FFI 87 March 2017

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

Special: Top QUEBEC companies focused on export

www.novlek.com

* in compliance with DTU 51.4 requirements regarding fasteners

Special: Flame-retardant lacquers and oils: properties & legislation

THE ULTIMATE GENERATION OF HIDDEN FASTENERS WITH STAINLESS STEEL REINFORCEMENT Special: Providers of entrance mats : a must for any project

Timber decking and cladding

Preview: Ligna (DE)

TA

BIL I

TY

A

ND

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

DU

EA

Special: Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

SY

TY ILI AB • ST

INS TALL ATION •

TEED

FAST AND EA

AN

SY

AR

INS

L

ABILITY AND DU • ST RA

GU

Special: Fastening systems for decking

N TIO LA

RA B

ILITY

GUARANTEED

A ST • FA

ND

.eu

International BV

MANUFACTURERS OF HIDDEN DECK FASTENERS AND ACCESSORIES

st

ain

less steel ins

er t

QUALITY INNOVATION DURABILITY

The Original Hidden Deck Fastener with a reinforcing stainless steel insert.

TM

TM

Gap Spacing 2,4mm

Gap Spacing 4mm

TM

Gap Spacing 6,4mm

HIDDEN DECK FASTENERS • DECK SCREWS • HIDDEN CLADDING FASTENERS DECK BOARD SPACERS • HARDWOOD WRENCH™ • HARDWOOD PLUGS TIMBER DECKING TOOLS & ACCESSORIES Terrace Screws

Stainless Steel Trim-Head & Self-Drilling

Tel: +31 33 4691037

Hardwood WrenchTM

Hidden Cladding Fasteners

Deck Plank Straightening Tool

For Rainscreen Cladding

www.DeckWise.eu MADE IN THE USA

sales@deckwise.eu

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

Special: Top QUEBEC companies focused on export

www.novlek.com

* in compliance with DTU 51.4 requirements regarding fasteners

Special: Flame-retardant lacquers and oils: properties & legislation

“We know what floor fitters need and that makes the difference.”

THE ULTIMATE GENERATION OF HIDDEN FASTENERS WITH STAINLESS STEEL REINFORCEMENT Special: Providers of entrance mats : a must for any project

Timber decking and cladding

Preview: Ligna (DE)

TA

IO AT

N•

STAB

ILITY AND D

URA

BIL I

INS TALL ATION •

TEED

FAST AND EA

AN

SY

AR

DU

EA

A

ND

SY

TY ILI AB • ST

Special: Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

‘In recent years, the Növlek trademark has profiled itself as a comprehensive supplier of all accessories for fitting terraces and outdoor wood. Those items include the invisible fastening systems Hard Wood Clip and Soft Wood Clip.

We spoke to their founder and manager Marc Luypaert about their corporate philosophy and the current situation on the market.’

TY

INS

LL

GU

Special: Fastening systems for decking

RA B

ILITY

GUARANTEED •

TA FAS

ND

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

FloorForum_cover_159x223_2017.indd 1

3/03/17 12:20

Floor Forum International n° 87 March 2017 Photo Növlek

4 Inside news 8 Preview Ligna (DE) 11 Special How do I promote my parquet business effectively

amongst consumers?

14 Special Producers of wooden convector grille 16 Advertorial La Fabrique de Parquet (FR) 18 Special Fastening systems for decking 22 Special Outdoor bamboo floors 25 Advertorial DeckWise®

Marc Luypaert (Növlek)

The range of products at Növlek continues to grow steadily. What is your philosophy in that regard and what inspires you?

‘Növlek aims to offer professional wooden terrace and wall fitters a full range of quality solutions. And that applies to both visible and invisible fastening. We monitor the sector closely and constantly assess fitters’ needs. We relate that information to our vast knowledge of the use of wood outdoors. Before we launch products, we test them extensively for added value, performance, and solidarity, so we are sure they really do give added value. Our latest innovation, the ventilation spacer, is proof of such added value. It ensures that the wooden terrace planks remain stable. It prevents bending and reduces swelling and shrinking in the planks; that’s important for the durability and aesthetics of the terrace. All these innovative and handy solutions persuade professionals to use our products.’

26 Special Providers of entrance mats : a must for any project 29 Special Producers of PVC, vinyl, and LVT floors:

extra business for floor fitters 33 Special Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in

laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC 36 Special Producers of Cork floors present their trends 2017 38 Special Stair renovation with laminate inlay 41 Special Cross-cut floor producers:

types and fitting methods 44 Special Flame-retardant lacquers and oils:

properties & legislation

How do you see the market at present?

‘The market has clearly slowed down in comparison with a few years ago. Consumers are now more demanding in terms of wood quality and know that the chosen type of wood helps to determine whether or not a terrace stays nice-looking in the long term. And so, traditional wood sorts which are known for their quality are still doing well. Yet we’re also seeing that new solutions such as thermally treated wood or the new treatments are gradually gaining ground. We monitor those developments and also conduct tests with that wood. This means we can give useful and well founded advice to ensure professional fitting.

A positive feature has also been the development which we’re seeing in France and also indirectly in Belgium. The French standard for the use of outdoor wood, which was established a few years ago, ensures that terraces are fitted in a professional manner.

We’ve seen that the sector has adopted this working method in Belgium as well.’

50 Special Epoxy moisture screens 53 Industry news 54 Special Top QUEBEC companies focused on export 58 Product news

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

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

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

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

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

The copyright of Floor Forum International and the articles appearing herein are retained by the publisher. By agreeing to publication of an article in this journal, the author assigns to the publisher the irrevocable and exclusive right under Copyright law to collect charges due from third parties for copying said article and to undertake legal or other action for this purpose.

Editorial and advertising copy in this issue have been carefully checked and Floor Forum International bvba cannot accept any responsibility for any errors.

∂ Inside news Decorad Renovation of The Malvern Town Hall, Melbourne, with a highly durable UV coating

The Town Hall is hired out almost all year round for various purposes.

The floor is used extensively and often, and recently needed renovation.

UV on site turned out to be the perfect solution. Not only because of the high quality, but also because minimal downtime was requested.

On top of that, when time comes to re-coat in the future, it can all be done overnight with no downtime at all.

Other benefits of UV floor curing: environment-friendly and easy-to-clean.

Award for EGGER's surface innovation and trend-oriented accent edging Two "Special Mentions" at the German Design Award 2017

The German Design Award 2017 in Frankfurt received 4,000 submissions. EGGER stood out with two products in the category "Materials and Surfaces": the surface innovation ST76 Matex Rough Matt and the new Doppia Black-Gold accent edge were each awarded a "Special Mention". "Every award won by our products is a recognition of our technical investments as well as of our focus on trend and innovation," says Klaus Monhoff, Head of Design and Decor Management for the EGGER Group, celebrating at the Frankfurt event. With its product innovations and novelties, EGGER creates trends that convince not only customers, but also important design bodies.

The German Design Award grants "Special Mentions" to works whose design includes very good aspects or solutions – an award that honours the commitment of companies and designers.

"Special mention" for look and feel The combination of matt and stone is currently popular for surfaces.

EGGER responds to this demand with the award-winning ST76 Matex Rough Matt. The surface innovation is modelled on a mottled and softly brushed natural stone surface, and can be used on a wide range of stone reproductions.

Edges are no longer just frames for the wood-based materials board.

They have developed into a design element, and EGGER has made a special space for them in its new Decorative Collection 2017-2019 for retail, handcraft, and architecture. With the Doppia Black-Gold furniture edge F8982, EGGER reacts to the trend towards accents and contrasts in furniture design. Awarded the "Special Mention", this edge is particularly well suited for upscale interior design, on furniture fronts, table tops, kitchen and bathroom furniture. Visual perfection is achieved thanks to its narrow joint. The edging consists of a high-quality, stable, and thermoplastic material (Polymethylmethacrylic - PMMA) and is particularly well suited for creating eye-catching impressions.

Its bicoloured appearance - which looks partly transparent and partly matt - creates a high-quality colour transition to the surface of the PerfectSense Matt lacquered board in black.

The stage for unique design trends The German Design Award is the international premium prize of the German Design Council. Its objective is to discover, present and honour unique design trends. High-quality submissions for product and communication design that are pioneers in the international design landscape were honoured in Frankfurt on the 10th February 2017.

HD Doormatting Solutions

The German Design Award 2017 took place in Frankfurt on the 10th February. The wood-based materials manufacturer EGGER received a "Special Mention" twice in the category "Materials and Surfaces" for the new surface ST76 Matex Rough Matt, as well as the Doppia Black-Gold furniture edge.

4

Floor Forum International 87

D E S I G N® PA R Q U E T Fr a nc e

Customized parquet

Entrance mats are there to ensure that dirt stays at the entrance and thereby to extend the lifespan of the floor. A matting system has to correspond to the ‘phases’ of the entrance and take account of how the building is used. The prices of entrance mats depend on various parameters. At HD Doormatting Solutions retail prices vary from €149 to €229 per square metre. The company presents various types. The HD40xx are mats which can be rolled up and have a closed/open structure for both deep and upright fitting (three heights and five inserts). The HD60xx has a closed structure. These are for very high-traffic places. The Duo line is a reversible mat with exceptional strength. Duo line offers several options. The exclusive programme is the HD Instant Mat, a sort of DIY mat supplied with all profiles and accessories, with which the partners themselves can assemble their mats as required.

Arab Carpet & Flooring Expo 2nd Edition | 12-14 September 2017 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre | United Arab Emirates www.arabcarpetexpo.com | www.arabflooringexpo.com Organised by: ExCo Media Ltd | www.excomedia.co.uk

LOFT PRO

Palissander • Size : 14,5 x 140/150 x 400-1800 mm • Top layer : 3,5 mm • Profile and bevels : 2 bevels, T&G • Birch plywood base for a better stability of the floor (possibility in solid wood flooring 14 x 90 mm and 14 x 120 mm) • Unfinished, matt or satin varnished, oiled, “ROC varnished” (high trafic areas)

www.designparquet.fr

“Second Edition of Arab Carpet and Flooring Expo set to bring the best from the region and around the world in the industry” From 12-14 September 2017, the only carpet and flooring focused event in the MENA region will take place for the second time: http://www.adnec.ae/whatson The First Edition of Arab Carpet and Flooring Expo was a successful launch trade show which saw 47 Exhibitors come together from 15 Countries around the world and Visitors who were from 34 countries, making it a truly international event.

Following on from the success of the First Edition, in this Second Edition, Arab Carpet and Flooring Expo aims to continue to make Abu Dhabi the hub of Carpet and Flooring in the MENA region by providing a platform for the world's very best to showcase their products, services, technologies and innovations every year. No other event in the region provides a platform such as this for exhibitors, sponsors, visitors, industry professionals, private buyers and all other interested individuals and parties to participate in a set of events that focus specifically and only on carpet and flooring and to take advantage of the abundant economic, social, educational and environmental opportunities that

Floor Forum International 87

5

∂ Inside news exist locally and regionally in this space. The event invites industry professionals such as Interior Designers, Architects, Agents / Distributors, Importers / Exporters, Contractors, Decorators, Wholesalers, Consultants, Home Owners and Private Buyers, Retailers, Engineers, Trade Media, Government Officials and Others to visit, collaborate and network with the very best in Carpet and Flooring, locally, regionally and internationally. Therefore, as an exhibitor it is an excellent opportunity to meet all the key players in the industry in one location.

Apart from the Exhibition component, the Organiser is also planning to include forums to run simulatenously that have a “Flooring” theme with the support of leading international associations and media. This is aimed at attracting leading speakers and industry professionals as well as companies to become involved in educational, inspirational and thought-provoking topics.

Ciranova - UNICARE X-MATT UNICARE X-MATT is a unique and universal maintenance product, which provides an extra layer of protection for all types of matt varnished floors. UNICARE X-MATT can also be used on laminate, LVT and on our matt, water-based finishes (Ecofix & Oculto).

UNICARE X-MATT provides an extra protective film and removes micro-scratches, so that the original look of the floor is maintained.

UNICARE X-MATT provides an invisible protection and nourishing effect on the floor.

The extra matt protection prevents premature wear of the floor surface.

UNICARE X-MATT is a unique Ciranova maintenance product for all varnished and oiled surfaces.

"When screwing the top profile and base profile the SONWOOD-FlexoSystem automatically adjusts to the floor coverings. The sealing cords in the base profile have a dampening effect and at the same time the profile remains moveable when the floor floats," explains Frank Sondermann.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Drolshagen, the profiles of the SONWOOD and SONVIN series offer multi-piece floor profiles for a covering thickness of 2.5 to 16 mm. The transition, adaptation and finishing profiles with base profiles of 21 mm and in a wider version

ECOFILL - MIX

Water- based acrylic joint filler for wooden floors

line

DING OUTSTANOPERTIES PR FILLING

Sondermann profiles convince with quality and innovation

Quick and easy sanding No shrinkage

With the SONWOOD-Flexo-System the young company developed a unique, swiveling profile system that allows a height adjustment of up to 12 mm (0 to 23 mm).

CARE

Chimiver

6

Floor Forum International 87

Chimiver ChimiverChannel + Chimiver

PRO

Chimiver APPs

∂ Inside news are available in silver, stainless steel, sand, gold and bronze.

The product portfolio is rounded off by the one-piece profiles from the series SONBRIDGE, SONTEX, SONWAVE and SONSTAIR, which is precisely tailored to the needs of the flooring industry thanks to many years of production experience.

One of the special services of the Sondermann profiles is that every profile - especially the stair profiles - is sawn exactly to the fixed size.

MEISTER presents its new stair nosing: With the new long-life stair nosing made of parquet, every specialist can now round off stairs perfectly with MEISTER parquet. With this product, MEISTER is reacting to the increasing trend of also building stairs in living areas. Here, it is very important for the consumer that the colour of the stairs goes perfectly with the colour of the parquet floor.

This unique look is now ensured by the MEISTER stair nosing, which is available with an L and a U profile. The profiles are here coordinated with the surfaces of the long-life parquet collections Penta PD 450, Cottage PD 400 and Classic PD 200.

Elegant stair nosing for Nadura and Lindura There is now also an elegant stair nosing (Type 11) for the 11 mm thick Wood Powder floor. This is also available in the colours sand, stainless steel and silver.

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

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

after

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

Floor Forum International 87

7

Preview Ligna (DE)

ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT WOODWORK MACHINES AT LIGNA 2017

From 22 to 26 May, Hanover is once again hosting LIGNA, the biggest machinery trade fair for the wood industry. The organisers are expecting over 90,000 visitors and a good 1,500 exhibitors from 45 different countries. The total trade fair surface area is no less than 120,000 square metres, with exhibitors in the halls and outdoors. In short, a professional event not to be missed by anyone wanting to keep abreast of the latest developments in the world of woodwork machinery.

8

Floor Forum International 87

Computerisation and digitalisation

For five days, visitors will get a complete insight into all the technology which is relevant to the wood industry.

The latest trends and developments in computerisation and digitalisation can all be admired at the show. For example, expectations are high for the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ in which machines supply all sorts of data which has to be applied efficiently by the manufacturer or producer. All machines will be able to communicate with each other via digital information and that offers all sorts of possibilities for new product developments and greater efficiency.

Complete range of machines The available assortment of machines ranges from tools and machines for small-scale and mass production over innovative coating technology, solutions for wood based on panels and woodwork technology to wood energy technology. Visitors will also hear everything about machine parts and technology for (sustainable) forest management.

Networking ‘LIGNA 2017 is the place where the most significant current solutions and applications for our sector can be seen.

At the same time, all sorts of new relationships will be started or sounded out and all professionals at LIGNA will be strengthening their ‘wood network’. This is where you can build relations which

FOCUSED

PRECISION The hunt for the next generation in thin-cutting.

WORLD PREMIERE at LIGNA, Hanover/DE, May 22 – 26, 2017, Hall 27, Booth F60 Floor Forum www.wintersteiger.com/woodtech

International 87

9

Preview Ligna (DE)

EMBOSSING will still be important for business success over many years,’ says Andreas Gruchow, executive board member of organiser Deutsche Messe and responsible for organising LIGNA.

its entire range of service. In the area of timber repair, the team will be presenting the TRC product line with the semi-automatic TRC 1000 and the TRC-M Easy entry level model. In addition to the world premiere the thin-cutting band saws will be represented by the DSB Twinhead NG 2M, the DSB Singlehead 660 as well as the entrylevel model DSB Compact 310. In the area of thin-cutting frame saws, Wintersteiger will be showcasing the DSG Notum. Carbidetipped and Stellite® saw blades, developed and manufactured

by Wintersteiger, will be rounding up its exhibit program. The automation specialist VAP, which is a member of the Wintersteiger group, will be providing information about customer-specific system solutions.

New solutions for customised products

NOTHING EASIER... SAVE YOUR TIME! The central theme for LIGNA 2017 is intelligent concepts for integrated production via countless links in the woodwork chain. The solutions presented at the show promise considerable growth and improved efficiency. What is also remarkable is that they offer openings for business growth without the need to be very big. At the same time, one finds the inspiration to respond better to the growing demand from the market for customised products.

ROLLER-MOULDS FOR WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING Although parquet and laminate are merely a small part of the total wood sector, LIGNA is obviously essential to our sector. You will meet lots of companies there from the world of parquet and laminate.

Renzo Borgonovo / FNT Trabattoni Stampi

Since 1961, Renzo Borgonovo and FNT Trabattoni Stampi have been collaborating to supply equipment for wood decoration. In recent years, they have refined wood embossing technology, which is used For more information you can visit the web site www.LIGNA.de. in the parquet industry. Renzo Borgonovo embossing machines and FNT embossing rollers operate using the ‘pyro-engraving’ technique.

Wintersteiger NOTHING EASIER... SAVE YOUR TIME! With the use of pressure and temperature, the designs engraved onto the cylinders reproduce onto wood/plywood/MDF/WPC the The next generation in precise ROLLER-MOULDS FORthin-cutting WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING most varied structures; all this with the use of just one machine and interchangeable embossing rollers with different designs. Architects from all over the world use the know-how of these two companies to create the new and trendy structures which an increasingly demanWintersteiger is introducing a new thin-cutting band saw at LIGNA ding market requires. Come and visit FNT Trabattoni Stampi and (Hall 27, Booth F60). As a comprehensive supplier of machines, Renzo Borgonovo booths at Ligna to discover potential of embossing technology. tools and application expertise, Wintersteiger will be demonstrating EMBOSS… …AND PAINT At Trabattoni you can see embossing rollers engraved with new texEMBOSSING AND SPRAYING MACHINES FOR PARQUET INDUSTRY tures created by its design team for flooring industry.

ROLLER-MOULDS FOR WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING EMBOSSING MACHINE MOD. BORGORE 800/ITI FNT Trabattoni Stampi - Hall 15 – A26 • EQUIPPED WITH LOWER MOTORIZED DRAGGING At Borgonovo you can evaluate how embossing technology is now • HEAT EMBOSSING CAPACITY UP TO 450 mm.

• SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS ANTIQUES FINISHING more performing thanks to the new range of wide machines.

SPRAYING MACHINE MOD. SP Renzo Borgonovo - Hall 16 – D21

EMBOSSING

EMBOSSING EMBOSS…

…AND PAINT EMBOSSING AND SPRAYING MACHINES FOR PARQUET INDUSTRY NOTHING EASIER... SAVE YOUR TIME!

EMBOSSING EMBOSSING EMBOSSING

EMBOSSING MACHINE MOD. BORGORE 800/ITI • EQUIPPED WITH LOWER MOTORIZED DRAGGING NOTHING EASIER…SAVE YOUR TIME! NOTHING EASIER...

SAVE YOUR TIME! HEAT EMBOSSING CAPACITY UP TO 450 mm.

EMBOSSING AND SPRAYING MACHINES•FOR PARQUET INDUSTRY ROLLER-MOULDS FORTIME! WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING NOTHING EASIER...

SAVE YOUR EMBOSSING MACHINE MOD. 1000/ITI • SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS ANTIQUES FINISHING AND PRESS MOULDS ROLLER-MOULDS FORROLLERS WOOD, FOR WOOD, MDF ANDMDF PLASTIC AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING WOODWORKING MACHINERIES

EMBOSSING

Renzo Borgonovo s.r.l.

EMBOSS… …AND ViaPAINT Comasina 125 Via delle Marcite, 1 - Z.I. 20050 Verano Brianza (MI), Italy 22030 Castelmarte (Co), Italy Tel: +39 (0)362 90 1347-8 | Fax: +39 (0)362 90INDUSTRY 5901 EMBOSSING AND MACHINES FOR PARQUET Tel: +39 (0)31 621303 | Fax: SPRAYING +39 (0)31 620618 Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l.

info@trabattonistampi.com | www.trabattonistampi.com contact person: Matteo Trabattoni, mobile +39 3458441335

FFi43_TRABAT_BORGONOVO.indd 1

SPRAYING MACHINE MOD. SP

info@borgonovo.com | www.borgonovo.com contact person: Luca Borgonovo, mobile +39 3355296736

EMBOSSING MACHINE MOD. BORGORE 800/ITI • EQUIPPED WITH LOWER MOTORIZED DRAGGING • HEAT EMBOSSING CAPACITY UP TO 450 mm.

• SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS ANTIQUES Visit usFINISHING at Ligna

17/12/10 11:40

Renzo Borgonovo

SPRAYING MOD. SP Hall 16 -MACHINE D21 EMBOSS… …AND PAINT FNT Trabattoni Stampi EMBOSSING ANDHall SPRAYING MACHINES FOR PARQUET INDUSTRY 15 - A26 EMBOSS… …AND PAINT EMBOSSING MACHINE MOD. BORGORE 800/ITI EMBOSSING AND SPRAYING MACHINES FOR PARQUET INDUSTRY ROLLER-MOULDS FOR WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC EMBOSSING

Page 1

• EQUIPPED WITH LOWER MOTORIZED DRAGGING • HEAT EMBOSSING CAPACITY UP TO 450 mm.

ROLLERSMACHINE AND PRESS MOULDS EMBOSSING MOD. BORGORE 800/ITI • SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS ANTIQUES FINISHING •FOR EQUIPPED WITH LOWER MOTORIZED DRAGGING ROLLERS ANDWOOD, PRESS MOULDS MDF AND PLASTIC FOR•WOOD, AND PLASTIC HEATMDF EMBOSSING CAPACITY UP TO 450 mm.

SPRAYING MACHINE MOD. SP EMBOSSING WOODWORKING •EMBOSSING SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS ANTIQUES FINISHINGWOODWORKING MACHINERIES

Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l.

Marcite, 1 - Z.I. Figli Via didelleNando s.r.l.

22030 Castelmarte (Co),Trabattoni Italy

Renzo Borgonovo s.r.l.

Via Comasina 125 SPRAYING MACHINE MOD. 20050 VeranoSP Brianza (MI), Italy Tel: +39 (0)362 90 1347-8 | Fax: +39 (0)362 90 5901 info@borgonovo.com | www.borgonovo.com contact person: Luca Borgonovo, mobile +39 3355296736

Tel: +39 (0)31 621303 | Fax: +39 (0)31 620618 Via delle Marcite, 1 -| www.trabattonistampi.com Z.I. info@trabattonistampi.com contact person: Matteo Trabattoni, mobile +39 3458441335 22030 Castelmarte (Co), Italy Tel: +39 (0)31 621303 | Fax: +39 (0)31 620618 ROLLERS AND PRESS MOULDS FOR WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC info@trabattonistampi.com | www.trabattonistampi.com EMBOSSING ROLLERS AND PRESS MOULDS Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l. contact FOR person: Matteo Trabattoni, mobile +39 3458441335 WOOD, MDF AND PLASTIC FFi43_TRABAT_BORGONOVO.indd 1

EMBOSSING

Figli di Nando Trabattoni s.r.l.

10

Via delle Marcite, 1 - Z.I. 22030 Castelmarte (Co), Italy FFi43_TRABAT_BORGONOVO.indd 1 Tel: +39 (0)31 621303 | Fax: +39 (0)31 620618 info@trabattonistampi.com | www.trabattonistampi.com contact person: Matteo Trabattoni, mobile +39 3458441335

Via delle Marcite, 1 - Z.I. WOODWORKING MACHINERIES 22030 Castelmarte (Co), Italy Renzo Borgonovo s.r.l.

Tel: +39 (0)31 621303 | Fax: +39 (0)31 620618 Via Comasina 125 info@trabattonistampi.com | www.trabattonistampi.com Verano Brianza (MI), Italy contact person: Matteo 20050 Trabattoni, mobile +39 3458441335

Tel: +39 (0)362 90 1347-8 | Fax: +39 (0)362 90 5901 info@borgonovo.com | www.borgonovo.com contact person: Luca 1Borgonovo, mobile +39 3355296736 FFi43_TRABAT_BORGONOVO.indd

Floor Forum International 87

MACHINERIES

Renzo Borgonovo s.r.l.

Via Comasina 125 20050 Verano Brianza (MI), Italy Tel: +39 (0)362 90 1347-8 | Fax: +39 (0)362 90 5901 info@borgonovo.com | www.borgonovo.com WOODWORKING MACHINERIES Renzo Borgonovo s.r.l. contact person: Luca Borgonovo, Via Comasina 125 mobile +39 3355296736 17/12/10 11:40

20050 Verano Brianza (MI), Italy Tel: +39 (0)362 90 1347-8 | Fax: +39 (0)362 90 5901 info@borgonovo.com | www.borgonovo.com contact person: Luca Borgonovo, mobile +39 3355296736

17/12/10 11:40

17/12/10 11:40

Special

How do I promote my parquet business effectively amongst consumers?

HOW DO I PROMOTE MY PARQUET BUSINESS EFFECTIVELY AMONGST CONSUMERS? A MARKETING STRATEGY FOR PARQUET TRADERS

As a parquet trader, you’re proud of your business, your showroom, and the work produced, yet despite all that you somehow still feel that you are missing out on good projects or that consumers aren’t interested in your business? Therefore, you could benefit from a good promotion and marketing strategy and good mix of all elements. In this article we consider some current insights into marketing and retail in relation to the parquet sector and give some useful tips.

1. Individualism and customisation Today’s consumers want customised work. They want a product, in this case a floor, which completely fits in with their preferences and taste,

Visit www.floor-forum.com

but also their practical needs. And so, you need a listening ear for consumers, a good insight into human nature, and a flexible approach in relation to your range. We are seeing this trend, which is called customisation, in all segments of the economy, and in the world of parquet it is expressing itself as customised finishes and colours for wooden floors.

2. The importance of an attractive showroom Obviously, it goes without saying that a specialist business with a showroom is no guarantee that clients are going to get an attractive and perfectly fitted floor. Nevertheless, consumers would find it hard to believe that a specialist business with a dull, stuffy, or antiquated showroom could fit a really beautiful wooden floor in their homes.

Floor Forum International 87

11

Special

How do I promote my parquet business effectively amongst consumers?

Look beyond other parquet specialists for inspiration in that respect.

Specialist floor businesses and boutiques and elegant shops in big towns and cities can be a fantastic source of inspiration. If possible, opt for creative pleasure or a certain perception, or tell an exciting and well illustrated story, for instance, about the history of the family business. Make sure that the showroom exudes peace and quiet. That is still appreciated in these hectic times.

7. Selling on the Internet or in a ‘physical shop’?

Life without the Internet as a sales channel is unthinkable. The possibilities will certainly expand in the coming years. Make sure that you are present on the Internet with something that offers the necessary look. That can be a web shop, but it’s not obligatory. As long as people get a good idea of what you have to offer. In particular, don’t think that Internet is a better sales channel than your physical shop. Specialists nowadays believe in all sorts of things. They speak of ‘cross channel commerce’. And so, you need to be able to sell both on the Internet and in the physical reality. Only then do you really have credibility. The fact that web shop giants like Zalando have never yet made a profit shows that a classic shop with a showroom in a street in the town or village is still important. You often also see that web shops, after their initial small success, realise that they also need physical shops.

8. Promotion and publicity You might have a fantastic assortment of floors and accessories.

You might have a fantastic professional knowledge and outstanding employees. The fact is that (potential) clients still have to get to know you and realise that you are a fantastic choice as a parquet trader.

Promoting your parquet business successfully is a long-term job and depends on several elements. There’s word of mouth publicity from your clients from the past. Or your showroom is attractive and enticing.

Or you welcome your clients in an approachable manner and you are also polite on the telephone.

3. Shopping is fun It would be really old fashioned to imagine that clients enter your parquet shop because ‘they need a new floor’. No, they feel like getting a new floor, presumably in parquet, laminate, vinyl, cork, or bamboo. Part of that choice for consumers is also the relaxation, an exciting quest for the floor which fits in best with their taste and domestic situation.

And so, make sure that you maintain that sense of excitement for consumers and that they regard choosing a floor as ‘fun’.

4. Don’t underestimate consumers!

Nowadays, consumers are crafty and very well informed. Thanks to online and offline sources of information, more and more clients who enter a shop already know a great deal about the products in advance.

The increasing use of social media, forums, and review sites show this.

As a retailer and specialist, you have to respond to this in the right way.

Add a little extra information to what clients already know from other sources and they will respect you for that.

5. Transparency Internet has made the market highly transparent. Consumers can find more information about retailers (online) than retailers themselves often realise. However, that information is not always correct and objective, so, as a retailer, be open and honest with consumers.

Obviously, that has to be part of all processes. It’s the retailer’s attitude which stands out. Moreover, this approach works in the long term.

6. Forever young The elderly are staying young longer and young people are growing up faster. Consumers want to be addressed according to ‘how old they feel’ instead of how old ‘the calendar says they are’. It’s true that the older generation often have more spending power, but make sure in your sales strategy that you treat them more as you would the younger generation. They won’t take offence!

12

Floor Forum International 87

9. Publicity in Print and Online Media On the other hand, you also have to promote the business via diverse media. Consider both classic and modern means for publicity and promotion. The Internet is necessary and social media can do wonders, but it’s still not enough. These days, we make the mistake of thinking that everything has to be digital and online. Printed media are necessary as well. Local newspapers can be useful, but don’t forget magazines. Consider also the more glamorous and glossy magazines on interior styles. Obviously, we can’t ignore the successful Belgium consumer magazine (in Dutch and French) from within our own publishing house: ‘Parket & Laminaat, Eiken Bijgebouwen & Poolhouses’ (Parquet & Laminate, Oak Outhouses & Poolhouses).

This magazine appears in both Dutch and French and is distributed via quality newsagents, in Delhaize supermarkets, in the bookshop ‘Standaard Boekhandel’, and in several other locations. It covers all products which usually also see in parquet shops and gives consumers quality information and advice. At the same time, it also inspires clients with pages of attractive pictures of products in several styles and in diverse locations. The combination of the sound and deep professional information and publicity for and by scores of top trademarks from the world of parquet, laminate, cork, bamboo, and LVT gives it a strong character. This can be of great benefit to the parquet trader who invests in adverts and publicity articles. Moreover, magazines such as ‘Parket & Laminaat’ have a much longer lifespan. They lie around for months in the homes and properties of clients and are consulted later on a regular basis, and sometimes they are passed on to relatives and friends. You will sometimes find them months later in the waiting rooms of doctors, notaries, dentists, hair dressers, estate agents, etc…

The effect and potential return of adverts in glossy and informative topical magazines also last much longer.

All these possibilities should be used on a regular basis. This results in permanent visibility and that is the most effective form of publicity.

This is repetitive, but that’s what it’s about. Repetition works in advertising.

PARQUET & LAMINATE Oak Outhouses & Poolhouses Advertise effectively in the number one trade journal for your sector, on sale four times a year in Belgium in quality bookshops and backed up by an attractive web site!

www.parket-en-laminaat.be

Magazin Parquet & Laminate Oak Outhouses & Poolhouses verkoop@media-pact.com - www.parket-en-laminaat.be - T +32 491 36 44 86

Special

Producers of wooden convector grille

CONVECTOR GRIDS ARE STILL IN THE MARKET RENOVATION MARKET ALLOWS FOR ‘OLDER TECHNIQUES’ Renovation on the way up The renovation market is booming, whilst the new residential home market seems to be spluttering.

It has emerged from a study by Essencia that, two years ago, 41% of Belgian home owners carried out renovation or repair work on their homes at least once. In 2012, that figure was 36% and in 2011 it was a mere 27%. The number of jobs in such renovation projects is also rising. In 2013, renovation workers completed an average of 2.4 jobs per project as compared to 1.7 in 2011, for instance. The study also says, ‘Belgians invest mainly in comfort and energy-saving.’ The top five most common jobs comprise solely energy-saving work and bathroom modernisation. On average, Belgians spend 12,700 euros on renovating their homes. Roof alterations, outdoor woodwork, and fitting a solar boiler are the biggest budget gluttons. What stands out in our findings is that 77% of renovators did not take out a loan for their projects, but drew from their savings.

8% did take out a loan, but this group had spending money of €31,000 (source: Essencia).

A symbiosis of trends

Photo – BJ Parket

The construction industry has witnessed big changes in recent years. And so, it’s no surprise that contractors and other professionals continually have to take further training in ‘something’. That’s just the speed of change. New techniques or innovations within existing technology follow each other at lightning speed. Architects, too, constantly have to make an effort to ‘ keep pace’ with those new techniques. In new constructions we get a pile-up or ‘sum’ of all those techniques, from the structure to the finish.

Ventilation and energy management now get extra attention.

Things are completely different in the renovation sector, which is still a good proportion of the total building market.

That’s where old techniques appear in new clothes.

14

Floor Forum International 87

Within the home, and we are talking here about homes in all styles and from every imaginable architectural period, we notice an impressive convergence of trends. The drive for authenticity, whereby home owners want to preserve the original character of the home as much as possible, is one of them. At the same time, we are seeing a strong movement towards ‘natural’ materials. The latter applies both to the use of basic building materials and in the area of decoration and design. As far as the latter is concerned, the huge recovery of wood, cork, bamboo, and similar raw materials, which are plucked from nature as it were, seems to be an indisputable fact. Then there is that trend towards rigidness and modernism, which home owners try to reconcile with the preservation of original charm in all sorts of ways. From a technical point of view some legislation on ventilation and energy management undoubtedly affects the choices made.

‘Stimulating’ measures offered by the government appear as regularly as clockwork for areas for where there aren’t any coercive rules. These include premiums and favourable taxation measures – a helping hand.

Away with the radiator!

Back in the 1960s, people had already had enough of radiators, convectors, and other pompous heating appliances. They took up too much space and were usually quite ugly, apart from a few collector’s items from some periods. The preferred solution proved to be installing

the radiator in the floor and that did have some strong benefits from a heating and technical point of view. The chill which drifted indoors through the large window which looked out onto the garden was thwarted by a curtain of heat which emerged from the floor and no longer obstructed the view of that same garden. In the case of the (even then) popular sliding doors the passageway was free. Together with progress in the area of floor covering, those radiators then had to be covered in an aesthetic manner. A piece of interior history was sidelined. Over the years, various types of convector grids have appeared in different materials.

luxurious. These grids are almost always supplied in the same sort and colour of wood as the parquet floor. Flamingo Parket supplies both fixed and moveable grids. The fitting doesn’t require special skills from professionals. The important point is to ensure that the height of the grids is selected so that the upper side corresponds to the level of the floor.

BJ Parket At BJ Parket, too, convector grids are still in demand for renovation, but for new constructions that is increasingly much less the case. The reason for that is the growing success of floor heating, which is rendering convector wells superfluous. There is mainly a demand for wooden grids, especially customised work.

BJ Parket makes fixed open grids and grids with a cover strip. The fitting doesn’t requires special skills from the fitter.

The types As a rule, we can identify three types. Standard grids are constructed from strips of wood lengthwise or crosswise. The strips are connected to and separated by ‘sleeves’, which also determine the distance between the strips. With the standard convector grid there is a choice of synthetic, wooden, or metal sleeves between the strips. Metal sleeves can usually be supplied in aluminium and a shade of gold. Wooden sleeves can be supplied in the most common wood sorts and versions.

Synthetic sleeves can be supplied in various colours, with dark brown, grey, black, and light brown being the most popular. Block grids are not constructed with sleeves, but consist of upright wooden strips, which are mounted in a frame in the width. Length grids are made according to the same principle, but the (obviously much longer) grid strips run along the length of the frame. Luxury grids are made completely differently. The individual strips running along the width are carved out elegantly and are built into a frame alongside each other. The frame effect is obtained by ensuring that the outsides of the cross-strips are wider than the inner grid section.

Habo

Materials Standard well grids can consist of upright strips (profiles) in synthetics, also connected by ‘sleeves’ produced from synthetics. Aluminium is also one of the possibilities. The metal look, which is still in fashion in the interior, is also very popular here: anodised, bronze, aluminium, and stainless steel. And then you have wood! In many cases, certainly with renovation, the old well grid is replaced by a grid produced in the same sort of wood as the parquet floor. It’s often the old synthetics or old metal strips which end up in the dustbin. Almost all the frequently used wood sorts are suitable for making well grids. Just about all vendors say that oak is their number one followed by beech, steamed beech, ash, jatoba, ruby, afzelia, kambala, merbau, walnut, cherry, and wenge.

As regards the finish, suppliers offer it in a raw and untreated version so that floor fitters can apply a finish in the same colour and finish as the floor. Most producers also offer well grids treated with lacquer or oil, sometimes coloured. Finishes such as smoked or distressed in some way or other are also possible.

What’s on the market?

Flamingo Parket At Flamingo Parket, although they have noticed that convector grids are in demand mainly for renovation projects, they have also noticed that these grids are becoming ever more charming and

An alternative use of a frame grid in afrormosia

Habo still gets lots of requests for convector grids, but at the same time it is a niche product. Those convector grids are geared more to renovation, but they are also used in new buildings. At Habo they only get requests for grids in the same type of wood as the floor. They only make grid frames in solid wood and don’t use any other materials such as aluminium. As for wood type, they use mainly French oak, but also wenge, walnut, and merbau.

Professionals must take care when measuring the well for correct dimensions for production and perfect fitting of the parquet floor around the grid.

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs At Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs they still produce and deliver convector grids.

According to the company, they get lots of orders for existing properties, but also sporadically with new buildings. At Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs they sell grids only in different sorts of wood, and not in aluminium. The company sells only fixed grids in various models (standard, elegance, and block). Moveable grids are also possible, but they are not part of the (regular) assortment.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

15

Advertorial

La Fabrique de Parquet (FR)

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR THE PARQUET SECTOR La Fabrique de Parquet is undoubtedly the most high-profile hard wood flooring trademark at present. At DOMOTEX in January, this flooring manufacturer stole the show with a stand displaying a shipping container.

The collections catch the eye due to their rich creativity. The ‘organic and sensory parquet floors’ from La Fabrique de Parquet have a completely authentic and natural feel. They divide up into various refined shades in solid wood or multilayer structure as required. Behind all that creative novelty and artistic inspiration, lies the know-how and quality care of the French traditional manufacturer, Parquetterie Berrichonne.

16

Floor Forum International 87

This newly evolved parquet trademark follows cutting edge social trends. It presents creativity and believes in the power of natural products and colours to produce special effects. That’s La Fabrique de Parquet, and that’s what they have created their collections of ‘organic and sensory parquet’.

Fab Lab A Fab Lab is a room for making, experimenting, and research; a modern and trendy concept to show that there is a desire to let creative people work together in a quest for innovation across the widest possible spectrum. In a traditional and conservative world like that of the wood flooring industry, this approach can succeed as long

as it doesn’t lose sight of a few age-old core values and skills.

La Fabrique de Parquet is a concept trademark of FPPI (Parquetterie Berrichonne) and that gives an extra guarantee of genuine industrial capacity, which they have completely under their control.

Design week in Paris With the collections which La Fabrique de Parquet has developed during its young life, it really has breathed fresh air in to the wood flooring market. It was certainly no coincidence that the floors were introduced during Paris Design Week. The various sensory and organic shades are developed with a sense of refinement like that in the fashion and design sectors. The pointed concept of the range and trademark demonstrates genuine conviction in such a way that it both surprises and takes control.

French oak, special finishes, and trendy parquet Creative work based on input from diverse sources makes it possible to unite perfectly the technicality of the finish, knowledge of the raw material of wood and highest market expectations.

La Fabrique de Parquet aims to be the number one reference trademark for specialists in the sale and purchase of solid and multilayer wood flooring in Europe. The assortment, which is built around a range of trendy flooring designs, extends over a portfolio of 30 varnished or oiled colours, and an infinite number of possibilities in terms of sizes, thicknesses, and grades.

LA FABRIQUE DE PARQUET France Parquet Production Innovation France – 36120 Ardentes sales@fabriqueparquet.fr tel. +33 (0)2 54 29 19 20

Commercial contact : Jean Marc Meyer - GSM +33 (0)6 80 12 35 00 Guy Dallyn - GSM +33 (0)6 80 59 75 01

Copyright Photographer Alban Gendrot

Copyright Photographer Alban Gendrot

Floor Forum International 87

17

Special

Fastening systems for decking

INVISIBLE FASTENING SYSTEMS FOR TERRACES – THE STANDARD? GRADUALLY EMERGING TECHNOLOGY INVARIABLY BECOMES ‘THE RULE’ Invisible fastening systems for wooden and composite terraces, which more and more producers now offer, are all the rage in terms of both popularity and technical perfection.

Obviously, there are licences in ever growing numbers. Why? Because the technological differences, which often lie in a little corner, certainly make a difference. Because, above all, the development of what is an ingenious system costs a mountain of money, research, tests, and more tests. Once these systems are complete, and we’re probably not far off that now, they will certainly be the leading standard.

The creation of ‘laws’ Anyone who thinks that laws and regulations in society result (solely) from the editorial work of a set of parliamentary dinosaurs, who put together some playing rules just like that with no relation to any reality, must certainly think again. Laws are created almost always in response to ‘signs from society’. Top sociologist Luc Huyse has pointed out in the past that even ‘deviant behaviour’ can lead to new regulations. An example? Traffic rules stipulate in most countries that you drive on the ‘right’ side of the road. If we all decide collectively to drive on the ‘left’ side of the road, not bother about all the fines, and simply continue with that practice, then we could expect that the traffic regulations would be adapted to the new reality. Deviant behaviour then lies at the source of new legislation. If there aren’t (really) any rules in a particular technical field, there will very soon be ‘directives’, technical regulations, ‘rules of good practice’, and such like to give directions on how to act properly. What are the current rules on the installation of wooden terraces and, especially, the fastening method?

