FFI 82 June 2016

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° 82, June/July 2016 - 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 German companies focused on export

Review of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

Cork Parquet

Premium

Hardwood D4 Panel DIY EPDM Tile PVC Floor Wood

Technology Driven

Special: Computerisation and packaging for the parquet industry

Technical Support Innovation Science

Kaneka

Base Resin

Special: LVT, PVC & vinyl in the hotel sector

Soft floor Liquid Coating Sealant Binder Adhesive

MS Polymer

High Strength Elastic

Easy Handling Custom-made Dreamology

Future

Excellent

Special: Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Odourless Hard Soft Quick Curing Low VOC Primer Water Barrier Solvent-free Plasticizer-free Isocyanate-free

Adhesion

Special: Fillers and repair kits

Only one name to remember: No1!

(Now available in two colours!)

1/1 PAGINA Natural

White

One name – A complete range of products. The range of products covers the total lifespan of your wooden floor: pre-treatment and basic treatment for the new or newly sanded floors, as well as products for the regular maintenance and cleaning. Now No1 Wood Floor Oil is available in two colours: Natural and White.

Read more about No1 here

wocadenmark.com/no1

No1: The world’s most exclusive wood care system!

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

Content

Editorial

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

N° 82, June/July 2016 - 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 German companies focused on export

Review of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

Technical Support Innovation Science

Kaneka

Cork Parquet

Premium

Hardwood D4 Panel DIY EPDM Tile PVC Floor Wood

Technology Driven

Special: Computerisation and packaging for the parquet industry

“MS-PolymerTM easily meets the highest ecological and health standards.”

Base Resin

Special: LVT, PVC & vinyl in the hotel sector

Soft floor Liquid Coating Sealant Binder Adhesive

MS Polymer

High Strength Elastic

Future

Excellent

Odourless Hard Soft Quick Curing Low VOC Primer Water Barrier Solvent-free Plasticizer-free Isocyanate-free

Easy Handling Custom-made Dreamology

Special: Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

Adhesion

Special: Fillers and repair kits

Floor Forum International n° 82 June/July 2016 Photo Kaneka

4 Inside news 8

Review of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

13 Special Providers of 100% ecological adhesives :

who has them ?

16 Special Benefits and features of cork floors 18 Special Hygrometers and how to use them 21 Special Hard wax oil 26 Special Producers of distressed floors 30 Special Producers of hybrid adhesives 33 Special Producers of skirting boards with vinyl, PVC or

LVT inlay 37 Special Computerisation and packaging for the

parquet industry 40 Special Subfloors for LVT, vinyl and PVC floors 42 Special Adjustable temporary floor support systems for

terrace floors 46 Special LVT, PVC & vinyl in the hotel sector 49 Special Small and medium-sized oil and lacquer machines 51 Special Adhesives for floors in vinyl, PVC and LVT 53 Project Loba (DE) 54 Special Discover the possibilities of the industrial lacquers 57 Special Fillers and repair kits 60 Special Top German companies focused on export 65 Industry news 66 Product news

Stan Claes

(R&D and Technical Service Specialist at KANEKA BELGIUM)

‘The new legislation for industrial chemicals in Europe, especially in Germany and Belgium, will make MS-PolymerTM based adhesives even more attractive.

Recently, we performed measurements on our compounds for parquet adhesives and scored significantly better than the current strict standards. For the total volatile organic substances (TVOC) our products recorded 6 micrograms per cubic metre after 28 days, whilst the limit is 1000 micrograms per cubic metre, and for the total semi-volatile organic compounds (TSVOC) our products recorded 5 micrograms per cubic metre, whereas the limit is 100 micrograms per cubic metre (editor’s note: German and Belgian standard). These data prove the potential of our technology in these applications. Even if the legislation should become stricter or the measurement procedure should change in the coming years, our polymers offer adequate solutions.’

More and more adhesive makers also want to ban tin from their products.

‘Indeed. One trend on the market is that several compounders would like to produce their new generation of adhesives tin-free, even though there is no legal requirement or framework at present.

But it’s a trend which is expected to grow, and for which Kaneka can offer attractive solutions with its MS-PolymerTM technology.’

We heard during EFWEX in Ghent that, from now on, Kaneka is developing new MS-PolymerTM grades for the European market in Belgium.

‘That’s correct. In the past, all our products were developed at our headquarters in Japan, but for some time now, we’ve started polymer research for the European market in our own R&D laboratory at Kaneka Belgium. Having our research centralised in Europe will enable an easier translation of the European market needs and specifications into custom developed polymers, resulting in a more efficient technical support and reduce the time to market for new products. Although our polymers have already been around for several decades, they still exhibit a lot of potential for future markets.

While they emerged in the 1970s because researchers were looking for an ingredient for a permanently elastic construction sealant to withstand the multiple earthquakes in Japan. Over the years, these products have become stronger and stronger. The very latest products stand out mainly for their excellent tensile strength of over 10 megapascal (MPa), yet with the characteristic permanent elasticity of MS-PolymerTM.’ 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

Kaneka is the Japanese company which has developed the renowned MS-PolymerTM and supplies several major formulators in the parquet adhesive industry.

Since some of the development activities have been transferred to Europe, Kaneka guarantees their customers to be on the front row for innovative sealant and adhesive solutions. At present, the MS-PolymerTM portfolio already allows customers to produce stronger parquet adhesives which still exhibit the typical elasticity of the MS-Polymer™. At the same time Kaneka offers with their polymer portfolio a toolbox to comply with the new Belgian and German legislation regarding VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and other harmful substances. We spoke to Stan Claes, who is responsible for R&D and Technical Service at Kaneka in Europe.

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

Further product information is available on our website: www.e-u-r-o-tec.de.

Mapei Benelux opens new offices

The development of the innovative filling technology with PAR-Filler® (see: www.vimeo.com/cspengineering/movie1) brought the company a rapid growth. The orders from all over Europe did result in a serious expansion to answer the demand. Recently 3 new employees with Rob Schaessens for development and support, Jeroen Fosse to reinforce the Sales and Bart Pultau to assist marketing and administration were recruited. Furthermore an investment for a new production hall has been made. Due to this, the personal en customer-mind approach, the label of CSP, stays guaranteed.

To highlight the growth of the company, the logo has also been renewed.

More info about products of CSP: info@csp-engineering.be or phone: +32(0)14377752.

Eurotec

Eurotec’s new multifunctional Stone System for installing decks minimises the effort involved in construction – building a deck has never been so easy!

An especially practical feature of this system is that it allows you to combine a wide range of deck coverings.

Advantages: - Especially economical - Time-saving and straightforward installation - Stone slabs can be combined with timber or WPC boards, for example - Precise joint pattern - Durable - Certified high load-bearing capacity

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Floor Forum International 82

On 12 May, Mapei Benelux officially opened their new offices in Grâce-Hollogne near Liege. After work which lasted a few months, Mapei can now welcome their clients to an attractive and ultra-modern infrastructure. Mapei Benelux is a branch of the Italian group Mapei SpA, world leader in adhesives and chemicals for the construction industry.

The new headquarters of Mapei Benelux has three times more storage space, a brand-new concrete laboratory, and, furthermore, a training centre and showroom. It is also possible to admire some of Mapei’s innovations in wall and floor applications for buildings. Apart from all those changes, they’ve also built new offices to provide more pleasant working surrounds. The new offices were opened with the requisite lustre. Jean-Claude MARCOURT, vice-president of the Walloon government and minister of economic affairs and innovation, had to send his apologies at the last minute as a result of drawn out budget talks, but the absent cabinet minister did send a message that he was delighted with the improved and diverse infrastructure. The minister stressed that the investment will have a positive effect on the company itself and the entire region. Giorgio Squinzi, general director of Mapei SpA, his son Marco, and his daughter Veronica also attended the opening. Jean-Michel Grégoire, general director of Mapei Benelux, highlighted the new opportunities which the brand-new infrastructure offers: ‘Thanks to the new showroom and the training centre, we can welcome our clients to a perfectly appropriate, quiet, and quality setting. We’re also going to issue Mapei certificates for our specific training courses. Mapei Benelux will not only follow the latest trends, but also set them: New spirit, new possibilities.’

Invited guests at the opening were treated to a walking dinner with Italian food and the evening concluded with an exclusive concert

by Daria Biancardi, finalist at The Voice in Italy.

Need to revitalise your floor?

Then you need us!

info@adesiv.it - www.adesiv.it

The Red doT design AwARd wooden flooRs foR 16 yeARs BAlTic wood, The Polish mAnufAcTuReR of engineeRed wooden flooRs, hAs Been designing And offeRing collecTions of flooRs of The PRemium cATegoRy, in keePing wiTh The lATesT TRends in fAshion And design. The comPAny’s unique BRAnd mARkeTing sTRATegy And PhilosoPhy BAsed on vAlues such As cReATion, AesTheTics, quAliTy, PeRfecTion, modeRniTy, eco-AccounTABiliTy hAve PRoved To Be A ReciPe foR success.

Baltic Wood focuses on providing consumers with a vast selection of floors, and so the company offers 9 tried and tested european, exotic and american wood species within 6 catalogue collections, as well as more than 100 finishing patterns. among others, the brand offers artistically distressed (timeless CollectiontM), fashionable (Miracles CollectiontM) and ultra-durable (no Limits CollectiontM) floors. Baltic Wood is the only brand in poland and the third one worldwide to have been honoured with Red dot Award 2015 in the product design category for the desire floor.

2016/2017 season trends The dynamic Jeans CollectiontM, which embodies a metropolitan style, is this year’s novelty. It comprises seven fashionable colours, which are a reference to the atmosphere and style of european metropolises. every pattern is available in both the full-plank and slat size so that it is possible to lay them alternately in adjacent rooms, preserving a uniform colour of the floor. The year 2016 offers customers new elegant designs in the fashionable Miracles CollectiontM, which are available in 4 sizes. This season the slate, which was premièred as a part of artistically distressed floors - timeless CollectiontM has taken on a new dimension. The year 2016 has also witnessed a première of floors in the French herringbone pattern – an offering within the no Limits CollectiontM.

ModernIty and unCoMproMIsIng stanCe Baltic Wood floors are characterised by a modern three-layer construction and quick assembly. The Baltic Wood floors are offered with a highly precise 5g and 2g adhesive-free joint under the license of Välinge Innovations, or a tongue and groove joint (t&g). at each stage of production Baltic Wood espouses quality and eco-accountability.

Find out more at www.balticwood.eu or call: MagdaLena Marek senior export Manager t:+ 48 13 444 7587, M: +48 510 00 6397 email: magdalena.marek@balticwood.pl

∂ Inside news Plastor NEW SAMPLE CASE - COLOUR FLOORS TINT Plastor has now launched its sample case Colour Floors Tint. This is a

- highlight the range of colours from Colour Floors - test the colours on small surfaces in order to show the end result: after all, the initial colour can vary, depending on the sort of wood used for the parquet floor - offer parquet specialists the opportunity to present their clients with a personal colour by mixing different shades. Since the colours can be mixed with each other, the range of available colours is endless and parquet specialists can go along perfectly with the decorative wishes of their clients.

RUBIO MONOCOAT OIL FOR PARQUET

new tool for parquet specialists, who can now show their clients quickly and easily which decorative colours correspond to their expectations and interior. The Colour Floors Tint sample case from Plastor has been available for parquet specialists since March 2016 and consists of 15 colour samples for parquet shades in 100ml jars. The colours can be mixed together. The sturdy sample case is of the highest quality and is easy to transport. It has been designed specially to:

The May edition of Floor Forum International included an article about ‘oil for parquet’, along with supplier information. Rubio Monocoat was missing from this article. Rubio Monocoat offers a selection of oils that offer a solution for any desired application. For finishing ‘on site’ and especially in the project market, Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C is the appropriate product for the professional who wants to apply finishing that is long-lasting, economical and ecological, which, in addition, is available in 40 base colours. The oil protects and colours the wood in one single coat, without overlapping, it is wear-resistant and easy to maintain. This product can also be applied industrially. The characteristics of the Rubio Monocoat Oil UV more than meet the requirements pre-finishers have for a UV-drying oil. For projects that have to meet

IT‘S DONE

PALL-X 98 GOLD is the crowning glory among 2-component wood floor lacquers!

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Floor Forum International 82

∂ Inside news specific fire regulations, think of Rubio Monocoat FR Oil System: the only oil system with a European classification Bfl-s1.

More info at: www.rubiomonocoat.com

specialist.After an intensive training period, Domien is available as spokesperson, technical adviser, and supervisor of diverse projects.

As well as advising clients intensively, Domien will also maintain contacts with architects, and provide training for fitters. Domien will also offer support in setting up sites, looking for solutions for technical issues, and providing basic information about the many applications of our Bostik products.

NEW ACCOUNT MANAGER AT BOSTIK A few weeks ago, Domien Vermaut started work as the new account manager for the Wall and Floor technology segment in the provinces of East and West Flanders. After nine years experience in the parquet sector, Domien is taking on a new challenge with this adhesive

You want to party on your parquet floor ?

E SYSTÈMT É E V E BR

D E S I G N® PA R Q U E T F r a n c e

Navylam

With professional parquet products you can !

E SYSTÈMT É BREVE

TED PAT E N EM SYST A comprehensive range of environmentally friendly products for colouring, finishing and maintaining parquet and plank flooring

Become a DevoNatural dealer or crafstman !

www.devonatural.be

35

The DevoNatural range of professional parquet floor products meets the highest standards when it comes to treating parquet floors.

It is all about quality without compromise, developing products using the best raw materials and cutting-edge technologies.

DevoNatural is available in original colours and contemporary finishes, which are fully in harmony with the latest trends in interior design.

Celebrating

YEARS

1980 - 2015

Devomat Industries PLC - Florent Geversstraat 31 - B-2650 Edegem - Belgium T +32 03 450 94 70 - F +32 03 457 94 24 - info@devomat.be - www.devomat.be

Navylam

Bathroom parquet floor easier to lay

Pre-oiled Double integrate black joint

Navylam+ is an unique system easier and faster for laying bathroom parquet floor. Strips are already pre-oiled and with a double integrated joint. No sanding, oiling and joint laying.

You just have to put some glue in the groove provided for and join strips. So, your parquet floor is finished and completely watertight. 7 species (Teak, Acacia, Kambala, Doussie, Mutenye, Wenge, Afrormosia).

www.designparquet.fr Floor Forum International 82

7

Review

of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

VISITORS AND EXHIBITORS UNANIMOUS: EXCELLENT SHOW!

Photo Booth Floor Forum International

With 550 exhibitors and 10,520 visitors from 70 different countries, the Carrefour International du Bois organisers could look back on a successful show. Both visitors and exhibitors unanimously lauded the diversity, quality, and international interest.

28% international visitors The number of visitors to the show rose by 3% in comparison with 2014. 28% of visitors came from abroad, an increase of 6%. And so, the figures for this fourteenth edition look very good, certainly when you consider that France was afflicted with strikes and floods during the show.

In their evaluations, both visitors and exhibitors lauded the quality of the exhibitor range with a representation from all sections of the wood sector: saw mills, woodwork businesses, parquet manufacturers, wholesalers, and service companies.

Moreover, the growing demand for wood seems to reflect growing confidence of entrepreneurs in the sector.

Extra trade fair space and lots of interest in seminars Carrefour International du Bois underlined its leading role in Europe as a wood trade fair. The use of a fifth hall also ensured extra diversity in

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the range. Furthermore, the wide range of seminars and workshops with themes such as ‘wood and the economy and ‘the cost price of wood constructions’ attracted plenty of interested visitors, including several architects and engineering firms.

Floor Forum International’s own stand In keeping with tradition, your faithful trade journal was also present with its own trade fair stand. Visitors, clients, and acquaintants were able to enjoy a break at the bar with coffee, a tasty Blonde Leffe or a glass of white Sancerre, snacks, and the universally praised Serrano ham. Our stand floor was fitted with a magnificent caramel-shade bamboo floor from BambooTouch®. It was a BamWood® Caramel Click also fitted with an integrated underlay. BambooTouch® is a real bamboo specialist and develops and sells high-quality and technically refined bamboo floors and panels in diverse sizes and shades.

The BamWood® Caramel floor was once again fitted on top of a professional subfloor from Mac Lean: Iso-rubber 10dB. This high-quality and sound-reducing subfloor is produced in heavy rubber with a thickness of 3.5mm. The heavy weight ensures that both the sound of footsteps and impact sound are largely absorbed. With its low heat resistance, Iso-rubber 10dB is also suitable for use with floor heating. Floor Forum International would like to thank BambooTouch® and Mac Lean once again for the use of their floor and subfloor respectively.

In keeping with tradition, here’s a summary of news from exhibitors: Alsapan Alsapan was once again an exhibitor at the Carrefour international du Bois timber trade show, held in Nantes on 1, 2 and 3 June. To present our new laminate range for 2016, we decided to showcase our latest innovations, the herringbone and ladder installation systems. Visitors to our stand were able to appreciate the new technologies and also have a good look at the 4 colours of the herringbone range, presented in wall-mounted form. We also presented a new range of worktops and kit kitchens. The variety of our product offering gave our sales team the opportunity to introduce customers to a wider range of the Alsapan catalogue. Feedback for our stand was highly positive, with visitors commenting favourably on the attractive, well-balanced design of the stand. We consider that the 2016 tradeshow was very successful for us, with the number of visitors, the excellent atmosphere and the new contacts we made.

ArchiWood / Növlek The Belgian producer of the products HARDWOOD CLIP® and NÖVLEK® enjoyed plenty of support during its first appearance with its own stand at the CIB in Nantes. During the three days of the show, lots of people visited their stand. ARCHIWOOD presented for the very first time a brand-new and innovative spacer which is designed to ventilate the undersides of terrace planks and, especially, to prevent them from becoming warped. The scores of visitors had the opportunity to assess the quality and countless number of presented applications for the invisible fastening systems from HARDWOOD CLIP®, which were presented using terrace and furnishing modules. All NÖVLEK® products, the invisible fasteners, the bituminous covers, the step drills, the plank fasteners, and the spacers were present and were also on display on a huge demonstration model set up in the middle of the stand.

B-Fix Domotex (Germany), EFWEX (Ghent, Belgium), NWFA (United States), and Carrefour du Bois in Nantes (France) are the shows in which B-Fix has taken part during this first half of 2016. Ten years ago, B-Fix emerged on the international stage for the first time, and that was at Carrefour du Bois. Five editions later, B-Fix was delighted and highly

Visit www.floor-forum.com

enthusiastic to be able to see a major share of its European dealers once again. For B-Fix the show at Nantes was also an opportunity to look for new markets. The 2016 show was one of high quality, which gave B-Fix the opportunity to outline its numerous benefits and present the latest accessories in its range. Those who were not able to attend the show should consult the B-Fix web site www.b-fix.be for more information.

Blanchon The Blanchon tower was undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching sights during Carrefour 2016. It was furnished with oak planks, which demonstrated the diversity of the Blanchon oils and finishes for industry, the workshop, or on site. They have added 90 colours to the 40 classic shades of Solid Oil®, Hard Wax Oil (new) and Wax Oil. All those new colours can be supplied within a week. It is an exceptionally broad and comprehensive range so that all users will find a suitable oil in their preferred shade. Note: From now on, Solid Oil can be glazed, it offers a finish in the depth, and a ‘100% chance of success’, in combination with the easy maintenance of a glazed parquet. In the area of glazing, Cimethane UV (ultra-effective glazer for immediate and full accessibility to parquet floors) and Performer (1-component product of the new generation, with a warm tone, with considerably better resistance than lots of 2-component products) are the permanent fixtures. For wood for outdoor use there is the new Tech-Wood. This is the first azure for all types of wood, which completes a strong range: Wall cladding oil and Opaque saturation agent (elegant matt and opaque nuances), Colourless Anti UV-protection, and Saturation products for terraces and high-performance Lazures.

Briançon The show was suitable, with many visits from customers and potential clients even with the strikes. This show allowed us to present our different ranges and our latest innovations : - Distributor’s range : our new outdoor monolayer wood paint which hold 10 years.

- Industrial’s range : our new filler WME2016 with fast drying for automatic filling line.

You can visit our website www.briancon-production.com

Design Parquet During the exhibition Carrefour du Bois, Design Parquet presented 2 new colors : Carbone (black) and Cotton (white) glossy varnish, available in solid or semi-solid and different sections from 130 to 295mm width like the rest of the range. The custom-made parquet specialsit also launched its new catalog containing the color ranges,

Floor Forum International 82

9

Review

of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

species in Oak or Exotic and its special parquets. The ship-deck parquet flooring Navylam+ remains a must-have of the bathroom.

Durieu DURIEU-ZOOM ON THE TEXTROL RANGE: Saturators for SOFTWOODS The secret of TEXTROL: its formulation with very high quality resins that allow the impregnation of the wood in the mass. The support becomes weather and traffic resistant. TEXTROL leaves no film on the surface, limiting the risk of chipping. Easy maintenance: thanks to its rich formula, protective agents TEXTROL do not disappear from the support and one coat is enough, with a simple cleaning, without stripping, to regain the original appearance of wood.

Deco: the new shades of TEXTROL Pro.

Finium Wood and innovation are the two magic words which have transformed Finium into a leading player in the North American industry of pre-finished wooden products.

The company specialises in ‘pre-finished’ panels for wall furnishing in solid wood. The 3D panels are showpieces.

Signature products from the very beginning were Friendly Wall® and Finium Wall®. Carefully selected hardwood which is decoratively inspirational and easy to fit provides just some of the features. At the latest edition of Carrefour du Bois this company from Canada was present with various collections, including Classic, Oil, Hecolo, and Evolution. However, visitors paid a lot of attention to the new Evolution collection with various finishes based on silver maple. Finium met some attractive national and international clients at Carrefour du Bois.

Specially for the show, and in order to Greet these clients, the Canadian top man, Mr Denis Thibodeau, came to Nantes, assisted by his commercial manager for France, Mr Laurent Puech. Mr Thibodeau obviously returned to Canada with great satisfaction because Finium enjoyed a highly successful Carrefour du Bois.

Neuhofer Holz Neuhofer Holz presented innovations Already well-known for its innovative strength, Neuhofer Holz presented its products at Carrefour du Bois in Nantes.

Amongst others Neuhofer introduced digital direct printing. The company is currently working on a method that allows neutral

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Floor Forum International 82

profiles and flooring profiles to be printed directly and digitally. 3D effects on profiles and flooring profiles, not engraved but embossed, relief-like. This is entirely new.

Neuhofer is working on this, too, with very promising results.

Consequently, the profile can finally keep pace with the structure of the flooring. Printed in the same décor and now also in the same structure. Directly and digitally. An individual shortenable skirting was also presented. This skirting board is most advantageous in renovations, because there is no need to remove the old skirting.

Inpa Parket Inpa was satisfied with its attendance at the Carrefour International du Bois.

INPA Parket is a Dutch company with offices in Paraguay and Bolivia (South America). INPA import, export, and manufacture parquet and floorboards for over 40 years. They take care of the entire process themselves, from extracting the wood to delivering the end product.

From their headquarters at Bergen op Zoom (NL) they sell and supply directly almost all products to Europe, America, and Japan.

Large volumes are supplied directly from the parquet factory in Paraguay. Apart from the South American wood sorts from their (FSC certified) forests in Bolivia and Paraguay, they supply European wood sorts (PEFC approved).

Lalegno At Carrefour International du Bois five beautiful additions to Lalegno’s ROVERE collection were successfully introduced. The BOURGOGNE, PROVENCE, ABRUZZO, BORDEAUX and LAZIO, all engineered oak floors exclusively available in France, were tailored to the tastes and preferences of French consumers. And the launch was a real hit, because trade visitors were very excited! Furthermore, the audience were given a preview of the Lalegno Wall Esthetics, a new range of designer wall panels in teak which will be launched soon.

Mocopinus The industrial sawmill MOCOPINUS presented its new R3D wall cladding during the Carrefour International du Bois 2016 show in Nantes. The R3D range consists of three profiles with various thicknesses and sizes

and ensures a rhythm and relief never previously seen in wooden walls. It has been launched on the market in natural or pre-greyed larch wood and in treated spruce class 3 horse chestnut and provides an endless number of possible combinations of the different planks so that each building takes on its own personality. The wooden wall cladding is becoming decorative and visitors at the show welcomed this new range with great enthusiasm.

Osmo Extremely satisfied, Osmo Holz und Color GmbH & Co. KG looks back on the Carrefour du Bois 2016: The Company presented on a 36 m2 stand not only natural wood finishes for the interior and exterior but also wood products for the garden, such as privacy screens and timber decking. The live demonstrations of the shortened drying times of Oil Stain, which are achievable with the new hardening additive, were a real crowd-pleaser.

Along with a lot of good communication with customers, also new interest in the natural wood finishes as well as wood products from Osmo could be awaken among potential buyers.

Pallmann The golden age of Pallmann Pallmann has a long tradition in embellishing parquet floors. Earlier this year, the specialists from Würzburg launched some new references with avant-gardist products for parquet specialists.

Pall-X 98 Gold, a recent award-winning glazer, offers an effective solution to meet the exceptionally high demands made of parquet floors. This was their highlight at this year’s show! They also presented the multitalent Spider sanding machine.

Parador

feedback we got from the visitors. We think that it is a great platform to intensify the dialogue to our relevant stakeholders.

FPPI-Parqueterie Berrichonne FPPI-Parqueterie Berrichonne still took place this year to the exhibition Carrefour du Bois.

It was a beautiful edition and, despite of the rain and strikes, many visitors were present. Thanks to the investment of a machine for the development of aged, distressed and worn finishes, we presented our new range : Confluence Vintage (on plywood - 14mm – tongues/grooves with lumpy appearance, curled, and or sawn). Our customers were very interested in this new collection. We will have very soon 4 references to start: Brume d’Automne (grey / brown vintage), Nuage d’Hiver (brown vintage), Rêve d’Eté (Vintage natural) and Esprit Printanier (blanched).

Perfilstar PERFILSTAR is proud of its participation during the last years at the most important trade fair in the Wood business in France, such as the Carrefour du Bois. Although external circumstances might indicate an unfavorable course of the show, on the contrary, from day one, we found an excellent reception of our solutions for floors, baseboards and joints, as well as our ability to match all laminate decors, Lvt / Vinyl with a perfect result.

And the Brand new self-adhesive Wall panels, MDF, PVC: Starpanel, some are 100% resistant to moisture, and Starwood, paneled oak veneer available in 10 finishes ideal for DIY.

