FFI 73 March 2015

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° 73, March/April 2015 - 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 Quebec Special: Producers of 3D decorative wood for walls

Preview of Ligna Hannover (DE) Special: Fastening systems for deck flooring

Special: Providers of entrance mats: a must for any project

Special: Indelible/water resistant floors in wood, laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

Special: Decking in bamboo & composite

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

Editorial

N° 73, March/April 2015 - Price: €8 - Published 7 times a year - (Feb, March, May, July, Sept , Nov, Dec) Of fice of deliver y 9099 Ghent X , P911092, BC 31359 — Responsible Publisher: Filip De Ridder

TOP EXPORT MINDED COMPANIES FROM QUEBEC Special: Producers of 3D decorative wood for walls

Special: Fastening systems for deck flooring

“Bamboo is no longer a novelty, but a fully fledged, qualitative, and aesthetic product.’”

Special: Providers of running mats : a must for any project

Anyone who has ever dismissed bamboo as a whim of fashion has certainly been proved wrong. The aesthetic

Special: Indelible/Resistant floors in wood, laminate, vinyl, LVT and PVC

and functional qualities of bamboo are as solid as Special: Outdoor bamboo & composite floors : dos and don’ts

a rock and its various possibilities and aesthetic improvements make it a worthwhile alternative to

Floor Forum International n° 73, March/April 2015 Photo WOCA

wood. Philippe Meeus from Bambootouch, a bamboo specialist company from Eigenbrakel (Belgium), tells us about market developments and Bambootouch’s ambitions for the coming year.

4 Inside news

‘The bamboo products market has developed even

8 Special Producers of indelible/water resistant floors in

wood, laminate, vinyl, PVC and LVT 12 Special Fastening systems for deck flooring 19 Special Flame-retardant lacquers/oils:

properties & legislation 22 Advertorial Devomat (BE) 24 Special Producers of 3D decorative wood for walls 27 Special Epoxy moisture screens

further in recent years. Nowadays, floors or other pro-

Philippe Meeus

(CEO Bambootouch)

ducts in bamboo are no longer a novelty. These products are fully fledged and provide a diverse, functional, and attractive alternative. As a company, we’ve always con-

centrated on quality bamboo products. In the past, we’ve seen some traders offer bamboo which did not always match up to the quality strengths and ecological features which bamboo does have. Top quality glueing and mass colouring, like that at Bambootouch, are essential for guaranteeing beauty and a long lifespan for the bamboo products. Our products therefore meet the strictest European standards and are certified by recognised professional technical agencies. At the same time, bamboo is so versatile that it can be used in various ways. An increase in usages was only a matter of time.’

31 Special Producers of Cross-cut floors 34 Company visit Impertek (IT) 35 Special Waterless adhesives 38 Project Buzon / Colruyt Jambes (BE) 40 Preview of Ligna Hannover (DE) 42 Special Decking in bamboo & composite 46 Special Producers of entrance mats: a must for any project 49 Special Multi-layer parquet with a genuinely old top layer 53 Industry news

How does your market strategy at Bambootouch reflect that?

‘We renewed our collections completely and extended them at the end of last year and decided at the same time to launch a new visual identity and new web sites. Our assortment now includes Bamwood, which is a collection of solid wood planks from pressed bamboo fibres available in a diverse range in the deeply coloured shades. With the Bamboo Decking Solutions (BDS) collection we have proved what bamboo has to offer with regard to outdoor terraces. Here we offer a choice between solid bamboo floors or composite floors. The Bamwood solid wood planks from pressed bamboo fibres are thermally treated so that they can cope with outdoor conditions. As an affordable alternative there are BDS composite floors, which contain 60% natural bamboo fibres and 40% high quality polymer.

Both collections provide an aesthetic terrace floor in attractive colours. Moreover, it’s precisely because we’ve found that the looks of bamboo products are extremely popular that we’ve also decided to add a range of LVT floors with bamboo decors to the range: Bamboo Flex. This is a collection of LVT for floating or glued fitting in class 34.’

54 Special Quebec 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 Adesiv

plays a part. With these mats there is less risk of ‘sliding’. Typical benefits of aluminium mats include the quality and lifespan and certainly also the added decorative value. Basmat mats are no ordinary mats. They are unlimited as regards sizes and they are ecological. They can be recycled. The structure is exceptionally strong. As regards cleaning, all you need is a vacuum cleaner. In the standard models (Atenea, Hermes, and Apollo) Basmat offers thicknesses of 9, 17, and 22mm. Basmat also offers one surface model and three special models: Artemis (9mm), Cronos (17 mm), and Zeus (17mm with no groove between the profiles).

Boere surprisingly versatile at Ligna

“ADESIV participated together with his client RANDALINE at the first international fair COVERTECH Qatar held in Doha from 4 to 6 February 2015. The visitors were interested in the proposed products, showing major interest in the high-quality parquet floors and chemicals required for their bonding and varnishing.”

Adesiv

PAVIOLIO 25 WB of the company Adesiv is a pigmented oil - based on modified vegetable oils- for wooden floors, for impregnation treatment of wood floors laid inside. It’s a versatile product that offers many possibilities to the user and can be over varnished with two-component water base varnish. Adesiv proposes the following colors: neutral, white, gray, teak, wenghè and cognac. TECHNICAL FEATURES: One component - High coloring and penetrating power - Possibility to finish with one application - Suitable for all types of wood - Good water and foot traffic resistance – Over-varnishable. Ideal for solid parquet or plywood and any general unvarnished wood elements. These oils were presented at Domotex Shanghai.

Basmat

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According to Basmat, the main advantages of a doormat result in fewer cleaning costs and less consumption of cleaning products.

Safety, too,

Customers see Boere as a leading company when talking about the perfect sanding solution.

Whether it concerns calibrating of solid wood or finishing of filmy veneer, Boere understands the customers’ wishes and translates them into detail into perfectly manufactured machines. And this not only goes for the processing of wood, but certainly also for special materials suchs as plastics, composites, insulation materials, imitation teak decks, HPL, rubber or fibre cement. These materials can be found among others in the automotive, facade, yacht building and aerospace industries. It is exactly these industries which require very high quality standards to their products and expect from Boere’s machines that they meet these quality standards as well. This enables Boere not only to develop new machines for new markets, but to bring to perfection the machines for the existing markets as well. A very good example is Boere’s sanding machine for denibbing. The past year Boere developed a method now enabling a furniture maker to reach a high-quality high-gloss finish. By combining the experiece in existing markets and the coorporation with furniture spray painters, lacquer and sanding material suppliers, a sanding machine has been developed costing 60% less than the usual sanding machines for denibbing. Now this high-gloss finishing machine comes within the reach of the small to medium-sized furniture maker or shopfitter. Boere will show the results at the Ligna. Besides this new development Boere will show the renewed texturing brush machine Select X-Line. Structure, character, depth and a rustic appeal of wood are still the aspects very much in demand within the flooring and furniture industry. Thanks to the oscillating brush system the wood grain will be smoothly followed resulting in a stripeless and soft feeling finish. When moreover first the X-Line units sands across the grain, the surface will be given a sawcut or scarved look resulting in a very powerful and distinctive structure.

Besides the machine, many different examples will be on show. Of course Boere will also show the products which have been sanded with a regular Boere wide belt sanding machine. Boere remains thé specialist in delivering custom-made wide belt sanding machines which are fully adapted to the customer. Boere’s guide are always the customer’s product and wishes. As far as Boere is concerned

∂ Inside news outstanding quality and life span go hand in hand. Therefore Boere will show at the Ligna the 2nd sanding machine ever built by Boere (in 1953). Today this machine still fulfils the technical sanding requirements asked for in the market. That’s why Boere dares to claim that a Boere sanding machine lasts a career!

