FFI 71 December 2014 by Media-Pact NV / FFI bvba

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

N° 71, December 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

SPECIAL TOP BELGIAN COMPANIES LOOKING TO EXPAND EXPORT Preview: Domotex Hannover (DE)

Our world your style

Preview: Bau Munich (DE)

Special: Bamboo floors: trends

Special: Producers of wooden floors and walls

Discover our

Special: Producers of ship deck parquet

innovations…

and much more… Special: Sanding machines: part 3

visit us HALL 6 BOOTH C30

Hannover, Germany 17-20 january 2015 Hannover, Germany 17-20 january 2015

Special: Laminate floors: part 3

scan for more info

www.balterio.com

Style. Quality. Simplicity.

W A K K E N S T E E N W E G 3 7 B - B - 8 7 1 0 S I N T- B A A F S - V I J V E - T. + 3 2 5 6 6 2 8 0 8 1 - I N F O @ B A LT E R I O . C O M

1/1 PAGINA

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

Content (1

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

Editorial

SPECIAL TOP BELGIAN COMPANIES LOOKING TO EXPAND EXPORT Preview: Domotex Hanover (DE)

Our world your style

“Weathered character floors are the new trend.”

Preview: Bau Munich (DE)

Special: Bamboo floors: trends

We look back over the past year with Jan Labeeuw, manager of Labeco, the company behind the successful multi-layer parquet trademark Lalegno.

Special: Producers of wooden floors and walls

Discover our innovations… and much more…

Special: Producers of ship deck parquet

Special: Sanding machines: part 3

visit us HALL 6 BOOTH C30

“In recent years, Labeco has developed into one of the top players in the world of multi-layer parquet in Belgium, and is also gradually conquering the European market. We’ve discovered that what our clients particularly appreciate is the wide range, speedy deliveries, and the very good price-quality ratio of our floors. That does us a power of good and it’s certainly a service which we want to continue to offer our clients.”

Hannover, Germany 17-20 january 2015 Hannover, Germany 17-20 january 2015

Special: Laminate floors: part 3

scan for more info

www.balterio.com

Style. Quality. Simplicity.

W A K K E N S T E E N W E G 3 7 B - B - 8 7 1 0 S I N T- B A A F S - V I J V E - T. + 3 2 5 6 6 2 8 0 8 1 - I N F O @ B A LT E R I O . C O M

Floor Forum International n° 71, December 2014 Photo Balterio blauw: pantone 281 c CMYK: 100/72/0/38

lichtblauw: 50% van pantone 281 c CMYK: 50/36/0/19

4 Inside news 8 Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

In what way has the company grown in recent years?

17 Special Producers of substrate levellers 20 Special Producers Sanding machines : part 3

47 Special Trends in bamboo floors

‘We’ve given the company more structure in 2014. This means we can continue to guarantee our Jan Labeeuw constantly growing client database at home and (Lalegno) abroad that same top quality and just-in-time deliveries. We’ve invested in an efficient stock management and, by splitting the commercial national department into one department for national clients and export, in a more direct approach to healthy commercial relations with our clients. And we’ve noticed it’s been worth it.’ ‘2014 will also be bookmarked as the year in which Labeco opted for close co-operation with a number of specialist partners. These are specifically products for fitting and finishing wooden floors. Every professional will be well aware that proper fitting and sound maintenance are crucial for every parquet floor. It seems to us to be a handy extra service that, apart from floors, we can introduce them to a number of products which we’ve tested and approved and of which we’re sure that they will increase the durability of our floors even more. We like to make it easy for our clients. They can simply order all the extra products via us. We think the ‘One Stop Shop’ concept is one of the developments which will become even more important in the future.’

51 Special Installing vinyl, LVT and PVC floors

What new products scan we expect in the Lalegno range?

23 Special Producers of ship deck parquet 26 Special Producers of epoxy polyurethane adhesives 30 Special Wooden floors and walls =

extra business for floor fitters 33 Advertorial Repex (FR) 34 Special Subfloors : part 3 37 Advertorial Trap Flooring (BE) 38 Preview BAU Munich (DE)

54 Special Laminate floors : part 3 56 Industry news 57 New emission norms 2015 59 Top Belgian companies looking to expand export

‘Obviously, we’re continuing to focus mainly on the renewal and expansion of our range. Our sales figures show clearly that character floors are the latest trend. Weathered floors are doing very well. That’s why we’re extending the Lalegno Barn collection to include five sparkling floors and we’re also launching Versailles panels on the market. The extended collection will be on show in January 2015 during Domotex Hannover. Those who are not able to get to Domotex to see it will have another chance next year at Batibouw (BE) . And so, it’ll be a busy year!’

66 Product news

Floor Forum International wishes you a Merry Christmas and a succesful 2015!

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 CSP Engineering: New automatic filling machine for parquet flooring boards.

of February 2015. This will be a 15% discount on the cost of stand space. The organisers have already received the first registrations from Buzon, Cerclindus, Flamingo, Hamat, Kerkhofs, B-Fix, Spea, Devomat, CSP Engineering, ArchiWood, Rubio Monocoat, Gasconge Wood Products and Vetedy. For more information, see www.efwex.eu

Heywood continues to grow

CSP Engineering presents its latest development, the PAR-Filler®. The PAR-Filler® is an automatic machine for filling knots and cracks in the surface of parquet flooring boards. After detection, 2 servomotor-driven applicators inject the filling compound with pressure into knots and cracks. PAR-Filler® works with a continuous process, boards are passing the machine after each other. PAR-Filler® is available for medium to large production capacities. For this machine, CosmetiWood® was developed, a new and solvent-free wood filler. It absorbs nicely oils and colors, has excellent adhesion, is quick-drying and hardly shrinks. PAR-Filler® offers you following advantages: - max 1 operator at the machine , no specific skills required - 1 production transit , high capacity - enormous reduction of boards to redo, thanks to new filling technology - easy to set up, quickly change colors - ecologic 1-component filler, approaches the nature of wood

As a specialist in unique wooden plank and design floors, Heywood has invested heavily in their production facilities; completely anti-cyclically, but effectively. They have recruited Carlos van Vorst, who is active in finding new export markets. He has a lot of international marketing experience in promoting floor concepts for the upper-middle segment. Heywood exports to about 20 countries around the globe, but they have ambitions to add to that number, with lots of attention to new collections and branding. They’re also going to present their options even better. www.heywoodvloeren.com

Osmo expands export activities

Sales for EFWEX (European Floor & Wall Exhibition) 2016 start with early booking discount!

After the successful first edition of EFWEX last March, the organisers are already working on the next one (Sunday 13 to Tuesday 15 March 2016 at Flanders Expo, Ghent BE ). We can all look forward to three more exciting days devoted entirely to the latest developments in the floor and wall sectors and all accessories and maintenance products. The show is reserved for professionals: fitters, specialists, manufacturers, traders, and (interior) architects. The organisers are offering an early booking discount for all participants who register by the end

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This year Osmo is expanding its export activities in the countries Belgium, France and the Netherlands: in both office sales and field sales, new employees have been hired for these countries. Three new expert consultants take over consultancy and after-sales activities, carry out training programmes and expand the market position of Osmo in France. New in the export team is Nadine Fortriede. She has taken over tasks in sales and translates texts in French. For the year 2015, Osmo plans to expand its worldwide export activities even further.

ORIGINAL MASSIVE

EdelholZ

Floor Forum International 71

∂ Inside news Extension of Flamingo Parket Sales Team

La San Marco Profili With the launch of its new Old Style line La San Marco Profili shows how past is the basis for the future. Past is always a source of inspiration for the present, but the ability is to elaborate these past notions in order to adapt the result to modern needs which are even more focused on preserving the natural element in any production. The company invests all its experience and knowledge of wood to produce a series of skirting featuring baroque styling and large size that for their particular shapes and decorations become almost real objects design without compromising the natural element. Visit us at Bau

To introduce new products such as Raftwood planks and the new collection of herringbone floors, Flamingo Parket has recently extended its sales team to include three new colleagues, namely: Edwin Cools, sales in Brabant – tel. 06-22118460

Christ van Wouwe, sales in Belgium – tel. 0032-478670558

2015, hall B6 stand 537, to learn more.

we match all ﬂooring collections

absorbs noise to 22 dB (also in the bedroom)

send us your samples

We print digital FLOORING

ACCESSORIES find us at Hall 7 Stand 19D

LVT - Wood Veneer - Metallic - Laminate

Mac Lean is a leading supplier of home finishing products for DIY and retailers. We proof that great ideas are the basis for competitive advantage and increasing customer loyalty. Looking for a great idea for your line of products? Meet us at Domotex 2015 - Hall 7, stand A46

MADE IN EUROPE - Barceona

we manufacture

we are factory

Floor Forum international 71

macleanproducts.nl

∂ Inside news Guido Gorzolka, sales in South-Western Germany – tel. 0049-1749855008

The other sales regions are still under the auspices of the permanent sales team.

YEPP is now the chief distributor for PARADOR (Belgium & Luxembourg) Coesfeld 5 December 2014 – The German Premium manufacturer Parador has announced immediate changes to its marketing structure in Belgium and Luxembourg. The company YEPP is now chief distributor for Parador. Apart from its partnership with YEPP, Parador will continue to work together with a number of existing and direct Key Accounts. YEPP is handling the entire Parador programme with the product groups laminate, vinyl, and parquet, as well as panels for wall and ceiling. This partnership offers retailers lots of benefits. For example, Parador offers excellent purchase conditions for clients

who buy via YEPP. Since there is a large and constant supply of the Parador range in Turnhout, it is possible for them to deliver goods from Turnhout within 48 hours. In Turnhout there is also the Parador Inspiration Centre where traders and their consumers can draw inspiration. YEPP has assembled a large sales team for Belgium and Luxembourg, which can communicate in Dutch, French, and German. Parador as a company: As a leading manufacturer of high-quality systems for floors, walls, and ceiling, Parador GmbH & Co. KG has grown strongly since its foundation in 1977. The product range includes laminate floors, vinyl floors, parquet floors, wall and ceiling panels, and also textile floor covering. All these items are produced in Coesfeld, Germany, and in Güssing, Austria. The highest standards in technology, material, and surface treatments guarantee worldwide success. Parador has already won several international prizes for outstanding product design, including the Red Dot design award, the Interior Innovation Award, the German Design Award, and many others. As a traditional woodworking company, Parador adopts a responsible attitude towards the environment and takes account of ecological measures regarding materials, production, packaging, and logistics. Since 2011, Parador has been a partner of the ‘Plant for the Planet’ foundation, which is committed to reforestation and the climate all over the world. Parador is part of the Hüls-Ondernemings group, which also includes the trademarks Hülsta and Rolf Benz.

WOOD CR AF TS

CE 1948 SIN

WHAT MAKES DIAMABRUSH PREPTOOLS UNIQUE!

R SHIP F OM BEL GI AN M

TOP QUALITY WOOD W

W W A P. B E .T R

-‐ System fits on most standard commercial cleaning machines, size 12-‐20” -‐ Easy to use, dustfree, no chemicals needed resulting in mechanically closed floor so add no coatings needed -‐ Through clever patented design always contact with floor so touches low parts -‐ Down pressure from use machines allows even wear of blades so no waste -‐ Endless variety in use: cleaning, polishing, scratching, sanding and combinations of techniques -‐ Easy to use in all size b uilding, small or large floors, b asement or upstairs -‐ Cheapest maintenance tool ever -‐ Never cloggs, like sandpaper does!

Visit us at Domotex - Hall 8 - B10

Floor Forum International 71

Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

DOMOTEX HANNOVER INFORMS AND INSPIRES THE GLOBAL FLOOR INDUSTRY Domotex takes place from 17 to 20 January at Hannover in Northern Germany. The international floor show is once again welcoming over 1400 exhibitors from 60 countries. For our field of expertise the centre of gravity of the show lies in halls 6 (elastic floors), 7, and 8 and 9 (parquet, laminate, and outdoor floors). This year, too, the organisers are expecting a good 40,000 visitors from over 80 countries.

Innovations@DOMOTEX The organisers are aiming to show the innovative and pioneering character of the show to the gathered flooring industry and have created ‘Innovations@DOMOTEX’ in Hall 9. The aim is to introduce professional visitors at this location to a whole range of innovative flooring solutions. A professional jury has selected 62 product innovations from various flooring categories: flexible and textile floor coverings, parquet, laminate, and hand-made tapestries.

Wood Flooring Summit Once again the Wood Flooring Summit is also based in Hall 9. This will accommodate talks on the subject of wooden floors and there will also be a lounge area for people to meet and talk.

You are once again welcome at the Floor Forum International Stand in Hall 7, Stand E 44.

In keeping with tradition, your favourite trade journal also has a stand at Domotex. We will be welcoming our clients, readers, and other interested visitors. The stand will once again form an ideal location for an informal chat or serious networking over a drink and an appetizer. You can familiarise yourself with our various publications and together we can look forward to what 2015 has in store. You will find our Lounge Stand in Hall 7, E 44.

Photo Stand Floor Forum International

An overview of some active exhibitors Basin For almost 60 years, Basin Chemie nv is specialized in manufacturing and distributing adhesives, varnishes and colours for the refined wood industry. With

Floor Forum international 71

an infrastructure of 11.000 m2 and a total company surface of about 5 acres, we are leader in our industry! We are strategically located in the environment of Bruges and the Flemish coast and nearby the boarder with Holland and France. Since this is the ideal operating base for domestic and foreign delivery. In the furniture, interior as well as the parquet industry one appeals to our service and products. The carpenter, parquet placer, furniture manufacturer, … everybody finds the appropriate colour, varnish or adhesive type at Basin for their diverse realisations. We offer you, as a client, a complete range, so that you can freely choose your finish. You can visit us at Domotex 2015 (Hal 7 - stand C53). We will amaze you with our most recent product developments and new technologies.

B-Fix B-Fix finds that each year’s Domotex Hannover is undoubtedly the occasion to breathe new life into a new season. This is a leitmotif for the entire B-Fix team and it ensures that people can set themselves new challenges. The menu for 2015 includes a new graphic chart, a new stand, an up-to-date web site, and a dismissal of atypical communication. In short, this is a new start and a new opportunity to contact its new agents. Its recent reference with the Holzland group makes it possible to meet its members and for these people to get to know the B-Fix products. Furthermore, Domotex is still undoubtedly an exceptional international meeting place. During the month of January 2015, they are also launching a revolutionary product to supplement the fastening. You can find out more at the B-Fix stand, hall 7, stand E46.

Chimiver Chimiver Panseri SpA is already looking forward to welcoming many visitors at its stand at the upcoming Domotex exhibition in Hannover. For Chimiver, 2015 will be a special year celebrating its 50th anniversary in the business of wooden floors chemical products, keeping the tradition but having always an eye to new technologies and developments. The focus will be on solvent free products, on single coat oiling system Lios Bioil 2K, on extra matt water-based lacquer Ecowood 2K and on some new products developed for laminate floors, resilient coverings and a new range for installation and maintenance of synthetic turf. Mark your calendar and join us in Hall 7 at Stand A44!!

Ciranova Debal Coatings NV will exhibit for the fifth time at the Domotex fair in Hannover. During this edition of Domotex, Ciranova will also introduce two exciting new sample boxes, namely the” UN1CO” Sample Box and

D E S I G N® PA R Q U E T F r a n c e

“Aremberg” with aluminium Cabochon

v x Hano e t o m d A 19 s at Do Visit uHall 5, Stan

Parquet with glass Cabochon

THE SPECIALIST OF CUSTOM-MADE WOOD FLOORING Design Parquet has a special ability in making special parquets. Our widely recognised skills have enabled us to reply to many special requests for prestigious names. Thanks to our teams of cabinet-makers, Design Parquet makes reproductions of antique wood flooring, rosettes,panels and parquet made-to-measure parquet for special purpose.

www.designparquet.fr

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Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

the “Get Inspired” sample box. Furthermore there will be an extra promoting of the UN1COoil. This is the newest 1-coat VOC-free oil from the newest HIGH QUALITY WOODCARE PRODUCTS generation using renewable natural oils. During Domotex there will also be the presentation of a large number of colours for industrial finishes. Those finishes are especially developed with non-reactive products and colours and they are finished with UV-oil. To answer the growing international demand and to guarantee the optimal service, Ciranova is always interested in finding new distributors in different countries all over the world. We hope to welcome you on our stand B 25 in Hall 7. In order to receive free-entrance cards, you can always send an email to info@ciranova.be.

Design Parquet The combination of decor and comfort : a successful bet for Design Parquet ! Manufacturer of solid wood flooring for over 15 years, Design Parquet is a National Brand name developing innovative products . Located in Torcé, in Brittany (France) Design Parquet offers a wide and various range of floor parquet, the reproduction of old fashioned style and numerous accessories . From classic to rare , from rustic to contemporary, solid wood flooring is timeless and handles all styles. Attractive and comfortable , the maintenance is without difficulty and its wide range suits all budgets. The ultra -modern Design Parquet factory uses advanced technologies. The floors are varnished ( matt, satin , colorless ), professional varnished (« ROC Varnish ») oiled (Natura , Authentic or colorless EKO), tinted or brushed, brushed appearance, Patterned Structured, rough sawn (light or strong ). Design Parquet works with exotic wood for the realization of many projects, like in marquetry, or in bathrooms with floor parquet in Teak, Afrormosia, Mutenye, Wenge, Doussié, Acacia.... Design Parquet manages more than 50 species of wood.

EuroTec Deck Substructures with a Click System EuroTec offers an extensive range of fasteners for deck and timber construction. This includes a large section consisting of products relating to deck substructures. EuroTec is a one-stop supplier for everything from aids for preparing the subsurface to support feet in various heights (2.2–60 cm) and versions (for stone slabs, timber boards, etc.) and right through to substructure profiles made of aluminium as a dimensionally stable alternative to timber substructures. And, of course, this includes the suitable fastening materials for visible and invisible fastening of deck boards. The latest products are the Click Foot adjustable feet and the Euro Deck fastening system. These stand out in particular with their quick and easy installation. At DOMOTEX 2015, these products will be not only exhibited but also installed into the ground for display purposes. So, come and visit EuroTec at Stand D46 in Hall 7!

Floor Forum international 71

FN Neuhofer Holz FN Neuhofer Holz with new stands at Domotex and Bau 2015 FN Neuhofer Holz will be unveiling its completely redecorated stands at Domotex and Bau. The stand at Domotex will welcome visitors on two copiously decorated levels (240m² of viewing space). The FN Innovation Centre is located in the middle of the stand and keeps fascinating product highlights away from public glare. The first floor houses several conference areas, each dedicated to a topic of interest. The FN presentation at the trade show Bau will be equally captivating due to its open, two-storey structure and modern bright design. The stands at both trade fairs are accessible only to invited guests or visitors presenting their business card.

Foxi et Graph International FOXI et GRAPH International will be present once again at DOMOTEX. As was the case in previous years, you can find them in hall 5 at stand A19, where they will be sharing the stand with TECSOM MFA, a French carpet tile producer. What they are presenting: - FOXI Super Plus® and STOPRUG, their well known two anti-slip products for carpet, which enjoy a solid reputation for their comfort, efficiency, and possible use on both carpet and hard floors. - FOXIFIX®, our insulation fastening for floor coverings, which has received two awards in France for both its easy fitting and its environmental-friendliness. Come and discover this amazing innovation!

FB Hout Are you looking for the top specialist in herringbone, Hungarian point, and/or extra wide planks (up to 50cm) and 4 metres long ? Come and visit the FB Hout stand. With its new production facility in Germany, FB Hout has extended its range to include unique pattern floors such as herringbone and Hungarian point in a modern look. These collections have been created through close co-operation with international architects and designers. Furthermore, the Original Surface planks are also new. These are available in widths of up to 50cm and lengths of up to 4 metres. The surface is really unique – you must see it! Apart from the new collections, FB Hout is, of course, also the partner for all special requests and customised work. FB Hout would like to invite you to come along to its stand. You can recognise them by the convivial herring cart where you can have a look and a chat, whilst enjoying real Dutch herring, a tasty piece of cheese, or a drink. Domotex Hall 8 - Stand C10

Forestry Timber Export Important news at Woodline Parquetry, Timber Top, Floor Art, Elyseum Fertigparkett, and Sienna The Indonesian manufacturer is presenting a new collection of ‘Hungarian point’ floors at Domotex under the name ‘Chevron’. According to the manufacturer, Chevron will be one of the highlights at the forthcoming show. These are high-quality, stylish, and stable three-layer panels, which are 22mm thick and 1470mm long and are constructed from a core of hevea wood with a bottom layer in pine. For

the top layer (5.5mm) there is a choice of oak and smoked oak, ash, walnut, and rosewood. The manufacturer supplies ready-made finished panels which considerably reduce the fitting costs of such floors (as compared to a traditional fitting plank by plank). You can visit their stand in Hall 9 E32; G31 EN G32.

of LVT floors. With a totally new product group for walls the innovative manufacturer shows a range of profiles that is helpful and decorative for elaborately designed walls. New marketing tools will be as well presented on a new location in hall 7. Küberit is presenting: Domotex: in hall 7, stand A26 One Küberit-highlight on Domotex 2015 „Euro-Step Star“ the international patented aluminium stair nosing profile system, which is especially for LVTfloorings from 4 to 9 mm.

Lalegno

Küberit Stair nosing systems for LVT floorings and profile solutions for walls are the highlights. At the Domotex 2015 Küberit will present for the first time a new stair nosing profile system for LVT floorings from 4 to 9 mm thickness. The patented two part solution made of aluminium is named “Euro-Step Star”. This product was developed for the increasing market demand

CUT FROM THE BOTTOM: BLOCKS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS IN SEQUENCE, WITH MAXIMAL PRODUCTIVITY AND FLEXIBILITY

STREAM ELITE PRECISION THIN CUTTING HORIZONTAL BAND SAW

The Lalegno booth at Domotex Hannover 2015 will surely impress. In an area of about 200m² the impressive collection of more than 120 original multilayer parquet floors in oak, tropical wood and bamboo will be isplayed. As each year, the exhibition is a good occasion to introduce a number of new items to the product range. The particularly coveted Barn collection will be expanded by no less than five eminent, brand new floors. The manually cleaved floors VOUVRAY, CHENIN, SAUVIGNON, CABERNET and ANJOU are all works of art. They are the culmination of a long search for the delicate natural1beauty and expertly 09:45 implemented adv. 92,5balance x 136between mm:Opmaak 05-12-2014 Pagina 1

SOLIDOR adjustable pedestals will significantly reduce the installation time to adjust the height of your terrace!