Plastor

Quote by Wolfgang Gradl, Director Sales Europe, Parador GmbH & Co. KG Carrefour International du Bois has established itself as one of the key gatherings fort he entire European timber industry. The fair enables wood to be in the spotlight and it has been a superb opportunity for Parador to talk to suppliers, potential and current customers. The Carrefour is the meeting place for all timber professionals: sawyers; traders; manufacturers of panels, flooring, and wood products for construction; architects; contractors; builders; foresters; interior designers; We at Parador were very satisfied with the fair and the

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Just over 50 years ago, Claude de Grivel, founder of the V33 Group, developed the first product for varnishing radio equipment under the name PLASTOR LACQUER. Starting with his experience of applying lacquers by

Floor Forum International 82

11

Review

of the Carrefour International du Bois (FR)

means of polishes, he completed the first parquet glazer by 1955-56.

When he launched a line for professionals, he chose the name Plastor.

Today, Plastor, the division of the V33 Group for professionals, is still benefitting from the contribution of a great French industrialist.

Plastor, a developer of solutions for the protection and embellishment of parquet floors, serves professionals operating in interior decoration and development. As a specialist in the production of glazers, Plastor now presents a full range of products to meet all the needs and wishes of professionals: adhesives, sanding tools, colours, glazers, oils, maintenance products, and products for protecting terraces.

These are PUR-T glazers, which are applied to a new and much more effective coat of resin and which originated with glass technology: the Polycarbonate.

Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB) The 2016 edition of the fair was by far the best edition to which the Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB) has participated since its inception. There were a large number of visitors from several European countries such as Portugal, Germany and Spain but also overseas (China, Maghreb, etc.). Exhibiting at CIB, the company SIMON LUSSIER enjoyed their first participation. The reputation of this fair attracted several other members of our association who visited the fair. The QWEB and its members intend to participate in the next edition in 2018. www.quebecwoodexport.com

with their own eyes that Rubio’s unique technology is still unmatched.

Both French customers and foreign visitors were pleased with the launch of the revamped website, the new tools and documentation and the Monocoater, an operational finishing line. Rubio fans were again able to get hold of lots of tips to protect and maintain both exterior and interior wood.

Sotrinbois Sotrinbois, French specialist in finishing accessories, proved and is convinced that the skirting board matches to the wall, not to the flooring, for esthetic and economic reasons! In addition to embellish and enlarge the consumer room, it allows the distributor to limit the number of references stored. Indeed, to store all skirting board, matched to the wide variety of flooring, is not necessary. Sotrinbois also presented its new 3D finishing, possibilities, as well its expert brands: Mouldings/Battens, SoPlinthes, SoPanneaux & SoStyle.

Vandecasteele Houtimport For Vandecasteele Houtimport it was our 11th year at the Carrefour International du Bois.

Vandecasteele was the first Belgian company to participate at this fair.

At that time the fair was reasonably small, but has grown over the years and has turned into one of the best wood trade shows in Europe. The show is very well attended, with visitors from all over the world. It is the perfect opportunity to meet both existing and new customers, plus catch up with suppliers. A perfect networking event!

Roger Sawmill For many years, the Roger sawmill specialised in producing oak square edges (in thicknesses of 18, 27, and 50mm, as well as others, 2.5m in length, and a fixed width up to 24cm), the regular production of 12 different qualities, allowing it to respond effectively to current market needs in fixed widths. In addition, its large stock of over 1000m³ of oak beams makes for effective air-dried applications. Damien Roger gave us his appreciation of the many valuable contacts made at the show from ‘France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and South-East Asia’.

Rubio Monocoat Aiming for development and expertise: that was Rubio Monocoat France’s programme on the Carrefour du Bois! The team gave a variety of practical demonstrations. Visitors could see

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Vetedy Vetedy was delighted to be able to exhibit its terrace and wall products with the invisible fastening systems Softline® and Techniclic® at its completely new stand during the Carrefour du Bois show in Nantes. Visits by their partners and meetings with new contacts showed that their products are still very much coveted. These are products which are also easy to maintain, ecological, and in line with modern trends. As a company which is both covered in certificates and renowned, and which is particularly well known for the impeccable qualities of its products, Vetedy can even offer a ten-year guarantee on its products. In the meantime, both systems have won over most Belgian architects and scores of others worldwide.

Special

Providers of 100% ecological adhesives : who has them?

ECOLOGICAL GLUE RESPECTS THE ENVIRONMENT CHEMICAL SECTOR MUST SHOW EVEN MORE DUE REGARD FOR THE PLANET

Photo – Rubio Monocoat

Oddly enough, many people seem to regard ‘ecological’ as a modern word or a sort of buzzword. The fact that the term is derived from ancient Greek and relates to aspects which have claimed attention for over 1000 years seems to make little difference. The fact is that environmental problems, the ozone issue, and other ecological issues mean that terms like ‘ecological’, ‘natural’, environmentally-friendly’, and such like now get more and more attention. Furthermore, make no mistake, they are much more than just terms. They are rooted in a whole reality, which is often technical and scientific.

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‘Ecological’ – how come?

The raw ‘definition’ Ecology is primarily a science and a branch of biology. Ecology is the study of the dynamics of the interaction between organisms, populations, or communities (biotic environment) and the relations between organisms, populations, communities, or landscapes and the non-biological environment (abiotic environment). The study of sorts is also called autoecology and community and ecosystem scholars use the terms community ecology or synecology. German biologist Ernst Haeckel introduced the term in 1866. It is derived from the Greek

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Providers of 100% ecological adhesives : who has them?

words ‘oikos’ (home) and ‘logos’ (science/knowledge). In Anglo-Saxon language the word ‘ecology’ has a more environmentally-oriented meaning.

Ecological awareness Ecological, sustainable, and renewable are terms which have passed from being green jargon into everyday use. In the building industry you hear the terms all the time and any established building or building-related show has had ecology as a recent main theme. It’s about sustainable building with respect for the environment. ‘Ecology’ has emerged from the ‘frightening’ realisation that we are using up energy sources (fossil fuels) and that over the years we’ve sorely abused the air, the soil, and water by ‘dumping’ waste just about anywhere. The dustbin is full, so we need a new approach. When we use the term ‘ecological’ nowadays, we’re talking about the need to respect the planet.

Ecological behaviour We show that respect by causing less harm to the environment with hazardous substances which decompose slowly or not at all and often tarnish the planet infinitely. We show that respect by consuming natural energy sources sparingly and giving preference to energy sources which do not pollute. We also show that respect by a preference for renewable raw materials in the production of goods i.e. raw materials which we don’t exhaust simply by harvesting them. Using recyclable raw materials also deserves encouragement because those raw materials, once they have completed their task (worn out), can be used again in new (other or the same) applications.

Chemicals, especially glues Glues are used ‘a lot’ in daily life in private settings, industry, construction, and many other fields. One of the best ways to reduce the impact of chemicals on the environment is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds before and during their production and use. Emission levels have been reduced again and again under the Building Products Regulation. The latest related legislation (in Belgium via a Royal Decree) actually means that all adhesives are more or less ecological.

Emission standards in three classes The classification (EC-1, 2, 3), which we see on product packaging, relates to the Emicodes developed by the Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation (‘Gemeinschaft Emissionkontrolierte Verlegewerkstoffe’ or GEV for short). These codes are used nowadays on all ‘testable’ floor products. EMICODE is the testifying sign of the GEV. It is the designation for a classification system for dividing up industrial chemical products for floor fitters on the basis of their emission conduct into the following three classes: EMICODE EC 1 means ‘very low emission’, EMICODE EC 2 means ‘low emissions’, and EMICODE EC 3 means ‘not low emission’. The EMICODE division is based on measurement results and specific division criteria recorded after a defined testing method. Since the concept of ‘very low emission’ is neither standardised or clearly defined, only EMICODE provides an obligatory base for floor fitters to assess and choose products.

New limits The application of the Building Products Regulation means that new European emission standards are in force. These standards stipulate, amongst other things, that after 28 days the emission level of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) all together must not exceed 1,000µg/m³ and that the total semi-volatile organic compounds (TSVOC) must not even exceed 100µg/m³. The proportion of CMR

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substances in categories 1A and 1B must not exceed 1µg/m³. CMR substances are carcinogenic (with potential to cause cancer), mutagenic (causing genetic mutation), or toxic to reproduction (harmful to procreation or one’s offspring).

Adhesive producers ‘react’ Basin It is difficult to show that an adhesive is 100% ecological as regards VOC emissions by referring to tests carried out in the emission chamber in accordance with the standards DIN ISO 16000-3, 16000-6, and 16000-9.

Nevertheless, the EMICODE quality label is accurate enough as a measure, with its three emission classes EC2, EC1, and EC1 Plus (which guarantees that there are no carcinogenic substances present). Another element to be considered when it comes to ecological adhesive is the quantity of heavy metals. The new generation of single-component polymer adhesive STP-850 from BASIN has easily sailed through the tests of the renowned laboratory of the Swiss Higher Institution of Wood (‘Haute Ecole Suisse du Bois’), which has classified this adhesive as EMICODE EC1 Plus for VOC. All values regarding heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury are lower than 0.0mg/kg! And so, the STP-850 is without doubt the adhesive par excellence for those who attach importance to the ecological aspects of their environment. This does not in any way reduce the mechanical properties of STP-850, with its outstanding shear strength with an average strength value of 1.5N/mm2 and elasticity of 1.45mm (ISO 17178). Finally, this adhesive is very easy to apply and it also saves considerable time thanks to the BASIBOND application gun.

Bostik Recently, Bostik has launched a type of glue (Parfix ECO Plus) based on a completely new technology, namely ‘AxiosTM Tri-LinkingTM Technology’. This glue contains neither softeners nor phthalates. It is made by Bostik Germany and bears the label ‘Der Blaue Engel’ (The Blue Angel) and EC1+ (very low emission). AxiosTM Tri-LinkingTM Technology is a specific development which Bostik has completed on its own. This new technology ensures an improved bond between the parquet and the substrate and thereby ensures greater sound reduction. Moreover, Parfix ECO Plus adhesive is a fast-setting elastic glue which complies with DIN 14293/ISO 17718. This is an advantage for glueing large-size parquet sections. The glue is designed for both large projects and for private dwellings. After all, a healthy indoor climate is also important in private dwellings.

Lecol Lecol has an extensive range of ecological adhesives, including both silane and polyurethane adhesives. Amongst the silane adhesives we mention the MS230, MS260, and MS550 from Wakol. Wakol Parquet Adhesive MS 260 is a hard elastic MS polymer adhesive which has been developed specially for glueing chipboard or industrial mosaic subfloors, solid parquet up to 16cm wide, end grain blocks, mosaic parquet, distressed Burgundy traditional parquet, and multi-layer ready-to-fit parquet (wood engineered parquet) on absorbent and non-absorbent subfloors.

Wakol Parquet Adhesive MS 230 is the parquet glue which is particularly suitable for the full glueing of Multi-layer parquet with a tongue and groove connection. The MS550 is a silane single component adhesive for glueing PVC and rubber. Amongst PU adhesives we mention the Wakol PU225. Wakol PU225 Parquet Adhesive is suitable for glueing 22mm solid parquet (thick strips and wide planks) solely onto a wooden subfloor (chipboard, mosaic, etc.) in combination with blind clips. With this dual component adhesive the hardener is mixed in mechanically. The adhesive is top quality and suitable for glueing onto floor heating. The packaging of the PU225 consists of a bucket with a concave lid which contains the hardener.

Rubio Monocoat Whether or not a glue is ecological depends on several factors. First and foremost, an adhesive can be ecological because it is not harmful to the user (floor fitter) or the people who will later occupy the home/company/public area.

Furthermore, a parquet adhesive can also be developed consciously with raw materials which are ecologically responsible. The challenge is to develop the adhesive in such a way as to retain all the required mechanical properties without compromising on the set ecological requirements. This is a challenge which Rubio Monocoat has met successfully with the development of the Rubio Easy Bond parquet glue. The aim was to combine all the positive features of various forms of technology in one product. Rubio Monocoat has achieved this goal with distinction. Ecological glues are not targeted specifically at certain areas of application, but they do go along with the general trend of ecological awareness, which has prevailed for a few years now. For some projects Rubio Monocoat has noticed that it is a requirement that a project is completed using ecologically responsible products. Rubio Easy Bond fits the bill perfectly here, and it does not contain solvents or softeners. Furthermore, it does not contain any isocyanates, so there is only a very minimal risk of skin allergies.

Soudal

Soudal is constantly looking for innovations. This leads to improvements in both quality and unique ecological aspects. Examples of these ecological improvements are products which bear the EC1 Plus label of the EmicodeÂŽ. This Emicode specifies the emission properties of different building materials after installation, including floor adhesives. There are three classes: EC2, EC1, and EC1 Plus, with the latter being the highest class. The products are tested by the GEV (Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation). The tests are carried out using extremely sensitive laboratory equipment and standardised test procedures. These tests can identify and quantify even the tiniest traces of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the air. The maker can add one of the codes according to the test results. Tests are repeated periodically so that the quality is monitored and guaranteed continuously.

STAUF STAUF healthy living environment, occupational safety and sustainability In the choice of materials for installing on walls and floors, factors such as a healthy living environment, occupational safety and sustainability are of key importance today. STAUF products certified with a variety of eco-labels in the category health and the environment. EMICODEÂŽ is the most important and well-known classification system internationally for emission behaviour of installation materials, adhesives and construction products. The German GEV, the Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation, Adhesives and Building Materials, for solvent-free, low emission products, awards this label. Products are random tested even after the label has awarded. This ensures that products always have the same high quality and that they offer the greatest possible safety and reliability where the quality of indoor air, health and safety, and eco-friendliness are concerned.

Top Product: STAUF SMP-950 is a 100% silane based SMP wood flooring adhesive without any kind of migresives (no VOC, SVOC, VVOC) and therefore suitable for all sub floors and wood flooring types.

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Benefits and features of cork floors

THE PERCEPTIBLE AND AUDIBLE BENEFITS OF CORK AN ECOLOGICAL BUILDING SOLUTION WITH STRONG ASSETS consider the unique assets which the material has for the completion of renovation projects. The main reason for the success of cork on the renovation market is the limited thickness of less than 10mm. An additional reason is that there’s no need to fit any expansion joints for cork.

Moreover, cork can also be fitted in the bathroom. Those three reasons together ensure that cork is often chosen to replace existing carpet, linoleum, or vinyl. It is precisely because of a unique combination of assets that the floor can be extended over an entire floor, including in the bathroom and with no thresholds. The fact that cork can be joined up with no problem at all onto (and against) staircase steps also benefits the final finish.

Comfort above all else!

The private client is charmed mainly by the extensive decorative possibilities and the vast domestic comfort which cork offers. This domestic comfort is a direct result of the material cork itself.

Comfortable and warm Cork has a number of properties in common with wood. For example, there is the outstanding heat insulation which, amongst other things, means that cork absorbs heat from its surrounds and retains it for a long time. This means that a cork floor always feels comfortable, even if you walk on it barefoot. And so, it’s no surprise that cork floors are much coveted for the finish of bedrooms, children’s rooms, and play rooms in private homes.

Photo – Wicanders

You can discuss the look of cork and aesthetic preferences for hours. After all, you have the classic cork floors which show the original granular cork structure and are favoured by many precisely for that reason. Others prefer coloured or printed cork with the wine top element less striking. Apart from that debate, cork has a number of unmistakeable and especially unbeatable mechanical properties which can count in both new construction and renovation. These assets are perceptible and audible. And so, for once, we’re not talking here about the visible benefits.

Renovation product par excellence Cork has developed into a completely fully fledged interior product for both new construction and renovation. To acquire that substantial position, the manufacturers had to throw all their trump cards on the table at the same time. The fact that cork is an ecological product seems to be a top class argument in view of the spirit of the age. No trees are chopped down and it can be renewed and recycled completely. Moreover, the comfort properties of cork speak volumes (see below). Finally, the decorative options are well nigh infinite. Now that digital print on cork is an option, there are hardly any limits at all here. Before we set out those comfort properties of cork, let’s briefly

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The ‘semi-soft’ floor Cork obviously doesn’t have the soft feel of carpet, but neither does it have the hardness of wood or laminate. Cork has the remarkable property that it can be pressed in. We can press cork in up to 35% of its thickness. Once the pressure is released, cork restores itself to its original shape. Running on a cork floor gives almost imperceptibly the impression that the floor ‘gives’ slightly.

Hygienic and healthy The anti-static nature of cork means that a cork floor repels dust. This makes the floor ideal for patients with allergies and, at the same time, it is easy to clean either dry or wet so that you always have a hygienic floor.

These are all elements which are appreciated in children’s rooms, but which are also absolutely essential in old people’s homes and care homes.

Computer-friendly The anti-static nature of cork means that this material is also suitable for rooms where computer materials are set up (such as in offices) or, for instance, medical equipment in hospitals and care homes. However, in this digital age computers and other digital tools are found increasingly in private homes.

Durable and hard-wearing The varnish which is used for cork can be compared to a flexible parquet varnish. This varnish is scratch-resistant. The number of coats

and the quality of the lacquer obviously affects the lifespan. The fact that cork can be pressed in means it is possible that legs from heavy items of furniture may leave an impression behind. In many cases that impression will disappear as a result of the floor’s resilience. With use in bedrooms and landings these floors may easily enjoy a lifespan of up to 20 years. In the living room, where a floor is subjected to more intense use, the lifespan will probably be somewhat shorter, but even there manufacturers give solid guarantees.

Cork: what’s new?

Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet Cork is a natural product with natural insulation properties. Cork has these properties due to its element structure. After all, cork consists of 14-sided cells which are full of air.

One cubic centimetre of cork phelloderm contains 40 million cells or air chambers! This means that cork always has a pleasant feel and it absorbs sounds and vibrations.

Moreover, cork is resilient, anti-static, fire-retardant, and highly resistant to damp. Moreover, cork contains various resins, which make it resistant to water and attacks from moulds and insects. The range of floors with the look of tiles or wood are either digitally printed cork or a combination product of cork with a finish layer of vinyl on top. At present, the range of digitally presented cork includes both stone and wood looks. The choice is even bigger in the click floors, which are fitted floating, than in the glued versions. Innovations for 2016 are found mainly in new designs.

Meister MEISTER cork flooring is a 100% natural product in order to create a healthy living environment. Apart from the sound reducing effects, cork also gives a pleasant warm feeling to the feet which makes the floor perfectly suited to walk barefoot over it. An additional advantage is the elasticity of the floor, which reduces the pressure on the joints considerably and as a consequence creates a positive influence on people´s health. The appearance of MEISTER cork flooring is classic but warm cork design, which differentiates itself with a fivefold Duratec Pro varnish finish as a protective layer. The complete cork collection consists of 20 cork designs. The floors can be easily self-installed floatingly, thanks to the Masterclic Plus clic system. All floors have been awarded with the blue angel label, a symbol only granted to floors that respect all ecological criteria, without harming nature.

Mutrex For Mutrex a real cork floor is a cork floor, with the biggest possible difference being the floating or adhesive tile design. This looks like a cork floor (cork decors) and will have to be maintained as a cork floor.

Whether it is designed floating or glued, there is only one sort, namely the cork floor. An important feature of a real cork floor is that these floors can be custom-made.

Mutrex does that by means of a 7-step menu (Xtreme Choice). The client chooses the combination of elements such as design, size, shape, facet edge, colour, and finish in order to arrive at a unique floor entirely in line with client wishes and not dictated by the market, something which is the case with a lot of digitally printed ranges. Each floor which Mutrex offers has the potential to be a unique, one-off floor, so all floors are new and make use of the possibilities offered by cork, which actually cannot change. Cork will always be cork. There are, of course, new compositions in which cork is one of the components used. This creates a new product, which is no longer a real cork floor. New at Mutrex is the Ultimate Choice. These are cork tiles which can be printed in accordance with the client’s wishes, if necessary as a puzzle over the entire surface of the room. Just as with the (real) cork floor programme from Mutrex (Xtreme Choice) where the client decides how the floor ingredients make up the desired end result (with the look of a cork floor), Mutrex gives clients complete freedom with Ultimate Choice in terms of digitally printed cork tiles, and even in a Stone-look, if that’s what the client wants.

Wicanders For the development of its products, Wicanders always makes use of Corktech, a technology which gives expression to all the properties and benefits of cork. Those benefits are noticeable for the end user: a silent floor due to the natural absorption capacity of cork, an energy-friendly floor due to the outstanding thermal qualities of cork, a floor which can literally take a knock thanks to the natural elasticity and compressibility of cork, a comfortable floor thanks to the inherent flexibility of cork, and, finally, a floor which ensures physical welfare thanks to the stable balance of cork. Visually, Wicanders offers an endless selection of decors, ranging from real cork look to contemporary colours and wood or stone decors. All the aforementioned benefits can be found in the various product ranges: Hydrocork, Authentica, and Art Comfort. Digital print technology (in Art Comfort) is very important here for clients who want to combine the benefits of cork with another decor. The success of the various products differs depending on the region. Since Wicanders is present in over 70 countries, it’s not easy to pick a best-seller. At all events, worldwide the Authentica and Hydrocork ranges have proved a great success. Authentica stands out for the unique combination of LVT and cork (2.7mm underlay) where there is a total thickness of 4mm, something which is an added bonus for renovation. Hydrocork stays limited to 6mm, despite the combination of cork and a waterproof element.

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Hygrometers and how to use them

HYGROMETERS ARE GAINING IN PRECISION WOODEN FLOORS DON’T ALLOW ANY CONCESSION

Photo – Tramex Realtive Humidity Hygrohood and CMEX2

We all know that the vast majority of the planet consists of water. Water is life! In construction water has that extra feature that you can use it to turn solid materials temporarily into fluids. Without that, we couldn’t use those materials. Concrete, cement, and plaster all need water to help them take on their final shape. Afterwards, that water, or at least a good deal of it, can simply disappear. That’s where we can sometimes feel the pinch in the finish phase of building. Measuring damp in the room and in the various materials is absolutely essential when wood is used.

where that water comes from (e.g. the subfloor, the air, or the walls).

Conversely, wood is also capable of emitting too much moisture into the atmosphere if it contains more moisture than ‘normal’ (see below) and if the atmosphere still has the capacity to absorb it. Actually, all we’re talking about here is ‘drying’. The absorption and emission of moisture obviously affects the volume so that the wood swells when it absorbs moisture and shrinks when it emits that moisture again. On the assumption that the wooden floor is fitted perfectly, this means in both cases that the movement of wood causes damage; the wood curves if it has too much moisture or cracks if it has too little.

What’s the danger of moisture?

The glue doesn’t dry

In combination with wooden building materials (e.g. floors or walls), excess moisture in the room or even in the materials themselves can have all sorts of destructive effects.

Moisture affects not only the condition of wooden floorboards, but also a number of construction processes. This is certainly the case when we fully glue wooden floors. We know that some ‘chemical’ adhesive bonds become hard due to a reaction with the moisture in the atmosphere.

With various ‘physical’ adhesive reactions the adhesive bond is created once the glue ‘dries up’. And so, in both cases the presence of moisture (wherever it may be) has an adverse effect on the setting glue. And

Excessive ‘movement’ Wood is extremely sensitive to moisture. This means that wood is capable of absorbing excess water from its surrounds, irrespective of

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so, it’s no wonder that some adhesives never set properly if they are spread too thickly.

Loosening of the coating Concealed residual moisture (in the screed) is the main cause of moisture-related damage to the floor. It’s worth knowing that 45% of the water used to make cement or gypsum-bound building materials is stored in the crystals of the mixture. The other 55% no longer has any function once the materials have hardened and has to be drained to the edges where it evaporates. If any coating whatsoever is applied before the surplus water has disappeared, this causes damage as a result of excess pressure from the steam between the material and the coating (source: DNS Denzel).

the building materials themselves also have a moisture content (which varies for that matter). There are various sorts of hygrometers for measuring all those possible moisture contents.

Technology more and more precise According to some people, the most reliable method for measuring the residual moisture in the screed (and in concrete) is the Carbide Method whereby sample material from the floor is used to bring about a reaction with carbide so that the residual moisture content can be measured. Air humidity and temperature are measured using hygro-thermometers. These tools are designed to check the atmospheric conditions. Meters which are based on the dielectric constant are also known as capacitive moisture meters. They work with a transmitter and a receiver and are based on the density of the wood. A lot of parquet floor fitters are ‘armed’ with a measuring instrument which is based on that electrical resistance. The measuring instruments are equipped with electrodes (pins) which are pressed (or hammered)

Photos – Tramex

sales@tramexmeters.eu

www.tramexmeters.com

MOISTURE AND Photo – Tramex WME WME with pin probe

What do you have to know and, therefore, measure?

It’s worth pointing out again that fitting parquet in the correct manner is more than just a question of professional pride and a good reputation. There is also such a thing as ‘liability’. It’s an indisputable fact that if anything goes wrong with a wooden floor just after the fitting or shortly afterwards, the client (or the architect) will lay the responsibility firmly at the feet of the floor fitter. Hiding behind the delivery period, even on the grounds of delays caused by other professionals involved in the building project, usually won’t help at all. And so, the floor fitter has to ‘know’ how much moisture there is on the ‘site’. There’s only one way to find out, namely measuring and, in particular, measuring everything! After all, there’s damp everywhere. This means that the atmosphere, too, contains moisture. That moisture is important not only because we’re working with wood, but also because, as we’ve already said, makers of chemical products such as adhesives, lacquers, and oils set certain demands (limits) as regards the atmospheric conditions (damp and temperature) for the correct use of their products.

Apart from that, building elements such as concrete, screed, and plasterwork contain certain percentages of residual building moisture and

HUMIDITY METERS to help avoid moisture related problems in flooring

also for Testing

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Hygrometers and how to use them

into the wood to measure the resistance between the electrodes. As is the case with other instruments and tools or accessories, manufacturers try to add more functions to the tools.

It’s not so easy for floor fitters to be in possession of a different measuring instrument for each type or source of moisture. Nowadays, instruments are appearing which simply measure ‘everything’, and that’s a good step forward for professionals.