Visit Boere during the Ligna in Hal 11, stand D16

– from accessories to various coating materials – of course everything based on natural oils and exclusively manufactured in our thriving premises in Sassenberg/Germany! International companies such as well-known parquet manufactures as well as retailers in more than 40 countries trust in our promise – so can you! Find out more about us: www.saicos.de

Saicos Our Promise – You can count on that!

Rubio Monocoat – Muylle Facon nv at ‘Trends Gazellen 2015’ awards

Quality, service, flexibility, ecology and innovation are the synonyms for the prospering company SAICOS Colour GmbH. Our innovative product portfolio contains everything that is needed for beautifying wood

Palissander

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Muylle-Facon nv, the manufacturer of the Rubio Monocoat range of products, has again been selected for the ‘Trends Gazellen 2015 edition’. All businesses in the Trends Top 10,000 list are analysed first. The participants are then ranked according to - turnover growth, number of staff and cash flow.

The growth was measured over a five-year period. Muylle-Facon is currently ranked third for the 2015 edition in the category medium-sized businesses.

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www.designparquet.fr

Palissander satin varnished

Floor Forum International 73

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∂ Inside news WINTERSTEIGER innovations at the LIGNA Hannover/Ried.

The special machine manufacturer Wintersteiger will be presenting its entire product range at the LIGNA from 11th to 15th May in Hannover, Germany. In addition, the company will be introducing two of its innovations for the first time worldwide at stand E48 in hall 12. The world’s leading trade fair for the forestry and wood industries provides the right backdrop for both premiers. Firstly, for the new DSB Compact 310 thin-cutting band saw: this machine is Wintersteiger’s offer for getting started with thin-cutting. And secondly for the new Banso X-Cut band-saw blade that Wintersteiger has developed: the saw blade with blade widths from 27 – 55 mm convinces with a significantly longer service life in comparison to tooth-tip hardened saw blades and therefore provides an enormous increase in efficiency.

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Hertog Vloeren

FLOORS & SURFACES

Since November Damien Ford has been overseeing the sales and marketing activities of Hertog Vloeren in the UK and Ireland. One of the earliest producers of aged oak floors, Hertog continues to innovate in developing aspirational floors. Having a flooring professional ‘on the ground’ has led to improved levels of service and helped provide expertise to existing and future clients. Damien joins the company bringing with him 15 years experience in the wood floor business both in sales and as an installer. Contact him directly on +44 7957-806891 or email at damien@hertogvloeren.com

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Cla ssen G rou p Wernervon -Sie mens-S D -56759 tr. 18–20 Kaiserse sch (Ge Tel. +49 rmany) (0) 2653 980 -0 info@ cla ssen .de w w w.cla ssen .de

Special

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

FLOOR SOLUTIONS IN DAMP ROOMS SEVERAL MEANS OF PROTECTION AGAINST DAMP

Photo – Design Parquet

Floor coverings come into contact with just about all types of damp in the home. We need to take that into account, that’s for sure. Some floor covering materials are 100% waterproof, so they don’t need any special protective measures if there’s a risk of exposure to damp. With other materials, which are more or less sensitive to moisture, various protective measures may be necessary. Depending on the moisture content, it might be enough sometimes simply to give the materials ‘ freedom of movement’.

Everything is ‘water’ We find water everywhere. And so, it’s logical that water has an effect on construction materials and therefore on buildings as a whole. The combination of experience and science has taught us to take this into account. Floor coverings are actually the best illustration to clarify the phenomenon of damp in a building. After all, they come into contact with every possible ‘source’ of damp. All floor sorts have at least two sides (a top and a bottom). For floors with a certain thickness, such as parquet and laminate, you also add on the sides. All the sides of a floor are ‘points under threat’. The degrees to which damp can affect a floor depend on the ‘source’ of the damp. Damp is present in the ambient air; it can come from above or below. Where does

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the damp come from and how can we protect ourselves against it?

These two questions are inextricably linked to each other.

Damp in the ambient air The relative air humidity (in percentages) indicates how much moisture there is in the air as compared to the maximum amount of moisture. Gas mixtures such as air can only contain a limited quantity of moisture at temperatures below the boiling point of water; that quantity depends on the temperature and the air pressure. If such a gas mixture contains more moisture, condensation will occur. With temperatures above the boiling point of water, a gas mixture can contain an unlimited quantity of moisture without the occurrence of condensation. And so, the amount of water in the ambient air is the result of a combination of damp, air pressure, and temperature. This makes air humidity a seasonal and regional phenomenon: Air humidity varies in summer or winter and is different in Scandinavia to Indonesia. Apart from the normal fluctuations to which construction materials have been accustomed for so long, it is fairly constant. In a room which is closed securely, relative air humidity falls if the heating is switched on because the absolute quantity of damp in the air stays the same and the warmer air could contain much more damp. If the heating is switched off, the relative air

humidity will rise again. Ventilation does not help to counteract low air humidity because when the cold air from outside reaches room temperature, it is a lot drier; after all, the relative air humidity falls as a result of heating.

Damp from below Damp can also emerge from below in two forms, namely rising damp from the ground or residual building moisture from concrete or a screed. Whilst rising damp represented a constant source of damp threat in a lot of construction work many years ago, it will usually arise nowadays only as a result of a fault in the construction (protection between foundations and the rest). Building ‘on the entire ground’ is altogether wrong. The second possible supply of damp from below is residual building moisture. This is the water which evaporates from the building materials and exerts an influence on all materials. For floors the biggest threat is certainly the damp in concrete or the screed, but the water from walls also forms a source of risk since it affects the air humidity.

Damp from above A major source of damp from above is surplus domestic or accidental damp. Using too much water or spilling water is extremely dangerous for various building materials, certainly if the water can seep down to the underside. Finally, the biggest degree of moisture flow is direct, long-term, and surplus flow. This brings us to the interior furnishing of showers. Although most of the contact with water takes place in the shower, the risk is fairly small since it is a choice made in advance and people take account of it in the installation.

Damp in the bathroom The bathroom is exposed to several of the aforementioned sources of damp. As we have already said, people will take measures against damp from the beginning through the choice of materials and the fitting method. Damp problems in a bathroom are very often the result of condensation. This arises due to the very high air humidity, especially in combination with mediocre insulation. The air in the vicinity of cold exterior walls will thereby cool off easily to below dew point, so those places will get wet and fungus growth can arise. Heating in such a situation is only a partial solution. The warm air certainly absorbs more damp, but a greater quantity of moisture then condenses onto the same cold surfaces. There will be no condensation on heated surfaces (above radiators). These damp problems will diminish through insulation of the cold surfaces, and especially through ventilation of the very damp air.

Indelible materials ‘Indelible’ materials are materials which are resistant to the effects of water. There are, for example, some wood panels such as multiplex or HDF in an indelible design. ‘Waterproof’ means that the material cannot be penetrated by damp. Important to note: The waterproof nature of the floorboard does not yet guarantee a waterproof floor. Some materials are more resistant to water than others; that’s for sure.

There is even a difference in moisture resistance (permeability) between the various sorts of wood. Beech and maple are usually regarded as ‘edgy’ when there is water around, whilst wood sorts such as chestnut, teak, and afrormosia are much more resistant. The sawing method

Laminate flooring to wet your appetite. Our laminate that withstands water. www.egger.com/aquaplus

Advantages of the EGGER aqua+ technology: The swelling behaviour of aqua+ flooring is five times lower than that of classic laminate flooring. It is perfect for floors which are often cleaned by machine. Our comprehensive aqua+ systems are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms. Now at your EGGER partner.