New ew s support upportplate pl plate ate C CP+ P+ for wo wooden owooden den n New N support CP + for beams (Patent (Patent Pending) Pending) beams (Patent Pending)

• Remarkably stable • Fast and easy installation • Very robust • Modular system

For more information:

PAOLINO BACCI s.r.l.

Via Palermo 32 CASCINA (ITALY) – tel. +3905075491 www.bacci.com www.venetamacchine.com

Sl ope c orrector HS3 H S3 Slope corrector HS3 Slope corrector (Pa tent Pe nding) (Patent Pending) (Patent Pending)

Tel.: +32 (0)56 41 35 70 Fax: +32 (0)56 40 37 68

www.solidor.be

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Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

elegance. The floors of this series are fully artisanal, hand-finished and manually treated. Each board undergoes at least 12 different operations. The result is always breathtaking: a traditionally crafted oak parquet floor with a contemporary look. The technical highlights of the past are becoming popular again. For those who long for the craftsmanship of yesteryear at an acceptable price, Lalegno launches a very beautiful patterned multilayer floor with Versailles panels this year. For more explanation about this and all other parquet floors in the Lalegno collection we invite you to take a look at our booth (Hall 9 - C19).

mFLOR/YEPP mFLOR, known for its qualitative and innovative design floors, will be selling its products in Belgium from 1 January 2015 via the company YEPP in Turnhout. YEPP and mFLOR have already announced the introduction of the GRAND strips for early 2015. A representative said, ‘There is a clear trend towards large sizes. Large planks and tiles give any floor an even more natural look. This also applies to the designs. These days, designs have to be as realistic as possible.’ The mFLOR GRAND collections consist of planks of an exceptionally large size (200cm long and 20cm wide), which give the floor a very realistic look. Moreover, mFLOR also claims to be the only manufacturer of PVC floors in two meter format; these are produced via the ‘hot press’ method. Despite the large size of the planks, this production method nevertheless guarantees extra solid and stable products. The GRAND collection is available in the 25-05 version; these strips have a total thickness of 2.5 millimetres and are equipped with a 0.55 millimetre top layer, which is suitable for projects. Furthermore, mFLOR will also be present in January 2015 at Domotex (Hall 6, stand E46), BAU (Hall A5, stand 408), and at Intirio in Ghent.

Mac Lean Mac Lean is a supplier with an extensive assortment parquet products and offers for every room the right solution. The assortment exists of a range of underlay in several materials, thicknesses and certificates. Besides, Mac Lean has a program skirting in different sizes and colors. Accessories for laminate and other floors are also available e.g. alutapes, installation sets, wedges. Unique innovation is the Perfect verstek. Create easily a perfect 90°corner by using 3 clips. (Domotex 2015, Hall 7 stand A 46).

mFLOR Innovations mFLOR 2015 There is a clear trend towards larger sizes. Larger planks and tiles do give an even more natural look to every floor. This goes for designs as well. Designs nowadays need to be as realistic as possible. With all this in mind, mFLOR will early 2015 launch Fonteyn tiles and GRAND planks.… very impressive and ultimately natural. mFLOR Fonteyn The new mFLOR Fonteyn collection consist of large tiles, size 91 x 91 cm! Not only this tile size is very impressive, so are the designs and colours. When installed, this floor really gives the feeling of ‘old garage floors’, fully matching current and future trends. mFLOR GRAND Collections The new mFLOR GRAND collections consist of planks of an especially

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large size. The GRAND planks are no less than 200cm long and 20cm wide, allowing you to create an even more realistic appearance for your wood plank floor. Visit us at Domotex in Hall 6, stand E46 !

Paolino Bacci The BACCI CUTTING DIVISION is specialized in the production of CNC Vertical band saw for the curved cut and Horizontal band saw for wide cut of parquet lamella. At Domotex we are going to display the following machines for wide horizontal cut and and pannering of the parquet lamellas: STREAM.ELITE is an automatic horizontal band saw to cut parquet lamellas, elements for packaging, matchboard and laminated veneer. This machine is able to cut from bottom and from the top, blocks of different height in sequence with maximum productivity and flexibility. PLANER is a new innovative solution in the calibration of parquet lamellas.

Parkettfreund Also in 2015, Parkettfreund will take part in the well-attended fairs Domotex in Hannover as well as Bau in Munich. During both shows, the Parkettfreund team will proudly present its newly-collected underlay assortment now consisting of 37 products. This very recently extended program is one of the most extensive ranges of underlays and therefore is able to offer solutions to almost all requirements. Besides, also the proven product groups of profile systems will be added by several new profile developments and displayed together with tried and tested repair products, tools and other accessories on the Parkettfreund booth, which will appear in a completely new and modern look. Visit us on BAU Hall A5, stand 125 and/or Domotex Hall 7, A26 and convince yourself!

Parketfabriek Lieverdink After a successful Domotex 2014 where Parketfabriek Lieverdink from the Netherlands introduced its new generation product, namely the special Q2 two-layer parquet, the company will once again be unveiling the necessary innovations at the forthcoming DOMOTEX. Parketfabriek Lieverdink stands out for its unique production model. They supply Q2 two-layer parquet in four widths, 12 lengths, three thicknesses, over 40 wood sorts, over 100 distressed colours, and in unique designs. Specially for the German market, Parketfabriek Lieverdink has developed a compact range of unique colours and sizes to be introduced at the show.

PlyQuet Holzimport Production of TEKA Parquet: In Central Java, Indonesia since 1994, focused on 3-layer engineered wood flooring production in 14, 15 and 19mm thicknesses. TEKA Parquet offers tradition al tongue & groove flooring but also boards with the G5 locking system from Välinge / Sweden. Worldwide sales for Europe and North / South

America through PlyQuet Holzimport the European and American sales office for TEKA Parquet either directly from the factory to the customer or from the European / North American ware houses to the customer. Production focus: one strip flooring in different thicknesses, sizes and finishing. The premium product is “TEKA Trinity” a broad and long board from European oak in 19x 250/300/350x3500/4500mm. All three layers are from 100% PEFC certified oak which makes the product extremely stable, hard wearing and long lasting. The product comes always raw, with a brushed or Antique top layer. New item on the fair: TEKA Royal, 15x250x2500mm, top layer Europ. oak, middle layer plywood, back layer hardwood, available in 5 colours, amongst others a super mat UV oil finish in “raw wood look” which keeps the natural colour of the oak. Hall 8 booth C 14.

Perfilstar Perfilstar SA is a Spanish family company from Barcelona specialized in manufacturing complements for laminated-vinyl flooring and wood flooring. We offer a large variety of products such as profiles in MDF, compact PVC and aluminium wrapped in laminate, PVC and veneered foil. Building on the experience of three generations working in the wood sector since 1925, we have evolved into one of the leaders in the production of profiles and accessories for floors in Europe and we export to 30 countries over the world. Pioneers in the Digital Print Technology, we can match any kind of design from any collection on the market. Our automatised production lines ensure a high quality control and an excellent and quick delivery service. Our success is based on constant innovation to meet the needs of our customers and develop new products and markets. Our dynamic export team, able to speak in seven languages is at your disposal for any request Hall 7 stand 19D.

Decking Building is the new way of thinking the decking developed by Ravaioli Legnami thanks to its knowledge and experience in the wood sector. The system brings new ideas in design and building: decking can be used both in horizontal and vertical applications, in external and internal areas, in urban and domestic applications. Ravaioli Decking Building ® means: selected boards and pre-assembled tiles made of Teak Asia/Bourma, Ipè, Garapa, Massaranduba, Iroko Africa, Angelim Amargoso, Heat-treated Ash FSC, Kebony SYP FSC, Bamboo X-Treme™ and deck tiles. Furthermore Ravaioli Decking Building ® involves cladding Perlage and Woodwrap, ventilated and also insulated façades or coverings; sunscreens, overshadows and brise-soleil; wood engineering for urban design, solutions for landscape design and for land recovery and land restoration. Ravaioli Decking Building ® creates opportunities aiming at developing the architecture of the “better living”. Ravaioli Legnami srl T. +39 0545.927.309 www.ravaiolilegnami.com

Ravaioli Legnami Ravaioli Legnami is one of the most important Italian producers and distributors of wooden profiles and decking. It offers not only a new design construction system that takes wood from the horizontal to the vertical dimension but also selected woods, qualified service and certified quality. Ravaioli Legnami, in fact, acts respecting the environment and follows the criteria of Timber Regulation for the legal wood sawing, and can provide FSC®-certified products. For the third time Ravaioli Legnami will be at Domotex Hannover at Hall 7 Stand B21, presenting one of the new products for 2015, 4SUN, the first patented and customizable sun-shadow system. When planning, it allows to choose your favorite slat inclination, the distance between the slats and the distance between the supports; for this reason 4SUN can be used both as a sun-shadow and as a cladding solution.

Quebec Wood Export Bureau The Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB), an organization promoting wood products from Quebec, Canada, invites you to meet its wood flooring members at the next Domotex fair, Hall 9, stand A18. At this occasion, the QWEB will showcase the species for wood flooring recognized for their famous characteristics

Visit us at on Hall 7 Stand B21

17-20.01.2015

Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

Rubio Monocoat

Trap Hardwood Industry

Domotex 2015 promises to be a colourful event. One of the main advantages of our oil range is that we offer no fewer than 40 attractive colours that can be mixed together. The fact that these oils are applicable in a single layer, low on maintenance and can also be used for spot repairs shouldn’t be forgotten either. We will also give a foretaste of several new products to be launched in 2015. Obviously, Rubio Monocoater – our industrial finishing line – will also be on display at the booth. We look forward to seeing you in Hall 7, booth A36/1!

Trap Hardwood Industry is participating at Domotex Hannover for the 6th year in a row. This trade show is an excellent occasion for us to showcase our extensive range of solid and IP FROM E H S UR AN O SM engineered flooring in over 30 wood species to an international audience. Given the drastic increase of our production TOP QUALITY WOOD capacity thanks to the opening of our new W factory in Hungary we hope to make several W W A P. B E .T R distribution agreements for new markets. Furthermore Domotex is the perfect annual get together with our longstanding customers all over Europe and beyond. As innovation we will be focusing on some less known wood species (like Elm, Bubinga, ..) and we will also be introducing an exclusive range in engineered Fineline Flooring in combined wood species. Finally we will also be launching our Budget Range in engineered flooring in 10mm thickness. Hall 8 – booth B10 – www.trap.be

Solidor Solidor adjustable pedestals Solidor is an extrusion and injection molding company that produces plastic products for the industry and the building sector. Solidor has developed since 1978 an adjustable pedestal/support for decking or concrete tiles. The adjustable supports can be adjusted anywhere from 1 cm to 100 cm and provide extremely high load capacity. By using Solidor supports, you can quickly and easily adjust the height of a wooden floor. Since the wood floats on the supports, it is also able to dry quickly. A number of accessories can be ordered and its range is already a step ahead of other systems. Visit us in Hall 7, booth A 16.

Silvadec Silvadec presents its new generation of WPC Atmosphère deck and fence boards (caped in polyethylene) at the Domotex Hall 8 stand D29. Silvadec is a Frenchmanufacturer of deck boardsmatching with a complete range of fencing and railing. Durable and 100% recyclable, its products don’t grey over time, are rot-resistant, splinter free and require no treatment. European leader of outdoor spaces in WPC, come and discover our 2015new products Hall8 stand D29.

Soest For Soest the Domotex is the perfect meeting point to do international business, so for sure Soest will be present again in Hannover in January. This edition Soest will demonstrate a complete automatic floor finishing line, which can age, brush, oil, polish and dry

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WOOD C RA FT

wooden floors in line. In the philosophy of Soest a solid construction, great ease of use and a good price have been combined, therefore the Soest machines are not only being used by big production factories but also by small companies that finish their floors by commission. Visit us at Hall 7 Stand B14.

CE 1948 SIN PE

and colours sought-after by connoisseurs, and explain their health virtues and environmental benefits. The province of Quebec is the leader in the produdction of hardwood flooring in Canada and QWEB’s members are among the most dynamic Quebec companies in their sector. www.quebecwoodexport.com

T&G Wood T&G Wood will be there at the Domotex show. As a result of our internal development, we have been able to widen our product range once again. Besides our fantastic existing finishes, you will find new trendy colors at our booth. We can also treat vintage products, made from genuine old oak wood, in a “customized” style. We are proud to present our new product line from the “Dual Parquet” program: Multi-Pattern. By sharing this pattern between two different fixed dimensions, you can create dozens of different patterns. From a calm floor with a fixed pattern to a varied pattern floor, displaying ever-changing looks depending on how the light falls. Of course, these FSC certified 15 mm floors can be installed over underfloor heating. Visit our attractive stand in Hall 8, stand E08. Feel the structure of the wood and have a look at the different finishes of the floors. Or engage in a consultation and let our knowledgeable advisers give you some inspiration.

KUNSHAN WAYTEX TEXTILE INDUSTRY CO., LTD – WAYFLOR Woven Vinyl Flooring - Puzzle shape Loose-lay tiles (5mm) Multicolour assembly - removable With/Without pressure-sensitive glue Seeing us in INNOVATIONS DOMOTEX Hannover 2015 Waytex Group has developed Woven Vinyl Flooring under the product trade name ‘Wayflor’ and launched this new loose-lay product with a total thickness of 5mm not only in tiles but also in

Preview Domotex Hannover (DE)

THE ULTIMATE GENERATION OF HIDDEN FASTENERS WITH STAINLESS STEEL REINFORCEMENT

* in compliance with DTU 51.4 requirements regarding fasteners

Timber decking & cladding

shapes such as a rectangle, triangle, puzzle, and so on. With the puzzle shape, even without pressure-sensitive glue, the floor is still highly stable and can be fitted and/or removed in a very short space of time. This development not only gives the loose-lay installation greater stability, but also you can make your own design by combining with different colour fittings. This product not only has a quick removal function, but can also be fitted with more creation and fun. Product technical information : Product name: Woven Vinyl flooring - 5.0mm thickness Loose Lay Puzzle shape flooring Content: 96% PVC, 3.6% polyester, and 0.4% fibre glass Size: length 650mm width 443mm Design: Waytex Bamboo weave Shape: Puzzle shape pre-cut and ready for installation. Visit us at Domotex Hannover 2015 in Hall 6, Stand D44. Visit us at Domotex Asia- Shanghai 2015, Hall E6, Stand E15.

Trivec Trivec parquet machines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; number 1 for stability A worldwide first: Trivec Cross Cutting Machine

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

1/2 PORTRAIT LEFT www.novlek.com

The CC400 Cross Cutter has been developed for obtaining the so called sawn effect across the wood. Depending on the set-up, it is possible to set the machine for different, non-repetitive effects. The Cross Cutter can equally well be combined with the DB400 brushing machines from the Trivec programme. New: Trivec Double Coater Pro The Trivec double coater was introduced back in 2012 and applies oil using a double roller system. The second counterflow roller station makes it possible to apply oil more easily deep into the grain of brushed wood. The machine series has been extended with the Pro design to increase the flexibility through the alternation of the dosage and application rollers. Broad programme The Trivec programme comprises a range of techniques which go beyond mere surface treatment. From feed systems, cleaning machines, brush modules, and transport solutions to drying techniques, we like to work together with you to go for a total solution. Meet the staff from VEC during Domotex or come along to the Trivec Test Centre in Drachten for an extensive test.

WOCA

Made in Europe

WoodCare Denmark will once again be attending both Domotex Hannover (Hall 7, stand C21) and Bau Munich (Hall A5, stand 109). The dedicated and passionate team of wood care experts is looking forward to displaying the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest developments within finishing and maintenance of all kinds of wood floors. A complete range of environmentally friendly products based on more than 40 years of accumulated technical expertise. WoodCare Denmark is consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation and as a result, the WOCA team is thrilled to announce new exciting color combinations for wood floors at both fairs.

Special

Producers of substrate levellers

LEVELLING AS THE WAY TOWARDS PERFECTION ACTUALLY, THE PERFECT SCREED DOESN’T EXIST

Photo – Henkel

It certainly won’t make pleasant reading for makers or fitters of covering floors, but the fact is that the perfect screed doesn’t exist. For example, a ‘perfect screed’ for fitting parquet or laminate floating is not necessarily ideal if you want to glue those same types of floors in full. Conversely, the ‘perfect screed’ for glueing parquet is not necessarily perfect for glueing flexible floor systems or for applying a smooth coating. There is, however, some good news. In construction it very rarely happens that a covering floor is so unsuitable for a top floor that it has to be demolished. There are remedies for most ‘ faults’.

The covering floor as base We now take it for granted that we fit our top floors onto covering floors. No one gives that a second thought any more. Yet what is the purpose of a covering floor? A covering floor is fitted onto the base floor (e.g. concrete) firstly to achieve the required finishing height. This is not done with the base floor for practical and financial reasons. Just think about it. Suppose you have a 15cm layer of concrete on the floor and a screed of 12cm so that you achieve the correct finishing height. Imagine that you had used only concrete to achieve this. You would have a concrete layer 27cm thick i.e. much too heavy and high-priced!

Cement as a raw material Covering floors can be categorised on the basis of the binding agent used to make them e.g. anhydrite, bitumen, or synthetic resin. Cement

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is also such a binding agent, and it is the one used most of all for covering floors. Cement is produced from limestone through a process of breaking, sifting, heating, and adding certain raw materials. An important property of cement is that it reacts to water hydraulically; it sets and forms compounds which become insoluble. And so, cement-bound materials are not susceptible to damp. This means that mechanical properties such as strength and solidarity do not change when exposed to damp. This makes cement-bound covering floors ideal for use in damp rooms or even outdoors.

The right formula A solid and serviceable screed has to be prepared using the correct dosage. 300 to 320kg of cement to each cubic metre of sand is usually a good ratio. If you don’t add enough cement to the sand, the screed will never be strong enough and will usually stay powdery. That’s not a good base for glueing; that’s for sure. Assuming that most new screeds (in new buildings) are mixed mechanically, we can be sure that any problems will tend to occur with renovation. A levelling agent is deployed to ensure that the screed is perfectly level and that any unevenness is eliminated. That’s absolutely essential for a perfect end result, certainly with flexible floor coverings.

Demands made of the screed In construction all sorts of demands are made of the building components and, at the same time, lots of tolerances are set. Some demands are of crucial importance to floor fitters. These usually relate

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Special

Producers of substrate levellers

to the perceptible and visible qualities (faults) of the screed. Other demands are important for the quality of the construction in general. Various national standards and Technical Regulations are deployed.

Pressure strength and impression resistance The Dutch standard NEN 2741:2001/A1 chart is used as a measure for the quality of cement covering floors and its resistance to pressure on a falling scale. Cement covering floors are classified on the basis of the impression which is created during testing (BRE screed test as set out in the British BS 8204.1.

Class

Deepest impression (mm)

Industry

Offices

Homes

Scope

Cement covering floors have to meet certain demands and conditions, depending on the purpose for which they are fitted. The standard NEN 2741 also sets out demands for pressure strength based on work tests.

Other properties In Germany covering floors have to meet the demands set in the DIN standards, numbers 18356, 18365, and 18367. This means that covering floors have to be strong enough, flat enough, clean, and dry. They must not show any cracks. Too many cracks in covering floors are a sure sign that they are not strong enough. Covering floors which have not been fitted properly or are too sandy must be demolished and replaced. As we have already said, this is seldom necessary.

Levelling the screed It may be necessary to level subfloors in order to flatten out intolerable unevenness. This prevents hollow spots under the final floor and you create a subfloor which is evenly absorbent (very important for using emulsion adhesives). What’s vitally important for fitting flexible floor coverings is a subfloor which is smooth and completely flat. This prevents the least unevenness from becoming visible on the surface of the fitted floor covering. All this immediately makes it clear that there are different sorts of levelling agents. With wooden floors you use levellers which are clearly stronger and often also rougher. Levellers under LVT or flexible floor coverings are usually very thin and achieve only standard strength values. By contrast, levelling agents for wood achieve very high strength values.

Sorts of levellers The essential components of levelling agents are sand, binding agents, and dry additives. Various types of cement and calcium sulphate serve as binding agents. Cement binding agents are available, ranging from the common slow and corresponding low pressure to super fast. There are essentially two types of levelling agents: self-levelling ones and solid ones. Both are necessary, depending on the application. There’s no point in using self-levelling levellers to bridge a difference in height; conversely, there’s no point in using solid material for a full surface. Furthermore, as we said above, it’s important to take account of the sort of floor to be glued. There may also be secondary criteria of a technical nature, such as drying time and, not to be forgotten, the cost price of the materials used.

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Preliminary treatment In lots of cases it is necessary to give covering floors a preliminary treatment before they are levelled in order to be sure that the levelling agent adheres properly to the screed itself. The most important products in this respect are adhesion primers and screed reinforcers. The screed needs to be equally porous everywhere before you apply the leveller. If some points are too porous, this can result in local suction of water (by the screed) from the levelling agent. It is perfectly possible to eliminate differences in porosity by using a primer. The primers on the market are easy to spread and ensure that the absorbent capacity of the screed is levelled out. Screed reinforcers are deployed if the screed does not possess the necessary strength to withstand the forces of wood and adhesive, for instance. It is utterly impossible to glue a floor onto a powdery screed.

What’s on the market? Adesiv Apart from levellers for wooden floors, Adesive also has more specialised levellers. Since flexible types of floors have a limited thickness, they need to be fitted on a perfect substrate. There are special levelling compounds for such floor coverings. Important points to look out for in the choice of a product are its fluidity and ease of application. The most important ingredients are cement and, sometimes, reinforcement fibres. Before you apply a leveller, always check the dampness of the covering floor, which has to be less than 2% (below 0.5% with anhydrite). The surrounding temperature has to be between 15 and 25°C, whilst relative dampness must not exceed 75%. If the substrate emits dust, it is better to treat it in advance with Pavilast K. You can also add ADECON K500 to Pavilast R to improve spreadability.