A specialist

Vesting LED HardWax Oil 60% Energy savings Low temperatures No ozone emissions Long lifespan

Tramex Tramex presents measuring devices for all sources of damp and in various forms of technology. The CME4 Concrete Moisture Encounter is a non-destructive analogue hygrometer for measuring in concrete (or sand-cement). The Photo – Tramex WME non-destructive mode Tramex CMEX II (Concrete Moisture Encounter) is a digital and non-destructive hygrometer which is also for instant measuring in concrete, but also has a plug-in measuring function for relative moisture and measuring pins for wood. The CMEX II can be used in combination with the Tramex Hygrohood, a non-destructive tester for relative moisture. Finally, the Tramex WME Wood Moisture Encounter is an accurate meter for the instant measurement (non-destructive) of moisture in wood and wood-based products, and it also has a function for relative moisture. The CME4 and CMEX II are particularly suitable for measuring moisture in the substrate if it also comprises floor heating. Both meters have a CM-equivalence scale, so it is possible to reduce the number of tests with the carbide method.

The CMEX II and Hygro-i probes can also be deployed for testing relative moisture on site.

The Hygro-i probes are designed to measure moisture in the screed in accordance with international standards such as the ASTM F2170 and the BS 8201:2011. To do this, you drill a hole to a depth of 40% of the total thickness. Then, you insert the liner into this hole. The probes are introduced and you close up with the plastic cap. Then, you wait for the duration given in the standard test. By plugging the adapter into the Hygro-i probe you can read the equilibrium relative moisture and the temperature and dew point.

For measuring in accordance with another well known British standard you use the ‘hoof’ method in which an insulated and watertight box is fixed onto the substrate for 72 hours.

The probe is brought to the box here; we measure using the CMEX II or the WME meter.

The CMEX II and the WME meters can be used in combination with the Hygro-i as a measuring device for the conditions (damp, temperature, and dew point). Both meters can also be used to measure moisture in the wood.

Low maintenance costs

Photo – Tramex CME4 non-destructive concrete test

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Hard wax oil

MORE FLOOR FITTERS ARE CONVERTING TO HARD WAX OIL THE POWER OF SATURATION COMBINED WITH A HARD TOP LAYER The floor fitter chooses We point out in the title of this article that ‘more floor fitters are converting to hard wax oil’. Odd? And what about the clients? Well, this is a feature which is typical of several domains, but perhaps most of all for the trade of fitting parquet floors. When choosing a wooden floor, end users find themselves in a position where they themselves have very little background knowledge. More so than in other sectors, the parquet floor trader is ‘an adviser from the very start’. Until about a decade ago, there was the phenomenon of floor fitters ‘fitting what they fitted’. Trained by a boss who had specialised for years in ‘one’ particular type of wood (say, oak), ‘one’ fitting method, with ‘one’ specific adhesive, and with ‘one’ finish which was not up for discussion.

The clients had very little say in the matter. It sometimes seemed as if floor fitters worked according to a family recipe, which was passed down from father to son and kept as a sworn ‘secret’. Nowadays, the market certainly offers a vast scale of alternatives in terms of wood sorts, colours, fitting methods, fitting patterns, and finishes, but floor fitters still haven’t forfeited their advisory role. A few years ago, we often heard floor fitters say, ‘I’ll apply a sturdy “high-traffic” lacquer, and then we’ll have peace of mind,’ whilst, nowadays, you more often see floor fitters with a distinct preference for hard wax oil. The qualities of the product itself and the easy fitting will probably be part of the reason for that.

A hybrid finish We can best illustrate the special quality of hard wax oil by once again stressing the most obvious division of the finishes. Whatever spin we want to put on it, a division can simply be made in finishes which leave a film and finishes which don’t. Then you have lacquer on the one side and the rest on the other. People have always put forward the natural look of the finished floor as a main argument in favour of ‘the rest’. The emergence of matt and ultra-matt has rendered this argument somewhat dated. The main benefit of wax, hard wax, and oil is still mainly that if you don’t have a film, there is no film to be damaged. However scratch-resistant lacquer may be, any damage can (and will) always be visible. Repairing in patches isn’t an option.

Saturation with beeswax Photo – Blanchon

Elsewhere in this edition we consider the term ‘ hybrid’, mainly as regards the latest glue technology now on the market. The definition? The term ‘ hybrid’ indicates that the good qualities of different forms of technology are brought together in a particular product or technique. Simple and ingenious! There can be no doubt that hard wax oil deserves the adjective ‘ hybrid’. Hard wax oil combines the best of the classic oil finish, namely the ‘saturation effect’, and the strength of beeswax, namely the deposit of a warm, but protective top layer.

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Saturation means that the pores of the wood are filled. And so, there is no layer of film, but the wood is filled to the top so that dirt and water can’t penetrate the wood. The coat deposited on the wood surface via saturation is still open. It’s a fact that we can never fully imitate the look of floors from grandmother’s day. After all, that look was the result of not only a product, but also and especially a treatment method. Year after year, the floor was maintained by treating it with wax. In other words, maintenance also meant nourishing the floor to keep up the level of saturation. Floors treated like that for years on end have a unique and warm sheen.

Saturation with oil When we consider that maintaining such floors (in museums and public buildings) is now much more tolerable through the use of a

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buffing machine, the move towards saturation with oil is logical. After all, the buffing machine gently heats the wax to make it more fluid. Oil has always been a popular finish for wooden floors. Here, too, we work on the principle of saturation or impregnation. Since oil has an impregnating effect and fills up the pores of the wood without creating a sealed film, we retain the element of direct contact with the wood and the ensuing warm feeling. Even the aroma of an oiled floor seems more natural.

Saturation with hard wax oil The first logical step in the development of the use of beeswax is obviously that the wood is saturated with oil. Beeswax is then applied as a hard, protective, and waterproof top coat. It goes without saying that we’re then only a short step away from wax oil and/or hard wax oil. The hard labour of bygone days is now replaced by a simple treatment with just one product. Some products allow you to finish with just one coat.

The end result is a saturated wooden floor with a hard and protective top coat, which nevertheless doesn’t create a film.

Major benefits A floor treated with hard wax oil is protected from dirt and water as a result of the saturation. Moreover, a hard layer is formed by the wax ingredients. As was the case in the past, this layer gets harder over the years and also in line with how the floor is maintained. The floor has an exceptionally hard surface so that it is resistant to scratches and wear and tear. The wax layer cannot split provided that it remains elastic.

Maintenance and repair As we’ve already said, the film on the floor with hard wax oil gets harder over the years as the floor is maintained. The maintenance is fairly simple. A simple cleaning session means vacuum cleaning first and then cleaning with a damp mop. A ‘cleaner’ can be added to the water.

To maintain and nourish the floor, producers offer maintenance wax or oil. Some brands recommend a maintenance session shortly after the treatment. Probably one of the major benefits of hard wax oil is the fact that, just as with an oiled floor, it is possible to work in patches, either by giving more intensive treatment to certain high-traffic zones or by repairing damaged sections locally. This is impossible in the case of a classic lacquer treatment.

Going along with trends A floor treated with hard wax oil looks like a floor in old castles or cloisters. Nowadays, we see how strongly the producers are committed to colour. Obviously, they wish to reconcile the look of bygone days with the needs of the modern interior with due regard for current colour trends. In recent years, several makers have stressed the extension to the range of colours. Another trend, but along the same lines, is that of distressed floors. After all, both in traditional interiors and in hyper-modern homes there is a real chance of encountering a distressed floor. Obviously, a lacquer finish isn’t an option at all for these distressed floors. Not only because of the much coveted contact with the wood and (in this case) with the flaws in the wood, but also for a purely practical reason. Lacquering a distressed floor would mean that the floor could never be renovated or treated again without eliminating

WOOD WAX FINISH Transparent and intensively coloured designs – the all-round talent for interior wood! > Highly recommended for furniture and children‘s toys, flooring, walls, ceilings, doors, mouldings, beams and edge-glued panels > Wood Wax Finish results in a water and dirt-resistant surface. It is wipe-proof and stain-resistant > As colouring primer for wooden flooring, apply only one coat. Once completely dried, apply the top coat with clear Polyx®-Oil Original 22

Floor Forum International 82

the effects of distressing. And so, hard wax oil benefits considerably from that market share which has been won by distressed floors.

The makers present …

Adesiv Adesiv offers the hard wax oil Paviolio 25. Paviolio 25 is a natural emulsion of oil and wax which is suitable for impregnating polished wooden floors. The oil gives the floor a brighter effect. Allow the product to come up to temperature before use.

Spread it with a roller or paintbrush.

The amount of product applied before each application is vital.

Surplus oil must be removed after 30 to 40 minutes using a cloth. The moisture content in the wood must be between 8 and 12% before Paviolio 25 is applied, the temperature between 10 and 30°C, and the air humidity no more than 75%.

Bona Bona Hard Wax Oil gives a comfortable and natural surface through a mixture of hardening natural oils and waxes. It makes the surface resistant to water and dirt and is suitable for untreated hardwood floors and other types of wooden floors which have to endure normal to heavy use. The fact that this is a single component product makes it easy to use. Two coats can be finished in one day. Floors treated

with the hard wax oil can be repaired in patches. As regards roughness, Bona hard wax oil complies with DIN 51130-R9, as regards saliva and sweat resistance it complies with DIN 53160 T.1+2, and as regards migration demands it complies with DIN EN 71 T.3. The surface to be treated should be sandpapered thoroughly and should be dry and free of sawdust, old lacquer, and other impurities. Use the Bona Scrad System with sanding disc/gauze disc or sandpaper grain 120 for the final sandpapering. Keep the product, room, and floor temperatures between 8 and 35°C. Keep the room well ventilated during application and drying/setting.

Blanchon Blanchon hard wax oil offers nothing but benefits for both floor fitters and end users. The easy application is one thing, but the speed and simplicity as regards maintenance is another asset. The hard wax oil from Blanchon also offers infinite application possibilities as regards finishes (shades, wood tones, and colour nuances). Apart from the hard wax oil, Blanchon also presents its High solid hard wax oil. This hard wax oil impregnates, colours, and protects a parquet floor in one single operation. The hard wax oil nourishes the wood and protects it in the depth. Thanks to the composition of the hard wax oil, which is very rich in natural and renewable raw materials, it dries rapidly and virtually with no bad smells. Solid Oil is practical and economical in use. The

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Chimiver

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CHIMIVER PANSERI S.p.A. - Via Bergamo, 1401 - 24030 PONTIDA (BG) - ITALY Tel. +39 035 795031 - Fax +39 035 795556 - chimiver.com - info@chimiver.com

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Hard wax oil

pallet with colour nuances makes just about any decorative application possible. The original pallet of 11 colour shades was increased to 32 shades in 2015. For example, 15 shades of grey have been added.

Thanks to the addition of a pre-dosed hardener (20%), the drying and hardening only take a few hours. This system is strongly recommended for very high-traffic rooms such as shops, museums, catering establishments, and such like. New in the Blanchon range is the Hard Wax Oil SD (Superior Density), which offers outstanding durability and can be applied in one day (2 coats/8 hours drying time). Finally, Blanchon also offers a Maintenance Oil for the maintenance of all floors finished with oil or wax oil, including floors oiled in the factory.

water resistant. Besides that the floor is protected against saliva and sweat and make the floor child friendly because they meet the requirements for children’s toys. In addition to this, the Floorservice Hardwaxoils also meet anti-slip standard R9. A new product is the Floorservice Hardwax-oil 2K. This VOC-free finishing product cures very fast; ensuring the floor to be fully operational in no time. Depending on the application method of choice it can be applied as a one-coat or as a two-coat system. The products have a vegetable oils and waxes base. And they meet the VOC-regulation EU 2012.

Hesse Benelux

Briançon Hard wax oil gives a nice silky finish. Moreover, there are several shades available. The hard wax oil Carbamex is a three-in-one product; it impregnates, decorates, and protects all types of wood indoors. The product is suitable for floors, ceilings, beams, worktops, etc. It is available in eight designs: natural, light, oak, dark oak, smoked oak, rough wood, white, black, and grey. Carbamex is ready for use and, once applied, it repels dust. It is applied in two thin coats with a brush, roller, or spatula. After the application, the floor has to polished with a beige pad.

DevoNatural® Devomat presents DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil in colourless and whitewashed. DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil can be applied to commercial floors and domestic floors subjected to intensive use.

The product is easy to apply and can be massaged into open wood pores. Once the product is dry, it forms a good seal to ward off dirt and damp. DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil can be applied to all types of wood and on parquet, wooden floors, cork, furniture, wooden walls, and such like, and also on porous stone floors such as terra cotta. Since this product is waterproof, it can also be used on bathroom parquet and furniture. Special properties: with DevoNatural® Hard Wax Oil, parquet, and wood in general, remains elastic and the oil film provides higher wear and stain resistance. Maintenance products such as cleaning soap and renovators keep your floor in perfect condition and extend its lifespan considerably.

Floorservice The different types and 34 colours of Floorservice Hardwax-oil penetrate deep into the wood, without blocking the pores. This allows the wood to keep breathing and retains its natural structure, because no top layer is formed. Every floor that is finished with Floorservice Hardwax-oil is guaranteed to be highly resistant to wear and is also

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Hesse Benelux regards hard wax oil as a commercial term which certain suppliers use so that they can stand out. Other suppliers use the term hard oil or other terms. However, oil-wax combinations are nothing new. The combination is often made because oil provides a certain colouring for the wood, which wax alone cannot match.

However, wax provides a harder and more durable surface, which oiled surfaces cannot match. Some oil-wax combinations or hard oils in the Hesse range include Proterra Cera Wax Balsam GE 100, Proterra Hard Oil GE 110, and Proterra Cerol Liquid Wax GE 120. Furthermore, there are also some special oil-wax combinations made for industrial clients in accordance with the client’s wishes. Oil-wax combinations are applied just like oil. They are applied using a spatula or a single-disc buffing machines and polished in using a fine pad.

Mapei Mapei presents Ultra-coat Oil Wax, a water-repellent oil-wax combination which is largely odourless and gives the wood a warm and deep look. This hard wax oil is applied with a roller, brush, or spatula. Mapei is introducing a special mop and pad for the removal of surplus oil. The oil is available in tins of 2.5l. it is neutral in colour. This oil is applied at a temperature between 10 and 25°C.

Osmo Remove small scratches and dents with partial renovations Osmo Polyx®-Oil protects wood flooring against abrasion, dirt and moisture.

Small scratches and dents in the surface lower this protection, which however can be restored with very little effort: in contrast to lacquered surfaces, wooden flooring treated with a natural wood finish from Osmo can be partially renovated. To do this, first sand the damaged area of flooring and afterwards the sanding dust must be thoroughly removed. Now apply the desired PolyxÂŽ-Oil to the area thinly and evenly. After drying, a second coat can be carried out. This method works for both clear and coloured variations of Osmo PolyxÂŽ-Oil.

Plastor Plastor believes that a hard wax oil provides natural protection which respects the wood. Hard wax oil is resistant to stains. Thanks to the many available shades, everyone will find something to their taste. The hard wax oil from Plastor is Decoprotect Hard Wax Oil. This is composed of natural oils and provides durable protection for the wood, even against stains and dirt.

Decoprotect is available in eight shades. Decoprotect gives the wood a warm look. These oils penetrate deeply into the wood without creating a film and without highlighting the wood fibres. Decoprotect is ready for use and is applied in thin coats using a roller.

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Monocoat offers a full range of hard wax oils for both manual and industrial applications. For applications on site they recommend the Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C, which is available in 40 standard colours. This oil can also be used for a finish on an industrial line. For specific finishes with a UV unit, there is the Rubio Monocoat Oil UV R2. For projects which have to meet specific fire safety requirements you can call upon the revolutionary Rubio Monocoat FR Oil System. This is the only oil system with a European classification Bfl-s1 (floors) according to standards EN13501-1, EN ISO 9239-1, and ISO. The oil in this system is a modified version of the RMC Oil Plus 2C oil. For all outdoor applications there is the Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Wood Protector, a universal all rounder for protecting outdoor wood, available in 10 natural wood colours and eight trendy pop colours. All these oils provide extremely durable protection and are easy to maintain and renovate.

Saicos The assortment from Saicos consists of Premium Hard Wax Oil, Premium Hard Wax Oil System, Ecoline Hard Wax Oil, and Ecoline Hard Wax Oil Natural. Both the Eco and traditional hard wax oils are easy to apply and very economical in use. They contain natural ingredients and provide high-quality protection. Premium Hard Wax Oil has been developed

specially for treating and protecting all wooden floors and cork. This Hard Wax Oil has the important property that it dries extremely quickly.

Premium Hard Wax Oil is a colourless product which lays a microporous protective layer and is based on natural oils and resins. The wood is protected in a natural manner, it can still breathe, and the moisture regulation continues as normal. Swelling and shrinking is severely limited after the treatment. The fact that Premium Hard Wax Oil dries so quickly means that under normal circumstances the second coat can be applied on the same day. The soft satin anti-slip surface repels both dirt and water. Coffee, wine, or aggressive fruit juices are unable to penetrate into the wood and can be removed easily.

Stauf Single-component colourless finish based on natural oils and waxes for parquet, wood floors, tables and worktops in areas with normal and moderately heavy use. STAUF HARDWAXOIL is dirt resistant, water repellent and enhances the natural wood colour with a velvet surface.

Apply STAUF HARDWAXOIL with STAUF Microfiber 5 mm crosswise (first apply across and then spread length ways) in a quick and even motion, avoiding puddles. Do not pour material directly on to the floor; rather use a container for application for a better abrasion resistance or quick curing, STAUF HARDWAXOIL can be mixed in a ratio of 25:1 with STAUF Oil Hardener.

Vesting Vesting has been ennobling wood in a traditional manner for over 61 years.

Recently, the company launched a global first in the shape of a LED-drying hard wax oil (see elsewhere in this edition). Apart from the revolutionary LED hard wax oil, Vesting also has three series of traditional hard wax oil: the Vesting Wax Oil 1000, 3000, and 5000 series. The Vesting Wax Oil 3000 series is the oldest and also the most popular series. Thanks to the high viscosity and rapid drying time, the 3000 series is not only attractive for finishing per plank, but also for use on an oiling line. The Vesting Wax Oil 1000 series was designed initially for use on the floor. The longer drying time of the oil (12 to 36 hours) means that professionals can easily process this series. This version has a higher content of solid substances thanks to the use of a unique combination of natural soft and hard waxes. This gives the floors more body and results in a magnificent full look. Finally, the Vesting Wax Oil 5000 series is a so called one-coat system. The wax oil has a high content of solid substances (98%). This means that one treatment gives the floor so much nourishment that a single coat is enough. The unique combination of raw materials, waxes, and a longer open time means that this oil is ideal for use on location. All three series are available in 19 standard colours.

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Producers of distressed floors

DISTRESSED IS STILL HUGELY POPULAR BRUSHING IS NOW THE PREFERRED DISTRESSING TECHNIQUE

Photo – Design Parket

Distressed parquet floors are still doing very well in all types of parquet and ‘ imitations’. We’ve said it before in this magazine: If laminate manufacturers include a certain decor in their assortment, that means quite simply that there is a ‘market demand’. And so, with distressed floors, that’s certainly the case. The reason? The combination of the longing for natural materials (wood) and a good dose of yearning for the calming homeliness of ‘ less busy’ periods.

Floors from the days when ‘stress’ wasn’t yet a key word.

Brushing new floors to give them an old look is gaining ground.

The knowing look to the past Many people associate parquet with bygone days, even though it’s a myth. Parquet has never gone away. And so, there’s no question of a return to ‘the past’. Yet perception is a strong stimulator. Parquet, with a solid stress on ‘oak parquet, reminds us of the holy ‘shrine’ from the homes of our ancestors. Parquet was fitted in the main living room which was opened merely a few times a year in those days. The general living room was more the ‘reception lounge’. This selective and

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privileged attitude towards parquet immediately elevates it to something ‘precious’- the showpiece which is cherished and maintained with care. Furthermore, wooden floors evoke memories of bedrooms in grandma’s house, often in deal or pitch pine, sometimes rough, sometimes even painted; at all events, seldom regular in terms of grain and width, and somewhat cheaper than parquet, so it seems. And so, it’s no wonder that lots of consumers, including those building a new property, give a knowing look to the past when they think of a wooden floor. ‘Let’s give the impression that it’s real,’ they say. To give that impression, wooden floor manufacturers have scores of techniques at their disposal which are usually borrowed from the furniture industry. The result of pure deception! But it’s deception with a smile. About 30 years ago, it was quite possible to transform a Breton sideboard to make it look like a 17th century item. Inspired by a dire need for real antiques. And why not?

‘Distressed’ is becoming ‘a finish’ The ‘deceptive’ element has disappeared completely. There isn’t a single vendor nowadays who would try to claim that a distressed floor was genuine antique parquet recycled from bygone days. ‘Distressed’

is sold as ‘distressed’. Just as laminate makes no attempt to cheat people, but simply means a ‘different’ type of floor with its own qualities and resembling wood perfectly, if necessary. You can lacquer, oil, colour, or stain a wooden floor or give it a coat of wax or hard wax, or you can distress it. Decoratively, too, distressed is regarded as a fully fledged decor which introduces the attractive and aesthetic qualities of an old floor, even in a modern interior, if necessary. Not to impress people, but simply for its beauty. We already know that there are various ways of distressing a floor. We can divide them up into chemical ways and mechanical ways. One of the ways which is very popular as regards authenticity because it is also practical and feasible (as regards finish and maintenance) is ‘brushing’. This article takes a nosedive into the methods of distressing and, finally, highlights the strength of the ‘brush’.

Common techniques in brief We’ve often explained in this magazine how distressing works. There are several techniques. With most distressed floors we find a combination of techniques. With the so called ‘damaging’ we artificially apply traces of years of use or give the impression with the use of old processing techniques that the floor was made in an earlier period.

We apply ‘damage’ by means of flogging, beating, or lashing. By scraping the floor manually, we give the impression that it was made during the period where that technique as still used. Colouring the floors can also give the impression that the wood is old. This can be done with colour products such as stains, for instance, but also via the now well known ‘chemical smoking’ with ammonia. Lots of chemical makers sell special distressing products which can also be applied on site, something which is useful in the case of renovation.

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

Grain highlights Brushing a wooden floor gives an ‘aged’ effect in two distinct ways.

Firstly, just as with scraping or ripping, you get the effect of the use of finishing methods which were commonly used about a century ago.

Don’t forget that they didn’t have the ‘belt’ yet! What we can do nowadays with a whole battalion of sanding machines used to be carried out in many cases with copper and (later) steel brushes. Secondly, brushing also means a visual and tangible reference to another distressing phenomenon. The ‘soft tissue’ parts of the wood grains are the most susceptible to wear (through rubbing). This means that over many years of use even the most perfectly maintained floor has shown increasing grain highlights. The fact that old floors have usually been finished and maintained with wax, which has also been polished (= rubbed) regularly, also contributes to the increasing visibility of the wood grain. A basic difference between brushing and other distressing techniques is particularly that most techniques (e.g. beating or lashing) try to imitate ‘wear’ or ‘usage damage’, whilst brushing tends more to imitate a natural ageing phenomenon.

Manual or mechanical brushing There was a time when brushing was done manually, once again just like scraping. And so, brushing replaced the scouring which was done at that time and which used various grains to arrive at a perfectly smooth wood surface. Everyone will realise that this working method is pure hard labour done ‘on one’s knees’, so it’s no longer for this day and age. Nowadays, brushing is done using a structure brush machine which (just like the colouring processes) can be integrated into the production line perfectly well. These machines are available in various widths and can be equipped with various brushes. The depth of the grains and the roughness of the surface are determined by the type of brush and the pressure which is exerted on the wood by the machine.

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

Special

Producers of distressed floors

A glance at the market range BJ Parket

BJ Parket is a manufacturer of solid and composite wood floors such as old Flemish style, strips, herringbone, style panels, Hungarian point, cross-cut, and such like, but also supplies composite floors. Distressed floors are offered as well in solid wood as composite. The range of composite floors certainly includes a large selection in pre-finished floors which are already distressed or which are given a distressed look

by BJ Parket itself. Floors which are distressed by BJ Parket itself are beaten. The planks are put in a large drum, together with sophisticated material, and rotated so that damage appears on the planks. After this treatment, the loose splinters are removed. After that, the planks can also be smoked, if necessary, to give them a dark brown shade. The floors are finished with oil to preserve the natural shade of the wood.

Structuring and brushing are two other forms of distressing which are applied either separately or in combination with beating. Distressed floors are offered mainly in oak.

Design Parquet

Design Parquet supplies both solid and multi-layer parquet. For distressed floors they, too, use mainly oak, but they do adapt to clients’ wishes. As regards ‘distressed’ as a trend, they have noticed a slight drop here. At all events, the most common method at Design Parquet is ‘manual distressing’.

Flamingo Parket Flamingo Parket produces solid floors in thicknesses of 6, 8, and 20mm. They produce multi-layer floors 12, 13, 16, and 18mm thick. All floors can be distressed with the exception of the 12 and 13mm

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multi-layer floors. If those floors were distressed, the parts would be too badly damaged, so it would not be possible to fit the floor. Since Flamingo Parket has been producing planed oak (floors with a planed surface) and Raftwood floors, demand for distressed floors has fallen.

Flamingo Parket prefers to distress floors by ‘beating’ them. This method ensures there are no recurring distressed patterns. Flamingo Parket has had better experiences with the beating machine than with brushes or rollers. Oak is the sole wood used for distressed floors.

Parketfabriek Lieverdink Parketfabriek Lieverdink supplies distressed floors in traditional parquet (6mm), Burgundy (9mm), boards, cross-cut, and the renowned Q2 dual-layer. They supply distressed floors as standard in 15 colours, natural, smoked, and double smoked with colour finish. Kahrs also offers ‘old wooden’ floors in the Da Capo series. Specially distressed and treated with plenty of colours are the renowned Grigio (15 colours), Sherazade (15 colours), and Pastis recently displayed at shows: five entirely new colours with a trendy look.

At Parketfabriek Lieverdink they’ve seen that there’s still a demand for distressed floors. They think the floor looks authentic and somewhat less ‘rigid’. Demand for special colours is growing: Lieverdink now also offers them as ‘Colours in Command’. All RAL colours are possible here. For example, a five-colour herringbone floor is very distinct. Dry beating, smoking, and white oiling is still popular and gives a sort of universal floor for many people. Grigio and Sherazade have a special distressing process, a little less defacement and more rounded edges on the wood. Parketfabriek Lieverdink offers Old Nouveau and Old Patine (steamed oak). This floor is brushed heavily rather than beaten. A combination of brushing and distressing is also possible. Parketfabriek Lieverdink has seen an increase in pre-fabricated brushing and has installed a new machine precisely for this purpose. Basically, you should be able to treat all wood sorts by brushing or beating, but oak is almost the 100% favourite. There is, however, sometimes a demand for teak, nut, afzelia, keroewing, and merbau in distressed form. Even the rough sawing of these types of wood gives them a special look.