Floor Forum International 73

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Special

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

also plays a part here: quarter sawn wood (sawn in the direction of the heart) is less sensitive to ‘movement’ than flat-sawn wood (planks sawn next to each other). Bamboo and cork producers praise their materials as more resistant to water than wood. Floors which are engineered, and where HDF is included in the composition, are equipped with indelible HDF for damp rooms. Furthermore, as regards water-resistance, there is an upward line with composites consisting partly of synthetics being more resistant. Floors which are produced for 100% from synthetics have nothing to fear from water. Nevertheless, we notice that just about all manufacturers (from wood to PVC) advise you not to leave stagnant water lying around for a long time. The reason for this is that it would increase the risk of water seeping downwards and causing other possible forms of damage such as mould formation, stains, rings, and such like.

Waterproof floors Apart from the use of indelible materials, we can also make a floor ‘waterproof’ by applying a layer of sealant. Floors can be protected by means of a sealant top layer. The application of such a top layer means there is no direct contact whatsoever between the water and the material. This technique is used for some wood sorts, bamboo, and cork. As regards wood, it is clear that a sealant layer like this will have to be applied on site (even with pre-finished) in order to seal the joints. The same applies for that matter to glued cork floors and cork floors with a click system. Another possibility, and this appears a lot, is the provision of an elastic joint (in rubber or synthetics) between the floorboards. Such a flexible joint absorbs the movements of the material (wood or HDF) and it restores itself to its original position after the exercise of those movements. Joints can be supplied in strip form by the manufacturer, constructed on site using a kit, or integrated into the floorboards. The latter also ensures rapid fitting at the same time.

The combination of a sealant layer and an elastic joint seems to be the most reliable solution, certainly when it comes to wood.

Selection from the range Aspecta BV Aspecta has the Aspecta Five as a waterproof floor. This floor is made entirely of PVC and is recommended for bathrooms and kitchens, but not in showers. If this floor is fitted according to the instructions (i.e.

glued to the subfloor and fitted only in rooms with fairly normal temperatures), the swelling and shrinking will be minimal and within the limits of the European standard.

Recently, Aspecta has launched the Aspecta Erme, a completely new range with 24 LVT tile designs in a variety of vivid colours.

BerryAlloc The laminate from the Riviera collection from BerryAlloc tackles the problem of accidental damp once and for all. All planks in the Riviera collection are treated with a special water-repellent coating. This Hydro Plus® coating gives the floor perfect protection so that these waterproof floors can be fitted in all rooms, including the kitchen and bathroom. The floor is fully protected against seeping water and can be mopped. Even in the wettest Riviera by BerryAlloc rooms Riviera laminate is a good alternative to a cold tile floor. After all, who likes leaving their warm bed for a chilly bathroom in the mornings? With the BerryAlloc Riviera collection it is now also possible to enjoy the warm feel of wood under your feet in the bathroom as well. These floors have a lifelong guarantee for residential use.

Design Parquet Design Parquet presents a subfloor which shuts out moisture and allows you to fit parquet floating or glued onto a damp substrate (guarantee up to 10% dampness), namely ISO ALU. This subfloor consists of a bottom layer of cold glue mastic and unbreakable protection in aluminium. For glueing parquet onto the aluminium side you have to use Navycol PS. The subfloor has a thickness of about 1.7mm and a

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surface weight of 1100g/m². The subfloor may be fitted at temperatures between 5 and 40°C. As parquet Design Parquet presents the Navylam+, which can be fitted in the bathroom with no problem at all since it is made of fairly impermeable wood sorts, has an expansion joint between the planks, and is oiled in the factory.

Egger This spring, Egger is launching the Aqua+ laminate collection. Aqua+ is five times more moisture-proof than traditional laminate thanks to the use of a new type of HDF base and a water-resistant top layer which prevents swelling at the edges.

These laminate floors come in various decors with a natural texture and are suitable for fitting in kitchens, bathrooms, and also in commercial locations and hospitals.

You can also clean the Aqua+ range with steam cleaners (providing that the steam contact lasts no more than 30 seconds) or with heavy scrubber dryers (weight in excess of 100kg), which are often used in shopping precincts and health centres.

Parcolys Flooring Parcolys Flooring is the producer of Aquastep, Parcolux, Parcostone, and Hydrofloor. All these floors are specifically resistant to water because a high quality PVC core is used for the basic profile. The material is comparable to that of frame profiles. The top layer is polymerised decor layer, consisting of acrylic resins. Both the material from the base and the top layer make the floors indelible. Today, Parcolys is launching a floor tile, which can also be deployed as shower wall covering. The expansion is minimal. Rooms of up to 15 x 15m are possible with no expansion joint.

FPPI - Parqueterie Berrichonne Parqueterie Berrichonne presents its new assortment of multi-layer confluence parquet, consisting of a solid wood top layer on birch multiplex. The base is waterproof, so this floor can be fitted in the kitchen or bathroom. The finish (oil or varnish) protects the wood and ensures that the water stays on the surface of the parquet. Obviously,

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we are talking here about sporadic or accidental damp. These floors must certainly not be fitted in the shower. Slight expansion and swelling are possible, depending on the humidity level. However, with an expansion joint of 8 to 10mm all round, a temperature of at least 15°C, and a moisture content between 45 and 65%, the floor will restore itself. These floorboards are fitted with a click system (Unifit) and are available in various combinable colours.

Plastivan The LVT floors from Plastivan with a click system (4mm) or for glueing (2.5mm) are suitable for damp rooms and for intensive commercial use. The floors are available in seven plank decors and three tile decors. The floors are water-resistant since they consist of 100% PVC. Since these floors are subject to expansion and shrinking movements, it is necessary to fit an expansion joint all round. This expansion joint can be finished with a skirting board in the same colour as the floor. With surfaces longer than 10 running metres an extra expansion joint must be fitted which can be finished with a special expansion profile.

Quick-Step® Quick-Step® presents for damp rooms the waterproof laminate Impressive (Ultra) and the Livyn luxury vinyl floors. Both floor types are indelible for different reasons. With laminate there is a sealed top layer (new technology through which no water can seep through the joints). With Livyn vinyl it’s all about the material itself. Both the laminate and vinyl floors can cope with frequent contact with water. There is no extra swelling or shrinking as a result of the contact with damp.

If the floors are fitted floating, you obviously need to provide an expansion joint.

Timberline International BV The entire assortment from Timberline, especially Chapel Parket and Avance Floors, is waterproof. This quality is the result of the final protective layer which is applied. These floors can even be fitted in the bathroom, but in that case they need to be given a coat of maintenance oil more frequently. If water is removed immediately, there is no danger of swelling or shrinking.

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Fastening systems for deck flooring

TERRACE FASTENING …

IT’S AMAZING! THE NEW TERRACE CULTURE AGE HAS DAWNED

Photo – Archi Wood

The new terrace culture age dawned some time ago.

Today, the level of demands and responses has reach new heights. We’ve often called them ‘outdoor parquet’.

Don’t just call them wooden terraces any more. With the stunning, sustainable, and strong wood sorts available to us nowadays, we’re entitled to use the word parquet. This is even more the case for invisible fastening systems. Floor fitters now have a much bigger area to cover in a house, yet at the same time there’s the stress of clients who examine all the details. Gone are the days of nailing planks onto a beam.

Wood continues to seduce.

There was a time when wood found it hard to compete with tiles, or natural stone as a material for terraces and swimming pool boards.

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There were various reasons for that, but, in the meantime, those reasons have been refuted.

The possible choices Natural stone are available in a vast range of sorts, colours, sizes, and shapes. With tiles you could, as it were, design your own terrace, taking account of the colour and type of the home, garden house, and, if necessary, swimming pool. For wooden terraces the choice was limited for a long time to just one wood sort, namely bangkirai, with or without an even or corrugated surface. As regards colour, you had a choice between applying some colour (dyes) or allowing the wood to discolour naturally under the influence of sunlight. And so, anyone who thought about laying a terrace and had specific expectations in mind could extend their options considerably by not choosing wood. We all know that this has long since ceased to be the case. Nowadays, consumers

* in compliance with DTU 51.4 requirements regarding fasteners

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Fastening systems for deck flooring

wanting a wooden terrace can also choose from scores of hardwood sorts, colours, and shapes (e.g. planks or wooden tiles). Each wood sort has its own unique character.