The rules of ‘today’ There aren’t really any laws (read ‘standards’) for fitting wooden terraces or terraces in composite. A technical clarification of ‘damage to wooden terraces’ published by the BBRI (2012) recommends the ‘mechanical fastening of pre-drilled planks’ as ‘currently the best solution to prevent the wood from warping’. Invisible fastening system are considered as of secondary importance ‘if the manufacturer’s fitting instructions are respected and the fastening system is adapted to the chosen plank.’ However, a section on the ‘construction principles of wooden terraces’ on the Belgian Woodforum web site doesn’t even mention invisible fastening systems. That article refers solely to screws.

The absurdity of ‘yesterday’ The traditional method of fitting terrace planks with screws or nails is destructive from the very start. From day one, we make a series of holes in the wooden terrace plank. Each of those holes is in some

18

Floor Forum International 87

respects a ‘wound’ in the plank and creates a weak point where the wood is vulnerable to damp and weather influences such as moss formation or the spread of bacteria. Moreover, it is clear that the wood comes under pressure at the point where a ‘fixed’ mechanical fastening is attached to one point and the wood is unable to move.

Nevertheless, we know that the strength with which wood swells and shrinks is huge. This means that the wood will swell and shrink ‘at all events’, albeit obstructed by the screw or nail. This also means that the wood will increasingly damage itself at the point of the fastening (i.e. at that ‘point’) precisely due to its natural swelling and shrinking. Finally, splinter formation can occur fairly easily at the fastening points to increase the risk of injury. This is not least the case around swimming pools where people often run around barefoot. If the damage applied by screws or nails increases, there is a risk of the floorboard coming loose prematurely.

The ingenuity of ‘tomorrow’ All the drawbacks mentioned above with regard to the classical method of fitting terraces are dealt with completely by the still relatively new invisible fastening systems. Just about all those systems are designed to absorb the movement of the wood and even take account of the wood moisture content at the time of the fitting. Most systems have a notch cut into the sides to provide a space for the wings of a special clip. The clips differ in shape and type of material, but the principle is the same. With some systems there is no drilling at all through the floorboard itself, whilst this is done with some systems, but invisibly (diagonally downwards into the sides of the plank). Still other systems provide a clip at the bottom of the plank into which the plank is clicked.

An interim ‘statement’ The progress being made with the fitting of outdoor terraces is comparable in several ways to that of indoor parquet. There, too, things have come a long way from screwing a traditional wooden floor to the high-tech glueing of parquet onto an equally hightech subfloor. All this makes us think that the ‘standard’ for fitting a wooden terrace properly cannot ignore these systems.

A plum job for parquet floor fitters As the professionalism of the fitting and the high (technical and aesthetic) level of the end result increase, this activity acquires more and more prestige. And so, this is definitely a job for professional parquet floor fitters! However, quite a few floor fitters have a certain reticence towards the clip systems. They are worried about having to spend too much time on it and worried about making mistakes, albeit both

groundless concerns. After all, the rule of ‘learning by doing’ certainly applies here. Fitters who often work with these systems save even more time. Another threshold for some is the fear of an excessively high price for the fitting. Due to the technological complexity of the clip systems themselves, lots of fitters and end clients assume in advance that these systems are expensive and only destined for ‘well-to-do’ clients. Then there’s the high number of clips and accessories and you get something of a detrimental effect. Nevertheless, it is very easy to calculate the final cost price of the fitting in advance so that a perfect and honest comparison is possible. Most suppliers give instructions about the required numbers of clips and some of them even do the cost price calculation for the fitter. You can generally assume that the final fitting price will be comparable despite the more expensive materials and thanks to the shorter fitting time. The faster fitting is a benefit, certainly with fitters who are experienced in fitting these systems. One thing’s for sure: Even if the price is higher, that is completely offset by the much longer lifespan of the final terrace.

Systems under the microscope ArchiWood

www.lithos.it

Hard Wood Clip® is the invisible wooden terrace fitting system developed by Archi Wood. The fastening clip (in a top quality synthetic cover) is fixed to the floorboard grooves (sides) and screwed through the floorboards into the beams at an angle of 45° using self-drilling screws (SPAX in high quality A2 stainless steel). HardWood Clip® is available in three types (3mm/5mm/7mm) to ensure the right distance between the floorboards, irrespective of the wood sort, degree of humidity

during the fitting, and weather conditions. This system is highly discreet thanks to the (non-reflective) black matt finish and the antique brown colour of the screw (coloured all over).

New: HardWood Clip® can now be combined with the ventilation spacer NÖVLEK®, which guarantees perfect ventilation for the planks and also reduces the risk of the planks curling, swelling, and shrinking. SoftWood Clip® is virtually the same fastening system as the HardWood Clip®, but is designed solely for Thermowood or thermally treated wood sorts. The SoftWood Clip® is available in two sizes (5 and 7mm). Square Clip® is a simple and efficient system for fastening terrace tiles invisibly. The system is effective and universal. The Square Clip® can be fitted or screwed onto any flat substrate, and no tools are required whatsoever. The system also allows you to dismount the tiles, change the configuration of the tiles, or replace a tile.

The tiles never come into contact with the substrate. An integrated system of drainage channels on both sides of the base ensures good drainage and ventilation, something which has a beneficial effect on the lifespan. Square Clip® is designed to allow the wood to make its

DECKING SYSTEMS PATENTED

m

0m

30

NEW

0 50

m

m

m

0m

0 10

THE BENEFITS IN A NUTSHELL: AVA I L A B L E I N 4 F I N I S H E S

DECKING “DURO“ DURO Is a bRaND NEw matERIal spECIfICally DEsIGNED fOR OUtDOOR DECKING aND vENtIlatED walls. It Is thE REsUlt Of yEaRs Of REsEaRCh aND ExtENsIvE labORatORy tEstING. Its COmpOsItION Is tOp sECREt, bUt thE maIN INGREDIENt Is RICE hUsKs, a NatURal wastE pRODUCt Of thE aGRICUltURal INDUstRy, whICh Is COmbINED wIth vIRGIN pOlymERs. thE REsUlt Is a matERIal wIth INCREDIblE mEChaNICal pROpERtIEs, pERfORmaNCE aND wORKabIlIty.

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

• at least 50% less time is required for assembly • universally usable for every terraceplank with a slot or groove with a minimal height of 3,5 mm and a depth of 8 mm.

• easy to install, limited steps are required • 100% recyclable • 3 different type of girders • 10 year warrenty on the system

sales@aslon-systems.com +31 (0) 174 283 443 www.aslon-deckingsystems.com

Floor Forum International 87

19

Special

Fastening systems for decking

natural movements. The clip adapts to all wood sorts, sizes, and composites. The system is completely invisible.

Architecture du Bois-Terrasses grad™ With the grad™ trademark, Architecture du Bois presents a pioneering innovation in the world of terraces, namely the Perfect Rail! Since 2006, over 780,000m² of terraces have been fitted in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria using the now renowned ‘clip JuAn®’. The satisfaction ratio is 100%! Thanks to their ‘harpoon’ shape, the clip wings can resist tensile forces of up to 300kg per clip, depending on the type of wood. The big assets are no visible screws, perfect insulation and ventilation, perfect floorboard alignment, the wood is neither drilled nor cut, and the fitting speeds are no less than 70% faster. The ‘clip JuAn®’ has won several gold medals. It appears in various forms such as on a rod for fitting per three terrace boards or pre-assembled on support beams (La Stabila) in treated wood (class 4) and is available in different thicknesses. With the ‘Rail System’ it is possible to fit both wooden floors and tiles on one and the same system.

Bewood® Bewood® lhas introduced its new Beclip® fastening system, which is designed for fitting terrace planks. The clip is in stainless steel and can be fastened without a screw. The structure has to be in wood or aluminium and needs a design compatible with Beclip®.

The technical benefits of this system are: • Durability: in stainless steel, resistant to corrosion, fire, and wear and tear.

• Speed: no screws, short fitting time.

• Ecology: It offers a credible alternative to using tropical wood as a floor beam. There are two options: • A structure in European wood treated in class IV. Beclip® protects the structure against rain and allows an air cavity between the plank and the floor beam. The lifespan of wood is the longest when it is stored dry and well ventilated.

• A structure in aluminium.

• Aesthetics: There is a discreet leeway of 4mm over the width of the planks. This leeway ensures the proper management of the ventilation and swelling. Visit their web site for more information.

B-Fix B-Fix presents a range of solutions for terraces and swimming pool boards. In the 10 years since the birth of the system, it has been applied on millions of square metres. The range includes a number of

20

Floor Forum International 87

types of invisible fastenings such as B-Fix One, B-Fix Black One, and B-Fix Border. The range also includes various accessories. The system itself is designed in stainless steel with memory effect so that the wood can act naturally and yet stay perfectly fixed in place. Each plank can be removed individually. The fastening system can be mounted onto various profiles and can be used on an extensive range of wood sorts and composite. Thanks to the screws, the system adapts to different types of structures e.g. wood, aluminium, or low structure. B-Fix can be applied horizontally and vertically. The fitting represents a time-saving of 40% as compared to a classical system.

DeckWise® The best part of a deck is what you can’t see. Whatever the terrace material of choice is, the fixing method is vital to producing a terrace that will last and is aesthetically pleasing. The DeckWise® Invisible Terrace Fixing System uses an injection molded clip with a stainless steel insert.

Patented and made in the USA, the clip is edge mounted into grooved terrace planks and secured to joist sleepers with stainless steel screws. The result is a beautifully smooth, fixation-free surface that is family friendly and will last a lifetime. The unique integrated spacer wedge legs of the clips provide automatic gaping, which allow for the natural expansion and contraction of the terrace material. The EXTREME™ series is available in 3 gap sizes: 2,4mm for exotic hardwoods such as Ipe, 4mm for most hardwoods, and 6,4mm for composite material. The EXTREME™ line of fixings is also perfect for any specie of thermally modified timber.

Eurotec As regards wood in Europe, Eurotec has noticed particularly local sorts such as douglas fir, pine, robinia, etc. Then, there are also FSC approved sorts such as ipe and bangkirai.

Oak is no longer considered suitable for indoor use.

Finally, there are the composites, particularly in the case of invisible fastenings. These wood-plastic composites (WPC) are available in

various proportions. They are used for terraces, fencings, and frontages.

They are usually fastened with clips such as, for instance, the Twin on the EVO aluminium substructure. At Eurotec they are convinced that this market is growing thanks to the use of sustainable wood sorts and composites. As regards fastenings, they offer Deck conductors which are fastened to the underside of smooth planks and Deck clips, which are screwed onto the base structure. New is the Eurotec Stone System, which can be used as a base for tiles, wood, and composite.

for the next terrace, so there are never any superfluous clips and beams left over. The same clip fits all three types of beams and that is obviously a must for the fitter. Last but not least, with the Aslon® Terrace Base Construction System clients have a 10-year guarantee.

You can find more information on: www.hecmar.nl .

La San Marco Profili

Felix Clercx Felix Clercx, garden wood supplier from Helmond in the Netherlands, includes in its extensive terrace programme various solutions for the invisible fastening of terrace planks.

Apart from the already well known and popular B-fix system, Felix Clercx also offers the Cobra fastening clip system for terrace floors.

These stainless steel clips have a black coating so that they don’t stand out between the planks. The winged clip can be screwed through the middle onto the base construction. The wings are fitted with ‘teeth’, which lodge firmly in the special sideways grooves. And so, the terrace plank is firmly secured without obtrusive screws. The Cobra clip is available in two sizes for different plank thicknesses (20 or 24mm). The Cobra system is used especially for composite terraces, but can also be used perfectly well for terraces in bamboo or thermowood, for instance. Apart from an aesthetic finish, the really simple assembly is a plus point. The clips are smaller as compared to those of B-fix, for instance, so the price of this system is lower. This does mean that there is less leeway, but with a stable terrace, such as fiberon or thermowood, that isn’t so important. With Cobra, Felix Clercx offers solidly finished terraces, the top trend at the moment. sales@felixwood.nl +31-(0)492-531944.

Hecmar The Aslon® Terrace Base Construction System has been specially developed for a universal, simple, and rapid assembly of wood composite, synthetic, bamboo, and hardwood terrace boards, which are fitted with a groove at least 3.5mm high and 8mm deep. The system consists of an aluminium girder and a height-adjustable fibre-glass reinforced synthetic clip with a concealed stainless steel screw and nut. Diverse simple assembly elements ensure rapid assembly of the beams and since there are three types of beams, there is always a solution for the most common applications. The major benefits are that the system can be used universally and can be fitted 50% faster than other systems and at competitive prices. The fitter can re-use the material which is left over

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Easy Change System

Duro is a brand new composite material specifically designed and tested for outdoor decking and ventilated walls. Its main ingredient is rice husks, a natural waste product of agricultural industry, which is combined with virgin polymers. This combination create a material with incredible mechanical properties, performance and workability. Duro is undoubtedly the best choice for composite flooring/panelling that is 100% recyclable and eco-friendly. The planks are supplied exclusively prepared for fitting with Easy Change system (see the image above), a revolutionary installation system that speeds up the fitting process, reduces the fitting costs and eliminates the possibility of errors by giving the chance of removing only one plank in any point of the floor with just the use of a special key. Moreover, this patented Easy Change Installation System is also studied to be used for our wood outdoor flooring such as Ipè and Teak.

Vetedy/Softline® The Softline® system from Vetedy has been in existence for 15 years and has more than proved its durability, particularly because the first terraces to be fitted are still in service today. The Softline® system is a (100%!) invisible fastening system which makes it possible to fit floor elements without even a single screw on show. The clip is fastened under the plank.

The composite material ensures very high mechanical resistance and is attached to the support structure. This is done via stainless steel screws in a cover with the help of a screwdriver developed specially for this work. Despite this high mechanical resistance, the system is still flexible enough and thereby supports the natural movements of the wood perfectly. The fastening at the bottom makes it possible to screen the planks fully from the base. This is done in such a way that the terrace planks are fully protected from any remaining moisture on the underside. The Softline® system bears a 10 year guarantee in any climate whatsoever. We also note that this system doesn’t require any maintenance products at all, so it is ‘maintenance-free’! It has been fitted in the most diverse weather conditions, such as in Finland (cold), Dubai (hot), Libya (dry), and Indonesia (damp), with no problem at all.

Visit their Facebook page: Vetedy group.

Floor Forum International 87

21

Special

Outdoor bamboo floors

BAMBOO HAS MADE A PLACE, EVEN AS A TERRACE PLANK SUPER RAW MATERIAL IN THE HANDS OF EQUALLY SUPER ENGINEERS

Photo – Felix Clercx

22

Elsewhere in this edition we consider the decorative possibilities of cork and we discuss, albeit briefly, how ecological arguments are winning over clients more and more. With bamboo we are right at the heart of that ecological track. Very few raw materials can compete with bamboo on that score. In the hands of engineers who are equipped with a solid base of scientific knowledge, this ecological product takes on a different dimension. Possible thresholds for indoor floors have disappeared; bamboo is now ready for the terrace.

An ecological material

Uniquely ‘renewable’ and tremendously strong

Mechanical perspective

Bamboo is indisputably a maverick in terms of growth and therefore also in terms of ‘harvesting’. Moreover, the fact that the material has exceptional technical/mechanical qualities means it can be used in scores of applications.

If we examine the mechanical specifications of bamboo carefully, we arrive at some surprising extremes. Bamboo is 27% harder than oak and 13% harder than American maple. Bamboo floors meet the standard EN 1534, which determines the uses for parquet and wooden

Floor Forum International 87

Depending on the sort, a tree has to grow for 30, 60, or 100 years to be ready for cutting. By contrast, bamboo can be harvested every six years. If we cut away 20% of a bamboo forest each year, the forest is restored after one year. Bamboo is a raw material which is easy to recycle. Some call it a saurian because it has survived all the familiar ‘ages’ on this planet. Nevertheless, we see that bamboo forests, too, are now being ‘managed’ and exploited according to an ingenious scheme and management plan. This makes bamboo even more ecological as a raw material.

floors. The bamboo fibre has a tensile strength of 40kp/mm² and thereby it surpasses most other fibres such as that of wood and even that of steel in the construction industry. Wood fibres have a tensile strength of 5kp/mm2 and steel fibres of 37kp/mm². With that tensile strength, bamboo nevertheless stays pliable, light and flexible. Bamboo has a dimensional stability of 0.0144 and is thereby twice as stable as most wood sorts which are used in the flooring industry.

Combined with the human brain You can use bamboo stalks perfectly well to make a footbridge, hammock, table, chair, or whatever. You look for branches of similar thickness and tie them together using a rope or steel wire. They’ve been using bamboo in this way in other cultures for centuries. The strength of bamboo in the shape of panels is obviously of a different order. Bamboo floors, both in and outdoors, are the result of the super work of engineers i.e. very well engineered.

Panels and floors Bamboo stalks are sawn lengthways into strips. These stalks are used to produce panels after various procedures. The bamboo strips can be placed horizontally (flat/plain pressed) alongside each other. They are pressed together and glued under heavy pressure. The other possibility is that the bamboo strips are glued together vertically (upright/side pressed) under heavy pressure. The plank obtained in this way can now serve as a raw material to produce a floorboard.

Terrace floors For terrace planks in bamboo various things are done completely differently. The bamboo stalk is cut first into thin strips. Those strips are cooked at a very high temperature and then left to cool. The strips finally get put into a metal press in which certain resins are added to the bamboo. The entire structure is now pressed together cold under very heavy pressure. The panels produced by this press technique have a natural structure which perfectly resembles tropical wood.

Each plank is different. The most important thing is that this method

provides us with the hardest material on the market. With a hardness of 103.5MPa, strand-woven bamboo is twice as hard as oak.

Bamboo composite The ‘strand-woven’ bamboo mentioned above is a technological solution based on bamboo. Yet there’s more. Since the composite market cannot be ignored, there is also a composite of bamboo and polyethylene which can be profiled for certain invisible fastening systems. We took a look at what’s on the market.

What’s on the market?

BambooTouch® Bamboo is an excellent alternative to counteract deforestation. A tropical forest which is not FSC approved and will need 100 years before it can be exploited is ecological nonsense. Bamboo grows extremely quickly and is just as hard as ipe, more stable, and more fireproof. Bamboo for outdoor use requires attention for a number of technical points such as with regard to glue. Stability and hardness are also top arguments from a purely ecological point of view. The lifespan of these floors exceeds 20 years (without maintenance). Obviously, proper maintenance can extend that lifespan considerably.

BambooTouch® presents the Soft Wood Clip® system because with this system both sides of the terrace planks can be used.

Photo – BambooTouch®

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

23

Special

Outdoor bamboo floors

Felix Clercx

Moso

Felix Clercx, garden wood supplier from Helmond (the Netherlands), has been selling its Bamboo X-treme programme for a few years as part of its terrace range. Well known for always being critical in its choice of high-quality products, Felix Clercx selected Moso Bamboo X-treme exclusively as a bamboo outdoor floor. Although bamboo as a type of grass is not durable by nature, Bamboo X-treme is in the highest durability class and exceeds most tropical wood sorts in hardness and strength. The reason for this is a thermo-process in which bamboo strips are heated up to 190 degrees.

This ensures great stability with hardly a trace of any swelling or shrinking. Furthermore, the material is no longer affected by mould.

Once the material has been heated, it is pressed together under high pressure resulting in great density, dimensional stability, and durability.

Thanks to the speedy growth of the plant, bamboo is a highly ecological choice. Moreover, Bamboo X-treme is produced under the most ecological conditions and is completely CO² neutral. The deep-brown grain has no gnarls, so Bamboo X-treme is extremely pleasing on the eye. The surface is smooth or ribbed thanks to the two-sided profile and the planks can be fastened invisibly.

Moso has seen a big increase in demand for bamboo decking planks for both commercial and private projects. In 2016, various attractive projects have been completed and more and more architects are convinced of the benefits of bamboo as compared to (tropical) hard wood and synthetic products in terms of sustainability, ecology, stability, and hardness. Bamboo is not fit for outdoor use in and of itself. For the Bamboo X-treme decking Moso has developed a licensed production process called Thermo-Density®. They use thermal treatment at 200°C and then they press together the bamboo fibres to produce a decking board which qualifies for the highest durability class. The most important benefit is that bamboo isn’t wood, but grass.

A Moso bamboo stalk grows into a fully fledged stem in five years.

When a stem is harvested, the bamboo grows again via an underground roots system. And so, the forest is not devastated by the cutting. Moso Bamboo X-treme® is, thanks to the Thermo-Density® process, more stable than most hard sorts of wood. This makes it possible to install the planks with clips and even to create special patterns. The greater stability offers another major benefit: It makes a tongue and groove construction possible at the ends so that an unending length can be fitted without wide openings. Moso Bamboo X-treme has been tested extensively and qualifies for the highest durability class for wood sorts i.e. Durability Class 1 in accordance with EN350. Moso gives a 10-year guarantee on the material.

Photo – BambooTouch®

24

Floor Forum International 87

Advertorial

DeckWise®

THE BEST FOR TERRACE FITTERS AND ‘MADE IN USA’ DeckWise®, is a market leader in the USA with invisible fixing systems for outdoor terraces, and has successfully expanded into Europe since 2012. The ExtremeTM line of fixing clips has been used with all types of terrace material from exotic hardwood to thermally modified timber and most composite materials.