Parqueterie Berrichonne

Parqueterie Berrichonne presents multi-layer parquet in a distressed version. The floorboards are 150 or 190mm wide with a length of 1220mm and a top layer of 3.5mm. The total thickness is 15mm. The floors are fitted with tongue and groove and are designed for floating fitting, but glueing is also possible. These floors are recommended for both residential and commercial use e.g. in boutiques or hotels. At all events, distressed is still in fashion, even though the distressing method has changed. In the past, lashing the surface was very common, whilst nowadays it is mainly irregular planing which enjoys the preference. These floors are suitable for both classic and modern interiors. Here, too, oak enjoys the preference thanks to its natural look, which lends itself ideally to the distressing process.

Wood Sensation Wood Sensation offers various sorts of floors in engineered in thicknesses from 9 to 20mm inclusive. Floors can be supplied in widths

from 16 to 32cm, obviously in different selections of oak. Furthermore, Wood Sensation also has a collection in 20mm solid oak. Here, they can supply widths from 16 to 22cm inclusive. At present, Wood Sensation is seeing that people do want to have the distressed look, but what is delivered a great deal are planed floorboards which are not beaten further. What also happens a lot is that the sides are distressed. Furthermore, they are seeing here the emergence of fine-sawn oak. Wood Sensation distresses wood only in a drum. This gives you the most attractive form of distressing. They are also seeing a return of brushing. This is possible in fine brushing, but also definitely in a rough brushed effect. At present, Wood Sensation distresses solely oak floors, partly because this is the best-selling type of wood at the moment.

heywood VLOEREN

Bespoke Hardwood Flooring

Reclaimed Oak ‘Cotswolds’

DUTCH DESIGN Wide Plank

www.heywoodvloeren.com

The Netherlands

+31(0) 412 657 428 Floor Forum International 82

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Special

Producers of hybrid adhesives

HYBRID ADHESIVES ARE THE FUTURE WHY NOT UNITE THE GOOD OF DIFFERENT WORLDS? The term hybrid is defined in science as ‘a precise mixture of different items’. In the automobile industry and in shipping the term is used to denote that a car or ship is powered by a combination of energy sources, for instance by a petrol (or diesel) engine and an electro-engine. The advantage: less use of fossil fuel and far fewer harmful fume emissions. However, the term also appears in fields such as biology, art, and informatics. Quite simply, it means bringing together positive features from different sectors.

This applies no less to hybrid adhesives.

The technological express train Elsewhere in this edition we state briefly that parquet floor fitters deserve heartfelt admiration for their ability to adapt. What have they witnessed in recent decades? Whereas, two generations back, they devoted their lives to working with oak, parquet fitters nowadays need to have endless sorts of wood from tropical forests in their order books. Solid parquet was standard, certainly in different sizes and fitting patterns, but in wooden floors the biggest difference you could identify was between parquet and wooden floors.

Nowadays, there is multi-layer in two or three layers, veneer floors, cork, bamboo, coconut, and composite; then there are vinyl, linoleum, and PVC, which have made their way into the assortment.

Those are the basic products, but we haven’t yet said anything about accessories and fitting tools. The segment where the speed of change has left the biggest trace is the chemical sector. So much has changed in recent years in terms of both the preparatory tools (substrate) and the final finish. Yet parquet floor fitters still keep up.

A worthy effort!

Adhesives for parquet Interior product adhesives take up an extremely specific place within that incredible speed of change. Everything in that field develops even faster. We’ve followed it from close by. Adhesive technology has emerged from nowhere. We’ve come a long way from the days when we glued floors with pitch or clay to today’s silane adhesives. And all that’s because floor coverings make all sorts of demands, and this is no less the case for wood. It’s quite clear that wood is a complex material. Various factors help to determine which adhesive is the most suitable for glueing this or that wooden floor. For example, you have to take account of how level the substrate is. The features and dimensions of the floor covering also have an effect on stability.

The type of floor plays a part; with some types of floor (traditional parquet) we aim to eliminate the natural movements of the wood completely, whilst with other types of floor we aim to make some allowance for them. The amount of glue technology is the story of ‘the wood and the trees’. Some standards try to classify glues according to properties rather than the underlying technology, and the reason for that is to simplify user choice. ‘Elasticity’ is the key word for some classifications. With hybrid adhesives we are gradually reaching more or less universal solutions.

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Hybrid adhesives And so, hybrid adhesives combine the good properties of different forms of technology in order to obtain specific properties. Amongst other things, silane adhesives can have as a backbone a silicone or polyurethane with one or more functional silane groups which crosslink during the reaction process. Combinations of technology based on polyurethane and those based on silicone are often called STPU adhesives. These adhesives do not contain isocyanates. According to most producers, these hybrid adhesives are gaining ground. This is certainly the case for professional clients. Professionals have access to different product groups than private clients, mainly due to safety and hygiene legislation. Parquet traders appreciate these adhesives mainly for their easy spreadability and extensive possible scope. These adhesives are advancing particularly amongst elastic adhesives.

Some assets It’s obvious that if you’re going to take good properties from different product groups, the end result can certainly have some strong assets.

No hazardous substances The fact that these adhesives do not contain any hazardous substances is beneficial to the health of parquet floor fitters and at the same time in line with legislation. After all, there is no danger to the user, so the packet doesn’t display any warning symbols.

Quality glueing These adhesives guarantee quality glueing onto slippery substrates without a primer. There is no bubble formation in the adhesive mass and this means that there is a stronger and continuous layer of glue.

Since these glues pick up less water, there is little chance of discolouration of a shade like cherry, for instance. For the same reason there is much less chance of volatile wood sorts bending on substrates with little or no absorption.

Spreadability The spreadability of these adhesives is as good as, if not better than, that of most other adhesives. All makers apply their expertise here in their own way. In recent years, they have worked very hard on spreadability to make these adhesives very easy to spread. The open time in many cases is at least half an hour and the storage time is now 12 months or so.

What’s on the market?

Bona Bona has the 2-component glues R770 and R778. Parquet glue Bona R770 is a 2-component polyurethane parquet adhesive in line with EN 14293 (hard)/ISO 17178 (hard). This glue is also suitable for use on laminate. It sets without shrinking via a chemical reaction. It contains neither water nor organic solvents. The R770 can also be used for PVC (planks and tiles), linoleum, rubber, and laminate floors. Bona

R778 is a 2-component polyurethane parquet adhesive in line with EN 14293 (hard)/ISO 17178 (hard).

This, too, contains neither water nor organic solvents. Other hybrid adhesives are the Bona R850 and R848. Bona R850 is a real all-round adhesive which is perfect for just about all wooden floors and use on just about all substrates, whilst all other variants each have their specific domains. R848 is suitable for composite parquet and narrow strips with a minimum ratio of 1:5 between the thickness and width of the strips.

Devo®

Standard forms of technology which are found in hybrid adhesives are vinyl glues, epoxy-polyurethane, polyurethanes (single and dual component), and hybrid polymers.

Some major assets of these glues: They are versatile, single component and therefore handy to use, flexible, durable, and perfect for glueing wide floorboards. Moreover, they are moderately sensitive to residual moisture in the screed and have the same consistency in all seasons. At Blanchon the three references in this connection are hybrid polymers.

The AB 1300, which is very comfortable to use during work, is sufficient for all classic glueing up to 130mm wide. The AB 2000 can be deployed for up to 200mm. Finally, there’s the indispensable sausage glue which doesn’t run when used vertically. It’s worth knowing that, each year, Blanchon organises its ‘Technical Seminar Days’ for floor fitters.

Devo®, too, regards a hybrid adhesive as an adhesive for which two or more forms of binding/setting technology are used. The combination which is used a lot at present, and their reference for this term, is the hybrid binding MS polymer/silane. Obviously, other hybrid bindings are also possible. The term hybrid adhesive is sometimes used wrongly as a positive or negative indication of quality, whilst hybrid adhesives by definition are neither better nor worse than other sorts. Single component glues include the semi-elastic polyurethane adhesive Devo® Glue PU 300 1C and three MS polymer adhesives: Devo® Glue MSP 150 1C (semi-elastic), Devo® Glue MSP 200 1C (soft elastic), and Devo® Glue MSP 250 1C (hard elastic). As regards dual component adhesives, Devomat offers Devo® Glue PU 570 2C and Devo® Glue PU 650 2C. These are both polyurethane-epoxy adhesives for glueing wooden floors onto cement-bound subfloors or onto existing floors.

Devo® Glue MSP250 is packed in 5kg bags. This means you can work cleanly without waste. You apply the amount of glue needed at that moment, whilst the rest stays in the bag. Moreover, this aluminium bag ensures longer storage. The open time of Devo® Glue MSP250 is 50-80 minutes until a skin forms, but that’s a long open time. In-depth knowledge about this is still limited as a result of the rapid technological progress and the changing market. This is why Devo® organises monthly workshops and training sessions to inform parquet professionals about these new forms of technology. There are training sessions every Friday afternoon. Themes such as substrate preparation and adhesives, parquet sandpapering, and DevoNatural® finishing techniques follow each other in succession and are repeated each month.

Bostik

Lecol

Hybrid adhesives such as Parfix Elastic are gaining ground quickly on traditional PU and emulsion parquet adhesives due to their many advantages. The specific hybrid technology ensures that these glues show strong adhesion on many substrates so that it’s almost always possible to work without a primer.

Thanks to the combination of great strength and ongoing elasticity, these adhesives have a very broad scope. Moreover, they don’t contain any harmful isocyanates or solvents, so they can be used without the need for extra precautionary measures (e.g. gloves or suction). Hybrid glues adhere without a primer on many substrates and are also extremely notch resistant and tear-proof. These glues have outstanding adhesion, even when exposed to water, and are extremely flexible as regards the open time, whilst their storage time is (at least) as long as that of traditional parquet adhesives. Bostik regularly organises training sessions for clients, contractors, and parquet traders to give them both theoretical and practical support and both general and specific assistance.

Lecol presents three hybrid glues under the Wakol trademark: Wakol MS230, Wakol MS260, and Wakol MS265. Wakol Parquet Glue MS 260 is a hard-elastic MS polymer adhesive specially developed for glueing chipboard or industrial mosaic subfloors, solid parquet up to 16cm wide, end grain blocks, mosaic parquet, distressed Burgundy traditional parquet, and multi-layer ready-to-fit parquet (wood engineered parquet) on absorbent and non-absorbent subfloors. Wakol Parquet Glue MS 230 is the parquet glue which is ideal for the full glueing of multi-layer parquet with a tongue and groove construction. The MS 265 is a sausage-shaped MS glue which is applied with a gun.

Blanchon

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Pallmann Pallmann has a number of STP adhesives in its range. The Pallmann 5 combines the elasticity of a polyurethane adhesive with the benefits of state-of-the-art STP technology. The glue is very easy to spread

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without any risk of swelling, since it doesn’t contain water.

Pallmann 5 is suitable for just about all types of wooden floors, including exotic wood sorts. This adhesive doesn’t contain solvents. Pallmann 5 has an excellent filler capacity and a long open time. It is easy to remove adhesive residue.

Pallmann P6 is a high-tech, elastic, and 1-component STP adhesive, pursuant to DIN 14 293, for glueing parquet. The adhesive combines the strength of dual composition glues with the comfort of a single component glue.

Pallmann organises training sessions regularly for professionals in its headquarters in Würzburg (Germany), but also in other countries (info: www.good-for-wood.com).

Rectavit Amongst other things, silane adhesives can have as a backbone a ‘silicone’ or a ‘polyurethane’ with one or more functional silane groups, which cross-link (polycondensation) during the reaction process.

These adhesives are gaining ground amongst elastic/flexible parquet adhesives and, recently, they have also launched rigid parquet adhesives with shearing values above 3N/mm². The benefits are manifold: no danger to the user, no warning symbols on the pack, no solvents, no bubble formation in the adhesive mass, and so there is a stronger continuous layer of glue. These adhesives attract less water, so there is little chance of discolouration of shades such as cherry, for instance, or curving of volatile wood sorts on substrates which are largely or completely impervious. An example of a hybrid adhesive is the fibre-reinforced elastic parquet glue Rectavit 255 Fibre Tech. This parquet adhesive is one of the very latest generation of glues from Rectavit. The Fibre Tech technology ensures a considerably stronger adhesive with a faster build up of strength. The parquet can be walked on three hours later and sandpapered after 16 hours. Rectavit 255 Fibre Tech can be used to glue all common types of parquet and wood directly onto a cement-bound or anhydrite screed, a mosaic subfloor, a leveller, and even onto a tiled floor.

Rubio Monocoat An adhesive is a hybrid adhesive if it combines different forms of technology in a single glue. With the introduction of Rubio Easy Bond, Rubio Monocoat has combined all the benefits of different forms of technology in a single product. Rubio Easy Bond is a new generation 1-component parquet adhesive based on modified silane-polymer technology. Some advantages: Rubio Easy Bond is a hard-elastic durable adhesive which doesn’t contain any softeners; the glue is

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all-purpose and offers a fully fledged alternative to dual component PU adhesives; you can sandpaper after 12 hours; the adhesive has high viscosity and coverage; it meets all tests and standards (even the ISO 17178). Ecological? Rubio® Easy Bond parquet glue doesn’t contain any solvents, so it’s not harmful to the environment.

Moreover, this adhesive doesn’t contain any isocyanates either, so there’s only a minimal risk of skin allergies. Glue residue can simply be pulled out of the bucket once it has set so that the empty bucket can be recycled. Questions? At Rubio Monocoat they not only go for quality, but also attach equal importance to excellent service.

Experts are only too pleased to help floor fitters and clients with advice and practical tips when setting up a work site. Furthermore, the Rubio Academy is fully equipped for customised product training sessions to meet everyone’s needs and wishes.

Soudal The term hybrid adhesives indicates silane modified adhesives. This denotes the technology used to make this glue. The most common forms of technology used with parquet glues are PU adhesives (single and dual component adhesives), dispersion adhesives, solvent adhesives, and, therefore, hybrid parquet adhesives. These hybrid adhesives are gaining ground on the classic parquet glues thanks to several advantages. There is no hazard label (i.e. they contain no isocyanates or solvents), the glue doesn’t foam up, they offer good adhesion on many surfaces (universal use) with just about all sorts of wood, and they spread the force from the movement of the wood over the subfloor. Soudal hybrid adhesives are very user-friendly. They are 1-component systems, so they don’t need to be mixed. These adhesives are also easy to spread. They can be stored in a bucket for nine months or for 12 months in an aluminium pack or sausage.

STAUF SPU Adhesives STAUF SPU parquet adhesives combine the benefits of PU technology, namely maximum dimensional stability (strength) and universal use, with the freedom from mandatory labelling enjoyed by silane-based adhesives (STAUF SMP). The result is an SPU adhesive, which is classified in the fa-vourable Giscode class of RS10 and Emicode EC1-R plus. STAUF SPU 570 universal parquet adhesive is used to bond solid or multilayer types of parquet. With SPU 555 STAUF is launching a very fast setting silane adhesive with high shear strength. STAUF SPU-460 Suitable for many types of parquet. Its strength makes it ideal for solid boards with a width-to-thickness ratio of up to 10:1. STAUF S-Press is a elastic silane wood flooring adhesive for the most common wood floorings types in an 1800 ml aluminum sausage foil bag for the application in suit-able adhesive applicaton devices.

Special

Producers of skirting boards with vinyl, PVC or LVT inlay

SKIRTING BOARDS WITH ‘INLAY’ ARE A UNIVERSAL SOLUTION SKIRTING BOARDS PLAY A DECISIVE PART IN THE INTERIOR Just like various types of ‘visible’ profiles, skirting boards have both a technical and decorative function. The difference lies in the stress. With profiles the technical function generally has priority over the decorative function, so that trends and interior styles have somewhat less impact on colours and materials. With skirting boards the decorative role heads the list. Skirting boards are designed to ‘ finish’ the floor visually. And so, it’s logical that they should reflect the style of the interior or at least play a part in it. However, skirting boards are something of a ‘problem child’ for wholesale.

attractive at all. This is resolved by that other trend: skirting boards in the same design as the floor become low block skirting boards or even flat (lying) skirting boards whereby the tray effect is at least reduced.

• What type of skirting board?

As we’ve said, the skirting board is then designed in the same material as the floor. Due to the ongoing increase in floor types and decors within those types, this saddles retailers with a monumental problem of ‘range’. Just like solid parquet, solid wood skirting boards can be presented in a vast array of wood sorts. We have the same problem for laminate, PVC, and LVT, but in that case with regard to the available decors.

Trends determine types

The skirting board is part of the door

In the past, we’ve often touched on the fact that there are various opinions about the role which skirting boards play in the interior. Are these merely trends which move with the times? No, they’re not. Rather, these are ‘points of view’ over interior styles and, sadly in many cases, those points of view continue to exist alongside each other. The key question always refers to the impact of skirting boards on the room and, therefore, on the atmosphere. There’s a world of difference between adapting the skirting board to the walls to make it a part of the walls and adapting it to the floor or to nothing at all. Skirting board producers need to provide an answer for each of those points of view. The types of skirting board will vary, depending on the point of view. Which preference in taste leads to each type of skirting board? Let’s consider this question.

This point of view is fairly recent. This statement is promoted mainly by manufacturers of doors and door styles. They operate on the basis that the door frame, in any style whatsoever, has to run through into the floor finish if we want to obtain a uniform decorative whole. Let’s be honest, there is something to be said for this, too, and it is applicable to both ultra-classic door styles and rigid, straight, and minimalist frames.

• What type of skirting board?

And so, here we come out with the same sorts of skirting boards which can be painted over (wood or MDF), but in this case they are finished in the same colour (lacquer) as door frames.

The skirting board is part of the wall

Strange though it may seem, it will emerge below that this last statement is nevertheless the most popular point of view. The skirting board as a decorative interior object – why not? The decorative options discussed below, the advance of design, the yearning for personalisation, and the technical gadgets such as lighting and inlay work are rather difficult to reconcile with discretion, aren’t they?

• What type of skirting board?

The architect can give free rein to his or her imagination. As regards materials anything is possible and designers have responded eagerly in recent years with the introduction of metals or metal-look skirting boards (alu, bronze, and stainless steel).

Supporters of this statement are supporters of both discretion and obtrusive skirting boards. There has been a trend towards high skirting boards (65 to 165mm) followed immediately by an opposite trend.

Whether high skirting boards are discreet or not depends on the style (sober or precisely ingenious/classic) and colour. If we design a high and sober skirting board in the same colour as the wall, it will merge into nothing. Yet at the same time we hear there is a trend towards high skirting boards in high gloss designs, even in black high gloss. Then there’s no question of any discretion.

• What type of skirting board?

If the skirting board is part of the wall, we look for skirting boards which can be painted over using the same paint/colour as that of the walls. We think primarily of skirting boards in MDF for which pliable versions have recently become available. Furthermore, solid wood skirting boards (in cheaper wood sorts) can also be deployed perfectly well. In both cases manufacturers provide skirting boards which have already been given a primer.

The skirting board is part of the floor This is also a possibility. In this case we design the skirting board in the same material (e.g. solid wood, laminate, or foiled MDF) as the floor and the skirting board also becomes an ostentatious part of the floor.

According to opponents of this view, the drawback is that the skirting board and the floor together form a tray effect which hardly looks

The skirting board doesn’t belong anywhere

Inlay really is universal As is the case with profiles, skirting boards give traders a major headache. The vast increase in the number of frequently applied floor types, and therefore floor thicknesses, means, amongst other things, that differences in height to be bridged using profiles are extended considerably. The solution lies in an increase in the number of profiles or in multifunctional profiles. Once in a while, the latter become more popular, although the yearning for exclusiveness and personalisation is diametrically opposed to the idea. Depending on the point of view which we adopt concerning the function of the skirting board (see above), we are also confronted with a vast range. Certainly one of the ‘simplest’, yet ingenious solutions for addressing this shortcoming is to opt for skirting boards with an ‘inlay’.

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Producers of skirting boards with vinyl, PVC or LVT inlay

Inlay: the principle The skirting board, whatever material it is designed in and irrespective of taste preferences in heights and thicknesses, acts as a ‘bearer’. This means the skirting board, in the condition in which it (usually) leaves the factory, is not ready for immediate use. The ‘bearer’ must be given a ‘strip’ of the fitted floor (or not, as the case may be!). Technically, this can be done in various ways: a strip of floor is slid into the skirting board, glued onto the bearer, and secured with a click system or Velcro-like material. The fact is that the skirting board is a technical solution completely separate from the chosen type of floor. The inlay skirting boards on offer usually provide for different thicknesses of floor types.

skirting boards fitters themselves can decide on the height of the skirting board. This two-part skirting board can also serve as a groove for wires. The bearing element of these skirting boards is produced from aluminium (2-5mm thicknesses) or PVC (2-3.5mm thicknesses). The idea is that the fitter cuts the decorative material on site and inserts it into the bearer. And so, the floor covering itself acts as an inlay.

Decruy

Industrially or on site This solution can be a technical step in the production of personalised skirting boards. In this case the skirting board leaves the factory with the chosen inlay. However, the skirting board can also be sold as a ready-for-use and neutral product where fitters complete the finish on site by installing the inlay themselves. In both cases these inlay skirting boards mean a universal solution which provides an answer to all possible types of floors and shows due regard for every interior point of view.

A selection from the range Carl Prinz Prinz offers one or two-part skirting boards which allow a nice continuity between floor and wall. It is easy to insert a strip from the floor into the one-part bearers.

The strip can also be replaced again and again. For these one-part skirting boards (bearers) Prinz supplies inner and outer corners and ‘caps’ in solid aluminium. With the two-part

Just like wooden and laminate floors, vinyl, linoleum, and PVC floors, too, have to be finished. Certainly if we are talking about thick vinyl or LVT material which has to be shortened using a sawing machine, it is desirable to finish the floor with matching skirting boards, as is the case with laminate. Just like laminate, vinyl and LVT swell and shrink, so it is necessary to fit an expansion joint. To provide a finish for this expansion joint you need skirting boards and profiles in matching decors. Vinyl and LVT are waterproof. And so, you look for skirting boards and finish frames in a waterproof support material such as PVC or WPC and a PVC as a decor foil instead of a paper foil. Decruy N.V. has been occupied for five years now with a concept to produce skirting boards and profiles from LVT, Cushion Vinyl, DPL, CPL , Veneer, and HPL panel material. This creates scores of benefits. For example, there’s no longer any need to construct a separate supply of paper or CPL foil.

Moreover, the skirting boards have the identical structure, decor, and scratch-resistance as the floor covering and therefore also the same lifespan. There’s no longer any time lost in readjusting or printing foils,

STAIR NOSING PROFILE 845 · Easy to install · Insertion for floors and carpets up to 3 mm · Decor matching or contrast on stair nosings with the same or different coverings · Suitable for advertisement or indications on stairs with our digital-printing technology

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which, in many cases, still don’t match the floor panel in question perfectly. Finally, the floor maker has a perfect overview and control over the stock of raw materials. These profiles have already been presented to a very small circle of people at Domotex 2015. On that occasion, they realised that this concept was a big hit.

FN Neuhofer Holz At FN Neuhofer Holz, too, digital print technology makes it possible to order skirting boards which correspond perfectly to the decor of the fitted floor. This is possible on all materials. With the FN Aluminium Skirting Boards it is possible to apply floor strips, such as different thicknesses of vinyl, for instance, into the skirting board so that they are identical to the floor. Another such related product is the waterproof skirting board FN water-pro. This has been specially designed for places where you have to pay special attention to moisture, such as with Waterproof LVT. The KU037 profile also plays a special part in this story.

It is fitted at the bottom of the wall and makes it possible to stick a strip of the floor to the profile to provide an attractive and efficient finish, once again with the same corresponding decor.

Karl Pedross The high quality of the basic material and the special surface treatments ensure that Karl Pedross profiles and skirting boards are highly durable and colour-fast.

The trend? Rigid and elegant skirting boards. Yet here, too, however, there is a growing demand for digital printing. For two years now, Karl Pedross has had its own in-house printer, and digital printing has now become indispensable. Over 1500 decors have been created in barely two years. Whilst it was already possible in the past to match the skirting boards to the floor, it is now no longer a problem to make the skirting boards

identical to the floor. The floor texture (whatever the floor) is scanned and transferred to the skirting boards in 3D. Furthermore, Karl Pedross also presents skirting boards with a special groove for an inlay and a 100% PVC skirting board, which is also available in every possible decor. Karl Pedross itself doesn’t fit any inlays into the skirting boards.

Clients are left to make that decision for themselves.

Küberit Küberit presents two aluminium skirting boards where it is possible to fit an inlay from the fitted floor. This means that you can also use the floor itself as a skirting board. These skirting boards have been designed specially for floors for which there are no adapted skirting boards available. The first one is suitable for floor thicknesses of up to 3mm, the other one for 2 to 11mm. As regards accessories, there are inner and outer corners, connecting pieces, and end caps provided in aluminium. These inlay skirting boards are available in anodised silver and anodised stainless steel (look) so that they can be deployed for different types of floors and interior styles. Küberit can make corresponding skirting boards as an alternative thanks to digital print technology. These skirting boards are designed in such a way that the inlay can be fitted as a small plank, but also in the shape of a roll.

Perfilstar At Perfilstar they produce skirting boards which correspond entirely to the decor of the floor. All skirting boards and connecting profiles are possible with any bearer whatsoever.

For example, the company has developed new sorts of skirting boards with the same properties as vinyl floors with perfect decorative harmony thanks to digital print technology. The inlay is applied in the factory at Perfilstar because the company believes that this is the only guarantee of a good

AZ_Zeitschriften_Text_ENG_190x65 DOMOTEX 27.11.15 09:25 Seite 1

We make binding connections.

Floor profiles and underlay sheeting for hard, elastic and textile flooring.

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Producers of skirting boards with vinyl or LVT inlay

quality result. Professionals only have to do the installation. The skirting boards for vinyl are available in thicknesses of 10 and 15mm and in every imaginable height. The length is 2050mm.