Henkel All floors have different features. And so, this also means that the desired levelling agent has to meet these features. That’s why it’s important to know in advance what sort of floor is going to be fitted on top. You can then also decide on the most suitable levelling agent. Before the substrate is levelled, a primer is necessary to bind the dust and to increase the absorbent effect of the subfloor. However, in most cases it is not necessary to use a primer before you glue the levelled floor. For universal use on absorbent and non-absorbent substrates there is the R766 Multi-Purpose Primer. R766 Multi-Purpose Primer can be used in concentrated or diluted form. Due to the rapid drying, this product is ideal for renovation work. Henkel has an extensive range of levelling agents for every possible use: cement-bound in various layer thicknesses, for anhydrite, for wooden floors, industrial floors, under parquet, specially for renovation, or for big differences in level. Thomsit XXL and XXL Xpres both have very few chemicals (90% fewer chemicals than a traditional levelling agent). This means cleaner and healthier work.

Kerakoll In the Keralevel Eco range Kerakoll offers six different levelling agents. Kerakoll also presents in the Keratech Eco line six ecological and mineral levelling agents which are self-levelling and fast-drying, and designed specifically for parquet. The Keratech ECO R10 (C30-F6 pursuant to EN13813) bears a Kerakoll Green Building Rating Eco5. This leveller contains 77% natural minerals and 36% recycled natural minerals. The product can be recycled. Keratech Eco R30 (C30-F6 pursuant to EN13813) and the fibre-bound Keratech Eco Flex (C20-F7 pursuant to EN13813) both have Kerakoll Green Building Rating Eco 4. These levellers can be walked on within two to three hours. The self-levelling levellers stand out due to their high levelling capacity.

Stauf Stauf offers various solutions for levelling floors. Stauf SPP 95 is a high-quality cement-based leveller. The product is self-levelling and can be pumped. It provides a perfectly smooth surface, which is also very strong and flexible. Stauf SPP 95

reduces pressure and dries quickly. The product has very few emissions (EC IR plus). Another product recommended for all applications and which dries rapidly is the SSP Rapid. IBOLA AS is also based on cement (EC IR plus) and is designed for elastic floors, textiles, and wooden floors. This product, too, has good flow properties and dries rapidly. IBOLA GS is a universal levelling agent based on calcium sulphate-hemihydrate. This product can also be deployed for multi-layer parquet. Finally, IBOLA RM is a stable repair and levelling agent (EC IR plus) which dries extremely quickly and can be walked upon within a few minutes.

Tover Rockfloor F10 and Rockfloor Verde In its range for substrate preparation, Tover offers a self-leveling compound full of advantages: Rockfloor F10. Its long leveling time for thickness up to 10 mm enables to lay the wooden floor only after 24 hours. Fiber-reinforced, it is particularly strong and its rough surface improves the adhesion of glues. It is perfectly suitable on under-heating systems. This year a new leveling product has been introduced: Rockfloor Verde which does not contain fibers and thus is more economic and usable to create a layer thick until 10 mm.

Adhesive technology.

Sub floor preparation

visit us:

Adhesives for wood flooring Adhesives for elastic and textile flooring

tand 515 hall A6, s

Lacquers and Oils for surface finishes stAUF Klebstoffwerk gmbh . Oberhausener Str. 1 . 57234 Wilnsdorf, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2739 301-0 . Fax: +49 (0) 2739 301-200 . www.stauf.deFloor . info@stauf.de Forum International 71

Special

Producers Sanding machines : part 3

EDGE SANDERS SUPPLY THE CROWNING GLORY THEY REACH THE PARTS THAT OTHER SANDERS CANNOT REACH Sanding against the skirting board, sanding under radiators, and sanding on stairs are just some of the tasks where heavier parquet sanding machines meet their match. However, the finish on the edges of a parquet or wooden floor is just as important as the rest of the floor, if not more so, since the edges usually catch the eye more than the centre. Edge sanders are versatile sanding machines which operate by means of rotary discs. They are deployed to give the floorboards a perfect finish, but they can also be used to renovate stairs.

Edges and stairs What do the edges of a room and the steps of staircases have in common? Staircase steps are actually edges. After all, each step is connected to the upright step to form an angle. That’s precisely why sandpapering old staircases is no easy task. Edge sanders stand out in many areas from other sanding machines in the floor fitter’s armoury. Firstly, they are different in terms of shape and weight.

The spoon shape The sanding arm of edge and stair sanders is usually shaped like a spoon. That’s precisely why it is possible to use these sanders to sandpaper under radiators and in places which are difficult to reach. Most manufacturers offer two different sanding arms, one short and one long. The lengths vary somewhat between the different trademarks, but over the past few years we have seen the emergence of really short arms of 110 to 150mm as opposed to the normal average lengths of 250 to 300mm. Some things are obviously connected to a historical development in radiators. In modern interiors wide radiators have had to make way for flat design radiators. The sanding arm is fitted with a 175mm rotary sanding disc.

Measured weight When we compare edge and stair sanders with most other sanding machines, they stand out at once for their weight. With belt sanders we find weights of 60 and 80kg for hire machines and professional machines respectively. Rotary disc sanders weigh about 30kg. Edge and stair sanders weigh between 8 and 13kg. It is obvious that it would be extremely difficult to use heavier machines on staircases. The weight of the machines is just about enough to supply the necessary pressure for efficient sanding.

Importance of dust suction As is the case with endless belt sanders and rotary disc or orbital sanders, manufacturers of these edge sanders have also paid particular attention to dust suction. Strictly speaking, we can say that dust suction here is even more important than with the other machines. It’s quite logical that there’s a greater volume of dust at the edges, since the main surface of a parquet floor is sandpapered twice (by a belt sander and a rotary disc sander) and the dust is sucked out. This is not the case for the edges. Just about all edge sanders are equipped with

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excellent dust suction with dust reservoir and/or are fitted with the option of connection to an external dust suction installation (unit).

Manual sanders More and more parquet floor fitters are supplementing their arsenal of sanding machines with additional manual sanders. Rotary and orbital manual sanders are handy tools for obtaining good results in confined spaces and places which are difficult to reach. In recent years, designers have put in a lot of effort on the ‘ergonomics’ of these tools. A handy design and a perfect spread of weight ‘spare’ the floor fitter’s arm muscles. These tools are obviously fitted with the necessary safety facilities. Hand tools are also often easier to use for sanding ‘inaccessible’ edges on stairs and staircase railings than parquet sanding machines.

What’s on the market? Bona Bona has the following edge sanders in its range: Bona Combi Edge, Bona Dual Edge (with contraflow 100mm sanding discs!), Bona Edge, and Bona Edge XL, all easy to connect to the Bona DCS70 for dust-free sandpapering. The Bona Combi Edge is the most suitable machine for stairs, certainly in view of its light weight and the flexibility of the machine for efficient sanding, and thanks to the ultimate LED lighting which is present on the machine. The sanding arms are easy to exchange, and the 330mm sanding arm has an excellent reach under deep staircase steps (also ideal for under radiators!). Apart from the fusion between Bona and Künzle and Tasin, which has united the best features of both trademarks and will eventually give rise to a new generation of sanding machines, there have not been any recent technical modernisations. However, the addition to the Bona range of the ceramic sanding materials and the Bona Diamond Abrasives has created a completely new method of sandpapering. The ceramic sandpapering materials ensure that even the most difficult floors can be sandpapered and finishes can be removed. The Diamond Abrasives are mainly a problem solver for renovating prefab/UV lacquered floors.

Dismac Dismac sells the outstanding edge sander Speedy. The Speedy is a professional sanding machine with a long sanding spoon to make it easy to sandpaper under radiators. The machine is supplied with tool, dust bag, 10m leads, ear muffs, and a dust mask. Despite the powerful engine capacity (2.6 CV) and the rapid sanding speed, the

Speedy is easy to operate. During sandpapering, the machine is very user-friendly, even in places which are extremely difficult to reach. The rotating dust suction unit means that the dust bag can be fitted in any position as required. The bumper wheels, which are mounted near the sanding disc, make it possible to work near skirting boards without damaging them. The powerful dust suction ensures that the sanded surface remains dust-free throughout the operation. Despite the considerably powerful motor, an electronic current limiter always ensures that the machine starts easily and without complications and runs efficiently, even with weaker fuses and a relapse in voltage. The extremely flat sanding spoon (4cm high) means that it is possible to sandpaper under very low radiators.

Devomat Industries Deva Strong is a sturdy, yet silent edge sander for lengthy work; it is fitted with a low-maintenance single-phase motor (no carbon brushes). Rapid conversion is possible from ‘short’ to ‘long’ (radiator) version. The appliance is fitted with lights on the sides. Each rotating part is balanced so that there is no vibration. The drive plate is furnished with a layer of felt (3mm thick) and rotates at a speed of 3,000r.p.m. to achieve soft sandpapering without leaving marks on the floor. Since the machine is sturdily designed, it is not necessary to exert any pressure during the operation. A simple sliding motion is sufficient and does not damage the surfaces. The Sideboy NS 1750/16 is a particularly efficient disc sander for sandpapering edges and small surfaces. This machine is for professionals and provides the power which is necessary for the hardest chores! It is a userfriendly sander with pressure switch and optional disposable paper dust bag, for safe and handy use for every chore. The motor with four brushes and permanent self-cooling function, for heavy loads, will not jam or stall in a charged state during sanding with sandpaper with rough grain, removal of old surface finishes, and deposition of wax and dirt.

is designed to be used in small areas, it also performs excellently on bigger surfaces. Apart from the Mini Timba, Klindex also presents the Waterfire, the only hand-sander for corners and edges with adjustable head and with IP54 protection from water and dust.

Overmat Do you need to sand those difficult to reach spots? An Overmat edge-grinder offers the solution. Perfect for sanding alongside skirting, stair steps and underneath radiators. Where the standard is not an option, we offer you the specialties to get the job done. Sideboy range Within Overmats wide range of grinding machines the Sideboy machines guarantee the best results for difficult to reach spots and edges. Looking for an edge-grinder which also allows for sanding of stairs? The Sideboy 1500/10 offers you the solution. Sanding underneath convectors can be challenging. With its extra long sanding attachment the Sideboy 1500/30 makes it an easy job. The Sideboys mentioned above are very comfortable to use because of their light weight. Are you looking for some heavier machines? The Sideboy 1750/14 and 1750/30 will meet your requirements: The professional edge-grinder Sideboy 1750/14 lives up to all expectations. The result is perfectly grinded edges and sides. The Sideboy 1750/30 is a professional edge-grinder with a flat sanding-attachment makes for an easy job to work underneath convectors. All Sideboy machine come with a wide variety of optional accessories such as tools and personal protection items.

Repex

Klindex Klindex presents the Mini Timba, a compact, but powerful sander with an operating width of 304mm. The Mini Timba weighs 31kg and yields excellent sanding results up to near the wall. Thanks to the two contraflow rotating heads (diameter 140mm), which are perfectly balanced, the Mini Timba is extremely easy to use, even for less experienced employees. The ball-shaped wheels allow the user to rotate the machine in all directions with little or no effort. Mini Timba can be deployed for both finishing and levelling. Although the machine

Repex offers its clients a light and easy-to-operate edge sander with exceptional dust suction. The offered options include an attached 350mm disc carrier for radiators. Repex also shows its innovation in the field of dust in the shape of the sanding machine Cyclone. This machine is equipped with two motors (2.2KW or 3KW). This machine uses endless belts of 200*750 and is fitted with a revolutionary suction system which guarantees an emission of less than 0.8mg/m³. This machine is also available in a traditional form with the use of bags to absorb the dust; this goes by the name of Tornade. For finishing, ginning, and sanding composite parquet, Repex offers a single disc machine with a capacity of 2.5KW and four satellites which are guided by a steel cog wheel.

Floor Forum International 71

HARO parquet

HARO cork floor CELENIO by HARO

HARO laminate floor DISANO by HARO

duct HARO Pro 15 News 20 Visit us in

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La San Marco Profili srl Viale Europa 63 - 31010 Soligo, TV - Italy Tel. +39 0438 980106 r.a. - Fax +39 0438 980176 info@lasanmarcoprofili.com -www.lasanmarcoprofili.com

Floor Forum international 71

Germany’s leading parquet manufacturer Quality by tradition – over 60 years of experience in the manufacture of parquet made in Germany. With our wide range of high-quality natural parquets, laminate and cork floors, Celenio and our 100 % PVC- & plasticiser-free design floor Disano, we offer the perfect floor for every taste and style. www.haro.com

Special

Producers of ship deck parquet

SHIP DECK FLOORS – PURE DESIGN LET’S HOPE IT BECOMES A TREND

Photo – Design Parquet

If ship deck floors aren’t a trend (and according to most producers they aren’t), then it’s high time that they were. The discerning reader will realise immediately that this editor is ‘sold’ on this type of floor. This also means that these floors have various points of decorative attraction, so they really do add something to the range. As with other design parquet floors such as end grain blocks or cross-cut, ship deck floors are eagerly sought by those looking for a touch of exclusivity. Something different from the rest without it having to cost a lot more.

Pure design One of the best ways to describe the decorative look of a ship deck floor is to use the term ‘slenderness’. Whilst we allow the slenderness of a multitude of parquet boards to ‘play’ with each other with end grain parquet (end grain blocks/industrial parquet), a ship deck floor has an alternating pattern. With end grain you also get something ‘nervous’: narrow elongated sections which, partly thanks to differences in colour, offer an extremely vivid floor. Some people like them, whilst others find them too lively, even though, here too, floor fitters can make some adjustments, depending on the pattern in which the strips are laid (block-like, tiles, or staggered). You could say that ship deck floors are a little calmer, more serious even. They form the sublime combination of wide boards, alternating with a border in a darker sort of wood. ‘Slenderness’ in its purest form. You can play with the widths to some

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extent, and depending on the way in which the ship deck floor is built. After all, with the combination of floorboards alternating with a chemical (silane-based) joint, you don’t have unlimited freedom in deciding on the widths (see below). Quite apart from the technique, ship deck floors can be fitted in all interiors and always add that something extra because they really do affect the interior. In other words, they help to determine the atmosphere and the style.

Types of design In the previous paragraph we pointed out briefly that ship deck floors can be designed in various ways. The type of ship deck floor largely determines the degree of difficulty of the fitting and the price of the floor. Thanks to the available technology, one thing’s for sure: any floor fitter can fit these floors without extra training.

Ready for fitting ‘Pre-finished’ is also the magic word in vogue in the world of parquet. In various segments pre-finished has resulted in the fitting of parquet becoming more ‘accessible’, even (we have to say it) in the DIY sector. Fitting ready-made floorboards, often equipped with a click system, merely requires a healthy dose of common sense rather than years of professional expertise. Various producers offer ship deck floors as one of the many decors from which clients can choose. In this case, the ship deck pattern is designed in the factory in advance on the floorboards themselves. In some cases it is still necessary to fit a rubber

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Special

Producers of ship deck parquet

strip between the joints, but in most cases not even that is necessary. Ready-made ship deck floors are offered in solid wood and multi-layer.

Wood + wood With the combination of wider floorboards in one wood sort and narrow borders in another sort, we are returning to the territory of traditional parquet (6mm) and Burgundy (9mm). Strictly speaking, this fitting method is not difficult, but, due to the alternating widths, it does require a little more fitting time. An extremely popular combination for these ship deck floors (also in ready-made for that matter!) is that of teak and wenge. The dark wenge stands out nicely in contrast to the pale teak, something that fans of these floors like. Other people have a strong preference for combinations where the difference in colour is not so pronounced so that the edge (joint) is more discreet in the floor and the whole structure is somewhat calmer. Of course, this is purely a question of taste!

Wood + flexible joint The third type of ship deck floor is the combination of floorboards connected by a wide joint which is filled in with a flexible material. For a few years now, it has been possible for this flexible material to consist of a strip which is fitted between the floorboards. However, the traditional method is that whereby a joint is fitted between the floorboards which is based on a silane product. The parquet strips are glued directly onto the screed. As we have already said, the important thing in constructing a ship deck floor in this way is the width of the joints. This depends directly on the width of the strips and is ‘coercive’ with some applications (see below). In the chart below (Source: A publication in Dutch: ‘Applicatiehandleiding voor lijmen en afdichten van teakdelen’ by Simson) we give the ‘minimum’ joint dimensions in co-relation to the width of the planks. STRIP WIDTH

JOINT WIDTH

JOINT DEPTH

35mm

5mm

6mm

45mm

5-6mm

6mm

50mm

6-7mm

6mm

75mm

10mm

7mm

100mm

12mm

8mm

125mm

16mm

10mm

A waterproof combination The latter design of a ship deck floor (wood + flexible joint) has the unique property that the floor is immediately watertight, so it can be fitted in bathrooms and even as a shower furnishing. It is also for these applications that the stated joint widths are ‘coercive’. Is water and wood a strange combination? Not if one makes use of the other.

Taking account of damp The principle of the seaworthiness of wooden boats rests partly on the knowledge that wet wood swells. Whenever a wooden boat is on dry land, there is a real chance that it is not 100% watertight. As soon as the boat enters water, the wood absorbs water and swells so that the planks stick to each other, as it were. The same principle applies to wine barrels. The separate planks of a wine barrel are held together by steel rings. When the barrel is filled, the wood swells and makes itself watertight.

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Ship deck in the shower This last application is increasingly causing a stir. We will ignore the fact that it is mainly teak which is used for this application. When we design a shower wall or base, we operate on the basis of the above-mentioned principle that we have to take account of the swelling and shrinking of the wood. We do this (in parquet terms) by leaving a spacious joint so that the strips can swell and shrink at their leisure. Product and fitting go hand in hand at this point.

The world of silane MS polymers and other silane-based products are still relatively new to the world of parquet, but in the maritime sphere they have been tested and used extensively for several decades. It is the elasticity of these silane-based products which people in the shipping world greatly appreciate. After all, in that context the wood is in almost constant contact with water and the wood swells and shrinks constantly. Silanebased products are used both for glueing the strips onto a ship deck and for designing the joints.

And what about the market range? The market range says primarily that ship deck floors are not a trend. Manufacturers usually offer them in their range, but demand is certainly nothing spectacular.

Design Parquet Design Parquet offers a ship deck floor with integrated joint. This Navylam+ is no harder to fit than any other parquet floor precisely because of the integrated joint. The floors are ready for fitting and are on offer in seven wood sorts: acacia, iroko, wenge, doussie, teak, mutenye, and afrormosia. The Navylam+ is a 100% solid wood floor. That’s precisely why it feels warmer than a tile floor, for example. They also promote the easy maintenance as a selling point.

Habo /Holz Bois Holz Bois certainly doesn’t regard fitting ship deck parquet as a trend. Fitting these floors with a black sealer kit or a strip in wenge also requires extra work and makes the floor rather expensive. Moreover, this fitting does require real expertise on the part of the floor fitter. Holz Bois presents the 9mm Classic Line (solid wood traditional parquet) and 13 or 18mm Top Line (multi-layer parquet) in teak (tectona grandis). Holz Bois adds Habo Classic Line a skirting board or u-joint into which either a black sealer kit can be sprayed or a wenge edge can be fitted. Teak is still the most important wood sort in combination, if necessary, with an edge in wenge.

Junckers Ship deck floors are still in Junckers’ range, but they are not necessarily a trend. They apply the ship deck pattern to the floorboards in the factory. And so, we are talking here about a ready-made pre-finished floor. Over 98% of floors from Junckers are supplied pre-finished. Junckers presents floors solely in solid wood. The most popular sorts of wood are oak and beech.

Lieverdink At Lieverdink ship deck floors are not particularly popular at the moment, but there is demand, for example, for bathrooms or special rooms where an architect is involved. Teak with wenge borders are the most popular combination, but black sealants in the

joints are also possible, of course. Lieverdink supplies this material in traditional parquet (6mm) or Burgundy (9mm). Within the Kahrs assortment, Lieverdink presents a ready-made product from the Marina Collection based on oak with a dark or light strip. The engineered floor from Kahrs is equipped with a lock joint. The floor is 15mm thick and consists of three layers. Traditional parquet and Burgundy are nailed in the accepted manner. Each wood sort is possible at Lieverdink. The company works with 40 wood sorts. Kahrs offers these floors only in oak.

Lalegno At Lalegno they have ready-made parquet, fitted with the characteristic shadow gap which is so typical of ship deck flooring. These are multi-layer oak parquet floors 15mm thick, with a top layer of 4mm, and they are available in three different widths (148, 189, and 240mm). This makes very attractive combinations possible. The floors are not yet treated with oil or varnish so that the floor fitter can always achieve a splendid and unique end result with the application of the end finish. Although, at present, we are talking here about a small niche market, Lalegno has noticed a significant increase in demand for these types of floors.

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 71 The Netherlands +31(0) 412 Floor 657 428 www.heywoodvloeren.com

Special

Producers of epoxy polyurethane adhesives

STILL APPLICABLE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES HYBRID COMBINATION WITH LOTS OF BENEFITS

Photo – Kerakoll

Some professionals say that the combination of polyurethane and epoxy is the most reliable and most result-assured adhesive technology for wooden floors. Furthermore, these adhesives already combine all the good of polyurethane and the strong properties of epoxy. The properties and uses of epoxy polyurethane adhesives vary slightly from producer to producer. The big advantage for all producers is that this combination can be deployed in just about all conditions for just about all types of floors and for just about all types of wood. In other words epoxy-polyurethane adhesive is a little bit like ‘playing safe’.

Chemical adhesives It’s sometimes terribly difficult to choose the right glue for the right application due to the vast range of adhesives available. Actually, it’s not just the vast and varied range of brands which can cause confusion. Apart from the brands, there are also various forms of technology in the field of adhesives and adhesive engineering. Epoxy polyurethane adhesives have as a big plus point the fact that they can be used for all types and formats of parquet and on all substrates, usually without a primer as long as the subfloor is

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suitable for fitting parquet. Epoxy polyurethane adhesives belong in the category of adhesives which bring about chemical glueing. The bonding of chemical adhesives can be created by various mechanisms.

Components amongst themselves The feature of adhesives which work on the basis of chemical reactions is that there are some components in the glue which, when combined, produce a chemical reaction. Here, too, there are different sorts of reactions or adhesives. With dual component adhesives the reaction occurs when the components react to each other amongst themselves. Some examples include epoxy, acrylate, cyanoacrylate, and polyurethane adhesives.