Beauty and Strength Exotic hardwood like Ipe is often used for terrace construction because of its beauty and durability, especially in outdoor environments. The engineers at DeckWise® developed a fixing system that would not only keep the terrace surface intact and free from visible screws, but would also last the lifetime of the terrace. The unique design allows fast and effortless installation by both professional terrace fitters and DIY home owners, saving time and money.

Integrated Spacer Wedge Technology The DeckWise® clip is designed with integrated spacer wedge legs that allows for perfect gap spacing of the terrace planks. This feature allows for the natural swelling and shrinking along the width of the plank. The ExtremeTM line of fixing clips are available in three sizes: 2,4mm is the smallest for Ipe and other exotic hardwoods, 4mm for most hardwoods, and 6,4m is the largest for kiln dried wood and composite terrace material.

The “Original” Invisible Fastening Clip The DeckWIse® Invisible Clip is the original USA patented, injection-moulded terrace fixing with a reinforcing stainless steel insert. The insert is coated in black oxide for corrosion resistance and is suitable for marine applications. Clips are edge-mounted into the side of pre-grooved planks and securely attached

onto the underlying support beam with screws driven at a 45° angle. The symmetrical profile allows both sides of the plank to be used, resulting in a fastener free surface that is safe for the whole family.

Work Smarter, Not Harder DeckWise® offers a complete range of solutions for building outdoor terraces and installing rainscreen cladding. The DeckWise® patented Hardwood WrenchTM straightens warped and bowed timber planks exerting 500 kg. of force with the use of only one hand!

Its locking cam holds the plank in place, allowing just one installer to straighten and secure each plank. This tool saves time and increases profitability.

Crafted from solid stainless steel, DeckWise® Invisible Cladding Fixings create a beautiful, sleek cladding surface. The entire system is designed to significantly reduce cupping, twisting, and mold growth due to water penetration. Planks can be installed horizontally, vertically or even diagonally.

All DeckWise® products are proudly made in the USA with the highest quality materials.

For more details: visit www.deckwise.eu

Floor Forum International 87

25

Special

Providers of entrance mats : a must for any project

CLEAN FOOTWEAR ‘NOURISHES’ THE WOODEN FLOOR HOW A SIMPLE MAT CAN EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF PARQUET

Photo – Emco

Parquet isn’t indestructible! Depending on the type of wood, parquet can be ‘ impressionable’. Moreover, even if a lacquer is highly durable and abrasion-resistant, hardly any material is ‘scratch-free’, strictly speaking. Take the strongest lacquer on the market, which is designed specifically for very high-traffic floors. Even this lacquer gets badly scratched if you just rub a nail or pebble against it. Heavy matter and dirt from shoe soles can lead to scratches and damage.

Shoes off, slippers on! That’s the message, or, alternatively, you should make sure that your shoes are clean before you step on the wooden floor. This is a small, but worthwhile investment, which soon repays itself.

26

Floor Forum International 87

Unwanted damage Let’s consider an episode from the ranks of true stories. Your editor’s 50th birthday (some time ago now) was the occasion of a social drink ‘at home’. There were no ‘surprises’ planned. And so, your editor had to help organise the party. Easy! You can organise a social drink with a living room of about 80m² with practically half of the room being ‘free space’. Three high cocktail tables with a tablecloth. We laid a carpet mat under the tables so as not to damage the merbau parquet, just to be absolutely sure. There were about forty people around the cocktail tables for a snack and a drink, relatives, friends, and a few neighbours.

Then, oh dear! After the party came the ‘hangover’. A field of scratches had been created around the cocktail tables. Stains, scratches, even

deep scratches. Oh no! Even the high-traffic dual component lacquer which we applied at the time (‘overdimensioning’, or so we thought) couldn’t prevent it. In other words, our invited guests had, inadvertently and despite all their gifts, shortened the lifespan of a wonderful wooden floor by about 50%.

Prevention is better than cure Scratches in a wooden floor, sometimes minuscule, but sometimes also much greater, are usually caused by the soles of shoes. The house drive with little pebbles or dolomite are renowned culprits. The best way to tackle the problem is to make sure that visitors (and occupants) don’t bring any dirt indoors. Strictly speaking, that’s not so difficult.

Asking guests to wipe their feet before they come in is usually acceptable, but there are more efficient ways. Large retail shops have a system in their shops with a view to ‘saving on maintenance’, ‘making a first impression’, and ‘ensuring safety’. We can apply a system like that perfectly well in a private home.

Shop mats In the winter, certainly when it snows (does that still happen?), those mats which you see when you go shopping certainly stand out. And there’s always more than one mat. After all, a consecutive system of mats in shops and in public indoor areas ensures that the floor of the shop or office stays clean. This undoubtedly has an effect on the appearance of the floor, but also, and especially, on its lifespan.

Moreover, there’s also the safety aspect. Since the dust entry mats also help to keep moisture out, the floor stays dry so that it doesn’t become slippery. The investment in these mats repays itself with interest. Apart from floor durability, this also helps to save considerably on cleaning costs.

be a ‘must’. Mats certainly don’t have to form a decorative obstacle.

Depending on the interior, mats can be equipped with curves, slants, and recesses. Moreover, apart from the technical and functional differences, mats appear in an infinite range of colours and designs. Lots of options can provide special effects. This is particularly useful for commercial rooms. For example, the mat can illuminate the framing (safe and attractive) or you can opt for a stainless steel profile incorporating the company’s name. The mat itself can be personalised with logos, the company name, mottoes, slogans, and such like. Mats can be sold perfectly well on the basis of ‘samples’ in the showroom or elsewhere. This usually results in customised work.

What’s on the market?

Emco A entry mat has two functions as a basic principle, namely a scraping/ dusting function for brushing off heavy and fine dirt (sand, stones, etc.) and a drying

Several mats There is obviously a logic behind the idea of having several mats. Heavy dirt, finer dirt, and moisture are elements which do not necessarily require the same approach and you certainly don’t remove them all in the same way. The 3-zone theory (source: Emco) is an ingenious concept in which the different sorts of dirt (heavy, fine, and moist) are absorbed by the mats, which complement each other. And so, the theory operates on the basis that you remove heavy dirt first of all with a solid mat, and then you have a mat to absorb finer dirt. After that, if necessary, moisture can be absorbed by a doormat. For zones 1 and 2 there are usually sturdier functional inlays (brush/coconut fibre) in profiles whereby the heavy dirt is removed and deposited between the profiles. The dust entry mat has special hollow fibres to absorb the final traces of dust and damp.

Manufacture your own custom size mats Join our worldwide partners network

And in the private home?

Strictly speaking, the 3-zone theory is often also applied in private homes, but without too much theorising. We put a sturdy mat (often coconut fibres) outside the front door. There’s often another one indoors (where the kids put their slippers on) and in some cases there is also a carpet mat in front of the living room. Very often, as we have already described in practice above, damage to wooden floors or premature ageing of wooden (lacquered) floors is often caused by careless visitors. The best remedy against that is to use a system of mats. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a 3-zone system, but a 2-zone system certainly seems to make sense. A mat outside the house and a entry mat in the entrance or in the corridor can prevent a lot of misery.

The parquet fitter/vendor There is no doubt that floor fitters with that knowledge can generate extra business. Presenting at least a limited range would seem to

HD Instant Mat Program This is our exclusive product program, which consists of packages of fully completed profiles, used in all our HD entrance matting systems. Furthermore, it contains all the necessary accessories, extra materials and tools for assembly. The profiles are supplied in 2 standard lengths – 2.75 m and 5.50m, prepacked in standard packages.

With this product program, you dramatically shorten delivery times, because you already are a producer. You also win new customers, who have been previously lost due to long delivery times. The optimization of costs affects positively your profit margins. All this in addition to the increased number of customers. Your profit is under your control! office@hddms.org, www.hddms.com

Floor Forum International 87

27

Special

Providers of entrance mats : a must for any project

function for absorbing damp. Apart from the basic principles, the dust mat also has an aesthetic function. The different designs and inlays give the entry a high-quality look thanks to the dust mat, and this makes a good first impression of a company for visitors and employees. Parquet fitters spend a lot of time providing an attractive floor. A dust mat is essential for ensuring that those floors continue to look nice in the long term. Emco is a specialist in the field of entry mats and drying zones and can supply just about all sorts of entry mats and drying zones fully tailored to the client’s wishes. The range includes aluminium profile mats with a great diversity of inlays, drying zones, washable carpet mats, and logo mats.

HD Doormatting Solutions

buildings. A study by the Worldwide Cleaning Association has shown that 70 to 90% of dust and dirt comes in via the front door. If there is no entrance mat, that can add up to 12kg per 1,000 people. Floors usually account for over 40% of the maintenance budget (Carpet & Floor Covering Review). Milliken OBEX presents a ‘Mat in a Box’ concept in which Prior, Tergo, and Forma tiles are offered in units of six assembled tiles. They can easily be cut with a knife and fitted with a hammer.

Furthermore, the OBEX product range also offers other modular entry systems. These are functional, but take account of the architecture and design of the building. OBEX offers solutions in a 3-zone system: Zone 1: are the outdoor entrance products. These are put right in front of the entrance. They perform a scraping action to remove sand, gravel, snow, and dirt. The Milliken solution is Prior and /or Tergo, a modular scraper with an open structure.

Zone 2: is ‘just’ indoors. In the primary area there is a need for a combination of scraping and drying to combat dirt and moisture. This area often features a recessed mat well. The Milliken solution is Tergo and/or Forma, a modular scraper with textile, or rolled goods.

Zone 3: is the secondary indoor area. There is a need here for textile to absorb moisture. This solution is also suitable for other circulation areas as well as the entrance. The Milliken solution is Quadrus, a modular tile with duo scraper textile, or fitted roll goods or textile mats on rubber backing, such as Foris.

ROSCO

HD Doormatting Solutions is an European company, specializing in the engineering, design and production of custom entrance flooring systems. Following extensive research and testing by our in-house R&D team and the input from our customers, we have successfully developed and manufacturing, what we believe is the next generation in custom entrance matting systems. Our mission is to bring high-quality, competitively priced products to all markets around the world. We want to create a brand that meets all of our customers’ needs. We are committed to creating unique and innovative solutions, while producing efficiently and delivering on-time. All doormats from our HD60xx, HD40xx and DUO series can be ordered in any combination of inserts, according to the cleaning properties, the application and the customer’s preferences. Before leaving our factory every single mat passes through extensive quality checks which take in account 8 different quality criteria, and comes with a 5 year warranty.

Milliken

People are always looking for ways to keep entrances clean and safe to reduce maintenance costs, especially in commercial and public

28

Floor Forum International 87

ROSCO offers system solutions for floor and wall furnishing and several creative solutions for the bathroom, sanitary fittings, and wellness.

Rosco is both a wholesaler and manufacturer of an extensive range of technical solutions for floor and wall tiles, parquet, stone carpet, sanitary fittings, carpet, and laminate. For over 30 years, Rosco has been producing its own mat frames and high-quality entry mats. With its extensive range, ROSCO provides a variety of designs for all applications and situations: rectangular, square, round, or adapted entirely to the outlandish shape of your entrance. They are the perfect solution for any entrance, both private and/or commercial. Apart from this already complete range, ROSCO also offers personalised logo mats whereby companies can give their entrance and reception their own identity. These are produced from nylon brushes, coconut fibres, or polyamide fibres and involve few maintenance costs. It’s worth knowing that each entry has its own specific demands. The mat for a private home doesn’t need to be as durable as that of a newsagent’s shop, for instance, a drive in dolomite generates more sand that a concrete slab surface, and you need to consider wheelchair patients, etc. That’s why the range of mats from ROSCO is so wide, to help clients make exactly the right choice.

Special

Producers of PVC, vinyl, and LVT floors: extra business for floor fitters

PARQUET FITTER BECOMES ‘FLOOR FITTER’ THE LONG WAY FROM TRADITIONAL PARQUET TO VINYL TILES WITH A CLICK

Photo – BerryAlloc

Elsewhere in this edition we illustrate how parquet fitters of bygone days have gradually conquered ground in the entire home. The fact that these professionals have also restored or renovated stairs was undoubtedly an omen for the future.

However, it is particularly the vast expansion in the range of floor coverings which has generated a big increase in the parquet fitter’s ‘assortment’. The quality of those floor coverings has got everything to do with that. It wasn’t so easy to entice a traditional parquet floor fitter to think more broadly and beyond the limited world of traditional parquet.

Persuasive arguments were needed.

Visit www.floor-forum.com

The client is the boss The demand for a varied range of floor coverings from one and the same supplier is generated by the market itself. Consumers certainly do enjoy shopping around, but the one-stop shop is nevertheless greatly appreciated. We don’t have the time any more to visit a whole series of showrooms. Whereas consumers used to call upon the services of a traditional parquet floor fitter to fit traditional parquet (usually only in the living room), they now tend to look for a ‘professional’ who is capable of completing several assignments. It is easier to trust one person than to enquire about the reputation of various professionals. The fact that clients look around fairly spontaneously for

Floor Forum International 87

29

Special

Producers of PVC, vinyl, and LVT floors: extra business for floor fitters

a versatile professional is related to a multiple development: fitting a wooden floor (which is not always 100% wood) ‘seems’ to have become easier; in addition, the quality of the alternatives has reached a climax; the rise of the renovation market has led to a rise in demand for ‘new’ techniques.

Is it easy to fit parquet?

Quite a few parquet floor fitters will be annoyed at this discussion. In the perception of clients fitting a wooden floor is no longer the artistic craft that it once was. The forms in which wooden floors now appear have multiplied to such an extent that it has become difficult to assess the true value of the ‘gems’. A good number of clients look mainly for a wooden top layer in a wooden floor. What lies underneath seems to many people to be no more than traditional trade ‘folklore’, and there is something to be said for this view. A multi-layer parquet floor with an oak top layer of 2.5mm hardly differs at all in appearance from that same floor in solid oak. The fact that those multi-layer floors can be fitted faster and more easily, certainly when they are fitted with a click system and fitted floating, somehow puts the ‘genuine’ floor fitter in the background. Herein lurks a danger for ‘the profession’. Parquet floor fitters who stick dismissively to the ‘trade of bygone days’ and look condescendingly at ‘all the rest’ will find themselves condemned to an increasingly smaller niche market. Floors for the happy few.

What’s on the market?

BerryAlloc

There can be no doubt that the renovation market still has a great future. The available building surface area obviously isn’t getting any bigger. It is becoming hard to construct new buildings and, in particular, it is extremely expensive. The so called ‘new’ floor types possess all the beneficial features which are important points for attention with renovation. There is the minimal thickness of these floors, which means that the ‘construction height’ is very limited. This is certainly one of the most discussed points for attention with renovation. The fact that (most of) these floors are fitted or can be fitted floating is vitally important to the client, who often lives in the property. There are no odours from adhesives. The fact that most floors are also sold and fitted completely finished means that this also applies to the finish products. Moreover, all this implies that we can work almost dust-free.

That’s another coveted property of these floors. The speed with which they are fitted limits the period in which the project manager is on a site. It is possible that all those features play an even greater part in the case of commercial rooms.

BerryAlloc, part of the Beaulieu International group, presents BerryAlloc Vinyl Planks. These planks are perfectly suitable for both residential and commercial use.

Pure Click Vinyl Planks are waterproof, so they can also be used in the bathroom or kitchen. The benefits for floor fitters are obvious: rapid and easy fitting thanks to the unique 4-sided Dream Click system in any floor pattern whatsoever.

Moreover, you can combine tiles and planks with each other. That is a great benefit for open living rooms. It’s not necessary to lug heavy packs around thanks to the ultra-light RCB structure of the planks. Moreover, the subfloor (e.g. a tile subfloor) requires little, if any, major preparation thanks to the RCB technology.

And so, in most cases it is not necessary to level a tile subfloor. The feel of walking on the Vinyl Rolls range and the Vinyl Planks range is practically the same. This is mainly because BerryAlloc uses Cushion Vinyl technology for the Pure Vinyl Planks range. And so both product categories are extremely pleasant to walk on and the sound of footsteps is minimal. Pure Vinyl Planks are ideal for projects thanks to the 0.55mm top layer. The best-seller is the Pure Click Stone 612 x 612mm. BerryAlloc is the only player on the market to offer click tiles in this size.

The challenge for parquet floor fitters

Meister

The threat to the profession must also be seen at the same time as a tremendous opportunity. The fact is that the calling card of a traditional parquet floor fitter has a relatively high market value. We know what they can do. With all respect to their tradition, they just have to dare to

Catega Flex design floors from MEISTER can be deployed both for residential applications and for projects. These floors are in class 33 and are therefore extremely durable. Catega Flex design floors are healthy LVT floors since this floor doesn’t contain any PVC or synthetic

Quality of the ‘hijackers’ One fact will suffice to illustrate that we are justified in using the word ‘hijackers’. Whichever floor technology we consider, they all concentrate on trying to imitate the appearance of wooden floors. And we literally do mean ‘all’: flexible floor coverings such as vinyl, linoleum, PVC, and cork, obviously laminate floors, and since recently even the ceramic tiles which are appearing in the form of wooden floors.

Digital print technology has made this considerably easier. The quality of those floors has only risen in recent years. Laminate has developed into a technological showpiece. The same applies to flexible floor coverings. And so, you can’t treat these floors ‘dismissively’ or ‘condescendingly’. After all, consumers don’t do that. They regard this expansion as nothing but an architectural ‘blessing’.

Assets for renovation

30

take a step down from their lofty professional throne and simply accept the alternatives. As regards the skills, there certainly aren’t any obstacles. By extending their range to take in all these alternatives, parquet floor fitters can increase their number of potential assignments considerably. Suddenly, there are several extra rooms within one and the same building assignment i.e. within the same home. We fit traditional parquet in the living room (the connoisseurs appreciate that); cork can be fitted in the bedrooms, vinyl in the kitchen and bathroom, linoleum in the play room, laminate in the office, and bamboo on the landing. All fitted by just one professional. For the consumer this means a guarantee of skilled connections from one floor to another, a site which runs according to a trustworthy timetable, and, above all, one single point of contact, something which is greatly appreciated when it comes to liability. Conclusion: The traditional professional who doesn’t spring onto this band wagon misses an opportunity. That’s for sure!

Floor Forum International 87

softeners. With this MEISTER is going along with a growing group of consumers, who are looking increasingly for a healthy floor combined with the benefits of an LVT floor. These design floors are mainly a rival to the common PVC floors, which very often contain phthalates and softeners. The hard, but flexible plank has the additional benefit that it is perfectly capable of bridging unevenness on existing floors without having to level them. These floors can also be deployed perfectly well in rooms with windows which come down to the level of the floor. Catega Flex design floors are pleasantly quiet and warm and, moreover, much easier to maintain than a parquet floor. The 5mm thin Catega Flex design floors in long planks (21.6 x 215cm) have a micro V-joint on the four sides and are available for the end consumer at â‚Ź34.95 per square metre, including VAT.

Forbo Flooring Systems Forbo Flooring Systems has what is possibly the most extensive range of PVC vinyl floors. Apart from their range in LVT under the Allura trademark (available in glue-down, loose-leg, and click variants), Forbo has professional vinyl floors for education and health care, special vinyl floors for wet rooms, and for non-slip solutions.

They also have vinyl floors which can be fitted in data centres, clean rooms, IT rooms, or operating theatres.

Parcolys Flooring The PVC floors from Parcolys can be used for almost any room. Since they are 100% waterproof and anti-slip, these floors are also recommended for damp rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens, but also for commercial applications such as wellness rooms, hairdressing salons, and such like. Due to their UV resistance, these floors can also be used in sunny rooms such as verandas, but also for offices, hotels, and such like due to their high durability. Parcolys floors are equipped with the

uni-click system so that they are easy to fit and floors can also be used in combination with floor heating. The biggest rivals of these floors are vinyl planks and laminate. Products from Parcolys offer a solution for some limitations of parquet floors and especially laminate floors. The intention is not to enter into competition with parquet floors, but to offer a solution for laminate and vinyl floors. In particular, the Parcolux and Parcostone with their class 34 (AC5) are ideal for projects. The impenetrability ensures that they are resistant to rubber marks or stains from shoe soles or wheels from suitcases and such like. The best-sellers at Parcolys Flooring are found in the wood designs the Parcolux and amongst the Parcostone brick designs.

Viligno Floors in vinyl and PVC are both ideal for residential use and for the project market.

Moreover, they can also be deployed in moisture-sensitive rooms. It is mainly the floors which have to be glued which are usually fitted by a professional.

On the DIY market the floors with a click system are the absolute top sellers. These synthetics form a major competitor for traditional floor coverings such as laminate and carpet. It is a new market and some expertise is required, certainly for PVC floors which have to be glued. And so, these floors constitute added value for professionals. They are ideal for projects if the durable top layer is provided. The price of a PVC floor with click system can be compared to that of laminate floors from the upper segment. For Viligno the best-seller is the tile collection in contemporary colours.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

31

Top Parquet Show

EFWEX EUROPEAN FLOOR & WALL EXHIBITION

14|16.03.2018

Flanders Expo Ghent (BE)

Visit www.efwex.eu

Discover the Future of Floor & Wall solutions

Special

Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

THE ‘BATHROOM FLOOR’ DOESN’T EXIST ANY MORE JUST ABOUT ALL MATERIALS CAN LIVE WITH DAMP

Photo – Berry Alloc

We’re not going to hark on about the architectural trend of ‘open’ buildings and ‘adjoining rooms’. That trend is now a fact. There’s no longer a wall between the living room and kitchen and, in many recent renovation concepts for designing ‘ lofts’, even the wall between the bathroom and

Visit www.floor-forum.com

the rest has gone. The home is now one light and spacious whole. But what about the traditional distinction between dry and damp rooms? Simply taking the damp into account helps us on our way.

