Product news THE DIFFERENCE : MULTI TOPFLOOR MultiTopfloor BV produces a highly stable engineered oak wood flooring with an unique gluing method. A wide range of sizes and all kinds of finishing and colours are available. With a focus on sustainability MULTI TOPFLOOR brings a natural product that can be used with underfloor heating, it can stand moist from air and basements and has an extreme high shear stress for severe foot traffic as in office and museum. All this will give the floor specialist a reliable floor to sell and for his costumer, comfort and beauty. Agents and distributors are required for countries in- and outside Europe: info@multitopfloor.com
Product news
OVERMAT INDUSTRIES — NEW WOODBOY 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. New type. After the Woodboy 4000/30 Overmat brings you a new type: Woodboy 4000/32-3. This Woodboy is equipped with the same strong motor and construction, but has a improved handlebar. This handlebar is easier and safer to use. The new Woodboy will have to be started with two hands. In that way it meets up with health and safety laws. Besides that, this new type of Woodboy contains an improved ventilator. This results in better cooling of the motor. Because of these improvements the new Woodboy works even more efficient and solid. HAVE A LOOK AT OUR NEW WEBSITE AS WELL: WWW.OVERMAT.NL
OVERMAT — NEW: HIGH PERFORMANCE DISC The forming of sanding-scratches is a known problem amongst flooring-professionals. The key to preventing this from happening is good dust removal. Due to its perforated surface, Overmat’s High Performance Disc allows for the best dust-vacuuming during sanding of (a.o.) wooden-flooring, cement-screed and epoxy surfaces. And also for wall and sealing treatment. The result is a surface free of scratches and differences in gloss. For sanding without a vacuumer we recommend to incorporate the Performance Pad for an additive-suction effect. The High Performance Disc is exceptionally thin, straight and comes with Velcro back. Overmat carries a vast range of sizes, making this HPD suitable for all single-disc rotating machines and almost all 3-disc machines and sidesanders.
PROLINE
— UNDERLAY
WEBS
Proline Systems offers a large variety of different underlays, customized for special requirements. They reduce footfall sound in rooms and impact noise in rooms below, they provide thermal insulation and a barrier against moisture, they allow for “floating” installation of floor coverings and they protect floorings. Proline offers three product lines: PROBASEnorm, for a good standard quality at an affordable price, PROBASEnature, the ecological basis for your floor coverings and PROBASEprofi, top quality for highest demands and expectations. Many Proline underlay webs are available as “easy cut, easy click and easy lay” version, this allows a comfortable and easy laying.
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The Italian sportsfloor specialist Seicom is proud to announce that it’s new Seicom Sports floor TRENTO was selected for the newly built gym of the Hungarian city of Siófok. Siófok is also called “the capital of Balaton” as it lays on the southern bank of Lake Balaton and is one of the richest municipalities of Hungary. The new sport parquet floor model Trento Solid will be mainly used by the handball team of Siófok. This hevea solid floor has a thickness of 14 mm and sets very high quality and durability standard. The floor is pre-lacquered through UV technology and is based on a continuous plywood understructure and an elastic mattress on the whole surface. The Trento Solid is also praised for the reduced costs and it’s strength compared to similar systems of engineered parquet and. It also guarantees a professional performance for high level sport competitions and is certified EN 14904 (full testing - fire reaction EN 13501) and FIBA approved.
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www.canadamaple.org
www.lauzonflooring.com
www.primatech.ca
www.miragefloors.com
www.mercierwoodflooring.com
www.pgmodel.com
www.vaucluse.org
www.preverco.com
www.wickhamhardwood.com
www.canadawood.org
Bona Oils for Unique Expressions The all-new Bona Oil System The all-new Bona Oil System brings out the true character of wooden floors. The innovative rangeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2-dimensional design effects create stunning expressions through highlights and stark contrasts. From design and protection to maintenance and care, this complete system is all you need for a long-lasting, beautiful oiled wooden floor with low VOC levels over its lifetime.
bona.com/bonaoilsystem