Maintenance and lifespan The worst contamination in a tile terrace is the possible weeds which grow upwards between the joints or moss formation. With one single cleaning session early in the summer and a good dose of bleaching powder in the water, the terrace is once again as good as new. In the case of connected sloping terraces the problem of weeds doesn’t even exist. The low maintenance also gives consumers the feeling that they can keep their terraces in good condition for life. By contrast, people tended to have a certain distrust of wood in this regard. The perception persisted for a long time that wood requires constant maintenance and that the least neglect would reduce its lifespan considerably and lead to wear and tear, damage, and splinter formation. In the meantime, people have been forced to revise their perceptions completely. They are now well aware of the possibilities offered by wood and its maintenance requirements.

The arrival of experts Let’s be honest. Fitting a wooden terrace does require expertise. We have already said that a thorough knowledge and expertise in the realm of wood and how it reacts are absolutely essential. The wooden terrace market did go through a cowboy period many years ago. Several terrace fitters were merely odd-jobbers wanting to earn some spare cash outside normal working hours. Although many of them were certainly handy workers, who often had good intentions, in many cases they lacked the expertise of experienced joiners and parquet floor fitters. When the trend began to swing in favour of wood, experienced wood workers jumped on board in this market. Initially, these were mostly joiners, but nowadays there are more and more experienced floor fitters. The combination of attractive wood sorts and modern (concealed) fastening systems allows for such a high aesthetic level that floor fitters can also get satisfaction from it. At the same time, end clients are striving for perfection, so obviously that presents a challenge as well.

High-tech fastening systems In terms of appearance, a terrace fitted with an invisible fastening system looks far nicer than a classical terrace with visible screws.

However, the appearance is just one aspect. From a technical point of view, a system with invisible fastening is also infinitely better than a system with screws. After all, fastening systems take account of the wood’s natural movements (swelling and shrinking), which could cause havoc in outdoor conditions. When the wood swells and shrinks, a huge amount of force is exerted on the point around the fastening screw and on the screw itself. The possibility of the screw itself weakening or the emergence of cracks and bursts around the screw certainly cannot be ruled out, and is, in fact, quite likely. Moreover, the point where the screw penetrates the wood is always a weak spot. There, too, it is possible for extra damp to seep in and encourage the wood to swell and shrink. With most invisible fastening systems it is no longer necessary to put screws into the floorboards themselves, and with others where this is still necessary, it is ‘concealed’.

‘Absorbing’ movement Most clip systems are designed to absorb the swelling and shrinking of the floorboards. They are designed in such a way that the wood can swell and shrink provided that the fitter leaves enough space between the sections. To that end, it is necessary to take account of the humidity level at the time of the fitting. Clip systems make a distinction

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between wood which is dried in conclave and wood which dries naturally in the open air. One advantage is that the fitter no longer needs to take account of the wood swelling. The clip shows how far the planks need to be kept apart from each other. The existing systems require a groove (cut) in the sides of the planks, a groove underneath the planks, or no groove at all. The latter case has the advantage that all planks in all sizes are suitable.

The groove in the side With these systems a groove is made in the side of the planks over the entire length or at the point where they meet the support beams.

Almost all clips are fitted with ‘wings’, which fit into a particular groove.

As regards the screwing, there are two possibilities for these systems.

The first possibility is to fit the clips into the groove and screw them vertically into the beam, once the first plank has been fitted. After that, the following plank is slid into the ‘other wing’ of the clips and a second clip is fitted. And so, with this system it is not necessary to fit screws into the wood of the floorboard itself. As we have already said, it is the shape of the clips themselves which indicates the distance between the planks. The fitter no longer has to measure this distance. Another possibility, once the first plank is fitted, is to fit the clips so that the screw is screwed through the floorboard into the beam at an angle of 45°. This method is based on the principle of the ‘sunk nailing of parquet’. Screws are fitted on one side of the terrace section through the underside of the plank, whilst the next plank hides the screw head from sight. Both systems have the advantage of saving considerable amounts of time. Another advantage which some suppliers praise as a real ‘trump card’ is the fact that in this system the planks can be used on both sides (corrugated or smooth) depending on the client’s wishes.

This is certainly possible if the groove is made exactly in the middle of the floorboard.

The groove in the underside Another system provides a groove in the underside of the plank. This groove runs along the entire length of the underside of the plank. The clip system, which is designed with an upright ‘tooth’, is screwed into the beams in advance. It is then easy to click the floorboards into the clip systems by applying downward pressure. The big advantage of this system from a technical point of view is that the floorboards do not come into contact with the beams. This drastically reduces the potential bending and swelling and shrinking of the floorboards under the influence of variations in the climate. An aesthetic advantage here is that the fastening system is completely invisible. Not a single screw head is visible, not even between the planks. The fact that the planks can be removed individually without breaking up the terrace is a welcome bonus. As regards fitting, this method certainly requires much more measuring to determine the distances between the clips.

Systems under the microscope Architecture du Bois-Terrasses grad™ With the grad™ trademark, Architecture du Bois offers a pioneering innovation in the world of terraces, namely the Perfect Rail! Since 2006, over 600,000m² of terraces have been

fitted in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria using the now renowned Clip JuAn®. True to the soul which has inspired the company since its foundation, grad™ builds lifelong decking to complement that success. The big advantages: no visible screws, perfect insulation and ventilation, perfect alignment of the floorboards, the wood is neither drilled nor cut, and the fitting speed means a time saving of no less than 70%. 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-mounted on support beams (La Stabila) in treated wood (class 4) and available in various thicknesses. The most important development has been the assembly on rails. Alongside the Clever Rail and the Cover Rail, the Perfect Rail appears as the cream of the crop. The Clip JuAn® is mounted on an aluminium rail. The floorboards are simply clipped onto it. Fast and efficient! The rail and the clip together make up the ingenious system which offers nothing but advantages: greater stability in damp areas, easy maintenance, and easy for the fitter whenever a plank needs to be replaced. Mounting the Clip JuAn® onto an aluminium rail improves the evenness and straightness of the terrace considerably.

the right support

Archi Wood Archi Wood/Hard Wood Clip® Hard Wood Clip® is the invisible wooden terrace fitting system developed by Archi Wood. The stainless steel fastening clip (in a high-quality synthetic cover) is fitted into the grooves (side) of the floorboards and is screwed through the floorboards into the beams at an angle of 45° using self-drilling screws (SPAX in high-quality A2 stainless steel). Hard Wood Clip® is available in three types (3mm/5mm/7mm) to guarantee the correct distance between the floorboards, irrespective of the wood sort, the humidity level at the time of the fitting, and the weather conditions. Thanks to the black matt finish (non-reflective) and the antique brown colour of the screw (coloured in the mass), this system is most unobtrusive.

Archi Wood/Soft Wood Clip™ Soft Wood Clip™ is virtually the same fastening system as the Hard Wood Clip®, but it is designed exclusively for Thermo-wood or thermally treated wood sorts. The Soft Wood Clip™ is available in two sizes (5 and 7mm).

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

Impertek has an extensive range of competitive products: from the adjustable supports, like the extensions for jack supports, to the XL jack supports and MegaMart S.

An invisible contribution to make your world sounder and more durable.

Archi Wood/Square Clip™ Square Clip™ is a simple and efficient system for fastening terrace tiles invisibly.