Reaction to moisture A reaction can also be caused by ‘moisture’. This means that the second component required to bring about a reaction is present in the surrounding air. Examples of glues which make contact with the second component from the surrounding air include urethane, silicone, and cement adhesive. MS polymer adhesives also owe their reaction to the air humidity.

Exclusion of oxygen With the so called anaerobic adhesives, the glue reacts to the exclusion of oxygen. Anaerobic adhesive is a glue consisting of acrylic polyester monomers. The adhesive bond is created by the polymerisation of the monomers. The polymerisation process (formation of long chains) comes about through the exclusion of the oxygen. Anaerobe means ‘without air’.

Electron radiation Adhesives which set under UV or electron radiation harden due to the operation of UV light or electron radiation. UV setting glues are quality 1-component glues, which polymerise if exposed to ultraviolet light. Invisible, fast-setting, and super strong UV glues ensure controlled setting at room temperature and are used to glue most glass, metal, and synthetic combinations where at least one of the surfaces allows ultraviolet light through. UV setting adhesives are used for jobs such as coating, glueing, wrapping, laminating, and pouring.

pre-varnished floors which are fitted after a moisture barrier has been put in place.

Epoxy adhesive Epoxy adhesive is a dual component adhesive based on epoxy which is used for several applications in industry, for household purposes, and in model aircraft construction. It can be applied as a coating, but also in combination with glass fibres. Epoxy adhesive is also used as a repair glue in which a solid substance is used as a filler. A hardener is added to the epoxy to create a strong adhesive bonding.

A selection from the range The properties and uses of epoxy polyurethane adhesives vary slightly from producer to producer. The simplest way of illustrating those properties is via the range on the market. We spoke to a number of producers.

Adesiv

No mix adhesives Finally, there are the no mix adhesives in which the components are applied separately to the substrate and don’t set until the sections to be glued come into contact with each other.

A perfect marriage The combination of polyurethane and epoxy results in an adhesive which stands out for its reliability in several applications. Epoxy plays the part of hardener in this combination.

Polyurethane PU is a co-polymer which consists of hard and soft segments. These segments are created by the reaction of urethane and isocyanate, form a long chain, and complement each other. The hard segments tend to crystallise and form a hard material. By contrast, the soft segments would, if left to themselves, would form a syrupy liquid. The combination of both segments ensures that the best properties of both are combined. This is why PU adhesive is very strong, but elastic. By ‘playing’ with the length division of the segments, glue producers can adapt the properties of the material in a fairly flexible manner.

Epoxy Epoxy is a thermo-hardening synthetic, which can be used to help make composites. Together with fibreglass, for example, it can be used for solid, lightweight materials. During production, the material is liquid-thin and ideal for impregnating fibre material. Composites produced like this are weatherproof and waterproof and used to make items such as yachts. Epoxy is also used as the base of a lot of products. Examples are epoxy adhesive/epoxy resin, paint (wet paint and powder paint), floors, and print plates for electronic circuits. Epoxy has twice as much compressive and tensile strength as concrete. Its liquid density makes it ideal for several operations, including for floors. This material is used in industry and for aesthetic purposes. One drawback, however, is that epoxy gets discoloured when exposed to UV light.

Polyurethane adhesive Polyurethane adhesive is ideal for glueing just about all parquet or wooden floors, especially solid wood parquet, wider strips, and moisture-sensitive types (2K) such as beech wood, maple, and such like. Polyurethane adhesives can be used for glueing onto anhydrite floors and sand-cement floor. They are ideal for fitting

Adesiv was one of the First producers in Europe to present dual component epoxy polyurethane adhesives. These glues are still one of the strong points of Adesiv and are the most popular products in more than 25 countries. Euro F1 (solvent-free), Pelpren PL6 (EC1), and Euro 5 (EC1/solvent-free) are 2-component adhesives of epoxy polyurethane. They do not contain water and are specially for glueing

Flexibility in Parquet Finishing Visit Trivec at Domotex 2015 Hannover Trivec machines for parquet finishing are based on flexibility. Quick and most easy colour change, suitable for applying all available products. Available as ‘stand alone’ equipment or as part of a complete Trivec finishing line with brushing machine, automatic feed systems, polishingand UV drying equipment. You are most welcome to visit the Trivec Test Centre

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

www.parketmachines.nl

Floor Forum International 71

Special

Producers of epoxy polyurethane adhesives

wooden floors onto any sort of concrete substrate or onto existing non-absorbent floors such as marble, tiles, Palladian, and wooden substrates). The adhesives are suitable for glueing pre-finished wooden floors onto concrete sand-cement covering floors or existing non-absorbent floors such as marble, tiles, Palladian, and wooden substrates. The sometimes extremely ‘volatile’ tropical wood sorts are no problem for these glues and it is also perfectly possible to combine these glues with floor heating. These adhesives are odourless and do not contain any health warnings.

Chimiver

At Chimiver we find three epoxy polyurethane adhesives, namely Adesiver 501 EP, the dual component Hercules, and Sigol Re. Adesiver 501 EP is a dual component epoxy polyurethane adhesive (ratio 9:1). This adhesive is absolutely ideal for glueing traditional parquet and pre-finished parquet floors in all sizes or types. The glue can be deployed on cement covering floors, waterproof cement, and non-absorbent substrates such as ceramic tiles, marble, or porcelain tiles. Adesiver 501 EP can be used in combination with floor heating and offers outstanding adhesion in all cases. Adesiver Hercules is also a dual component epoxy polyurethane adhesive, but with specific hypo-allergenic properties. This glue does not contain any isocyanates or volatile solvents. Hercules is EC 1R approved. Since this adhesive contains no water, it can be deployed for the direct glueing of just about all sorts of parquet onto the subfloor without the need for an intermediate floor (e.g. mosaic or OSB). It is also recommended in combination with floor heating. Finally, Sigol Re is also a solvent-free, dual component epoxy polyurethane adhesive. All these glues are odourless.

SLC Eco L34 Neutra (Eco3), and SLC L34 Plus (Eco4). L34 Plus is suitable for the Netherlands. It contains no solvents and has an EC1 Plus certificate. With the L34 line, you can glue all sorts of parquet onto all sorts of substrates. If it is necessary to bring the substrate up to standard, you can use the SLC Eco EP21 (Eco3) as a primer or moisture barrier. If you don’t want to use a 2-component adhesive, you can opt for the 1-component SLC Eco L34 Flex (Eco4). This adhesive, too, has been developed with the exclusive Anti Hygro and Thermo Shock Technology. The Kerakoll Green Building Rating used on all Kerakoll products is certified by SGS.

Stauf

Epoxy is the basic hardener in the Stauf epoxy PU adhesive. Stauf has only one glue based on this technology, and this is negligible as compared to its entire range. This adhesive is used whenever the floor fitter attaches great importance to a long open time, a low price, and the opportunity to work with all wood sorts. This glue can also be deployed anywhere without any limitation.

Tover

Kerakoll

It was back in 1980 that Kerakoll launched the first epoxy PU adhesive for parquet in the shape of the Silovil L34. Kerakoll now also offers the ecological SLC Eco L34 line, which is not harmful to the health of the floor fitter or consumer. These are the dual component PU adhesives with epoxy setting system: SLC Eco L34 (ECO2),

Floor Forum international 71

Two-component epoxy-polyurethane adhesives still represent an excellent compromise and combination between high adhesion performances on any type of support and a competitive price. Even if less elastic than silane based products, Tover adhesives are suitable to bond on under-heating systems even big dimensions boards. TOVCOL TP2C (solvent free and odorless) and TOVCOL T.A. are very efficient products and thus much popular also for small and medium sized floors, thanks to their long working time (around 2 hours) and a good yield. They are also particularly easy to mix and apply. Moreover Tover proposes an exclusive packing system for its two-component adhesives: “Twin-Pack System” where the B component is put inside the A bucket cover. Easy, practical, clean, it represents a real revolution both in the products palletizing for transport and in the use of the products themselves.

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Special

Wooden floors and walls = extra business for floor fitters

WALL FURNISHING IN WOOD – IS 3D A RAGE? RELIEF HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED EXTRA WARMTH

Photo – Europlac

In the glory days of wallpaper (a period which has emerged again from nowhere in some respects), the emergence of ‘relief paper’ caused quite a stir. At a time when ‘simply smooth’ with a design was no longer acceptable, patterns appeared with depth, the much vaunted ‘rice paper’ emerged (do you remember that?), and the so called ‘Japanese grass’ also came on the scene. Relief was meant to provide more warmth and cosiness, and it certainly did. However, for some reason its advance was short-lived and it soon went into free fall. It survived for about one generation. By contrast, wooden panelling has lasted for centuries, just like that, on the basis of the material. Now, relief is emerging here too – a concert in 3D!

Wooden panelling From the distant past Wooden panelling from the 17th and 18th centuries, which is still found in castles, mansions, church buildings, libraries, and stylish presbyteries, is usually preserved by local authorities as art treasures to be cherished. Many of those panels are also finely decorated panels, richly adorned with sculptures, marquetry, or even integrated paintings. For

Floor Forum international 71

the nobility, the well-to-do, and church people, panelling had mainly a decorative function. Panelling was also found in basic homes from that period, but in those cases in equally basic wooden panels or laths and without any decoration. In that context panelling tended to have a functional purpose and, amongst other things, it served as insulation.

Sorts of material Whilst in bygone days panelling was designed solely in wood or wooden panels, other materials are also used nowadays. Panelling can consist of wooden planks with tongue and groove joints, panel materials such as triplex, MDF, metal lacquered laths, or profiled synthetic panels. With the latter we often see a design with imitations of other materials such as metal or wood. A material which is becoming increasingly popular is MDF with film. MDF panels are available in countless decors or fitted with a white film which can be painted. With solid wood panelling, we are obviously entering the territory of the parquet trader.

3D – The future or a rage? What exactly is 3D? It is a different, and certainly more sophisticated, name for relief. ‘3D’ certainly sounds a good deal more fashionable

than ‘relief’. Recently, we have witnessed the emergence amongst several producers of wall panels made of different materials. These panels may or may not be designed to be painted to match the rest of the interior. We find panels in gypsum with all sorts of geometrical shapes. There are panels in synthetics, in MDF, or in wood. Panels can be incorporated into the interior as furnishing for an entire wall or simply as a highlight. In this respect they can be dominant or discreet.

Different patterns The patterns also appear in different styles (e.g. sober or lively), but it is noticeable that it is mainly geometrical figures which are used to

3D in wood and related materials This opens up an attractive market for parquet traders. Apart from classic wood panelling, which sometimes means that parquet runs into the wall, there are also 3D concepts in wood and related raw materials. We immediately found a whole host of variants in terms of raw materials and shapes. This brings us a little closer to the ‘exclusive’, and, as a nice extra, both these 3D concepts and some of the above-mentioned panels are very ecological.

Materials Wooden floorboards which are fitted on the wall, just like strip parquet and in scores of possible bonds and patterns, take on a three-dimensional shape if the strips are in different sizes and thicknesses. This option also appears in panel shape, but parquet floor fitters who enjoy a challenge could just as easily fit them on the client’s premises. The different thicknesses don’t make the job any easier in terms of finish and sandpapering. Fully ecological panels are designed in waste wood from woodworking (parquet production or other work) to create attractive mosaic effects. Apart from wood waste, we also came across unique panels in coconut shell. Unique? Almost! Small, identical squares are cut out of the coconut shell, which are then glued into a mosaic on a base. You create an exclusive effect by fitting the inside or outside pieces of the coconut shell to show up alternately. You can create similar effects with bamboo panels. The maxim is still always that you create a 3D effect by playing around with the dimensions.

OIL STAIN Photo – Europlac

create special effects: circles, rectangles and derivatives, diamonds, tile shapes in different bonds (e.g. blocks or brick bond). Where does the 3D effect come from? The shapes usually have different (alternating) dimensions and different thicknesses (depths) so you certainly get a three-dimensional effect (length x width x height). The differences in depth logically also create shadow differences so that the whole becomes extremely lively and seems to move with the incidence of light.

Exclusive? This editor has difficulty on this issue. Various manufacturers promote the exclusive character of these panels as a top sales argument for designers. Yet how exclusive are these panels really? If you present an assortment with a ‘number’ of patterns in a ‘number’ of colours, this ‘number’ is necessarily limited. In other words, the client could easily encounter his or her exclusive panel in someone else’s living room. And so, we need to qualify this term ‘exclusive’. Obviously, these panels have their decorative value, and you can apply attractive personal highlights, but exclusive in the sense of ‘unique’ they certainly are not.

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Especially for colouring wood flooring professionally – seamlessly and individually! > Highly recommended for solid wood and plankwood floorings, blockstrip, OSB, also well-suited for furniture and edge-glued panels > Oil Stain enables individual colour designs on wood surfaces and results in a diffusion-open and microporous surface.

www.osmo.com

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AZ FloorForum Öl-Beize NL F GB 1014.indd 1

31 07.10.14 09:34

Special

Wooden floors and walls = extra business for floor fitters

Shapes As we have already said, strictly speaking, every imaginable design is possible. All classic fitting patterns from traditional parquet can be achieved just as well on the wall in almost all wood sorts: strips, mosaic, end grain blocks, or various bonds. You could achieve a unique effect with the design of a 3D wall in cross-cut. As far as shapes are concerned, you can equally create all sorts of possible geometrical figures, even though we notice in the (still limited) range which manufacturers who have discovered this niche prefer either ‘classic patterns’ or ‘real puzzles made from waste’. We feel we must mention one of them: We found a manufacturer who presents 40 x 40cm panels in 3D leather. Various models with various imitation leather structures provide a special effect.

same sort of wood is used for the wall covering as for the floor. For the wall the company offers a design with tongue and groove and a Clips 3. The most popular finish is a natural or white oil with a rough sandpapered surface.

Junckers At Junckers they have noticed that whilst panelling has always been a current fashion, it is now enjoying a noticeable increase in popularity. People are not particularly occupied with 3D, but there is a trend towards running the parquet floor into the wall, or at least the same visual aspect on one or more of the walls. That’s why the same materials or wood sorts are used as for the floor, but they are not as thick. As regards finishes, oil and matt varnish are the most popular finishes at Junckers.

Ecological at all events Together with the editor of your trade journal, we once visited a renowned parquet producer in Germany, who had previously also been a producer of the traditional wooden matches. An ecological sideline which can count! After all, you’re going to put the smallest wood remains to a good use. The 3D panels which are coming onto the market nowadays are taking us into a sea of ecological possibilities. In the majority of cases the raw material is waste which can be 100% recycled. As we have already said, coconut panels come from the shells of the coconut which serves as a raw material for coconut milk and processing the pulp. The shell is waste. As regards panels we also found other products made from ecologically pressed bamboo remains and panels made from the fibres of the sugarcane plant. Those fibres are left over as waste once the sugarcane is harvested. Natural and ecological!

Parketfabriek Lieverdink

What’s on the market? We discovered from our enquiries amongst manufacturers/suppliers that many people still swear by classic panelling. These 3D alternatives still seem to be ‘on the way up’, but for parquet floor fitters they do at least mean an extra bonus for the assortment.

Europlac

Europlac presents both wall and floor covering in genuine wood. As regards wall covering, they offer a range in 11mm with an oak top layer of 2mm, so you get the same look in all areas (e.g. colour and size) as a parquet floor. Europlac panelling is in some respects wall parquet. It’s not easy to create a 3D effect in genuine wood, but Europlac does offer a roughly sandpapered effect, something which has always been a trend in deciduous tree sorts and all the more so in oak. Anyway, the

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Parketfabriek Lieverdink has noticed an increase in demand for wall furnishing with wood. Architects, too, increasingly want to have the floor running into the wall. Amongst other things, people look out for walls of ‘old wood’, a sort of stone-strip idea in lines on the wall. And so, it often needs to have some relief, for instance, with cross-cut wood blocks. At Parketfabriek Lieverdink wall furnishing is often related to the choice of floor. The two don’t necessarily have to be the same: A completely rigid floor can make for an extremely good contrast with a rough wall. The company regularly supplies ‘old wood’ and ‘distressed wood’ as wall furnishing: Both are available as a two-layer product with tongue/groove and are therefore reasonably easy to glue. Think here of Q2 13 and 16mm thick. Parketfabriek Lieverdink usually supplies Q2 13mm strips for walls. Old wood is untreated, whilst most other variants are fitted oiled.

Le ponçage sans poussière : une innovation mondiaLe avec Le système cycLonique embarqué repeX !

DUST-FREE SANDPAPERING – A GLOBAL INNOVATION WITH THE INTEGRATED CYCLONIC SYSTEM FROM REPEX!

Pour les professionnels du secteur de la construction et de la rénovation, l’étape du ponçage représente par ses rejets et salissures de poussière une exposition pouvant être dangereuse pour leur santé et une perte certaine de productivité. Spécialiste dans l’art du ponçage depuis 1946, la société REPEX commercialise une large gamme de produits performants répondant aux éxigeances professionnelles et aux normes environnementales. Fort de son savoir-faire unique et de son expertise sur le bois, REPEX vous présentera, à l’occasion du salon DOMOTEX 2015 à Hannovre, sa dernière innovation : la Cyclone, la machine qui va révolutionner le travail du ponçage.

Cyclone - DOMOTEX 2015, Hall 8 - C07 Sandpapering results in the emission of particles of dust and dirt. This exposes building and renovation professionals to a health hazard which could also mean a certain loss of productivity. REPEX has specialised in the art of sandpapering since 1946. This company sells an extensive of high-quality products, 3 0,79mg derange poussière inhalée par mwhich ! quimeet dit professional mieux ? demands and environmental standards. With its unique knowledge and expertise in the field of wood, REPEX will be giving you the opportunity during DOMOTEX 2015 in Hannover to see its latest innovation: L’impact du caractère cancérigène des poussières de bois the Cyclone, a machine which will revolutionise sandpapering.

a conduit REPEX à rechercher et à développer avec des partenaires spécialisés dans le domaine de l’aéraulique et de la sécurité des travailleurs des solutions limitant les0.79mg émissions de poussière en dessous des normes of dust inhaled per cubic metre! 3 3 européennes (2mg/m ) et françaises (1mg/m ) en Who can beat that? vigueur. Née de cette collaboration, la ponceuse The impact of the carcinogenic nature of wood dust has Cyclone motivaestted la REPEX, promesse d’une protection du travailleur together withmeilleure specialist partners in ventilation and work et safety, d’un gain deforproductivité. Avecthe sesemission motorisations to look solutions to reduce of dust parti(2200W 3000W), elle est une machine quithe cles to ou below the prevailing European standard puissante of 2mg/m³ and émet moins de poussière les machines actuelles French standard of 1mg/m³.que The Cyclone sander, which was born 3 of this partnership, promises users better0,79mg/m protection and couplées à un aspirateur industriel : ! higher

The Cyclone

Poncer sans poussière avec REPEX !

Repex (FR)

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productivity. The machine, with motors of 2200 or 3000W, is an

speed, since you no longer spend time protecting the working

La poussière est ainsi area or cleaning it! canalisée pour le confort de l’utilisateur mais aussi pour la propreté de l’environnement de travail. Poncerand sanselegant poussière est synonyme de grande Functional design The features de of the Cyclonecar make it an partner. It is productivité, rapidité vous neideal perdez plus delight, handy,à powerful, extremely It can be temps protégerand le lieu puis reliable. à le néttoyer ! dismantled in four parts and uses budget-friendly disposable bags. You can

adjust fonctionnel the height of the quickly and adapt the machine to design ethandle élégant people of Lessuit qualités dealllasizes. Cyclone feront d’elle votre partenaire idéale : légère, maniable, puissante et d’une grande fiabilité. Elle est démontable en 4 parties et fonctionne avec des sacs jetables de faible coût. Le réglage de la Contact us for more information: hauteur de manche est rapide et s’adapte à toutes les www.repex.fr morphologies. +33(0)1 46 80 03 92

rendez-vous au salon domoteX 2015 La société REPEX sera présente comme exposant au salon DOMOTEX 2015. Pour plus d’information, contactez-nous : www.repex.fr et au +33(0)1 46 80 03 92

domoteX 2015 Hannover - Germany 17-20 January repeX : HaLL 8 - c07

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effective machine, which emits less dust (0.79mg/m³!) than current Cette performance est le résultat d’une conception machines portant connectedsur to an industrial vacuum cleaner. This perforinnovante l’optimisation de la captation à mance results from an innovative design based on the la source des poussières et de leur séparation enoptimisation deux of dust: suction at source and its separation in two phases: étapes - Dust particles bigger than 5 microns are separated in a cyclone - les poussières de taille supérieure à 5 microns sont and retained in a disposable plastic bag. This bag is replaced séparées dans un cyclone et retenue dans un sac without exposing people to dust particles. plastique jetable. L’opération de changement de sac - Dust particles smaller than 5 microns are absorbed into a dous’effectue sans accès de l’opérateur aux poussières. ble-walled filter bag with a capacity equivalent to one working - Lesday. poussières inférieures micros sontforévacuées dans The dust is channelled àin5this way both the comfort une poche filtrante à double paroi dont la contenance of the user and the cleanliness of the working area. Dust-free correspond à uneis journée de with travail. sandpapering synonymous greater productivity and

Special

Subfloors : part 3

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE THE ACOUSTICS OF FLOATING FLOORS? THE RIGHT SUBFLOOR FOR THE RIGHT FLOOR COVERING

Photo – Steico

A floor largely determines the acoustic comfort of a room. Acoustic comfort is all about (tackling) various sorts of noise. The right subfloor is crucial for restricting any sound pollution, certainly with floor applications (e.g. wood-engineered parquet, laminate, or LVT). It’s obvious that you can’t just use any type of subfloor for any type of floor covering. In this article we examine the various types of sound with floating floors and give a summary of the available subfloors.

Sorts of ‘problem sounds’ Everyone knows that walking or living on a floor, any type of floor for that matter, involves sound. This sound may be limited to normal and tolerable sound, but it can also be a serious nuisance. We will consider the types of sound in turn, not from a scientific point of view, but on the basis of daily experience of using floors. We received a nice summary from Sekisui Alveo, for which we are grateful. The first distinction to be made is between sound which is generated by walking on the floor in the room itself and the transit sound to the rooms below.

