FFI 69 September 2014 by Media-Pact NV / FFI bvba

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

N° 69, September /October 2014 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

TOP EXPORT MINDED DUTCH COMPANIES

WE WILL BE PRESENT AT Project: Blanchon Euralille (FR)

Special: Laminate floors : part I

Advertorial: Küberit (DE)

Special: Producers of Versailles panels

Special: Producers of skirting boards

Special: LVT, PVC, and vinyl in the project market

www.adesiv.it

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

Editorial

TOP EXPORT MINDED DUTCH COMPANIES

WE WILL BE PRESENT AT Project: Blanchon Euralille (FR)

“‘The natural character of wood typifies the story of Z-Parket’”

Special: Laminate floors : part I

Advertorial: Küberit (DE)

We as a sector don’t trumpet it loudly enough, but it’s a fact that wood is a unique and natural product which will play a crucial part in the 21st century on the way towards a sustainable economy. Thankfully, more and more parquet manufacturers are considering the natural and the sustainable. That number includes Z-Parket. Their manager Gaylor Vantieghem tells us more about the Z-Parket philosophy and the success of their own showrooms for the project market.

Special: Producers of Versailles panels

Special: Producers of skirting boards

Special: LVT, PVC, and vinyl in the project market

www.adesiv.it

Floor Forum International n° 69, September/October 2014 Photo Adesiv

4 Inside news 8 Special Nanotechnology oils and varnishes 11 Special Floors with the best acoustic characteristics 16 Advertorial Chimiver (IT) 18 Special LVT, PVC and vinyl in the project market 23 Special Producers of silane adhesives 28 Special Subfloors for wooden floors : part I 31 Special Producers of skirting boards 34 Project Blanchon (FR) 36 Special Sanding machines : part I 40 Advertorial Küberit (DE) 42 Advertorial Lalegno (BE) 43 Special Laminate floors : part I 47 Special Outdoor floors : maintenance & finishes 50 Special Fastening systems for exterior wall cladding 54 Special Producers of Versailles panels 58 Industry news

Gaylor Vantieghem (Z-Parket)

‘This focus on the natural has been there from the very beginning in 2004. This applies to the areas of product development, organisation, and the social nature of our company. These original values make our company a pioneer in the area of trends, always with a sense of timeless interiors.’

Do you also apply that search for the natural to floor production? ‘We certainly do. Love of nature, and wood in particular, is what Z-Parket is all about. That’s also the reason why don’t use the customary pigmented surface treatment to colour wood. We use a natural treatment, unique to Z-Parket, to create the desired effect in the wood in a way which is precise, penetrative, and patient. The difference is that with our method the wood retains its inner, natural character.’ ‘To help our clients, we make sure we reconcile our natural and sustainable approach with a broad diversity and respond suitably to client demands. We do this with colours, sizes, finish, grade, and distressing. We call this “customise your feeling” at Z-Parket. The result is an interior which is created organically and develops into a personal testimony to turn each house into a home.’ Last spring, you opened the first Z-Parket showroom in Paris. Has that been a success? ‘It certainly has. The Paris showroom is a very successful tool. We opened the showroom to show off the beauty of Z-Parket products effectively to project managers, architects, and designers. Let’s make one thing absolutely clear: It’s certainly not our intention to sell products ourselves. We realise that our success is largely determined by suitable presentation, and we can do that best in showrooms like that one. And so, in the days ahead, we’ll be investing in some new showrooms, both in Belgium and abroad. However, it’s too early for me to say much more about that.’

59 Special Top export minded Dutch companies 66 Product news Editing & advertisements FFI bvba PO BOX 29 9870 Olsene, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)9 385 80 40 Fax.: +32 (0)9 385 88 85 sales@media-pact.com www.floor-forum.com Publisher Filip De Ridder

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

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

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

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

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

∂ Inside news 6th Plastor Varnishing Trophy

larger work area also allows extra processes to be carried out on unusually wide workpieces of up to 650 mm in width. The benefits of TRC at a glance: • Lower labor costs • Craft skills are no longer necessary • Significantly fewer rejects thanks to perfect filling • Repairs involving more than one color possible on one component • Damaged spots around the edges of the component can be repaired completely automatically • The special filling material is harmless to both humans and the environment • The material holds well because it is injected using a special process • One filling process is sufficient even for large damaged spots • Repaired parts can be stacked straight after the filling process

To reward the quality of work carried out by wooden floor installers, and to highlight their expertise, Plastor awards its Varnishing Trophies. For this sixth series of awards, First Prize was awarded to Emmanuel Ribero for the renovation of the exotic hardwood floors in the VIP rooms and terraces in the parts adjacent to the VIP areas of the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. Second Prize went to Frank Tavares and Nicolas Jeuffrault for the renovation of 700 m2 of oak and fir floors in the Ducal Palace of Caen, and Third Prize to Michel Proy for the renovation of 200 m2 of solid oak flooring in an architect’s house in Douai. In order to give these wooden floors the best possible protection, all three companies chose PLASTOR products. 6000 m2 treated with Rubio Monocoat: Eemhuis library

Since 2009, 20 fully automatic TRC machines have been sold and installed, and they repair approximately 15 million square meters of wood surface every year. Dozens of semi-automatic machines complete the success. More information: www.wintersteiger.com/woodtech Vetedy

The Eemhuis in Amersfoort is the central establishment of 17 libraries of Eemland. It is a multifunctional building which also houses art schools, Eemland Archives and the KAdE art hall. All wooden elements in this building– in total more than 6000 m2 of floors, stairs, cabinets, etc. were finished with Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C in Pure. Wintersteiger : New fully automatic filling machine for wood surfaces Wintersteiger presents its new fully automatic filling machine, the TRC Easy Plus. The TRC Easy Plus combines all the benefits of TRC technology. Automatic scanning is followed by automatic injection of the special filling material. There are several variations of the TRC Easy Plus available, which enables it to cover all medium capacity requirements from simple charging to the fully automated production cell. The

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Vetedy extends its area of expertise and enlarges its range of product with its 3D Wall. The company launches a very new concept, realized with its system of invisible fixation for wall covering: Techniclic®. While keeping it high quality of manufacture, it is now possible to play with the wood thickness. With our choice of width and length, the panel of creation is becoming infinite for the realization of a unique interior. Available in Iroko and in Padouk, the wall can be customized with shelves embedded with LED, that will bring a ultra-design effect.

Visit our new website www.devenetia.com

Contact information T. +39 0438 97 18 21 - info@ardesiasrl.eu

∂ Inside news MEISTER Longlife parquet “Edition”

really popular. The UV-oiled surface guarantees an easy maintenance of the parquet floor. The “Edition” parquet planks are 220cm long and 18cm wide, equipped with a V-bevel on the long side, an ultra-resistant wooden top layer as well as the well- known Masterclic Plus clic system. This new “Edition” collection will be first available in Belgium, Luxemburg and France as from September 1st 2014, at an end consumer price of 54,95€/m² including VAT.

The future of the construction industry at MADE expo 2015 in Milan

With the new MEISTER Longlife parquet “Edition” collection, MEISTER offers a limited selection of 4 wooden oak floorings, in a top selection without knots. This has been especially developed for the growing number of modern houses and interiors, where parquet flooring with a modern look is

Preparations are in full swing in the lead up to Italy’s leading trade show for the building construction and interior finishings industry. Expectations are also running high for MADE4Hospitality, the event focussing on contract design for the hospitality industry, which will be shining the spotlight on floors, doors, windows and shade systems. Operators are already calling next year’s MADE expo (Milan Fairgrounds Rho, 18-21 March 2015) the most memorable leading edge event of the past several decades across the global building construction industry. Following the decision to set aside a special section devoted to the contract furnishings industry, MADE expo is arguably the most important trade fair platform for flooring and parquetry. MADE4Hospitality is the name of the new initiative that will be shining

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∂ Inside news the spotlight on hospitality design, with a focus on flooring finishes. Thanks to agreements with AICA (the hospitality section of the General Confederation of Italian Industry), there will be a packed agenda of private B2B meetings with purchasing departments and specifiers from the world’s leading hotel chains, giving exhibitors the chance to showcase their best and latest finishes in flooring, doors, windows and solar shades. Synergies with Expo 2015 are scaling new heights The project entitled “Building the Expo” will give visitors to MADE expo unique insights into the content, technology and materials used to construct the Universal Exposition in Milan: Expo Milano 2015 that starts in May 2015. The exhibit will not only display the plans for the country pavilions designed by leading architecture firms, but also offer the chance to meet some of the world’s best known contractors and designers. MADE expo will be showcasing products in four specialised areas, MADE Constructions and Materials, MADE Building Envelope and Windows, MADE Interiors and Finishings, and MADE Software, Technologies and Services. MADE expo in Lagos (Nigeria) and in Moscow The MADE expo road show was a huge success in Lagos (Nigeria), Africa’s leading market, where it attracted much interest among local operators, from interior designers and architects to contractors and showroom managers. Expectations are growing for the prospects offered by the Business Lounge, which at the last MADE expo hosted over 1,000 B2B meetings with 253 delegates from 27 countries. And excitement is swelling as the first MADE expo WorldWide (Moscow 15-18 October 2014) approaches; participating companies are gearing up to put their best foot forward on one of the most promising markets for Italian-made products.

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Special

Nanotechnology oils and varnishes

NANOTECHNOLOGY IS STILL AT THE ‘STARTING LINE’ PARTICLES DEPLOYED AS A COMPLEMENTARY INGREDIENT

Photo – WOCA

Anyone who thinks that nanotechnology has erupted should think again. As far as scientific research is concerned, you could call it sounding out, this material is gaining momentum. In the field of practical applications we need to modify a number of points: Nanotechnology is deployed in scores of branches, more than we might think at first sight. However, those applications are still limited to one possible function, namely the improvement of existing products or features of products. The potential, however, is much greater.

nanoparticles, parts which are smaller in size than 100nm (nm = 10-9m, one billionth of a metre). Nanotechnology is a relatively young discipline, but what is remarkable is that the researchers who are working on it nowadays come from every possible scientific discipline. Nanotechnology has such broad potential scope that it can be used everywhere and can refine every form of science. We will see below that there are various ways of handling nanoparticles. Some of them are applied frequently, whilst others are the subject of experimentation and research.

Let’s recapitulate

Everything is relative

It would seem useful to refresh our memories briefly with the definition of nanotechnology. Then, we will consider briefly how the ‘world’ stands in relation to new forms of technology such as this one and the extent to which they can affect the future.

When the day arrives that we claim to have found the truth, human comprehension will be back to square one. The history of science shows that each step which we make, however impressive it may be, represents only an intermediate step. Today, it appears that nanoparticles are the smallest imaginable splitting of material which can be manipulated; everything can always be smaller. After all, strictly speaking, the divisibility of material is ‘infinite’. The only ‘brake’ is the human capacity to detect and intervene. This capacity has increased over the years.

Definition Nanotechnology stands for the study and manipulation of material on a nanomicroscopic scale. Nanomaterials consist of individual

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New things scare people. The emergence of nanotechnology has generated movements of groups worldwide who are either opposed to nanotechnology or are urging at least the utmost caution. New things scare people; that’s quite obvious. There seems little doubt that the first human beings were absolutely terrified at the (possibly haphazard) discovery of fire. Fire was seen as a sign from gods, something that you worshipped and to which you brought offers. Over time, they learnt how we can use fire as something ‘serviceable’ in scores of applications. The first piece of roast meat was a milestone which seldom causes any stir.

economic reasons why Europe and the scientific world want to give this technology every opportunity. The market which has created this technology ‘weighs’ heavily. The global volume of nano-materials is estimated at 11 million tonnes with a market value of 200 billion euros. The immediate job creation in the industry is estimated at 300,000 to 400,000 jobs in Europe. The industry is still dominated by materials which have been in use for decades, such as carbon black (used mainly in tyres) or synthetic amorphous silica (used in a good number of applications: in tyres, as polymer filler, but also in toothpaste or as an anti-coagulation agent in food in powder form).

Caution is wise

The future: ‘out of nothing’

It is clear that ‘fear’ can put the brake on progress. We learn the wisdom of caution from the history of asbestos, an outstanding material with equally outstanding properties in scores of areas, but, alas, with harmful consequences in the long term. From the very beginning, the EU has imposed measures to manage and control the potential risks of manipulating nanomaterials. Two years ago, the European Commission ruled that REACH, which is involved in the management of chemical substances worldwide, is the best organ to monitor nanotechnology. The Commission is considering modifying a number of REACH-appendices and is encouraging the ECHA to further develop the guidelines for registrations after 2013.

Where do we stand today? As it has become clear from applications, for instance, in the parquet industry, the deployment of nanotechnology is currently limited to the improvement of existing products or systems. For example, the use of certain nano-particles can give an existing polyurethane varnish extra durability, scratch resistance, or fire resistance. Here nano-materials are viewed and manipulated on a nanomicroscopic scale so that we can process these materials to give them a different structure. This is sometimes also called passive nanotechnology. However, the possibilities of nanotechnology go further. With the so called bottom up method, researchers start from nothing in order to develop products completely from scratch. This is already being done to a limited extent. Specifically for the parquet market, this could mean that we develop a finish or an adhesive which distances itself from existing forms of technology and which represents a new wonder product with perfect properties geared towards a specific application. In other words, the abundance of innovations for parquet floor fitters is far from finished.

The ‘secret’ of the parts Human beings and all that surrounds us, whether we are talking about buildings, trees, or vehicles, consist of the same tiny parts called atoms. This statement is obviously nothing new. What is new, however, is that technological research is now so far advanced that we can not only see those parts, but we can also manipulate and move them. For example, we can make completely new materials and tools, which are not only particularly small, but also possess unique features, features which differ radically from what we already know at the moment. This is possible because substances and materials behave differently at nuclear level.

What’s special about ‘nano’? The Greek prefix ‘nano’ means dwarf. As we have already said, when we talk about nanotechnology, we are talking about technology on an extremely small scale. Yet what’s so special about the nano-scale? Firstly, the physical properties of materials change whenever we observe them on the nano-scale. Amongst other things, the physical properties of a particular substance include its conductivity, temperature, melting point, colour, and strength.

Nano for parquet floor fitters What does all this mean for professionals? It means no more than that floor fitters will be confronted once again in the near future with new products which could represent major added value for the profession. Keep well informed is the message. If a varnish is launched with exceptional scratch resistance, it would be a pity not to know about it. Nanotechnology means the formation of a new generation of products for fitting parquet is highly likely.

Some specialists Blanchon

Some examples A lump of gold has very specific properties: Gold glitters, is conductive, and is yellow in colour. If we were to saw up this lump into increasingly smaller lumps, nothing would change in terms of its properties. However, something quite remarkable happens to a lump of gold which becomes smaller than 100 nanometres due to successive sawing. The properties of the gold change. For example, the gold is no longer yellow, but a shade of red-brown. Nano-particles of silver undergo a similar transformation. Whilst a silver rings melts at 960°C, silver nano-particles melt at 160°C. A metal can be conductive in our world, whilst it becomes an insulator in the nano-world. These special nano-properties are a direct result of what physicists call quantum effects.

Economic importance Below we expand on the possible technological applications of nanotechnology, even in the light of the parquet industry. There are also

The benefits of nanotechnology are that it is possible (through the use of tiny particles) to obtain exceptional properties as regards durability and resistance in a varnish or paint. The fairly high cost price and scores of questions about possible (still unknown) dangers prompt

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Special

Nanotechnology oils and varnishes

Blanchon to extreme caution, certainly with applications on site where physical contact cannot be ruled out. Blanchon also uses nanotechnology in very specific industrial applications where the necessary protective measures can be guaranteed for the operators.

Lecol /Loba

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products guarantee low emissions (VOC< 80g/l) and meet all the requirements regarding the health of workers and end users.

WOCA WOCA uses nanotechnology, for instance, to give oil special properties such as water resistance, better adhesion, and such like. It can also be used for example to achieve better UV resistance. Properties can be adapted through the addition of merely a few additives. However, there is a risk of disrupting the stability of the product. Implications for health and the price also form areas of concern. WOCA has an oil with nano-particles, which is more waterproof and resistant to dirt.

Special

Floors with the best acoustic characteristics

FLOORS AND THEIR ACOUSTICS SOUND HAS AN EFFECT ON HEALTH

Photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Amorim

The standard NBN S 01-400-1 is the main factor in the debate on acoustic criteria for domestic floors. One important point set out by this standard is that the construction itself (e.g. concrete + screed) must guarantee the impact sound insulation of a floor without depending on help from the finishing floor. And so, when we consider floors with good acoustic qualities, we also have to consider which finishing floors can improve the acoustic performance of the structure. Research by the BBRI and Peutz has brought important insights to light.

Acoustics and health The indoor climate is a collective name for various factors which can affect health. The fact is that the quality of the indoor conditions is determined by air quality, temperature, light, and acoustics i.e. the way in which people perceive sound in a room. Research has shown that poor acoustics have an adverse effect on speech comprehension, concentration, and the memory. These factors result in lower work output, fatigue, and headaches. Moreover, noise (i.e. unwanted sound) generates irritation, stress, and anxiety. This creates restlessness, and noise generates more noise. People start raising their voices so that others can hear them. This is known as the Lombard effect. Peace and quiet is a basic necessity for

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Special

Floors with the best acoustic characteristics

patients in care institutions. And so, it is no coincidence that the health care sector now pays more attention to the role played by acoustics.

The danger of noise Although an unfavourable acoustic climate may be unhealthy, the resistance which we have built up over the years as a result of the increasing sound actually protects us to some extent. However, whenever ‘sound’ turns into ‘noise’, we recognise the possible harm at once. Here are some parameters:

Under 75 dB(A) Generally speaking, sound at a level below 75dB(A) cannot cause any permanent damage. If you exceed this limit, the safety limit is halved for each increase in sound volume of 3dB. This means that you should not be in a room with a sound level of 78 decibels for any more than four hours a day, and no more than two hours a day if the sound level reaches 81dB.

increases by 3dB(A). If you start with an acceptable exposure of 85dB(A) for eight hours a day, this means there is a chance that anyone exposed to a sound level of 90dB(A) for about three hours may suffer hearing damage. If the sound level reaches 100dB(A), an exposure time of a mere 15 minutes is enough.

Solid wood bearing floors This article assesses some possible floor coverings in various fitting configurations for their acoustic performance. However, since the standard NBN S 01-400-1 stipulates that sound insulation has to be provided by the bearing construction, and not by the finish, we consider first how this can be improved.

Concrete and finish

More severe noises

For a bare concrete floor with no floor covering, the recorded Ln,w value fluctuates around 78dB. In order to verify the impact sound insulation of the floor coverings in question, it is necessary to fit the aforementioned reference concrete floor and then test it using the beating machine. In other words, the Ln,w value determined in this way applies to the entire floor construction (floor panel plus floor covering). By way of information we point out that the required level of impact sound insulation on site (between two homes) must not exceed 58dB for normal acoustic comfort (54dB for bedrooms) and needs to be lower than 50dB for increased acoustic comfort (this is merely an indication, because, although the level which is used on site relates closely to that used in the laboratory, it is not directly comparable here).

Since sound is a logarithmic quantity, exposure time drops quickly. It is generally accepted that exposure time halves if the sound

The floating covering floor

From 80-85 dB(A) Damage will occur at this level if a person is exposed to this sound long enough. The exposure limit in a working environment in Belgium is 85dB(A) for a maximum of eight hours a day for a 40-hour week. Workers can only be exposed to higher noise levels for shorter periods.

The floating covering floor is the solution for giving a concrete floor better sound insulation apart from the top floor. Impact sounds are thereby muffled by the mass-spring-mass system. If the top floor (the walking surface) is confronted with noise, for example by footsteps or chairs which are slid, it vibrates. If this vibrating surface is connected to the underlying surface by a spring, the underlying surface will not vibrate very much at all, so it will produce little noise in the room below. In practice, this solution can be achieved by a floating floor. From the bottom upwards, a floating floor consists of the supporting floor construction, a levelling compound (with the pipes), vibration insulation, and a covering floor 6 to 8cm thick. The acoustic property of the vibration insulation is tested in the laboratory and characterised by the impact sound insulation improvement ∆Lw (the higher the value, the better the result). There are several of these vibration insulation products on the market.