The system is efficient and universal. The Square Clip™ can be placed or screwed

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Fastening systems for deck flooring

onto any flat substrate. No tools are required. The system also enables you to dismount 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, and that helps to ensure a longer lifespan. Square Clip™ is designed to allow the wood to swell and shrink naturally. The clip adapts to all wood sorts, sizes, and composite. The system is completely invisible.

that not every wood sort is suitable for fitting with clips. It’s also important in the case of fiberon and bamboo to use clips which are prescribed by the manufacturer.

MOSO Bamboo X-treme

B-Fix

B-Fix presents a range of solutions for terraces and swimming pool boards. The range includes several types of invisible fasteners: B-Fix One, B-Fix Black One, and B-Fix Border. There are also various accessories. The system itself is designed in stainless steel with memory effect so that the wood can move naturally and yet still stay in place perfectly. Each plank can be removed individually. The fastening system can be mounted onto three different profiles (Classic, Plus, and Premium) and can be deployed on an extensive range of wood sorts and composite. Thanks to the screws, the system adapts itself to different types of structures such as wood, aluminium, or low structure.

B-Fix can be applied horizontally and vertically. After more than 10 years and over 1,000,000m² of B-Fix fitted floors, the technical qualities have more than proved themselves.

Felix Clercx

With the introduction of Bamboo X-treme, MOSO has developed a truly ecological and durable alternative for increasingly scarce tropical hardwood. MOSO uses a unique patented process to alter the hardness, dimensional stability and durability to a level superior to the best tropical hardwood species. Although Bamboo X-treme may be used in several outdoor applications, at the moment the main use is for terrace decking. For installation to the subbeams, MOSO has chosen for metal fasteners as it has several advantages over the use of screws. These are traditionally applied for the installation of hardwood decking because of their susceptibility for torsion and deformation. The use of screws has as major disadvantage that the surface of the decking is “damaged” which has negative consequences on the appearance and functionality (intrusion of water). Furthermore, this way of installation is labour intensive and thus costly. Contrary to hardwood, Bamboo X-treme is very dimensionally stable with little tendency to torsion.

Therefore ‘invisible’ installation with the use of clips is possible, without damaging the planks and leading to a better looking result. The MOSO clip is made of stainless steel and has proven itself in the market for many years. Because of the smart design of the clip with small “teeth” sticking into the decking, the planks are permanently fixated to the sub frame. An added advantage of this installation method is that less fixation points are required, providing a time (and thus cost) benefit.

iDecKing

Felix Clercx presents various invisible fastening systems. After all, the clips are geared to the wood sort and usage in accordance with the features of the terrace planks. Stable materials such as bamboo, fiberon, and thermo-ash can be installed with the cobra clip. For hard wood, which swells and shrinks somewhat more, Felix Clercx recommends B-fix. Felix Clercx offers B-fix for fitting garapa, afri-kulu, and ipe. Cobra clips are recommended for bamboo, fiberon, and thermo-wood ash 25mm. For thermo-wood ash 21mm there is the Nova Clip. An important point for attention for floor fitters has to be

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iDecKing has two invisible fastening systems for terraces. Easy Click System allows you to secure iDec King Revolution planks simply with the foot. No nails or screws are required. Easy Change System is a system which enables you to install, remove, or transfer any plank using a special spanner. The system works with a base where pre-mounted, rotating nylon combs are fitted. The installation

proceeds five times faster because no screws are used at all. Fitting errors are reduced drastically. These systems put an end to all the traditional problems which can emerge with deckings so that the terrace has a much longer lifespan.

Protac Ouest

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.

The Deck/Terrace Clip invisible fastening system has been developed in co-operation with the manufacturer of NÖVLEK products. This fastening system is based on the Hard Wood Clip® system outlined above. The synthetic clip is reinforced with stainless steel. For the rest, the fitting and the principle are identical to the Hard Wood Clip® (see under Archi Wood).

Silvadec

Silvadec offers an invisible fastening system which is a combination of stainless steel screws and clips. Apart from the fact that the fastening is invisible, the main advantage of this fitting system is the speed at which the terrace is completed. After all, only one screw has to be fitted between the joints instead of two in a traditional system. The clip automatically absorbs the natural movement of the wood. The assortment includes different types of clips (simple clips, begin clips, and end clips). Whilst the Silvadec clip system may seem twice as expensive at first sight, the time saving is such that it absorbs that extra cost. Moreover, the client gets a terrace with a much longer lifespan.

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,

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

Respect

for people and the environment

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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. 28 rue Charles Martin - BP 105 - 69192 SAINT FONS _ FRANCE Export Direct Lines Tel.: (0033) 472 89 06 09 - Fax: (0033) 472 89 06 02- www.blanchon.com

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www.ciranova.be | info@ciranova.be | Tel. +32 (0)51 30 11 40

Special

Flame-retardant lacquers/oils : properties & legislation

THE ROLE OF ‘LACQUER’ IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FIRE THE AIM IS NOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPREAD OF FIRE

Photo – LOBA

There are still too many people who suffer at the hands of fire. Materials are subjected to specific fire safety requirements, both for new buildings and for renovation, depending partly on the purpose of a building. This applies equally to wooden floors. The way in which wood reacts to fire can be influenced in various ways. This article covers the relationship between two important parallel, yet separate items: that between ‘a floor’ and ‘a floor covering’ on the one hand and, on the other hand, between ‘ fire resistance’ and ‘ fire reaction’ on the other. In both cases we are talking about two terms which get mixed up with each other all too often. We do know that wood is inflammable, but it is not excessively so.

Inflammability of wood It is obvious that wood burns. And so, wood has been a major fuel and source of energy since time immemorial. In recent years, we have learnt a lot about the inflammability of wood or about how wood behaves in the event of fire, and also that at the very least we need to modify that inflammability. An illustration: There was a time when the fire service almost always insisted that for wooden buildings which were accessible to the public (e.g. associations, clubhouses, and youth work buildings) the supporting wood from the walls and lofts should be given a fire-resistant treatment. Today, we note that many fire services have abandoned that demand. Wood does burn, but it also has some other properties.

Wood is hardly ignitable Try igniting a wooden beam some time with a cigarette lighter or a match. You simply can’t do it! We use paper. This paper causes small pieces of wood to ignite, and they, in turn, ignite the wooden stubs. The moral of the story? Wood is not as ignitable as some people think.

Hard wood burns slowly Our second finding is that wood blocks in an open hearth burn slowly.

Obviously, some things depend on the thickness of the wood; oak doesn’t burn as fast as pinewood, for instance. The form in which the wood appears also makes a difference. Wood shavings, for example, will burn easily and be consumed more rapidly. Wood in pellet form also burns up very quickly. When wood is in the form of dust, it can even lead to dust explosions in a certain mix with air.

Wood protects itself As wood blocks burn, we also notice that they form a layer of coal. This is the result of a chemical process in which inflammable gases are emitted from 200°C. That layer of coal forms, as it were, an insulation barrier between the fire and the as yet unignited wood inside the wood block. And so, all in all, wood is a relatively fireproof material.

Floor or floor covering?

The first major distinction which we cited in the introduction was that between floor covering and a floor. Although people often loosely mix these terms up, they actually refer to something completely different.

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Flame-retardant lacquers/oils : properties & legislation

A floor is a bearing and structural component of a building. A floor has a function of separating two levels. Parquet is not a floor. Parquet is a floor covering, just like laminate, vinyl, linoleum, and ceramic tiles. The floor in a building is usually designed in concrete (sheet or hollow-core concrete slabs). The screed (or covering floor) does not have a bearing function, but forms the transition from the concrete sheet to the floor covering. This immediately clarifies the difference between a wooden floor and a form of parquet. A wooden floor is a floor. It has a separating and bearing function. If you remove a wooden floor, you can look down on the level below. If you remove a form of parquet, you can look down on the screed. The distinction between the floor and the floor covering is vitally important within the subject under discussion here because it runs completely parallel with the distinction between fire resistance and the reaction of the materials to fire. Whenever certain fire safety requirements arise for a wooden floor, they will relate primarily to the fire resistance and possibly in a secondary sense to the reaction of the materials to fire. Whenever parquet or other floor coverings are subjected to fire safety requirements, those requirements target the reaction of the materials to fire and not the fire resistance.

on the CWFT list (Classification Without Further Testing). For wooden floor coverings this is the European standard EN 14342 ‘Wood flooring – Characteristics, evaluation of conformity and marking’. This standard contains the relevant requirements for CE labelling and refers to the appropriate test methods.