Floor Forum International 87

33

Special

Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

Grandma’s bathroom Let’s consider really old houses. We’ve often ventured to Norway for a business trip to the home of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.

The reason? Whatever the specific subject of an article, that house serves as a perfect illustration. A super wood construction from a few centuries ago: well painted in bright colours and set on a rocky peak in the meteorological storms of the Norwegian Fjords. And it’s still beautiful, stable, and, yes, as good as new. And the bathroom?

You might have guessed: a charming white porcelain bathtub with shining copper taps with porcelain heads on a cosy creaking floor in pitch pine, the wood of that era. We mustn’t assume this jovial composer crept cautiously into his bathtub to lie still the whole time without splashes. The pitch pine floor could absorb some water.

It’s a bit strange that, until a few decades ago, architects found it necessary to send that wooden bathroom floor into oblivion. The set remedy for renovation: Fit a swallow panel all over, pour a screed onto it, glue a solid bathroom tile on top, and that’s it. Today, we just break up the floor, swallow panels included, and restore the pitch pine to its former glory. That’s nice, isn’t it?

Floors and damp We’ve often said that damp gets everywhere, yet it would be wrong to say that damp is always ‘the enemy’. After all, we need damp for everything! Even if we’re talking about wood, the message isn’t necessarily that you ‘have to go to war’, but rather that you have to take the presence of damp into account. In the case of wood you can even use damp (a rainwater container isn’t watertight without water). Before we outline the various ways, in the case of floors, in which you can deal with damp, we need to detect and define its source. We also have to remember that floor coverings come into contact with ‘all’ sorts of damp. Moreover, the fact that they are also exposed to heavy mechanical pressure is another point to note. Just like all other building materials, floors come into contact with humidity. Experience has taught us to make materials dampproof or to learn some techniques for absorbing the effects of damp. Actually, the same applies to residual building moisture, the damp still is in the materials once the building is complete. As for floors, the residual moisture in the screed (or in the concrete under the screed) is the big threat. The permitted residual moisture percentage varies according to the type of floor. The permitted residual moisture percentage for wood is the lowest of all materials. Here, too, we have learnt to counter damp with fitting guidelines (e.g. expansion joints) or extra protective measures (e.g. damp screens).

As for household damp (e.g. wet cleaning), apart from protecting materials, it is helpful to give end users some sound guidelines in advance.

Dealing with damp It is a fixed principle for all floor coverings that if there is a risk of rising damp, you always need to install a damp-proof screen before fitting the floor, even if some materials are 100% waterproof. Rising damp won’t put the materials at risk, but it does increase the risk of mould, bacteria, and a foul smell between the subfloor and the floor material.

Waterproof material Some materials are completely waterproof and don’t need any extra protection. For example, a floor which is 100% PVC is fully waterproof. In the case of wooden floor coverings there are various parameters which we need to consider. Some types of wood are more resistant to damp than others. The way in which the wood is

34

Floor Forum International 87

sawn also plays a part. Quarter sawn wood (sawn in the direction of the core) is less sensitive to swelling and shrinking than flatsawn wood (planks sawn next to each other). To illustrate this, we outline elsewhere in this edition how cross-cut wood reacts much more strongly to damp than plain-sawn wood, precisely because of the sawing direction. Vinyl can stand up to water easily and is fully waterproof if it is made of PVC for 100%. Apart from the waterproof nature of the material, two measures are needed to make a floor suitable for use in extremely damp rooms. The material itself needs to be made ‘more waterproof’ and the joints need to be watertight.

The protective top layer We can improve the surface of materials which are more or less pervious by applying a seal to those materials. This applies to materials such as wood, bamboo, and cork, but also to vinyl (if it doesn’t consist of 100% PVC) and linoleum. With wooden floors, cork, and bamboo, we can protect the floor with lacquer or saturate it with oil.

By protecting the surface, we make the floorboards ‘watertight’. We have to draw a distinction between the concepts of ‘watertight’ and ‘waterproof’. ‘Waterproof’ materials are resistant to the effects of water. For example, some wooden panels such as multiplex or HDF are available in a waterproof design. ‘Watertight’ means that the material is impervious. Important: The watertightness of the floorboard on its own does not give us a watertight floor.

The impenetrable joint In just about all types of floor, except for one-piece floors, we come to the same conclusion: The floorboards can be watertight, but water can seep through to the subfloor via the joints. This is not so important in the context of household or accidental damp. However, it certainly is important for extremely wet applications. To put a seal on the floor it is also possible to apply a coating all over the joints.

This is done with cork, for instance, but also with vinyl. As regards wooden floors, ship deck flooring, which we have often described in this journal, provides excellent protection. With that type of flooring a rubber joint (waterproof and watertight) is applied between the floorboards. The combination of the sealed surface and the impenetrable floor provides total security. The same system is also applied for laminate. We find another system with some flexible floor coverings in rolls (e.g. linoleum). In that case the strips can be joined together thermally to create a watertight floor.

What’s on the market?

BerryAlloc BerryAlloc, part of the Beaulieu International group, presents here the Riviera laminate collection. The Riviera collection can withstand water and damp. The extra treatment of the planks gives damp no chance at all. And so, no more worries about wet or dirty feet!

Furthermore, spilt drinks, a wet dog, or a falling bowl cannot cause any problems. The Riviera is completely waterproof thanks to the Hydro Plus® treatment. The BerryAlloc Hydro Plus® technology provides a special waterproof coating. These floors are absolutely ideal for fitting all over the house, including in the kitchen or bathroom. An accident, surely? You can clean these floors simply by using water with no risk of water seeping through or the floor starting to curl up. However, the Hydro Plus® treatment doesn’t protect the floor from water seeping in from underneath (whether or not the screed is completely dry). BerryAlloc has a range of Hydroplus accessories to prevent water from seeping in along the edges. In the range of Hydroplus accessories the Filler Twine and the sealant

kit are designed in such a way (elastic) as to absorb the swelling and shrinking movements of the wood.

Parcolys Flooring

waterproof, but not watertight. Nevertheless, the floors can be fitted in rooms which are quite damp, but not permanently damp.

Viligno Viligno floors are waterproof because of the material itself. Viligno floors consist of 100% synthetics and are waterproof. Obviously, with shower cabins the subfloor has to be made watertight first since water can penetrate through the LVT joints. The material also makes the floorboards resistant to rising damp, but mould can occur under the floor. An LVT floor is susceptible to movement. This is absorbed by means of a mandatory expansion joint against the wall, whilst for larger surfaces (from 10lm) it is always necessary to provide an extra expansion joint which is finished with a profile.

For the finish of the joint against the wall Viligno offers waterproof synthetic skirting boards in the same colour as the floor. These are fastened with clips and can be equipped with wires.

All floors from Parcolys Flooring are 100% waterproof. The material, top layer, and click system with a special coating make the floors waterproof, so they can be used in kitchens, bathrooms, and showers. Moreover, these floors are also resistant to rising damp and have a swelling rate of 0%.

EGGER The waterproof EGGER Design+ Flooring is the perfect solution for damp rooms, shops, offices, hotels, restaurants, and such like. The floors can be fitted floating or glued. They are the perfect solution for rooms where they are subjected to high traffic and have to stay attractive. The waterproof top layer consists of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) and is odourless. It has low emissions and there are no health risks. The wood-based core consists of a double sealed coat with high density: Ultra Wood Fibre Board guarantees high stability, even with high fluctuations in temperature. The floor is completely free of PVC and softeners. The UWF core is extremely

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

35

Special

Producers of Cork floors present their trends 2017

IS THE LOOK OF ORIGINAL CORK COMING BACK? SUPER PRODUCT APPEARS IN 1001 DIFFERENT FORMS Cork can act as thermal or acoustic insulation, a stabilising bottom layer, a subfloor or middle floor, an anti-static solution, and so much more. It’s a product with an incredible variety of uses. This is the result of a number of specific properties of the raw material itself, especially its typical structure or construction. It sometimes seems that cork ‘ in itself ’ is no longer coveted as a top layer and the stress is on cork which doesn’t immediately look like cork. Some renowned players are striving to combat that trend and enjoying a degree of success.

A wonder in terms of ‘structure’ Everyone probably wonders at some point in their life whether or not there is a ‘Creator’. Some people see the question as a crossroads where science and faith repeatedly seem to contradict. However, the fact is that if this world isn’t the work of a creator, then nature itself is a shining sample of ingenious creativity. It sometimes seems as if the ‘things’ in nature were originally made to allow other ‘things’ to live. Take, for instance, the importance of bees in the world. They are necessary for the pollination of the plants worldwide. Who thinks about that? Then there’s the wonder of ‘coral’ or of the human race.

It all fits together sublimely. Anyone who looks at the origin and structure of cork cannot be amazed. It is made originally from a bark which seemingly has no function whatsoever other than to be harvested and converted into products useful for human beings. Apart from the decorative possibilities, cork certainly has properties which are much coveted in scores of applications and that’s true not only of the wine bottle cork with which we are all so familiar.

The origin of cork There’s no harm in a parquet trader selling some ‘background information’ every now and then. The consumers are the clients, whilst parquet traders look for solutions. Possible ‘ecological’ arguments are gaining more and more weight. Cork is ecological – a top argument! You don’t need to cut down a tree to extract cork. The cork oak from which cork originates simply lives on. It can be harvested from its 40th year onwards. The trunk of cork oak is peeled every 8 to 10 years. That peeling is an extremely painstaking chore to be done with the utmost care. There is a real risk of the tree getting damaged so that it dies.

The structure Cork has a unique element structure. Indeed, it consists largely of 14-sided cells full of air. There are about 40 million cells or air chambers in one cubic centimetre of cork bark (source: Kurkfabriek Van Avermaet). This means that cork always feels pleasant to touch

36

Floor Forum International 87

and absorbs sounds and vibrations. If we speak of ‘cells full of air’, we immediately think of ‘insulation’.

Thermal and acoustic Cork is a thermal insulator by nature. This property gives cork two practical benefits as a floor covering. Cork absorbs the surrounding heat in the room and retains it for a lengthy period of time and, moreover, it adopts the body temperature rapidly. That’s exactly why it is pleasant to walk barefoot on a cork floor. Furthermore, cork is also an outstanding acoustic insulator i.e. it absorbs sound (it reduces impact sounds by 16dB) and improves the sound (less reverberation).

The trend? Not really clear!

It is difficult to detect trends for the different types of floors. We always return to the same point, namely imitating the success of wooden floors! That’s a general practice. Whilst cork has lots of decorative trumps of its own, vendors are endeavouring to imitate all sorts of other looks. Some people deplore this and say so quite openly: ‘Cork is cork,’ they say. Nevertheless, these days, cork appears in two forms, namely as itself or as something else.

Cork with ‘cork look’ There was a time when cork simply showed itself off as cork. In the beginning, the choice was limited to a number of different ‘grains’.

However, the decorative versatility of cork has increased all the more in recent years and the look of a cork floor is affected by several elements. For example, there is a great variety of possible structures.

The designs consist of various sorts such as ground structures, bark patterns, or hand-made patterns. The possible shapes and sizes also increase the number of decorative possibilities. Depending on the supplier (manufacturer), cork can be cut in several shapes and sizes, with or without a bevelled edge. Finally, cork tiles provide for a choice of different fitting patterns.

Cork with a ‘different look’ Digital print technology has given the range of cork floors and wall cork a new dimension. That new technology has made it possible to give cork the look of any other type of floor. We found that various vendors sell cork floors which are available in a wide range of wood sorts and/or in imitations of stone, natural stone, or even polished concrete. Another manufacturer offers a solution for extremely high-traffic floors by fitting the cork with a top layer in vinyl or linoleum. We might ask the question: ‘What’s the point of choosing cork in that case? Couldn’t you just as well fit vinyl or linoleum?’ Nothing could be further from the truth. You could perfectly well call this a

‘hybrid’ floor covering. After all, it combines the benefits of various sorts of floor technology.

Three specialists Meister

individualism impossible. Each client only has to choose from the range on offer from the producers. How can consumers express their self-worth and individuality if they all have to choose digitally printed floors from the same 12 colours? Oh, it’s actually 20? Pardon me. A real cork floor i.e. one with the look of cork, offers an untold possibility of individualisation of the interior and therefore the character of your life. It is precisely through the combination with decor, shape, size, colour, and finish (all impossible with the digitally printed unitary sausage) that it’s possible to make completely unique floors entirely according to the client’s wishes. The client can direct the end result without being influenced by the imposed limited choice of producers.

The strongest points of a genuine cork floor (and at Mutrex they mean traditional adhesive cork floors, not the current ones with laminate or vinyl with an invisibly eliminated cork subfloor) are the real unlimited choice of possibilities in design, shape, size, colour, and finish. No other floor covering gives the client this decorative wealth. Then there are the well known technical assets of cork: It is the best form of insulation produced by the natural world, it can be fitted in any room in a house, and it offers unique comfortable warmth, elasticity, and sound reduction.

Wicanders Wicanders is taking Hydrocork to the next level and is launching three new collections in 2017.

Sales of MEISTER cork floors remain stable and demand comes mainly from the residential market. MEISTER offers the Puro cork floors which are characterised by their vast elasticity, which is nice for the joints, and by their pleasant warmth which feels good to walk on barefoot.

MEISTER cork floors have been completely restyled and are now available solely in the long plank size of 24 x 212cm. The harmonic surfaces in natural timeless modern floors round things off to make a perfect trend and wellness floor. The cork surface comes particularly into its own when it is treated with natural oil. This gives the floor an extra soft and matt look to provide years of pleasure. The Meister Puro cork floors KD 300 S is the only cork floor which MEISTER has in its assortment, and it comes in an attractive long plank size combined with a naturally oiled cork surface.

Mutrex

At Mutrex they feel extremely ill at ease due to the fact that the ‘world’ is doing everything it can to turn cork as much as possible into something else. This is despite the fact that the product has its own unique properties and values both technically and decoratively. ‘Cork floors are cork floors and nothing else,’ a spokesperson comments. And there’s plenty to be said for that. Whilst each natural cork floor is unique in and of itself, attention tends to focus on elements such as digital print technology, with which you can personalise a floor or give it the look of something else, such as stone or wood, for instance. A spokesperson from Mutrex comments: ‘Individualism is the future. The masses will soon be immersed in individualism. Yet the ready-to-fit fragments of digitally printed cork floors (or vinyl or laminate) render

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Top Portuguese flooring producer Amorim Revestimentos will be focusing in 2017 on the Wicanders Waterproof 6mm product Hydrocork. The company has recently invested heavily in the development of Hydrocork production capacities in order to meet the exponential growth of the product. They are launching eight new visuals of this Wicanders waterproof product line. Wicanders is introducing three new collections in 2017. There is ‘Vintage’, offering trendy stone visuals on a cork floor which recreate the look and feel of Vintage decor styles such as Concrete and Shabby Chic and the ambience of lofts and fashionable country houses. ‘Fusion’ collections combine cork visual with stone or wood textures reflecting the contemporary hybrid world in which we live, where the differences and frontiers between different universes are blurred and fused into new hybrid products.

Wicanders’ new wall covering collection ‘Brick’, through the use of tridimensional textures, recreates the look and feel of the big warehouses from the fifties and sixties which have now been transformed into trendy lofts in New York, Berlin, and other big cities all over the world.

Floor Forum International 87

37

Special

Stair renovation with laminate inlay

CONJURING UP NEW STAIRS WITH LAMINATE RIGHT UP THE STREET OF THE SEASONED PARQUET FITTER The parquet floor fitter’s ‘ job description’ continues to grow.

New floor types, even new forms of floor technology, new techniques – floor fitters include all these things in their ‘assortment’ if their skills allow it. Let’s be honest. Stairs have never been part of a floor fitter’s sphere of activity.

The closest to that would be the restoration of old wooden stairs which urgently needed to be sanded by machine. The rest was for the stair manufacturers, the ‘aces’ in their field!

Nowadays, renovating stairs with wood or laminate is a common job for any professional.

The stairs and the ‘stair furnishing’ To avoid any misunderstandings, we need to start on a linguistic note.

The relationship between a staircase and the so called ‘runner’ is exactly the same as that between the ‘floor’ and the ‘floor covering’.

As we have explained elsewhere in this edition, the floor is a constructive element of a building: The floor has a bearing and a separatist

Photo – VICstairs

38

Floor Forum International 87

function. The floor is something ‘structural’, but the floor covering isn’t.

The floor covering is functional because it protects the floor somewhat and contributes to the general comfort. Apart from that, a floor covering is mainly a decorative element, just like wallpaper or a low (false) ceiling. A staircase, too, is a constructive element with a clear structural function, whilst the staircase covering isn’t. A staircase can also be designed in solid wood or in numerous other materials which are then furnished with a floor covering (tiles, cork, wood, bamboo, laminate, etc.). This immediately says something about the involvement of the different professionals in creating a staircase. The staircase maker (a carpenter, if we are talking about wood) makes a staircase. The parquet floor fitter can finish the staircase maker’s work in a number of cases.

The running staircase It sounds like a rather old tune now, but it is a reality. Fitting floors over an entire level has spread to the stairs – a new decorative culture. And why is that? Creating openness and three-dimensionality by avoiding

Photo – Faus

(or demolishing) partitions has now extended to the different levels. A staircase can start in the living room, a ‘void’ is highly desirable, and there is even a market for a semi-open intermediate floor. This phenomenon can be seen in both new and renovated buildings.

New buildings Architects are doing it more and more often. The staircase, often indented into a wall, starts in the living room and rises upstairs with a fairly ‘modest’ gradient. In new buildings the stairs are usually designed in concrete and then furnished afterwards. It is now an unwritten rule that the staircase floor is the same floor as that in the living room and that of the upstairs floor. Incorporating a staircase into the living room creates light, air, and openness.

Renovation With renovations, too, people are increasingly considering connecting the ‘corridor’ or foyer to the rest of the home. The reason is quite obvious: The combination of a ‘rather’ narrow corridor often leading to a ‘rather’ small living room will often result in a quite charming living room. As a result, the staircase often requires a new look, either by means of sandpapering and painting or by refurnishing.

Restoring a staircase It is quite rare in renovation to demolish existing stairs to fit new ones.

Stairs usually withstand the ravages of time quite well. Strictly speaking, an old staircase can be renewed in two ways, either by renovation or restoration. The same rules and skills apply to the restoration of

Photo – Faus

a staircase as to the restoration of parquet or a wooden floor. Even thorough light sanding of a painted or lacquered old floor can yield attractive results. Local repairs will sometimes be necessary. The restoration option is worth considering if you have stairs with exceptionally decorative added value. That added value can be derived from a valuable type of wood or the authentic style of the stairs and the railings. If the thickness of the steps allows, it is possible to some extent to re-level the worn surface of the stairs.

‘Furnishing with laminate’ Just as it was common for a long time to fit a carpet onto a wooden staircase, sometimes covering the steps completely, it is also possible to furnish a staircase with lots of materials. People renovate existing staircases almost always by ‘furnishing’ them. That can be done using solid wood, certain metals, panels, multi-layer parquet, vinyl, linoleum, cork, bamboo, etc. Laminate is absolutely ideal for several reasons.

As regards the execution, the fact is that laminate is easy to fit, and, moreover, there are scores of accessories specifically for staircase furnishing, so that’s a big plus point. The quality after the renovation is along the lines of the intrinsic qualities of laminate.

Decorative possibilities The decorative assets are well known. The range of designs is huge: all types of wood or stone, all structures, all other decors, all fitting patterns, classic or modern, and infinite colour options, which may or may not match adjoining floors perfectly. Embossed in register and digital print have raised the bar again. And so, it’s no wonder that more and

Photo – Faus

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

39

Special

Stair renovation with laminate inlay

more stair furnishing buyers, architects, and designers of concrete stairs in new buildings are being lured by the decorative versatility of laminate.

Technical assets The minimal thickness of laminate floors usually works out well for renovation where there is often limited scope for differences in height between adjoining floors. This applies no less to staircase steps where the height of the components partly determines comfort and safety.

The top layers of laminate floors have always been an important point for attention. Indeed, the scratch and wear-resistance of the top layer determines the lifespan of the floor, and thereby also the lifespan of a staircase. Laminate floors are impact and chip-resistant. That is the result of the bearer itself (density of HDF) in combination with that extremely resistant top layer. Whilst a smooth floor normally implies a risk of sliding, most laminate floors are equipped with an anti-slip top layer. The importance for staircase furnishing is clear. The fact that a laminate floor can be kept dust-free makes it suitable for allergy patients. For a few years now, some trademarks have even been offering floors which help to kill bacteria through the addition of certain substances to the top layer.

important parts of a system are the skirting boards, threshold profiles, stair nosings, and, obviously, waterproof stairs. Here, Faus offers a comprehensive answer with the LOC stair profile. The fitting runs in accordance with a clear step plan and it results in a brand-new staircase.

VICstairs Welcome to VICstairs VICstairs makes and sells international stair renovation and stair furnishing solutions for professionals. The company is innovative and has a unique view of stair furnishing. Everything in their company revolves around enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for quality and professionalism.