Reflection Sound Reflection sound reduction (RSR) or footstep sound reduction is particularly vital for laminate floor producers. The use of a good reflection sound reducing subfloor is of great added value to a laminate floor.

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In the past, people assumed that for reducing the sound of footsteps it was only the weight of the subfloor which was important, but in the meantime there have been plenty of examples of good, lighter subfloors on the market which prove the opposite. LVT floors score considerably better for reflection sound reduction than laminate floors, partly due to the material from which they are made, but also due to the fact that they are more flexible.

Creaking sounds Apart from the sound of footsteps, there are also obviously creaking sounds which can arise. These can be attributed mainly to the use of unstable subfloors. Such sound is usually caused by subfloors which are too thick and not compression resistant enough. The creaking sound (of the click joints) arises when the subfloor is subjected to excess pressure on the joints and there is a possible risk of breakage. This is one of the reasons why the EPLF has set out minimum requirements for laminate subfloors as regards compressive strength (CC), creep resistance (CC), and dynamic load strength (DL).

Impact noise insulation Another important sound is impact sound insulation. This is the sound which travels to the room below as a result of footsteps on the floor. In this case the subfloor is the decisive factor for floors with click systems. At present, most professionals in Europe work with dB values

expressed in ΔLw. Specifically for the Dutch market, professionals work with ΔLlin values, which, in most cases, are between 10 and 11dB lower than the same value expressed in ΔLw.

What about legislation? You might expect there to be specific legislation to improve acoustic comfort in public places and communal areas. There is no European legislation for floor projects. A representative from Sekisui Alveo spoke to us, ‘Usually, professionals operate on the basis of the national legislation with divisions into classes. A floor has to qualify for a certain class to be fitted in specific rooms (e.g. at home, in shops, or in offices). These classes express demands regarding durability, impact resistance with falling objects, etc.’

Specific regulations Furthermore, demands are also made of subfloors with floors with floating fitting, namely in France. Subfloors for commercial use are subjected to two specific pressure load tests and must fall within certain values in order to qualify. Furthermore, it is also true for wooden floors (e.g. laminate, parquet, etc) that the subfloor has to guarantee certain moisture-resistant properties. For the Netherlands housing corporations often demand in rent contracts that a subfloor has to be used which guarantees an impact sound reduction of 10dB ΔLlin. This isn’t really a standard, but it is an important sales argument for subfloors which do guarantee such a sound reduction. This concerns a specific test procedure built around an 8mm laminate floor with a subfloor and an extra weight of about 23kg/m³ in order to simulate Furniture in the room.

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Towards a quality guarantee The stampede of subfloor producers to develop this type of subfloor, even though they didn’t consider any other property, has, according to Sekisui Alveo meant that people have used subfloors which were far too unstable and thick and which resulted far too often and too quickly in damage to click systems and, therefore, complaints. In the meantime, there has been a certain shift to 10dB ΔLlin subfloors with a quality guarantee, even for the long term. However, there is still plenty of work to be done.

LVT – the outsider We can safely state that in most cases subfloors for laminate and wood-engineered parquet are interchangeable. What is certainly not possible is to use a laminate subfloor for click LVT, which consists entirely of PVC. Click LVT is a flexible floor and it requires a very stable subfloor which ensures that the joints are not pressed in too much when someone walks on the floor, and therefore that they cannot open or get broken. This is one of the most important reasons why the MMFA as a Group of European LVT floor producers have recently proposed a draft of minimum requirements which must be met for click LVT subfloors.

Stricter than laminate In contrast to laminate subfloors, requirements for LVT subfloors are obviously much higher. An example: for CS (compressive strength or short-term load) the MMFA has proposed a value of ≥ 200kPa with an impression of 0.5mm of the subfloor, whilst the minimum value for a laminate subfloor to this end is merely 10kPa. Most click LVT subfloors

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Floor Forum International 71

Special

Subfloors : part 3

on a roll are also extremely thin (max. 1.5mm) in combination with a very high compressive strength and stability.

Additional functions The main function of the subfloor with click LVT is to reduce impact sound, but the profession is increasingly looking for moisture resistance from below, reduction in crunching sounds from residual specks of dust, as well as protection for the durable levelling agent layer. These thin subfloors are most certainly not levelling agents. In most cases, levelling is the most advisable solution.

What’s on the market? Foxi et Graph International FOXIFIX® : GLUELESS FITTING and INSULATE YOUR FLOOR COVERINGS FOXIFIX® is an adhesive bottom layer for the floating fitting and insulation of floor coverings. FOXIFIX® has won two awards during construction trade fairs (‘Innovation’ in Rouen, 2014, and ‘Santé et BTP’ in Reims, 2013). FOXIFIX® makes adhesive superfluous: - No glueing time - No need to take care of the various adhesives, no VOC - Acoustic and thermal insulation - Suitable for floor heating and on chairs with wheels - Easy access to the technical planks - No tearing, no plastering - Easy recyclage of your floor coverings, so no waste deposited - Suitable for asbestos floors. Properties - Thickness: about 2.5mm - Weight not including film: about 200g - Compatible with polyamide tiles (class Bfl – s1)

Mac Lean Mac Lean has various subfloors which increase comfort and create the technical conditions for correct fitting in order to comply with legal regulations, building decrees, and various technical regulations. Improving the acoustics is a basic demand and a basic principle for Mac Lean subfloors. In 2013, the EPLF took some important measures for assessing the quality of subfloors. To improve the acoustics, they concentrate on the impact sound value (IS) and the reflected walking sound (RWS). Mac Lean sets the standard in this field with a number of products. Examples include Iso Silence, Isotac Gold 10dB, Selit-pro, and Selit-block. The same preconditions basically apply for multi-layer parquet as for laminate, in which parquet in and of itself is more stable and has less vulnerable click systems. For LVT Mac Lean has some special solutions with a pressure stability of more than 400kPa. Although LVT is a soft floor covering, you can achieve good results with a subfloor in the field of sound reduction towards the room below. More and more of the subfloors are being made from compression resistant extruded polystyrene foam. This material has good sound insulation as well as good levelling properties. It also protects the floor against wear and falling objects.

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Parkettfreund For Parkettfreund, too, the aim of a subfloor with floating fitting is to reduce the sound of footsteps and transit sounds. There are no technical regulations for laminate and parquet to this end. All 36 references in the Parkettfreund range improve acoustic comfort in the room. Depending on the range, the thickness and the material composition of these subfloors vary. The best products for this purpose are included in the Acoustic Series. These subfloors can be deployed for parquet and laminate and three of the subfloors are suitable for LVT due to their high-pressure stability. The materials used vary. We mention thermoplastic components (e.g. polyethylene), elastomers (e.g. polyurethane), natural products (e.g. wood fibres), granules, and mixed fibres (e.g. PU mixed minerals).

Sekisui Alveo Sekisui Alveo’s professional range includes subfloors which, due to the use of specific raw materials and production processes, ensure very high reflection sound reduction, linked immediately to high values for the long-term enjoyment of your laminate floor. These products are entirely customised and can be branded for colour, the printing of logos, and on the quality of the moisture barrier layer of film. Sekisui Alveo has its own recording room for reflection sound reduction so that it has built up a lot of know-how over the years. Sekisui Alveo subfloors for laminate and click LVT are high-quality polyolefin foams with guaranteed properties specifically geared to the application. For that purpose, Sekisui Alveo has its own laboratory where these specific properties are tested and safeguarded in accordance with European standards. Within Sekisui Alveo they produce both extruded (or unbranched or uncrossed) and cross-linked (or branched) polyolefin foams in three different European plants.

Steico If it is not possible to level out any unevenness, there is a risk of hollow spaces under laminate or floating parquet, and this can lead to acoustic problems. In the worst case scenario this can establish contact between laminate and concrete to create a real sound bridge. Steico subfloors can compensate up to 3mm. The compression strength has to be high to prevent damage to laminate and the click system through excessive impression of the subfloor. Steico presents three different products made from natural softboard: Steico Underfloor with an impact sound reduction of 19dB, Steico Underfloor Flex (new on a roll), which reduces sound by 20dB, and the Steico Silent + with a sound reduction of 22dB. These subfloors are suitable for laminate and parquet, but not for LVT. The products are made from natural, renewable wood, which originates from sustainably managed forests (FSC and PEFC).

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Trap Flooring (BE)

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TRAP FLOORING OPENS PRODUCTION UNIT IN HUNGARY TOP QUALITY WOOD W

W W A P. B E .T R

Last month, Trap Hardwood Industry (BE) opened a new production unit in Hungary. With this investment, the supplier of high end solid and engineered flooring in various wood types aims at boosting its international expansion. The new factory (4000m² production hall on a 20.000m² plot) trebles the production capacity.

Unique range of wood types NV Frans Trap was established over 70 years ago and is now led by Marc Trap, the third generation. For over 50 years, the company has been importing lumber and producing hardwood products in a unique range of wood types from all corners of the globe (the standard range comprises over 30 species!). The company has 3 sites in Belgium (two in Mechelen and one in Ciney in Wallonia) and specialises mainly in solid wooden worktops, mouldings, and flooring.

International growth In recent years, with its longstanding wood expertise and unique range, Trap has enjoyed ongoing international growth. Marc Trap comments, ‘The Belgian market still accounts for over 50% of our turnover, but we’ve noticed that there is still a lot of growth potential for our products abroad. We currently have clients all over Europe and in the Middle East, Turkey, Russia, and China, where f.i. our wide walnut, wenge and zebrano floors are very popular. High production costs in Belgium have however been putting pressure on our competitivity and, especially with front runners such as oak and walnut, we were not able to fully compensate this through automatisation or vertical integration (direct import of the sawn lumber at the source) . Therefore, after considering several options, my father Jean-Paul and I decided to move some of our operations to Hungary.’

Glued panels, parquet, and beams The new factory is located in Zala county in North-Western Hungary, 70km from the Austrian border and in a forestry region. Marc Trap

continues: ‘It’s a region with a good work ethic and a lot of wood expertise. We can get raw materials in neighbouring Slovenia and Croatia (for oak, walnut, maple, and ash) or in Rumania (oak, beech, and robinia). In October, we started to produce edge glued panels and our flooring production (including a double UV oiling line) will be fully operational early 2015. We will also produce customised mouldings and finger-jointed and glued beams in the Hungarian operation. Note: allthough this takes our production to a higher and more industrial level we will make sure to maintain our flexibility so that we can still meet customised client wishes and requirements (e.g. colour matching or patterns such as herringbone and chevron). Whereas we are aiming to increase our market share in volume items such as multi-layer oak planks (up to 30cm), we will also be able to deliver smaller series and specials within four to six weeks. Commission work, for instance in fingerjointing, glueing, and planing is already possible from 10m³.’

Belgium: distribution, storage, service, and special finishes

The operation in Belgium will furthermore focus on storage, logistics, service, and production of smaller batches or special finishes. Marc Trap concludes, ‘For flooring this will involve all sorts of customised surface treatments such as brushing, oiling, smoking, etc. Most of the products for exports will also be shipped from our main warehouse in Belgium where we will keep an important buffer stock. Shifting the bulk production to Hungary offers us the chance to fully built on the expertise which we have acquired over three generations and to continue to grow on our own strength as a niche producer. And so, we’ll continue to offer top quality flooring with “Made in Europe” label and with a good price/quality ratio.’ Visit us on Domotex Hannover (17 - 20/01) - hall 8 booth B10 Contact information : www.trap.be - info@trap.be - tel 0032 15 41 99 64

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Preview BAU Munich (DE)

TOP BUILDING SHOW IN MUNICH INSPIRES ARCHITECTS AND PROFESSIONALS The BAU building show takes place in Munich from 19 to 24 January. With 235,000 visitors expected, 17 halls big enough to cover 25 football pitches, and over 2,000 exhibitors, the show offers a unique platform and overview of the current state of play in the construction industry. There’s also plenty to discover at BAU for the parquet, laminate, vinyl, and wall sectors.

Design floors Anyone visiting BAU will certainly not be disappointed with the range of elastic floors, parquet, and laminate. BAU also promises a unique range of profiles and new fitting patterns. According to the organisers, they are once again moving towards sustainability and individual design opportunities for these floors. Ivo Schintz, president of the German elastic floor manufacturers trade association, comments: ‘Consumers greatly value a healthy environment and an interior finish based on sustainable production methods. You can see that our members/ manufacturers are adapting to this and linking quality to safety and modern design. More floors are now being made with sustainable and renewable raw materials.’

Focus on building with wood Timber frame building is advancing and has a great future. This will also be in evidence at BAU. For example, the show will refer to the Life Cycle Tower in Dornbirn (Austria) designed by Herman Kauffmann firm of architects. This is the first eight-storey block of flats with a wooden frame. It has become a combination of concrete composite support floors with wood on a frame of pillars in ‘glulam’ (glued laminated timber). At the moment, Canadian architect Michael Green is planning a block of flats in Vancouver with thirty storeys in accordance with the same principles. The show will give this considerable attention.

Parquet As regards wooden floors, BAU 2015 promises a comprehensive range of floors. Michael Schmid, president of the German parquet manufacturers’ association says: ‘Parquet in any room can adopt its own character and style as required thanks to an extensive and diverse range of parquet floors. That will also be quite clear to BAU visitors.’ Furthermore, visitors at BAU can also discover other wood-based building materials as well as new exterior wall claddings and finishing accessories.

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An overview of some active exhibitors Adesiv “Adesiv will be at the Bau Fair (Hall B6 stand 537) and on the occasion will introduce its new range of products based on silane technology, as this exhibition has greater opportunities in creating a meeting point with potential clients of the construction industry in comparison with Domotex Hannover. Its new product range called MS Silane Technology is a step towards the future for the company for which tradition represents its strength. There are low modulus sealants, waterproofing membranes and multi-purpose silane glues among its www.adesiv.it products.” WE WILL BE PRESENT AT

Bostik In 2014 Bostik has chosen to put its brand portfolio under 1 single brand: worldwide recognizable and a with consistent lay out. This means the brand Simson, Ardal and Bostik will be converted into the brand Bostik. Bostik presents the new identity to its customers at Bau 2015 in Munich. Next to the complete Construction range, you will get to know everything about the innovations for 2015. 0Particularly, this concerns new developments: Nibosan Easy (floor repair), Parfic Eco Plus (SMP parquet adhesive), Ardaflex Multi (SMP multi-purpose tile adhesive) and a lot more.

Baltic Wood Baltic Wood is an acknowledged European manufacturer of wooden floors. For more than 13 years in Poland it has been manufacturing products recognized by customers all over the world among the perfect ones. During the BAU Munich 2015 Trade Fair, at stand 415 in Hall A5 selected patterns from the latest Premium

collections will be presented: Sélection du Sommelier (solid floors), No Limits Collection (three-layer floors with a noble wood layer of 6.6 mm), Timeless Collection (hand-distressed three-layer floors) and The Miracles Collection (designer three-layer floors). Floors of 210 mm width and the so-called Concept MIX of lamellas will be premièred as well.

Buzon The Buzon pedestals are being used for creating raised access floors in outdoor areas. The most application fields are terraces, balconies, walkways at the beach, pool surroundings or marinas. They are adjustable in the height from 11 till 1120 mm. Our award winning and patented slope corrector system gives the possibility to compensate slopes from 0-5% and build zero leveled surfaces. Since 1987, Buzon Pedestal International has been Europe’s leading manufacturer of screw jack polypropylene pedestals. Visit us at BAU Muncih in Hall A4, booth 213.

Chêne de l’est This is what the Chêne de l’est stand will look like during BAU 2015

to the daily research and development DL Chemicals keeps on innovating. The Parabond range for example has been extended with two new adhesives: Parabond 500 and Parabond 800, each with their own specific characteristics. Moreover a new, universal parquet adhesive Parabond Parquet 200, with excellent characteristics for curing and adhesion was developed. With the new Paraphalt Flex Seal, DL Chemicals also keeps on innovating in the field of air- and water tightness. Visit us at Bau Munich Stand 120, Hall B6.

Egger Egger with great “perspectives” at the bau 2015 The motto of the trade fair expresses the best future outlook and new points of view for the complete supplier in the sector of wood-based materials. The EGGER Group is participating as an exhibitor at the BAU trade fair in Munich for the seventh time in January of 2015. On the more than 400 m2-large exhibition space 339 in Hall B5, trade fair innovations from the three corporate divisions Flooring, Wood Construction, and Furniture and Interior Design are presented in an entirely new environment. Those who come visit the EGGER fair booth between 19 and 24 January 2015 will find more than just mere product presentation. The innovative booth architecture

WE WILL BE PRESENT AT

French parquet floor manufacturer presents itself in a new form during Bau 2015 - Hall A5, Stand No. 518 Hambach/France – This is still a family business. The second generation is concentrating fully on solid wood and composite oak parquet with a very carefully tended finish. They do this with the following ranges: ‘Wooden floors, ‘Sawn Oak’, ‘Vieux de France’, ‘Loft’, and so on. They have some very demanding clients. They also present some special designs such as Hungarian point, herringbone, and Versailles. They make sure that only the most noble oak ends up under your feet. During BAU 2015, they will be introducing themselves via a new concept. Visit them and then they will unveil their new system for showrooms.

DL Chemicals DL Chemicals produces adhesives and sealants for the professional market for more than 75 years now. In this time an excellent knowhow was acquired. The extensive product range contains some well-known top products, such as the neutral silicone sealant Parasilico AM85-1 for glazing joints and the MS polymer adhesive Parabond 600 for almost all bonding and in particular for wall cladding panels. Thanks

www.adesiv.it

Floor Forum International 71

Preview BAU Munich (DE)

fastening of deck boards. The latest products are the Click Foot adjustable feet and the Euro Deck fastening system. These stand out in particular with their quick and easy installation. At BAU 2015, these and many other products will be not only exhibited but also installed for display purposes. So, come and visit EuroTec at Stand 500 in Hall B6!

Kährs Parkett

and the creative use of the entire range of wood-based materials from own production open new and interesting perspectives for visitors. These range from the first public presentation of the EGGER Laminate Flooring 2015-2017 collection through wood construction products and decor and texture trends for furniture and interior design all the way to services for fabricators.

The long-established Swedish company Kährs Parkett is introducing its new “Smaland” Collection on the BAU trade fair in Munich, which continues to meet the demand for extraordinary vintage designs. In contrast to earlier, the surfaces are no longer worked on individually by hand. Instead, the most modern robot technology is used, which produces the exact image of a hand-planed surface. All together, the new series has twelve one-strip oak floor which are 100% made in Sweden. Planed knots, brushing, and finely roughsawn areas as well as cracks and nail impressions give the floor a rustic look. Every plank is unique.

Inpa Parket INPA Parket (with its headquarters in the Netherlands) was formed more than 45 years ago and specialises in the import, export, and production of wooden floors. From its factory in Paraguay, South America, the company exports to over 20 countries worldwide. Apart from the South American wood sorts produced in their factory, they also offer a wide selection of European oak, to which they can apply all sorts of finishes at their own factory in the Netherlands. At the Bau Messe (building show) in Munich they are presenting their collection of European Oaks Black to White and Cotton Mill Range, and, of course their FSC certified exotics from South

Visit our booth A5

Hertog Vloeren is Holland’s specialist maker of aged and distressed oak wooden floors. Hertog aged wooden floors are absolute timeless products, suitable for both classic and modern interiors, and for both residential and commercial applications. Custom width, color, and design requests are encouraged. Hertog Vloeren fulfils the most specific and individual wishes of its customers.

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

Floor Forum international 71

WOCA

at DOMOTEX and BAU Visit us on our stand

X E T MO y

DO Janu2a0rth 2015 to 17th Hall 7 1 d C2 n a t S

WoodCare Denmark welcomes you to visit our stand where your WOCA Team look forward to showing you our brand new 2015 innovations. Domotex 2015 will be the worldwide launch of various new exciting WOCA product ranges, come along and be one of the first to see what we have to offer for 2015. Best regards WoodCare Denmark A/S

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

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5 J 201 h t 4 to 2 A5 h t 9 1 Hall 109 d Stan

Preview BAU Munich (DE)

America, in duo plank and end grain blocks. Their latest development is 3D wall panels with a unique look. Visit them at the Bau Messe, Stand 141, Hall A5.

Haro

FN Neuhofer Holz New HARO stand at BAU: naturalness, sustainability, variety At its new 500 m² stand HARO will once again demonstrate the wide variety and creativity of its flooring collections. These will be embedded in an emotionally charged environment created by different interior design worlds. HARO offers new formats, new surfaces, trendy colour patterns and an especially simple installation system The success achieved with the Gran Via series is set to be continued with the new presented Campus format. The redeveloped healthy living design floor series Disano and all others can also be discovered in Hall A5 stand 302.

La San Marco Profili

FN Neuhofer Holz with new stands at Domotex and Bau 2015 FN Neuhofer Holz will be unveiling its completely redecorated stands at Domotex and Bau. The stand at Domotex will welcome visitors on two copiously decorated levels (240m² of viewing space). The FN Innovation Centre is located in the middle of the stand and keeps fascinating product highlights away from public glare. The first floor houses several conference areas, each dedicated to a topic of interest. The FN presentation at the trade show Bau will be equally captivating due to its open, two-storey structure and modern bright design. The stands at both trade fairs are accessible only to invited guests or visitors presenting their business card.

The aim of La San Marco Profili, an Italian well-known skirting and outdoor flooring manufacturer, is to focus its production on a harmoniously combination of natural element, elegance and modern requests. Throughout past echoes, the company found inspiration for its new Old Style skirting line that easily

NEW

THE NARROWEST PROFILE SYSTEM WORLDWIDE WITH OPTIMAL EXPANSION JOINTS

PPS®-Champion Star · for floors from 4 – 9,5 mm · use of TORX-screws · based on the award-winning Champion-technology with sliding grooves

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Hall 7 · Stand A26

17.–20. Januar · Hannover

Hall A5 · Stand 125

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combined all these elements and for its outdoor flooring production that matches the natural wood element with very recent, ad hoc working processing and accessories for easy installation. La San Marco Profili will be present at Bau 2015 in Munich in collaboration with the compatriot Adesiv Company. Visit us at Hall B6 stand 537.