Fire resistance and fire reaction

What do we actually expect from these lacquers? In contrast to fire resistant paint, parquet lacquer does not extend to protecting the floor (by ‘swelling’ for instance), but rather ensures that that material doesn’t contribute any more to the spread of any fire. At the moment, there are some systems under development so that the fire reaction of wooden floors can actually be improved.

In simple terms the fire resistance of a construction element relates to the question as to how long a material can continue to exercise its structural function. The reaction to fire determines the extent to which a material contributes to the maintenance or spread of a fire.

Fire resistance When we talk about fire resistance, this relates to the function of the building material in the total construction and the length of time for which the material effectively exercises 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 meets the following criteria: • Stability (R): Time that the element retains its bearing function (for elements with a bearing function).

• Flame resistance (E): Time for the duration of which no flames spread to the non-exposed side of the wall (for dividing elements).

• Thermal insulation (I): Time for the duration of which the temperature on the non-exposed side does not rise above a certain thermal threshold.

A building element always has to perform the function allocated to that element, whether it is a bearing, dividing, or bearing and dividing function. An element with a bearing function is an element which (whenever it is part of a bearing structure) endures external pressures and is charged with normal force and/or bend strength and/or shear force and/or twisting force. An element with a dividing function is an element which (for the duration which corresponds to the required fire resistance) prevents a fire from spreading to other adjoining rooms. An element no longer fulfils the dividing function when it allows flames or gases to pass through (flame resistance) or when the temperature on the non-exposed side exceeds a certain temperature threshold (thermal insulation).

Fire reaction The reaction of a material to fire is partly the degree of combustibility of that material and partly the extent to which that material contributes to the spread of the fire. Fire reaction is expressed in seven ‘classes’. Fire reaction classes are defined in the standard EN 135011. Whilst basically all floors should comply with tests according to EN 13501-1, there are exceptions: Anyone who mentions class F(fl) (the lowest class or the class which indicates that the product has not been tested) is exempt, and likewise anyone who offers a product which is

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CLASS

CONTRIBUTION TO FIRE

FLAMMABILITY

Class A1 Class A2 Class B Class C Class D Class E Class F

No contribution Very limited contribution Limited contribution Big contribution High contribution Very high contribution Unclassified

Non-inflammable Virtually non-inflammable Not very flammable Flammable Highly flammable Very flammable Easily flammable or untested

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

‘Fireproof’ parquet lacquer

A selection from the range of the makers who are known to us: Blanchon

Blanchon doesn’t sell any fire resistant lacquers in the literal sense of that term. Fire resistant lacquers make combustible materials non-inflammable or slow down the inflammation considerably through the addition of certain additives. Blanchon lacquers are favourably placed in the European classes and that is down to the qualities of these products, not the extra additives. Blanchon is active in all ranges of lacquers, including waterborne polyurethane in one or two components, traditional PU with seven products in two classes. The test reports show that the Belmont, Intensive, Polysolid, and SVP Aqua are in class Cfl-s1 and the Océanic and RA Aqua are in class Dfl-s1.

Bona The European fire resistance standard EN 13501-1 has stipulated seven classes for fire resistance, ranging from A to F, with A the best and F the worst. The general designation is usually as follows: Afl-s1: A = fire classification, fl = floor – designation for floors, s = smoke – smoke emission class ranging from s1 (the best) to s2 (the worst). The

entire floor construction is also tested i.e. adhesive, sort of floor (e.g. wooden, stone, or PVC), and finish.

Even if a wooden floor were assessed as suitable for class A, it would automatically be put in class B, since class A is reserved for anorganic materials such as stone, metal, and concrete. Various Bona lacquers have been tested against the European standard Bfl-s1 for chipboard (subfloor plate) and have all obtained a class Bfl-s1 rating, something which is certainly possible if you work with organic materials. This means that Bona lacquers do not make the floor any more combustible, although they don’t improve it either! If the subfloor had been put in class C or D, then the final test result would also have been in that class.

Ciranova Fire-retardant building products require a certificate. For wooden floors the certificates are included in the CE label (EN14342), especially in the section ‘reaction to fire EN13501-1’. On the basis of the standardised tests the products are divided up into classes (European classes), depending on their contribution to fire. These tests are carried out by recognised institutes, and as far as floors are concerned the most important one is the ‘radiant panel test for flooring EN ISO 9239-1’. An important detail in this connection is the fact that it is not the coating itself which is tested, but the entire composite. And so, the Ciranova product Aquafix project 2K is put in fire class Cfls1 (fl for flooring & s1 for minimal smoke emission) when it is applied in three coats (ratio of 100g/m²) on full oak (22mm). The Aquafix Project 2K developed by Ciranova can be used only on site.

a fire-retardant pre-treatment with RMC FR Base and a finish with RMC FR Oil. This provides durable protection and colouring via molecular binding. For the rest, they have searched for 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 Muylle Facon was awarded a Bfl s1 here is an absolute first, the B-standardisation is the highest grading that an oil system has ever achieved so far. The s1 stands for a major limitation of smoke emission, something for which they have consistently striven.

Tover In order to reply to the specific requirements of public places and especially emergency exits, Tover offers a two-component water-based fire retardant lacquer, Firestop SQ; the product was tested and certified Cfl-s1 in compliance with the EN 1350 European norm. It also matches Class 2 according to the even more restrictive UN 9697 Italian law. Moreover tests show that the application of 300 gr/sqm in 3 or 4 coats of lacquer enables to transform a flooring without fire resistance into Class C according to the European norm, which means that not only it does not promote the wood combustibility but it improves its fire reaction. Firestop SQ can be used both on sites and for industrial applications.

WOCA

Rubio Monocoat

With RMC FR Oil System, Muylle Facon claims to have presented the world’s first flame-retardant oil system to qualify for a Bfl-s1 certificate on oak. Since the whole unit is based on the signature technology of Rubio Monocoat, in which a molecular binding is created with the top fibres of the wood in one single coat, a coat is not built up, in contrast to many existing systems. The RMC FR System consists of

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The Danish technological institute for Fire Safety (DBI) has tested WOCA Diamond Oil and WOCA Hard Wax Oil and their influence on the fire reaction of a wooden floor in accordance with EN/ISO 9239-1. EN/ ISO 9239-1 is a European test procedure to determine the fire reaction, fire spread, and smoke emission of a horizontally fitted floor covering, which is exposed to a source of heat rays. The test was carried out by applying WOCA Diamond Oil and Hard Wax Oil to 21mm oak floorboards. It emerged from the test that the two WOCA products had no effect on the fire reaction of the oak floorboards. The test showed that the wooden floorboards (5mm engineered oak), which had been classified as CFL when untreated, retained their CFL grade after the treatment with WOCA Diamond Oil or WOCA Hard Wax Oil.

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Advertorial

Devomat (BE)

DEVONATURAL PRESENTS THE FIRST BIO-BASED POLISHABLE COLOUR STAIN

At the end of February, Devomat unveiled in preview an interesting innovation for the parquet industry, namely the DevoNatural Easy Colour. This is the first vegetal and polishable colour stain, which can be finished with varnish, oil, or beeswax with no problem at all. The parquet traders in attendance gave DevoNatural Easy Colour a favourable reception mainly due to the convenience, attractive colours, and absence of streaks.