Various types of floors A study conducted by the BBRI shows the effect of various types of floors on the Ln,w value of the bare covering floor. We consider them below.

Glued tiles

Photo – Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet

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The direct glueing of tiles onto a covering floor has little or no effect on the Ln,w value of the covering floor. After all, the recorded values from 75 to 79dB (depending on the thickness and nature of the tiles) adhere very closely to the value of 78dB, which was the reading for the bare covering floor. These values can be reduced to 67dB by means of an adjusted disconnected membrane (fitting substrate) just under the tiles. And so, this represents a considerable improvement as compared to the performances of traditionally glued tiles. In other words, this technique has a lot to offer, especially for renovations. Indeed, it can limit sound pollution in places

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Floors with the best acoustic characteristics

where structural solutions (such as the floating covering floor mentioned above) are not possible.

Amorim Benelux

Glued parquet Performances vary a lot more for solid and semi-solid parquet which is glued. The Ln,w value varies from 67 to 78dB. With these floor coverings it is possible to lower the recorded performances by several decibels through the use of a well considered choice of adhesive. Since there are few test results available in this respect, the BBRI has carried out some tests itself. Since they carried out the tests in one and the same test cell on identical test items (solid parquet of 14mm, quality rustic A) and with the same measuring equipment, the type of glue was the only variable. It emerged from the tests that single component polyurethane adhesives yield the best results (Ln,w = 67dB) .

Floating laminate Floating fitted laminate floor coverings yield very good results in the laboratory (Ln,w from 58 to 52dB; source: BBRI). However, it is not possible to achieve these results in authentic situations because the impact sound insulation in the laboratory is aided by two factors which are related to (normative) fitting conditions. The first factor concerns the dimensions of the test item, which are too small for the correct development of low-frequency effects. The second factor is the fact that the test item is not pressurised during the test, whereas in authentic situations it would be pressurised by furniture and occupants. In the new series of standards NBN EN ISO 10140, which outline these sorts of laboratory tests, the policy makers request that from now on the tests are carried out on larger test items, which are put under pressure, if necessary. And so, in the future, we will be seeing results which are much closer to the expected values on site.

For Amorim Benelux the floors with the best acoustics are still cork floors. This is due to the floor structure and the material. The Wicanders comfort floors are fitted with cork middle and bottom layers. Cork itself also provides sound insulation. According to Amorim Benelux, laminate and wooden floors have the lowest scores.

Flamingo Parket

Flexible floor coverings Finally, there are two types of floor coverings which can improve impact sound insulation considerably, namely flexible floor coverings and wall-to-wall carpet. There is a simple rule for these two sorts of floor coverings: the more flexible and thicker they are, the greater their contribution to the impact sound insulation. For example, the recorded Ln,w values for vinyl and wall-to-wall carpet fall to 53 and 45dB respectively. By contrast, very thin, less flexible floor coverings hardly improve impact sound insulation at all in comparison with the values recorded on the bare covering floor.

General conclusion According to the above-mentioned standard, the construction itself, and not the finishing floor, must guarantee the required sound insulation. However, the finishing floor can still help to improve this insulation. The various sorts of floors score differently, partly depending on the fitting conditions. Flexible floor coverings such as cork, vinyl, linoleum, carpet, and such like have the best scores, partly due to their thickness. In this article we have drawn inspiration from research reports published by Peutz (by order of Forbo) and an article on tests by the BBRI.

From the industry Below we give some reactions from within the industry. We have limited ourselves to those parts of answers to our questions which relate to the aspect of ‘sound’.

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In the area of ‘quiet floors’, Flamingo Parket presents the Maxwear. This is a Swedish quality product and it scores very highly in the area of reducing the sound of footsteps. This Maxwear floor has outstanding acoustic qualities since the integrated Cat Walk subfloor acts as an extra absorbent subfloor. The top layer is a 0.55mm PVC + PU protective layer based on an HDF base. According to Flamingo Parket, laminate has a poor score for acoustics. As far as parquet is concerned, if a wooden floor is glued directly to the subfloor, it will also achieve a good acoustic sound reduction.

Haro Laminate floors may be very popular, but they have never enjoyed a good reputation for sound comfort. Until recently, people regarded them as ‘loud’ and every sound reverberated around the room. Haro has responded to this need with gusto in the shape of the Haro Tritty Silent CT. This floor reduces sound in the room by 60% and, according to Haro, is the ‘quietest floor’ on the market. The Comfort Tec Technology from Hamberger provides an outstanding link between

laminate and the subfloor and has the same acoustic features as a fully glued floor.

Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet

As far as Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet is concerned, wall-to-wall carpet is still the best as regards sound. However, it does have some drawbacks when it comes to hygiene and maintenance. Cork comes in second place. Floating cork has the advantage that it is not only the top layer of cork which has good acoustic features, but also the cork back layer (which ensures the stability of the HDF panel) immediately muffles the transfer of sound to the substrate. Obviously, it is possible to improve the acoustic properties even more by means of various bottom layers (cork, profiled cork, and cork together with recycled rubber), especially on support structures with little mass (wooden grids). According to Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet, the lowest scores are for laminate in all its forms (wood or stone) and, obviously, tile floors due to the impact sound.

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Chimiver (IT)

‘INNOVATION WITH GREEN TECHNOLOGY, COMPANY GROWTH VIA EXPORT’

‘Ecological solutions are becoming more and more important in tomorrow’s world. At the same time, here in Italy and in the rest of Europe, we’ll inevitably be paying more attention to renovation than new projects. Those are the main features in Chimiver’s product development,’ says Nevio Panseri from parquet chemical specialist Chimiver.

Parquet and wooden floors Chimiver is based in Pontida, near Bergamo, in Northern Italy and has been developing and producing chemicals for the parquet industry for over half a century. Nevio Panseri, who manages Chimiver together with his brother Oscar, told us about the basis of the success of this family business: “Our slogan “Il mondo del parquet” (the world of parquet) shows what our company is all about. We offer every possible product for the high quality finish of wood, especially parquet. In recent years, we’ve also added a full and successful range of products for outdoor floors.’ Chimiver has now been in existence for over 50 years, yet it is a young

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and dynamic company. Nevio Panseri says, ‘That’s due to our conscious choice to give young talent the opportunity to grow; you can see that from the average age of our employees, which is around 25.’

New buildings for production and research In recent years, Chimiver has invested in new buildings which allow the company to develop and produce innovative products. These buildings have become operational this year and include a new production hall, a new laboratory for product development, and new warehouses. All together, these new buildings cover a surface area of 2400m².

International recognition and export growth Italy is still a very important market for Chimiver, but export markets are becoming more important for this parquet chemical specialist. Nevio Panseri continues: ‘35% of our production is now for export and that figure continues to grow. Eventually, we’re striving to achieve 50% for Italy and 50% for export, and export means more than just Europe. We’re already enjoying success mainly in Eastern Europe, Poland, and Russia, but we’re also going further afield. In the Middle East sales are growing, especially in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, whilst business in Turkey and Brazil is also flourishing. What’s good is that this international expansion means that our chemicals are

also being used for reference projects abroad. For example, the new parquet floor in Lucerna Palace in Prague (Czech Republic) is finished with Chimiver products and far away in Dushanbe (the capital of Tajikistan) we’ve had the honour of supplying products for the inlay parquet in the prestigious National Tea House. Curious professionals can also follow our work on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ chimiver).’

Chimiver Sportline: Coating for Champions!

Green is the future for Chimiver Chimiver’s latest product launches also show the path which the company wants to take. The name Chimiver in italian stands for ‘Chimi’ (chimica/chemical) and ‘ Ver’ (vernici/varnishes) ; now we would like it to be “read” as “Chimi” (chimica/chemical) and “Ver” (verde/green). Green chemistry for us means primarily the use of raw materials from renewable sources. One of the most important tasks for our research laboratory, apart from looking for effective and convenient products, is also to develop products with the lowest possible impact on the environment. And so, we’re working constantly to offer green alternatives to our solventborne products. We’re convinced that in the long run everyone will see the importance of the new more ecological alternatives. Our basic principle is that ecological efforts don’t need to detract from the quality or convenience of our products. We go even further: We always manage to make our new and greener products more effective.

New in the Chimiver range Lios Bioil 2K: 100% natural, 0% VOC Lios Bioil 2K, a natural 100% solid dual component oil for indoor floors. This oil contains neither solvents nor water. Just one coat is enough for rapid drying and long-lasting protection of wooden floors. The floor oil stands out for its excellent wear resistance, durable protection, time saving, and convenience. Lios oil is available in a clear form or various wood colours. Chimiver RE line for resilient floors The RE line from Chimiver is a full range of primers, adhesives, and maintenance products for rubber, vinyl and textile floors. The range numbers 18 references and provides an adequate and up-to-date answer to any situation and requirement for fitting and maintaining resilient floors.

With its Sport line, Chimiver has a range of products for finishing wooden sports floors in professional sports halls in conformity to the European standard EN 14904: 2006. They have three products: a waterborne Ecoprime 2K sport based on polyurethane and acryl, the Ecostar 2K sport, a waterborne polyurethane, and the Ecostar Line Colours, a 1K waterborne polyurethane varnish in eight colours for the easy application of the required lines on wooden sports floors. For maintenance there is also an antibacterial cleansing agent: Chimiver Velurex Cleaner Sport.

Contact information : +39 (0) 35 795031 - www.chimiver.com

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Special

LVT, PVC and vinyl in the project market

VINYL, PVC, AND LINOLEUM IN PROJECTS PERFECT SOLUTIONS FOR DIVERSE PURPOSES

Photo – Gerflor

Anyone who says ‘projects’ thinks immediately of large surfaces, a heavily deflated cost price, rapid delivery, and, especially, very specific features related to the type of project. Some (smaller) floor fitting companies are still very hesitant about venturing into such projects. Nevertheless, developments in vinyl and linoleum floors mean that amazing applications are now possible in which the features of the product already offer answers to sometimes far-reaching project demands.

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Vinyl, PVC, and linoleum Although they resemble each other once they are fitted, vinyl, linoleum, and PVC are essentially different sorts of floor coverings. We will briefly define the differences. However, we will see that in terms of requirements for specific projects they do correspond somewhat.

Vinyl A vinyl floor is a resilient synthetic (PVC) floor covering, which consists of several layers: the underlay or back, a protective glass fibre layer, the design, and the top layer. The durability of vinyl depends on the thickness of the top layer and the solidarity of the support structure. An extra protective layer increases scratch resistance and durability. There are big differences in quality and price within the range. High traffic floors require a stronger and thicker quality than less high traffic floors. Furthermore, there are also woven vinyl floors on the market. These

consist for the most part of vinyl and a small quantity of polyester. Woven vinyl has great durability, a long lifespan, an attractive price, and is easy to maintain.

PVC Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is applied frequently in all sorts of tasks in industry to replace materials such as wood and concrete. PVC is therefore also an excellent material for producing floors. The material is moisture resistant and thereby suitable for damp rooms. 100% PVC floors are even suitable for use in showers. They have high durability thanks to the reinforcement PU coating. PVC floors appear nowadays in a wide variety of decors.

Linoleum Linoleum is a natural product and consists of items such as linseed oil, wood flour, limestone, and jute. A linoleum floor can be fitted onto just about any subfloor, which is sufficiently flat and strong. Floors with a marble decor are called marmoleum. Over the years, linoleum has made huge strides. It is no longer the floor covering which we know only from hospitals. Nowadays, it is available, in rolls, strips, and tiles. There is an almost endless choice of decors and colours. Here, too, the producers have discovered the click system. General comment These three sorts of floors are also presented nowadays in tile or plank form and fitted with a click system. This ensures they adopt many of the features and advantages of laminate, not least the easy fitting. For projects we will concentrate on roll versions because these have the most advantages for projects.

Toward an Even More Impressive and Productive Future

MS PolymerTM Your Premium Polymer of Choice for producing sealants, coatings and adhesives! Hard to soft elastic  Solvent-free  Easy mixing  Broad range  Unique properties and outstanding performances www.kaneka.beFloor Forum International 69

Special

LVT, PVC and vinyl in the project market

Intrinsic features

Fitting

These types of floors are sometimes nicknamed ‘hospital floors’. On the one hand, this says a lot. On the other hand, it doesn’t do justice to the extensive range of commercial possibilities of these floors (see below). These possibilities arise from a number of intrinsic advantages, which these floors have in common. Let us summarise the most important ones.

Using rolls to fit these floors means it is possible to cover very large surfaces within a short space of time, often with the edge finish (skirting boards) included at once. The preparation concentrates mainly on the perfectly level substrate because that is still a condition for a good end result.

Continuous floors

Lots of public projects involve extra requirements which are a separate issue from the specific floor qualities. With wooden floors project managers insist that the wood originates from sustainably managed forests (e.g. FSP or PEFC). PVC, vinyl, and linoleum are very ecological. Another requirement in a project situation may relate to how the floors will react if they catch fire. In terms of fire safety, too, these floors score very highly, although possible smoke development (with synthetics) will always be the Achilles tendon.

In many projects ‘seams’ or combinations of floors are simply not acceptable. We only have to think of care homes, hospitals, and schools. These are buildings where transport with beds and wheelchairs are a daily reality. The floors discussed here can be fitted continuously, often with no seams (due to: sufficient roll width, welding joint, and protective top coating). In hospitals it is necessary to fit continuous floors in corridors, lifts, rooms, and stairs.

Slip resistance These floors can be equipped with excellent anti-slip properties with no problem at all. This is important for the applications mentioned above (certainly on stairs), but also, for instance, for running children in schools, on sports floors, and such like. Anti-bacterial and anti-static Anti-bacterial means not only that these floors repel dirt and bacteria and stay completely pure when cleaned, but also that they can actually contain substances which kill bacteria. Tests on some floors have shown that the house dust mite population diminishes very soon after the fitting of some PVC, linoleum, or vinyl floors. And so, they counteract allergies! Anti-static properties are a help to the functioning of computers and medical equipment.

Acoustics Elsewhere in this edition we consider in more depth the acoustic properties of various types of floors. That article shows us that, of all existing sorts of floors, it is flexible floor coverings which provide the best acoustic comfort and the best insulation against impact sound. Once again, this is an important feature for hospitals, schools, libraries, care homes, and such like. The extent to which these floors help to provide greater acoustic comfort is determined partly by their thickness and their composition.

Important applications Where are these floors deployed? In all sorts of buildings. In some cases they are simply the best (or even the only) solution on all fronts.

Health care Nowadays, hospitals have to reconcile the wishes of all users, from children to elderly people and from medical and support staff to visitors. The floor solutions considered here are perfectly suitable. This conclusion applies to hospitals, psychiatric centres, revalidation centres, and even animal clinics.

Elderly care An old people’s home must have a homely atmosphere and also provide the help needed to preserve the residents’ independence. With a wide range of colours and patterns, these floor solutions offer the individuality which is so essential to resident welfare plus comfort and practical convenience. Surfaces which are sturdy, slip and stain-resistant, and easy to clean ensure the necessary hygiene, make life easier for staff, and mean lower costs over the entire lifespan.

Education

The decors of these floors are infinitely extensive. All styles of decors are available (e.g. wood, stone, or colours) and digital print technology means it is possible to produce a fully personalised decor (e.g. with the hospital logo).

From crèche to university – these floors are safe, but stimulating, creative, and comfortable. This floor segment includes solutions for toddlers and infants. Primary school represents a new challenge for children; playing makes way for the acquisition of new skills. With different colours for each room, vinyl, PVC, and linoleum offer floor solutions for all applications. These floors extend over secondary school to university.

Warm

Retail

All three of these floors feel warm and soft, so they are suitable for walking on barefoot. This can be an important benefit in hospitals, but also in changing rooms of communal institutions (e.g. sports centres) and medical consultation waiting rooms.

A brand image can be improved with surrounds which suit clients, staff, and the company, from an inviting and durable entrance hall to a hygienic and slip-resistant food department. A wide range of colours and patterns creates ambience and ensures a good flow of clients.

Decors

Maintenance Anyone who says ‘projects’ also immediately says ‘big surfaces’. It goes without saying that easy cleaning and maintenance plays a decisive part in the choice of the floor for such projects. The fact that these floors are perfectly level and smooth, often seamless, makes it extremely easy to clean them. These floors can be cleaned using a buffer and, where necessary, in a silent manner.

‘Public’ requirements

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Leisure time and sports Those who try to keep fit or want to indulge themselves need surrounds which suit the mood. The floor solutions discussed here combine functionality with warmth, comfort, and an attractive appearance. The surfaces are hygienic, stain and slip-resistant, and easy to clean, and they create the safe and relaxing atmosphere

which clients need. Moreover, the vast collection of colours and designs adds some character and style to the brand.

Other sectors

areas), as with laminate and parquet (FSC is often a condition). Top arguments which plead the case for these floors in commercial projects are the high durability, natural appearance, and the fact that they have better acoustic features than laminate.

It is not possible to list all the possible uses here. Obviously, offices and publicly accessible areas, museums, libraries, and such like are also eligible. ‘Mobile’ homes are a segment which illustrate the qualities of these floors excellently. We’re talking not only about modular residential units, site caravans, and such like, but also coaches, aeroplanes, and ships where these floors have been a preferred option for years.

Final conclusion It is in the interests of floor fitters to equip themselves to fit these floor coverings. They are usually fitted as part of major projects with an attractive profit margin, which can, however, be achieved quickly. The market is so big that there is still a lot of work, certainly in renovation.

Haro Haro’s design floor has conquered the market without PVC or softeners. In contrast to standard vinyl and certified with the Blue Angel and the Eco-Institute Label, the Disano from Haro stands for a design floor for healthy living. The authentic decors and exceptional size (2035 by 235mm) and the bevelled edge all round are some of the reasons for its success. Stability, elasticity, and comfortable walking are all features which are also appreciated in projects. This floor is low maintenance and durable.

Voices from the industry Gerflor Gerflor estimates that the share of LVT and PVC on the BNL market is 14%, mainly for residential use (project market estimated at 20%). However, LVT products are also advancing in commercial applications. As is the case in the carpet market, the biggest trump card is that the products are in modules i.e. the existing floor can be removed and replaced quickly and easily, the loose-lay processing with just removal glue or the click system which are fitted entirely without glueing, something which has an extremely good influence on the eco-balance, Life Cycle Cost (no adhesion to the building and no VOC emissions from glues). The speed of fitting and the immediate use of the rooms by the end user are also nice bonuses. The floors can be fitted onto old floors (without the need to prepare the substrate) using very simple fitting material. Further trump cards: maintenance, strong protective layer, good fire resistance, good acoustics, and resistant to heavy rolling material such as shopping trolleys or transport pallets. These floors are being fitted with increasing frequency in commercial premises, partly because they meet strict ecological criteria. Gerflor floors possess the BRE UK standard A/A+ rating.

Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet The ongoing development of LVT, linoleum, and PVC, and such floors has further strengthened their market share. Their high durability and natural appearance makes these floors ideal for commercial applications. According to Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet these floors are used commercially most of all in offices. So far, these floors have not been troubled by ecological terms and conditions for commercial use (public

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Plastivan Unlike in various other countries (e.g. the USA, UK, and the Netherlands), LVT in Belgium is still in its early days, but there has been a clear increase in sales. According to Plastivan, the best choice for the project market is the dry back LVT. This is an LVT floor which is glued to the substrate. The advantages include: the minimal thickness (2.5mm on average), the waterproofness, maintenance-friendliness, durability, general walking comfort, and its wear and scratch-resistance. The glued LVT version is ideal for offices, hotels, and restaurants. Environmental issues are also important. Viligno floors are produced with respect to human beings and the environment. For example, emissions of VOC (volatile organic compounds) are kept to a minimum in order to keep the quality of the indoor air as pure as possible.

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LVT, PVC and vinyl in the project market

mFLOR Successful introduction of mFLORCONTACT with outstanding results mFLORCONTACT is a new method of fitting design floors without using adhesive. This method makes use of a slender absorbent textile tissue which is placed on the underside of the mFLOR product. The fabric is impregnated with a special resin, which doesn’t cure, to form a sturdy, but non-permanent adhesion with the subfloor. The mFLORCONTACT system is resistant to lateral movement. The floor covering can easily be removed and re-fitted so that this application is ideal for rooms in which access is required to facilities under a raised floor. Since you don’t need any adhesive, it is possible to fit mFLORCONTACT quickly and at a low fitting price and there are no fumes from solvents which are found in liquid adhesive. mFLORCONTACT has a total thickness of 3.0mm, including the adhesive system and the commercial 0.55mm top layer. mFLORCONTACT is unique through offering a commercial design floor of this thickness. Moreover, the low mass generates cost savings for the end user and contributes to the durability of the product. The web site gives some successful reference projects, such as the TOUS designer stores (worldwide) and the Sorlis

supermarket in Spain. See http://contact.mflor.com/en/cases/2033/Retail.