FAST

mFLOR

There is a clear trend towards larger sizes. Larger planks and tiles do give an even more natural look to every floor. This goes for designs as well. Designs nowadays need to be as realistic as possible. With all this in mind, mFLOR will early 2015 launch Fonteyn tiles and GRAND planks.… very impressive and ultimately natural. mFLOR Fonteyn The new mFLOR Fonteyn collection consist of large tiles, size 91 x 91 cm! Not only this tile size is very impressive, so are the designs and colours. When installed, this floor really gives the feeling of ‘old garage floors’, fully matching current and future trends. mFLOR GRAND Collections The new mFLOR GRAND collections consist of planks of an especially large size. The GRAND planks are no less than 200cm long and 20cm wide, allowing you to create an even more realistic appearance for your wood plank floor. Visit us at BAU in Hall A5, stand 408

MOSO Bamboo Products MOSO has developed an extra dark Brown variant (‘Chocolate’) for its two-layer and industrial parquet.

k... Easy, light and quic

in a click! MEGAMART is the new support for external raised flooring which can be used with all types of flooring without demolition thanks to its wide millimetrical adjustment. Installation speed. Innovative MEGAMART system allows to reduce time of laying always guaranteeing excellent results. Easy inspection without demolition. Raised flooring is laid directly on supports.

As the European market leader in the development of innovative and sustainable bamboo flooring for indoors and outdoors, MOSO presents during BAU 2015 several innovations in its flooring collections. First of all, the extremely durable and stable thermally modified decking boards “Bamboo X-treme” in the outdoor collection have been complemented with two broader versions of 150mm and even 178mm (!) width. Furthermore the Eternal collection (extra strong project floors) has been extended with an extra dark, deep brown version “Chocolate” for bamboo industrial flooring (Bamboo Industriale) and 2-layer parquet (Bamboo Supreme). In the same collection MOSO will present a new, extra

Perfect levelness of the final flooring thanks to the regulation nut and slope corrector which allow millimetric heights movements.

IMPERTEK Srl Via Po 507 30022 Ceggia | Venice | Italy Tel. +39 0421 322 525 Fax +39 0421 322 756 info@impertek.com w w w. i m p e r t e k . c o m

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Preview BAU Munich (DE)

large and brushed version of probably the most authentic bamboo floor ever produced: the MOSO Bamboo Forest. Finally in the Dynamic Collection (colourful & easy to install) a 5G LOC version has been added to the Topbamboo (engineered board) range for even quicker installation. To learn more about these and other innovations please visit the MOSO booth (HALL A5, stand 510). For more information please check out www.moso.eu

Osmo Osmo presents new products at the BAU 2015 New products for the coming year will be presented by Osmo at BAU 2015 in Munich. At the world’s leading fair for architecture, materials and systems will also be included in the focus of the presentation along with new products and new colour tones for the field of natural wood finishes and garden wood. The company presents among other things also the current SCHÖNER WOHNEN-COLLECTION. You can find the Osmo fair stand in Hall B5, stand 139. We look forward to seeing you there.

the Parkettfreund team will proudly present its newly-collected underlay assortment now consisting of 37 products. This very recently extended program is one of the most extensive ranges of underlays and therefore is able to offer solutions to almost all requirements. Besides, also the proven product groups of profile systems will be added by several new profile developments and displayed together with tried and tested repair products, tools and other accessories on the Parkettfreund booth, which will appear in a completely new and modern look. Visit us on BAU Hall A5, stand 125 and/or Domotex Hall 7, A26 and convince yourself!

Pallmann The fast route to success with Pallmann Turbo

Pallmann machines can be tested at the Pallmann stand. Innovative and proven coating systems for wood floor, “state of the art” wood floor sanding equipment and intelligent resources for wood floor installers – at the trade show BAU in Munich from the 19th to the 24th January 2015 the Pallmann brand will present a range of “routes” to help the professional wood floor contractor reach their objectives in an increasingly busy work day. The focus of the presentation will be on the fast route to the destination with the Pallmann Turbo System. With coordinated products, from adhesive to lacquer the Turbo System allows fast wood floor installation and protection. Visitors will find the PALLMANN stand together with the brands of Uzin Utz AG in Hall A6, stand 502 and 503.

Progress Profiles

Parkettfreund

Also in 2015, Parkettfreund will take part in the well-attended fairs Domotex in Hannover as well as Bau in Munich. During both shows,

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Progress Profiles, Italian leader maker of technical and decorative finishing profiles, has increased its national and international business also during this 2014. Progress Profiles, in fact, produces more than 12.500 different items, in stainless steel, aluminum, brass, PVC and real wood and can offer excellent solutions to satisfy the most exigent clients. Like the PRODESO HEAT, a special system to install a warm and comforting floor, that will be presented in Munich at the Bau fair. The electric heating cable can be installed in the grooves of a special membrane just where heat is desired and recommended. PRODESO HEAT is the perfect solution for remodeling projects where the new floor needs to transition over an existing

surface and allows you to have the comfort of under floor electrical radiant heating without the unnecessary added time and cost of previously used systems. Visit us at Hall A4, Booth 521.

Rubio Monocoat This is the first time that Rubio Monocoat will be taking part in BAU 2015. During this fair, we will introduce the creative quality of our oils to a new public. One of the main advantages of our oil range is that we offer no fewer than 40 attractive colours that can be mixed together. These products also offer other huge benefits - they are applicable in a single layer, require very little maintenance and can be used for spot repairs. During the fair the focus will be on the unique and innovative range of oils. We look forward to seeing you in Hall A1, booth 330C !

Select Wood High Quality Flooring SelectWood, established in 1996, is a Dutch hardwood flooring company that provides high quality bespoke hardwood flooring, to distributors, wholesalers and retailers. Specializing in naturally achieved colours and supplying turnkey

flooring project services worldwide. • Solid and engineered flooring up to 400 mm wide and 4000 mm long • Authentic aged flooring • Versailles panels, Herringbone and Chevron • Worldwide sales • FSC- and PEFC-certified Visit us at Hall A5 Booth 141.

Silvadec Silvadec revolutionize the cladding market with the 1st WPC louver boardpresented booth 219, Hall 5B. Esthetical, technical and ecologicalsolution, the new louver board adapts to both public and private buildings. This new profil, caped in polyethylene, ensure a stable colour, permanent and homogeneous, with easy maintenance. Available with several fastening systems

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

SPECIALIZED IN NATURALLY ACHIEVED COLOURS

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

aSolid and engineered flooring up to 400 mm wide and 4000 mm long aAuthentic aged flooring aVersailles panels, Herringbone and Chevron aWorldwide sales aFSC- and PEFC-certified

The Netherlands, +31 (0)512 - 36 98 10 info@selectwood.nl • www.selectwood.nl

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Preview BAU Munich (DE)

(horizontal or vertical installation with possible different joint gaps). 5 boards and accessories colours.

Naturally ecological, naturally innovative, naturally attractive – this way wineo® will present two product highlights at the BAU 2015 in Munich. PURLINE organic flooring, the first organic polyurethane flooring worldwide, that combines sustainability, design and economy and enables 30 % cost savings in maintenance. The second highlight will be the new collection “Design flooring wineo® 600” for gluing and clicking in a new quality with 0,4 mm wear layer, 32 trend designs with authentic surface and registered embossed. BAU 2015, Munich - Hall A5, Stand-No. 330

WOCA

Vetedy Group Vetedy Group is specialised into the manufacture and distribution of wooden decking, cladding, interior/exterior walls and ceilings. The company has grown at an incredible rate and is nowadays implanted in Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Belgium, Indonesia and Cameroun. With its 25 years of experience, Vetedy is able to offer a high quality product and thus without maintenance for its patent system with invisible fixation for Softline® wooden decking. After 5 years of research and development in order to find the best profile and the adequate composite material to support all the movements of the wood, the Softline® finally borns. The system becomes a reliable product to the nearest millimeter and perfectly durable due to its resistance to all temperature and humidity variations of the planet, from north to south, west to east. 10 years later, it is Techniclic®’s turn, a system with invisible fixations for cladding coverings, to enter the market. After only 3 years, Techniclic® has already conquered the heart of a big majority of Belgian and international architects, due the perfect finishings and contemporary character offered by system. Equipped with its revolutionary and very attractive systems, Vetedy is nowadays a very coveted company from each side of the world and thus, thanks to its 150 official distributors and realisations around the world like Bali, Dubaï, Moscow, … without forgetting Europe, it’s core market. Visit us in Hall B5, stand 340!

WoodCare Denmark will once again be attending both Bau Munich (Hall A5, stand C21) and Domotex Hannover (Hall 7, stand C21) . The dedicated and passionate team of wood care experts is looking forward to displaying the company’s latest developments within finishing and maintenance of all kinds of wood floors. A complete range of environmentally friendly products based on more than 40 years of accumulated technical expertise. WoodCare Denmark is consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation and as a result, the WOCA team is thrilled to announce new exciting color combinations for wood floors at both fairs.

www.silvadec.com

EUROPEAN LEADER FOR COMPOSITE WOOD

10-31-2220 This company has a certified chain of custody pefc-france.org

Windmöller Flooring Products on BAU 2015: „naturally wineo®“

SILVADEC IS HALL B5 BOOTH 219 –

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T EXHIBITING A

BOOTH D29 –

HALL 8

Special

Trends in bamboo floors

BAMBOO AT ITS BEST DECORATIVE CHOICES ARE ENDLESS

Photo – Bamboo Touch

We’re not going to spend any more time on the fitting choices for bamboo floors. We know by now that they’re the same as those for parquet and wood-related floors. In this article we’re mainly going to consider ‘ beauty’. What are the decorative trumps of bamboo and what can we use it for? The answer is along the same lines. The visual trends are also comparable to those of parquet. There are colours in abundance and endless fitting patterns and finishes. Asia is blowing over to Europe, but she’s also bringing some of Africa with her.

An ancient world citizen Bamboo is one of those extremely rare plants which have managed to survive all catastrophes on this planet. Bamboo is therefore one of the

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oldest sorts of plant on earth with a supposed generic age of over 150 million years. There are about 1300 bamboo sorts worldwide. The natural spread is found mainly in subtropical and tropical parts of the earth. Most sorts are found in South-East Asia, but the plant is also found in Africa, Australia, and South America. North America has two indigenous sorts. Some natural scientists believe that Europe once had natural bamboo vegetation, but it did not survive the successive ice ages.

Wood for the ‘poor’ In genuine bamboo countries bamboo has been an important raw material in the history of mankind for producing household items, weapons, musical instruments, furniture, and even houses and bridges. Since the countries with an abundance of bamboo tend to

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Special

Trends in bamboo floors

be poor countries, some people speak rather scornfully of ‘timber for poor souls’. Since bamboo is widely available in those countries and, moreover, it grows again rapidly, the supply is so great that it has certainly become extremely cheap.

Bamboo for construction The biggest supply of bamboo on this planet can be found in China. The supply includes the ‘Phyllostachys pubescens’, a bamboo sort which can easily grow up to 30 metres high, but which is mainly ideal for decorative applications such as furniture and floors. This sort has been used as an alternative to wood since way back. This ‘giant bamboo’ grows in ancient forests, but is also ‘cultivated’ in managed plantations. Bamboo is a type of grass which grows rapidly. This rapid growth means it is possible to cut about one third of all bamboo trunks without reducing the volume of forest to any great degree. The trunks form the basis for producing panels which are then processed in different ways to become building products or, preferably, interior products.

Caramel versus natural The difference between natural (light) and caramel (creamy to brown) is found in most collections of the various suppliers/manufacturers. However, side pressed and plain pressed (or ‘horizontal’ and ‘vertical’) are also found as well. Apart from the ranges of colour which are already there with caramel and natural, there is a vast range of colours for bamboo floors. Bamboo Colour has made its entrance and the possibilities are endless. The scale ranges from playful and youthful colours to the imitation of darker wood sorts such as wenge and panga panga.

The production determines the ‘look’.

Distressed (brushed)

Promised! Shortly, we’ll consider ‘trends’ in the look of bamboo floors. However, the way in which original panels are produced from the trunk has a direct influence on the look of bamboo. And so, let us say something else briefly.

Is it any wonder? It was only to be expected that distressed models would make their mark. Here, too, this is growing quickly into a trend. Not only the extremely dark designs (smoked effects), but also mechanical operations such as brushing, hand-scraped, and such like are making their entrance.

The colour of bamboo In the first phase of production, the bamboo trunk is sawn into strips lengthwise. The exterior green bark of the strips is removed using a special planning machine. The strips have to dry out and then they are planed again. Eventually, these strips can be glued into a panel in various ways. Before the strips dry out, they can be specially treated to burn any sugars present and kill micro-organisms. During this treatment process, the strips are boiled in a bath for a few hours. In many cases a small quantity of water peroxide is added to stimulate the process. During this phase, the difference comes out between ‘natural’ (extremely light) and ‘caramel’ (light brown), and this can still be found in floor producer collections.

The basic pattern Glueing the strips together into panels is the second major phase in the production process. After all, the way in which the strips are glued has a direct effect on the look of the panels and therefore (later) on the look of the floor or other items (e.g. furniture, worktops, or staircase steps) made from those panels. There are two methods for glueing the strips. The first method is to press the strips together next to each other and glue them under high pressure. The result is a panel or a plank which visibly displays the typical bamboo joints. The panels which are created in this way are called ‘plain pressed’. The second method is to press the strips sideways so that we get a finer structure with fewer visible bamboo joints. Panels which are pressed sideways are called ‘side pressed’.

Trends in bamboo We enquired about trends in the world of bamboo , particularly trends in bamboo flooring. Here, too, it seems that existing trends on the parquet and wooden flooring markets (and the laminate market for that matter) are also perceptible in bamboo. See for yourself.

The love of oak We know that bamboo is not a wood sort. However, the look of bamboo can sometimes look very similar to that of a wooden floor. We have explained above how ‘side pressed’ bamboo has a fine structure with

very few joints. The similarity to oak is striking and even a little misleading for those who are not connoisseurs. The ‘natural’ version yields the look of sandpapered and untreated oak, and also in the ‘caramel’ version there is a similarity to coloured oak (a little darker). With some trademarks this design is an entry-level model, but it is also extremely popular for its decorative look.

Floor Forum international 71

Real Touch There is a minor link between what we have said above about distressed models and the emergence of real touch designs. Bamboo no longer has solely smooth finishes, but also finishes where the pattern of the decor can really be felt.

Industry In previous editions we’ve explained at length that various fitting patterns from the world of parquet have been adopted into the world of bamboo floors. One of the often recurring and extremely popular designs is that of the so called end grain blocks or industrial parquet. Various suppliers offer these playful designs of bamboo in caramel, natural, and darker and varied colours.

Design as regards colour What is certainly very noticeable in the range of colours are the shades (white, grey, or black) which are emerging everywhere in the interior. Whether we are talking about modern or classic interiors, these shades are generally doing very well and they are also appearing in bamboo collections.

What’s on the market? Lalegno In this age of ecological building, bamboo has become a major player in the world of wooden floors. After all, it is an incredibly durable, versatile, sturdy, and affordable type of flooring. Bamboo has developed into the top ecological choice for lots of people who choose consciously to build or renovate ecologically and with an eye to the future. And so, our bamboo floors are becoming increasingly popular, partly because our finishes strive for a natural aspect and partly because we also lightly carbonate our bamboo parquet floors. In fact, we try to give our bamboo floors the light tints which you see in oak wood. A major strong point typical of our bamboo floors is the dimensioning. Since Lalegno guarantees stable parquet, we’ve chosen here, too, for a three-layer construction whereby we can offer bamboo floors with a length of

Discover the Future of Floor & Wall solutions

EFWEX

European Floor & Wall Exhibition 13/15.03.2016 - FLANDERS EXPO GHENT (B)

13/15.03.2016 FLANDERS EXPO - GHENT (B) WWW.EFWEX.BE

Special

Trends in bamboo floors

disappointed clients. Products which are coloured all over are an important decorative trend. These products are exceptionally strong and easy to maintain. Bamboo Touch presents solid wood floors, multi-layer in 100% bamboo and, from 2015, LVT. One important aspect of bamboo is the low ecological footprint. It is a sustainable and natural product, which consumes little energy for the processing and the transport (by boat). An important innovation at Bamboo Touch is the Bamwood with a hardness of 8.65 on the Brinell scale. Over 95% of floors at Bamboo Touch are completely finished and ready for fitting.

MOSO International

2200mm and width of 189mm! Since Lalegno bamboo floors don’t have a bevelled edge, you also get the impression that the parquet runs over the entire room. It is mainly the vertically pressed bamboo floors which are extremely popular at present. The slender lined pattern of these floors looks very trendy. The design look of the 15V BAMBOO LANCERO and the 15V BAMBOO MALECON and the light colour tints given to the lightly carbonated fibres certainly appeals to the public.

Bamboo Touch

Bamboo Touch has noticed that there is still a big interest in bamboo, even though some suppliers have damaged its reputation due to their lack of knowledge. Poor quality bamboo brings nothing but

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World leading in bamboo MOSO International (40fte, turnover 20 mio) is the European market leader in the development of innovative and sustainable bamboo products for indoors and outdoors. In Belgium, MOSO is represented by agency Dalec (www.dalec.be). Although we see more and more inferior bamboo flooring products entering the market, we still see a growing demand for a certified and guaranteed bamboo quality product. Besides quality and looks we also note sustainability becoming an increasingly important criterion for clients. MOSO is the only provider in the market that can guarantee that its bamboo products are CO2 neutral over the full life cycle (LCA research by Delft University of Technology), and can provide these with FSC certification and 100% formaldehyde free glues, which yield additional credits in LEED and BREEAM, the most important sustainable building eco-labels worldwide. Furthermore, the hardness and durability of the latest generation of bamboo floors based on extra compressed fibres, known by the Density brand name (density 1050kg/m³), are often a decisive argument. Apart from the extreme hardness (1.5 times as hard as the hardest tropical wood sorts), people also greatly appreciate the hardwood look of this product. Finally we see a trend towards bamboo floors with special colours and finishes, such as the stained and brushed versions. Also the extra dark bamboo colour “Chocolate”, achieved through a thermal treatment process, is appreciated by many customers - available in both industrial flooring as well as 2-layer parquet. For more information please refer to www.moso.eu

The High Density floor of MOSO

Special

Installing vinyl, LVT and PVC floors

FITTING FLEXIBLE FLOOR COVERINGS FOR FLOOR FITTERS WHO WANT MORE

Photo – mFLOR

You can’t specialise in everything. That much is for sure. Fitting the ‘ born again’ flexible floor coverings in vinyl, linoleum, or PVC is undoubtedly different to fitting parquet or wooden floors. Yet we are seeing a blurring of the borders between the specialist trades. This is only logical because the greater the range offered by one trader, the greater the chance of that trader obtaining more assignments from the same client. For fitting flexible floor coverings there are several special points for attention. We summarise them just for the record because training can certainly be useful for effective fitting.

Points for attention for flexible floors In various editions of this magazine we have considered at length the fitting elements for flexible floor coverings which differ considerably from those of parquet. From the preparation of the substrate to the necessary finishing accessories, there are specific products and rules for these types of floor covering.

Levelling Levelling agents for a parquet floor need to have great compressive strength. This can also sometimes be necessary with LVT or a PVC floor if the floor has to be fitted, for example, in a hospital (to cope with heavy hospital beds and such like). In other cases a levelling agent with less compressive strength will suffice, so that means a different type of leveller. What do you have to look out for? Firstly, you need to take account of the subfloor. For anhydrite floors, for example, there are special anhydrite levelling agents available, whilst there are standard cement-bound levellers for cement covering floors. Then, you need to consider what layer thickness is necessary for levelling (in order to remove all unevenness from the substrate). There are levelling agents in various layer thicknesses. Finally, the end floor (e.g. carpet, PVC, or parquet) also plays a part. Depending on the end floor, there are various levelling agents available with various compressive strengths (C25-C30 etc.) and bending tensile strengths (F6-F7 etc). Before you apply a leveller, it is usually necessary to apply a primer, as

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Special

Installing vinyl, LVT and PVC floors

Photo – mFLOR

is the case with parquet, in order to bind the substance and raise the absorbent effect of the subfloor.

Subfloor Subfloors which are designed for laminate or floating (multi-layer) parquet have to meet different requirements to those of flexible subfloors such as vinyl, PVC, linoleum, or textile, at least as far as levelling capacity is concerned. It’s all about the density of these floors. We’ve often said that a perfectly smooth subfloor is necessary for an attractive and durable end result. After all, any unevenness or differences in level always show up in the end floor. The extent to which this happens depends on factors such as the hardness or density of the floor. Slight unevenness in the screed will not usually show through laminate or parquet, so a flexible subfloor may suffice, with or without an integrated moisture barrier. However, with flexible floor coverings, any slight unevenness has to be eliminated by a harder subfloor.

Profiles

Adhesive

Now that we know where the (minor) differences lie in accessories for fitting these floor coverings, we need to consider the fitting itself. This differs fundamentally from fitting parquet. There are specific fitting requirements and conditions for all the sorts of floors. When we consider tiles and planks in vinyl, PVC, or linoleum, these are fitted in a similar manner to laminate, certainly when it comes to click LVT and such like. When it comes to glueing cork, wall-to-wall carpet, vinyl, linoleum, or PVC, that’s a completely different matter. When we browse through various professional training courses (at secondary school level) or vocational training courses, we find a vast range of training courses for flexible floor coverings. Some (technical) training courses even last for two years. Apart from that, there are scores of training courses organised by government or semi-government institutions for specialisation in areas such as fitting these floors. We consulted manufacturers/suppliers about the opportunity for parquet floor fitters to familiarise themselves with these techniques.

Not all adhesives are suitable for all flexible floor coverings. For example, contact adhesive applied on two sides is used for cork. The adhesive bond is created initially by spreading the substrates (surfaces) with glue. Once the solvents have evaporated, an adhesive film is created which is almost dry. Applying pressure on the contact surfaces for a brief period brings about an adhesive bonding. The materials bond immediately once they are joined, so that it is no longer possible for them to slide. Emulsion adhesives are ideal for flexible floor coverings such as vinyl and linoleum. Some PU adhesives are also suitable. These floors have a more slippery and closed structure than wood, which has open pores. This means that it is difficult for them to absorb any water in the adhesive, so a semi-dry or virtually dry glueing is needed. Moreover, these materials swell and shrink a lot less than wood, so this means different requirements in terms of elasticity. The adhesive and subfloors come under much lesser pressure (fewer sideways pulling

forces) than with wooden floors. Nevertheless, the adhesive has to be strong enough to form a durable bond. That’s why some producers add reinforcement fibres to the emulsion.