Colour stain with varnish Before the launch of DevoNatural Easy Colour, parquet traders often faced a dilemma. They could opt for an oil, where they had a choice from a whole series of splendid customised shades, but there was also the specific maintenance which oil floors demand. Alternatively, there was a varnish finish where it was certainly possible to apply a colour stain first, but due to the laborious work they often opted not to do so. DevoNatural Easy Colour solves this dilemma. You can now combine the aesthetic and low maintenance benefits of a stain/varnish in a practicable and user-friendly manner!

Suitable for all sorts of finish

Polishable – no risk of streaks

DevoNatural Easy Colour is available in a wide range of modern and attractive colours and can be used for all sorts of parquet and on most wood, but also on furniture, doors, etc. DevoNatural Easy Colour is available for sale from April. The pre-release presentation of the

The new colour polish stain in the DevoNatural range is bio-based. It is based for 54% on vegetal ingredients and penetrates the wood deeply.

At the same time, it is very easy to use and is applied preferably in

22

strips between 60 and 80cm. Moreover, when you apply DevoNatural Easy Colour, there is no risk of streaks.

The DevoNatural Easy Colour stain can be applied using a brush, roller, or a rotary disc machine with thick white or beige pads. Different strips are polished into each other using plenty of product until the streaks disappear. After the application and the saturation of the wood, you leave the product to penetrate. Within half an hour, you then remove surplus residual stain with a lint-free cotton cloth or by polishing it with a rotary disc machine.

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The drying time is about two hours and then, four hours later, it is possible to apply, without sandpapering, the first coat of DevoNatural finish i.e. DevoNatural High Solid Oil, Solid Wax, or one of the DevoNatural varnishes according to choice. A finish with a waterborne lacquer is possible with the varnish roll because with DevoNatural Easy Colour there is no risk of the colour dye being washed away. And so, there are also no streaks in the final finish.

Suitable for all sorts of parquet

product at the end of February to a large group of parquet traders served several purposes. It provided an opportunity to introduce the product to parquet traders and to hear what they thought of this new finish method for wooden floors. Reactions were positive to a man.

During the demonstration of Easy Colour that evening, it emerged that the product is easy to apply, dries quickly, and yields attractive results.

The parquet traders in attendance said they would definitely be using this product in the future.

DevoNatural Spray Mop Devomat had more news. The company is also launching a handy and efficient spray mop for cleaning oiled and varnished wooden floors, laminate, vinyl, and stone floors. The mop comes with an easy-to-fit micro-fibre cloth and is filled with DevoNatural Hard Floor Cleaner or Oiled Floor Cleaner, products which are ready for use in a refill packet.

Consumers can start work at once. All you have to do is regularly spray

some extra Floor Cleaner onto the floor and then mop the floor with the micro-fibre cloth. DevoNatural Micro-fibre mops are produced from very sturdy material and are machine-washable.

Avantages: • Streak-free cleaning • Quick and easy to use • You work in a standing position i.e. no bending • For wet and dry use • Compact storage, no bucket required • Ecological – uses very little water • Economical – low product consumption • Ideal for stairs.

For more information visit us at www.devomat.be / www.devonatural.be

Devomat: 35 years young This year, Devomat celebrates its 35th anniversary. The Edegem-based specialist in materials, machines, and accessories for treating and finishing parquet and wooden floors was formed in 1980 by Gilbert De Vocht and Herman Moerman. In those days, the company developed and sold the parquet machines Woodboy, Woodmaster and Sideboy for the DIY market. Since the turn of the century, Devomat has concentrated entirely on serving professional parquet fitters with a range of machines and chemicals perfectly suited to professional floor fitters. They also offer top quality professional service.

In 2012, Devomat launched an extensive range of chemicals and finish products for wooden floors under the DevoNatural® trademark.

This product range, with its fresh and recognisable packaging style, is still winning over parquet traders with its cost effective and efficient performances. Since 2013, the board of directors has been expanded with a new generation of directors, namely Joeri Vervoort and Erik De Vocht.

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Producers of 3D decorative wood for walls

3D WALL COVERING – ANOTHER BONUS FOR FLOOR FITTERS LIFE, COLOUR, RELIEF, AND MOTION IN THE INTERIOR

Photo – TeakYourWall

Anyone who can fit parquet on the floor can do it just as well on the wall. Over the years, several floor covering producers have discovered that with their technology they can just as easily offer wall solutions as floor solutions. Take cork, for instance, which is on offer for both floor and wall coverings. Vinyl and linoleum were in fashion for a long time as alternatives to kitchen and bathroom tiles. A pretty tile pattern in a roll, a quick fit, and easy to clean. Today, wooden wall coverings are making a fresh entry, this time in 3D.

3D… real or illusion The concept of three-dimensional or 3D indicates that something has three geometrical dimensions, namely depth, breadth, and height.

Examples of three-dimensional items include a ball, a pyramid, or a spatial object such as a shoe box. The abbreviation 3D is generally used to indicate that something can be perceived as spatial e.g. 3D photographs, 3D film, or 3D computer graphics. It is not always clear what this means. The term 3D is often used for computer games, where it means that perspective images are shown.

Trickery The term 3D is also used, however, for the technique known as stereoscopy, whereby two different images are presented, one for the left eye and one for the right. Stereo images are not really spatial,

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Photo – Atmosphère & bois

but it is possible to create the impression by means of certain tricks (for instance, using spectacles with red glass and blue glass) that the image is three-dimensional. The term 3D in this case refers to unexpected visual images. People expect a two-dimensional image, but they see depth in the image before them and perceive it to be three-dimensional.

Trickery in decoration We’ve been familiar with what is described above for years in both interior design and floor covering, perhaps without realising it. Digital print technology has changed a lot. Wallpaper makers reached a point where they realised that they had to shed their antiquated image by giving wallpaper added value. They gave wallpaper some ‘depth’. If you take a flower arrangement and play with the size of the arrangements and the incidence of light, you can create a 3D effect. An illusion, of course! Yet some laminate producers also use this technique to create the impression that a laminate floor has a bevelled edge, even though this is not the case. The advantage? It looks like a country house floor, but it is easier to clean because it doesn’t have a real groove where dirt could accumulate.

A decorative choice Do you want a neutral or vivid wall? This is a pure trend phenomenon.

We’ve witnessed a long phase of minimalism with the wall as neutral as

possible to draw attention elsewhere. Many designers saw as a persuasive argument the fact that neutral walls provide better exposure for wall paintings and other works of art. Take a snow white wall and hang on it a colourful painting by any Cobra artist, and you create a unique space in the house. Nowadays, we see scores of possibilities to elevate the wall to a work of art in itself. As a result of the large area taken up by the wall in a room, a wall covering usually has a big influence on the atmosphere within the room. You can use the wall to change your entire interior.

on a base. An exclusive effect is obtained by fitting the inner and outer sides of the shell alternately so that these are on show. The maxim is still that a 3D effect is achieved by playing with the dimensions.

A selection from the range Atmosphere & Bois

Wall design Wall decoration in 3D has the potential to affect the room. For example, depending on whether you apply wallpaper with geometrical figures horizontally or vertically, it makes the wall shorter, longer, or higher.

Recently, producers have come up with wall panels made of different materials and, in some cases, designed to be painted over so that the wall is in harmony with the rest of the interior. We find panels in gypsum with all sorts of geometric shapes. There are panels in synthetics, MDF, and wood. These panels can be included in the interior as a covering for an entire wall or simply as a highlight. In this sense they can be either dominant or modest. Designs are also appearing in different styles (e.g. sober or lively), but it is noticeable that geometric figures are used mainly to create special effects e.g. circles, right angles and derivatives, windows, or tile shapes in various bonds (blocks or brick bond).