Modular Multilayer Flooring Association

CLASSEN

The flexible floor covering market has stagnated somewhat, but in recent years modular multi-layer floors have done very well. There are no reliable market figures available, but the MMFA is working on it. The great variety in designs, the authentic looking finishes, and the outstanding features make these floors suitable for commercial use. Thanks to the locking system, they are easy to fit and the minimal height makes them suitable for renovations. The floors are also extremely durable. The low maintenance is also an advantage. These floors are breaking through mainly in catering establishments, shopping centres, airports, and the public sector. As far as the ecological aspect is concerned, lots of producers are paying attention to minimalising their ecological footprint

SIMPLE, FAST, RELIABLE.

PRO³ – OUR FAST SYSTEM HELPS BOOST YOUR PROFITATABILITY SIMPLE – PRO³ system products are coordinated to work perfectly with one another. That means you no longer have to think about selecting the right individual products. We provide you with an ideally compatible system – and it’s really easy to use.

RELIABLE – PRO³ offers you just the quality and reliability you’ve come to appreciate from STAUF. That is the big advantage – short reaction time and the same reliable processing quality.

FAST – PRO³ helps you save lots of time. That begins with selecting the right products. With Pro³ we have put together components precisely compatible for doing a perfect job. Installation is much faster too, because of the shortened curing times.

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STAUF Klebstoffwerk GmbH . Oberhausener Straße 1 . 57234 Wilnsdorf, Germany . www.stauf.de

Special

Producers of silane adhesives

SILANE ADHESIVES ARE GROWING UP A PERMANENT NICHE IN THE RANGE OF THE BIG PLAYERS

Photo – Pallmann

It was not so very long ago that the Japanese chemical giant Kaneka introduced MS polymers to the parquet world with beating drums. It soon emerged that there were still other silane technology adhesives, but, for technical and legal reasons, these other adhesives could not use the term MS. The fact is that glues with modified silanes were already well integrated into other sectors such as shipping and yacht construction. Obviously, their ‘tolerance’ of fluid had a lot to do with that. Nowadays, almost all brands have silane adhesives in their range.

Various sorts of technology One of the essential features which makes a glue suitable for this or any application is its ‘elasticity’. Obviously, it is the composition of an adhesive which determines its elasticity. The fact that there are several compounds anyway is the result of the extremely diverse conditions in which wooden floors can be glued. You have various sorts of wood, which all react differently to the influence of damp: Some sorts (such as beech) are much more sensitive to moisture than others (such as oak). Even with the use of the same wood sorts, there might still be big differences in the environment. The air humidity in our part of the world fluctuates around 60%. By contrast, in Indonesia it easily reaches 85%.

That’s exactly why adhesive producers have developed a varied range of parquet adhesives over the years. We look for the right glue for the right application.

Elastic glues In recent years, developments on the adhesive market have been dominated by the degree of elasticity in parquet glues and the quest for an ideal balance. The highly elastic glues available on the market nowadays can be split generally into two main groups, namely silane and PUR adhesives. With silane adhesives we draw a distinction between MS polymers (modified silanes based on the pre-polymers from Kaneka), SPUR (silane and polyurethane), STP (silane terminated polyurethane), and STP-E (a variant of STP).

Hybrid glues Hybrid glues combine various strong technological features to obtain specific features. Here, too, silane adhesives play a part: They can have silicone or polyurethane as backbone with one or more functional silane groups which cross-link during the reaction. Combinations of polyurethane technology with that of silicone are often called STPU adhesives. They contain no isocyanates. According to most producers, these hybrid adhesives are gaining ground.

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Special

Producers of silane adhesives

Convincing strengths This balanced elasticity of the silane adhesives was not the main reason for the breakthrough. The move towards good elasticity was the ‘duty’ of the producers. After all, parquet floor fitters were not exactly waxing lyrical about a technology with disadvantages which they did not experience with their trusted polyurethane adhesives. As soon as MS polymer adhesives and other silane adhesives reached technical maturity, they were able to exploit their other cast-iron strengths. Furthermore, these are no mean strengths.

Health The health of floor fitters and end users (who live with their floors) is obviously a topic not to be neglected. After all, floor fitters and consumers can’t simply ignore the argument that polyurethane adhesives, which can contain isocyanates, can be carcinogenic. Silane adhesives do not contain any substances which are harmful to human health or the environment.

Excellent adhesive quality Silane adhesives guarantee excellent and durable adhesion, yet they stay elastic. They set fairly quickly so that it is usually possible to sandpaper and finish off the next day. Silane adhesives reduce the pressure on the substrate. According to producers, various silane adhesives can be used on covering floors with a residual moisture percentage above 2.5%.

Clean With the fitting of traditional parquet, the glue residue is sandpapered away after the fitting. The unstoppable march of pre-finished floors obviously means that that’s no longer an option. The only option for floor fitters is to work cautiously. Obviously, that takes time. Here, silane adhesives are the yearned for solution since it is easy to remove them from material and hands. They are clean adhesives and their success, apart from other qualities, is also partly due to the fact that they are solving a problem in a growing market.

Extensive applications One of the main success factors of these elastic adhesives is undoubtedly the fact that they can be deployed on just about any substrate and for virtually any sort of wood. In contrast to SPUR adhesives, MS polymers and other silane adhesives also adhere to smooth (impervious) substrates and can be deployed for moisture-sensitive wood sorts on substrates which absorb very little moisture.

Substrates Basically, all elastic adhesives are suitable for glueing indoor substrates (e.g. mosaic or non-moisture-repellent chipboard) and many wooden floors such as solid wood planks, solid wood traditional parquet, mosaic parquet, end grain blocks (or industrial floors), wood-engineered parquet, multi-layer or ready-to-fit parquet. Most substrates are suitable for glueing with elastic adhesives: anhydrite, sand-cement, levelling agents, wood, or chipboard. SPUR and MS polymer adhesives are suitable for glueing wooden floors on floor heating.

Preparation These glues are applied to a compression resistant, fixed, and clean substrate. This substrate must be free of dust and grease and any residual paint, loose coats, wax, oil, or other impurities must be removed. Irregularities such as levelling agent, old glue residue, and such like can adversely affect adhesion and must therefore be removed in advance.

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What’s on the market? Adesiv All Adesiv’s glues are silane products. The hybrid adhesives form the ‘varied types’ on the market, whilst the market also allows for the creation of products with varied elasticity. Adesiv produces an elastic and a less elastic adhesive. Too elastic is considered to be a ‘mistake’ because it is not suitable to absorb parquet which swells and shrinks considerably. The WB Mono MS is a single component adhesive specially for glueing and securing pre-engineered wooden floors on concrete substrates or on existing non-absorbent floors (marble, tiles, Palladian, or wooden substrates). For engineered floors, Adesiv recommends WB Mono MS-LE. WB Mono S is regarded as a ‘universal adhesive’.

Blanchon The Blanchon assortment includes two adhesives spread using a spatula, one sausage-shaped adhesive, and one ship deck filler kit. All these products have the A+ label with regard to indoor emissions. AB 2000 is a hybrid polymer adhesive for the full glueing of solid parquet in widths of up to 200mm and multi-layer parquet up to 400mm wide. This adhesive is pliable and elastic and suitable for floor heating. The AB 1300 is also a hybrid polymer adhesive. This highly effective adhesive means it is possible to glue wide solid wood sections up to 130mm and multi-layer sections up to 260mm. This adhesive, too, is pliable and elastic and offers excellent adhesion on most substrates. Both adhesives are easy to apply and provide a solid adhesive groove. Both glues are EC 1R classified under the GEV Emicode. The packaging, too, is extremely handy and prevents waste to a large extent. This adhesive is sold in aluminium bags (6kg) which are very handy and practical. Amongst other things, the sausage-shaped adhesive is recommended for application on skirting boards.

Chimiver Panseri 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,

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

Emfiparquet Pro Plus

20/06/13 14:31

ECOLOGY/PERFORMANCE Parquet adhesive Based on silane terminated polymers. Approved for the fullsurface adhesive bonding of all types of parquet and in very large sizes: 15 x 160 mm, 20 x 180 mm, 20 x 200 mm.

OUR APPLICATION ADVANTAGES OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS • In adequacy with the environmental standards in force. • Not aggressive for varnish. • Very low VOC* emission. • Very low odour. • Classified A+. • Classified EC1 Plus R. * Volatile organic compounds

• Excellent shelf life, minimum wastage. • Keeps perfectly good lines. • Use of advanced technology. • Easy to apply. • FCBA certificate. • Remains flexible after polymerization. • Suitable for laying on heated floors, in bathrooms, etc. • Fast curing time. • Improve the acoustic comfort of parquets. • Excellent resistance to humidity and heat.

OUR TECHNICAL SKILLS

EMFI HEAD OFFICE - 3 rue Ettore Bugatti - CS 40030 - 67501 Haguenau Cedex - FRANCE Tél. +33 (0)3 88 90 60 00 Fax +33 (0)3 88 73 48 38 - Internet : www.emfi.com - E-mail : emfi@emfi.com

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Special

Producers of silane adhesives

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. CERTIFICATES: 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. Both adhesives can contribute to the achievement of QI CREDIT 4.1 according to the parameters of the GEV dated 03 March 2009, because it meets the certification LEED protocol (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Emfi For glueing all sorts of parquet Emfi recommends its hybrid polymers, including two spreadable adhesives (Emfiparquet Pro Plus and Emfiparquet Pro Eco) and the tube glue Emfimastic PS Parquet. Emfi’s ‘star product’ is the EmfiParquet Pro+, a parquet adhesive based on silanated polymers and suitable for fully glueing all types of parquet. Thanks to a lot of research and development, EmfiParquet Pro+ respects the strictest ecological standards: the glue contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. This adhesive is suitable for glueing very wide floorboards in oak. It sticks very quickly and it is easy to apply. The EmfiParquet Pro+ is a single component glue. Its high resistance to moisture and fluctuations in temperature mean it is ideal for fitting parquet on floor heating.

Henkel

Fitting parquet makes high demands on the skill of the floor fitter and the quality of the product used. For pre-finished parquet Thomsit presents P 675 Elast, which is of good quality at a competitive price. By contrast, P 685 Elast Universal is much more versatile and, amongst other things, is suitable for solid wood parquet. P 695 Elast Universal Strong is your master of all

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classes and is suitable for all sorts of parquet. These three adhesives all have the benefits of FLEXTECTM technology, which Thomsit has developed itself. Thomsit elastic adhesives absorb the swelling and shrinking of parquet floors to reduce tensile stress on the substrate permanently. Moreover, they are strong and flexible and adhere to just about any substrate without the need for a primer. Apart from that, you also save precious drying time.

Kerakoll Kerakoll Green Building Company presents the ecological SLC Eco L34 Flex for glueing all sorts of parquet onto all sorts of correct substrates. The L34 Flex has a calibrated elasticity with a shearing tensile strength of >2.5N/ mm², has Green Building Rating Eco4, and the GEV EC1 certificate for very low emissions. It has a long working time (one hour) and accelerated setting. In combination with the SLC Eco EP21, it can also be used on substrates with up to 5% residual moisture on anhydrite or on substrates to be consolidated. It is available in light and dark, 290ml pattern, 600ml in sausage shape, and in buckets of 6 and 16kg. The ecological composition of the glue means that gloves are not prescribed for using this glue. L34 Flex also does not have an adverse effect on SLC lacquer systems. It is also easy to remove this glue from the hands and from lacquered and oiled surfaces.

Lecol /Wakol Wakol MS 260 is a hard elastic parquet adhesive. It is suitable for glueing mosaic parquet, end grain blocks, 22mm parquet, multi-layer parquet, solid wood parquet (maximum 18cm wide, 20cm for oak), RE/WE cross-cut, as well as flat cork floor covering on absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. WAKOL MS 260 complies with DIN EN 14 293. WAKOL MS 230 is an MS polymer adhesive for the full glueing of multi-layer parquet with tongue and groove. WAKOL MS 290 parquet adhesive combines the impact strength of a 2K PU adhesive with the handy spreading properties of a 1K MS adhesive. Due to its internal solidity, the system offers the best possible security against the forming of joints. You can use WAKOL MS 290 parquet adhesive to glue all sorts of parquet and wood as well as flat cork floor coverings and ready-to-fit cork

with MS technology. Interactions with lacquers are eliminated because the glue is free of softeners, so a migration of components from the glue is impossible.

Pallmann Pallmann products, based on silane terminated polyurethane products, are used as the basis for parquet adhesives and as sealants. In usage and composition they closely resemble the single component polyurethane adhesive. These single component adhesives set by reacting to damp in the atmosphere. If a choice is possible between a single component (1K) glue or a dual component (2K) system, floor fitters usually opt for 1K products. Soft silane adhesives pass on only minimal tensions from the wood to the substrate and allow parquet to swell and shrink. Hard-elastic silane adhesives offer greater certainty if any resistance is required to swelling and shrinking in wood or if you need to minimalise distortion of parquet. They have greater scope than soft silane glues. Pallmann presents the 1-component STP parquet adhesive PALLMANN P5, a hard elastic parquet adhesive which contains neither solvents nor water, according to the standard DIN EN 14293, for glueing parquet. This glue is suitable for 19-22mm parquet strips, 16-22mm end-grain wood-engineered parquet, solid wood parquet, and exotic wood. The single component STP glue combines strong elasticity and the benefits of modern STP technology. This adhesive does not contain solvents or water, so it is user-friendly and prevents harmful swelling and shrinking of the parquet.

Soudal

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Pioneering hybrid timber & wood flooring adhesives Soudal is a genuine Belgian family company, which after more than 45 MICO E years is still being V PLUS managed by its y founder Vic Swerts. lo w m is e Soudal’s continuous investments in Research & Development result in a permanently innovative range of products which meet the latest market requirements and offer the professional floor installers the quality and performance which is their due. With the new hybrid timber & wood flooring adhesives MS®-20 Plus, MS-30® Plus and SMX-30, improved performance with regards to end strength, open time, strength build-up and emission is obtained. They all have the lowest possible Emicode, EC-1 Plus, and therefore also meet the increasing demand for improved Indoor Air Quality.

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STAUF Silane-based adhesives STAUF offer a variety of silane-based wood flooring adhesives for any kind of installation. All are very low emission certified (EC1-R or EC1-R +), free of water and solvents, without any haz-mat labelling. - SMP-930: the efficient solution - SMP-950: the silane reference in the market The only 100% silane based SMP wood flooring adhesive without any kind of migresives (no VOC, SVOC, VVOC); therefore suitable for all sub floors and wood flooring types. - SPU-570: user-friendly all-rounder A universal parquet adhesive for bonding solid- and multilayer parquet enables bonding previously only possible using shear-resistant, single-component PU adhesives. - SPU-555: quick-setting STAUF’s new very fast setting silane adhesive with high shear strength, easy to spread, exempt from mandatory labelling. - SPU-460: 1st member and evergreen of the new product family.

Tover Tover silane adhesives: certified quality at European level Tover chose Kaneka MS polymer technology for the production of silane adhesives. The excellent quality of Tovcol MS, its elasticity combined with a good strength, its low impact on Environment and high safety level for the user are now certified: indeed Tovcol MS obtained the Certificate issued by the German Institute DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bauteknik) who attests very low VOC contents. Moreover it got the A+ French Attestation relative to low emissions in a closed space. It also complies with the new ISO 17178-2013 norm with a shear strength of 1,8 N/mm² and more than 3 of shear elongation as certified by Centro Ricerca Catas. This elastic adhesive is suitable for any parquet on any sub-floor and recommended on under-floor heating systems. It does not swell, has a long working time, a good adhesion on ceramics and metallic supports and is very easy to clean from prefinished parquet. Tovcol MS is available in bags or buckets and Sigil MS in cartridges and sausages for a gun application of the sealant inside and outside (ship deck effect). A kit made of 10 sausages + a gun for a 20 square meters bonding is also available.

Floor Forum International 69

Special

Subfloors for wooden floors : part I

SUBFLOORS FOR PARQUET SOUND REDUCTION IS STILL A MAJOR GOAL

Photo – Mac Lean

Listing subfloors which are suitable for parquet and wooden floors, but are not made of wood themselves – that was the task. This was no sinecure, since lots of subfloors include wood in some shape of form. Nonetheless, there are also some others. We do need to draw some distinctions here: the difference between ‘wood’ and ‘wood-related’, the difference between ‘stability’ and ‘sound insulation’ for the objectives, and the difference between ‘ floating’ and ‘glued’. At all events, we start with the wonderful properties of solid wood.

Solid wood and glued Nothing is as easy as writing about the ‘best’ subfloor for glued parquet. That is still without a doubt a mosaic subfloor, glued

Floor Forum international 69

neatly to the covering floor and completed with a fully glued and nailed solid wood parquet floor. The wooden subfloor is the best preparation because the material itself behaves in the same way as the finishing floor. That means that these floors score highly for stability. The levelling capacity is also beyond dispute, since this subfloor is sandpapered conscientiously into a smooth ‘dance floor’ and ‘bridges’, as it were, all the unevenness and possible imperfections of the covering floor. This article will not cover this subfloor any further or the derived alternatives such as OSB, fibre plate, MDF, and such like. The important of mentioning them should clarify to some extent why lots of subfloor manufacturers include wood particles or wood fibres in their technological subfloors.

Renovation requires alternatives The structure described above (‘traditional parquet’) requires a certain available space in the height. The above-mentioned subfloors usually already have a significant thickness (9, 12, to 18mm) so that the entire floor structure is too ‘thick’ for many renovations. For glued floors these subfloors are the ideal solution for new buildings. In the case of renovation we often have to fall back on alternative and usually highly technical solutions. Apart from the question of whether or not we’re talking about a glued or floating floor, we identify two essential functions here, namely levelling and improving the acoustics. For the moment, we’re not talking about the ‘often essential’ moisture barrier, which is integrated into the subfloor in some cases.

Subfloors in panel form The gentle transition from solid wood subfloors to a technical (engineered) alternative can be found in the wealth of subfloors in the form of subfloor panels. These subfloors are available in various thicknesses so that, depending on the acoustic expectations, for instance, they can often be deployed for renovation. Subfloor panels are always a composition of different (pressed) materials. For example, we see formulas with cork grains (granules) with some or other synthetic or compositions of certain material granules with cement bound products. A striking phenomenon is that wood is also appearing in these subfloors in certain forms such as wood fibres or sawdust.

Suppliers Mac Lean Apart from the somewhat more traditional soft boards, Mac Lean Products also supplies, for instance, Isotac Gold, Comfort Super, and Isosilence. As is the case with laminate, there is a development towards compression resistant subfloors. This means that these subfloors have both good levelling properties and sufficient stability i.e. they don’t spring and creak. Basically, there is no difference between these subfloors and those used for laminate. Laminate (especially at the joints) is more fragile than wood and sounds more hollow. Mac Lean sells high quality subfloors which improve these adverse features of laminate considerably and protect the floor from damage. These properties also have a highly beneficial effect on the floating fitting of floorboards and engineered parquet. The most important reasons for fitting a subfloor under a wooden floor are the protection of the floor on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the improvement in domestic comfort. The protection is achieved through the levelling of unevenness and thereby better protection of the joints. Domestic comfort is improved in the shape of elements such as thermal and acoustic insulation. Mac Lean’s star product is Isotac Gold.

In cross-linked connection Several of these subfloor panels are offered with tongue and groove. They are easy to slide together and are fitted ‘staggered’ or ‘in stretcher bond’. In most cases, and once again depending on the technical possibilities and expectations, a second layer is fitted onto the first layer in cross bond.

Floating or glued Several makers offer panel material onto which it is possible to glue directly. And so, these subfloors can be deployed for both floating and glued fitting. Several of these subfloors have been designed specially for the direct glueing of traditional parquet or pre-fabricated traditional parquet.