Profilpas Skirting boards for LVT floors With the skirting board PVC Line 8605, Profilpas has been the first company to launch a skirting board dedicated to LVT floors which reproduces their features. Indeed, the majority of manufacturers has always proposed MDF skirting boards covered with a protective paper film with clear problems of water absorption or sensitivity to shocks etc.. Thanks to the combination of foam PVC and PDS technology, Profilpas has created a skirting board that is waterproof (<1% UNI EN ISO 62:2008), does not contain formaldehyde (UNI EN 717-2 1996:1996), is resistant to cleaning products (UNU EN 12720:2009), shocks, abrasion (AC3 EN 13329/00). Moreover, it adapts to every kind of furniture and is customizable through an infinite number of decors

thanks to the innovative digital printing system Profilpas Digital System. Easy to install and simple to clean, the skirting board 8605 is available in 73 decors selected by following the new 2016 trends of LVT floors. In this way, it perfectly matches to the floor. Profilpas has a database with many different finishes and if there is not the desired decor between them, you can just send a sample to make it reproduce.

The PDS decorative films as well as the whole production process, from the extrusion to the final packaging, are made inside Profilpas plant in Cadoneghe in order to guarantee the high quality of every ordered product.

Progress Profiles Progress Profiles offers the new Proskirting INS. This new skirting board is an innovative product with an integrated system to yield a discreet board to meet current trends. The Proskirting INS aluminium board can be furnished using the same material as the floor. This can be done using adhesive or silicone. The skirting board then looks identical to the floor. Skirting 7016 and Skirting 7011 are two vinyl profiles, but in 30 wood decors. The base of these skirting boards can consist of aluminium, stainless steel, or PVC expanded foam. The inlay is applied by Progress Profiles in the factory.

www.progressprofiles.com

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PRODESOÂŽ HEAT SYSTEM A floor and wall electric heating system designed with ecological sustainability and efficiency in mind.

Made in Italy alternative PRODESO HEAT is an innovative electrical floor and wall heating system that allows you to have in a short time and with lower cost a warm and welcoming floor surface. A smart and and responsible choice that brings ecological sustainability, energy efficiency and the latest trend in design architecture and home automation. Prodeso Heat system can be installed on any tipe of substrate thanks to its uncoupling properties. The latest generation of thermostats allow for a complete control of the temperature and schedule to optimize its cost of operation.

Decruy NV Poelkapellestraat 40 - 8650 Houthulst - Belgium Tel.: 0032(0)51/708587 E-mail: dh-sales@decruy.be - www.decruy.be

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Progress Profiles SpA

Certificated company UNI EN ISO 9001:2008

Special

Computerisation and packaging for the parquet industry

COMPUTERISATION IN PRODUCTION AND PACKING MANUFACTURERS GET HIGH-TECH SUPPORT

Photo – CSP Engineering

Scale increases occur in all sectors, including the parquet sector. The ‘craft’ is developing into an ‘ industry’. Does this threaten the beautiful nature of the craft? Not at all!

Fitting wooden floors is still an art! Nevertheless, scale increase is a major milestone in the history of the parquet trade since production is becoming a separate activity.

Nowadays, floor fitters face a wide range of floors (e.g. solid wood, multi-layer, or veneer) in an even wider range of wood sorts, pre-finished or not. Quality parquet is now a branded product. Manufacturers address clients via the packaging.

Computerisation is very much part of the process.

The essence of the ‘business’ In this introductory section we’re not talking about the most recent trailblazing gadgets which manufacturers have at their disposal. We’ll leave that to the specialists who will have their say later. Here we give a bird’s-eye view of those aspects of parquet production ripe for computerisation. It’s worth mentioning that technology is aimed not only at parquet manufacturers, but also partly at so called ‘coating contractors’, who are highlighted elsewhere in this edition. It’s also worth mentioning that computerisation doesn’t necessarily threaten people’s jobs. Lots of companies computerise their production process so that they can work ‘better’ (read: faster and more) with the same number of employees. After all, computerisation ensures, amongst

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other things, that the employees on the production line can work in better conditions. All attention is focused on ‘ergonomics’ and this fits in perfectly with the creed of ‘health and wellness at work’. If someone has to bend over to deposit a plank onto the conveyor belt, this inevitably puts some strain on their back, and possibly also the knees.

An automatic process takes over the tasks which put a strain on the human body.

Internal transport Computerisation used to be related to the production itself. Forklift trucks drove back and forth between production departments and were operated by ‘people’. That’s no longer the case today.

Computerisation regulates all internal transport, from the rough plank to the ‘packed’ product. One person at the feed and retrieve table is enough. The feed table is put in line at the machine entry. The work items are put manually onto a diagonally placed chain or conveyor belt, lined up automatically, and then fed one by one into the machine and next to each other. Feed tables are available in diverse variants for different processing speeds and are suitable for long and short work items with a rough or smooth surface. Retrieval systems are applied at lower processing speeds to plane machines, saw machines, packing lines, etc. The operator at the installation entrance is responsible for both supplying the machine and stacking (retrieved) processed products.

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The production Just about anything can be computerised as soon as a rough plank makes its way onto the production line. The planning and sandpapering and milling of tongue and groove are directed by the computer (CNC-guided machines). Inspection will consist mainly of manual and visual ‘samples’. For multi-layer parquet production there is provision for (hot-melt) glueing where the various layers are assembled. If click systems need to be fitted, this, too, is done automatically. Any planing, ripping, brushing, and such like is done by machines connected to the production line. The produced floorboards enter the line where the finish (e.g. oil, lacquer, or hard wax) is applied and then they dry.

Packing and ‘communicating’ Parquet has to be protected and this applies even more to readyfor-fitting, pre-finished parquet where a sanding machine will not be used again to eliminate any damage caused during the transport.

The combination of cardboard and foil provides ultimate protection. Here, the producer can choose between shrink foil, applied via a bundle packer or a packing machine, or wrapping foil. Protection is one thing, but packaging is also a form of communication. Parquet manufacturers want to reflect their quality towards all those involved in the chain. They also devise alluring names for the various collections and also like to explain the specifications. Apart from voluntarily communicated specifications (an expression of quality), there is also the necessary information for the client: number of square metres, dimensions, thickness, finish method, etc. And there’s more: On top of that voluntarily communicated information there’s also the information required by law. The application of the CE labelling, for instance, is the best example of that.

A specialist : CSP Engineering

A FAMILY COMPANY FOUNDED IN 1883 COMPANY SPECIALITIES : TEAK | SIBERIAN LARCH | IPE | IROKO MASSARANDUBA | JATOBA | MERBAU | WESTERN RED CEDAR DECKING – FLOORING – UNDERCONSTRUCTION – ROUGH SAWN IMPORT AND EXPORT OF SCANDINAVIAN & RUSSIAN SOFTWOODS, AMERICAN SOFTWOODS & HARDWOODS, TROPICAL HARDWOODS ALWAYS IN STOCK : FSC, PEFC, OLB, VLO, TLTV TIMBER BERGSTRAAT 25 | B-8511 AALBEKE | BELGIË T. +32 (0)56 43 33 33 | F. +32 (0)56 43 33 34 GENEVIEVE@VANDECASTEELE.BE | DAVE@VANDECASTEELE.BE WWW.VANDECASTEELE.BE

FSC TIMBER COMES FROM WELL MANAGED FORESTS, INDEPENDENTLY CERTIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF THE FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL A.C.

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Computerisation in the production of parquet starts as early as the sawing of tree trunks into planks. Amongst other things, CSP Engineering offers machines and computerised processes over the entire trajectory of solid and multi-layer parquet. The tools which CSP Engineering supplies relate to both the production itself and the computerisation on production machines on the output side.

For example, for feeding planks to the PAR-Feed® planing machine there is a semi-automatic feed table for planing. This reduces the amount of manual work (stress on the worker) considerably and at the same time increases the actual use of the planing machine. PAR-Duo® is a conveyor belt production line for the production of 2-layer parquet and makes use of a D4 category PU hot melt (waterproof glueing). Also in the production phase there is the brand new PAR Filler! After years of research and development, CSP Engineering has managed to develop the PAR Filler®, an automatic machine for filling gnarls and cracks in parquet floorboards. Let’s have a look at the output side. PAR Collect® is a simple product buffer which is usually positioned behind relatively slow running machines such as a planing machine or packing machine.

With PAR Collect® it is possible to collect products between 1.5 and 3m wide before it is necessary to empty the buffer manually. PAR Return® returns each product to the entry side of the installation.

PAR Return® is often deployed behind shrink foil packing line. PAR Stack® is a fully automatic stacking machine specially designed to stack floorboards either packed or unpacked. In lines connected to PAR-Scan®, the most extensive packing management system on the market, it is even possible for several short packages can be

Special

Computerisation and packaging for the parquet industry

collected together on the feed lane of PAR-Stack® before they are put onto the pallet in one motion. Finally, PAR-Info® is a unit which can be added to any packing line and which can apply a folder or

information brochure to any pack of floorboards before they are packed. PAR Info® gives the end client all the information directly (e.g. trademark, CE, and instructions).

Photo – CSP Engineering

MACHINED FILLING OF FLOORING BOARDS

NEW

WWW.VIMEO.COM/CSPENGINEERING/MOVIE1

TECHNOLOGIES FOR WOOD FLOORING PRODUCTION WWW.COSMETIWOOD.COM Floor Forum International 82

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Subfloors for LVT, vinyl and PVC floors

SUBFLOORS FOR FLEXIBLE FLOOR COVERINGS EVEN MINOR UNEVENNESS NEEDS PRIOR ATTENTION The effect of the substrate on the final appearance of flexible floor coverings is illustrated elsewhere in this edition. In short, if you put tissue paper on a table covered in crumbs, you can see the crumbs through the surface of the tissue paper. If you do the same with solid cardboard, you don’t see the crumbs at all. This has two consequences: Not only do you have to make sure that the substrate on which you are going to fit a flexible floor covering is perfectly level, but also it is best to fit a subfloor which hard enough to absorb defects.

Subfloors for vinyl, for instance, appear mainly in panel form .

Points for attention with subfloors For all floors it is necessary to take stock of certain specifications before you can choose the most suitable subfloor. This is obviously no less true for flexible floor coverings. We will consider the floor structure with an occasional focus on features which are more or less typical for these types of floor.

Moisture protection When floating floors are fitted, the best way to prevent damp is a foil.

Some flexible floor coverings are more or less up to 100% (PVC) waterproof. Nevertheless, even then, producers recommend a damp screen since moisture from below can lead to mould. The foils on offer are usually made of synthetics. Common synthetics for damp screens are polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyisobutylene (PIB). These foils come in rolls in various widths. They must be fitted with an overlap of 30cm and run up the wall at the edges up to 2cm above the eventual height of the floor.

Levelling The extent to which unevenness in the substrate becomes visible in the finished floor varies according to factors such as the hardness or density of the floor. Slight unevenness in the screed will usually not be visible with laminate or parquet. In that case a flexible subfloor will suffice, with or without a damp screen. With flexible floor coverings, however, that unevenness has to be eliminated by a harder subfloor. The rule stipulates that the subfloor must not be pressed in any further than a maximum of 0.3mm with a pressure of 300kPa.

Panel or double panel In our contributions about subfloors for floating fitting we’ve often classified them as subfloors in rolls and subfloors in panel form. In line with what we have said above about density, we are proceeding here mainly in the area of subfloors in panel form. Recently, some specialists have started selling double panel systems. The subfloor consists of a bottom and top panel. A very common material for these panels is MDF. In some cases the panels have to be fitted crosswise, whilst in other cases they are glued. At one of the most well known subfloor

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specialists we find various types of such glued subfloor panels. A perfect combination for subfloors in the case of a flexible top floor is a soft bottom panel and a hard top panel.

Subfloors in rolls Some producers promote a subfloor which certainly appears in roll form, but which nevertheless offers a sufficiently high density to fit flexible floor coverings. In a number of cases these subfloors will also have an integrated damp screen.

Acoustic subfloors With full glueing of vinyl you immediately get a noticeable acoustic benefit. Luxury Vinyl Tiles (and Planks), fitted with a click system, have a lot of things in common with laminate as regards acoustic qualities.

In some cases the subfloor will be expected to reduce sound in some measure. Lots of subfloors which are recommended for these tiles also reduce impact noise by 10dB.

Floor heating Both for the full glueing of flexible floor coverings and for floating fitting of LVT, the market provides subfloors with heat resistance which can therefore be fitted on top of floor heating. For use in combination with floor cooling, the producers still stress the importance of a condensation monitor.

What’s on the market?

Estillon ‘Floorfixx Regular – The dry levelling system!’

Do you appreciate that your clients have very little time to fit a new floor? Estillon offers you a solution to save time instead of using a liquid levelling agent: the Floorfixx Regular subfloor! The substrate for PVC strips, spring vinyl, linoleum, and carpet (tiles). With the Floorfixx Regular subfloor you can simply create a new, insulation, and flat subfloor without using any liquid. This subfloor can be used at once, a big advantage as compared to liquid levelling! It saves time and is clean and easy! Furthermore, there are no long drying and waiting times. This subfloor, with the help of the sandwich system and the interactive glue, creates quickly and easily a new, insulation, and level subfloor which can be used at once. It is suitable for domestic and commercial use. Furthermore, this subfloor insulates impact sound and meets the 10dB standard prescribed by the Association of Owners.

You will find more information on www.estillon.com or via info@estillon.nl

Fair Underlay

The subfloor which Fair Underlay presents goes by the name Solid Base LVT. This is a state-of-the-art subfloor with a unique combination of high-density foam, and an anti-slip top layer. This subfloor meets the latest EPLF demands and forms the exquisite choice for fitters of LVT, laminate, or wood. The subfloor also has the DIBt certificate for the German market. They have developed the anti-slip layer themselves and it is licensed.

Sekisui Alveo

Spea

Vinyl Protect & Vinyl Protect Pro are the standard products for click LVT at Sekisui Alveo. These products meet the higher demands of the MMFA regarding subfloors and also provide a high degree of impact sound reduction. The foam materials are offered in handy rolls and might or might not be fitted with an anti-slip layer. The MMFA, which was formed at the end of 2012 as a European industry organisation of click LVT producers, immediately issued a guideline which recommends demands on subfloors in combination with click LVT floors. This ‘TB1 - Technical Bulletin 1: Underlay Materials’, which is available in English and German on the web site web site www. mmfa.eu, divides up floors between products with an HDF base (class 1), so called hybrid or heterogeneous products and other compositions (classes 2 and 3) with no HDF base, the less rigid to extremely flexible LVT floors with a composite or thermoplastic core.

Subfloors for LVT certainly have to be more compression resistant than those for floors such as laminate, for instance. Products which are used for this purpose are: highly compression resistant polyolefin foams (PE and PP foams), XPS, PU foam, cork, MDF panel systems, etc.

PVC, LVT, and VINYL are names which often get mixed up. Basically, there are three distinct types of synthetic floors. Firstly, there are hard designs such as synthetics on HDF and hard PVC solid floors.

These can be regarded as similar to laminate. In this group Spea offers SPEMI HDR and Duo Act. Secondly, there are flexible thin floors with or without a joint. These floors are suitable for direct glueing. Thirdly, there are semi-flexible floors with a click or 5G system. These floors have to be fitted onto special subfloors, which are extremely compression resistant. For this purpose they recommend SPEMI Duo Act, but you must test for compatibility first.

SPENI HDR and Duo Act both have the TüV 10dB certificate.

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Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

PEDESTALS – THE HIDDEN BENEFITS THE GUARANTEE FOR A DURABLE AND AESTHETIC RESULT

Photo – Buzon Pedestal International

You still see them, but they are disappearing slowly. We’re talking here about the tricks which carpenters used to apply to help them stand out from the rest. Those tricks are gradually being replaced by ‘technically guided’ solutions.

This is no less the case for fitting a wooden terrace.

It’s amazing what technology has changed in this field!

Obviously, this all involves a cost price, and that cost price covers mainly solutions which clients never see in detail.

After all, they lie hidden away under the completed terrace floor. There is also no question at all that those hidden ‘costs’ are worth it. Synthetic pedestals are a guarantee for ‘ durability’.

It used to be a simple task A few decades ago, fitting a wooden terrace was a really simple job with nothing to it. The carpenter came and took measurements, you

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did the necessary preparations, you laid a framework on the ground or supports, and then you just fastened the screws. Any unevenness in the base was ‘bridged’ using the longstanding efficient ‘wedge’. The fact that lots of people were (and still are) somewhat hesitant about choosing wooden terraces had a lot to do with the ‘simplicity’ of the fitting. Contact with the ground was possible, and levels could be created or eliminated, but this was done with a view to an ‘immediate result’ without giving much thought to the ‘long-term future’. And so, the result was that in the past a lot of wooden terraces soon needed frequent repair and if the necessary repairs were postponed, this meant that a wooden terrace looked prematurely dilapidated.

Technological preparation Let’s take a brief look at the construction of a professionally fitted terrace floor, whether it is made of solid wood (tropical or otherwise) or some other refined composite formula. We start with the

What are they exactly?

top. Drying the wood, an essential task with terraces, is controlled by computer. The wood is fitted with an ‘ideal’ residual moisture content (a science which many fitters may well have frowned upon in bygone days). The connection to a wooden (or aluminium!) base is made by clips, each with their own strong assets and licensed by different producers. Here, an ingenious mix of synthetics on the one hand and stainless steel on the other usually plays the main part. A strong pair to complement each other. Even the type of metal for the screws is considered or, rather, ‘calculated’. And so, at this point, so much has changed from top to bottom. However, the ‘real’ added value is still to come. The stability of a building is in direct relation to the foundation. Even if the building survives for many years, the foundation will determine whether or not cracks in the frontage appear quickly or not.

A floor pedestal is a support pillar usually designed in a certain type of synthetic, on which a raised floor can be mounted. Most manufacturers offer two types: one type for a wooden floor on beams and another type for a raised floor with tiles. They have emerged as a solution to a problem for the installation of outdoor floors, but, on the other hand, they can be used perfectly for the completion of eye-catching architectural creations. The number of cases where pedestals are a ‘solution’ is high.

What do they do?

The current trend of ‘extending’ interior floors as far as the terrace means that the existing tile terrace often has to be raised. This is perfectly possible with a wooden floor. It’s clear that such raising will be accompanied by a certain degree of levelling. After all, a wooden floor doesn’t need a slope at all, whilst the existing tile floor does have one.

At the same time, we all increasingly want to extend our terraces as a whole. For the integration of a swimming pool, too, into an existing terrace or connected to it, differences in height will often have to be eliminated. Another common problem is the extension of the terrace into the garden, certainly if that garden is ‘sloping’.

Stability through pedestals The support for the beams onto which a wooden floor is fastened can be designed to make the floor as even as possible without raising the floor to any great extent. Obviously, it might also be the intention to raise the floor (to a great extent or not). In both cases ‘something’ of a substructure is needed. In those days, this substructure consisted of concrete stone or dips, supported by wedges or other aids. At the time of fitting, that substructure certainly looked as ‘solid as a rock’. We couldn’t be quite so sure if it would withstand the ravages of ‘time’, our worst enemy. Floor pedestals give us this certainty. They provide a ‘conclusive’ and durable solution for both the levels and the gradient. adv. 136 x 190 mm:Opmaak 1

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How do they do that?

Since the differences in height which have to be bridged with terraces or other applications always vary, terrace pedestals must be adjustable in height. Otherwise vendors would have to stock an infinite range of different formats. Moreover, since it is sometimes a matter of levelling a drainage slope of a mere 3 or 4%, they also have to be suitable

Pagina 1

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

New plate CP forwo wooden New N ewsupport s support upport pl plate ate C CP+ P++for wooden oden beams (Patent Pending) beams ((Patent Patent Pending) Pe nding)

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

Sl ope c orrectoHS3 rH S3 Slope corrector HS3 Slope corrector (Pa tent Pe nding) (Patent Pending) (Patent Pending)

Tel.: T el.: + +32 32 (0)56 (0)56 4 41 1 35 35 70 70

Tel.: 35 Fax:+32 + 32(0)56 (0)541 64 0 37 370 7 68 68 Fax: +32 (0)56 40 Fax: +32 (0)56lid 40o37 68 www.solidor.be www.so r.be

www.solidor.be

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Adjustable temporary floor support systems for terrace floors

for very small differences in level. Apart from different heights, different slopes also have to be absorbed. This means that the top side of the floor pedestal has to be somewhat adjustable. The pedestal foot is usually a wide disc ensuring that the pedestal has a stable base. For the brands for which we have received some technical information the pedestals don’t need to be fixed to the base. Finally, the fact that the pedestals which we find on the market are made of synthetics makes them fairly insensitive to fluctuations in weather conditions or temperature. Since floor pedestals are located under the terrace, they are not affected at all by UV light, something to which some synthetics are susceptible, especially with regard to colour fastness.

What’s on the market?

of terrace. Whether the terrace lies on a concrete screed, a flat roof, or a stabilised base, Buzon products always form an ideal solution for offsetting differences in level from 15 to 965mm and correcting slopes of up to 5%. The great specialisation of the Buzon accessories guarantees a stable and durable fitting of covers such as planks or tiles in wood or composite, or, further, any possible type of concrete tile, natural stone, or sandstone. Buzon, which has built up a great deal of know-how on sites worldwide, shares its knowledge with its partners. It does so via training sessions, requirement calculations, and technical support on site. Finally, there’s also their production in Belgium and the rest of Europe. This includes spacious warehouses, efficient logistics, and an effective network of agents. This guarantees product availability and speedy deliveries.

Buzon Pedestal International

Eurotec

BUZON PEDESTAL INTERNATIONAL has specialised in manufacturing adjustable pedestals of the ‘jack’ type since 1987. BUZON pedestals consist of recycled polypropylene and are designed specially for fitting any possible type

Eurotec presents two types of pedestals, namely ECO line and Profi line.

ECO line includes four feet with different heights for heights from 2.5 to 19.8cm. The base is formed by the adjustable foot with an L-profile. ECO line is suitable for wooden or aluminium support structures and for wooden floors with no exceptionally heavy loads. Profi line is a completely newly developed range of pedestals with three basic feet for heights from 3.0 to 11.7cm. The heights can be extended. Profi line supports can be equipped with four different adapters: Click Adapter 40, Click Adapter 60, L-Adapter, or Stone Adapter. The latter is suitable for wooden terraces and tiles. The pedestals can withstand all weather conditions, erosion, and insects. They can be fitted quickly and easily.

Eurotec spacers are produced from EPDM or cork. For the substructure of these terraces and floors the company offers a structure in aluminium. This is recommended due to its dimensional stability and its resistance to the effects of the climate. The substructure is compatible with the adjustable feet thanks to the click adapter. The heavy weight of the terrace itself means there is no need to anchor the substructure, but there are holes provided for this purpose.

These systems have an estimated lifespan of 15 years.

Adjustable pedestals for all types of wood terraces Adjustable from 11 to 1120mm

Eterno Ivica

Buzon Pedestal International s.a.

Tel. +32 4 248 39 83 - sales@bpi.be www.buzon.eu 44

The best solution which Eterno Ivica offers to its clients is the Eterno SE Pedestal, a self-adjusting support system for raised floors.

The product is made from recycled and recyclable polypropylene. These supports have lots of assets. They are extremely easy to fit. The self-leveling function

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automatically rectifies differences in slope of up to 5%. The system includes a reinforced key for making adjustments. The bi-material PP and rubber head is anti-noise and anti-slip. Height differences can cover a range from 2.5 to 55cm. Eterno Ivica guarantees a long lifespan. The Star T support makes the system perfect for renovation.

the right support

The range of pedestals from Impertek consists of two types, namely the Jack Supports and the Mega Mart series. The Jack Supports have been on offer since 1997 and are available in a range from 35 to 380mm. This original range has been adapted constantly over the years to meet market needs and demands. A few months ago, they added some more new products and accessories, including an extension with screws from 210 to 380mm, something which means an elevation of 170mm. This makes it possible to absorb significant differences in height using just one product, something which benefits logistical organisation on site. In October 2008, Impertek launched the Mega Mart with heights ranging from the lowest support of 22mm to 1020mm for the highest. Here, too, designers have taken account of logistical organisation on site. For example, if you start with the fourth size (115-220mm), it is possible to reach the eventual height with various extensions (100mm/extension). The fifth size goes from 215-320 mm, the sixth from 315-420mm, until finally you reach the height of 1020mm. Impertek offers a micro-millimetrical slope corrector to correct the substrate slope.

00616 Visual Comunicazione – VE

Impertek

WHAT IS

ESSENTIAL

is invisible to the eyes

Solidor Solidor pedestals are made from polypropylene.

They can withstand temperatures from -25° to + 80°C. The pedestals have a load capacity of up to 1000kg.

Once the correct height is set, the pedestal can be fixed easily. The base plate has a surface area of 300cm². The system can regulate heights between 17mm and 1m. Automatic slope correctors are available to absorb the required gradient. These items don’t have to be anchored in the ground and they are re-usable. Depending on the strength of the beams used, it is advisable to put the feet at a distance of 40 to 60cm from each other. The beams are fitted separately onto the terrace pedestals or screwed into the middle of the top support plate. Solidor gives a 10-year guarantee. Solidor pedestals can be fitted quickly and easily and can be used for a wide range of floors e.g. wooden beams, floor tiles in wood or concrete, etc.

We have been ensuring quality and support for roofings and foundations for 30 years, providing our contribution to the construction sector.

Impertek has an extensive range of competitive products: from the adjustable supports, like the extensions for jack supports, to the XL jack supports and MegaMart S. An invisible contribution to make your world sounder and more durable.

Discover it visiting us on 26-30 SEPTEMBER ‘16

www.impertek.com

Special

LVT, PVC & vinyl in the hotel sector

LVT, VINYL AND PVC IN THE HOTEL SECTOR

Photo – Gerflor

The association between vinyl, linoleum, and PVC floors with major projects and collectivities is nothing new at all.

Just look at scores of hospitals from about a few decades ago, seminary centres, libraries, or hotels. In hospitals it is noticeable that these often rather shiny floors are still in good condition, despite their age and the extreme punishment which they have taken over the years from visitors, wheelchairs, and hospital beds. With these floors now enjoying a general renaissance as a result of a strong drive for technical and decorative modernisation, they are also attracting more and more interest here, too. The hotel sector is showing interest.