Their conceptions are set out and secured in a European licence. Their goal is to make the best and most attractive products for sound and safe stair renovation, fitted by and for professionals. Their best-seller is their own seamless stair renovation system with highly durable and strong European quality PVC. This is a highly attractive and lucrative product for professionals.

Contact them for more information.

Ready-to-fit kits We all know that laminate producers (themselves or in collaboration with profile makers) offer all accessories in the same decor as the floor. The same applies to stair finishes. All accessories for profiles, boards, subfloors, stair nosings, and such like are provided. Here, too, LED lights are an option. Today, some producers offer staircase renovations with everything supplied. Good idea!

What’s on the market?

Faus According to Faus, the points for attention with stair renovation are space economy, added value, illumination, colour, and look. The step plan for renovating a staircase comprises clear phases. First of all, you need to have all the tools at hand, then the existing materials can be dismantled, the staircase is vacuum cleaned and, if necessary, repaired, and then the staircase steps have to be measured. Here, laminate has the benefit of quick and easy fitting and it saves money. The most

Photo – VICstairs

Euro-Step® Star – multi-purpose laying solution for LVT-floors · patented and safety certified by TÜV 2-part stair nosing profile system · for LVT-floors from 4 – 9 mm · based on the award-winning Champion-technology

www.kueberit.com

Special

Cross-cut floor producers: types and fitting methods

SUPREMELY DECORATIVE AND INVINCIBLE! CROSS-CUT WOODEN FLOORS ARE OUTSIDERS IN EVERY IMAGINABLE WAY the back of the garden. An even better idea is to keep the tree stump and use it ‘for its strongest side’. After all, such a tree stump is ‘as strong as an anvil’, that steel monster on which the smith makes horse shoes or swords with huge hammer force.

A tree stump is used by countless private individuals as a place outdoors where you cut wood for the fire or hearth in your spare time. And so, the tree stump is the ‘anvil’. Whilst the cut blocks of wood fly everywhere, the anvil stays in place like a rock.

The huge resistance to all that force is due to the fibre direction of the wood, which makes it impenetrable.

Quarter-sawn and cross-cut

Photo – BJ Parket

Here is another opportunity for true professional floor fitters to stand out: exclusive parquet floors, outsiders, wooden floors which are ‘out of the ordinary’. Such opportunities still exist and certainly include cross-cut wooden floors without any doubt. Technically, they are invincible, but they are subject to some ‘natural idiosyncrasies’. Decoratively, they are absolutely beautiful, sheer design, and for people with good taste! Well, the latter is a talking point. The fact is that these showpieces, along with end grain blocks, book shape, and a whole series of extraordinary fitting patterns, take their place amongst the ‘ better’ work.

The value of a tree stump Anyone who wants to remove a ‘wild’ birch tree from the garden should have it cut down. Experts do such jobs down to a safe and manageable height of 80cm above the ground. And the rest? It has to be dug up. The tree stump is chopped into shreds deep under the ground with a special machine. A messy business, but the residue does disappear over time. Of course, you have other options. Some people use a stump to put a table on; splendid, a barbecue table in the middle or at

Visit www.floor-forum.com

In almost all applications in construction and interior building we use the raw material wood ‘in the normal way’. Planks and panels are seen as ‘normal’. This is also the case for wooden floors, but whereas traditional parquet floorboards and wooden floors are sawn along the length of the wood grain, cross-cut wood is sawn across the wood grain. Hence the distinction between quarter-sawn and crosscut. The surface of a cross-cut floor is a vivid play on tree rings and gives a totally different look to that of traditional floorboards. The floor consists of several small, square (or elongated) blocks, and not planks.

The sawing direction means that cross-cut wood is much harder and much more durable than quarter-sawn wood. As we have explained above, this has everything to do with the fact that the wood fibres stand upright.

A ‘workshop’ floor Where does that name ‘workshop floor’ come from? Don’t ‘workshops’ conjure up images of a wooden floor? Nevertheless, cross-cut wooden floors trace their origins back to an industrial setting. They were ‘discovered’ as floors specifically for work places, workshops, and engine rooms. This is due partly to their extreme hardness which enables them to withstand very heavy loads. Trolleys and other internal means of transport in a company do not pose any threat at all to a cross-cut wooden floor. Moreover, these floors absorb machine

Floor Forum International 87

41

Special

Cross-cut floor producers: types and fitting methods

vibrations very well and have very high sound absorption capacity.

Nowadays, designers and architects have discovered these floors due to their exceptional look. ‘Every asset has its drawback.’ Who was it who said that? In contrast to other wooden floors built with quarter-sawn wood, cross-cut wood swells and shrinks in four directions. That’s why various manufacturers advise people looking for the perfect floor not to use cross-cut wood. Those who do choose it are best advised to opt for a very stable type of wood. However, if this type of floor is fitted in a workshop to provide a floor to withstand internal company transport, you can even choose pine wood. In this case durability takes priority over the aesthetic aspect.

An overview BJ Parket

The wood sorts And so, from the outset, when you choose the sort of wood, you must consider the end purpose. With almost all sorts of wood, cross-cut wooden floors will almost certainly show some slits in the winter, but these seal up again in the summer. If you don’t like that phenomenon, it’s best not to opt for cross-cut wood. Unlike other parquet floors, cross-cut wood swells and shrinks in all directions as it is much more sensitive to moisture and fluctuations in temperature than quarter-sawn wood. For cross-cut, too, oak is still the most popular sort.

That takes nothing away from the fact that tropical hardwood sorts have also made some progress. Wood sorts such as merbau, kambala, and larch are popular sorts in this field. Larch scores highly for its stunning range of colours. Another development is the emergence of thermally treated wood. The thermal treatment ensures firstly that the tension in the floorboards is largely eased, but, above all, it yields attractive aesthetic results.

BJ Parket believes that oak, teak, and merbau are the most suitable wood sorts for cross-cut floors. Cross-cut floors in oak are the best-seller. The floors are supplied in separate pieces or on a foil. The biggest asset of these floors is the greater durability. Floor fitters require a sound knowledge and experience of sandpapering. These floors are not suitable for floor heating.

Design Parquet

Points for attention for the floor fitter Cross-cut wood is usually supplied in bulk. Some makers offer crosscut wood sorted in the required size and bound by a foil on top. Others supply pre-sorted cross-cut wood on a wire mesh. The latter implies that if the floor is going to be open, there is a risk of the wire mesh becoming visible.

Glueing and sandpapering Cross-cut wood is usually glued. The blocks are pressed into the adhesive without nails. Once the adhesive has set, the floor is sandpapered (more than once, if necessary). It is essential for cross-cut floors that the covering floor is perfectly level and that you work absolutely precisely when tapping in the wooden blocks. After all, the wood surface is so hard that sandpapering is no easy job.

Project floors Some traders offer pre-sorted cross-cut wood in an aluminium frame.

The frame has an MDF panel in the base, onto which the blocks are glued. Such pre-sorted tiles are used mainly in project applications such as in offices where underlying wires/pipes must remain accessible.

Damp prevention The moisture content of the screed must be below 2%, even in deeper layers. If the floorboards get the chance to absorb moisture from underneath, the floor will undoubtedly swell up with all the resulting effects. A waterproof epoxy primer is most certainly advisable if there is any doubt. In some cases a screed reinforcement may be necessary or a combination of a screed reinforcement and damp screen. The forces created by the swelling and shrinking of cross-cut wood are so great that a weak screed can get torn off. Cross-cut floors should be glued with an adhesive which not only guarantees outstanding adhesion, but also offers the greatest possible degree of elasticity.

42

Floor Forum International 87

The best-selling wood sort for cross-cut at Design Parquet is oak.

Amongst other things, the cross-cut floorboards are supplied on a wire mesh, but there are other possibilities as well. Here the cross-cut floors are fully glued. The solidarity of the floor is the top argument for choosing cross-cut wood. The only point for attention is that the floor is more susceptible to fluctuations in damp. These floors are stable provided that they are fitted according to the rules.

Houtbedrijf Kerkhofs As a parquet wholesaler, the company sells cross-cut in various sizes from 10 to 100mm thick. The most popular wood sorts are oak (including smoked oak), larch, and pine, but also specific wood sorts such as wenge are possible. The cross-cut blocks are glued onto a net in brick pattern or even in three-strip chessboard pattern.

The sizes vary from about 45 x 75mm / 58 x 90 mm / 20 x 60 mm /, but even customised work is possible. You can contact the company for fitting advice with a site visit by one of our adhesive suppliers.

Parketfabriek Lieverdink

Basically, Parketfabriek Lieverdink supplies the most common wood sorts in cross-cut. Some of these (e.g. wenge) are available only on request. The ‘old fashioned’ renowned sorts pine and deal are also in demand. Generally speaking, oak is the one most in demand, including the smoked oak variant. These blocks are supplied in elements which are held together by means of sticky tape; they are strands of about 60cm long. The cross-cut blocks are glued to the finish floor and then finished on the floor. Cross-cut is extremely strong and likes to swell and shrink (swelling during the winter and shrinking during the winter).

These floors have to be dilated every 5 x 5m.l. due to the swelling and shrinking. It is advisable not to join and finish the material with impregnation oil.

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!

Timberline International BV

For a cross-cut wooden floor Chapel recommends European oak with a birch plywood bottom layer. At Chapel Parket cross-cut wooden floors form a separate product group and are also known as Original Chapel Abbey. They are available from natural to double smoked black or white as well as untreated. Chapel sells only composite parquet with a crosscut wood top layer. These floors are supplied completely finished: The cross-cut wood blocks are 7 x 7cm and are glued onto a birch multiplex plank of 20 x 70 x 700mm. And so, planks are supplied of 700mm, onto which the cross-cut wood blocks are glued. This is unique. It is also possible to supply cross-cut wood with no colour finish. These floors are glued. This means there is considerably less chance of swelling and shrinking.

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

Flame-retardant lacquers and oils: properties & legislation

FIRE SAFETY STILL DEMANDS ATTENTION PUBLIC AREAS IN PARTICULAR ARE STRICTLY REGULATED

Photo: Fire-Proof Group: Flame retardant test with flame-retardant oil/lacquer finish from various makers

44

Everyone is talking about ‘sustainability’ as if it were related to absolutely everything. Actually, that’s not so strange.

All that we do only makes sense if we also make sure that the place where we do it is also ‘ healthy’. Otherwise what’s the point of building? And so, sustainability is now also a concept related to health and the preservation of the planet, both now and in the future. ‘Sustainable construction’ is geared to several of those ‘ecological’ aspects (raw materials, renewability, transport, etc.). ‘Fire safety construction’ fits in perfectly with that package.

need to extract a new raw material for the same purpose, that means a degree of ‘thrift’. In this context specialists in the field of fire safety (fire prevention and fire fighting) have a rule which says: A building which isn’t fireproof can never be sustainable. A building destroyed by fire is lost and has to be ‘replaced’. And so a whole series of ecological steps are repeated for the same building. And so, it is no surprise that the so called ‘Building Products Directive’ (which has been the ‘Building Products Regulation’ for a few years now) is present as a permanent fixture. Fire safety is now a ‘fundamental requirement’. Taking measures to increase fire safety is all part of sustainable construction.

Sustainability or lifespan

Building materials and fire risk

The longer a building material stands firm, the more sustainable it is. That’s not a golden rule, but it does contain a lot of truth. If a building element or material can do service for several years without the

In this debate it is essential to clarify once again the difference between ‘fire resistance’ and the ‘reaction to fire’ of that same material. If we don’t grasp those terms, the rest becomes meaningless.

Floor Forum International 87

Fire resistance When we talk about fire resistance, we are referring to the function of a building material in the entire construction AND to the length of time that the material continues to fulfil that function. In other words, the fire resistance (now REI/formerly RF) of a building element is the time in minutes that a building element simultaneously meets the following criteria: - Stability (R): The time that the element retains its bearing function (for elements with a bearing function).

- Flame resistance (E): The time during which no flames spread to the unexposed side of the wall (for partition walls).

- Thermal insulation (I) : The time during which the temperature on the unexposed side stays on or below a certain thermal threshold.

Wooden floor finishes (e.g. parquet and laminate) don’t really have a function, apart from a decorative element. Wooden bearing structures (e.g. beams and roof trusses) obviously do have a function. They can be protected effectively by ‘flame-retardant paints or coatings’, which, amongst other things, improve their stability. These flame-retardant paints (swell paints) create a protective layer of insulation if a fire breaks out.

retardants are assimilated into well known synthetics: polystyrene (PS and HIPS), polyurethane (PUR), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), and polyester. The ever so popular PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is already more or less flame-retardant. Flame-retardant synthetics can be found in a huge range of applications e.g. insulations materials in the construction industry, print plates and casing for electric and electronic apparatus, wires, car dashboards, plugs, etc.

Apart from the insulation materials, these are usually synthetic materials which could come into contact with heat or sparks as a result of electricity.

Distinguo: Flame retardants for wood Flame retardants are used for synthetics in a completely different way to that for wood. With synthetics, flame-retardant ingredients are worked into the products themselves, whilst the working method for a porous material such as wood is completely different. In this case the flame-retardant or resistant effect is obtained by means of impregnation (in a conclave), dipping, or via a spray. You can read below how this works specifically for floors (spray) in the contribution from FireProof, with BURNSTOP as the top product for several years now.

Fire class

Flame-retardant paint

The reaction of a material to fire is partly the degree of flammability of that material and partly the extent to which that material contributes to the spread of the fire. The fire class is expressed in seven ‘classes’.

The fire classes are defined in the standard EN 13501-1.

A flame-retardant paint system is designed to make a building material (often steel, but also wood) more fire-resistant. It consists of a primer, a flame-retardant paint, and a top coat. The specific properties of a flame-retardant paint mean that it protects substrates which are flammable, relatively flammable, or malleable at high temperature against the effect of a possible fire within certain time and temperature limits. Flame-retardant paint prevents the flames from spreading over the surface and has high thermal insulation strength. We call a paint a swelling paint if it forms a non-inflammable and insulating coat of foam in the event of fire or radiant heat. The swelling paint reacts at a certain temperature (+150 to 200°C) and swells to several times its original thickness (about 50x) into an insulating and carbonaceous layer of foam. If the flame-retardant paint is applied up to the correct (prescribed) thickness, a coloured top coat is applied as a finish. The top coat is available in most RAL colours and has both an aesthetic and a protective function. The top coat protects the flame-retardant paint against damp and chemical and mechanical influences.

CLASS CONTRIBUTION TO FIRE

Class A1 No contribution at all Class A2 Hardly any contribution Class B Very limited contribution Class C Some contribution Class D High contribution Class E Very high contribution Class F Undefined

FLAMMABILITY Non-inflammable Virtually non-inflammable Barely flammable Flammable Very flammable Highly flammable Extremely flammable or untested

The classes can be supplemented with a division in the areas of smoke emission (S 1 to 3) and flaming droplets (D 0 to 2).

Protective measures Since we now know that the fire risk of materials prevails at different levels, it is clear that the ways of protecting ourselves against those risks also differ. Here we discuss three measures (resources) for ‘modifying’ flammability or resistance to fire.

Flame retardants Scores of products are made from synthetics, and, yes, synthetics are flammable. There is no doubt that the prominent presence of synthetics in daily life affects fire safety. Recently, there was a film clip on Swiss television in which all synthetic objects in the average living room were replaced by oil drums corresponding in size to the capacity of the object in question. If we add up the total fire load in our immediate surrounds, we see a terrifying sum. It’s well worth mentioning flame retardants since various building materials, including floor coverings, are also produced from synthetics or contain synthetics. Flame retardants are used to reduce the flammability of synthetics. This reduced flammability should considerably increase the escape time (time needed to evacuate) in case of fire. Most flame

Fire-resistant coatings and/or fluids If we talk about a fire-resistant parquet finish, we are entering the field of the fire class of a material. What do we expect from that specific finish for wooden floors? And so, in contrast to flame-retardant paint, this parquet finish is not designed to protect the floor (by ‘swelling’, for instance), but rather to ensure that the contribution of that material to any fire does not increase. If we look at the classification (see above), this shows the classification of the floor, and not that of the lacquer. Whilst all floors basically have to pass tests in accordance with the standard EN 13501-1, there are exceptions: Anyone who enters class F(fl), which is the lowest class or the class which shows that the product has not been tested, is exempt and likewise anyone who offers a product on the CWFT list (classification without further testing). The list of floors in chart 1 of the CWFT (EN 14342) concerns various types of wooden floors equipped with their finish. And so, to meet the requirements of the standard, the floor, together with the finish, must meet the standards of the prescribed class. In other words, a parquet lacquer which conforms to the requirements may not have an adverse effect on the fire class. Classes Cfl-s1 or Dfl-s1 are acceptable in the CWFT chart. However, member states can impose higher demands for public buildings, for instance.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

45

Special

Flame-retardant lacquers and oils: properties & legislation

From the sector

standard, applied to a chipboard (subfloor panel) with a grading of Bfl-s1 according to the European standard, and have all obtained a classification of Bfl-s1, which is the highest possible grading if you work with organic materials. This means that the lacquers from Bona do not reduce the fire resistance of the floor, but they don’t improve it either! If the subfloor had been put in class C or D, the final grading would have been the same.

Bona

Blanchon

At Bona they themselves claim that they don’t have any flame-retardant lacquers as such. However, Bona lacquers are a good illustration of what we mean by that term and what this article was meant to explain. As we have said, the European Norm for fire resistance EN 13501-1 classifies products into seven classes, ranging from A to F, where A is the best and F the worst. It is the entire floor structure which is tested i.e. adhesive, type of floor (e.g. wood, stone, PVC, etc.), and finish. Even if a wooden floor obtained a test result to qualify for class A, it would nevertheless be put automatically in class B, since class A is reserved for inorganic materials such as stone, metal, and concrete. Various Bona lacquers have been tested against this

Blanchon doesn’t sell any fire-resistant lacquers in the literal sense of that term. Fire-resistant lacquers are designed to make flammable materials non-inflammable or to delay the incineration considerably by means of certain extra additives.

Blanchon lacquers offer a favourable classification in the European classes as a result of the quality of these products, and not because of any extra additives. Blanchon is active in all ranges of lacquers, including waterborne polyurethane in one or two components and traditional PU with seven products in two classes. The test reports give the Belmont, Intensive, Polysolid, and SVP Aqua a grading of Cfl-s1 and the Oceanic, Initial, and RA Aqua a grading of Dfl-s1 (always on oak).

Chimiver ECOSTAR RF 15T is a two-component water-based polyurethane flame-retardant lacquer in line with the D.M. 6 Marzo 1992 following the UNI 9796 norm. ECOSTAR RF 15T is suggested for the treatment of wooden floors and wooden materials only for flooring purposes. The class of reaction to the fire is italian 1.

Ciranova

NEW HAND PAD HOLDER

PAD HOLDER WITH JOINT

> For the manual application of Osmo base coat wood finishes as well as Osmo Polyx®-Oil and TopOil

> For the manual application of base coat wood finishes from Osmo and for the intensive cleaning of edges and corners > Includes connector for Osmo System Telescopic Handle

www.osmo.de/en

46

Floor Forum International 87

Flame-retardant coating products are designed to slow down or even suppress the incineration process. This is achieved by eliminating at least one of the elements needed (fuel-oxygen-temperature) to cause a fire and/or keep it burning. Since both physical and chemical effects have an impact on the fire cycle, producers often combine products with different properties, compositions, and structures when they

formulate products for greater efficiency. At this point it is important to mention that Ciranova does not use any harmful substances such as halogen. It goes without saying that good legislation is needed and that extensive tests are a crucial part of the approval processes and developments. The certification for wooden floors is contained in the CE label (EN14342), especially in the section ‘reaction to fire EN13501-1’. Standardised tests are used to divide the products into classes (Euroclass) depending on their contribution to fire. These tests are carried out by recognised agencies, and as far as floors are concerned the most important test is the ‘radiant panel test for flooring EN ISO 9239-1’. A detail which is not unimportant in this context is the fact that it is not only the coating which is tested, but the entire composite. For example, the Ciranova products UN1CO (a one-coat oil) and Fortico 2C (a PU 2-component varnish) are classified in fire class Bfls1 (fl for flooring & s1 for minimal smoke development) if they are applied in accordance with the technical instructions and on a substrate which is produced to meet the standard EN 312:2010-P2.

Dr. Schutz Group As we have already said, wooden floors, even the treated ones to some extent, are classified as in conformity to the standards EN 13501 and EN 14342 without any additional tests. A flame-retardant lacquer is designed to put the product in a higher class. The flame-retardant effect can be supported by various mechanisms. The so called Radiant Panel Test is important (DIN EN ISO 9239-1) for testing a higher classification. A classification is important if the client asks for one. These treatments are not really advisable because they usually reduce other

mechanical qualities. Dr. Schutz Group has specialised in protecting all types of floors for over 60 years. ‘Eukula’ is a top class product for lacquers and oils for wooden floors and cork.

Ecofa Ecofa presents BBT, a range of liquid, odourless, and harmless flame retardants.

These products penetrate deeply into fibres, pores, and cells which are largely waterproof. After evaporation, the solid substances are left behind and tests have shown that they stay active as long as there is no lengthy exposure to damp.