Subfloors in rolls Subfloors in rolls take us entirely into the realm of floating fitting. These subfloors are deployed on the basis of what is expected from a technical point of view. In other words, these subfloors, independently or in a combination, can satisfy every imaginable reason for fitting a subfloor e.g. moisture barrier, levelling, sound improvement, etc. The materials from which these subfloors are produced determine the properties. And so, we see a subfloor made from a thick PE foil with a perforated (HD) layer of foam, which provides a good levelling capacity, associated with a high impact sound reduction and, thanks to the extremely low heat resistance (Rm) ideal for fitting in combination with floor heating. Other combinations of ‘performances’ are, of course, widely available.

What about laminate? As regards subfloors which are suitable for floating/multi-layer parquet, we can generally say that just about all these floors are also suitable for the floating fitting of laminate.

Sekisui Alveo In January 2013, Sekisui Alveo launched three ranges of subfloors: Standard with a pressure resistance of 10 to 15kPa, Classic with 30 to 70kPa, and Professional with 100 to 140kPa. The Standard subfloor is the result of a special production process; it works as a moisture barrier and provides good acoustics and comfort under normal conditions. It retains these properties for its entire lifespan. The uniform pressure resistance protects the click system and prevents exhaustion. For higher demands there is the Classic. Millions of square metres have been fitted successfully over the past 30 years. The fine surface structure is a benefit to the acoustics. The Professional is designed to meet the very highest expectations – an unrivalled combination of moisture barrier and improvement in impact sound and the sound of footsteps. This subfloor is somewhat heavier, but is still manageable as regards transport. These subfloors can be rolled out nicely evenly. The subfloors are made

Floor Forum International 69

Special

Subfloors for wooden floors : part I

from polyolefin foam and can also be glued using the correct adhesive.

of glue. There is no difference between these subfloors and those for laminate since we are talking about floating fitting. Wooden subfloors and wooden floors go together perfectly because they are the same raw material with the same ‘behaviour’. Both are made from a renewable raw material. They have outstanding insulation capacity for airborne and contact sounds and very high pressure resistance of up to 15 ton/m². The high durability and the fact that they are easy to fit are major advantages.

Steico The standard products at Steico for the application discussed in this article are the STEICO underfloor, STEICO silent+, and STEICO underfloor flex. These are all soft board panels made from natural wood fibres and suitable for floating wooden floors without the use

The world of flooring accessories is rotating faster thanks to us. It’s the advanced innovation that makes a company a market leader. We offer an unlimited variety of sizes and finishes for hardwood and laminate . We also have veneer skirting for all hardwood profiles. Our new advanced solutions are implemented daily for greater comfort: The innovative mounting system Clipstar and the flush skirting board Creativa which comes with integrated LED lighting elements. Last but not least, the outstanding and stable ALU or Digital printing collection which offers a high detailed 3D appearance. Pedross: We round off the range of Flooring Accessories

BUSINESS UNIT OF KARL PEDROSS SPA

KARL PEDROSS SPA • Zona Industriale 1C • I-39021 Laces (BZ) Tel. +39 0473 722 200 • Fax +39 0473 722 300 info@pedross.com • www.pedross.com

Floor Forum international 69

Special

Producers of skirting boards

SKIRTING BOARDS ARE STILL THE CROWNING GLORY DIGITAL PRINT TECHNOLOGY FOR CUSTOMISED SKIRTING BOARDS

Photo – Küberit

The edge finish is undoubtedly a crucial detail with floors. The skirting board of a floor has an almost immeasurable finishing capacity. In other words, if the skirting boards are not fitted neatly and competently, this reflects upon the floor as a whole. And this applies to all floors! Whether we’re talking about ceramic tiles or natural stone, fully glued parquet or floating floors such as multi-layer parquet or laminate, or flexible floor coverings such as cork, carpet, vinyl or linoleum, the skirting board is top of the bill. What about trends? Well, they’ve been coming (and going) for decades.

A ‘toy’ for designers The aforementioned debate reduces the choice of a skirting board to a choice between those two points of view. There’s no more to it, so it’s not very creative! The only variation lies in the question of whether the skirting board has to be high or low, thick or slender, or rectangular or square. Architects and interior designers have obviously long since abandoned that simplistic dilemma. Their creative ambitions belong to a higher echelon. They also design combinations which scoff at the everyday. Recently, I was in a 280m² loft housed in an old steam factory. The floor covered the entire area: living room, music corner, platform for the wing, kitchen, bathroom hidden behind a semi-high wall, the same for the sleeping quarters (also for guests), and a library to make one a little jealous. There was privacy in the sanitation room, which was housed in a somewhat remote little aluminium room with a large glass window which only became opaque whenever the door was locked. The floor? Panga-Panga over the entire surface with a thin (4cm high) skirting board in stainless steel. Admittedly, the occupants certainly weren’t beggars. The effect: slender, classy, exclusive, and modern, yet warm and friendly.

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Metal is the trend! A skirting board in stainless steel – if a creative designer chooses it, then it becomes a trend at once. All metals for that matter. It has been proved that those edifying and enlightening samples from interior books, reserved for the happy few, also have an inspirational effect on the general public. Metal colours continue to sell well. Profiles in stainless steel and aluminium continue to make strides. What is striking is that apart from classic shades such as aluminium, bronze, silver, and a whole series of wood decors, ‘black’ has also conquered an important position. Metal may well provide a modern touch, but sometimes this unwittingly creates a ‘vintage’ atmosphere. Odd? Not at all! Just think of the car industry about half a century ago where the chilly metal interiors of the better vehicles, full of chrome and shiny metal, were combined with the entrance of wood highlights e.g. on the dashboard or on the doors. It started with the Rolls Royce and the Jaguar and then drifted down via the Mercedes to ordinary cars. Fashion is for every generation.

Exclusive is trumps From the same enquiry amongst makers and/or suppliers on prevailing trends, we detected the ‘exclusive’ as a ‘general rule’. Digital print facilities make it possible to design skirting boards either to match the character of the floor 100% or deviate from it completely. Exclusive is clearly the motto here and, according to some, it is gaining interest. Amongst the innovations it is the bendable skirting boards and skirting boards for vinyl which particularly stand out. Parallel to the creation of a wide variety of aesthetic and decorative options, makers are devoted to improving the durability of skirting boards (AC3 and AC4). And so, decorative and technical quality and durability go hand in hand.

Floor Forum International 69

Special

Producers of skirting boards

Innovations Carl Prinz Prinz offers skirting boards that clip on, are glued in place or also versions featuring flexible height adjustment according to local conditions and personal preferences for a modern design. The skirting board height can be customised. This is made possible by a two-piece skirting board system. The principle: A strip of the desired width is cut from the laminate with the design. Combined with the skirting board and border section, this results in a moulding designed according to personal preferences. The craftsman can choose from three different border sections – square, round or with a wide decorative aluminium edge. Prinz offers this system for floor coverings that are 2.5 to 3 mm thick, and for coverings with a thickness of 4 to 5 mm. Slide-in skirting boards for designer flooring with a thickness of 2.5 to 3 mm and 4 to 5 mm as well as solid aluminium skirting boards with heights of 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 mm complete the programme. For all versions and colours of these two product lines, the customer is provided with matching accessories including corners, connectors and end pieces made of solid aluminium. The floor and wall finishing programme is completed by an exclusive selection of cable ducts, which Prinz keeps in stock to match all skirting boards in the same anodising colours.

FN Neuhofer Holz People are seeing skirting boards more and more as design elements. Nevertheless, the shape of a skirting board is still partly determined by its function: ‘Form follows function,’ was the message from FN Neuhofer Holz. Today’s trend is wider, simpler, more rigid, and cube-shaped. The variety of designs has increased vastly. Since design floors are the future, this also applies to skirting boards. FN Neuhofer Holz offers a solution for all applications. Anodised aluminium or print on paper – the sky is the limit. Furnished MDF and plastic or foil are ideal for LVT. Apart from the design, the fitting comfort, too, is

progressive: glued or screwed via pre-drilled holes. A major technological innovation is embossing of MDF, so any imaginable structure can be applied. The advantage of digital printing is that it can also produce all decors in small quantities. The FN Digiprint is used for applications which would not be possible with traditional printing. One new item this year is the FN Mitre Box, which, amongst other things, can be used to cut corner profiles perfectly.

Küberit At Küberit, too, the latest trend is aluminium. Two new products confirm this clearly. The 938 skirting board is specially designed for combination with floating parquet where larger expansion joints are needed on the wall side. The skirting board is 20mm thick, 60mm high, and appears as a clip system which can conceal wires. It is also available in anodised silver and stainless steel with a matt brushed look. The 950 skirting board is a universal skirting board for LVT and laminate into which strips from the floor can be slid into the skirting board. This solution makes it possible to keep less stock of products where decors must correspond to the floor. This exclusive skirting board, too, is available in anodised silver and stainless steel. Both skirting boards can be fitted with a sealing lip against the floor and wall. At Küberit, too, they are investing considerably in digital printing.

La San Marco Profili Recently, we have once again seen the emergence of a movement in which skirting boards are becoming higher and more obtrusive. This means that, in combination with other decorative objects, they have a

Aluminium Base-Board 950 · for floor coverings from 2 – 11 mm · with matching inner and external corner as well as end caps

www.kueberit.com

bigger impact on the unique character of a home and contribute to its distinctive features. Innovative in this context is the composition of any decoration whatsoever with the skirting board itself. Although digital printing has had a huge impact on decorative possibilities, the preference at La San Marco Profili is very much for natural elements rather than synthetic compositions. Wood, natural beauty, and, of course, a certain imperfection, but why not? You can never imitate all that naturally. The company regards that as synonymous with the ‘Made in Italy’ label. The latest acquisition is ‘Olympia’, a decorative skirting board of 120 x 15mm with a unique gold decoration. This shows just how easy it is for building elements to grow into design objects.

Mac Lean Products Skirting boards are becoming more modern and rigid in shape. White skirting boards are doing well and make floor surfaces look bigger. If they are painted in the colour of the wall, they have less of a bowl effect. Vintage is a trend in interiors; think of distressed, rust, old wood, and such like. Mac Lean Products offers a patented mitred corner system as an innovation. Assembly time for the inner and outer corners is reduced considerably due to the pre-processed skirting boards in combination with a synthetic connector. The system prevents shrinking joints forming in the mitred corners. Furthermore, the skirting boards stay in place better in combination with the assembly clips. In combination with this mitred corner, Mac Lean also supplies a decorative skirting board of 65 x 15 in 90 decors. In January, they issued a patent for this system, which is also available for other skirting board producers. They, too, are keeping a close eye on digital printing. Digital printing can be an easier way of starting up smaller series. Mac Lean assumes that this could make it easier to follow new colours and trends. Since Mac Lean supplies construction markets and large-scale clients at relatively low prices, the quantities involved are large. However, if smaller quantities should become a trend, this need can be met quickly and the company is highly flexible. 20.02.13 17:28 Seite 1 AZ_Zeitschriften_Text_ENG_190x65

Tecnorivest Tecnorivest is, since 1993, dedicated to the manufacture of high quality wooden veneered profiles: A wide range of profiles for interiors includes skirting boards, as well as profiles for doors: doors frames, casings and jambs, glass strips, edge protectors, angle bars, frames. Among this wide variety, a recently enhanced Ready in Stock range of skirtings is available for quick deliveries. Highlight on quality: raw materials coming from long terms suppliers and manufacturing facilities in the forefront of technology, enable us to be always innovatory either for profiles and for finishing. A unique sheet of veneer to cover each profile, to avoid any joint on the surface and show only the beautiful natural wood grains. UV water based paints for finishing, to ensure an ecofriendly products, safe for the user’s health. All products are entirely manufactured in our factory: this enables us to ensure high quality, to make either profiles and special finishing on customer’s request and to offer a certain and best delivery time.

Karl Pedross The latest trend in skirting boards is represented by the new collections of flooring manufactures that comes every year on the marketplace. We focus our efforts to produce the most matching skirting boards and profiles. Regarding profile shape, according to our experience, pure, straight and cubic forms are the runners. In order to keep in touch with the market evolution we ever try to develop technological innovations. The last outcome of our studies is a combination of digital print and water proof basic material which has led us to produce a skirting board, available in any possible surface. It is easy as taking a digital photo: the texture required is simply scanned and color matches onto your moldings. Of course in 3D quality. The innovative printing process is notable for its unusually high level of detail and dazzlingly realistic three dimensional images. Let´s try to figure out what this innovation can represent in the market evolution: a range of uncountable possibilities related to interior design field. Moreover this technique allow us to reduce the minimum order quantities.

We make binding connections. Floor profiles and underlay sheeting for hard, elastic and textile flooring.

www.proline-systems.com

Floor Forum International 69

Project

Blanchon (FR)

NOCTURNAL UV LACQUER CURING KEEPS SHOPS OPEN 12,000m² of jatoba parquet for Euralille shopping centre in Lille (France)

The Euralille shopping centre in the northern French city of Lille (France’s fourth biggest city) needs a complete metamorphosis. Part of this process includes fitting the atrium and shopping malls with over 12,000m² of solid jatoba parquet from Design Parquet (FR) . To help the floors cope with over 12 million visitors, they have chose the Ciméthane® UV lacquer finish from Blanchon. Each night, 100m² of parquet is being fitted and finished with Ciméthane® UV and then cured with a mobile UV unit from Decorad so that not a single shop has to close during the fitting.

choice fell to a solid wood jatoba parquet from Design Parquet with planks 22mm thick and a length of 1.20m.

A ‘Nouvel’ (new) metamorphosis

Euralille stays open during the work

The Euralille shopping centre was designed by the renowned architect Jean Nouvel and opened in 1994. After twenty years of intensive use, the centre is due for a major renovation, which is being carried out by its designer. The project manager has decided to replace the stone floors in the shopping malls with a parquet floor in ladder pattern. The

Vincent Lepais, manager at Blanchon who is responsible for purchasing, explains: ‘We were delighted to be selected as a partner for this giant-size project. The challenges certainly was a big one. All the work in the centre had to be done at night so as not to cause any hindrance to the shops and their customers.’

Floor Forum international 69

Design Parquet and Blanchon In view of the surface of the shopping centre, we are talking about one of the biggest European parquet projects of the year and undoubtedly one of the biggest jatoba parquet floors in the world. Since reliable partners are absolutely indispensable, the project manager has turned to the reputable French parquet manufacturer Design Parquet and the equally reputable parquet finish specialist Blanchon.

Perfect setting in just eight hours Guaranteeing accessibility for a parquet floor of this magnitude is no sinecure. Vincent Lepais can confirm that: ‘Over 55,000 people visit the Euralille every day, so the parquet had to be ready for instant intensive use. We definitely needed an ultra-strong lacquer finish, so the choice of a UV lacquer was an easy one. That left us two further options: Either we could supply pre-finished parquet with a UV lacquer (which proved a big success at SC Part Dieu in Lyon, which is part of the same group), or a UV lacquer which would be cured on site. We opted for the latter, due to the performance of our new Ciméthane UV lacquers.’ He continues, ‘This meant we could guarantee that the parquet would be lacquered, dried and cured in just eight hours and ready for use immediately afterwards.’ After a few tests on a test strip to assess the colour and durability of the system, Blanchon was given a green light to use Ciméthane® UV. It was the reputable interior designer Pro Design from Paris which took care of the execution in full and close co-operation with Blanchon.

Night work To familiarise ourselves with the working method and unique qualities of Blanchon’s Ciméthane® UV system, we made a brief night trip to Lille. Once we arrived, under the expert supervision of Vincent Lepais from Blanchon, we were able to see the team from Pro Design at work during the fitting. They did their work precisely, calmly, and safely.

Eight hours for perfect setting Once the planks had been fitted, the workers proceeded to the different sandpapering phases with grains 36, 50, and 80, plus a single brush treatment with grain 100. Vacuum cleaning was followed by a hard S.O. Blanchon primer, which took one hour to dry. Then, they applied the first coat of Ciméthane® UV, which took two hours to dry. Then, they called the Decorad mobile Floormate into service to realize the curing of the first UV coat of lacquer. The floor fitters used a special eye and face protector. Then, it was time for intermediate sanding with grain 100 or 120. Vacuum cleaning was followed by the final coat

of Ciméthane® UV lacquer, which also needed two hours to dry. After that, the machine was driven over the parquet surface for the last time to realize the final curing.

Six o’clock in the morning In the meantime, it was almost six o’clock in the morning and it had been exactly eight hours from the application of the primer to the final curing under UV light. The Ciméthane® UV system applied to the parquet had definitely achieved the required hardness and durability and was ready at once for intensive use. Within a few hours, the first early customers arrived for the start of a busy new day. During the following night, another strip of parquet was laid and finished and the work continues like that day by day. By the end of 2014, all the shopping malls in Euralille will have a unique and durable jatoba floor. And so, it will be a treat to shop in Euralille, due to the magnificent wooden floor and the ultra-strong Ciméthane® UV Blanchon lacquer finish. Contact information: +33 (0) 472 89 06 09 - www.blanchon.com

Ciméthane® UV lacquering system from Blanchon: unique strengths • Suitable for all wood sorts • Minimal environmental impact • Available in satin gloss, matt, and ultra matt • UV hydro technology eliminates odours • Unbeatable durability against wear and tear and chemical impact: tested over 15,000 times with a Taber test (1 coat of primer + 2 coats of Ciméthane® UV) • Open-air drying in 2 to 3 hours, curing with UV lamp with no ozone emissions • Low-maintenance (identical to that of a normal lacquered parquet floor)

Floor Forum International 69

Special

Sanding machines : part I

THE BELT AND STURDY BRUSH GO ON AND ON PRE-FINISHED NOT A THREAT TO SANDERS (FOR NOW)

Photo – Janser

Even with a perfectly level covering floor (there’s no such thing as perfection!) fitted with boundless expertise, a parquet underlay or strip parquet will never be 100% level on their own. This miracle can be achieved only with sanding machines, especially endless belt sanders. The weight and vast motor power mean that if these tools are used skilfully, all unevenness, adhesive residue, bulges in the planks disappear effortlessly and instantly, just as snow melts away before the sun. Endless belt sanders will always be a vital ‘tool’ for professionals. Less assured, however, is the future of their (somewhat) lighter little brothers, which are designed mainly for the hire market.

The initial sanding Just as a company can have a vehicle fleet and machinery at its disposal, so floor fitters invest primarily in an arsenal of sanding machines. Quite apart from their workshop designs and company vehicles, this is probably their most important investment for working on the site itself.

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The range of sanders for wooden floors, logically, is built around the sandpapering tasks involved in fitting a wooden floor.

Sanding machines: the arsenal The arsenal of sanding machines at the disposal of floor fitters nowadays provides a solution to a real technical demand. For the initial major sanding immediately after the fitting, there is the endless belt sander (see below), which eliminates any major unevenness. For complementary finer sanding, makers offer rotary disc or orbital sanders: these machines refine the surface and remove the inevitable traces (real marks) left by belt sanders. For corners, stairs, and other places which are difficult to reach, there are edge sanders. There are polishing machines to apply and rub in oil and wax. These machines can usually also be deployed for a number of preparatory tasks.

The endless belt sander The belt sander is the heaviest machine for floor fitters, but it is absolutely essential for a good result. The main task of the belt sander is to

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bona.com/bonaoilsystem

Special

Sanding machines : part I

level the floor after it has been fitted. This machine is used for the first time once the subfloor has been glued. With traditional parquet the belt sander sandpapers the mosaic blocks so that they are completely even. Endless belt sanders easily weigh up to 80kg. That, together with the vast motor power, enables them to sandpaper surfaces level almost to perfection. And so, the power behind the sanding comes partly from the weight of the machine. The machines operate on a rotating wheel base. A sanding belt is tightened by two rollers, namely the cylinder and the top roller. The second operation for the endless belt sander is to level the end floor which has been glued and nailed to the mosaic subfloor. Endless belt sanders are self-propelling; once the roller touches the floor, the machine advances.

the standard of parquet finishing into unchartered territory. The new COBRA 09 from FRANK has taken parquet sandpapering to a new level. Some features: silent, powerful motor with high reserve capacity/ergonomic operation with central control elements/ highly flexible/handle adjustable in height/low vibration system/automatic belt tension/lighting in the working area/very quick to dismount.