More floors in residential properties We don’t have enough specific statistical material to express the use of PVC, LVT, and linoleum in economic parameters. And so, we have to rely more or less on the ‘impressions’ of the major players on the market. At YEPP Belgium we noticed that they had the impression that these floors are gaining ground on the residential market. They have seen a strong increase: ‘Without being able to quote exact statistics, we’ve noticed that the market for LVT and PVC related floors has grown strongly, especially over the last five to six years, and is claiming an ever increasing percentage of the floor covering sales. Europe is still recovering from the crisis which emerged in 2008 and certainly had repercussions for the private housing market. In the meantime, we’ve

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noticed that these floors have become increasingly popular on the housing market in recent years as a result of new growth in spending power. In developing countries growing expenditure in building activities is feeding the demand for floors; this is related to rising income per head of population so that people can take the liberty of fitting more durable floor covering such as LVT/PVC.’

Perfect for hotels In offices and recreation centres, but especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors, these floors owe their success to a number of strong assets. Many players are seeing a huge increase in the use of these floors in hotels in hotel rooms, lobbies, restaurants, and fitness and recreation rooms. The main assets are comfort for hotel guests, structural (and alteration) benefits, and decorative options.

User comfort Most people are aware that these floors are comfortable to walk on.

Although they are strong and more than capable of taking knocks, the density of the material itself ensures that the floors feel soft to walk on. Acoustic comfort is undoubtedly important; the sound of footsteps and transmission noise is kept to a minimum so that hotel guests don’t cause each other inconvenience. The fact that these floors are waterproof means it is possible to have a seamless joint between the room and the bathroom, something which gives an extra sense of comfort in any case. These floors can be combined with floor heating

and cooling and that makes it possible to create a wholesome effect on the surrounds and floor heating means that the floor is warm to walk on (even barefoot).

BambooTouch®

These floors can all be fitted quickly. In a setting such as the hotel sector where time inevitably means money, that’s significant. With renovation the minimal thickness of the floors is an advantage to the project manager. For example, it is possible to fit these floors on top of existing floor coverings without having to remove them first. This drastically reduces renovation time and, therefore, the period in which rooms are out of use. Moreover, it also avoids loads of dust, noise, and other inconveniences from the work. The emergence of LVT and PVC in a click-version means these floors have also adopted all the renovation assets which, until recently, were the sole domain of laminate.

At BambooTouch® they have seen strong growth in the LVT market to the cost of the laminate market. These products are also used in public buildings such as hotels due to their striking similarity to real solid wood floors, their flexible walking comfort, and the extremely easy maintenance.

There are various usage classes, depending on the application. For hotels the acoustic comfort and high durability are added assets. According to BambooTouch®, it is best to call upon the services of a professional for the glued fitting. Here, the (perfectly even) subfloor requires extra attention.

Decorative

COREtec®

Flexible floor coverings are available in such a wide range of decors that there’s something for everyone’s style or taste. All interior styles are possible: level or heterogeneous, brightly coloured or sober, tile decors, marble and natural stone, and simply modern or precisely classic. As with all imitation floors, however, wood decors are extremely popular here as well. In this domain, too, producers have learnt something from laminate manufacturers (in so far as they don’t produce both). Just as with laminate, digital print technology has created a vast number of extra possibilities. The wood decors are extremely natural and, thanks to embossing, the structure can also be felt. The latter also makes it possible to give these floors a natural and elegant look, something which is obviously important for hotels.

US floors Inc., based in Dalton, GA, United States, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality floor coverings and has developed a new category of floor covering. The COREtec® click floor is the very latest revolution par excellence in waterproof, durable, and hard floor covering. This totally new category of hard floor covering is used in both residential and commercial projects. COREtec® click floor is licensed worldwide under US Patent No. 9,156,233. These click floors are made from recycled wood, bamboo, limestone, and pure PVC. The backing consists of a layer of cork which, amongst other things, provides very good sound insulation and a warm and comfortable feel.

COREtec® click floors can be fitted quickly and easily in any domestic or business setting. Thanks to COREtec® click floors, rooms such as combination kitchens, bathrooms, verandas, and pool houses, as well as hotel rooms take on the look of a natural wooden floor and are ideal for intensive sustenance.

Structural (and alteration) benefits

The sector has its say : Aspecta HOTELL FYRISLUND SPECIFIES ASPECTA The Scandinavians are known for their love of wood and its natural beauty and so when interior designer Fanny Widén was looking to impress her client, the owner of Hotell Fyrislund in Uppsala, she was keen to follow this trend. But when it came to flooring, it needed to cope with heavy traffic, be easy to maintain and to keep looking good for many years - regardless of wear! Fanny opted for ASPECTA FIVE Melbourne Elm for all 40 bedrooms and she is delighted with the results: “The floors look beautiful! Just like real wood, but easy to clean. I originally saw ASPECTA at the Stockholm Furniture Fair last year, and it really made an impact with me. IDE Trading did a very good package for us and I would definitely recommend both them and this fantastic range of LVT woods.” ASPECTA FIVE is a commercial product with a 3.2mm gauge, a wear layer of 0.7mm and Ceramic Bead finish. It comprises 100 plus tiles and planks, ranging in size up to 609mm x 609mm and 1500mm x 230mm respectively. There are 52 woods, 33 stones and 24 abstract designs. The colours are new, fresh, and well ahead trend-wise of any current LVT offering; and further enhanced by a three stage embossing process with 13 different designs.

ASPECTA BV is represented in 13 European countries. For further information please visit www.aspectaflooring.com.

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Gerflor Gerflor Luxury Vinyl floors, known by the name of Creation, are available in many quality variants and installation methods. For example, there are luxury vinyl floors with a transparent top layer of 0.3, 0.55, or 0.7mm. There are options of a floating version (unique vertical click system from Gerflor), a glued version, and a replaceable version (with adhesive on the rear side of the strip/tile). This means that there are floors for homes, but also floors for commercial use. Luxury vinyl is used a lot in the hospitality and retail sectors, but also increasingly in care institutions and offices. Hotel guests say that the biggest advantage is that they can see immediately how clean and tidy their rooms are. The wood look also gives the room a wider view, something which millennials, in particular, appreciate. Moisture resistance,

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durability, acoustic comfort, and speedy renovation are important assets. Large international restaurant chains, casinos, and holiday resorts have also discovered the benefits of LVT in large numbers.

Gerflor references include: Van der Valk Beveren, Marriott Auditorium Madrid, Novotel Seville, Hilton Barcelona, Crown Plaza Brussels, Easy Jet Hotels in the Netherlands, Mercure hotels, Earl of Sandwich Qatar, Holliday Inn Chicago, Sheraton Istanbul, and Melia Palace Atenea Esp.

MFLOR Belgium = YEPP YEPP Belgium presents the ‘mFLOR’. Due to their many specific qualities, LVT and PVC floors from mFLOR can be used perfectly well in just about all sectors. In the course of the years, these floors have developed increasingly into a new category within floor covering with countless features which other floors cannot match. And so, they are perfectly suitable not only for domestic use (retail), but certainly also within the commercial world for both new construction and renovation. All mFLOR floors easily meet the strictest standards in terms of the environment, hygiene, and emissions. A floor from mFLOR isn’t really finished until it has also been fitted correctly. In other words, it is important that the floor fitter has sufficient expertise to fit an LVT floor properly. To this end, mFLOR, in collaboration with a number of adhesive makers, organises the necessary training courses. These courses are certainly not a luxury since fitting an LVT floor requires a number of specific skills such as substrate preparation, correct glueing, etc.

Parcolys Flooring At Parcolys, they believe that the market share of LVT and PVC in projects is gradually increasing The company itself provides these floors and has taken care of some impressive renovations in Benidorm and Mallorca. Parcolux and Parcostone are technical floors which are often fitted in places where lots of people walk.

The fact that these floors are easy to clean and maintain is an important asset, as is the scratch-resistance. In January-February 2015, they fitted a surface area of 2,500m² with Parcolux Pure Oak in the Hotel Ibersol Antemare on the Spanish Riviera. They fitted the floor in the rooms, the lobby, and the lounge. Temperature stability was an important requirement here. The floor stood up to the heatwave of 2015 with no problem at all. Other assets were the anti-slip and the waterproof character of the floor.

Parador Although there are no official market figures available, it seems clear to Parador that LVT and PVC are amongst the strongest growers on the flooring market. These products are more popular in private homes, but originally they were the choice par excellence for use in projects such as hotels, shops, offices, or bigger flats. The benefits of these floors for bigger surfaces, certainly for hotels, are quite clear. They are highly

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flexible and easy to maintain. The minimal structure height and sturdy surface are also assets. The fact that these floors are extremely ‘quiet’ is obviously an added bonus for use in hotels. The success of these floors means that more and more contractors and professionals have learnt how to fit them. Parador has an attractive reference in Malta with the Boxwood Vintage vinyl floor which offers a rough and extremely ‘original’ look. The end result of this flat project was an ‘industrial and mild’ look.

Tarkett Tarkett is increasingly seeing the trend towards PVC floors in general as well as to LVT, usually at the expense of more traditional floor coverings such as laminate. The company also goes along with this by providing the necessary choice in the various ranges.

Maintenance is very simple and the designs have become highly authentic to make them an acceptable alternative for many people.

PVC and LVT are used in lots of commercial applications, from hospitals and care homes to schools and offices. The Tarkett range includes a type of vinyl adapted to those uses. The major assets for vinyl here are: easy maintenance, low total lifecycle cost, highly durable and ecological (low VOCs, 100% recyclable, and free of phthalates). The main specific assets of PVC and LVT for hotels are the combination of designs to create a homely atmosphere (e.g. wood and stone patterns), maintenance, and durability. With LVT you can also create special designs and patterns on the floor which reinforce the image of the hotel. Here, too, they have thought of the environment. Tarkett has launched a homogeneous, non-PVC, and flexible floor covering on the market which has a Cradle-to-Cradle Gold certificate!

Viligno dryback LVT floors : ideal for projects At Plastivan they have noticed a rise in the market share of these floors and vinyl is becoming a major rival to laminate. LVT floors with a durable top layer are being fitted increasingly in hotels, offices, and shops. The reasons for this certainly include the fact that these floors are low-maintenance, hygienic, durable, and comfortable to walk on. Moreover, Viligno vinyl floors are suitable for new construction and renovation, they are durable, thin, waterproof, and ecological. A Viligno vinyl floor gives the interior a touch of prestige and the building some solid added value, something which is obviously essential for hotels.

Special

Small and medium-sized oil and lacquer machines

THE MARRIAGE OF TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY COMPACT OILING AND LACQUERING MACHINES BRING PRE-FINISHED CLOSER TO FLOOR FITTERS It’s a real area of tension. Lots of parquet floor fitters have grown up and progressed in a ‘ from-father-to-son’ situation or at least a ’from-patron-to-apprentice’ environment.

Then you get not only the traditions which floor fitters were brought up on, but also here and there some ‘secret recipes’, such as certain colour combinations which are typical of the firm. Then there’s that phenomenon of completely ready-tofit parquet, something towards which clients are obviously open-minded: no dust, no noise, no odours. By applying the finish themselves before fitting floors, parquet floor fitters can go along with that trend without compromising on their own traditional ‘ family secrets’. Here, too, technology is moving on.

The issue What’s wrong with the traditional method of fitting parquet?

Absolutely nothing! Strictly speaking, we could say that there are two fitting methods for wooden floors, namely fully glued or floating.

Until recently, the most noticeable difference between the two was the ‘glueing’ element. Apart from that, the operations are practically the same: fitting floorboards, sandpapering (in turns), and finishing with one of the various finishes on the market (colour, oil, lacquer, and wax). Floor fitters can ‘stand out’ in all these operations. In some aspects they are better than their colleagues. One phenomenon that has caused some change is the range of ‘pre-finished parquet’. Here, floorboards appear as completely finished products which require no further operation after the fitting, just as with laminate, LVT, click PVC, and such like. With the click systems which have been added in recent years, even with multi-layer parquet, the comparison disappears completely. The big problem? Consumers have obviously been given room to breathe from the existence of pre-finished floors and feel more than addressed to make use of the vast benefits.

Farewell to tradition?

Do floor fitters now have to throw away all their skills and professional expertise in order to fit ‘pre-finished’ floors in masses? Do they have to abandon their own great strength? Obviously not, because when the need is greatest, technology has the solutions. Machine makers have designed customised smaller oiling and lacquering machines ‘for floor fitters’ so that they themselves can create their own ‘pre-finished’ floors entirely in line with client longings.

Dosage rollers A number of machine manufacturers have designed smaller oiling and lacquering machines for floor fitters which are extremely budget-friendly as regards investment. These are roller machines which are mounted onto a conveyor system. Obviously, other functions can be provided on that same conveyor system as well as the application of lacquer and/or oil. A finish line can be supplemented with a

UV or infrared module, distressing, beating, brushing, and even packing. Obviously, an extension to the number of functions means a loss of compactness. For both lacquering and oiling, but also, for instance, for staining and applying lye, dosage rollers are used (with or without a reverse function – see Floor Forum editions 93, 100, and 107).

LED is emerging Just as UV curing, drying with UV light and also with lamps had all been tried in various sectors before they emerged in the parquet sector, today, another drying technology is emerging, namely drying with LED. Tested? Most certainly! One of the most well known and popular uses of LED drying is in cosmetics, especially ‘nail dryers’.

Dryers for drying nail varnish quickly can work on the basis of ‘air drying’ and, yes, ‘LED drying’. Today, steps are being made to apply this technology for drying parquet quickly. Here, too, as with UV, the lacquer (or oil) will undergo certain manipulations in order to be suitable for LED drying. The first machines are waiting in the wings.

Watch this space!

What’s on the market?

Rubio Monocoat

The Rubio Monocoater is an ‘all-in-one’ compact industrial line. It is possible to achieve creative and personalised finishes in an efficient manner in combination with the versatile Rubio Monocoat oil range.

The machines are part of a total concept in which the aim is to apply Rubio Monocoat oil by machine in ideal conditions. This means that clients get a complete service with advice at the forefront. There is committed assistance provided for the start and with the ideal setting for the application of the various products. Technically, the Rubio Monocoater carries out all operations which could be done on site. The most popular finish is the treatment with oil in one of the 40 standard colours or with a personalised colour (the 40 colours can still be mixed with each other). Furthermore, a personalised effect is also often the aim whereby the planks are treated first with a structure brush and then given a pre-colouring (RMC Pre-Colour Easy). Finally, the planks are finished with an oil in one of the 40 available standard colours or a personal mix of these colours.

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Small and medium-sized oil and lacquer machines

Vesting LED technology – economical and ecological LED technology is the future for your finishing line or oiling line. The revolutionary LED-drying hard wax oil from Vesting yields both splendid results and vast savings in the production process. Furthermore, this much cleaner form of oil drying is also ecological, as are their production staff. The biggest saving is on energy costs, which fall by up to 60%! The LED lamps are the main reason for this fall. They consume a lot less energy than the traditional UV lamps being used at the moment. Furthermore, these lamps also have a very long lifespan of 10,000 hours or more i.e. a lot longer than that of UV lamps (maximum 1000 hours). And so, this helps reduce both energy and maintenance costs. The new LED technology is also good for the environment and your staff. The hard wax oil drying process doesn’t emit any harmful CO² gases, so suction is no longer necessary. And so, here, too, LED technology yields savings. Moreover, the LED lamps hardly generate any heat, so the wood doesn’t get hot. This keeps production problems such as roughening, discolouration, and peeling adhesive to a minimum. Vesting has been ennobling wood in the traditional manner for over 60 years now. Recently, this Dutch family business from Someren has launched a world first in the shape of a LED-drying hard wax oil. At present, they are still building the first

finishing lines. Do you want to benefit from the LED revolution? If so, contact Vesting or visit their web site for more information: www.de-vesting.eu

Vec - Trivec Vec has a very extensive line in compact lacquering and oiling roller machines under the Trivec trademark. These lacquering and oiling machines can be used as stand-a-lone machines or are part of bigger production lines. Trivec systems are modular. This means that the machines can (now ore within the near future) be fitted with additional polishing modules, structuring machines, (UV) drying technology, automatic feed systems, sanding techniques, pre-heating units, and such like. The Trivec roller machines are available with one or more roller modules. All most every finishing effect can be reached with the single coater, the double system, or triple system. Apart from reverse coating in which (UV) lacquer or oil is pressed deep into the grain, it is also possible to coat ‘wet onto wet’ with the double coat systems.

The Trivec machines are deployed both for small and large production series. Parquet floor fitters can opt for a simple basic set up with roller machine in combination with entry and exit rolling lanes. They can also approach it more professionally by combining the roller machine with a polishing lane in order to build it up in this way step by step. You need at least 2.5m² for a basic set up. Extensive lines can be up to 30 metres long and with diagonal transport twice that length can be handled.

New: Trivec Stain sprayer, Cross Cutter and All-in one oiling machine Beginning this year Trivec did the introduction of the new ‘Cross Cutter’ machine. In an easy and very effective way, parquet boards will get like a sawn effect (cross lines). In combination with an oil or stain, this results in a unique look. The Trivec stain sprayer is developed for applying all kinds of stains. The machine is built according the Trivec Modular Concept an can be integrated in excisting lines easily. It can however also be delivered with additional in- and outfeed conveyor systems. Most parts of the machines are built from high quality industrial plastics. This means also that reactive stains can run on the machines without any problem. The new All in-one is the ideal machine for smaller production series at fitter companies or parquet wholesalers which want to add value to their products.

Machines for Parquet finishing find more info on www.trivec.eu

Solcamastraat 25, 9262 ND, Sumar, The Netherlands +31 512 510035 | info@trivec.eu | www.trivec.eu

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Special

Adhesives for floors in vinyl, PVC and LVT

ADHESIVES FOR LVT AND FLEXIBLE FLOOR COVERINGS SPECIAL DEMANDS ON THE SUBSTRATE ALSO APPLY TO THE GLUE It goes without saying that parquet traders have had plenty to think about in recent decades. The number of floor types has multiplied several times in barely a generation with new floor coverings or old floor coverings in new clothes.

Vinyl and linoleum are good examples of the latter because manufacturers have clearly made an effort to remove the ‘ dust’ from these types of floors and bring them into the modern age. New floors mean new techniques and, obviously, new products. Adhesives for these types of floor meet different requirements.

Thin floor – slender substrate The thinner a floor covering is, the more any unevenness in the substrate will show up on the ‘visible’ side. The combination of thin and flexible obviously increases that effect even more. If we put a tissue paper tablecloth onto a table full of crumbs, every crumb will show through the tablecloth. The same test with a piece of solid cardboard yields a completely different result. All this means that you have to put a lot of effort into the preparation to make the substrate suitable before you glue flexible floor coverings into place. When we say ‘suitable’, we mean ‘perfectly level’ and free of any possible dust and dirt residue. In many cases it will be essential to level the substrate in advance before glueing LVT, PVC, linoleum, or cork. In an equal number of cases the type or ‘health’ of the screed still require a primer before the levelling agent can be applied.

Not just any adhesive It is clear that when you make extremely demanding rules for the smoothness of the substrate, you also apply those rules to the nature of the adhesive and, in particular, the nature of the adhesive when it has set. A solid adhesive groove, whilst we admire it with lots of floor coverings such as parquet, is not really desirable for flexible floor coverings. A glue has to be spread evenly without too much loss of thickness and has to set evenly. For glueing vinyl and many other flexible floor coverings we preferably opt for an emulsion adhesive, which works on the basis of a physical adhesive bonding.

Physical adhesive bonding We’ve explained this often enough in the past: Adhesive bondings can be created by a physical or chemical reaction between different components. It is obvious that the type of wood plays a part in glueing parquet. This is no less the case for glueing flexible floor coverings.

Damp and oxygen almost always play a part in the adhesive process.

There is no chemical reaction with glues which work on the basis of a physical reaction. Various mechanisms are possible. For example, the adhesive reaction can take place as a result of the loss of solvent.

This is brought about by evaporation. Usually, the solvent is allowed to evaporate for a certain time before the sections to be glued are fastened to each other. Another physical adhesive reaction is brought about by cooling: the mass of adhesive is applied as a hot liquid to the

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surface to be glued. Adhesion to the second material to be glued takes place via cooling.

Emulsion adhesives Emulsion adhesives are in the category of glues which enter into a physical reaction. With these glues a synthetic resin such as polyvinyl acetate, acrylate, or polyurethane is dispersed in water. An organic solvent is added for some applications. In some branches emulsifying agents, cross-linkers, and preservatives may be found in the adhesive. Emulsion adhesives set as a result of the extraction of water from the adhesive to create an adhesive film (water disappears, whilst solid substances remain to create the bonding). This means that one of the parts to be glued has to be capable of absorbing water. Metal, synthetics, wood, paper, and textile can be glued with an emulsion adhesive.

However, metal cannot be glued to metal.

Flexible floor covering As we’ve said, adhesives for PVC, linoleum, and vinyl meet different requirements than adhesives for wood. These floors have a smoother and more closed structure than wood, which has open pores. This means they are not really capable of absorbing any water from the adhesive, so semi-wet or quasi-dry glueing is necessary. Moreover, these materials move a lot less than wood, so that means different requirements as regards elasticity. The glue and subfloors are put under less pressure (less sideways tensile forces) than with wooden floors. Nevertheless, the adhesive must be strong enough to make a durable bond. It is clear from the above that emulsion adhesives meet all those demands. Some producers add reinforcement fibres to the emulsion to strengthen the adhesive bond.

Outsiders Cork tiles or rolls are also flexible floor coverings, but the glueing is done differently. For cork contact adhesive is used which is applied bilaterally: the adhesive bond is created by first smearing the substrates (surfaces) with glue. After the evaporation of the solvents, an adhesive film is created which is almost dry. An adhesive bonding is created after brief pressure on the contact surfaces. The materials stick together once they are joined, so it is not possible for them to slide. Another outsider which we can mention for flexible floor coverings is the existence of adhesives for non-permanent glueing.

A number of adhesives will allow non-permanent glueing, and this means that the floor covering can be removed without damaging the subfloor. This is the case, for example, with a modified polymer acrylate bonding.

What’s on the market?

Adesiv For glueing flexible floor coverings Adesiv presents Adetac S, a high-quality universal single component acrylic adhesive with an EC1

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certificate. This adhesive is suitable for glueing all sorts of vinyl, rubber, PVC, linoleum, and textiles onto both absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. Unlike wooden floors, these floors move a lot less, so there is no need for elastic glues. If the condition of the screed requires it (e.g. powdery or loose), it will be necessary to apply a primer in advance. It is also usually advisable to use a self-flowing levelling agent to be sure of a perfectly smooth floor. For glueing PVC and rubber, indoors and outside, the 2K PU adhesive Pelpren PL6-G is recommended.

Bona Bona D750 is a solvent-free single component and fibre-reinforced dispersion adhesive for tasks such as glueing PVC on absorbent substrates. This glue is for full surface glueing. Due to its short open time and excellent suction, this low-emission adhesive is ideal for installing PVC design floors with a tile or plank print. Due to the high shearing stress resistance,, the Bona D750 ensures that the formation of joints is kept to a minimum. Dispersion adhesive is a white wood glue which is made stable and spreadable through additives. Such glues are cheap and extremely stable, if they are spread properly. These adhesives are specifically suitable for wood onto wood and, therefore, especially traditional parquet. The D750 is used mainly for other types of floor such as LVT and PVC. For parquet Bona has the D720.

Bostik Water-based emulsion adhesives are the most popular adhesives for glueing vinyl, linoleum, PVC, and LVT floors. The binding agent which guarantees the adhesion capacity of these glues usually consists of vinyl or acrylic resins which are dissolved in water together with other auxiliary materials such as fillers, additives, fungicidal means, antioxidants, etc. Some glues can also contain a small quantity of solvents (<5%). For glueing these floor coverings onto non-absorbent substrates it is also possible to use a dual component PU or epoxy adhesive or opt for contact glueing with an emulsion adhesive or contact adhesive with solvents.

One of the best products from the floor covering adhesive range from Bostik is the BOSTIK POWER ELASTIC. This is an emulsion adhesive with a short waiting time and great initial and final adhesive strength. The glue is highly resistant to sliding pressures and can withstand heat up to 50°C. Moreover, this glue is absolutely ideal for glueing all PVC, rubber (maximum thickness 4mm), and all LVT floors. It is also suitable for glueing linoleum.

Devo® Devo® has both permanent adhesives (2-component or acrylate) and non-permanent or removable (modified polymer-acrylate

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bonding). The most popular is a polymer-acrylate binding. Glueing LVT also makes greater demands of an adhesive. The permanent 2-component adhesives have a similar base and differ very little from parquet adhesives. The removable adhesives on acrylate basis are not used for parquet. They don’t have enough tensile strength and cannot be combined with most primers. Devo® presents VNR150, a single component removable ‘pick-up’ acrylate adhesive for glueing PVC and LVT/vinyl and carpet strips and tiles onto cement-bound subfloors. Devo® Glue VNR150 is easy to spread and is usually applied with the roller. The floorboards are glued with a roller (for a removable fitting on a porous and smooth substrate). Floorboards are not fitted until the colour of the applied glue changes from milky white to transparent (5 to 10 minutes).

Henkel Henkel presents as its best product the Thomsit K 188 E, a special high-performance dispersion adhesive for wet and effective glueing of PVC floor coverings in strips or tiles (inc. PVC on foam), CV floor coverings, vinyl tiles, and textile floor covering with latex PVC and PU foam backing. K 188 E is ideal for glueing compact floor coverings onto compact substrates e.g. PVC onto PVC. It is also suitable for glueing rubber with a thickness of up to 2.5mm and with a smooth and ingenious back in strips and tiles. Use Thomsit K 150 Dispersion Adhesive Rubber for rubber in thicknesses of more than 2.5mm. Thomsit K 188 E can also be used for pololefin, underlays, and cork floor coverings in tiles and strips of 4mm thickness. The floor coverings must not show any unevenness or changes in thickness.

STAUF Modern design flooring (LVT = luxury vinyl tiles) is versatile, but because of their often very individual construction, they demand the highest precision from the floor layers fitting them.

In order to achieve the best results, particular attention must be paid to the preparation of the subfloor and the adhesion. The adhesive system used for this purpose takes on a key function as the link between the floor covering and the subfloor. STAUF recommends D 50 for long-lasting, stable fitting of the wide range of design floor coverings: The fibrereinforced dispersion adhesive is ready for use immediately and the fibre reinforcement produces improved dimensional accuracy. STAUF R 105 is the problem-solver for rubber flooring and PVCcoverings that are exposed to heavy loads. STAUF offers various special adhesives for textile and elastic floorings, for example STAUF D 8 for linoleum, STAUF D 20 for rubber flooring and STAUF D 5 for PVC.