These substances retain their status up to exposure to 250°C. BBT flame-retardant products help prevent fire and slow down the spread of flames. The passive fire protection improves the reaction of the materials in case of fire by slowing down the ignition moment and improving the reaction to fire. These products can be used on various materials such as wood, paper, or textile. They are used, amongst other things, for Swiss uniforms, theatres and stages, and hotels.

InvisiOil Neutral Product news 2017 • Oilbased.

• Leaves the floor with an untreated look.

“ arance e p p A l Nat ura „The

• Resistant basic oil treatment for wooden floorings.

• For professionals and industry.

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

Floor Forum International 87

47

Special

Flame-retardant lacquers and oils: properties & legislation

Fire-Proof Group Treating wood to make it more flame-retardant is the core business of Fire-Proof. BURNSTOP is a flame-retardant liquid based on ecological salts. It can be used to treat absorbent materials efficiently, so that also includes parquet or wooden floors in general. BURNSTOP IM Wood Plus is the flame-retardant liquid par excellence for impregnating wooden and parquet floors, stairs, MDF, etc. How it works is related to the components of the fire triangle: Oxygen is isolated from the flammable fuel by the chemical reaction which is generated as a result of the rise in the ignition temperature.

This is particularly through the production of nitrogen and/or other non-inflammable gases, which dissipate the oxygen. The first generation of flame-retardants which Fire-Proof sold were based on halogen. However, those flame retardants had the drawback that that they could emit toxic smoke if there was a fire. That’s why Fire-Proof now sells halogen-free flame-retardant products. These are flame retardants with phosphorus compounds, especially poly-ammonium phosphates. It does mean that all fire safety tests have to be repeated (this consumes time, energy, and considerable financial resources).

Recently, Fire-Proof has obtained two new certificates: Bfl s1. All BURNSTOP products are supplied with certificate Bfl s1 or Bfl s2. The

best procedure is to incorporate the treatment into the production of the floor itself. At present, there are very few manufacturers who give this matter the necessary attention. Existing floors can be treated with BURNSTOP IM-Wood Plus.

Hesse The fire safety of a parquet finish

The parquet finish products from Hesse are certified by the German DIBt. If finish materials have a DIBt certificate, there is no need for further fire safety tests. One reason for this is that a fire-safety test is part of the DIBt certificate approval. This is done at all events in a simplified form and the ‘Efl’ classification (inflammable at a normal level!) is enough to obtain the certificate. They operate on the assumption that the finish will not have an excessively adverse effect on the bearing structure material, which is largely non-inflammable by nature. Furthermore, the behaviour of a finish for parquet and wooden floors can also be tested in accordance with standard EN 14342 and classified in accordance with standard EN13501 or given the CWFT classification (classification without further testing) in accordance with the included chart. The finish of the wooden floor usually plays a merely subordinate part here.

Quality and innovation, from fit to finish... ...and all environmentally-friendly!

We work together to develop increasingly effective solutions to ensure that wood floors retain their natural beauty.

Ever more stylish and innovative, Blanchon finishes provide industry professionals with everything they need for a shared passion: WOOD FLOORING. 48

50, 8ème Rue - 69800 SAINT-PRIEST - FRANCE

Floor International 8706 09 - Fax: +33 472 89 06 02- www.blanchon.com ExportForum Direct Lines Tel.: +33 472 89

Loba Loba presents its Lobadur® WS Sealer FR. This latest dual component sealer fits in perfectly with the now highly popular Loba system and gives enough security with its excellent flame-retardant properties and the excellent treatment possibilities on the floor. WS Sealer FR is guaranteed to ensure strong flame retardation and a considerable reduction in smoke development, something which is a major requirement particularly in projects. The lacquer is suitable for all parquet which has been glued to resist knocks and other wooden floors with a similar weight to >470 kg/m³. Lobadur® WS Sealer FR should always be used in combination with other products in order to meet the NEN 13501-1 Class Cfl-s1 standard.

Lobadur® WS Sealer FR forms an interim layer in the well known Loba System. Loba WS Sealer FR can be applied on the site.

Lecol Lecol presents its Lobadur® WS Sealer FR. This new 2-component sealer fits into the popular Loba system perfectly and provides sufficient security through its outstanding flame-retardant properties and the excellent application possibilities on the floor. WS Sealer FR guarantees strong flame-retardant properties and a considerable reduction in

smoke development, which is particularly in demand in projects. The lacquer is ideal for all impact-resistant glued parquet and other wooden floors with a similar weight of >470kg/m³. Lobadur® WS Sealer FR should always be applied in combination with other products in order to comply with the standard NEN 13501-1 Class Cfl-s1. Lobadur® WS Sealer FR provides an intermediate coat in the familiar Loba System.

Rubio Monocoat The Rubio Monocoat FR Oil System is the first flame-retardant oil system in the world to obtain a Bfl-s1 certificate on oak. Since it is based entirely on the Rubio Monocoat signature technology (in which a molecular binding is created with the top fibres of the wood in a single coat), it does not build up a layer, unlike many existing systems. A flame-retardant oil has to limit smoke development and offer the best possible fire prevention. The RMC FR System consists of a fire-resistant pre-treatment with RMC FR Base and a finish with RMC FR Oil. This produces durable protection and colouring via a molecular binding. The idea was also to find a system which is extremely safe, durable, and economical. The RMC FR System has been tested in accordance with the standards EN 13501-1, EN ISO 11925-2, and EN ISO 9239-1. The fact that it has obtained a Bfl s1 is an absolute first, the B-standard is the highest grading which an oil has ever been awarded up to now. The s1 also greatly limits the development of smoke. The RMC FR System can be applied either in the factory or on site. Basically, this system is suitable mainly for the project market. This is illustrated by the growing demand from architects for such products with projects such as hotels, restaurants, public areas, etc.

Photo – Rubio Monocoat

Visit www.floor-forum.com

Floor Forum International 87

49

Special

Epoxy moisture screens

EPOXY GIVES DAMP NO CHANCE THE MAGIC POTION THAT NEVER FAILS we entertain an undeniable love-hate relationship with oxygen. The story of damp in construction is perfectly comparable. You can’t build without water.

We add extra water to some building materials to make them ‘pliable’ and ‘flexible’. You couldn’t do much with concrete, cement, or plaster without extra water. The same applies to adhesives and paints. The added water has to disappear from the material as soon as it has proved its worth. The construction has to ‘dry’; residual moisture has to evaporate. Yet all those raw materials hold a certain damp content. Concrete would get ‘pulverised’ without a balanced degree of moisture.

Wood and moisture

Photo – Devomat Industries

We’ve said it often enough. You have to ‘ know’ whether or not damp in any form whatsoever can present an obstacle to fitting a parquet or other wooden floor. In this case you can only ‘ know’ by measuring! The construction industry, with the scientific world as its basic think tank, has detected, assessed, and analysed the various sorts of damp in construction in order to develop serviceable measuring instruments for this purpose.

Any sort of damp can be measured! In construction, ‘ damp’ (let’s call it ‘water’ for simplicity) is indispensable and at the same time dangerous. The risks of damp are real, they are well known, and, therefore, you can take account of them.

A love-hate relationship It is a sobering and even somewhat unreal truth, but it is the truth: The most vital ‘substance’ which human beings need in order to live, survive, and function is also the reason why those same human beings age and finally die. Surely a sobering thought? We need that approximately 21% oxygen in the atmosphere in order to breathe; it is the basic fuel for everything. However, air also has that property to relate closely to ‘oxidation’ and that is precisely the process which ensures that the human body (and all life, for that matter) gradually ‘wears out’. And so,

50

Floor Forum International 87

The love-hate relationship which prevails in the case of wood in general and wooden floors in particular, is of an extremely specific order. To say that water is the ‘number 1 enemy’ of wood is exaggerated and even untrue. In some cases wood can react badly if there is ‘too much’ damp. We say in some cases because wooden ships have been sailing the seas of the world for centuries and in the upper segment of yachts, for instance, most boat decks are designed in wood, often in teak. ‘Swabbing’ the deck, as it is called, has always been done with a swab and, yes, plenty of water.

Wooden floors and damp Water is bad for wooden floors if it disrupts the ‘balance’. When you fit parquet, you must take account of residual building moisture and the damp content of the surrounding air. Those are usually the ‘elements’ which are measured before the fitting. However, wood also needs to have a certain percentage of damp for itself. That varies from about 8 to about 12%, partly depending on the type of wood. If wood reacts to damp in an undesirable manner, that is almost always because the damp content balance is no longer correct.

Where is that balance?

Wood strives to keep its damp content at the right level by releasing and absorbing water as necessary. This constant activity expresses itself in the wood swelling and shrinking. If everything runs ‘normally’, we don’t even notice that constant process. If wood has to swell and shrink too much, that can show up in the wood cracking, splitting, and warping (curling). Thankfully, we don’t have to rely on speculation to know how much damp the wood can tolerate. ‘Measures’ have been set

out by agencies such as the BBRI (Belgian Building Research Institute) to give us some reliable guidelines. As regards air humidity, the BBRI prescribes a damp content between 45 and 65% for fitting parquet.

The wooden floorboards themselves have a damp content which may be between 7 and 11%. For the screed the recommended levels are 2.50% for a cement covering floor, 2.00% for a cement covering floor with floor heating, and 0.60% in the case of an anhydrite screed.

and provides ideal protection against residual building moisture. The product is also suitable for impregnating subfloors in chemically aggressive environments. For the glueing it is advisable to use the Adesiv dual-component glues. The substrate may contain a maximum of 3 to 4% residual moisture. The substrate must be free of loose pieces. Any damage must be repaired first.

What does a damp screen do?

The Primer Bona R410 is a solventless and waterless dual-component epoxy resin for priming, reinforcing, and sealing various substrates. The product is ideal for providing a seal against capillary rising damp or residual moisture up to a maximum of 5% CM on cement covering floors or concrete floors. Bona R410 is also suitable as a primer for Parquet Glue Bona R770, R777, R778, R845, R848, R850, R850T, R860, and Bona levelling agents. Diluted with Bona S100 Thinner, Bona R410 can also be used for penetrating substrates deeply.

Bona R410 guarantees very good adhesion on many substrates. This primer can be applied using a roller, brush, or spatula. The primer can also be applied in combination with floor heating.

A damp screen has to form a barrier between the source of the damp and the wood of a parquet or wooden floor. It has to be securely attached to the substrate (covering floor) and obviously has to be waterproof and watertight. Most moisture barriers consist of dual-component epoxy resin. Epoxy damp screens can usually be deployed with a residual moisture percentage of up to + 4 to 4.5%, but there are also damp screens for more dramatic damp percentages (up to 9%). As a rule, damp screens can be deployed on the most common subfloors with the exception of excessively damp anhydrite screeds (see above). There a few reasons not to apply a damp screen on a cement covering floor with residual moisture in excess of 2.5%, a concrete floor, or an existing tile floor. What is crucial is that the damp screen has to form a continuous barrier and completely sealed film.

Depending on the residual moisture percentage, we can identify two types of damp screens and two methods of applying a damp screen.

In two coats The damp screen is usually applied in two coats for covering floors with a residual moisture percentage of no more than 4.5%. The second coat (in many, but not all cases) is sprinkled in with quartz sand. Epoxy screens are applied using a roller. Consumption depends on the brand.

The waiting time between the two coats depends entirely on the maker and can vary from just a few hours up to a full day. The sprinkling is done after the application of the second coat. The quartz sand is largely, but not fully ‘absorbed’ by the epoxy resin. Loose sand must be removed afterwards.

In one coat It is possible to apply a high-quality epoxy ‘shield’ in one single coat for covering floors with a residual moisture content above 4.5%. Here, too, these are dual-component products which must be mixed carefully. The preparation of the substrate is essential. This must be free of grease and dirt and any cracks or bursts must be repaired first. It is also essential to apply the damp screen over the entire floor and a few centimetres upwards along the walls so that the moisture barrier becomes, as it were, an impenetrable tray. Depending on the brand, we now have to wait one to two hours until the surface looks like a uniformly level and shining mirror. As the epoxy gets a little harder, you can sprinkle quartz sand all over. The surplus quartz sand is removed by vacuum cleaning the next day.

A selection from the range Adesiv Adesiv offers the Adesiv Primer HE as a damp screen solution. This Primer HE is a solventless dual-component primer based on epoxy. Primer HE acts as a refining resin on dusty cement covering floors

Bona

Chimiver PRYMER SF 1105 is a two-component water-based epoxy primer developed for dusty subfloors, with a multi-layer application, it works as a moisture barrier. It is resistant to the inverse hydrostatic pressure according to the law UNI 8298 part 8.

PRYMER SF 1105 is suitable for consolidation of subfloors on radiant heating. It is also recommend as a promoter of adhesion for anhydrite subfloors.

Devo® Devomat presents two epoxy primers, namely Devo® Primer HE 2C and Devo® Primer Hydro Block 3C. Devo® Primer HE 2C is a solventless 2-component epoxy primer for dealing with residual moisture in cement covering floors. This primer can be deployed for a residual moisture content of up to 6%. The product guarantees rapid setting and offers outstanding protection against damp. It can be applied in one single coat. Devo® Primer Hydro Block 3C is a triple-component primer with very high watertightness. It is also suitable for non-absorbent floors such as marble, old tile floors, and such like. Thanks to the combination of high-quality epoxy binding

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

Floor Forum International 87

51

Special

Epoxy moisture screens

agents and the hygrophobic properties of quartz powder, Devo® Primer Hydro Block 3C possesses exceptional water-repellent properties and gives extremely strong adhesion. Devo® Primer Hydro Block 3C can therefore be used for applications where other primers are insufficient. Devomat offers a quality guarantee with regard to the application limits for all products. However, the fitter is responsible for its correct application, which is vitally important with damp primers.

Emfi Emfi presents Emfiprim Epoxy for damp floors. This polymer product is totally impervious to water or damp and therefore forms a solid moisture barrier between the substrate and the floor. Emfiprim Epoxy can be deployed for residual moisture percentages up to 10%, although they do urge caution because damp can rise up via the wall with very high residual moisture percentages. And so, that’s why the Emfiprim also has to be applied to the walls up to a height of 20cm. Sprinkling is recommended with the glueing. A damp screen seal is achieved with 500g in two to three crossed coats. This primer continues to do its work during the entire lifespan of the wooden floor.

Lecol Lecol doesn’t have any epoxy products because that is bad for public health. The company presents Wakol PU280 (in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK) as a damp screen with which you can work safer, faster, and also more cheaply. Wakol Polyurethane Primer PU 280 is recommended for improving the adhesion of the glue on the subfloor, if the subfloor isn’t strong enough, for providing insulation against damp in the subfloor, for binding dust in the subfloor, for binding unstable adhesive residue in the subfloor, and for reducing the absorbent capacity of the subfloor.

Mapei Mapei damp screens can be deployed for residual moisture percentages of up to 5%. The epoxy leaves a strong membrane on the covering floor. At Mapei we find damp screens in one and two components, each with a clear and specific goal for which they have been specially made. The Primer EP is an epoxy-resin primer in two components and it contains solvents. Primer MF is also a dual-component epoxy resin primer, but it doesn’t contain solvents. Eco Primer PU 1K is based on polyurethane. Finally, Triblock P is an epoxy-cement system consisting of three components.

52

Floor Forum International 87

Rubio Monocoat Rubio Easy Primer 2C Epoxy is a high-quality 2-component waterborne epoxy-primer. In one coat the primer can be used as a screed-hardener for poor quality substrates. This acts as a damp screen from the second coat onwards. Rubio Easy Primer 2C Epoxy can be used for up to a residual moisture value of 8%, but this obviously depends on various criteria (substrate and such like). It is necessary to apply glue within 24 hours with the use of an epoxy primer in two coats. Quartz sand can be sprinkled in to slow down this process. This also creates more points of adhesion for the adhesive. Quartz sand is fire-dried sand which doesn’t contain any residual moisture, so it is ideal for this application. The lifespan of an epoxy damp screen depends on several factors, which affect this. The rule is that as long as there are no cracks in the damp screen, it can still perform its protective operation effectively.

Soudal An epoxy screen is a system which, when set, creates an impermeable screen against rising capillary damp or residual moisture in concrete or cement floors. Here the maximum limits are 7% for concrete screeds and 5% for anhydrite floors. As long as the cause of the warping is limited to rising damp or residual moisture, the epoxy screen guarantees protection.

By sprinkling in quartz sand, you raise the surface of the epoxy coat again to guarantee the mechanical adhesion of the parquet glue. This is not necessary with the first coat since the surface of the substrate is still big enough to guarantee strong adhesion of the parquet glue, if it is applied correctly. Soudal does not know of any reason why the protective effect should diminish over time, provided that the epoxy screen is applied in accordance with the correct technical guidelines and the substrate is stable.

Stauf STAUF VEP 195 This solvent and water free primer is especially well suited as a moisture barrier on subfloor with a high residual moisture level. The maximum residual moisture permitted for this successor product is 5 CM-% for cement screed and 6% by weight for concrete. The 2K primer is an all-round talent in things concerning subfloor: It sticks to a variety of materials, even non-absorbent or very smooth subfloor. This also makes it suitable for use with stone, ceramics or tiling. In combination with quartz sand, VEP 195 becomes an effective repair mortar, with which you can fill recesses and holes.

∂ Industry news EPLF - MMFA Iran: Future market with high potential Fifty million square metres per year as medium-term sales potential for laminate and multilayer flooring is estimated by the association management of the EPLF and MMFA in Iran. Since the sanctions have been lifted, the two flooring associations are strongly committed to support and promote market access for their ordinary and extraordinary members.

On the occasion of talks with Iranian government bodies and related associations in February, managing director Peter H. Meyer was spontaneously invited to open the Woodex 2017 (International Exhibition of Accessories & Furniture Machinery, Equipment & Related Industries) in Tehran together with the General Director of the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, Mr. Amir Hossein Shiravi. www.eplf.com

MAPEI PROUD TO SPONSOR FITA IN 2017 Mapei is proud to be sponsoring FITA throughout 2017. The non-profit making organisation provides an important investment into the flooring industry, continually developing training courses whilst promoting up to date installation information and assistance to flooring professionals.

Mapei recognise the importance of passing on skills and best practice through training and demonstrations to the next generation of floor layers. Mapei’s Resilient Product Manager, John Monaghan, commented “The courses FITA offer provides a standard for the industry, along with important technical information about how Mapei products should be used to ensure the correct installation.”

FITA representatives, Richard Catt, Mick O’Flynn and Steve Ramsden recently visited Mapei UK HQ. The visit included a full laboratory and factory tour showcasing the strict quality control and manufacturing processes which Mapei implement to ensure that product entering the market is only of the highest quality.

Richard Catt, CEO of the Contract Flooring Association said “We are delighted to welcome Mapei to the growing number of companies that sponsor FITA. It is extremely important that we have the support of leading brands such as Mapei and a win-win for delegates who attend FITA courses and use their products. Training with up to date, innovative products is obviously important and it is a fact that what fitters train with is what they are likely to use as they move through their careers. Perhaps as important is that the combined efforts of companies such as Mapei and training organisations such as FITA join together to add value and quality in to the supply chain” Mapei products available at the FITA training centre in Loughborough include a selection of popular products from the resilient product line: - Smoothing compounds – Latexplan Trade, Ultraplan Renovation Screed 3240, Ultraplan Eco, Planiprep Skimcoat.

- Ultrabond Eco adhesives - Primers - Surface Damp Proof Membranes Flooring Product Guides are also available at the FITA training centre for delegates to take away and view at their leisure.

For more information regarding Mapei’s sponsorship of FITA or training events held at Mapei’s own training centre, email ukmarketing@mapei.co.uk or call 0121 508 6970.

Floor Forum International 87

53

Special

Top QUEBEC companies focused on export

QUEBEC IS STILL CANADA’ MOST PROSPEROUS REGION ECONOMIC GROWTH RUNS IN A ‘HIGHER’ GEAR Canada is a federal state in North America and a member of the Commonwealth. Canada’s total surface area is 9,958,319km², of which 755,109km² are water. Canada is the biggest country in the western hemisphere and the second biggest in the world, accounting for 7% of the earth’s surface area. Quebec is Canada’s biggest province with a surface area of about 1.5 million square kilometres. Quebec is so long that the northern part is in the polar region and is part of the constantly frozen Canadian Shield. Yet Quebec is not only the biggest province, but also the most prosperous.

A superb economic plan ensures a constant vitality.

The second biggest country The huge size of the country can be illustrated by the fact that Canada borders on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. Furthermore, it is roughly as big as the whole of Europe (if we discount Russia). The longest distance from east to west is 5514 kilometres and 4634 kilometres from north to south. Canada borders on twelve states of the United States of America in the south and on Alaska to the west (8893 kilometres, including 2477 kilometres with Alaska). The total coastline of Canada is 243,791 kilometres. Canada’s biggest province is Quebec with a surface area of about 1,650,000km² and the smallest one is Prince Edward Island with 5657km².

The oldest land masses Canada has emerged from the oldest land masses in the world. The bowl-shaped Canadian Shield, which covers a large part of the country, is said to be a billion years old. It covers five million square kilometres around Hudson Bay. In the north and west Canada becomes an archipelago of large and mainly low-lying islands called the Arctic Archipelago.

The biggest ones are Baffin, Ellesmere, Victoria, Newfoundland, and Vancouver. Over 40% of Canada is north of the tree line (latitude 60° north).