‘Mini-belt’ – the little brother Belt sanders (in almost all cases) have a little brother that works on the same principles and is used for the same applications, but geared more to the hire market. In other words, these are designed specially for those brave souls who want to take on the job themselves. Wherein lies the difference? They are a little lighter; most machines weigh about 60kg as opposed to 80kg for the belts which professionals use. As regards operation, they are usually simpler. These machines are also sometimes labelled as ‘semi-professional’.

The ‘weight’ of ‘pre-finished’ The transition from traditional parquet fitted ‘from scratch’ on site to multi-layer parquet floors must have caused shock waves amongst scores of floor fitters. With these multi-layer floors, manufacturers have taken over a large share of the work done on site. Pre-finished floors go a step further. These floors are completely finished and ready for fitting, and, after the fitting, they can be walked on almost at once. In this case no sandpapering is needed. Obviously, these floors, just like laminate floors, are an attraction for DIY enthusiasts. What is their (market) share? The answer is worrying. Over 80% of parquet floors (in the FEP zone) are multi-layer. When we enquired amongst producers/ suppliers, some of them told us that the ratio of raw/finished floors is 10/90%, sometimes even 5/95%! And so, pre-finished is certainly a weighty market.

The impact of pre-finished One immediate consequence is that sanding machines are no longer needed. A disaster for manufacturers? Certainly not. Traditional parquet has lost a large market share in recent decades, yet it continues to exist. Moreover, the day arrives when those pre-finished floors are in need of renovation. That’s the time when the floor fitter’s arsenal of sanding machines is welcome. One possibly predictable consequence is the effect on sales of the ‘little brother’. There is no longer any need at all for initial sandpapering by DIY enthusiasts when the floor is fitted initially. The hire market will undoubtedly feel the effects. As far as renovation is concerned, it seems that clients will once again call upon the services of a professional 10 years later. Sanding pre-finished parquet (which may have a click system) is a much more delicate operation than sanding a solid wood floor 9mm thick.

Some renowned names Alvaket With the Cobra 09, Alvaket has exceeded demands made of a professional sander and offer nothing but the very best. The challenge of further improving a thoroughbred classic was certainly no sinecure. The Cobra 09 is a combination of the latest WOLFF innovation and the reliable and proven FRANK technology. This machine has raised

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Janser Apart from the Tiger, Leopard, Jaguar, and Mignon, Janser also presents the GRISSLY system, a combination of a powerful belt sander, a specially adapted DC 2900-G vacuum cleaner, and an ingenious suction tube with integrated electric wire. The GRISSLY belt sander is designed to work together perfectly in combination with the DC-2900-G and guarantees a dust-free operation. The GRISSLY machine has a powerful 2.2 kW motor. Apart from the implemented dust suction, the GRISSLY also has the following improvements: a new ergonomic design handle which can be adjusted in height and a considerable reduction in sound. The new DC 2900-G vacuum cleaner is designed to work together perfectly in combination with the GRISSLY belt sander and the LUPO edge sander. The DC 2900-G is fitted with an automatic start function and a soft start function so that the belt sander with its 2.2kW motor can be connected to the power supply of the DC 2900-G.

Overmat Overmat offers several machines for grinding and sanding of wooden floors. For example: the new Woodboy® 4000/32-3. This rotating single disc machine is suitable for (fine) grinding and polishing of wooden floors, before applying the finishing layer oil or lacquer with the best result. All-in-one with the HTC 420 Overmat also offers grinding machines by the Swedish brand HTC. The HTC 420 is a compact and solid grinding machine with a high capacity. Due to the wide range of tools the machine is suitable for any wood grinding job. From floor preparation to fine polishing of the wooden floor. Therefore this machine is capable to do the work for a drum sander and rotating grinding machine all-in-one!

Do you prefer working with a drum sander for the coarse work? Overmat offers you the right machine! Our high efficiency Woodmaster grinding machines are known for their powerful motor and solid construction. Therefore they are perfect for professional use in grinding parquet and wooden floors.

drastically reduces the quantity of dust during the working time; the site is thus healthier for the installer and the abrasives used remain clean; consequently their action is optimized. Numerous accessories and in particular steel brushes permit to achieve brushed or planed floors for an aged aspect. It is also possible to adapt a sole disc to transform the machine into a mono-disc and to be able to oil the wood with a pad. A unique machine is enough for all the steps of parquet preparation and finishing.

Tover Tover RC1 sanding machine is extremely versatile. Its system of orbital magnetic discs combined with the speed variator enables an excellent level of finishing (fine sanding) but also a really efficient grinding, adding supplementary weights. Thanks to its good stability, it is possible to drive it with only one hand, without effort and in total safety. The vacuum system has been improved with a powerful turbine which

WOCA

NEW

NEUTRAL OIL AND CARE The invisible look

Neutral Oil and Neutral Oil Care, for the natural ”invisible” look WOCA Neutral Oil is a professional floor finish. The oil ensures protection of the surface while still giving the neutral ”invisible” look of raw wood. • Invisible look – gives the floor a neutral “invisible” look, as newly sanded wood and is daylight colour stable • Fast drying – very fast drying, all in one day application • Ecological – the oil is waterbased and very ecological • Solvent free – contains less than 1% VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)

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WoodCare Denmark A/S · Tværvej 6 · DK-6640 Lunderskov · Tel.: +45 99 58 56 00 · info@ttwoodcare.com · www.wocadenmark.com

Advertorial

Küberit (DE)

KÜBERIT SKIRTING BOARDS AND PROFILES: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, RELIABLE QUALITY

Küberit, a world leader in skirting boards and profiles, is launching some innovative and top quality new products. These products will help professionals to finish their projects to perfection, not to mention efficiently and with every imaginable working comfort. We are talking about the new PPS Champion Star profile for LVT click vinyl, the readyfor-fitting PPS cross and corner profiles, and the coloured silicone strips for expansion profiles. The Küberit Swarovski Elements range proves that skirting boards and profiles can add glamorous cachet to the interior.

PPS Champion Star: profiles for LVT click vinyl The PPS Champion Star is probably the narrowest aluminium profile system on the market. At the same time, thanks to the torx screws and reinforced drill holes, it is also extremely stable and durable. This makes it ideal for finishing LVT floors and wall-to-wall carpet. PPS Champion Star lends itself perfectly to the installation of floating LVT floors (4 to 9.5mm) and high quality carpet between 5 and 12mm. The range is available in the anodized colours sand, silver, gold, bronze, and stainless steel. There are also PPS Lifter adapters in synthetics reinforced with fibre glass to raise the basic profile by 5 or 10mm.

will save them considerable amounts of time. Sawing to size is a time-consuming chore which is rendered superfluous by these cross and corner profiles, they also allow for the necessary expansion space for large floor surfaces.

New silicone colors for expansion joint profiles For the existing aluminium profiles 301 S, 302 S, and 307 S for floor thicknesses of 3, 4.5, and 6mm, Küberit is now unveiling silicone joints in the colours beige and brown. The colours of the profiles, sand and bronze, are perfectly suited to the colour of the joint and ensure optimal colour harmony with the floor. The new types 303 S and 304 S in stainless steel are available for floors with a thickness of 6 or 10.3mm.

Swarovski Elements On the occasion of Küberit’s 150th anniversary, the company unveiled a glamorous range of design elements with Swarovski crystals. They give a luxurious finish in both business and residential settings with an extra dash of jet set luxury. The range includes aluminium skirting boards and threshold profiles, doorstops, stair profiles, and finish rings for heating pipes with Swarovski crystals.

Handy ready-for-fitting PPS cross and corner profiles All professionals are feeling under increasing time pressure to complete projects. The ready-for-fitting PPS cross and corner profiles

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Contact information : + 49 2351 9507 127 - www.kueberit.com

Focus on expansion and innovation makes Küberit a world leader. Since the turn of the century, Küberit, which is based in Lüdenscheid, Germany, has enjoyed rapid growth and international development. Over the past 15 years, the firm has invested heavily in more capacity with a new factory, new offices, and a fully computerised warehouse, and this has borne fruit. Over the past decade, the number of Küberit employees has virtually doubled. Export to markets such as Japan, China, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Russia now accounts for 10% of the corporate turnover. The rest of the turnover is achieved in Europe (namely in Germany, the Benelux, and France), Africa and America. Küberit is acknowledged worldwide as a manufacturer of innovative profile systems for all hard floors such as laminate, parquet or cork and profiles in aluminium, brass and stainless steel for textile and elastic floor coverings. You will find Küberit products everywhere and in the most exclusive locations, such as on the AIDA luxury cruisers or in Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world at 828 metres. The range now includes more than 12,500 different articles, over 300 different profile cross-sections, and a unique diversity of styles.

Küberit: Expansion joint profiles bronze with brown silicone

Küberit: Door stopper with Swarovski crystals

Küberit: PPS® cross pieces, also available as internal and external corner pieces

Küberit: PPS®-Champion Star for floating LVT and carpets

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Advertorial

Lalegno (BE)

LALEGNO INVESTS IN A HEALTHY FUTURE Multi-layer parquet brand invests in more efficient stock management and creates an export division

Demand for multi-layer parquet floors in Europe continues to grow, as it has done in recent years. They’ve noticed this, too, at Lalegno, which has grown in recent years into one of the biggest and most reliable brands of multi-layer parquet in Belgium and further afield.

Quality and ongoing renewal Labeco BVBA, the company behind the popular ‘Lalegno’ parquet brand, sets great stall by service, quality, and client satisfaction. Therefore, the Lalegno team attaches huge importance to constant development and innovation. It’s not only the floor collections themselves which they review, extend, and, where necessary, restyle on a regular basis. The company itself is in constant development, as it has appeared now that the construction industry is back at work after the holiday.

Hyper-modern scan system for Lalegno warehouse Although the Lalegno offices were closed for a couple of weeks during the summer, there were lots of people in the Lalegno warehouse. They installed a brand-new hyper-modern scan system, which not only keeps the stock up to date and optimises its rotation, but also ensures that there is virtually no chance of little chores with the delivery. Investment in such new technology

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will lead to an even faster just-in-time delivery of orders, so all Lalegno clients will be even happier.

New organisation for commercial office duty Investment in new equipment is certainly not the only challenge which Lalegno took up during the summer. They also committed themselves to renewing their corporate structure. The commercial office duty has been reordered and split up into a domestic division and an export division. Both Belgian and foreign clients will therefore be served more quickly and efficiently with all their questions about stocks, delivery deadlines, and transport possibilities.

New collections in development Innovation is certainly a trump card at Lalegno, but that’s not all! Obviously, they are also working hard on the new collections to be put on display during Domotex Hannover early next year. Lalegno is further extending its Barn collection, which has always been admired by architects and interior designers and which has been prescribed for several exclusive building projects. They are adding five new colour finishes, which will be available from the stock as standard and will undoubtedly provide lots of admiration. Contact information : +32 (0) 9 243 48 05 - www.lalegno.be

Special

Laminate floors : part I

LAMINATE FIGHTS FOR ITS MARKET SHARE SUCCESS FLOOR GETS A TASTE OF ITS OWN MEDICINE

Photo – Alsapan

Laminate may have a reasonably stable market share, but it seems to be struggling to sustain sales. That was the conclusion which emerged from enquiries amongst some top producers. At all events, the crisis has spurred laminate on. Yet there’s more: We all know the cast-iron advantages and properties with which laminate took the flooring industry by surprise on the crest of a wave. Laminate acted as the ‘spring tide’ on the flooring market. It ‘came, saw, and conquered’. Today, another type of floor covering is doing exactly the same, so laminate is getting a taste of its own medicine. This article gives an outline of how laminate is faring worldwide.

The blitzkrieg of laminate The campaign of conquest in which laminate flooded the market straight after its introduction and the removal of a few teething problems was a real blitzkrieg. In no time at all, the ‘new’ sort of floor managed to conquer a fixed portion on the market, mainly as a budget-friendly alternative to parquet and wooden floors. A decade of innovations put the ‘product’ in an even stronger position. Everything about laminate has improved in recent years: the surface structure, the look and feel, the genuineness of the decors, the technical properties (read: ‘acoustic, thermal, and anti-static properties), the easy fitting, and its resistance to heavy duty. Then came the period of the ‘great

triage’. The wheat had to be separated from the chaff because success products usually draw a whole pack of crooked cowboys in the saddle who want to make some easy money. Those in it for easy profit were soon ejected. Result: a refined market where there are still some (sound) entry level products to complement the upper segment. The middle segment has disappeared somewhat.

The cast-iron strengths We will discuss only those strengths which are relevant to the point of this article. What is important? That laminate was originally the ‘imitation’ first of wooden floors and later other types of floors is a fact. It is also clear that it has scores of good features in terms of strength, durability, recycling, health, hygiene, and such like. Let’s outline four of these properties, namely the variety, thickness, easy fitting, and, of course, the price.

Variety in the assortment Laminate is imitation; it works on the basis of photography. And so, it is clear that it can offer any decor since we can photograph anything. Firstly wood, then ceramic tiles, marble, natural stone, or anything you like. The art of digital printing makes it possible to produce small volumes so that even personalised decors (e.g. logos or children’s photographs) are possible.

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Special

Laminate floors : part I

Thickness Thickness is merely one of the properties which make laminate absolutely ideal for renovation. The floor’s minimal thickness means it is often considered for fitting on top of an existing floor in order to avoid demolition work. In many cases that is precisely why it is not necessary to shorten doors. The fact that laminate is fitted without breaking and sandpapering and is therefore relatively dust-free is obviously a nice bonus with renovation, certainly if the home is still occupied during the work.

Easy fitting We’re not going to consider the DIY fitting option, even though it is not unimportant to the total volume of the sale; the DIY sector has taken advantage of that. The fact is that laminate also has some outstanding trumps when it is fitted by professionals. The click systems ensure speedy and silent installation. Time (speed) is money for professionals. The fact that the site is left behind relatively clean is also beneficial.

The price There are some cheap laminate floors (entry-level) which are usually fitted temporarily pending something better or simply because the budget does not permit anything else. There is also more expensive laminate. The price is still always attractive as compared to other types of floors. The material itself (the planks) is cheaper than wooden floors or stone and the fitting time is shorter. There is also less expense on fitting accessories, preparatory tasks, and finishing (e.g. adhesives, cement, sandpapering, and varnishing).

A taste of one’s own medicine Why are we outlining all this in a calculating manner? Because it is helpful for showing that other floors, thanks to those same strong points, have started on a resurgence and are partly responsible for the stagnation on the laminate market. We’re talking about linoleum, PVC, and vinyl, and especially vinyl tiles (LVT) and vinyl planks (LVP). After all, the latter possess those same strong trumps and add a few more besides. LVT offers the same advantages as regards fitting (i.e. fast and simple), is thin in composition, presents an infinite range of decors (the same photo-technology), and is extremely reasonable in price as compared to other floor coverings. The fact that it is moisture-resistant to some degree is another plus point.

Impressive advance

Western Europe In Western Europe sales have fallen by about 3%. Sales dropped from 298 million square metres in 2012 to 290 million square metres in 2013. Let us consider the top six countries. - Germany: Germany still leads the Western European countries, despite a fall to 72 million square metres (down from 76 million square metres). - Turkey: The Turks are still in second place with over 65 million square metres, a slight fall from 66 million square metres in 2012. Turkey owes these more than satisfactory figures to its own members of the EPLF and the country’s clear economic growth. - France: France also witnessed a slight fall from 40 million square metres in 2012 to 39 million square metres in 2013. These figures keep the country solidly in third place in Western Europe. - United Kingdom: The United Kingdom remained stable in fourth place with 29 million square metres. - The Netherlands: The Netherlands, too, retained its place in fifth position with 19 million square metres. - Spain: Finally, Spain’s figures fell from 15 to 14 million square metres, but the country remained in sixth place.

Eastern Europe In 2013, Eastern European laminate manufacturers sold over 103 million square metres of laminate as opposed to 99 million square metres during the previous year. This figure represents growth of 4%. - Poland: Poland is once again at the top with about 25 million square metres as compared to 24 million square metres in 2012. - Russia: With 23.9 million square metres as compared to 23.7 million square metres in 2012, Russia has soundly consolidated its position in second place. Forecasts are that further growth is still possible in Russia. - Rumania: With 10 million square metres in 2013 as opposed to 9.8 million square metres in 2012, Rumania recorded slight growth and retained the third place. - Ukraine: Ukraine is gaining strongly and rose from eight million square metres in 2012 to nine million square metres in 2013. - Hungary: Hungary stayed in fifth place with slight growth from 4.2 to 4.6 million square metres.

According to researchers, the strong advance of vinyl floors is due to the introduction of luxury vinyl tiles on the one hand and glass backed sheet vinyl on the other. These two sorts of vinyl are together responsible for the market share which vinyl has gained in recent years to the cost of other sorts of floor covering such as laminate, carpet, and wooden floors. In particular, luxury vinyl tiles are selling better all the time. An illustration: At the moment, luxury vinyl tiles account for one third of all tile sales in the United States with a turnover of 255 million US dollars. Both private clients and businesses are opting for luxury vinyl tiles, with 60% of total sales to private households in the United States.

North America

Global figures for laminate

Total sales of European laminate have grown in this region from one million square metres in 2012 to 13 million square metres in 2013. The Chinese market, including Hong Kong, recorded clear growth, especially in the purchase of European premium products. This market was good for four million square metres as opposed to three million square metres in 2012. The Iranian market has virtually collapsed.

The economic crisis has not yet passed over completely, but the laminate market does seem to be stabilising. The EPLF (Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring) has outlined the current market situation. A slight fall in sales in Western Europe has been offset by growth in other markets. In 2013, the 21 members of the EPLF

sold all over the world 460 million square metres of laminate produced in Europe. This figure means a fall of 0.7% as compared to 463 million square metres in 2012.

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North America is creeping out of a dip. In 2011, sales of European laminate fell dramatically from 41 million square metres in 2010 to 27 million square metres in 2011. In 2012, sales fell further to 23 million square metres. This was the result of the general economic situation in North America. In 2013, we noticed a levelling out, with sales rising to 28 million square metres. The situation in the United States in particular looked promising with 16 million square metres as opposed to 12 million square metres during the previous year. Canada remained stable in 2013 with 11 million square metres.

Asia-Pacific

In 2013, figures fell to half of the meagre sales figures of 1.6 million square metres in 2012.

South America South America remained stable in 2013 with the same sales figures as in 2012, namely seven million square metres. There were disappointing figures in Chile with a fall from 6.5 to six million square metres. Sales in Mexico rose from 4.3 million square metres in 2012 to five million square metres in 2013.

cork floors, Disano design floors, and the Celenio design floor. Whether an assortment is wide or more strongly concentrated depends on the corporate strategy. The major competitors of laminate here, too, are LVT, vinyl, and parquet, but also linoleum, cork, and tiles. Haro believes that growth in the laminate market has to come from constant innovation (e.g. even better imitation). Top sales arguments for laminate are: its authentic look, low maintenance, resistance, easy installation, and good price/quality ratio.

Kronospan

Conclusions All things considered and with a view of a broad market, the laminate market is holding its own, but it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really growing quickly any more. This is probably due to the economic situation in general and, especially, the ongoing successful emergence of other types of floors with comparable strong points.

Reactions from the sector Alsapan According to Alsapan, the lost square metres of laminate have gone to LVT. LVT probably has a market share of 1 to 2%, a figure which comes to about 10% of the laminate market. And so, if LVT gains by 30%, laminate falls by 3% (a rough calculation, but the trend is correct). The Alsapan assortment consists of the production/distribution of laminate floors and sale/ distribution of LVT and three-layer parquet floors. Alsapan believes it is less important to achieve market share than to have a healthy profit margin per square metre. You only achieve this with high quality products and a strong image. Top sales arguments for laminate are: it is easy to fit, it looks nice, it is very durable if maintained properly, it has a very good price/quality ratio, and it is a perfect alternative to parquet.

Kronospan presents veneer floors, multi-layer parquet, LVT, and such like. They believe that it is risky nowadays to specialise in just one sort of floor. Clients are looking for suppliers who can provide different solutions. Operating on different markets also offers a better view of the market as a whole and client expectations. In order to gain ground, laminate producers need to create even more realistic products which are even closer to the original product. Today, floors of about 10 to 15 years ago are in need of renewal. This is the opportunity of a lifetime since buyers can then opt for more technical and attractive products. The top sales arguments are: the price, easy installation, variety of decors, durability, and the European origin.