Project

Loba (DE)

LOBA AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE subfloor was laid over the old floor joists for the installation of the new floorboards. A layer of waterproof plastic sheeting was added over the subfloor as a moisture and vapour barrier.

The American white oak floorboards could only be laid after the waterproof subfloor had been completed.

The perfect finish

In 2014 Pam Golding Properties was named Best Real Estate Agency in Africa. A network of over 300 offices in sub-Saharan Africa, along with branches in several European countries, offer a full range of property services. The company’s headquarters are located in a lovely suburb of Cape Town, surrounded by majestic old trees. The venerable historic building has been designated a cultural heritage site. LOBADUR® OptiPrime and OptiFinish gave the new floor of Pam Golding’s traditional boardroom an elegant and distinguished finish, guaranteeing long-term protection.

With a ceiling height of almost ten metres (32 feet), an enormous window front, solid-wood panelling on the walls, dark leather sofas and a magnificent open fireplace, the boardroom of Pam Golding Properties exudes old-world charm. It is therefore the perfect, stately setting for important company events. Zimbo’s Trading Co., the general agent for LOBA in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, laid 125 square metres (1,450 sq. ft.) of high-quality, long solidplank flooring made from American white oak. After a thorough consultation with Zimbo’s, the responsible managers from Pam Golding decided to finish the new floor using LOBA products.

Precision workmanship in a cultural heritage building Owing to the building’s status as a cultural heritage site, there were several important restrictions that applied to the new flooring. No changes could be made to the floor structure or substructure. Furthermore, the appearance of the new floor had to be identical to that of the original. There was no cellar beneath the flooring because the building rests directly on the ground.

Therefore, the old flooring first had to be removed with great care.

The existing wood skirting could not be damaged. A 21-mm-thick

The hardwood flooring specialists from Zimbo’s used a “Lägler Hummel”—the classic German floor-sanding machine—for the initial sanding of the high-quality oak floorboards, working with great precision and care. Over this perfectly prepared surface, one coat of LOBADUR® OptiPrime was applied by roller. After the primer had dried, two coats of LOBADUR® OptiFinish matt were applied, with an intermediate sanding before the second coat. After almost two weeks of high-precision work, the new floor of the Pam Golding boardroom was ready to use, with its new, high-quality finish. The meetings and events of Pam Golding Properties can now be held on a robust and visually perfect foundation that will last for years to come.

Project Telegram Location: Floor: Surface treatment: Floor size: Time period: Flooring company:

Pam Golding Properties, South Africa American white oak planks LOBADUR® OptiPrime LOBADUR® OptiFinish 125 m2 (1,450 sq. ft.)

14 working days, partly at night Zimbo’s Trading Co.

About LOBA LOBA is one of the leading German manufacturers of floor finishing and floor-care systems for parquet, wood and cork floors.

LOBA is the only German company in its industry that concerns itself exclusively with these products and has positioned itself as an international specialist in this area. The traditional family-run company in southern Germany has become the technology leader in Europe owing to its strong specialisation and innovative strength. Flooring professionals in 60 countries around the world swear by LOBA’s environmentally friendly, waterborne finishing systems.

The extensive product range includes floor oils and waxes, products for industrial use and cleaning and maintenance products.

All LOBA products are manufactured at the company headquarters in Ditzingen near Stuttgart. The company has 85 employees.

Additional information can be found on our website: www.loba.de LOBA – the specialist for parquet and hardwood flooring – since 1922.

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Discover the possibilities of the industrial lacquers

COATING CONTRACTORS ARE NOW REAL PRODUCTION PARTNERS MORE AND MORE TASKS AND SERVICES CAN BE OUTSOURCED

Photo – Mapo Belgium

The term ‘coating contractor’ has long since ceased to cover all the possibilities. After all, it’s a term from the distant past when painting piece goods was regarded as a separate activity/speciality. The fact that lacquering products or materials was a job requiring a dust-free room could not always be reconciled with the dusty atmosphere which always prevailed in a carpenter’s workshop in the final analysis. The choice between investment or outsourcing was an easy decision mainly because applying a lacquer in expert fashion was (and still is) a separate job in itself. Nowadays, however, outsourcing certain production tasks takes place for clearly economic reasons.

Outsourcing out of ‘realism’ Just because someone has been working as a trade journal writer in the construction industry for a few decades doesn’t mean that they cannot still encounter surprises. On a visit to an attractive site in

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the capital where various flats and penthouses had been completely restored, this editor was confronted once again with the existence of something which he didn’t know about. Two small delivery vans stopped outside the building. The drivers, dressed in white, stepped out of the vans and entered the building, armed with a kit pistol and a bag full of tubes. The vans displayed the name of the company and, under that name, the slogan ‘expert sealing is a profession, not a hobby’. And that’s just what those gentlemen did. Sealing windows and doors, wash basins, and bath edges at lightning speed with amazing precision and always with the right product. And so, the contractor preferred to outsource the sealing work rather than have it done by its own workers. That would probably have taken too long and would never have been finished quite so perfectly. The logic of ‘outsourcing’: better work and certainly cheaper.

Reasons for outsourcing There we have the two main reasons why a company would opt to outsource some aspects of its production process, namely

economic reasons and reasons of quality. After all, the principle of outsourcing arises from the discovery that it is better (and often cheaper) to outsource some operations to third parties rather than doing them yourself. There are different sorts of financial reasons for outsourcing an activity. Some demands from clients may deviate from the normal production process. In such cases manufacturers may respond by temporarily adapting their normal production processes. That often costs more than outsourcing a job. Furthermore, new forms of technology can emerge (e.g. UV drying) which obligate manufacturers to invest if they want to remain competitive.

Alternatively, they could consider outsourcing to someone who has already made the necessary investment. Then there’s the quality of the work. It’s undoubtedly a fact that outsourcing a specialised component of the production to an equally specialised external partner offers greater certainty of a quality finish.

Specialities in parquet production There are plenty of ‘specialities’ relating to the parquet sector e.g. the knowledge of chemical products, their reaction to the various types of wood, the various forms of drying technology etc. Coating contractors have the big advantage that they work for different clients and therefore have acquired a wealth of knowledge from all their clients. They have experience in many more diverse situations than manufacturers who only make their own product. Specifically for parquet the operations which are outsourced are found between the moment when the raw floorboards leave the production line and the moment when they arrive in the shops or showroom.

Interventions during production Some coating contractors carry out sandpapering, planing, and milling work, but probably the operation most in demand is that of mechanical distressing. Beating, lashing, brushing, and exclusive operations such as hand-scraping are all amongst the possibilities.

The most common chemical intervention is undoubtedly distressing by means of a smoke treatment with ammonia.

Interventions with the finish The application of the finish to wooden floors has long been one of the specialities of so called ‘coating contractors’. After all, they have followed up the technical developments in the chemical industry closely for all sorts of finishes. The emergence of UV technology has enabled them to expand their capacity and in that connection to shorten delivery times. Most companies offer lacquer, oil, and hard wax as well as colouring.

Marketing interventions Less popular, but nonetheless emerging all the time is providing for the very end phase of the cycle: labelling, measuring, registering, and packing. The fitting instructions and all other communication destined for end users are added mechanically. In this way parquet floors arrive from the ‘coating contractor’ ready for the shop.

H&W Finishing H&W Finishing is a modern company with three production Lines for finishing floorboards and panels.

Their latest development is a lacquer with fire-retardant properties which we can also apply in colour on request. This finish is being applied increasingly in major projects. They have two production lines for UV finishes and one for oxidative and special finishes. This is a new production line which is also suitable for fitting handwork, something which results in really attractive and characteristic floors. It is also possible to spray covering strips, skirting boards, laths, and floor or ceiling sections, for instance, in this line (in any type of RAL colour) using a spray machine.

Distressing by means of Scarving Xperience is still a trend. The result is an exclusive floor which gives a warm and cosy atmosphere. We can scarf in many different designs; you will find examples on their web site. Other new finishes are invisible oil and invisible lacquer, finishes which guarantee the natural look of the pale wood. They are located in the Netherlands directly alongside the A58 motorway and therefore centrally situated in the Benelux. Visit our web site for more information www.hwfinishing.nl

LDF Industrie LDF Industrie is situated just over the France-Belgium border in Halluin, which is 10 minutes from Menen (BE). The company has a production unit of 8000m² with four industrial production lines for any parquet finish: solid wood, multi-layer, Versailles, wooden exterior wall claddings, skirting boards, and accessories. Through its many years with surface treatments, LDF Industrie guarantees

FOR THE TREATMENT OF YOUR WOOD PRODUCTS

flooring - ceiling outside cladding - profiles * decorative - durable - ageing fire retardant * roller coater/curtain coater/spraying/vacuum application MAPO BELGIUM N.V. – B-3530 Houthalen-Helchteren - T +32 11 60 54 93 - info@mapo.be

Visit our new website: www.mapo.be

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constant top quality. The machines used are state-of-the-art.

The roller and curtain coating line with UV drying and the oiling Lines with natural air-drying or UV drying can be deployed flexibly so that both large and small amounts can be treated. UV finish, brushing, and various distressing methods, including sculpture aspects for parquet planks, can be delivered.

The range of designs, colours, and finishes is exceptionally wide and extensive. LDF Industrie also presents solutions for finishing/ treating outdoor planks..

Mapo Belgium The demand for pre-finished products continues to grow, both for interior and exterior applications, and Mapo Belgium is very pleased about that. There is no doubt that nowadays flexibility and response time are the biggest challenges for the company and its clients. There is often great pressure to provide quality services in a short space of time, but this situation does provide opportunities for the Belgian firm. Mapo stands out for its varied machinery, which means that it can respond quickly to all sorts of jobs, whether it’s a question of parquet floors, cover strips, facades, or terraces. Lots of treatments are applied in one and the same production run, such as sandpapering, brushing, colouring, lacquering, oiling (including maintenance oil), and packing so that Mapo can offer ‘affordable’ finishes. Thanks to a great capacity and neutrality, Mapo can finish for the biggest players on the market without having to disregard requests from clients with smaller volumes and commission floors. Furthermore, fire-retardant treatment in autoclave is also one of the possibilities. Mapo is concentrating increasingly on customised work and the related questions from clients as regards project colours and packaging.

Mapo continues to build on its future.

Timfin® Timfin® offers an extensive range of services for parquet manufacturers, wood traders, and fitters.

Their main activities are varnishing and oiling, brushing and Wardenier distressing, and finishing for outdoor wood. Their speciality consists of applying natural oils and varnishes, if necessary in combination with various

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stains. Recently, they have also developed new trendy finishes for parquet in a weathered and distressed style and a collection in antique painted floors with special wash look effects. For exterior wall cladding and terrace floors they offer various treatments with a lifespan of up to five years. Their team of enthusiastic employees, backed up by modern and highly extensive machinery, ensure quality and speedy deliveries. Timfin® is situated in Aalter (BE) and is easily accessible on the Lakeland industrial estate. You can find more information on their new web site www.timfin.be

Tintobois Tintobois is a small company who specialise in finishing wood flooring. The processes of ageing, coloring and protecting the wood all happens in our own workshop. Tintobois is focused on working closely with (interior) architects, parquet installers, wood traders and individual clients. A personal approach, flexibility and customer service are our speciality.

The choice of finishing is decided and agreed together with the client, taking into account their personal taste, budget and interior. Tintobois is headed by a women with great feeling for color and a passion for quality. Tintobois is sometimes brave, sometimes audacious and always long-lasting!

Zabolak Zabolak provides all the services which one might expect from a coating contractor, such as distressing (in various ways), smoking with ammonia, brushing to various degrees, lye stains, colour stains, oxidative oiling, UV oiling, lacquering, project lacquering, packaging (in various ways), and logistical support. The clients are parquet professionals consisting of manufacturers, wholesalers, project developers, interior specialists, and retailers. 90% of their clients are from Europe and the completed products end up all over the world. Zabolak has been in existence in its present form for 17 years and has a history with parquet going back almost 50 years. Over the last decade, the company has developed purely into a finish company in which flexibility and reliability take centre stage. Henry Jacobs certainly thinks along with parquet floor fitters. They are certainly welcome to visit Zabolak to talk about customised work. In fact, the sky’s the limit, but, strictly speaking, Zabolak offers its services via wholesale. Why is that? Because everyone benefits! The most important reason is ‘that an integral cost price for the retailer is often cheaper via wholesale,’ says Henry Jacobs. ‘After all, the retailer doesn’t have any transport costs for the wood.’ Moreover, the retailer benefits from the quantum discount which the wholesaler can stipulate to its suppliers without having a problem with pre-financing because there are current agreements with the wholesalers. Conclusion: using the services of this coating contractor is best done via the wholesaler, but it can also be done direct.

Special

Fillers and repair kits

FILLING IN HOLES AND CRACKS REPAIR KITS AND FILLERS HELP TOWARDS PERFECTION Natural or accidental blemishes Wooden floors can show more or less natural blemishes, depending to some extent on the chosen selection of wood. Those blemishes may consist of gnarls, cavities from protruding gnarls, or splits or cracks in the floorboard. Even if we love a rustic-looking floor, those cracks or holes should be filled in. Otherwise those spots will attract piles and piles of dust and dirt, irrespective of our chosen finish. A lacquer finish would even be impossible. Some blemishes are the result of damage. Damage can be caused accidentally when the floorboards are handled during storage or transport, but also on site due to occurrences such as a falling object or the use of poorly maintained tools.

Typical of the fitting Apart from natural blemishes in the wood and intentionally created expansion joints, there are also the nail holes which we cause by nailing traditional parquet. We use compressor-driven nailers to ‘shoot’ nails deep into the wood in order to achieve a strong and durable connection to the subfloor. This means that we create a hole for every nail. Those holes also need to be filled. Furthermore, there is also the necessary expansion joint which we have to leave at the edges of the floor to absorb swelling caused by fluctuations in air humidity.

Sorts of solutions Whilst there are special fillers for filling joints, floor fitters have several options for filling holes, chinks, and cracks with a wood paste.

Fillers

Photo – Blanchon

Although wooden floor manufacturers and suppliers do their best to bundle floorboards into packs and bind them as ‘securely’ as possible, few products emerge entirely unscathed from the logistical process (stockage and transport). Wooden floors which are not pre-finished are sandpapered after fitting and before the application of the finish. The aim is to level off and eliminate any unevenness and imperfections. One of the reasons for sandpapering is to remove ‘traces’ of repair products.

Sorts of imperfections There are various sorts of blemishes which can arise in wooden floorboards and which need to be repaired before the finish is applied.

Some blemishes are typical of the wood or the result of human operations, whilst others are ‘typical’ of the fitting method.

Most fillers can also be used to fill cracks in the wood. These fillers are usually made on a base of acrylate dispersion in a paste-like consistency and are supplied in a handy (pistol) dispenser. The most crucial point is that these fillers have to retain their elasticity in order to absorb the movements of the wood and return to their original shape each time. Obviously, it will come as no surprise to learn that here, too, more and more makers are using MS polymers to develop fillers precisely because of the aforementioned requirement.

Wood filler Cracks, chinks, gnarls, and such like can be filled using wood filler. Wood filler is also used for filling holes in traditional parquet.

Important properties of these fillers are the short drying time, the fact that they don’t shrink, and, above all, the fact that it is perfectly possible to sandpaper them. Repairs using wood filler are also carried out before the floor is sandpapered. The market offers various sorts of wood filler. The ready-for-use wood fillers, which are also sometimes called putty, are available in a whole range of colours which approximate very closely to the most common wood sorts. Floor fitters can also make this wood filler themselves using powder (various colours) and water. The most common (and best) method, certainly for filling

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Special

Fillers and repair kits

traditional parquet holes, is to produce filler based on scouring powder and a ‘filler’ specially developed for that purpose. The latter method yields the result which is most true to the colour and natural.

putty. This is available in 12 different colours.

Furthermore, Bona also presents its Gap Master, a silicone-free repair kit for parquet based on polyacrylate which is available in 15 different colours. Finally, Bona R200 is a low viscosity 1-component polyurethane filler mass for filling hollow spots and reinforcing parquet boards. The light foaming fills up cavities and creates a seamless joint with the substrate.

Specialities Some imperfections in the wood, but also mainly in joints and thresholds with other floors require constant elasticity to absorb the movements of the floor. To this end we find on the market polyacrylate fillers or acrylate fillers. These fillers can absorb vast movements in the wood (7 to 14%). They are perfectly suitable for lacquering or oiling. Another extremely specialised solution is the wax rod. These wax rods are available in both solid and malleable form. In the case of the malleable wax the repair is carried out ‘cold’. The malleable wax is pressed into the cavity or crack. The surplus wax is then removed using a plastic spatula. Solid wax is melted above the damage using a special melting pistol. The melting pistol to soften the wax is comparable to a small soldering iron.

The colour of the wood It is clear that whatever the cause or type of the imperfection to be repaired, it is crucial to approximate to the wood sort of the floor as closely as possible for a good result. With some solutions (ready-foruse fillers, preparations diluted with water) an endeavour is made to achieve that aim by offering the product in an extensive range of colours. Whilst those colours are seldom 100% identical to the type of wood used, they are usually brought into harmony after the application of the finish. With the renowned fillers where sawdust from the floor itself is mixed with a liquid, the correct colour is obviously guaranteed.

Full repair kits Repair kits appear nowadays as a compound of various repair means in one pack. You could compare them perfectly to a sort of doctor’s case for the floor doctor. These repair kits contain products which enable users to repair various floors (solid wood, multi-layer, veneer, and even laminate) locally and for various sorts of damage.

A selection from the range Adesiv For filling holes and joints, Adesiv presents, amongst other things, Legastucco L100, a binding resin based on a fast-drying solvent for levelling wooden floors. The product is mixed with sawdust obtained from fine polishing in a ratio of 1/1. Legastucco L100 in 10 litre casks. Legastucco L100 is particularly suitable for levelling a floor completely. Furthermore, Adesiv also offers the water-based Stucco WB. Adesiv also has Fugastop, a one-component sealant based on acrylic. This product is odourless and can be sandpapered and painted over.

Bona Bona offers a water-based binding agent, which, mixed with sawdust, is deployed for sealing holes and splits, the Mix & Fill. For medium and larger splits or holes Bona presents the Mix & Fill Plus. Specially for pointing between the floor and skirting boards, Bona has an acrylic

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Blanchon Blanchon offers an extensive range of fillers for parquet and wooden floors. Amongst the ‘technical solutions’ we identify binding agents for use with sawdust, fillers (powder to be mixed in water or two components still to be mixed), wood pastes, and ready-for-use putty in a tube (Blanchon wood putty in a tube). Blanchon offers two separate kits for mixing with sawdust. The ‘Binding Agent for Wood’ from Blanchon has been a permanent fixture amongst European floor fitters for over 20 years.

The product consists of a highly fluid resin with very strong adhesion and is mixed with the sawdust from the second sandpapering. This means that the colour of the filler will always be identical to the floorboards used. The drying time is very short. The product can be finished with any of the classic means. As part of its endeavour for sustainable development, Blanchon has developed a second binding agent in the Aqua Pro range, namely the Pro Filler. This is spread in the same way, but takes somewhat longer to dry.

Briançon Briançon presents various solutions for repairing wood. For major repairs there is Wood Mastic BI, putty in powder form diluted with water. Wood Mastic BI Rapid guarantees setting in 40 minutes. This is an ecological product based on natural adhesives and adopts the colour of the wood perfectly. Wood Mastic E800 is a ready-for-use wood putty, which is also based on natural adhesives. Wood Mastic Liant Aqua is an odourless putty which is created by mixing it with sawdust from the floor. This means that the holes are always filled in the same colour as the floor. The product is odourless, is applied with a spatula, and dries quickly. All products from Briançon have been subjected to the necessary tests in order to satisfy the VOC legislation and are catalogued as class A+. There are packages from 500g to 25kg for standard products or even customised packages for industry.

Ciranova Ciranova presents several solutions for filling holes and splits and carrying out repairs. The Ciranova Gupa-maker is a mixture of binding agents and aromatic-free solvents, which have to be mixed with sawdust from the wooden floor. Gupa-maker is ideal for filling nail holes and for other minor wood repairs. Wood filler is a natural powder diluted with water. If you wish to obtain a certain colour, you can also mix wood filler with a water-based stain such as Aquapad. Wax Sticks

are coloured rods of wax which you can easily mould to fill minor damages. Wax Sticks don’t shrink and they adhere strongly.

Wax Sticks are available in 40 different colours. Finally, Wood Filler Fast is an ecological filler for repairing cracks and holes in all types of wood and for all woodwork such as furniture and parquet.

The product dries very quickly and is available in four colours.

Devo® To seal splits expertly it will be necessary to sandpaper the parquet floor again first. Then, you can use any filler whatsoever of your choice to seal the splits. To seal fine splits it is much easier to use a product with a very fine texture so that the filler can easily penetrate into the fine splits. Devo® Woodfill is ideal for this purpose! Devo® Woodfill is designed to fill splits, cracks, gnarls, and nail holes in parquet or wooden floors, furniture, etc. Once Devo® Woodfill is mixed with water, it is easy to apply as a paste. The product dries quickly and can be coloured over with no problem at all. Devo ®Resiplas is a colourless resin which is mixed with sawdust and used to fill holes and cracks.

Pallmann Repair kits at Pallmann are aimed at materials where minor repairs can be carried out on the wood surface. During the renovation of parquet, it may be necessary to seal cracks in the wood. Pallmann offers two products for this purpose, namely PALL-ZERO FILLER and PALL-X-KITT. PALL-ZERO FILLER is a water-based product with no solvents and PALL-X-KITT is also water-based, but contains a few solvents (less than 15%). Both products are mixed with the sawdust for repairing cracks and splits.

Plastor At Plastor they identify two groups of fillers and repair products, depending on the size of the zone to be filled. For small zones, such as holes to be filled in there is filler-binder (‘Liant de Rebouchage’), a product which appears in liquid form and needs to be mixed with sawdust from the wood. For bigger zones wood fillers or types of putty are ideal for carrying out repairs. The ‘Liant de Rebouchage’ from Plastor is offered in quantities of 1 litre or 5 litres. 5 litres is also the biggest pack. For filler or putty the biggest pack is 500g.

indoor use. The liquid wood is used a lot for parquet floors due to its good quality. It is also suitable for outdoor use, provided that it is lacquered/ varnished carefully. For filling holes and cracks there is Cellocol, a binding agent which is used, with the help of ‘its own’ sawdust, to make a filler mass in exactly the same colour as the wood.

Cellocol V is the liquid variant for treating the entire floor. Frencken and Rectavit offer every possible sort of packaging, including industrial applications and customised for parquet manufacturers.

Rubio Monocoat Good preparation of the surface is crucial for optimum finishing. RMC Woodfiller Quick is a one-component, ecological and fast-hardening putty. It is available in powder form for interior woodwork. The product hardens quickly and can be sanded with remarkable ease after about 2 hours. RMC Woodfiller Quick is available in 3 colors: Light, Medium and Dark and in 0.5 / 2.5 or 5 kg PVC buckets. After these preparations, the floor can be finished and colored beautifully with Rubio Monocoat oil.

It does not shrink, but slightly swells so that the treatment only needs to be performed once and is then ready for sanding.

Stauf STAUF FILLERS STAUF AQUA FILL is a waterborne joint filling binder to prepare wood putty to fill joints in wood floors. Mix joint filling binder with very fine wood sander dust (20 - 40%) of the respective wood type until pasty.

The finer the sander dust used, the easier the mixed compound can be spread and the better the adhesion in joints. For larger joints, repeat the process. Final sanding performed after drying. Wood filler remaining on wood surface must be sand off completely. STAUF NC Fill is a nitrocellulose-based joint filling binder to prepare wood putty to fill joints in wood floors for very bride joints and for preparing old wood floorings.

STAUF REPAIR KIT Cavities under parquet flooring are a nuisance, however, cavities are not just a sign of ageing – they can also occur in recently laid wood flooring for a number of different reasons, too. In order to avoid visible damage to the wooden floor caused by constant weight, cavities and, hence the annoying acoustic features too, repairs should be carried out as soon as possible. STAUF offers an intelligent method for repairing such defects with its “Repamed” product. This done by injecting a single-component liquid adhesive via a disposable needle, without having to remove parquet elements or loose planks. With this method, the wood can once again bond firmly with the sub-floor.

Rectavit Rectavit presents, amongst other things, ‘Liquid wood’, a ready-for-use solvent based on wood filler in various common colours. Furthermore, Rectavit offers a waterborne alternative at the request of parquet makers for automatic systems. ‘Liquid wood’ is suitable for filling/ repairing surface damage in wood such as splits and (nail) holes for

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Special

Top German companies focused on export

PARQUET IS STILL POPULAR IN GERMANY GERMAN THOROUGHNESS CONTINUES TO PROVE ITSELF The Federal Republic of Germany was formed on 24 May 1949. The German economy, ravaged by World War II, recovered at once after monetary reforms in 1948. In 1962, there was even talk of full employment. This was the post-war period of the ‘Economic Miracle’.

Yet ‘East Germany’ was less wealthy and in the late 1980s the German Democratic Republic (GDR) fell into sharp decline. Finally, on 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. On 3 October 1990, both German states were reunited. A process of economic adaptation ensued which is still going on today. The ‘miracle’ simply carries on.

Nothing but assets …

Germany lies at the heart of Europe and has borders with Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. The country borders on the North and Baltic Seas in the north, whilst to the south it borders on the Alps. Germany’s central location in Europe makes the country an ideal location logistically for reaching all European regions. A large part of the German population lives in the metropolis regions of Berlin/Brandenburg, Frankfurt/Rhine-Main, Hamburg, Munich, Rhine-Ruhr, Stuttgart, and Rhine-Neckar. Major infrastructural facilities in Germany include the international airports of Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf, and Munich, the sea ports of Bremen and Hamburg, and the inland port of Duisburg, the biggest in Europe.

Economy at full speed All those assets and excellent leadership mean that Germany is a rare grower which has been better equipped to withstand the recent ‘crisis years’.

German has the third best technological economy after the USA and Japan.

It is a social market economy, a free market where the government sets preconditions (see below). Scores of structural measures and dynamic interventions by the business world have helped Germany weather the crisis quickly like no other country. The German economy continues to grow. Whilst most EU countries are wrestling with the aftermath of the crisis, Germany stands out for its stability. The German government managed to balance its budget during 2013 and the economy grew by 0.4%. In 2009, Germany included a debt ceiling in its constitution, the so called Schuldenbremse. For this year (2016) the budget deficit has to be reduced to 0.35%.