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Combinations of hard floor coverings with other hard floor coverings (e.g. parquet and laminate) or of hard floor coverings with flexible floor coverings (e.g. parquet with linoleum, textile, or vinyl) are very common. This makes it possible, for example, to have a parquet floor in the living room running into a vinyl floor with the same look in the kitchen. In this case, ‘running into’ is a descriptive term as one material runs into another. The market has a ‘wealth’ of profiles for those possible thresholds. These profiles are usually designed in such a way that they can be used for the various floor sorts, for various thicknesses within the same floor sort, or for a combination of different types of floor.

Then there was training

Training within the industry Bamboo Touch

Since LVT floors are usually not very thick, the substrate has to be completely flat before the floor is fitted. Bamboo Touch believes that the preparation of the substrate is the first and most difficult task in fitting these floors. At all events, the fitter needs fewer tools to fit these floors than to fit parquet, for instance. A good cutter helps a lot. At Bamboo Touch they have a thin floor of 2.5mm, which is fitted fully glued, and a thicker floor of 5.5mm with a click system for floating fitting. Acrylic adhesives are recommended for glueing these floors.

Parcolys Flooring Parcolys Flooring believes it is quite simple to fit their 100% indelible floor (Aquastep). Aquastep is just as easy to fit as laminate, and that makes it much easier than vinyl or linoleum. The stiffness of the product is one of the main reasons for this. The fact is that, in contrast to other vinyl products, Parcolys has a hard plank (not a flexible and/ or moveable plank) with no softeners, something which is also a health benefit. This also makes it easy to absorb a considerable amount of unevenness in the floor, whereas one of the problems of vinyl or linoleum is precisely that they reflect the subfloor exactly. Vinyl and linoleum highlight and maximise the slightest unevenness in the base floor. The click system is also a benefit. The tensile strength of the click is up to six times greater than that of a vinyl floor, if the latter has a click system. Aquastep has a click system, which doesn’t sag during the fitting. All this means that no training is necessary. Anyone who can fit a laminate or vinyl floor is also capable of fitting an Aquastep floor. Aquastep can be fitted the day after the screed is constructed in a new building, and it doesn’t need a moisture barrier. A softer rubber strip is also incorporated into the click system to ensure a perfect and more convenient partition between the planks.

Tarkett Tarkett Belux is part of the global Tarkett group, which offers a full range of quality floor coverings in over 100 countries. Worldwide, Tarkett has a complete range of products, which includes PVC floors for projects (homogeneous and heterogeneous), linoleum, laminate and

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wooden floors for in care and old people’s homes, child care centres, schools, hospitals, shops, and traditional and council housing construction. Tarkett guarantees a top price/quality ratio, durable quality, and a timeless style in combination with a good quality service and a passionate care for the environment. Tarkett doesn’t offer its clients isolated products, but a complete solution, namely Intelligent Flooring Solutions. Choosing Intelligent Flooring Solutions from Tarkett means opting for well considered and sustainable choice. Moreover, Tarkett was also the first to win a Cradle-to-Cradle Gold Award for the ‘100% pure linen’ Linoleum product, a unique event in the flooring world. Tarkett has its own Tarket Academy for fitting vinyl and other specialist floors.

Yepp /mFLOR Belgium

An important extra element for fitting vinyl floors is the art of being able to apply levelling agents. This is an important aspect, yet for many levelling is still a great unknown. To assist professionals at this point, YEPP, together with the firm UNIPRO, has planned several helpful training sessions. These sessions will take place at various locations around the country and will also be repeated at different times. Furthermore, the trademark Quick-Step® has also taken steps here, especially with the fitting academy, where these themes are also considered. Fitting these floors, unlike fitting parquet, does not require any expensive tools. All you need is a sharp cutting knife and, in order to level quickly and easily, a tray, measuring jug, mixer, and spiked roller! Both glued and floating fitting are very popular on the Belgian market. Glued fitting is usually applied for bigger projects and by professionals who are familiar with levelling.

Floor Forum International 71

Special

Laminate floors : part 3

LAMINATE IN DAMP ROOMS A STICKING POINT, BUT CHANGE IS ON THE WAY

Photo – Quick-Step®

Some big and major producers still reject laminate as a floor covering for damp rooms, whilst others offer some solutions. Obviously, the question is: What are ‘ damp rooms’? Is the kitchen a damp room? Yes, to some extent, as regards cleaning. And the bathroom? That’s obviously damp. For many producers the bathroom is too damp, but here, too, some producers do offer a solution. Yet there are always a few ‘question marks’ hanging over those solutions.

Dealing with damp Floors come into contact with all sorts of damp inside a building. They come into contact with air humidity, as do all other building materials. Experience has taught us either to make materials waterproof or to use

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our technical knowledge to limit the effects of damp. Actually, the same applies to residual building moisture, the damp which still resides in the materials once the building is complete. As regards floors, the biggest threat is the residual moisture in the screed. The permissible residual moisture percentage varies, depending on the type of floor. In the case of wood the permissible residual moisture percentage is the lowest of all materials. Here, too, we’ve learnt to take this into account by means of fitting regulations (e.g. expansion joints) or additional protective measures (e.g. moisture barriers).

Accidental and household damp One source of damp which we don’t consider too often in this magazine is accidental damp or damp which arises through the use of the

home. Nevertheless, this is an important source of damp and, in fact, it is the sort of damp in question here. As we have already said, most sources of damp have already been ‘foiled’ during the building and installation phase. We use dehumidifiers, wait, if necessary, before doing the fittings, fit moisture barriers, take account of expansion, and such like. Obviously, those materials are not a match for the damp which arises from household use. We know that ceramic tiles, natural stone, marble, various cast floors, and PVC floors can withstand that damp perfectly. Wood is a completely different matter. In this edition we mainly want to check whether or not it is possible to make laminate, which is generally considered to be ‘suspect against damp’, resistant to this sort of damp and, therefore, whether or not it can be fitted in the bathroom.

to high pressure and high temperatures in one single process. The High Pressure Block not only has a greater density than most other laminate floors, but also offers very high dimensional stability and is highly resistant to damp, impact, fire, and pressure. These floors are 100% waterproof and can be fitted in kitchens, bathrooms, or wellness rooms. The indelibility of these floors has been proved by several tests and in accordance with various standards. A strong sample: A Flint HI-FLOOR can be immersed in water of 100°C for two hours without losing its properties. Apart from all these exceptional properties, the Flint laminate floor can be fitted in the same easy manner as any other laminate floor (L2C click system). The normal products are used to maintain the floor.

Laminate in damp rooms This brings us back to our original question: What are damp rooms? In the days when kitchens were all fitted with tile floors, it was fashionable to scrub the floor using plenty of water. Laminate has a surface structure which can be cleaned perfectly well in a much simpler and much less drastic fashion. Dusting, vacuum cleaning, and light mopping every now and then are sufficient. There’s absolutely no need to use excess water to achieve the goal of a hygienic floor. Nevertheless, even for the kitchen, some producers laud laminate designs which are somewhat more waterproof. Some producers present laminate floors which are so waterproof that they are even suitable for use in the bathroom. They do this by means of adapted materials (for the base), the watertightness of the coating, an extra coating, or by completely sealing the floorboard joints (click systems).

The indelible base

Quick-Step®

Just about all laminate floors have an HDF base. HDF tends to absorb water and thereby to swell. And so, some laminate manufacturers use specially treated HDF, which is thereby more waterproof. Nevertheless, we usually see that such indelible panels still require additional protection for the joints.

Quick-Step® makes it possible to fit laminate in damp rooms since the joint is pressed into the floor and there is also a Hydroseal waterproof coating. The new series of Quick-Step® laminate floors Impressive and Impressive Ultra can be fitted in bathrooms with no problem at all. However, QuickStep® does advise its clients not to fit these floors in shower cabins. Quick-Step® laminate is up to 10 times more scratch-resistant thanks to the protective Scratch Guard top layer. A laminate floor is really easy to clean and, moreover, easy to install thanks to the Uniclic click system. Thanks to this technology, the floor can run perfectly well from the bathroom into the corridor and into the other rooms: an attractive wood look, just like a parquet floor, but with the benefits of a waterproof laminate floor. The top sales arguments which Quick-Step® uses are the Uniclic click system, Scratch Guard protective layer, laminate is extremely true to nature (register embossing, natural joint, and its own designs) and now also waterproof with the new Impressive and Impressive Ultra collections.

Sealed joints ‘Indelible’ does not mean that the base is 100% waterproof. There are systems for making laminate floors more waterproof where a watertight seal is fitted to the joints (connections between the floorboards). With some floors the edges are protected from moisture or the click system is made completely waterproof. Others make the floor waterproof by applying a rubber strip to the joint system.

Sealant coating Some producers promote a system which seals the joints after the fitting by means of a waterproof treatment/coating/wax. This measure is usually combined with the two measures which we have already mentioned above. Conclusion The question of how well laminate can cope with damp is very much a current issue. Researchers are working on it and producers are promoting possible solutions. Nevertheless, we still have to be careful.

What’s on the market? Flint Flint HI-FLOOR floors deploy HPB technology: A panel of cellulose fibres impregnated with temperature-resistant resins and exposed

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∂ Industry news DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR wood flooring exhibitors’ booking record 4 months prior to the show

It will require four dedicated halls to house just the wood and laminate exhibitions at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR’s 17th annual flooring show March 24-26, 2015 in Shanghai. The current number of international brands booked for this specific product category has already reached the final 2014 brands’ registration number 4 months before the next show opening. The international wood flooring brands increased by 50% compared to the same period last year. For the whole wood and laminate flooring sector, including international and domestic exhibitors, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR organizers have already received a record of booths’ booking which forecasts an increase of companies’ participation in this particular section, confirming the leading position of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR as the biggest wood and laminate flooring exhibition in the world. Among the international wood and laminate flooring exhibitors are Kronoswiss, Kronotex, Lamett, Beaulieu, Ter Hürne, Parla, Stile, Egger, Berry Alloc, Witex, Floover, Tilo, BKB and SE Timber Floors while some of Asia’s more well-known domestic exhibitors include Nature, Sunyard, Yihua, Boer, Jinqiao, Teclic, and Huaming will showcase their latest floorings as well. Total exhibition space, including all flooring products categories, is already 81% sold. Last year the full flooring show hosted nearly 1200 exhibitors from across the industry with about 22% representing international companies from outside of China. In all, the 2015 show will encompass 12 halls covering 140,000 square meters of exhibit space. Online registration for the 17th annual DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR is open now at www.domotexasiachinafloor.com for visitors.

in homes and commercial spaces all around the world. Originally founded and still run by Shaun Rowbotham, the company is extremely proud of its achievements over the last 30 years and has developed an agile approach to innovation and the development of new colours and finishes; the company strives to be the best in its field whilst remaining true to the heritage of the Hertog brand. Professionally respected, the company is both FSC® and industry-‐accredited and enjoys strong relationships with architects, designers and contractors in over 25 countries around the world. Working from a 26,000 m2 manufacturing facility, Hertog employs the most talented people and uses stringent quality measurements to deliver beautiful, inspirational floors. In solid plank or engineered, from wide-‐and-‐long, Herringbone, Hungarian Point and Versailles panels, the possibilities are endless. Hertog has always set out to differentiate through design and innovation, but equally important is the desire to meet customers’ expectations by offering expert advice and first-‐class service.

The entire service range at the Wintersteiger in-house show Ried i. I./ For the 5th time, Wintersteiger has held its in-house trade show – the “Thin-cutting & Repair Days” – at the company headquarters in Ried from October 6th to 10th.

Hertog Vloeren

Dutch manufacturer Hertog Vloeren BV is delighted to announce the launch of its new website at www.hertogvloeren.com The English version is first to go live, with Dutch and German languages to follow in the coming weeks. Founder and CEO Shaun Rowbotham: “Following the successful introduction of new products over the last year, we are aware that we were falling behind in our digital marketing. Our new site includes these floors and also brings The Hertog Story up to date. It has been designed as a resource for both the design professional and our partners around the world, showcasing the skills and expertise of our skilled and enthusiastic floormakers”. The Company Hertog Vloeren is the renowned, design-‐led wood floor manufacturer based close to the beautiful Roman city of Maastricht in The Netherlands. One of the very first manufacturers to specialise in the production of authentic aged oak flooring, Hertog floors can be found

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One of the main attractions was the new TRC Easy Plus, the perfect machine for entry into the fully automatic timber repair process. The TRC Easy Plus scans the timber for damaged areas and injects the filling automatically. The machine is available in several variations that cover all medium-capacity requirements. Wintersteiger develops tailor-made solutions. As an answer to the need for increased efficiency, the manufacturer of specialized machines presented both a DSB Singlehead 310 thin-cutting band saw and a TRC Easy Plus featuring automation solutions. It all started with thin-cutting technology and today Wintersteiger can look back on 40 years of experience with thin-cutting technology ‒ there are already more than 2000 WINTERSTEIGER thin-cutting frame saws in use around the world. Customer-specific machines fascinated the visitors: The DSB Singlehead 310 thin-cutting band saw and the TRC Easy Plus with automation technology.

Special

New emission norms 2015

BELGIUM APPLIES CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS REGULATION LIMITATIONS OF EMISSION STANDARDS FOR FLOOR COVERING

Photo – WOCA / Floorconcepts

Since the Construction Products Directive has been converted into a Construction Products Regulation, member states are now obliged to adapt their national legislation as necessary to binding European rules of play. With the Royal Decree of 8 May 2014 ‘establishing the threshold levels of emissions into the indoor environment of building products for specific intended use’, Belgium has incorporate one of the seven fundamental requirements in the Construction Products Regulation, namely the requirements concerning ‘ hygiene, health, and the environment’. We examine the consequences of the Royal Decree which enters into force on 1 January 2015.

The background The construction products directive, which was abolished on 1 July 2013, was replaced simultaneously by a new European Regulation. Some articles from this Regulation with regard to the government (including the listed national governments) have been in force since 24 April 2011. The directive was a dodgy document which was prescribed over 20 years ago by the Council in the days when the European

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Parliament had no authority. That directive was interpreted completely differently by each member state, the majority of the ‘market participants’ opposed it vehemently, most governments simply ignored it, and it was not applied officially in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, and Finland, and that eroded the obligatory character of the CE labelling.

Commission intervenes The European Commission, which acts as guardian of the treaties, was annoyed at this lack of enthusiasm and therefore revised the directive from 2008 onwards. However, they did so this time in the form of a Regulation which each member state has to take into account in the terminology and formulations of its national legislation without changing the Regulation.

Aim of the ‘regulation’ The aim of the construction products regulation is to create an efficient internal market for building products through harmonised technical specifications to express the performances of building

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Special

New emission norms 2015

Photo – Devomat Industries

products. The CPR (Construction Products Directive) harmonises the testing and assessment methods, the format of the performance statement, and the systems for assessment and verification of the performance consistency of building products, but NOT the national and regional construction legislation. The choice of the required values for the specifically intended applications is left to legislators and public/private authorities at national level.

Scope of the Royal Decree The Royal Decree applies to a number of clearly defined products. A summary: • Floor covering products, with the following intended uses: The covering of a substrate by a top layer, which may or may not be a preparatory layer, indoors for residential, tertiary, quaternary, sportive, commercial, or public use, or for use in offices, with limited to very intense usage by people. This includes ceramic tiles; stone floor tiles, parquet floors, carpets, cork floors, floors made from epoxy resins, pouring floors, etc. • Non-metallic building products, with the following intended uses: the adhesion of floor covering products to a substrate by means of adhesive or cohesion, without the help of nails, screws, clips, or staples. This includes, for example, adhesives, mortars, polyurethane adhesives, etc. • Finishing products for wooden floor coverings, such as parquet varnishes, beeswaxes, and oil. The Royal Decree does not apply to some construction products which are intended, amongst other things, for indoor industrial use (including laboratories and production halls), indoor use with motorised vehicles and indoor use in areas not accessible for people.

Some principles Emission limit values After 28 days, the emission limit value of all volatile organic compounds (VOC) together must not exceed 1,000µg/m³ and the total content of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) must not even exceed 100µg/m³. The proportion of CMR substances from categories 1A and 1B must not exceed 1µg/m³. CMR substances are carcinogenic (cause cancer), mutagenic (cause changes in hereditary characteristics), or toxic for reproduction (harmful for procreation or descendants). It has been proved that category 1A substances are dangerous on the basis of human data. The extent of CMR sensitivity

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with category B substances is considered as prove don the basis of sufficient animal data. CMR substances are listed (together with all other harmful substances) in appendix VI of the CLP regulation. There are also limit values for toluene (≤ 300µg/m³), acetaldehyde (≤ 200 µg/ m³), and formaldehyde (≤ 100µg/m³).

Product emission file Producers must draw up a product emission file for each type of product, which shows that the construction product is within the emission limit value. They must keep that file for at least 10 years. The directorate-general for the Environment from the Federal Government Department of Public Health can ask for more data and can insist on co-operation from the producer in order to limit risks from construction products which the producer launches on the market. Producers are obliged to investigate complaints, products not in line with regulations, and recalled products. They record all data in a register and inform their distributors. Producers can appoint an authorised representative to fulfil a number of obligations on their behalf, but they themselves remain fully responsible for drawing up the product emission file. Some products are exempt (e.g. 100% natural stone or ceramic material).

Cascade responsibility The Royal Decree puts responsibility for ensuring that construction products of the product type from the product emission file are in line with regulations primarily with the producer, but if an importer starts to sell a construction product in its own name, then the obligation lies with the importer. The same applies to distributors which sell those construction products under a distribution trademark.

Entry into force The Royal Decree with the emission limit values for some Construction products enters into force on 1 January 2015. Construction products which had already been launched by 1 September 2014 or which had been for sale on the market and which do not meet the threshold values can still be brought onto the market up to and including 31Aaugust 2015. From 1 September 2015, they must be taken out of circulation. For that matter, both the Federal Council for Sustainable Development and the Consumer Council are urging legislators in their advisory contributions to extend the list of construction products which are subjected to emission limit values in the future, preferably at European level.

Special

Top Belgian companies looking to expand export

THE BELGIANS ARE THE BRAVEST OF ALL THE GAULS WOODEN FLOORS ARE IN FASHION, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF CONSUMPTION

‘Horum omni Gallorum, Belgae fortissimi sunt’ (The Belgians are the bravest of all the Gauls). Those were the proverbial words used by Julius Caesar to describe a small people group in North-Western Europe, which offered brave resistance to the advancing Roman conqueror. However, the Belgians about whom Caesar made his historical statement are not the same as those covered in this article. They didn’t even exist then. Belgium as a country was constituted in 1830 and is actually a formally delineated buffer state. The Belgians in the various parts of the country have no cultural, social, or historical affinity with each other. This certainly makes the country colourful, but, at the same time, it is also a time bomb!

Belgium under the microscope Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy in North-Western Europe with a total surface area of 30,518km². Belgium also includes about 30 small areas or enclaves in the Dutch province of Northern Brabant which together constitute the local authority of Baarle-Hertog. Belgium borders on the North Sea in the west (the coast is 66km long), the Netherlands to the north (450km), Germany (167km) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (148 km) to the east, and France (620km) in the south. Geographically, Belgium can be subdivided into three regions: Lowland Belgium (up to 100 metres high), Middle Belgium (from 100 to 200 metres high), and Upper Belgium (from 200 to above 500 metres high).

Politics Belgium is divided politically into three regions. The Walloon Region (French: ‘Région Wallone’) is a (federal) state of Belgium with Namur as its capital. This region comprises the territory of the provinces of Walloon Brabant, Namur, Luxembourg, Hainaut, and Liege. The total surface area of the Walloon Region is 16,844km² and the population is about 3,315,000. This region has its own ‘Walloon parliament’ and its own government, which has its seat in the regional capital of Namur. There is also the Flemish Region with Brussels as its capital. This region comprises the territory of the provinces of Limburg, East Flanders, West Flanders, Antwerp, and Flemish Brabant. The total surface area of the Flemish Region is 13,522km² and the population is about 5,900,000. The government is based at Brussels and is chosen by the Flemish parliament. The government chooses a leader, the prime minister, from amongst its members. The government exercises judicial authority by means of decrees and is accountable to its parliament. The Brussels Capital City Region has been in existence since the change to the constitution of 1988. Both elements in the name reflect the compromise between the Flemish view of Brussels as a federally governed capital city and the Francophone view of it as a completely equal region. In practice, Brussels has far-reaching regional powers, which, however, still come under federal custody, whereas by contrast the Flemish and Walloon Regions enjoy constitutional autonomy for regional powers.

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Special

Top Belgian companies looking to expand export

Economics At present, Flanders is wealthier than Wallonia. At the start of the 20th century, the situation was exactly the opposite as the Walloon economy enjoyed huge benefit from the emerging industries, whereas Flanders continued with agriculture. After World War II, the importance of heavy industry, in particular, in Wallonia began to dwindle and it could only continue thanks to considerable government subsidies. Flanders has benefitted from the emergence of light industries, the ports, and investments from several foreign companies. The new economic policy plan ‘Contrat d’Avenir’ (Future Contract) gradually seems to be bearing fruit in Wallonia. Nevertheless, unemployment in Wallonia is still 2.5 times higher than that in Flanders. Over 6500 Dutch companies have a branch in Belgium, but only about 70 of those branches are in Wallonia. Over 50,000 Dutch companies do business with Belgium, 50% from commerce, 20% from business services, and 20% from industry.

growing into one large economic region with all the related socio-economic problems.