Tarkett

Haro

At Haro they estimate that the share of laminate in the entire flooring industry is about 50%. Haro presents in its range parquet, laminate,

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At Tarkett they have noticed that the laminate market is in decline, whilst LVT and click vinyl are flourishing. The Tarkett range includes wood, laminate, LVT, homogeneous and heterogeneous vinyl, linoleum, and carpet. The Tarkett strategy consists of offering the widest possible selection of floor coverings. According to Tarkett, laminate will never regain its lost market share, but they are also convinced that it will never disappear. Tarkett believes that the price, easy fitting, easy maintenance, the realistic decors, and the extensive choice are the top sales arguments for laminate.

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Floor Forum international 69

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Special

Outdoor floors : maintenance & finishes

PROTECTING WOOD FROM THE ELEMENTS ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS TO HELP FLOOR FITTERS AS WELL

Photo – Ciranova

We can’t repeat it often enough. Wood offers professionals the chance of a lifetime to build up long-term relations with their clients. In other words, the work, or, rather, the profits, don’t stop once the installation is completed. This applies equally to parquet floors and wooden terraces. Outdoor wood requires maintenance and protection. And so, chemical producers have developed a whole range of products to provide specific protection against the typical hazards to which outdoor wood is exposed.

into contact with damp from the soil. Most terrace fastening systems take account of this. As far as rainwater is concerned, protect the plane mode (the shape of the surface = gently sloping or somewhat ‘round’) so that rainwater is drained off.

The enemies of outdoor wood

Light, especially in the form of UV rays, is a major cause of ‘decay’. We have chosen that word carefully. Indeed, the penetration of UV light causes more than wear and tear; it causes ‘decay’. Ultraviolet light (in combination with oxygen and water) causes wood to age and can cause wood rot (see below).

There are all sorts of tips and tricks at this point. If floor fitters or professional terrace fitters want to build up long term relations with their clients, it is better for them to recommend accepted solutions provided by specialist producers. In the comprehensive range of offered by all producers we regularly come across three products in particular, namely terrace cleaners, anti-ageing products, and terrace oil or saturators. Terrace oil is applied to new or existing wooden terrace floors. It provides effective protection against the penetration of damp since the oil impregnates the wood so that the pores are saturated and the wood gets a strong surface. You have to use coloured oil to provide protection from UV light. Terrace anti-ageing is designed either to prevent ageing or to remove the disintegrating layer of wood, which is the source of the anti-ageing. Anti-ageing products remove the veil and restore the wood to its original colour. Finally, terrace cleaners are an efficient cleansing agent against dirt and moss formation. They can be used on all sorts of tropical wood. Terraces are often cleaned (thoroughly) with a terrace cleaner before terrace oil is applied.

Water

Nanotechnology

The durability classes of wood relate to wood which is fully exposed to the outdoor elements. And so, this wood is also in contact with the ground and is constantly in touch with damp. Whenever you fit a terrace, it is essential to ensure that the wooden terrace does not come

All these products are geared towards a specific task. Producers are looking constantly for better and more efficient compounds. For example, certain dyes provide protection against UV light without necessarily turning the wood much darker. Obviously, it is little wonder

Indoor wooden floors are susceptible to scores of influences which cause wear and ageing. These include ordinary use, the fitting (and displacement) of furniture, moisture content, temperature, accidental hazards, and so on. No one questions the need to treat and maintain wooden floors in a suitable manner. When it comes to outdoor floors, we can go a step further. Outdoors, the influences which cause wear and tear are perfectly comparable to those of indoor floors, but there are some others as well. The main hazards, apart from people, arise from the weather and the environment. Let’s summarise them.

Light

Fauna and flora Living organisms can also constitute a threat. We can identify woodworm, wood rot, and polypore as the arch enemies.

How do you provide protection?

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Special

Outdoor floors : maintenance & finishes

that here, too, nanotechnology (see elsewhere in this edition) is emerging. Nano-particles can change (reinforce) certain properties of a product (a substance or material). This technology is used, for example, to improve the durability or scratch resistance of a finish, increase fire-resistance, make a product more waterproof, and such like. Some producers (see below) include nano-particles in their compounds.

A selection from the range Adesiv For the treatment of terraces Adesiv firstly presents Pavidek, an impregnation product which needs to be applied in two coats. The aim is to protect the wood against all weathers and counteract ageing. Adesiv has a full assortment for the maintenance and treatment of wooden floors. New Deck is a product which prevents and eliminates ageing in outdoor floors. Pavidek is an impregnation resin which provides protection against UV light and Oliopro is a detergent for regular cleaning. These products can be used on all wood sorts.

Blanchon Blanchon suggests impregnation for protecting outdoor floors by means of saturation. This means that all fibres (pores) of the wood are saturated and that only a small amount of the product is left on top. You need to clean the wood thoroughly in order to saturate it. Blanchon has a full range of products for the preparation, finish, and maintenance. Firstly, there is the Blanchon Wood Anti-ageing: a high-quality gel is recommended specially for cleaning outdoor wood which is exposed to the weather and the formation of mould and moss. The Blanchon Wood Saturator is the saturator based on the traditional compound. For a few years now, Blanchon has also been offering the Ecological Saturator, which belongs to the Ecological Quality Line and scores highly on all points. It can also be applied to exotic wood sorts straight after the fitting. For periodic cleaning Blanchon offers the Blanchon Terrace Cleaner and, specially for composite wood, they offer the Composite Terrace Renovator. A new product launched this year is the Anti-UV Colourless System, a colourless protective system against the effects of sunlight on the wood. The system consists of a Conditioner and a Terrace Protector. A major benefit of this system is that it preserves the original colour of the wood. Whereas protection against UV light is traditionally associated with the addition of colours, this system is colourless.

Ciranova Ciranova offers an extensive range of products for outdoor wood. The green deposit remover removes green deposits from all surfaces. It retains its strength long after the treatment. The anti-ageing product removes dirt and renews ageing outdoor wood. Wood Cleaner Ciranova is a product for cleaning and degreasing outdoor wood. Using Wood Cleaner will yield an even end result if you finish the wood with a Ciranova

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protective product. Wood Protector is a natural oil which is suitable for nourishing and protecting all outdoor wood. Ciranova Eco-protector is a waterborne protective product for outdoor wood such as exotic wood, resin-bearing wood, and European deciduous trees. Ecoprotector does not form a film, but penetrates into the wood. UVP Colour is a waterborne, VOC-free primer based on nano-colours for colouring the wood. An extra UV absorber stops the wood from turning yellow and ageing. Once it is applied, UVP Colour needs to be protected with one coat of UVP decking oil 2K, a waterborne and VOC-free (0% VOC) dual component oil with nano-colours to protect outdoor wood. Auafix protect RRT is a revolutionary product with built-in RRT Technology (= Rapid Rain Technology). It gives the wood a pearl effect whereby the water drips from the wood immediately in just one coat.

Chimiver Panseri Chimiver offers a wide range of products for treating protecting and maintaining all kind of outdoor wooden surfaces. Lios Sundeck Wood Oil is an impregnating oil for outdoor wooden floors available in different colors and a certified anti-slip version. Lios Sundeck Soap is a nourishing soap for cleaning and maintaning outdoor wooden floors. Lios Grigioff is a special solvent-free product to restore wheathered outdoor wooden floor back to its original colour. Elastoxyl is an expansion joint for outdoor floors available in four different colours: black, teak, grey and white. Chimiver offers also a water-based impregnating oil SUNDECK W OIL available in different versions as no-slip and colored white and grey. Last innovation from Chimiver research is LIOS SUNDECK CLIMA+ which is a water-based thixotropic impregnating oil for wood with UV absorption double technology. Thanks to this innovation property, LIOS SUNDECK CLIMA+ is particularly resistant to the action of UV radiation, both direct and indirect. Hence it is recommended for the treatment and protection of the wooden boards used as outer covering of facades. Its new formulation, due to its suitable thixotropy, cut down minimize the draining. The light mordant, in addition to be an excellent solar filter, gives the wood a pleasant warm colour. LIOS SUNDECK CLIMA+ also protects the wood from mildew and infesting microorganisms. Doesn’t degrade rubbers and expansion joints.

Floorservice The garden is increasingly becoming an extension of your home’s interior. Wooden patios with matching chairs and tables perfectly suit your indoor style. Just like the wood for indoor floors, the outdoor wood also requires attention and the right products in order to maintain the natural look! Floorservice Decking Oil To keep the outdoor wood in perfect condition we’ve developed Floorservice Decking Oil. This oil penetrates deep into the (tropical) wood and offers excellent protection against water and dirt. The mild smelling oil doesn’t leave a film, but gives the wood a smooth surface. Floorservice Woodwash The intensive cleaner Floorservice Woodwash cleans thoroughly and restores colour of garden furniture, patio’s, garden fences and pergolas. This is an excellent universal cleaner for soft and hard wood types. The grey garden wood will be brought back to life, restoring the wood’s former glory!

Kerakoll A finish for outdoor floors has to penetrate inside the wood and at the same time provide surface protection. Kerakoll presents SLC Eco OilDeck HPX, an ecological and organic oil for outdoor use with no hint of danger to the user. The product provides protection against UV rays and can be used for both walls and floors. SLC Eco Oil-Deck HPX has a ‘variable rheology’: To apply the oil vertically, you leave it unstirred so that it retains a jelly-like shape. This makes it possible to apply the oil vertically with no drips. Two coats are enough for vertical application, with the second coat being applied four hours after the first coat with no intermediate sandpapering. For maintenance Kerakoll offers SLC Eco Oil-Deck Care, an ecological oil-soap.

Osmo Optimal protection for wooden decking Osmo offers a product that is easy to use, produced to meet the individual demands of most wood species and protect the decking from the effects of weathering: Osmo Decking-Oils produce a protective and microporous surface and penetrate deep into the wood protecting it from the inside out. They smoothen the wooden surface and make it water-repellent and dirt-resistant. Even intensive cleaning and refreshing of greyed wooden decking is very easy: The Wood Reviver Power-Gel removes even the most stubborn soiling and green growth from all types of wooden decking profiles.

the main causes of wood wear and damages. Oil4Sun deeply penetrates into the pores and feeds the wood, granting a homogeneous tonality to the whole surface. When the floor appears dull or worn, it can be cleaned with Deteroil, a concentrated specific neutral soap and then a new layer of oil will newly revive and protect it. If the wood becomes grey, the specific agent GreyFree will remove this grey patina and enable a new coating with the oil. Oil4Sun is available in neutral, teak, wengé and grey versions.

WOCA The best way to maintain outdoor terraces is with the WOCA Exterior Oils. After all, a finish for outdoor wood shouldn’t create a film, but should penetrate into the wood so that the wood can absorb and emit damp in harmony with its surrounds. WOCA Exterior Oil does not peel off and can always be touched up without sandpapering. WOCA has an extensive range of products for protecting outdoor wood: Multi Cleaner, Multi Protector, Exterior Cleaner, Deep Cleaner Spray, Deep Cleaner A+B, Outdoor Wood Primer, Exterior Gel, and Exterior Oil. They’re all part of a complete maintenance system. In addition, WOCA also offers every possible accessory for applying the products. For maintaining composite wood, WOCA offers a combination of the Exterior Cleaner (using the WOCA rotation brush) and the Exterior Oil.

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Monocoat presents a system for protecting and maintaining terraces. Apart from the correct choice of finish product, Rubio Monocoat also believes that the preparation is absolutely essential. The wood needs to be cleaned thoroughly in order to ensure a good binding of the product with the wood. This is achieved with simple, yet extremely effective sandpapering using RMC Exterior Wood Cleaner, which removes dirt and moss and can also be used for composite wood. For the finish itself there are the RMC Exterior products. The RMC Decking Oil Duo System consists of a primer (RMC Sunprimer Colour), which guarantees an intense colouring and anti-mould operation by means of nanotechnology. As a finish within this system they use the RMC Decking Oil 2C. Furthermore, there is also the recently launched RMC Hybrid Wood Protector. This is a Monocoat of the latest generation which colours and protects in a single coat. Both products are very simple to apply, they save time, and they are durable. For cleaning and nourishing treated terraces, Rubio Monocoat presents the RMC Exterior Soap, whilst for revitalising the colour and for protection there is the RMC Exterior Maintenance Oil.

BUZON Pedestal International s.a. Manufacturer of adjustable pedestals for all types of wood terraces Adjustable from 11 to 1120mm

Tover For an efficient and beautiful finishing of wood in exterior, Tover recommends to apply the natural impregnating oil Oil4sun. Very easy to use, waterproof, it is suitable for the treatment of terraces, decking and furniture. The oil contains fungicides against mildew and additives which guarantee a long-lasting protection against UV rays and bad weather,

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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

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Special

Special Fastening systems for exterior wall cladding

WOODEN WALLS ‘FOLLOW’ WOODEN TERRACES FASTENING SYSTEMS LENGTHEN THE LIFESPAN

Photo – Outdoor Wood Concepts

‘Wooden walls “ follow” wooden terraces.’ That statement holds true in several respects. The same wood sorts are making their way into wall claddings, albeit without having to meet the same mechanical demands. In recent years, expectations as regards finish, together with those for wooden terraces, have soared. Nails on a beam are way off the mark. Here, too, invisible fastening systems are finding their use and, as with wooden terraces, anyone who has seen them wants to move with the times.

Varied applications You can regard exterior wall cladding as an ecological alternative to the various wall claddings offered by the construction industry: tablet, plaster with a colour finish, plaster coloured all over and with or without a structure, or panel cladding. Wooden exterior wall cladding can be chosen on the basis of a purely aesthetic preference or ecological motives, but it can also be cited as the ‘most practical’ solution for wall renovation because it can eliminate certain damage and signs of ageing without a lot of demolition work. This does not necessarily have to be equated with ‘papering over the cracks’ since some signs of ageing on an existing wall can be limited to a visual problem (an eyesore) without structural consequences. Wooden exterior wall cladding can be deployed as a total solution for an exterior wall (for new construction and renovation), but can also be used to create a ‘highlight’ in order to make a transition from a particular material to a

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different material or from a particular style to a different style. In the latter case wooden exterior cladding plays the part of a ‘decor’.

High expectations In recent years, both architectural ingenuity and construction expertise have made huge strides. In terms of quality of materials, execution, and finish, professionals are constantly striving ever nearer to perfection. Accordingly, project managers are raising their expectations. People are no longer satisfied with ‘quite good’ or ‘almost perfect’. Just note how critically private clients examine their parquet floors or wooden terraces before they agree to pay the invoice. Nowadays, for exterior wall cladding, the invisible fastening system is emerging as a ‘minimum requirement’ following in the footsteps of terrace fitting. As is the case with wooden terraces, people no longer tolerate visible nails or screws and the related short-term damage, discolouration, and wear and tear.

Ahead of the market It seems a little odd, but some renowned technical agencies, which merit great authority in the construction industry, still seem to be ignoring invisible fastening systems. We find plenty of directions on the initial moisture content of the planks, choice of wood, type (width) of profiles, ventilation, fire safety, and such like, but for invisible fastenings there is hardly any technical input. And so, we can say that suppliers of these systems are one step ahead on the market. And so,

it is no surprise to discover that those suppliers are usually the same ones who have made invisible fastening a (patented) spearhead for wooden terraces.

The range The advantages of invisible fastening systems for wooden exterior wall cladding are the same as those for terraces: faster fitting, no nails or screws in the wooden planks or boards, no splintering, a longer lifespan, and, last but not least, a much better result because there are no visible fasteners. Although wooden exterior wall cladding is subjected to much less mechanical pressure (you don’t walk on it), several of these systems are recommended at once for terrace wood and exterior wall cladding. The range on the market is growing. This article gives a summary:

Archiwood

an extensive number of wood sorts and on composite. Thanks to the screws, the system can adapt to various types of structures, such as wood, aluminium, and layer structure. B-Fix can be applied horizontally and vertically.

CHS/Quick Clip System

Hard Wood Clip® and Soft Wood ClipTM are the invisible fitting systems for wooden terraces and wooden wall covers developed by Archi Wood. The fastening clip Hard Wood Clip®, which is produced from a high-performance synthetic resin and is reinforced on the inside with top quality stainless steel, is applied in the grooves (side) of the wooden wall cover and is screwed through the wooden wall covering at an angle of 45° into the beams using self-drilling screws (SPAX in top quality stainless steel). Screwing the wooden wall covering ensures good fastening in the length and provides for perfect maintenance during the fitting, especially with vertical covering. Hard Wood Clip® has been designed for use with the hardest wood sorts. The Soft Wood ClipTM, fixation clip, which consists of 100% top quality synthetic resin, has been designed in such a way that it can be used with thermally treated wood sorts and bamboo. The clips are available in three types (3mm/ 5mm/7mm) in order to guarantee the correct distance between the planks. Both systems can be deployed for exterior wall cladding. Apart from the reversible TWINTM profile, Archi Wood has also developed the DROPTM profile specially for exterior walls. The system can be used for both horizontal and vertical fitting as well as for composite if it includes the right grooves.

Recently, Carpentier Hardwood Solutions has started selling the revolutionary Quick Clip System. Quick Clip System is a fixing system which makes it possible to mount wooden exterior wall cladding or terraces simply and invisibly. The result is both aesthetic and seamless. This system does not include any milling or sawing in the planks, so there are no splinters. The clips provide optimal ventilation thanks to an insulation layer between the covering and the support frame. The planks are lined up automatically for a seamless result. The system is extremely handy to use and ensures rapid fitting, and that obviously means lower fitting costs. Although the purchase price is higher, the fitting is 50% faster. A job which would normally take four days can now be completed in two. This also means fewer journeys to and from the work site.

Eurocovering

B-Fix Although it’s difficult to make an exact assessment of the exterior wall cladding market, B-Fix does believe that it is an attractive and growing market. In this realm various innovations are appearing in the field of finish, wood sorts, fastening systems, profiles, and so on. Here, too, invisible fastening systems will gain the upper hand as they have done with terraces due to aesthetic reasons, rapid fitting, and the fact that there are no weak points created by screws and nails. Today, B-Fix presents B-Fix One, B-Fix Black One, and B-Fix Border. Furthermore, the range also includes several accessories. The system itself is designed in stainless steel with memory effect so that the wood can behave naturally and yet still remain perfectly in place. Each plank can be removed individually. The fastening system can be mounted on three different profiles (Classic, Plus, and Premium) and can be deployed on

Exterior wall cladding is on the way up, certainly when it comes to renovation and freshening up. Eurocovering has two systems which offer invisible fastening in combination. The wooden or composite panels are fastened using the PM Omega Shaped Clips (in the joint) so that no screws are visible on the surface. Swelling and shrinking can go ahead with no risk of cracks occurring. The patented profile PLUS, which is owned by Välinge, conceals the support structure, but also allows perfect drainage. The Exterpark system has been developed as a flexible solution for both exterior wall

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Special

Special Fastening systems for exterior wall cladding

cladding, terraces, and even ceilings. The system can also be deployed for composite or synthetic exterior wall cladding.

as regards style and ideal for giving your project home or construction that personal touch, in all simplicity and purity.

Interply

Outdoor Wood Concepts

Exterior wall cladding is now an accepted part of modern architecture. Interply has opted for solid wood wall cladding. It is becoming increasingly integrated into both new constructions and renovation and combines nicely with other materials. Wooden exterior wall cladding gives a natural look, is durable, provides insulation, and is therefore an energy saver. Wood is an ecological material par excellence! It has only a limited effect on the environment and is one of the few renewable raw materials. Interply offers a wide range in various models as well as wood sorts such as padauk, afzelia, afrormosia, cedar, pine, and, last but not least, oak. Oak and pine are also available in a thermal design, which increases durability. Wooden exterior wall cladding: endless possibilities

The new vertical wall cladding system Woodface®, developed by the designer Roel Vandebeek, makes it possible to personalise a wall entirely by using nine different wooden profiles (three thicknesses and three widths). These are fastened by making use of an aluminium profile specially developed for that purpose. This results in completely invisible fastening. Moreover, the aluminium profiles can be supplied in all RAL colours or anodised. In comparison with open exterior wall cladding (with planks/strips) mounted at set intervals, in which the moisture barrier at

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WoodCare Denmark A/S · Tværvej 6 · DK-6640 Lunderskov · Tel.: +45 99 58 56 00 · info@ttwoodcare.com · www.wocadenmark.com

WOCA is at the pinnacle of surface treatment and welcomes you to a world of natural aesthetic advancement.