The province of British Colombia is Canada’s most westerly province and covers almost 950,000km². British Columbia borders on the province of Alberta in the east, the USA states of Montana, Idaho, and Washington to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the USA state of Alaska to the north-west, and the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories in the north. It is Canada’s third biggest province after Quebec and Ontario.

Manitoba Manitoba is the most central prairie province and lies between Saskatchewan and Ontario. Manitoba borders the Nunavut Territory in the north, Hudson Bay to the north-east, and the USA states of Minnesota and North Dakota in the south. The longest distance (from north to south) is 1224 kilometres and the widest point is 793 kilometres. Baldy Mountain is the highest point (831 metres).

New Brunswick The very woody New Brunswick covers almost 75,000km² and is the most easterly and biggest of the Atlantic maritime provinces. This province has a border in the north with Chaleur Bay and the province of Quebec; the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Northumberland Strait, and the province of Nova Scotia to the east; Fundy Bay to the south; and the USA state of Maine in the west.

New Foundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly province of Canada with desolate open spaces, high peaks, and extensive landscapes.

The province consists of the island of Newfoundland and the larger area of Labrador on the mainland. The two parts are separated by a fifteen-kilometre wide strait, the Strait of Belle-Isle. The surface area of this province is just over 400,000km².

Time zones

Northwest Territories

Canada has six time zones with a difference of four and a half hours between the east and west coast. From east to west the time zones are Newfoundland, Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. When it is midnight in Western Europe (Central European time), it is 4.00 p.m. in British Columbia, 7.00 p.m. in Ontario, and 8.00 p.m. in Nova Scotia.

The Northwest Territories are ten times the size of Germany and cover over a third of Canada’s total surface area. The entire province lies above the polar circle, north of 60° latitude. In the north lies the nameless highest peak of the Northwest Territories (2762 metres).

A large part of the Territories consists of tundra area or barren lands and ice sheets.

Provinces in brief Alberta Alberta borders in the west on British Columbia with its high and extensive Rocky Mountains. To the east Alberta has a border with Saskatchewan with its lowland prairies. Alberta borders on the state of Montana (USA) in the south, the province of Northwest Territories to the hilly north, and British Columbia to the west. The longest distance from north to south is 1220 kilometres, and 650 kilometres from east to west.

54

British Colombia

Floor Forum International 87

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of the sea provinces (Maritime Provinces), a peninsula of over 55,000km². One part of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, is an island and is separated from the rest of the province by the Strait of Canso. The rest is connected to the mainland by the isthmus of Chignecto. This province is hilly and forms the northern limit of the Appalachian Mountains.

Nunavut On 1 April 1999, Canada welcomed its newest territory, the Inuit Land of Nunavut. Nunavut consists of several islands, some of which are as big as England. In Nunavut the magnetic pole can be found at about 79° latitude. The military garrison Alert is located at 82.5° latitude, the most northerly settlement in the world.

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost province of Canada and the second largest with over a million square kilometres. Ontario borders on Hudson Bay and James Bay in the north, Quebec to the east, the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, the USA states of New York, Ohio, and Michigan, and Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior to the south, and the province of Manitoba in the west. The longest distance from north to south is 1690 kilometres and 1610 kilometres from east to west.

Prince Edwards Island Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada with its surface area of 5657km². Prince Edward Island measures a distance of about 200 kilometres from east to west; its width varies from 6 to 65 kilometres. The island is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and is connected to the mainland solely by a bridge, the Confederation Bridge (13 kilometres long). It is the longest continuous arched bridge over the sea in the world.

And then there’s Quebec Quebec is Canada’s biggest province with a surface area of about 1.5 million square metres. Quebec has a border with the Hudson Strait, Ungava Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean in the north, the province of Newfoundland to the east, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the province of New Brunswick, and the USA states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York to the south, and the province of Ontario, James Bay, and Hudson Bay in the west. The longest distance from east to west is 1570 kilometres and 1970 kilometres from north to south. About 90% of the province belongs to the Canadian Shield. Half of the province consists of extensive (maple) forests, tundras, lakes, and rivers. Quebec is so long that the northern part is located in the polar region and is part of the constantly frozen Canadian Shield. The highest points lie in the south with Laurentides Park at 1100 metres and Tremblant Mountain at 960 metres.

parallel. It covers about 1.2 million square metres, 72% of the surface area of Quebec. The area possesses one of the most important reserves of fresh water in the world, with about 500,000 lakes and thousands of rivers. It contains huge potential in water, wind, and solar energy which can be reclaimed. This huge territory comprises more than 200,000km2 of forests to be exploited, accommodates exceptional fauna, and forms one of the last areas of the world with high potential for conservation of extensive areas of unspoilt natural beauty. Recently, the government announced an additional input of 1.3 billion Canadian dollars. The premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, has announced the new plans. By 2035, the liberal government wants to see 50 billion Canadian dollars of private and public investment. The new version of the plan is an improvement in the sense that the native communities from the region are becoming more involved in the decision-making process.

Forestry in Quebec The Northern Plan has a strong underlying motivation in which sustainability and respect for natural beauty are key concepts. However, forestry has been an important subject for much longer. The province has at its disposal about 20% (760,000km²) of the total Canadian forest area (4,000,000km²). The centre of gravity of the timber industry lies in Quebec. Some important activities in woodworking are carried out by sawmills, panel manufacturers, wood producers, and paper producers. In Canada, three new trees have to be planted for every tree which is cut down. This yields a unique result in that Canadian forest areas are not diminishing, but increasing. The number of forests certified for sustainable forest management is also increasing year by

Economically strong from way back Quebec has a strong economy supported by extremely strong assets and is a leader in the field of research and development. The province also has at its disposal innovative technology and is way ahead in several fields: air and space travel technology, pharmacy, biotechnology, information technology, and multimedia. Apart from that, the major assets are the outstanding location, qualified and dynamic staff, a huge supply of diverse raw materials, and solidly developed exports.

Quebec’s participation in the NAFTA free trade agreement hasn’t done the country any harm at all, as it has opened up a market of 440 million consumers. A good 75% of exports are destined for the United States.

Furthermore, Quebec has also set its sights on Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Latin America for exports. The result of all that is that Quebec is more prosperous than other industrialised countries. Family spending power is higher and the cost of living is lower. Nevertheless, the government is continuing to invest. The Northern Plan (‘Plan Nord’) is a good illustration of that.

Northern Plan is progressing The Northern Plan, which came into force in 2011 and has been evaluated and modified regularly, covers the entire area north of the 49th

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ opm. Advertentie_FF_92.5 x 136mm_01.indd 6

Floor Forum International 87

55

10/03/2017 10:13:08

Special

Top QUEBEC companies focused on export

year. Various certificates are in use in Canada, including FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative).

However, in Canada they attach most importance to their own certification system (CSA = Canadian Standards Association), which was set up by the sectors involved over two decades ago at the request of the Canadian government. The biggest portion of certified forests in Quebec is FSC approved. The total surface area of FSC approved forests is 19,742,435 hectares. Officially, 1,418,646m³ of that may be

harvested (cut) each year. According to Canada’s own certification system (CSA), at the end of 2011, there was a certified area of 7,468,812 hectares, of which 5,845,350m³ may be cut annually. Finally, there are also 5,128,222 hectares certified in accordance with the SFI system (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). This yields a permitted wood volume of 8,728,000m³ per annum. The total surface area of certified forests in Quebec comes to 32,339,469 hectares, good for a permitted harvest of 15,991,996m³.

CETA is a fact!

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA Convention) between the European Union and Canada means a liberalisation of trade in goods and services and also includes measures to stimulate and protect investments. The CETA Convention was signed on 30 October 2016. The signing was delayed for a long time by objections from Wallonia (Belgium). Canada is a major trade partner for the European Union and, moreover, a major destination for many European investments. The CETA Convention means a liberalisation of trade in goods and services, and that means an end to the payment of revenue duties in trade between the EU and Canada. One exception to this is for some very sensitive agricultural products. The CETA Convention also includes measures to stimulate and protect investments. The existing barriers, which make it harder for investors to enter the Canadian market, have been lifted. Moreover, the system to ensure that foreign investors are not discriminated against or treated unfairly is being reformed and improved. According to supporters of the trade convention, CETA will lead to growth in the economy and employment. Trade between the EU and Canada should rise by 25 billion euros per annum. Trade between both parties will also increase further. According to the European Commission, this trade convention could lead to a total annual growth of 11.6 billion euros in the European GDP. However, CETA can also expect criticism. According to agricultural organisations, the convention has adverse effects for European pork and beef exports. Furthermore, there is also a lot of criticism of the mechanism which should protect foreign investments. This mechanism means that companies can file complaints against governments if government decisions undermine their investments.

BOA-FRANC – MANUFACTURER OF MIRAGE HARDWOOD FLOORS In 1983, Pierre Thabet took over a small carpentry business (Sain-Georges). Initially, the company produced unfinished floorboards and staircase steps. In 1990, they started producing pre-lacquered floors under the Mirage trademark. Two years later, they started exporting floorboards to the United States. In 1997, they built the sorting line. In that same year, the company became the first North American manufacturer of solid wood floors to obtain the ISO 9001 certificate. From 1999 onwards, the company has also made multi-layer floors under the Mirage Engineered trademark. In 2002, they built another factory and, in 2007, the company presented a new application of the Mirage floors, namely Mirage Lock: a veneer floor with a click system for floating fitting. Nowadays, Boa-Franc is one of the few companies which supplies the three different types of floor technology, namely solid wood, engineered, and glueless engineered. Over the last decade, the company has walked away with various prizes. In 2012, it received ‘The Grand Prize of Quebec for Quality’, the highest distinction, which is awarded by the government. In 2013, it was the laureate for the ‘Gold Prize’ during the ‘Canada Prize for Excellence 2013’. In 2016, it was selected for the ‘Best Employer in Canada 2016 – Small and Medium Enterprises’, gold level according to a study conducted by Aon. The company employs 400 people. For 2017, Mirage has announced five new colours in four different collections Cape Cod in the Admiration Collection, Frozen and Peppermint in the Sweet Memories Collection, Driftwood in de Imagine Collection’, and Nightfall in the Flair Connection. New lengths and the Dura Matt finish are also in the pipeline. ++001 418 227 1182 - www.miragefloors.com / www.planchersmirage.com

Kaneka MS Polymer™

European Coatings Show 2017 Visit Kaneka at Hall 1 - Booth 1-430 www.kaneka.be 56

Floor Forum International 87

dutchy qualit Omnitium veribus, quissusam dollabo. Tusda aut res at quibusant omnis autem qui odis int id mi, omnis denisciene pere illaccate eaqui cuptamu stemqua tibeatia deliberum, ommolo beatibuscia quo eictum explabo rporibea sit quam quamus utatibus, non repuda volo ommolor Meeting the demand abroad emolorest aboria destotatem ius sinveleofstiur? omniment Having toatibus speedaccumendae up an exportlaborectem plan after the groundbreaking success a newQui proalit, es dolor re ni ullandit, quodi utWood quamFlooring nonest,had vernatios Genia of cum comduct?

It’s exactly what Mercier to faceiunt withoccae. the launch theuta Element nimi, as quist nsequid eligent. products onutendio the Canadian market in 2016. Resulting from a finishing process that accenaturalexped oxidation, the Element Series generated such an enthusiasm Si lerates quia di wood’s aspis vitatem ut ium inci quatur? thataspera Mercier had Rum quo et to ut double fugiat. its efforts to meet the demand coming from abroad. «We soon realized we had a product that was getting traction beyond our expectations and Porercil id expe am archilisime cus. we ut absolutely had toquametur offer it abroad saysnobis Michel Collin, sum markeOlori dignihi lluptat sendi sooner odis et than as re,expected» quia dem que doluptia aut ting manager.

The challenge was successfully met by Mercier who is now offering the quaerit magnatu rerumquae experiberiam veror apel ium vellupturit ent quatur se iurion Element Seriesquis on the European market, widths Nam and platforms. conem quoditati mos et quat odit apid in utall voluptio. quo vel invelitaquos net ium estis +001 418 248 1785 www.planchersmercier.com / www.mercierwoodflooring.com natus evelecusam aut omnis moluptas il mi, voles doluptiis aut delent harciliqui sitis exped

MERCIER WOOD FLOORING

 The new standard in finishing oil!

Nisinus, nissi restis et dolor aute non perio. Nem eos ea denda pelitasitis as nobist mo quiam sae dolendae evernametur apiento id modigni mpelibus que que doluptas il il inciis aut litat autas aliqui velicil iquaspelles veliqua speruptibus enisquisimi, sum incta vererciis se Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring is a Canadian company which was formedverum in 1985 evel magnihiti to illiquis rem num corentis quidigni sequide llatiun turest, iliquis idi cusaperum by its current president and CEO David Lauzon. The company operates in 10 locations eum aut400 atetpeople. volorer They esciam volupti undiaec tiost,production sequis elesprocess etur? themselves, andvellaut employs take care of the entire Agnit porere qui tem rehenih of icteceribus dolupti conescid moluptatur sitatus from the careful selection the wood maximenditi to the finish of premium wooden floors. They use state-of-the-art all phases, both for susandaerio sawing (a hybrid sawmill) and sorditiundiam, quatiat technology empores autinidusa net voloribera commolu piendae ommo ting (high-tech scanner).

Lauzonvoluptatur, presents solid wood in three collections, namely consequo essitio dollorit, id quunt quibea quefloors postibus.

Designer (best), Essential.

Asruptiam regardsque the delecero finish, in et theet1990s, Agnatestior ad quoAmbiance cullaut od(better), etur? Quiand asinulp aribust expla eum the company developed the exclusive high-tech Titanium Finish, which contains earum faceper ionserunt eturestis restibus doluptatiam, senis eumquam si cullaturneitatecupt her solvents nor VOCs. For some types of wood they have also added a UV protection. An atetur?

Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring managesent itsquae own Ga.ecological Nequam, company? consequamAbsolutely. rente lab ium nimolupta consequi in et quiam, corernam forests, in total, are bigger than the state Theaceperi core business today nihil is aut which, int molorum faciis nonsequi rescit a quoof estConnecticut. eatet harupta quam rere, is Hard Maple. aut Neweost, for 2017 areant a number of neweos colours inetur? the Organic Sombra, quodi ut volendi ommos fuga. Omnis maxim Qui il esSeries: con cusandi siteRustica, and Minera.

They are targeting the USA, Asia, and Europe as export markets. nia dolupta voloreh enimpor rovitint doluptatius, apitiumquo volum, siti berepudi inus accum +001 514 509 5000 - www.lauzonflooring.com / www.plancherslauzon.com nit vellam qui doluptus in repeles voluptaque dem quis doluptur, occat.

LAUZON

Ribus. Musandes di ratem ut inullecume sam re la vel moluptatiant moditatem faciet veni archillab imusam int.

Gendi ma sum ditatius dit labore, nos best miliquas sequam vendusandam Whycorrorepudit choose PG Hardwood Flooring?

To get the flooring in the industry! late adita deriti doluptati nima INNOVATION doluptatem and quatquidiant quasSERVICE del mil mos mos qui choice unt lamfor de QUALITY, VARIETY, unparalleled makerePG themodi perfect nobis venderum non cullene every cuptaeyear eum latempedis dolo et volorporeany doloreria project, big or small.quiatius With new products and more than 5000 possibilities rioopen est, necaest, si dolentPG estrum que autem ad make. magnimi ntempora volorum, to you, choosing will beetus the simaxim best decision you ever Two hardwood flooring collections and three engineered wood products for all tastes and optatatur? budgets.

Prefer as a more traditional approach? have 17alis stains, 9 species, 4 widths and Ectet ipsa conem dion corumendi am ullabor We emolorum dolorunto milliquo quiasitet 5 finishes Looking for something moreetur, innovative?

The exclusive products of alitiis earumto autoffer. quosto molorum nihilliquo quas quo ilibus et26 atem estis aspe sita quiam our stylish Unique Collection are sure to Try PG, we won’t disappoint you! quiducius core nonsequam velluptatium etamaze. voluptatur molorio del etum cuptatio offic te cor+001verchic 418 796 2328ea- que www.pgmodel.com ruptati iliquia ratur, iliam fugias eius et quam sequissitam essus est que

www.vesting.nl

PG HARDWOOD FLOORING

Lat. Eratur, evenestiis eaque sita doluptusdae ea a et inimus vent plique pa conem. Ximin erianitatem nullabo. Nemquo veliquia quisque et fugiand itempossunt evel et as doluptatur a dolum eatio quatur eumBureau faccuptat.

The Quebec Woodaut Export is a private association that ensures worldwide proAximincium in nonsequo mo et exerferchic tem. Ipsam exerumquae et pel motion forexcerum its members and their products.

Our mandate is to eaquunt present the benefits and eum, exceati of idefloors, nonsequ omnit laut quodis diatianihit que nobitae vene quatur properties andiberum also theaut value of wood in general. sam, cum in rarecyclable. venihilignisWood ad mil maiocan culla doloreiciat.

Wood is quianda healthy and floors capture carbon for lengthy periods of time and that is good for the environment.

Forests are afugia renewable resource.

Ebis aperum aperrov iderunt dolut vellest, soloremperum consequatur?

Qui omni il The company members of our association aresiwell-known and long-established expormoluptiant autem verunt quibus aut quis ipsus dolorro ventent alique volores id que sitaquo ters. pro Theyessitem are companies you canqui trust. know how to aut manufacture great products, eation re, auditionsed odit,They omnimus, quam rae poremporem im qui ad advise you on best options and deliver goods in perfect condition. quatis alique vel your incimoluptis alibusciis exped your et que nonseque quam et maxim fugia de num +001 418 650 6385 - www.quebecwoodexport.com / www.canadahardwoods.com iliberspit quatiisciis essitatustem hariate is dellabo ratur?

QUEBEC WOOD EXPORT BUREAU

2O17

No more time wasted; cures in a split second!

Vesting LED-HardWax Oil is an unique, high quality one layer oil.

• vivid and strong finish • any preferable colour (20 standard) Industrial use: • 60% energy savings • low temperatures in processing • low maintenance costs • long lifespan LED-lights • no ozone emission • environmentally friendly

WOOD SCIENCE.

∂ Product news CIRANOVA - DECKING OIL DECKING OIL Ciranova is our newest exterior impregnation oil and has a double UV-resistant function. DECKING OIL has a built-in UV blocker, which slows down discoloration of the wood. DECKING OIL feeds and protects the wood and provides a water resistant effect. DECKING OIL is suitable for all wooden decks, outdoor furniture and sidings. Regular use of DECKING OIL increases the lifespan of your exterior wood. DECKING OIL is available in 8 colours.

Photo: Project for client Vanitar from Iran. Health complex + Sports complex

OSMO: VERSATILE AND EFFECTIVE The new Pad Holder with joint and the Hand Pad Holder are versatile tools, with which the application of coloured base coats on wooden flooring and the intensive cleaning of floors and decking are very easy. The Pad Holder with joint is quite flexible and can reach corners and edges where machines cannot. With the connector, the Pad Holder with joint can also be easily attached to the Osmo System Telescopic Handle. The Hand Pad Holder is ideal for working on smaller areas, such as treating kitchen worktops with Osmo TopOil.

EUROTEC DRAINTEC – DRAINAGE GRATE As part of the constant further development of our product portfolio, with steady growth in the deck construction sector, we are delighted to present our new system component: DrainTec – aluminium drainage grate The construction of an open-air space is accompanied by an extensive set of requirements.

In developing the DrainTec drainage grate, we turned our attention to the topic of drainage for façade and deck surfaces. The DrainTec drainage grate focuses on the detailed aspects of how these surfaces connect to building openings e.g. areas that connect to doors or transitions from vertical façade surfaces to horizontal deck surfaces. Its special geometry allows it to ‘trap’ the rain so that the water falls directly onto the weatherproof layer or into the gutter without covering the door element or the façade cladding with splashes. Heavy rain is drained off in a controlled manner.

The flat geometry (21 x 140mm) allows the grate to be combined with standard deck boards or fine stoneware slabs.

The aim is to ensure permanent drainage without a build-up of water. It can be combined with the Eurotec product range to create raised deck areas.

The DrainTec Drainage grate is suitable: – as an inspection and cleaning fitting; – even for low door-connection heights; – for creating accessible wheelchair-friendly transitions; – also for direct mounting on load-bearing foundations.

With the DrainTec the rain is drained off in a controlled manner and the rainwater flows directly into the foundation.

For more information visit our web site: www.e-u-r-o-tec.de

HD DOORMATTING SOLUTIONS Duo line consist of reversible (double faced) mats with remarkable strength and cleaning properties.

The two “faces” give the mat almost double the lifespan and can be inverted at anytime if severe aesthetic damage, however unlikely, occurs on one side. When choosing between durability, aesthetics, cleaning and drainage is not an option, the DUO line of entrance matting systems is the only choice.

Duo I19/ I26 Mat are roll-up entrance mat for mat well installation. The aluminium scrapers provide optimal course dirt cleaning, unmatched stability and robustness.

For more info visit www.hddms.com

58

Floor Forum International 87

Top Parquet Show

EFWEX EUROPEAN FLOOR & WALL EXHIBITION

14|16.03.2018

Flanders Expo Ghent (BE)

Visit www.efwex.eu

Discover the Future of Floor & Wall solutions

hes i ves

NEW

T

ita

niu

gy

Ad

lo

n

Bo

a

m Te c h

no

The Next Generation Powerful performance adhesives bona.com/