Social market economy?

The notion of a social market economy (‘soziale Marktwirtschaft’) defines the German economic structure. Former minister for Economic Affairs Ludwig Erhard introduced this concept in 1948. He believed that the market functions effectively if the government creates sufficient competition and sets preconditions for a just and fair society. The German constitution sets out that the market is bound by social limits. The social market economy finds expression in economic legislation and institutions like the cartel prohibition; the shop closure laws; the independent position of the Federal Bank; the social security system; autonomy of employers and employees during salary negotiations.

Ultimate solidarity Germany’s federal set-up largely dictates national and public financial affairs (see Floor Forum no. 107). The central government (‘Bund’), federal states

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(‘Länder’), and towns/cities each account for some government expenditure. To foster a similar standard of living all over Germany, rich federal states (mainly in the south) give part of their income to poorer federal states (mainly in the east and north), the Federal Finance Balance (‘Länderfinanzausgleich’). Apart from this horizontal payment, Germany also has a vertical payment (from central government to the federal states).

When Germany was divided, the western economic model was totally differently to that in the east. After German reunification in 1990, the government had to invest billions to prevent a mass exodus from eastern federal states. All German citizens pay a solidarity tax to help cover the cost of reunification.

And then 2016…

The German economy gained a head of steam in the first three months of this year, supported by higher industrial production and consumer spending.

And so, the German economy started 2016 in dynamic fashion. The situation on the labour market is still good, economic conditions are generally favourable, and consumer spending probably played the biggest part in the growth during the first quarter. All indications suggest that the biggest economy in the euro zone probably grew in the first three months of the year by more than the 0.3% in the final quarter of 2015. However, the ministry of finance has warned that German exports have fallen in recent months due to the tardiness of the world economy. The business world also has less confidence in Germany. In spite of that, the growth has continued and, according to the ministry, growth of 1.7% is expected, similar to growth in 2015.

Wood: a major sector Germany has a complete arsenal of extremely strong economic sectors.

Logically, we’ve picked out the ones closest to our heart, namely all those related to wood.

Forest management and wood extraction Forest covers almost a third of Germany (10.3 million ha.). Apart from wood cutting, the forest is also essential for recreation and ecology. There is a legal obligation to plant new trees where old trees are cut down. In the 1980s, researchers detected increasing damage to the forests from acid rain. Aided by national and international measures, Germany has tried to reduce its air pollution. Germany has an impressive wood industry, which, in its entirety (including the paper industry) is bigger than the German automobile industry. The leading German federal states for forestry are Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Pomerania, Thuringia, and the Saxon Highlands.

Woodwork machines German machines have enjoyed an excellent global reputation for decades. This is no less true of German woodwork machines. They are highly rated mainly for their high quality, long lifespan, and the extensive range of extra product services. It is estimated that Germany accounts for 50% of all woodwork machine exports worldwide. The wide spectrum of German manufacturers comprises standard and special machines for traditional and industrial production of furniture, electrical tools, and tool machines and installations for the saw industry and the manufacture of wooden materials.

BLUMOR LACKE GmbH Parquet, too, and how!

Germany is undoubtedly a parquet country. This is true not only as regards parquet consumption and production, but also as regards all related items, not just production machines. We also know a whole series of German top trademarks for finish products, adhesives, accessories like skirting boards and profiles, sanding machines, and such like. For the rest we limit ourselves to the parquet branch.

Parquet production Germany accounts for 15.24% of all European parquet production and that puts the country in second place on the FEP list. Germany is behind Poland, which accounts for 18.97% of parquet and wooden floor production and has hereby reinforced its position. Sweden comes third with 13.30%. The total production in 2012 in Europe (FEP!) was 68,266,133m² as opposed to 70,713,000m² the year before. Of that production total Germany accounts for almost 10.5 million square metres (10,403,758m²) of parquet. And so, production is fairly stable as compared with the previous year. In 2011, Germany still produced 10,345,750m², hardly any difference.

Parquet consumption European parquet consumption fell in 2012 by 5.88% to 87,509,000m².

In terms of consumption Germany is clearly the European leader. Whilst the country accounted for 20.84% of all European consumption in 2011, it increased its share to 23.98% in 2012. Expressed in terms of surface area, this means that in 2012 the Germans fitted no fewer than 20,984,658m² of parquet as opposed to 19,063,390m² the year before. And so, it is noticeable that, despite a fall in European consumption, Germany has increased its consumption by almost two million square metres.

BLUMOR Lake GmbH is branch of the Blanchon Group, the leading French maker of varnishes, oils, and decorations for parquet floors and woodwork. Blanchon, which was formed in 1832, has some strong assets: Quality, Innovation, Decoration, and the Environment. The ongoing success of Blanchon is based on the quality, reliability, and performances of its products, which are always absolutely consistent. Intensive, a PU 2K glazer which is sold in over 35 countries, Solid Oil®, the oil hard wax which has been applied to the parquet floors of the Mu CEM (5.5 million visitors), and Oil SD, and odourless oil (three coats in half a day) are permanent fixtures for demanding parquet traders. Their approach is demonstrated by Performer, a new parquet varnish in one component. It has the qualities and performances of a dual-component product, but this is joined to the simplicity and practical use of a single-component product!

For Blanchon the following items are strong and permanent fixtures: always listening to clients and being available for them, giving advice, offering reliable logistical support, and showing respect for both people and the environment. Other routine practices are the optimisation of raw materials in order to reduce the impact on the environment (they reduced their CO² emissions by 22% between 2009 and 2011).

Their laboratories (with 29 engineers and technicians) are committed daily to perfecting research for the development and application of products in order to provide both professionals and industry with the best possible solutions. Each year, a surface area of about 2,500,000m² is renewed, protected, or glued using products from the Blanchon Group. +49 (0) 6026 976 08 13 - www.blumor.com

An introduction

STAUF

PARADOR

The STAUF Klebstoffwerk GmbH Company, founded in 1828, is a family-run business that is now in its sixth generation. As a specialist for adhesive technology, STAUF offers its customers reliable product solutions for installing every type of flooring. These include the categories parquet, textile and resilient floorings, synthetic turf and sports flooring and special uses. True to tradition, no product leaves our factory until it has been meticulously developed and tested. This ensures that installers always receive the quality and reliability that they wish to pass on to their customers. Products created that satisfy the most stringent requirements where a healthy living environment, occupational safety and durability are concerned. STAUF products certified with a variety of eco-labels in the category health and the environment. EMICODE® is the most important and well-known classification system internationally for emission behaviour for installation materials, adhesives and construction products. The company STAUF achieved over 70% of their revenues from exports and supplies in over 55 countries worldwide (Europe, Americas, Middle East and Asia).

Own offices and cooperation with exclusive partners and an individual adjustment to the respective requirements guaranteed quality and service worldwide. +49 (0) 2739 301-0 - www.stauf.de

Parador produces mainly laminate, multi-layer parquet, panels, and vinyl floors. The company was formed in 1977. In 1983, they launched the modular Furniture system EBS/Modular. In 1995, the company launched the first laminate floor. In 2000, they introduced the first parquet with a click system via the building markets. In 2002, Parador won the Top 100 with ‘The room of your dreams’. In 2007, the trademark introduced the revolutionary collection Classic with the Pro Air system. In 2012, Parador launched its vinyl floors on the market. At Domotex 2014, the company presented the First textile floor covering with a click system. Since 2011, Parador has been a partner of Plant-for-the-Planet, a foundation which campaigns for replanting and climate correction worldwide. Parador is part of the Hüls Group, to which Hülsta and Rolf Benz also belong. Today, 550 people work in the factories at Coesfeld and Güssing. Exports are above 50% and the company exports to over 65 countries. As far as laminate is concerned, Parador is concentrating in 2016 on a natural look and feel with scores of new designs. Warm shades dominate the 2016 parquet collection with a whole series of shades which bear close resemblance to untreated wood sorts. The Argentinian designer Alfredo Häberli continues to play a major role in the collections. +49 (0) 2541 736 678 - www.parador.de

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Top German companies focused on export

SAICOS

FLAMINGO PARKET

Saicos Colour GmbH was formed in Sassenberg, Germany, in 2002 by chemists and engineers with previous experience of developing industrial coatings. Their task is ‘to bring out the natural beauty of wood and protect wood and wooden materials’. Care for the environment pervades the company. Tradition, innovation, and flexibility are key words for this fast growing business.

Saicos is a full-service producer of indoor and outdoor wood coatings, which may contain solvents or be solvent-free or waterborne. The best-seller is Premium Hard Wax Oil. Saicos is enjoying rising sales and a growing personnel file. For 2016 Saicos Colour GmbH is introducing a new system to revolutionise the oil floor market. The secret lies in four additives which affect the Hard Wax Oil specifications and can be combined with each other. The additives relate to UV protection, Anti-Slip R10, 2K Hardener, and fire protection properties. The new system has won the INNOVATION@DOMOTEX 2016 award. +49 (0) 2583 30 37-0 - www.saicos.de

Europa Parket BV was formed in 1967 by the father of the current owner Lars Versteeg. Initially, the company was a retail and trading business. In 1985, they built the factory in Barneveld in the centre of the Netherlands. Originally, they produced only traditional parquet and solid wood floors, but a few years later, they also started producing multi-layer parquet. Furthermore, they also developed some wholesale activities. When they built the factory in Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany, in 1995, they initially produced only top layers, but soon afterwards they also started producing Twin Plank (multi-layer parquet). Nowadays, in the German factory of Flamingo Parket, they produce only two-layer parquet. Apart from traditional multi-layer parquet, the Raftwood floors are currently the best-selling product. The top layers of Raftwood are produced from authentic oak railway sleepers. In 2015, Flamingo Parket had a turnover of about five million euros. The company employs 26 people and annual capacity is between 250,000 and 300,000m², depending on the specification. Together, Europa Parkett GmbH and Flamingo Parket produce about 400,000m². In 2016, besides floors, they also supply matching oak skirting boards. They have also introduced the German collection. These are 10 different popular colours which are brushed.

Flamingo Parket exports to 20 countries, but most products are sold in Germany, the Benelux, and England. +31 (0) 342 404 222 - www.flamingoparket.nl

LOBA

MOCOPINUS GMBH & CO. KG

Loba is a manufacturer of top quality finish and maintenance products for hardwood and cork floors. Loba is even the only manufacturer in Germany which produces finishes solely for wooden floors and cork. The company was formed in 1922 under the name of ‘Vereinigte Wachswarenfabriken AG Hornung und Dr. Fischer’ in Ditzingen, near Stuttgart. In 1937, the company was converted and took on the name ‘Vereinigte Wachswarenfabriken Hornung und Dr. Fischer KG’. From 1952 onwards, the company started developing, producing, and selling paints and varnishes. In 1959, they introduced the very first thermal insulation composite system. In 1971, the firm was renamed ‘Loba-Holmenkol-Chemie Dr. Fischer und Dr. Wenmann KG’. In 1991, the company founder’s son became the manager of the company. From that time onwards, the core business was definitely the protection of parquet, wooden floors, and cork. Today, Loba operates in 60 countries and employs 85 people. They also have a new logistics centre in Ditzingen, which also houses the new LOBAcademy.

A new seminar room (116m² and divisible) is used to provide top class training for specialists. +49 (0) 7156 357-0 - www.loba.de

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R3D – The rhythmical frontage Amongst industrial carpentry businesses in Germany the MOCOPINUS GmbH & Co. KG group are absolutely top class. Their product range includes outdoor furnishings, interior panelling, parquet floors in solid wood, terrace systems, and many more diverse finish products. During the Carrefour International du Bois in Nantes, MOCOPINUS introduced its new R3D exterior wall cladding with vertical fitting. This makes it possible to create unique walls, based on a play on interchangeable profiles. Three profiles form the basis of the system. These stand out for their thickness and geometry, whilst they can also be used perfectly well in a mixed fitting. This yields walls with a 3D effect and an attractive relief. Thanks to its new R3D wall cladding, MOCOPINUS can supply architects and other professionals with a powerful tool to give them countless opportunities to create walls with an innovative design. +49 (0) 731 165-0 - www.mocopinus.com

HAIN INDUSTRIEPRODUKTE VERTRIEBS-GMBH

Hain Natural Wood Floors has acquired a solid position on the high-quality wooden floor market. Hain is a trendsetter in ‘naturally oiled’. The company has developed various specific products for specific applications. Amongst other things, the company targets retail and catering sectors. As a family business now in its second generation, Hain focuses on solid growth, modern production, and innovative products. The company was formed in 1900. In 2000, Hain won the German Federal Innovation Prize for the introduction of bamboo floors. In 2008, they rebuilt their premises after a fire in 2007. Their production capacity is now 350,000m² of oiled floors. They enjoyed vast growth in 2011, opened a new production hall in 2012 (long and wide planks), and erected a new building in the home base (Rot tam Inn) in 2014. The company employs 200 people and turnover in 2015 was about 16.5 million euros. Over 45% of the products are designed for export (Europe, Russia, England, Turkey, Norway, India, and China). Today, Susanne and Richard Hain lead the company. +49 (0) 80 39 404 – 0 - www.hain.de

PALLMANN

Pallmann was formed by Georg Pallmann in Munich in 1900. In 1949, they started to develop and produce the first wood varnishes, and, in 1982, they launched the first waterborne wood lacquer. In 2001, Pallmann was acquired by the Uzin UTZ Ag group. In 2004, JP Coatings GmbH was formed and Pallmann moved to Würzburg in the HCH Jordan GmbH paint factory. On 10 October, they unveiled a new factory for waterborne lacquers. Since 2010, Pallmann has sold all products needed to fit and finish wooden floors. The ‘Pallmann Good for Wood’ programme is a complete system solution for fitters. And so, the range goes from subfloor preparation to cleaning products. In 2015, Pallmann booked a turnover of about 25 million euros. They employ about 100 people.

New for 2016 are the new dual component lacquer Pall-X 98 Gold and the new universal sanding machine Pallmann Spider. +49 (0) 931 27964-0 - www.pallmann.net

HKS

For over 180 years, HKS has been operating in timber, particularly in special wood sorts from all over the world and treatment by qualified partners. HKS is a family business now into its fifth generation.

The company offers solutions for all decorative and technical interior questions. The range includes HKS manufacture, HKS in-between, HKS belle vue, HKS click, HKS best floor, and the solid floors from HKS. For outdoor wood, too, HKS is a specialist with wood sorts such as bangkirai and grapa, but also ipe and cumaru. The range is completed by the BPC deckings in various types and colours. Furthermore, the company also makes finger-jointed panels for applications such as kitchen worktops. The leading product is still the two-layer oak wooden floor on a birch multiplex. In 2015, the company achieved a turnover of about 16 million euros. 20 to 25 people work for the company, depending on the season and the annual capacity is about 500,000m². HKS works all over the world. They have recruited a new commercial agent specifically for Belgium. +49 (0) 251-9328 0 - www.hks1835.com

OSMO

As one of the leading manufacturers of wood products and natural wood finishes, Osmo Holz und Color GmbH & Co. KG exports their products throughout the world to as many as 63 countries. More than 280 employees in production and sales in cooperation with our local partners ensure that the products are used worldwide: they make Japanese torii shine like new, add a touch of class to the interior of a hotel in Patagonia, protect wooden decking at holiday resorts on the Maldives and beautify private homes and gardens. This year Osmo is investing in the expansion of their facilities in Warendorf: three new production and storage halls with more than 12,000 sq. m. will be put into operation. +49 (0) 2581 922-100 - www.osmo.de

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Special

Top German companies focused on export

EUROTEC

Eurotec has become a permanent fixture on the fastening material market in barely 17 years.

Since January 2013, they have been manufacturing some of the wood construction screws on the new (first) machine in Hagen. A second and a third machine followed soon afterwards.

Eurotec can produce in-house screws with diameters of 6 to 10mm and lengths up to over 1m. Eurotec gives innovative added value for professional users and also offers customised work in close co-operation with the client. Their core business is the production of screws for wood and concrete constructions and for fitting deckings. A good 4,000 dealers worldwide confirm that Eurotec is a reliable partner.

Today, the company employs about 140 people and has an unlimited capacity. In 2016, Eurotec has launched its new Stone System for deckings. Eurotec exports to all countries worldwide. +49 (0) 2331 - 6245-0 - www.e-u-r-o-tec.de

JANSER

Janser is a family business led by Olaf Janser and employs 80 people. This German multinational company is located in the region around Stuttgart and specialises in professional tools, machines, and equipment for the interior design and floor sectors. The company is an international leader in the field of machines and equipment for removing old floor coverings and has made a big impression in recent years with its high-speed strippers for renovation projects. Janser also offers innovative and high-quality machines and efficient tools for the surface treatment of substrates and sandpapering and finishing wooden floors, design floors, PVC, and vinyl floors. Janser was formed in 1961 and has a range of about 4,000 articles. The company has departments abroad and subsidiary companies in nine European countries and numbers over 30 agents worldwide. Last year, Janser invested heavily in the construction of a brand-new modern client centre (cost price 3.5 million euros). The new, flexible, and futuristic company building has three floors and accounts for 2,500m². It offers Janser every opportunity for further growth thanks to a spacious showroom (250m²), various facilities for giving professionals training and advice, and an adapted modern workshop for repairs. +49 (0) 7034 127-0 - www.janser.com

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MEISTERWERKE

MeisterWerke was formed in 1930 by Jozef Schulte. In 1954, the company started producing parquet. In 1972, Johannes Schulte took over the business. The company grew considerably through an expansion of its portfolio. In 2013, MeisterWerke became the first producer of wooden floors based on wood powder. These floors were sold under the trademarks Meister Nadura and Meister Lindura, and they were followed later by the 100% PVC-free Meister Catega Felx Design flooring. Floors, panels, and skirting boards are the core business. MeisterWerke achieved a turnover of over 157 million euros in 2015. About 650 people work in the company. In 2012, they produced about nine million square metres of laminate. For 2016 there is a new division of the laminate floors into classic and premium. The development and marketing is organised more regionally so that they are closer to the markets. MeisterWerke exports to over 60 countries. +49 (0) 2952 816-0 - www.meisterwerke.com

PROLINE

Proline was founded just over 22 years ago. The range at that time consisted of profiles and trims for tiling, followed by those for parquet and laminate up to clever developments of unique and patented profiles. Today Proline is a group of companies consisting mainly of Proline Systems, Proline International and since 2015 Proline Americas with headquarters in Irvine near Los Angeles, California. In the course of the last six years Proline has established itself as a vendor of technical mature sealing – and drainage systems, matt- and drainage systems as well as specific underlay webs that supplement the profile range. Thinking in systems is the core of the Proline philosophy. This means that besides excellent quality and perfect service most modern technology is used to test and verify all components of a system. The youngest member of this system family is the water based underfloor heating system Proline Energy. 32 mm system height, insulation included, direct heating of the floor (parquet or tile), heating up in 30 min. and energy savings up to 20 – 30 % make Proline Energy an ideal system of floor heating. +49 (0) 6742 / 80 16 0 - www.proline-systems.com

KÜBERIT

∂ ∂Industry Industry

news news

FINISHES MADE IN ITALY SIGNED BY PROGRESS PROFILES FOR THE EURO 2016 STADIUM Today, Küberit is market leader in the field of aluminium profiles for textiles and elastic floor coverings and profile systems for all hard floors such as laminate, ready-to-fit parquet, and solid wood floors and cork. Formed in 1863, Herm.

Friedr. Künne GmbH & Co. KG can look back on a corporate history of over 150 years. In 1970, they started on the first metal profiles. In the ensuring years, they also manufactured both synthetic and metal profiles together. At the end of the 1980s, Küberit began to specialise entirely in noble metal profiles. In 1996, the factory was relocated to Lüdenscheid. They built a second factory in Drolshagen in 2002. In 2008, Küberit invested in a hyper-modern warehouse with a capacity of over 5.4 million metres. In 2011, Küberit developed its own digital print division. In 2013, Küberit reached its 150th anniversary. Today, the company employs 190 people. In 2013, they sold over 12 million metres of profiles, whilst their annual capacity is over 20 million metres. In 2015, they produced some new profiles for LVT. In that year, Küberit achieved growth of 10%. Big hits have included the profile system PPS Champion Star and Design Clip and digital print. For 2016 they have announced new profiles for LVT. Küberit already exports to 60 countries and now has its sights set on North and South America and Asia. +49 (0) 2351 9507-0 - www.kueberit.com

WINDMÖLLER FLOORING PRODUCTS GMBH

The expectation is growing for the 2016 UEFA European Championship, which has started. The matches are being played in various French stadiums, including the new stadium of Bordeaux which was designed by Herzog & de Meuron.

For the flooring they chose an Italian aluminum profile, created

by Progress Profiles, major manufacturer and seller of technical and decorative profiles and membranes for construction and interior design. The product is called ZERO CURVE, a new terminal connection profile for joining floors at different levels.

With multiple peculiarities, ZERO CURVE ensures an aesthetically appealing closure between the two pavements, reduces the risk of tripping, and protects the edges of the floors.

Furthermore, its particular section ensures high mechanical resistance. In the Bordeaux stadium they have applied the anodized silver finish. However, ZERO CURVE is available in six different colours, ranging from gold to bronze, from titanium to sand, and in 30 different shades of wood that allow you to match the profile to any type of flooring.

Windmöller Group has factories in Augustdorf, Detmold, and Werste.

Windmöller Group consists of Windmöller Flooring Products and Windmöller Polymer Technology. The floor division is renowned for the launch of floor trademark Wineo, whilst WPT is well known for the organic floor segment Purline. There’s also Windmöller Holzwerkstoffe, supplier of the furniture industry. The Windmöller Group continued to grow spectacularly in 2015. With 380 employees, they achieved a 5% rise in turnover to 147 million euros. For 2016, they plan to raise those figures to 400 employees and 158 million euros. At Domotex the Augustdorf-based company presented lots of innovations, including a fully revised range of laminate. There’s also the first line of organic floors with click system (Purline). The growth of Windmöller Polymer Technology has been partly due to the success of the acoustic systems, which reduce both impact sound and the sound of footsteps. In 2015, the group invested over five million euros in Detmond, where production capacity rose by 40%. Windmöller Group exports about 25% of its products to over 70 countries. This figure, too, is growing strongly. +49 (0) 5237 / 609 – 0 - www.windmoeller.de

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∂ Product news ADESIV - NEW : WB MONO MS PERFORMANCE PLUS IN SAUSAGE PACKS OF 7KG Adesiv is putting the highly effective and successful WB Mono MS Performance Plus in a new ‘sausage’ pack of 7kg. This is a 1K MS adhesive for glueing all sorts of wooden floors on cement-based subfloors or non-absorbent floors such as marble, tiles, or wooden subfloors (also with floor heating/cooling). On level substrates the adhesive ensures a waterproof barrier which helps to prevent rising damp. The adhesive is EC1 Plus certified and meets the French A+ standard.

BASIN PRESENTS: UNIK OIL BASIN’s UniK Oil UK-XXX + PUR-1070 is a 2K finishing oil that colours and protects your wood in one single layer. This ecological oil is very easy to apply and makes the wood impenetrable thanks to the polymerization in the first microns of the wood. UniK Oil does not expel any chemical substances and contributes, thanks to her ‘natural substance of vegetable origin’-based formula, to the environment.

Finally, it is very easy to maintain with UniK Soap AD-5250 and is available in 12 different colours.

Contact us for more information concerning this remarkable oil!

SOLID WOOD AND COMPOSITE PARQUET LOFT PRO – WALNUT IS THE NEW HIGHLY TRENDY WOOD SORT FROM DESIGN PARQUET Design Parquet, a French manufacturer of solid and customised parquet, sells high-quality trendy products with natural colours. The Breton trademark can boast plenty of know-how and produces parquet certified in France with a high-quality finish. Design Parquet is now introducing its latest highly trendy wood sort: WALNUT in SOLID WOOD OR COMPOSITE LOFT PRO PR/RUOF RU/CA (PR = first choice oak, RU = rustic oak, CA = rural oak). This new wood sort shows clear nuances and brings out the gnarls and grains of the wood. Its natural colours vary with the light. This composite parquet with distinct character brings more warmth to each room in a house.

DEVOMAT / PCI Waterproofing, disconnection, and sound reduction in one product With Pecilastic U flexible mats, PCI makes it possible to speed up the work considerably during new construction and renovation. This multi-talent is glued onto the substrate using tile adhesive and ensures disconnection, waterproofing, and sound reduction. Furthermore, it is possible to glue ceramics or natural stone onto the mat shortly after it has been fitted. You can fit PCI Pecilastic U not only in dry and wet indoor rooms, but also outdoors, such as on balconies and terraces. The mat is resistant to chemicals. The unique structure of the mat means it can also be applied on still relatively damp substrates such as covering floors as soon as they can be walked on, anhydrite floors with a moisture content of up to 2%. Furthermore, application on mixed substrates and, for example, chipboard is a great benefit. Not only does the simple operation of the sanding-bridging mat save time, but the mat also has a structure which reduces glue consumption. This means an extra saving on glue and working time. The mats are supplied in rolls which are 5m long and 1m wide.

3 NEW COLOURS FOR THE RUBIO MONOCOAT HYBRID WOOD PROTECTOR The look of naturally aged exterior wood remains a trend. But untreated wood is unprotected wood.

Thanks to the grey shades from the Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Wood Protector range, optimum protection and a naturally, evenly aged look can now go hand in hand. And to support this trend even better, Rubio Monocoat recently developed two new shades of grey: a soft ‘Light Grey’ and a greyish-brown ‘Taupe’. For those who feel Belgium is already grey enough, the ‘Look Ipé’ was also added to the range. This shade gives exterior wood a tropical warm-brown look. Discover the new colours at our dealers now! More information at: www.rubiomonocoat.com

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The Power of Flexibility Bona FlexiSand 1.9 – More power for tougher surfaces Introducing the new member to the versatile Bona FlexiSand Pro System – Bona FlexiSand 1.9. The all-new innovation features an even stronger motor and increased weight, further strengthening the capabilities of the direction-free sanding system.

The 1.9 kW motor delivers 25% increased power, combined with the machine’s additional weight, it reduces the effort and time required during tougher sanding jobs. Sanding down to bare wood with the Bona Power Drive is now even faster and easier. And with the unique Bona Concrete Disc, grinding concrete surfaces is now much more efficient.

bona.com/en/flexisandmachines/