R e co m

A complete system. A complete range of wood care products. Pre-treatment. Basic finishing. Cleaning. Maintaining.

profess

the rear is on show, this system offers a wall which is more attractive from an aesthetic and architectural point of view. The moisture barrier cannot be damaged by the closed wall cladding and leaves cannot get inside the system. The aluminium profiles of Woodface® and the wooden exterior wall cladding together form one concept.

Silvadec

THE ULTIMATE GENERATION OF HIDDEN FASTENERS WITH STAINLESS STEEL REINFORCEMENT

* in compliance with DTU 51.4 requirements regarding fasteners

Timber decking & cladding

At Silvadec, too, they have noticed a new architectural trend in wooden exterior wall cladding for both renovation and new construction. At Silvadec they are seeing annual growth of 10% in this segment. Wall cladding in composite wood is also selling extremely well: no treatment is required, the fitting is easy, there’s no maintenance, and it remains colour fast over time. The clips with the Silvadec system are invisible. The difference with the terrace clips is that for the wall cladding the profiles are developed in line with the clips. The Silvadec system can be fitted in three ways: with nails, screws, or clips. The extra fitting cost does not stand up against the aesthetic ‘gain’. Moreover, the time saved makes up for a lot.

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

www.novlek.com

Vetedy At Vetedy they have noticed an increase in wooden exterior wall claddings. This is the result of the general trend towards natural materials. Vetedy has developed two invisible fastening systems: Techniclic® for wall cladding , ceilling and inside wall covering and Softline® for terraces. These are two different systems. Techniclic® works with U-profiles, which do not need screws for the fastening. This means the fitting can be done much quicker. Whilst the sheer cost of the materials is higher than with the traditional fitting method, it is precisely the time saved which makes the system cheaper. Moreover, there are no oxidation problems caused by screws. At present, tests are being carried out for the application of Techniclic® with inert products. The Techniclic® system is also available with thermally treated wood. Made in Europe

Special

Producers of Versailles panels

VERSAILLES PANELS MEAN TOP PRECISION MANUFACTURE AND FITTING GO HAND IN HAND

Photo – Design Parquet

There are still some wooden floors where the floor fitter prefers to talk to the floor producer first of all. This discussion may be about the size, the floor construction in the case of exceptional widths, the finish with an eye on the intensity of use, the colour as a result of specific demands from the client, which has to conform to a certain house style, and other such issues. Such prior consultation appears to be a must for the installation of Versailles panels. ‘Customised work’ tends to be standard here. Yet although mass production seems out of order here, it does happen.

In context Versailles panels are certainly the most popular panel or pattern floors which are still fitted today. We are talking here about pattern floors with a so called ‘historical’ fitting pattern. We are obliged to draw that distinction because pattern floors are actually the result of a production

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method which can be used for all sorts of patterns, including new ones and those which don’t yet exist.

Production method Strictly speaking, the production method is a ‘common method’: These floors are formed with pre-engineered, square panels in which wooden sections are fitted according to a certain fitting pattern. In some respects each panel forms a mini-parquet floor. The sections are sawn mitred to the required size and glued to each other sideways and clamped in order to dry. Modern fitting patterns, patterns with a corporate logo, even with a picture – anything goes.

Fitting patterns with a history Amongst historical pattern floors we can identify several other patterns apart from Versailles. For example, Chantilly is a somewhat intricate variant which consists of several small panels which

also form a plait. The great classics Hungarian Point and herringbone, which are usually fitted full, can also be included as a pattern of a panel floor. With Hungarian Point the strips are fitted to each other at angles of 30 to 45°. Sandpapering creates a subtle difference in colour, which provides a three dimensional effect. With the herringbone pattern the strips are applied in herringbone bond with the top sides directly opposite each other to create a zigzag pattern.

Versailles is unique The real original pattern of Versailles is a diagonal plait. In the world famous castle of Louis XIV the panels are exactly 1m² (100 x 100cm). They are separated by three strips (8cm), which come together in a corner where they form an angle. A specific feature of Versailles panels is that they are fitted diamond-shaped. This means that a half-length (diagonal) panel is necessary on the edge of each row. And so, those who sell Versailles floors provide those half-length panels so that there is no need to saw anything.

Customised work with precision The final production of Versailles panels is preceded by a lot of customised work. After all, the idea is that these floors are the correct size to fill the room without the need to do any sawing on site. This means the dimensions of the panels have to fit the dimensions of the room. Obviously, this also applies to the halflength panels which we have just mentioned. After the assembly of the panels, it is possible that a very tiny piece still needs to be sawn off in order to achieve exactly the same dimensioning and squareness for all panels. This obviously makes the fitting a lot easier for the floor fitter. Versailles panels (and, for that matter, Chantilly) stand out from more simple patterns since it is virtually impossible to deviate from customised work.

TRADITIONAL PARQUET MANUFACTURER Style panels, end grain, distressed floors (different ageing techniques ‘sanded, brushed, tumbled, smoked and structured’): Customised work on simple request!

What about standard sizes? Standard sizes are available less with Versailles and Chantilly due to the complexity of the pattern and the special visual effects, but more with other panel or pattern floors. To some extent, presenting standard sizes is contradictory with respect to the ‘individuality’ of the product (customised work). What it boils down to is that if people want to keep the panels intact, they will make adjustments themselves to the room (e.g. by means of horizontal boards all the way round). 600 x 600mm, 700 x 700mm, 800 x 800mm, and 1,000 x 1,000mm are very popular standard sizes. The latter is also the size of the original Versailles panels in the castle with the same name. As regards thicknesses, there are also various possibilities (linked partly to the size): 8, 8.5, 15, 18.5, or 20mm. Another important point is that panel floors are available in both solid wood and multi-layer.

Standard is ‘mass’ Obviously, we musn’t generalise. Several classical manufacturers certainly offer pattern floors in standard sizes and state immediately that most orders are for customised work. At all events, standard sizes lend themselves to mass production, certainly if this is also possible in multi-layer. It’s no wonder that in some countries pattern floors are emerging, which, apart from their appearance, have very little in common with the original, traditional product. This brings us back to an old story: The client will have to make a choice between the ‘real thing’ and the ‘mass product’. Various factors lead us to suppose that those who opt for this floor solution will usually prefer the traditional expertise. Let floor fitters prove their worth!

B.J. Parket

BVBA

IndustrIestraat 44 9240 Z ele – B elgIum tel: +32 52 44 45 57 Fax: +32 52 45 06 71 emaIl: InFo@Bjparket.Be www.Bjparket.Be 55 Floor Forum International 69

Special

Producers of Versailles panels

Within the industry Albers / Holz Bois Holz Bois believes that Versailles panels will always be fashionable, but their scope is often limited. They are at their most beautiful when fitted diagonally, but that requires a large surface to bring out their beauty. An alternative is the braid pattern. This is actually the inner work of the Versailles which runs through and therefore has no edge, so it can be fitted in a smaller room. Holz Bois produces only 9mm solid wood Versailles panels, which are glued and nailed to a subfloor. The main selections here are French oak extra and premier. Holz Bois supplies distressed versions in a selection of bis/ rustic. In the exotic wood sorts there is occasionally a request for American walnut. Obviously, Versailles panels can also be made customised in wenge, teak, afzelia, afrormosia, and other wood sorts which are placid by design. The major dimensions are 64 x 64cm, 81 x 81cm, and 103 x 103cm. As regards customised work, just about anything in the Habo production can be made customised.

BJ Parket Panels have never been out of fashion at BJ Parket. There has always been a demand for them in the 24 years of BJ Parketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existence. The quantity of panels increases year by year and this tendency shows no signs of abating. Versailles panels are produced almost exclusively from oak wood, but Versailles in teak, afrormosia, wenge , merbau, and a few other wood sorts have passed the review. The trend is certainly for a distressed design, something which gives Versailles panels another extra dimension. BJ Parket offers its clients standard and tailor-made Versailles panels (fixed prices in our price list). The sizes are often decided on the basis of a diagram of the room. The only thing which really is standard is the width of the frieze. Small Versailles panels from 49.5 to 73cm are made with friezes of 5.5cm. Large Versailles panels from 73 to 94cm are made with friezes of 7.2cm and the Versailles XL is made with friezes of 9cm. In theory, the XL is offered in only one width, namely +/- 102cm, but even here they do sometimes make an exception. The XL is also always offered as standard with a continuous strips. This means that the outer frieze is adapted in the width so that the wicker in the panels runs nicely in line with the adjoining panels. This is an option with the Small Versailles and the Large Versailles. BJ Parket supplies its panels as tiles. These tiles can be laid in the adhesive in this way. BJ Parket even supplies halves and quarters so that it is not necessary to saw

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any whole panels. And so, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need much experience to fit these panels. Obviously, the finish is a different kettle of fish, as that does require experience and expertise. The engineered Versailles panels with top layer glued onto multiplex are a new product for BJ Parket.

Design Parquet As far as Design Parquet is concerned, these floors belong in castles and large (manor) houses, but also in new homes which strive for a contemporary design. Oak is the most popular wood sort, but other sorts such as wenge and merbau are also possible. Oak can also be coloured in various shades in line with current trends. The panels are offered in both distressed and non-distressed form. Design Parquet offers the panels as standard in 1,000 x 1,000mm, but customised work is also possible: 600 x 600mm, 800 x 800mm, etc. The panels are nailed to a frame or glued onto a screed.

Flamingo Parket Flamingo Parket produces panels in any size or specification, so panels are always produced custom made. Oak accounts for 99% of demand. However, if the client wishes, these floors can also be made in other sorts of wood. The panel floors are usually supplied in a distressed design. Especially if the floors are finished ready for fitting, it is better that they are distressed in relation to the differences in height caused by an uneven subfloor. The dimensions are always customised work and the fitting is relatively simple. However, it is essential that the subfloor is suitable.

Parqueterie Janod Parqueterie Janod has been located in Doucier (Jura), France, since 1930. Today, the fourth generation is at the head of this family business. Tradition and quality pervade the entire history of the company. Parqueterie Janod specialises in customised work. They produce all sorts of traditional parquet

in an extensive range of wood sorts. To construct style panels, they use mainly oak and walnut, but various sorts of wood are possible. Parqueterie Janod supplies panels in various versions (e.g. modern or distressed) and in different sizes. Their range includes both standard panels and customised work. The company does all the own manufacture work itself in its own workshops in France.

In new constructions the panels are usually combined with planks. At Z-Parket they produce the panels solely in oak and that’s also the only request they receive. Within that framework distressed designs are the most popular. Major standard sizes here are still 1,000 x 1,000mm. Since there are various possible fitting patterns and the combination with an edge, Z-Parket regards the fitting as a job for the real expert.

Parqueterie de Bourgogne

Kerkhofs Houtbedrijf

In their day, Versailles panels were used to provide floors for spacious dwellings and castles in days long gone. They made French parquet (‘Parquets à la Française’) famous, so they are much coveted by clients who love majestic decors. Demand for this type of parquet comes mainly from architects responsible for major projects in luxury hotels or for historical renovations and from a rich client database in Eastern Europe and the USA. Versailles panels are produced mainly in oak out of respect for tradition. However, there are no barriers to production in other wood sorts. There is little demand for distressed versions, and oak is still very much the favourite. The finish is applied on site and remains classic i.e. varnished or oiled naturally. They are available in standard dimensions of 980/980 mm, but can also be customised. They consist of solid oak panels with thicknesses of 23, 14, and 10mm or engineered parquet with thicknesses of 20.5 and 16mm. They can be fitted nailed to backing strips or fully glued.

Kerkhofs Houtbedrijf has been a specialist in producing customised work for some time now. In recent years, they have also invested in modern machinery which they can use to produce various patterns meticulously with computer-guided machines. Various Versailles style panels, (double) bretton cross, castelle, and renaissance are supplied in the requested size, wood sort, grading, and thickness, whilst distressed panels are also possible. The 9mm panels are held together top side up with a ‘non-marking’ foil, which can easily be removed after the fitting, so that the fitting is very quick and simple.

Versaille Parket At Versaille Parket they make Versailles panels in sizes of 100 x 100 and 82.5 x 82.5cm, but the vast majority of demand (90%) is for customised work. These floors are made according to the dimensions of the room where the floor has to be fitted. The primary sort of wood is oak, and there is hardly any demand for other wood sorts. The Versailles panels are supplied in a distressed design for about 60%. Since these are ready-to-fit floors, the fitting is no more difficult than that of other floors.

Z- Parket Z-Parket certainly wouldn’t describe Versailles panels as a real trend. Its suitability depends on the specific situation. Here the sale of these panels is associated with ‘renovation’, especially in big cities.

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∂ Industry news The MMFA has three new members First multilayer flooring seminar in Germany in September The MMFA – Multilayer Modular Flooring Association (Bielefeld/ Germany) can announce further company entries: CC-Dr. Schutz GmbH (Bonn/Germany), Friedrich Klumpp GmbH (Stuttgart/ Germany) and FN Neuhofer Holz GmbH (Zell am Moos/Austria) have joined as new extraordinary members, raising the total of members to 33 European companies and institutions. Thanks to the three new members, the European MMFA network is able to further extend its range of expert knowledge: CC-Dr. Schutz GmbH is a manufacturer of floor care products, Friedrich Klumpp GmbH develops and produces coatings and surface systems for the panel -, furniture - and flooring industries, and FN Neuhofer Holz GmbH is a system supplier for floors, walls and ceilings. First multilayer seminar in Germany on 16 September Floorers, interior decorators and the painting trade as well as retailers and especially flooring experts will soon have the chance to get detailed first-hand knowledge on the innovative modular multilayer products: The MMFA will stage a one-day training seminar in Cologne/ Germany on 16 September 2014, in cooperation with the IFR (Institut für Fußboden- und Raumausstattung - Institute for Flooring and Interior Decoration, Cologne) and the ZVR (Zentralverband Raum und Ausstattung – Central Association for Room and Decoration, Cologne). If there is sufficiently strong demand, further seminars may subsequently be organised, possibly in other European countries.

Sekisui Alveo / AlveoFlooring

Välinge US patent granted for resilient floorings

United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, issued on June 24, 2014 US patent 8,756,899 assigned to Välinge Innovation AB. The patent is relevant for mechanical locking of LVT / resilient floorboards. The US patent 8,756,899 assigned to Välinge Innovation AB protects methods for assembling resilient floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system by using the resiliency of the floorboard. By upwardly bending a first floorboard at its first edge such that the first edge is curved, locking is facilitated and the force required to lock the floorboard with an adjacent floorboard is reduced. Further, by bending the first floorboard at its first edge, positioning of a downwardly protruding locking element is facilitated. Bending the first floorboard at its first edge also allows that floorboards may be joined in a stepwise manner. The floorboards may be joined and mechanically locked together at a first portion while remaining in an unlocked position at a second portion along the edge. By joining the floorboards in a stepwise manner, the force required for locking the floorboards together is reduced compared to locking the floorboards in one step. Thereby, the resilient properties of the floorboard are used to facilitate joining of the floorboards. The patent application was filed on January 4, 2013 as a continuation of an application filed on September 3, 2010, and claims benefit of a US provisional application filed on September 4, 2009.

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Sekisui Alveo introduces new branding and marketing concepts Sekisui Alveo, leading Swiss manufacturer of polyolefin foam underlays for parquet, LVT and laminate flooring for over 25 years, has developed under the new brand name “AlveoFlooring” marketing concepts that will support the sales both of the retail as well as of the DIY shops. This new umbrella brand will be the home of all underlay products. It can further be divided into two sub-brands: “AlveoPro” and “Verso”. The AlveoPro range is tailored to meet the demands of the professional retailer and its customer base whereas Verso is designed to cope with the increasing demands of the DIY shops and its customers. These marketing concepts include individual vendor support, functional packaging, efficient product assortment logic and point-of-sale promotional material designed to enable the products to sell themselves. Sekisui Alveo AG – Company profile Sekisui Alveo AG with head office in Lucerne, Switzerland, develops and produces extruded and cross-linked polyolefin foams, which are used in: Adhesive Coating, Automotive, Construction including Artificial Turf as well as Industrial and Consumer Goods. The solutions are developed in close cooperation with processing companies and manufacturers, and tested and approved in the company’s Application Services Laboratory. Sekisui Alveo was established in 1971 and today employs 500 people. Beside the head office in Lucerne (Switzerland) and the three production plants in Roermond (Netherlands), Bad Sobernheim (Germany) and Merthyr Tydfil (UK) the company has local offices throughout Europe and in South America. Sekisui Alveo is owned by Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd.

Special

Top export minded Dutch companies

THE NETHERLANDS IS NOT A REAL PARQUET COUNTRY YET FORESTRY AND NEW FORESTS DO NOW GET ATTENTION

Both the geographical development and economic history of the Netherlands make it a special country. Many parts of the country owe their origins to the intervention of man and result from the struggle against the sea. Economically, the Netherlands, once a mainly agricultural society, is now one of the stronger industrial countries in the world. Wood and, therefore, wooden floors, too, do not figure highly as regards either production or consumption.

Geography The Netherlands is the part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Western Europe. The total surface area of the Netherlands is 41,526kmÂ˛. From north to south the Netherlands is about 300 kilometres long, whilst the country is 200 kilometres wide from east to west. The Netherlands is somewhat bigger than Belgium and nine times smaller than Germany.

Built by people Despite the small surface area of the Netherlands, there is a wide variety of landscapes created partly by human intervention. The Dutch landscape is also heavily coloured by dike construction, land reclamation, polder construction, agriculture, and the construction of cities and roads. Real prehistoric natural landscapes have virtually disappeared from the country and nature is dominated by fields, pasture land, and moors created by the mass cutting of forests. And so, the forests which are now found in the Netherlands have all been planted.

From ice sheet to peat bog It is thought that the Netherlands was covered partly by ice cap about 200,000 years ago. Gravel, sand, boulder clay, and boulder were deposited as far as the Haarlem-Nijmegen line, whilst sand and gravel were pushed aside by the glacier tongues to create parallel chains of hills (up to 100m high) in Overijssel, Gelderland, and Utrecht. This hilly area

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Top export minded Dutch companies

is covered largely by moors and forests. The soil south of the major rivers consists mainly of sand and gravel. The soils in South-Limburg are thought to be over a million years old and are not covered by more recent deposits. Minerals such as marl and coal are also found here.

Peat bog areas In some swampy areas of the Upper Netherlands, peat bog areas have arisen which have nevertheless been dried and reclaimed. After the construction of several canals, the peat bog was excavated and then drained, and then used, for example, as fuel in the shape of peat. The Lower Netherlands also has peat bog areas, and a lot of peat has been excavated, especially in Holland-Utrecht, creating pools, which are now used, for instance, as recreation areas e.g. the Loosdrecht pools beyond Utrecht. The lower peat bog areas have been created behind a closed line of dunes.

Dutch economy The Netherlands has a free market economy where the government can intervene in the economic process with legislation and regulations, so people call it a regulated economy. World War II caused big changes in the Dutch economy, partly through radically changed circumstances such as a sharp rise in population and loss of colonies. In a fairly short space of time, the Netherlands has transformed itself from a mainly agricultural country into an industrial, internationally oriented nation. On the whole, the Dutch economy is stable and sustained partly by regular and serious consultation between the government, business community, and trade unions, the so called polder model. All these factors mean that the Netherlands has one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top economies.

Strong advantages The large natural gas reserves are vital to the Dutch economy, partly for their export income. Major European rivers such as the Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt are important to the Netherlands in providing European shipping link routes to places like the Ruhr Region in

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Germany. These link routes have made Rotterdam the biggest port in the world for many years now. Schiphol airport is also a major driver of the Dutch economy, whilst many multinational companies such as Shell, Unilever, and Philips have their head offices in the Netherlands.

The economy today The impression of recent months is that the Netherlands has emerged from the crisis. However, the latest Dutch National Bank (DNB) figures show that, with a paltry growth of 0.2%, the country has barely risen above economic stagnation this year. The road to economic recovery is a bumpy ride, according to DNB director Job Swank. The first bump has already raised its head this year. In December 2013, the central bank still thought that the Dutch economy would grow by 0.5% in 2014, but the mild winter threw a spanner in the works. Lower gas sales mean lower profits. In the first quarter of this year, the economy shrank by a surprising 1.4%. Experts predict that the Netherlands will hardly recover at all this year from that dip and that serious growth will have to wait until 2015. The DNB forecasts that the gross domestic product will then rise by 1.6%. That figure is considerably higher than the previously estimated 0.9%.