Employment The total number of Belgians officially in work was 5.15 million at the end of 2013 i.e. about 50% of the entire population. Since 1961, this figure has risen by almost 700,000 units, and that is almost entirely due to the entrance of more and more women on the labour market. In 1991, 35.4% of women were officially in work, as compared to 20% in the early 1960s. In the same period, employment amongst men fell from 57.4 to 49.5%. Geographical shifts are also important. The Flemish Region has enjoyed the biggest expansion and has been less affected by the economic recession. The provinces with a lot of employment in heavy industry (Hainaut and Liege) have experienced the biggest difficulties. There have also been shifts in the ratio of the number of workers and employees.

Two-speed growth

The crisis digested

Standards of living in the different regions are growing at completely different rates. If we look at turnover, for instance, the Flemish urban areas or city regions have economic dynamics which are five times greater than those in Wallonia; there is four times more investment in Flanders. Similarly, the average income per head of population varies considerably: income in Flanders is amongst the highest in Europe (20% above the average), whilst that figure in Wallonia is still 10% below the European average. The Brussels Capital City Region retains its strong position. In Flanders the major economic drivers are Antwerp, Ghent, and the Flemish periphery around Brussels. In Wallonia Liege and Charleroi have had to cope with severe setbacks. The Antwerp-Genk-Brussels triangle is

The annual report of the National Bank of Belgium shows that the Belgian gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 2013 by an average of 0.2% as compared to 2012. After over 18 months of stagnation, the second quarter showed a measure of recovery. However, employment dropped by 11,000 units during the year, whilst unemployment ended up at 8.5%. This means that the situation has deteriorated more strongly than at the height of the recession in 2008 and 2009, partly due to corporate restructurings. Nevertheless, the National Bank of Belgium does state that Belgium has weathered the economic crisis quite well. The report states that ‘Belgium is one of the few countries in the euro zone where activity has reached the same level as that before the crisis.’ The crisis has left its

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2C- ADVERTENTIE-190x136mm-FLOORFORUM-EN.NL.FR-beurzen.indd 1

DOMOTEX 17 - 20 January 2015 Hall 7, stand A36/1

BAU 2015 19 - 24 January 2015 Hall A1, stand 330C 25/11/14 12:15

marks in production potential, employment, and government finance. In 2014, growth of the gross domestic product was 0.1% as compared to the previous year.

ARCHI WOOD / NÖVLEK

Forest management Forests in Belgium cover about 692,916 hectares, 544,800 of which lie in the Walloon Region, 146,381 in the Flemish Region, and 1,735 in the Brussels Capital City Region. 22.7% of Belgium’s territory is taken up by forests. Forests account for over half of the surface area of the province of Luxembourg, and those figures mean that the province heads the list. The proportion of forests as compared to the total surface area of the Flemish Region is 10.8%, one of the lowest figures in Europe. In Flanders the Nature and Forest Agency (Dutch: ‘Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos’) has worked out a management plan. This gives the outline for managing public forests in Flanders. In Wallonia the proportion of forest in the total surface area is 32%. Over 60% of Walloon forests are located in the Ardennes. In Wallonia it is the Department of Nature and Forests (French: ‘Division de la nature et des forêts’) which decides how the forests must be managed. Sustainable forest management is the basic principle of the Walloon policy. The aim is to ensure the restoration and the sustainability of the forest with a view to achieving an ideal balance between the economic, ecological, and social functions of the forest. In this respect, the Zonien Forest is an exception since it is managed by the three regions together (Flemish Region, Walloon Region, and Brussels Capital City Region). In the Brussels Capital City Region the Zonien Forest has been certified since 2003 in accordance with the criteria of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

At Archi Wood/ Növlek they have been developing and producing qualitative accessories for fitting wooden terraces and boards for over 10 years. These products are designed to withstand the ravages of time, but also to simplify the user’s life. Developments are based on a sound knowledge of the problems which can arise during the fitting. Moreover, the company also has a deep knowledge of the specific features of the different wood sorts. The best seller is the innovative Hardwood Clip® for fastening wooden terrace boards invisibly. Hardwood Clip ® has won various awards. Hardwood Clip ®, with its exclusive SPAX® screw, is one of the few systems of invisible fastening which is certified by an accredited agency pursuant to the French standard DTU 51.4. Archiwood has a wide selection of accessories and tools for professionals. +32 (0)477 552 875 - www.novlek.com

Belgians and parquet A European perspective European parquet production fell in 2012 as compared to the previous year. There are not yet any signs of recovery in sight. Production in the FEP zone was 70,713,000m² in 2011. In 2012, that figure was 68,266,133m², a fall of no less than 4.7%. Total European production (FEP + other European countries not in the FEP) is estimated at 75,000,000m². The fall in consumption was even sharper. Whilst total consumption in 2011 came to over 91,475,000m², this figure fell in 2012 to 87,509,000m². This represented a drop of 5.88%. In Belgium people are showing a growing appreciation for parquet and wooden floors in general. Nevertheless, in terms of production, the country is still at the bottom of the European league. As regards consumption, Belgium hovers around the bottom, but is not in last place.

Production As the smallest parquet-producing country in Europe, Belgium accounted for 0.66% of the total production in 2011. In that year, Belgium produced 466,705.80m² of parquet. Whilst the volume of European production fell in 2012, the Belgian proportion rose as a result of an increase in the number of square metres produced (450,556m²). Belgium is still the smallest producer, followed by the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Hungary.

Consumption In 2011, the FEP countries together consumed 91,475,000m² of wooden flooring. Belgium accounted for 3.59% of that figure, and this meant that Belgium consumed more than Rumania, Hungary, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. In 2012, consumption in the FEP countries fell by no less than 5.88% to end up at 87,509,000m². Here, too, the Belgian proportion of the total consumption rose to 3.63%, but actual consumption fell from 3,328,952m² to 3,176,576m².

An introduction

UN1CO, the one layer hardwaxoil. The central theme through the UN1CO story is one of exceptional quality and 1st class technology. This 1-coat Oil protects parquet like nothing else today and the new range of colours, according to the latest trends, is especially significant, being completely cobalt free. Ciranova is proud to say that UN1CO is by far the best and easiest to maintain product in the market today. For more information on the UN1CO colours and our complete range of products for wooden floors, please visit our website at

www.ciranova.be Industrieweg 29 | 8800 Beveren-Roeselare | Belgium | T. +32 (0) 51 301 140 | F. +32 (0) 51 312 648

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Special

Top Belgian companies looking to expand export

LAMETT EUROPE

Lamett Europe has been operating as a distributor/producer since 2008. In the period from 2005 to 2007, it was merely an agency which sold parquet imported in containers. Since 2008, Lamett Europe has concentrated more and more on European products. Lamett has grown from a small agency to a fully fledged company. A strong sales and marketing team based at the headquarters (9000m²) in Deerlijk directs sales to all over Europe. Lamett’s core activity is selling oak parquet in all widths and thicknesses, in every possible finish, and in all price categories. The most well known collections are, on the one hand, the budget-friendly planks Oslo, Farm, and Country, and, on the other hand, Palace, Cuba Royal as the somewhat more expensive collections. Moreover, the company operates an à la carte system where clients can choose from 16 different bases. Turnover in 2013 was 15 000 000 euros. 25 people work in Deerlijk, whilst Lamett has about 100 employees spread all over Europe. Lamett has an annual capacity of 1,500,000m² of parquet. In 2015, the company will be working further on the Farm and Country collections, as well as on the Artisan colours. +32 (0)56 77 45 15 - www.lamett.eu

YEPP

The core business of YEPP is threefold, namely the production of solid wood parquet floors and exterior wall covering, the distribution and processing of solid wood brut oak wood, and, finally, a wholesale operation for the parquet/interior and timber trade. The chief product range includes everything related to parquet/laminate and vinyl floors. Yepp was satisfied with its turnover in 2013, which was somewhat better than the previous year. The company expects the same upward trend in 2014. Yepp employs 30 people on permanent contracts. Moreover, the company also works together with 10 business agents. From 2015 onwards, Yepp will also be representing two new important divisions on the Belgian market, namely M-FLOR Vinyl Floors and PARADOR. This will round off the existing pallet of products. Yepp sees great potential for both products on a radically changing Belgian market. The home market of Belgium is still the main market, but, apart from that, Yepp also operates in France, Switzerland, and Germany. Other countries are welcome, but at the moment they are concentrating on the Belgian market. +32 (0)14 42 26 61 - www.yepp.be

BUZON CIRANOVA / DEBAL COATINGS

HIGH QUALITY WOODCARE PRODUCTS

Buzon was formed in 1987 by Claude Buzon and, since then, the adjustable pedestal BUZON® has developed constantly so that it increasingly meets the needs of professionals and gives terrace designers ever greater freedom in their creative development. 1989 saw the launch of the S Series, which could be adjusted from 32 to 600mm. This pedestal was already capable of bearing 800kg and was suitable for various materials. In 1997, the DPH series saw the light of day with the introduction of the slope regulator. This series resulted in Buzon being awarded the gold medal at the ‘Innovation Prize’ in Paris. 1999 saw the emergence of developments for the petrochemical industry. The support soles of the third generation with different corners (BC series) appeared in 2008. Buzon currently employs 13 people. Turnover in 2013 was 4.5 million euros. The company has the capacity to make 500,000m² of terraces per annum. Buzon is planning several innovative accessories for 2015 and has its sights set on the United States. +32 (0)4 248 39 83 - www.buzon-world.com - www.buzon.eu

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Ciranova was formed in 1929 and produced various sorts of waxes and oils for the furniture industry. In the course of time, the Ciranova trademark fell into the hands of the company Pattyn (varnish maker) and, in 2005, Debal Coatings. In 2006, all activities were fused and a brand new company was launched. Over the years, Ciranova has extended its range from just waxes to a full assortment of finishing products. They are currently occupied with building extra warehouses and new laboratories, which are due to be completed in the course of 2015. The company conducts ongoing research and development in its own laboratories, also with a view to industrial applications. Lye stains and hard wax oils are still amongst the best sellers. Debal Coatings employs 30 permanent staff. They have two new products up their sleeve for 2015. Firstly, there is the UN1CO, a one-coat new generation VOC-free oil based on renewable natural raw materials. The second product is the OCULTO, an ecological water-based oil which is invisible and ensures that the wood retains its natural look. This oil is applied in three coats. Debal Coatings is very active abroad and endeavours constantly to conquer new markets. +32 (0)51 30 11 40 - www.ciranova.be

BAMBOO TOUCH

PI Import was formed in 2005 and started selling its bamboo floors from the very beginning under the Bamboo Touch trademark. In 2015, the company celebrates its tenth anniversary, in spite of the fire which ravaged the company in March 2014. Their core business is the sale of panels and parquet. It is the sales of panels which are rising the most. Since the company limits itself to bamboo, it can have no qualms about calling itself a ‘specialist’. Bamboo Touch employs five people and also works together with a number of business freelancers and a team of quality controllers. For 2015, Bamboo Touch has announced the launch of two novelties in bamboo and a bamboo-vinyl under the name Bamboo flex. As far as exports are concerned, the company is interested in all countries, but the focus is on France, Spain, and Britain.

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

+32 (0)2 384 58 77 - www.bambootouch.com

BJ PARKET

BJ Parket is a manufacturer of traditional parquet and a wholesaler in parquet products. The company was formed in 1991 and was taken over in 2009. Thanks to a team of skilled woodworkers and a group of enthusiastic sales and administrative staff, BJ Parket has grown over the years into one of the leading companies in the industry. Quality is the central theme in the entire production process. After a long rest break in the open air, the oak wood is dried carefully in their own drying ovens. Dimensionally stable planing is carried out on “Weinig” planing machines specially adapted for parquet. The BJ team ensures a strict quality control. The most important products are 9mm solid wood, Hungarian point, herringbone, crosscut, and panels. In 2012, the company achieved a turnover of five million euros and it employs 17 people. Top new for BJ Parket is the production of Duo-Lin two-layer parquet in line with the Old Flemish range, both in 9 + 4 and 12 + 6. This is also available in a distressed version. +32 (0)52 44 45 57 - www.bjparket.be

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 63 Floor Forum International 71

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Top Belgian companies looking to expand export

HABO/ HOLZ BOIS

B-FIX

Habo was formed in 1956 as a traditional solid wood style furniture maker. In the late 1970s, the company gradually switched over to the production of 9mm solid wood parquet. This product was sold from the beginning via Holz Bois. In 1989, Habo took over this parquet wholesaler. Finally, in 2008, after working in partnership for many years with Albers Parket wholesalers and Factory, Habo also took over those companies. Habo is already exporting extensively on the Dutch market via this subsidiary. Habo has been producing traditional solid wood 9mm parquet in French oak and exotic wood sorts since way back. For the past three years, Habo has also had its own two-layer product, consisting of a solid wood top layer of 4 or 6mm and birch plywood of 9 or 12mm. This Top Line is particularly important for export. Habo employs 25 people in Belgium and 18 in the Netherlands. Annual production amounts to 240,000m². Habo has its eyes particularly on Germany, France, and the United Kingdom as export markets. +32 (0)89 32 95 80 - www.holzbois.be

Originally, Sindrilla specialised in fitting wooden terraces. Over the years, the company has developed its own fastening system under the B-Fix trademark. Since 2012, Sindrilla has opted entirely for the B2B formula and rejected the B2C aspect, namely fitting terraces. On the basis of its experience, Sindrilla has launched scores of innovations in recent years. The key words here are quality, speed, and simplicity. The core business is the sale of fastening systems for wooden terraces and boards. The top product is B-Fix One, a universal fastening system for terraces (exotic wood, thermo-wood, local wood sorts, and composites). The company employs six people. One year ago, Sindrilla opened a second production line to meet the growing demand. They are promising a whole range of accessories for 2015. +32 (0)10 40 07 90 - www.bfix.com

SOUDAL

LALEGNO

For over 30 years , Geert and Jan Labeeuw have been working on the development of the engineered wooden flooring Lalegno with strong investments and revolutionary innovations. The combination of technical ingenuity, practical vision and passion for wood is the basis of the extensive collection of beautiful engineered hardwood floors , designed with respect for the material and the environment. The brand focuses on developing durable quality floors, aiming to maximize customer satisfaction . Lalegno stands for cooperation with competent and professional partners, both for the production of their floors as for distribution and installation. Therefore, in the Benelux Lalegno has become a major player in the world of multilayer parquet . But the ambitions to explore Europe and the world are high. Many strong partnerships with distributors and agents in several countries have already developed , but the company is always looking for new collaborations to intensify their distribution network. In this way, the delivery times for interested consumers across Europe are kept as short as possible and the beautiful Lalegno floors will soon be accessible to all. +32 (0)9 386 70 20 - www.lalegno.be

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Soudal has been in existence since 1966. In recent years, the company has grown into the biggest independent European producer of putty, adhesives, and PU foams for both professionals and private users. Thanks partly to new acquisitions (TKK, McCOY, Rectavit, and Accumetric) in various parts of the world, Soudal stands out as a world class international player. With an expected turnover in 2014 of 570 million euros, over 2,100 employees, and 16 production units in four different continents, this 100% Belgian family business, with founder Vic Swerts still at the helm, is now an expert in chemical products for building. Committed investments in research and development, a long-term vision of innovation, and adaptations to local market needs have laid the foundation for this outstanding performance which earned Soudal the award of company of the year in 2011. The basic products of Soudal are fillers (e.g. silicone and acrylates), PU foams, adhesives (parquet adhesives, contact adhesives, and assembly adhesives), hybrid polymers, and mechanical sprays. At the end of 2014, Soudal is introducing a new range of building products. This extensive series of products is geared to the building structural work in houses and residential buildings. Furthermore, in 2015, they will continue to develop the optimisation of the existing elastic parquet adhesives in terms of reinforcement and emission. +32 (0)14 42 42 31 - www.soudal.com

TRAP HARDWOOD INDUSTRY SHIP FROM EU AN RO SM

CE 1948 SIN PE

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RUBIO MONOCOAT / MUYLLE-FACON

TOP QUALITY WOOD W

The company Muylle-Facon nv was formed in 1906 as a producer of putty and has grown into a leading manufacturer of chemical products for the construction industry. In 1962, they launched their first range of wood treatment products on the market. Thanks to close collaboration between the laboratory, sales department, and sales agents, they have developed the unique Rubio MONOCOAT range. Muylle-Facon holds several certificates. The ISO 9001:2008 Certificate of quality management for research and production proves that they have invested in qualitative production and a constantly optimised work flow. The ISO EN 14001:2009 Certificate of eco-management testifies to sustainable and ecological logistics in the existing quality management system. Rubio is a registered trademark of Muylle Facon nv. The core business consists of the development and production of innovative and ecological products for the treatment of wooden surfaces, and all related products such as maintenance products, colours, etc. The top product is the parquet oil, which can be applied on site or in the factory. At present, there are 52 employees in service at the head office in Belgium. Apart from that, there are also 26 RMC Branch Offices and the company exports to 74 countries. Annually, about 18,000,000m² of wood is treated with Rubio Monocoat Oil. At the moment, there are a few innovative products passing through the testing phase, and these are due to be launched in 2015. In 2015, the company is also starting on the construction of a new production site for the Rubio Monocoat range. +32 (0)51 30 80 54 - www.rubiomonocoat.com

SOLIDOR

Solidor is an extrusion and injection molding company that produces plastic products for the industry and the building sector. Solidor has developed since 1978 an adjustable pedestal/support for decking or concrete tiles. The adjustable supports can be adjusted anywhere from 1 cm to 100 cm and provide extremely high load capacity. By using Solidor supports, you can quickly and easily adjust the height of a wooden floor. Since the wood floats on the supports, it is also able to dry quickly. A number of accessories can be ordered and its range is already a step ahead of other systems. +32 (0)56 41 35 70 - www.solidor.be

W W A P. B E .T R

Trap Hardwood Industry has been producing solid and engineered flooring in a unique range of over 30 wood species for over 20 years. On top of the 2 production sites in Belgium recently a new factory has been opened in Hungary. Given our focus on “specials” and wood species like Walnut, Zebrano, Wengé, … we have gradually developed a high end customer base all over Europe and beyond (Middle East, China, Turkey, Russia, ..) Given the drastic increase of our production capacity thanks to the opening of our new factory for flooring and worktops in Hungary we will also increase our competitivity in volume products like wideplank Oak flooring (up to 30cm) and herringbone or chevron pattern flooring. We therefore hope that on Domotex, where we are exhibiting for the 6th year in a row, we can make distribution agreements for new markets. As innovation we will be focusing on some less known wood species (like Elm, Bubinga, ..) and we will also be introducing an exclusive range in engineered Fineline Flooring in combined wood species. Finally we will also be launching our Budget Range in engineered flooring in 10mm thickness. Visit us on Domotex: Hall 8 – booth B10 +32 (0)15 41 99 64 - www.trap.be

DEVOMAT INDUSTRIES

Devomat Industries was formed on 8 February 1980 and started life with the development of the Woodboy® machine and accompanying products. This system enjoyed huge success and developed rapidly into a trademark which is now a concept. In the course of the years, Devomat Industries has continued to develop. Today, the company mainly serves the professional market with a full range of primers, adhesives, oils, lacquers, maintenance products, machines, sandpapering material, and accessories for parquet and wooden floors. The core business of Devomat Industries is the development and sale of ‘Devo Natural® professional parquet products’, a full range of ecological products for colouring, finishing, and maintaining parquet and wooden floors. The top products are Devo Natural High Solid Oil and Devo Natural Finish ‘Bleaching Matt’. 15 people work for Devomat at the head office for sales and distribution in Belgium. Their research and development department works constantly on various innovative projects. In 2015, they expect to launch some technically progressive innovations. +32 (0)3 450 94 70 - www.devomat.be

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∂ Product news LA SAN MARCO PROFILI Among the new Old Style line of skirting recently launched by La San Marco Profili, there is a product that better capture the attention. It is called ꞌOlympiaꞌ and it is a decapè decorative skirting board of mm.120x15 covered by a particular kind of gold decoration. This new product is a combination of elegance, refinement and good taste of past echoes. Going back to the past baroque styling and large size we took the inspiration for this kind of skirting which becomes a detail that make the difference in your rooms’ decoration. Not just a simple structural element, the skirting becomes a real product design!

TOVER ESSENZA: Tover has just launched a new two-component water-based lacquer in extra matt version for a perfect untreated look of light woods like oak. Even if the finishing is totally invisible, the lacquer guarantees extremely high performances of abrasion and spots resistance. The product is very easy to apply in two coats without primer.

A FIRST AT FLAMINGO PARKET After experimenting for more than a year, Flamingo Parket has now introduced a completely new product, namely Raftwood. The 4mm top layers are produced from authentic railway sleepers, which are glued onto 12mm birch plywood. The railway sleepers are 26cm wide and 260cm long, so it is possible to supply very attractive long and wide planks. Flamingo Parket believes that this product will be very competitive with the distressed floors and floors with a planed surface. Apart from the display showing 10 colours, there is also a compact free sample box. Agent Rover’s Flooring in Letchworth (www.roversflooring.co.uk) will distribute this product in England.

PHIBO INDUSTRIES BVBA : MOBILE VACUUM SHAFT & STRIP SYSTEM (DUST-FREE) - THE MVS² SYSTEM FOR SHORT The MVS² dust-free shaft and strip system has been developed by Phibo Industries specifically for renovating, cleaning, and treating all sorts of surfaces (e.g. glass, mirrors, stone, metal, and stainless steel). The packet has been put together carefully on the basis of practical experience to form a harmonious whole and consists of a dust-free shaft & strip system in mobile design with integrated dust-separation system and fitted with the necessary accessories (including visual and auditive protection) and a mobile screw compressor with petrol motor with external compressed air cooler. This system can be used for all sorts of applications (multifunctional) and is ideal for jobs such as the controlled removal of graffiti, glass frosting, engraving natural stone, removing rust from metal constructions and roughening them up, removing paint or varnish, and treating heat tints on stainless steel constructions.

INTERPLY In recent years, Interply has had more demand for engineered parquet sorts. Interply opts for a parquet which consists for 100% of oak. They speak here of a solid composite parquet in which both the bottom and top layers are produced from oak to offer greater stability. Interply parquet sorts have obtained very good results in the BBRI tests and are also suitable for use with floor heating. Interply offers both unfinished parquet and a very wide range of ready-made finished parquet floors with the natural products of Woca in various thicknesses and widths. Early in December, they are launching an additional range which combines various colours and finishes à la carte and will provide a personal touch.

Floor Forum international 71

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