2014 as a transitional year It must be said, however, that the mild winter is purely an incidental factor and the economy is picking up all the time. Growth is increasingly being carried by national consumer spending. Even exports, which have driven growth in recent years, have been disappointing this year. The DNB had still thought in December 2013 that exports would rise by 3.5%, but they have fallen to 2.9%. The main disappointment has been in products made in the Netherlands, not the transit of goods. And so, 2014 seems to have become a modest transitional year in terms of economic performance i.e. an insignificant year between the low point in 2013 and the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;real gainsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; forecast for 2015 and 2016. However, DNB director Job Swank claims to have seen an increase in corporate investments and a certain resurgence in the housing

An introduction market. Furthermore, consumer and producer confidence in the economy is rising gradually.

BOERE MACHINEFABRIEK

Inflation is still low Recently, the CBS announced that inflation in the Netherlands fell to 0.8% in May. After a small peak of 1.2% in April, mainly due to more expensive holidays, price increases are back to the same low level as in March. Food, especially fruit and vegetables, were cheaper in May than one year ago, whilst petrol was more expensive.

Forests in the Netherlands The Netherlands does not have many forests. In 2013, only 8% (about 300,000 ha.) of the country’s surface area was forests. The forests consist for about 60% of softwood. The province with the most forest area is Gelderland, followed by North Brabant and Overijssel. Forests are found mainly on infertile soil, but there is now a tendency to plant them on more fertile soils. Apart from yielding wood, forests are also important for recreation. Air pollution, mainly in the form of acidification, is a serious threat to the trees. Originally, the Netherlands did have a large surface area of forests.

New sorts In around 1870, only 3% of the Netherlands’ surface area consisted of forests. Today, that figure has risen to over 9%, largely through new plantation of mainly exotic wood sorts. Many land managers now let forests rejuvenate naturally and are planting more and more native sorts of wood. An example of this are the Royal forests at Apeldoorn, which are now managed in a natural manner. Other examples of somewhat natural forests in South Limburg include the Savels Forest and Petit Gravier.

Parquet in the Netherlands As announced by the European Parquet Federation (FEP) during Domotex in Hanover (2012), European parquet production in 2012 fell in comparison with the previous year. There are no signs of recovery as yet. In 2011, production in the FEP zone was 70,713,000m². In 2012, this figure was 68,266,133m², a fall of no less than 4.7%. Total European production (FEP + other European countries outside the FEP) is estimated at 75,000,000m². The fall in consumption has been even greater. Whilst total consumption in 2011 was good for 91,475,000m², that figure dropped in 2012 to 87,509,000m². That represents a fall of 5.88%. The Netherlands has suffered in the areas of both consumption and production.

In 1942, J. Boere set up a woodwork machine factory in Waddinxveen. Initially, this centre for the woodwork industry concentrated mainly on repairing machines used to make furniture and children’s toys. However, the market was also demanding new machinery, so Mr Boere took up this challenge in 1946 and started to develop frame cramps, carcase presses, and routers. Later on, the company also began to supply small sanding machines such as centreless belt sanders, profile and edge sanders, rotary belt sanders, and drum sanders. In 1952, Mr Boere developed and constructed the machine that was to determine the company’s future: the wide belt sanding machine. Actually, there’s no such thing as a standard machine at Boere. The client’s product always takes centre stage. As a result of market demand, Boere has successfully introduced the cross-sander and structuring machine Select X-Line. This gives wood, and composite material for that matter, both a rustic finish and a sawn effect through the combination of planing and structuring. Boere also operates in the metalwork industry since its sanding machines are also suitable for grinding and brushing steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and such like. Developments in materials and product treatment never stand still. Every day, Boere investigates and tests new possibilities in its testing and training centre on the many (new) materials which clients wish to work on. And so, Boere thinks along with its clients and produces client-friendly and top quality solutions. + 31 (0) 182 614400 - www.boere.nl

WASZIEDERIJ DE VESTING

Production in the Netherlands In 2011, the Netherlands accounted for about 2.33% of all parquet production. This figure put the country in third last place, with only Czech Republic and Belgium behind them. In 2011, Dutch producers manufactured 1,647,612m² of parquet. In 2012, the Dutch share fell to 2.01%, but the country stayed in third last place. In real production figures this represents production of 1,372,149m², practically 280,000m² fewer than in the previous year.

Consumption in the Netherlands In terms of consumption, too, the Netherlands is towards the bottom of the FEP list with a share of 2.70% in 2011 and 1.80% in 2012. Consumption in 2011 was 2,469,825m², whilst in 2012 that figure dropped to 1,575,162m², a fall of no fewer than 900,000m². Only Hungary and Turkey consume less. Belgium consumes more with a share of 3.63%.

De Vesting (based in the region of Eindhoven) is a quality producer of waxes, oils, stains, varnishes, and outdoor/maintenance/ service products for the parquet industry (with a long tradition as a supplier for the furniture industry). The company employs 15 people and produces 650 thousand litres of wood treatment products each year. Recently, the company enlarged its business space by 850m2 to provide more flexibility in storage and production. For the rest it concentrates on advice, service, customised colours, and new exclusive techniques such as effect dyes from the vehicle industry for turpentine wax or wax oil. The Nazir collection is still in the range: colour oils with gold, silver, and pearl effect and also natural and solvent-free oil modifications. + 31 (0) 493 496760 - www.de-vesting.eu

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Top export minded Dutch companies

PTM

MFLOR

PTM comprises a group of companies and was formed in 1988. In the early days, its activities consisted of selling hardware, making software, and providing installations and training courses. Nowadays, their core business is to make user-friendly software for the industry It is not easy to decide which is their top product. PTM has separate products for the various components of different corporate columns. Generally speaking, they can say that the housing industry as a whole is the most important sector for them. About 40 people work within the group either as employees or freelance workers. In 2014, PTM is working on making products more accessible to the cloud. Major export markets include the Benelux, England, France, and Germany.

Metroflor was introduced to the Netherlands in 1997, and in 2003 in other countries. In 2005, the company changed its name to mFlor. Since 2010, the company has been selling its floors in 15 countries. In 2011, the company launched the mFLORLOCK and in 2014 the mFLORCONTACT saw the light of day. The company specialises in the production of PVC floors. Their top product is mFlor Glue Down, especially the Authentic series with Register Embossing. For 2014, they are concentrating on the further introduction of mFLORCONTACT.

+ 31 (0) 102 847111 - www.ptm.nl

+ 31 (0) 570 678095 - www.mflor.com

Hertogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new

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European Oak ped Deep handscra nd mo Al d he Blanc

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European Oak Handbrushed Black Truffle

Custom width, color, and design requests are encouraged. Hertog Vloeren fulfils the most specific and individual wishes of its customers.

European Oak d Handweathere Classic Brown

Hertog aged wooden floors are absolute timeless products, suitable for both classic and modern interiors, and for both residential and commercial applications.

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Hertog Vloeren is Hollandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialist maker of aged and distressed oak wooden floors.

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available in 20 breathtaking colors!

European Oak marks Irregular sawn Vintage Grey

HERTOG VLOEREN IS LOOKING FOR AGENTS THROUGHOUT EUROPE. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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HEYWOOD FLOORING

LECOL

Heywood Flooring is a wholesale producer of wooden floors. The company was formed in 1998 through its parent company ‘Houthandel van der Heyden’ in Heesch in the Netherlands. Over the years, Heywood Flooring has proved itself with its top quality products and services throughout the production cycle, ranging from the selection of raw materials to the safe transport of the goods to the clients. Thanks to its service and customised products, Heywood Flooring has managed to grow rapidly and conquer the international market; the company has clients in England, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Norway, and Turkey. The floors are made in an extensive range of wood sorts and in various sizes and designs. About 25 people work at Heywood Flooring and the company’s turnover in 2013 was about 4.5 million euros. For 2014, the company is adding new products to the Antique Collection and there is also a high-tech packing system on the programme.

Lecol has been known for years as the top comprehensive supplier of the best products for installing, finishing, and maintaining parquet and wooden floors. Since the start of 2012, Lecol has added a second string to its bow, namely a complete assortment for installing carpet and flexible floor covering. Apart from this complete assortment, Lecol still has as its priorities service, speedy delivery, and advice. In 1998, Lecol was taken over by Maiburg, a renowned commercial enterprise in sandpapering materials, adhesives, panel materials, and parquet accessories. Maiburg employs about 80 people, some of whom work for both Maiburg and Lecol. The company has lots of innovations planned for 2014/15, but will reveal these in due course. The top markets are the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK.

+ 31 (0) 412 657428 - www.heywoodvloeren.com

+ 31 (0) 4165 66585 - www.lecol.nl

heywood VLOEREN

Compiègne reclaimed oak

Engineered Board, Knotting Hill, Antique & Compiègne Natural rough appearance with knots and cracks (KH) Untreated natural shrunken knots (KH) Visible stripes from the band saw (KH)

Antique burned & brushed

Hand-carved surfaces and chamfers (A) Particular rustic appearance with knots and cracks (A) Made of genuine old oak (C)

Knotting Hill characteristic knot

Heywood Vloeren B.V. Scheldestraat 30 NL 5347 JD Oss

Ask for the wide range of Heywood Vloeren, wholesaler / manufacturer of all kinds of wooden floors. Please, look for more information on www.heywoodvloeren.com

Forum International 69 The Netherlands +31(0) 412 Floor 657 428 www.heywoodvloeren.com

Special

Top export minded Dutch companies

HERTOG VLOEREN Hertog Vloeren is one of the first flooring manufacturers in Western Europe that focused on aged and distressed oak flooring. With a history of more than 30 years and situated near the beautiful Roman city of Maastricht, Hertog manufactures their collections in a 26.000m2 production facility. More than 85% of Hertog’s production is exported to more than 25 countries worldwide. The main export markets are USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, France, United Kingdom, China and the Middle East. The three main collections are Renaissance, Abdij and Autentico, next to that Hertog also manufactures panel floors in beautiful traditional patterns like Versailles, Tournon, Cross and Albert. Depending on the customers demand floors can be made of solid oak, top oak with a birch backing or engineered oak. Apart from these collections, Hertog also manufactures customized floors in any color the customer requires. To support its foreign customers even better, Hertog is always looking for new agents and distributors in the European countries. + 31 (0) 433 655971 - www.hertogvloeren.com

PARKETFABRIEK LIEVERDINK Parketfabriek Lieverdink has been in existence since the end of the 1960s. In those days, the company produced parquet and shop panelling, but it has been trading since in its present form since1986. Over the past two decades, Lieverdink has concentrated solely on the production and supply of parquet to parquet specialists in the Netherlands and elsewhere. The company specialises in traditional parquet floors (traditional parquet and Burgundy). Apart from traditional parquet floors, Lieverdink also makes semi-traditional parquet floors. These two-layer sections are produced in 40 wood sorts and four widths. Furthermore, Lieverdink also supplies distressed floors, mosaic floors, edge finishes, fitting accessories, and much more. The best seller is herringbone in various sizes, both in traditional parquet/Burgundy (25 x125cm is possible!) and in Q2 up to 24.5cm wide. Lieverdink is currently adding some ‘old wood’ products such as Oak XO (outer side cragged) and VSOP (inner side). In the Netherlands the company is a dealer of Moso bamboo floors and importer for the Benelux of Swedish engineered parquet under the Kährs trademark. In recent times, Parketfabriek Lieverdink has become a fully fledged factory with 30 enthusiastic employees. The company’s current staff and machinery enable it to produce 300,000-500,000m² per annum. + 31 (0) 314 340563 www.lieverdink.nl

OVERMAT

Over more than 30 years Overmat Industries is the specialist for treatment, finishing, maintenance and cleaning of floors. Our specialization is the Floorservice Hardwaxoil in a wide range of colours and effects, for manual, professional and industrial use on wooden floors, and the corresponding cleaning and maintenance products. Every year at least 5 million square meters of wood are being treated with Floorservice products. Supporting this assortment of products a perfect range of machines and accessories are available. Like the Woodboy® and Floorboy machines. Besides that Overmat is exclusive Benelux dealer of the well-known brands HTC and Airtec, who provide high quality machines for treatment of concrete and natural stone. For example you can find the best concrete scarifiers, concrete grinding machines, Twister pads and other maintenance machines for different types of floors at Overmat. At Overmat you can take advantage of our many years of experience and first class know-how. Our 25 employees have the knowledge and provide the best service for all kinds of projects and forthcoming problems. Our products are known for a perfect price/ quality ratio, safety, environmental responsibility and lifespan. Overmat has got clear ambitions for the growth of the brand Floorservice. National as well as International. Therefor Floorservice is open minded about all countries and markets were Hardwaxoil is being used or benefits from a growing popularity. + 31 (0) 416 317788 - www.overmat.nl

Pre-finish techniques for parquet flooring Trivec offers a unique range of machines for pre finishing of parquet flooring. Pre finishing comprises all sorts of surface treatments like brushing, aging and finishing with oil, wax, lacquers or stains. Trivec systems are modular and can be set up as ‘stand alone’ machines or as part of a complete Trivec finishing line with automatic feeding systems, infra red pre heating, polishing units and solutions for drying.

More information: www.trivec.eu Stuurboord 2 9206 BK Drachten The Netherlands

T F E W

+31 (0)512 510035 +31 (0)512 547950 info@vec.eu www.trivec.eu

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SOEST INGENIEURSBUREAU EN HANDELSONDERNEMING

Soest Ingenieursbureau en Handelsonderneming BV has been operating since 1982 as a supplier and producer of varnishing, glueing, and oiling machines for the wood and synthetics processing industries. The core business consists of producing and installing machines for the parquet industry at home and abroad. The top product for the parquet sector is an oil cylinder with a polishing machine for parquet. 10 people work for the company, which used to concentrate mainly on Belgium and Germany, but now exports all over the world. Soest has developed a unique distressing machine with which it is possible to treat planks in transit without creating a repetitive pattern. The damages are entirely arbitrary. In contrast to the old fashioned beating, there is no damaged applied to tongue and groove. Varying the speeds and the pressure on the wood and the applied components means it is possible for clients to determine the amount of damage as required, as well as the type and depth of the damage. Furthermore, in the summer of 2014, Soest is bringing out a renewed design of the Reverse oil cylinder machine, type RCR-400. This double cylinder machine, with a second roller which rotates in the opposite direction, can be used on planks with a deep structure to treat them perfectly well in just one working session. + 31 (0) 756 211780 - www.soestbv.nl

FLAMINGO PARKET

Flamingo Parket is a family business, which originated from Europa Parket. Mr Versteeg Snr set up Europa Parket in 1967 and Mrs Versteeg (mother of Lars Versteeg ) started the wholesale trade 10 years later, the then Din Parkett International. Lars started with the production of floors in 1985. At present, the company operates in two locations with employees, several of whom have worked at Flamingo Parket for over 25 years. For example, works manager Dick van de Klok has been employed for 28 years, whilst production manager Annelies Roelofsen has 27 years of service behind her. The core business of Flamingo Parket is producing standard products on the one hand, such as traditional parquet, Twin-Plank, and wooden floors, but also products with less common specifications as regards dimensions and wood sorts. The production of Twin Plank ( two-layer parquet) accounts for about 60% of total sales. Apart from that, there is still a high demand for traditional parquet, Burgundy floors (8mm thick traditional parquet floors), and wooden floors. Turnover at Flamingo Parket in 2013 was almost 10 million euros. 40 people work at Barneveld in the Netherlands and 25 people in the factory in Germany. The total production capacity in one shift is 30,000mÂ˛ a month. In the coming year, Flamingo Parket will be concentrating on supporting its clients even better and launching a good marketing plan. Amongst other things, they will be concentrating on sales support for its clients. The most important export markets at the moment are Germany and England. + 31 (0) 342 404222 - www.flamingoparket.nl

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

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∂ Product news PLASTOR : VARNISH WITH UV DRYING For the treatment of all parquet without the pressure of closing times in the rooms under treatment, Plastor is launching a new varnish with UV drying: UV time. Thanks to the instantaneous full drying of UV Time, it is possible to use the rooms immediately after the treatment. UV Time has unique resistance to wear and tear and stains. Thanks to the UV drying process, all parquet sorts can be treated, even those with the highest traffic, irrespective of whether they are new or revived floors. UV Time does not contain any isocyanate, so it doesn’t need to be mixed with a hardener. With just 3g/l of VOC, this product has been awarded the EC1+ label and is A+ rated with regard to the quality of the indoor air. The product is applied like a traditional varnish, but the UV drying means that this treatment is no harder than brief sandpapering.

RUBIO MONOCOAT SPRAY AND RUBIO MONOCOAT EXTERIOR RANGE: A ‘State of the art’ concept for finishing exterior wood. After launching the Rubio Monocoater for the industrial finishing of parquet floors, Rubio Monocoat now also introduces a version with an integrated spray unit on the market. Rubio Monocoat Spray is part of a concept that specifically focuses on the finishing of exterior wood in combination with the oil from the brand’s range of exterior products. During the design phase, a lot of attention was paid to an efficient workflow and a stable, high-quality finishing level. The all-in-one industrial line can be supplied with both guns for one-component and two-component materials. Our technicians would be more than happy to supply you with more information.

SOEST Applying mechanical damage using various tools without creating a repetitive pattern is best done in transit so that floors can be produced at high speed. It is important that the sort of damage and the depth can be set easily. Beating is a very common method of distressing. It has the advantage that there is no repetitive pattern because the applied damage is completely arbitrary. However, beating does also have some disadvantages. Filling and emptying the drum is extremely labour intensive and takes a lot of time, production speed is relatively low, and you often get unwanted damage. Another technique is rolling. A metal roller is primed with all sorts of unevenness which is pressed into the wood. The main disadvantage is that it clearly throws up some repetitive damage as each turn of the roller makes the same outlines on the wood. The Soest machine makes it possible to distress planks at high speed without creating a repetitive pattern. It is easy to set the machine for the required damage and depth.

TRIVEC Trivec supplies various machines for distressing wooden surfaces. The standard brush machines in the DB400 series can be supplied with one or more heads (maximum of six on one machine). The greater the brush contact in one passage, the greater the effect. The important point here is the position of the brush module and the type of brush. Trivec has a wide range of brushes in its assortment and invests heavily in new types of brushes and configurations. Apart from the standard machines with a cylinder, Trivec also has the rotor scrub machines in its range which scrubs away the soft wood, as it were, instead of brushing. The distressed effect is an ideal basis for strong colour highlights applied afterwards by means of staining and/or oiling. Unique is the Trivec scarving machine which applies crosswise damage to the wood surface using a special grinding technique. The effect is comparable to that of a saw effect, but it can be applied, more easily, faster, and much more consistently. This effect can be brought about with extra accessories in the machine. The possibilities include constant diagonal lines or straight broken lines. The scarving technique can be combined with one or more brushing modules. Trivec supplies two types of beating techniques. ‘Old fashioned’ beating in a big closed rotating drum or a transit drum whereby parquet parts are transported through the drum. Finally, with a special contact technique, wood surfaces in transit are given small dents and other damage.

FNT TRABATTONI STAMPI FNT Trabattoni Stampi doesn’t make any floors, but produces and sells machines for distressing floors, especially rotating machines and rollers for embossing. These machines can be used for solid wood, multi-layer floors, and veneer. If veneer is at least 0.6mm thick, it can be distressed in sheets (embossing). Almost all wood sorts are suitable, but many clients stick with oak. An important distressing technique is embossing by means of pyro-incision (high temperature and pressure).

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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

Bona Machine

ELITE â&#x20AC;˘ FLEET

Performance for Every Need Complete range of high performance sanding machines Bona introduces a full, comprehensive machine range for all your sanding needs. A unique fusion with our new partner Kunzle & Tasin that combines strong passion for wooden floors with expert technical knowhow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Bona Elite Fleet. Whether you are a professional in need of the highest square-metre capacity, or a dedicated semi-pro floor sander looking for a safe, reliable result, you will find an ideal solution that delivers world-class performance and efficiency.