Where does the 3D effect come from? The shapes usually have different (alternating) dimensions and different thicknesses (depths) so that you certainly create a three-dimensional effect (length x breadth x height).

Atmosphère & Bois, a company based at Limelette in Belgium, is a specialist in importing wood which comes originally from old sheds in Canada and Europe. This old wood is dismantled and then treated so that it can serve as both indoor and outdoor decoration. This is mainly hemlock or white pine. The wood is treated and cleaned, and any mould and insects are removed. It is then ready to start a new life. This special

3D parquet on the wall Parquet on the wall – and why not? It means yet another extension to the floor fitter’s work domain since they can now also take care of both the floor and wall coverings. Wooden floorboards which are fitted on a wall, just like a strip parquet and in scores of possible designs and patterns, take on a three-dimensional shape if the strips are in different sizes and thicknesses.

Panels or customised?

This option is also available in panel form, but floor fitters who love a challenge could just as easily fit panels on the client’s premises. As for finish and sandpapering, the different thicknesses obviously don’t make the job any easier. With panels designed in the waste from the woodworking (parquet production or some other process) it is also possible to create attractive mosaic effects.

Various ‘fitting’ patterns And so, every imaginable design is possible. All the classic fitting patterns of traditional parquet can be applied just as well to the wall e.g. strip, mosaic, end grain blocks, and various bonds. You could create a unique effect with the design of a 3D wall in cross-cut. As for shapes, it is possible to create just about any geometrical figure, although we have noticed in the (still limited) range that makers who have discovered this niche still tend to stick with ‘traditional patterns’ or real ‘puzzles’.

Other materials There are lots of other materials which have been in the floor fitter’s range for a long time and which can be used to create 3D wall covering. For example, it is perfectly possible to create highly special effects with bamboo blocks in various thicknesses. The same applies to a wall covering in cork with various dimensions mixed together. And what about the waste from coconut shells? You can cut out small, identical squares from the coconut shells which are then glued into a mosaic

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Special

Producers of 3D decorative wood for walls

material makes it possible to create splendid and unique products: exclusive annexes, wooden floors, terraces, and exterior wall cladding.

The Petit Patchwork range of wall covering is available in shades of grey, horse chestnut brown, and red or in an elegant mixture of colours and is suitable for modern, rustic, and classic interiors. It is sold in the form of planks (in 3D or otherwise) in a set thickness of 18mm, a width of 90mm, and four different lengths (20, 40, 60, and 80cm). The Petit Patchwork wall covering can be glued directly onto the wall (BA13), can be glued onto multiplex, or can be nailed. As regards fire safety, this wood is compliant with class D (Dfl) of the European standard EN 13501-1 and can also be treated and certified by Atmosphère & Bois so that it would qualify for fire class B (Bfl).

be sold in various colours. The blocks are pre-fitted on a panel of 60 x 15cm and have recesses on the sides. And so, you can fit subsequent panels together securely with a sort of tongue and groove system. The compact measure means that filling on the rear side is usually sufficient. Q2 is a layer product with tongue and groove in sizes 7, 9, 12, and 14cm wide and is 13mm thick.

TeakYourWall Recycled teak as a stylish wall covering

Muratto Muratto offers various wall furnishings in cork and wood, namely wonder wall, teak your wall, and various sorts of wall cork 3 or 4mm thick.

Revan is the importer of the Muratto collection (www.muratto.be), which stands out from other wall furnishings for its unique design and the varied decorative options.

This wall furnishing is unique amongst other things for its insulation in terms of both sound and heat. As a highlight this collection makes a big difference to the interior.

Parketfabriek Lieverdink

TeakYourWall is a range of special wall coverings which are made for 100% from recycled teak wood. The wood on the wall panels comes originally from old wrecks from ships or little old teak houses. The entire production process takes place in the company’s own factory in Indonesia: drying, removing nails, sawing and glueing the blocks onto plywood (6mm), sandpapering, and, if necessary, a finish with a colourless or somewhat darker lacquer. The panels can be fitted horizontally or vertically, they require little maintenance, and they improve the acoustics. Each panel is unique and TeakYourWall offers 15 designs. The TeakYourWall range includes: - Skin Panel S and Skin Panel L and MATRIX with various natural wood shades (‘S’ dimensions: 30*120*2.4, 37*117*2.4 or ‘L’ dimensions: 30 * 120 *2.6 of 37*117*2.6) - Java SP SMALL TINY and LARGE: 37* 117 *2.6 - SQUARE: square blocks of 6, 5, or 10cm, dimensions: 37 *117 *15 - Java Rustic and Java White Wash: 90% teak and 10% other tropical hardwood, dimensions: 117*37 You will find a complete list of products on www.teakyourwall.be

Vetedy

Parketfabriek Lieverdink has been receiving requests for wall coverings in wood for some time. With a rigid covering the company uses Q2.

Sometimes, the floor runs into the wall, and the Q2 dual-layer parquet lends itself ideally to this. Recently, Parketfabriek Lieverdink has started offering a new product, namely Wood Bricks. Consumers are increasingly changing over to luxury wall covering. Wood Bricks is one of the newest, organic, and decorative wall coverings to fit in with this ongoing trend. Natural and authentic are key words in this trend. Wood Bricks and Q2 are within the parquet specialist’s scope. Consumers are looking for wooden floors and this wall covering fits in perfectly. This provides extra sales opportunities with a ‘real’ wood product. Wood Bricks 3 D blocks have a lightly sloping relief. Parketfabriek Lieverdink offers them in natural and smoked wood, but obviously they can also

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Vetedy presents wall furnishings in solid wood. These furnishings are in different sorts of wood, including thermally treated Norwegian pine, thermally treated poplar, iroko, padouk, yellow pine, and thermally treated yellow pine. In the field of 3D wall furnishings Vetedy offers solid iroko and padouk. The 3D system is a technical system with concealed fastening and with joints of 5.5, 10, 20, or 30mm respectively. The joints contain sound-insulation spacers for extra acoustic comfort. LED lights can also be fitted in the joints.

Special

Epoxy moisture screens

EPOXY - THE ULTIMATE MOISTURE BARRIER THE BEST GUARANTEE AGAINST RESIDUAL BUILDING MOISTURE

Photo – Henkel/Thomsit

Elsewhere in this edition we consider again the various sorts of damp in the atmosphere, especially in buildings.

That article explains that it is absolutely crucial to define any damp problem correctly in order to apply the proper protection. Damp from below, whether it is residual building moisture or rising damp, always requires specific attention and solid measures. Epoxy moisture barriers are usually the most suitable protection for anyone looking to deal with damp from below.

Patience is a virtue The most dangerous form of damp with the most drastic consequences is residual building moisture which rises from the screed.

According to the BBRI, the maximum permissible residual moisture percentage in the screed is 2.5% and 2% with floor heating. For an anhydrite screed this percentage is 0.60%. If those percentages are exceeded, the fitting has to be postponed or you have to take protective measures. Sadly, floor fitters don’t come into play until the final phase. Working in that phase often involves a race against the clock to finish on schedule. Indeed, parquet floor fitters are increasingly facing extremely tight deadlines, certainly in new buildings. Furthermore, it’s precisely because they are in the last phase that it is likely that many of the workers in earlier phases (e.g. structure, plumbing, or electricity) will have used up a lot of precious working time, so those professionals at the finish find themselves under extra pressure to hurry. It’s not

unusual for floor fitters to face excessive residual moisture percentage in the screed so that wooden floor fitting comes under threat.

An epoxy moisture barrier can give relief, sometimes even for residual moisture percentages above 4%. Nevertheless, the golden rule is still to wait for the moisture content to fall naturally (or to force it down, if necessary) to an acceptable level. If there’s no alternative …

Damp protection When fitting floating wooden floors or laminate, the best solution to counteract the risks of damp is to fit a foil. The foils available usually consist of synthetics. Highly popular synthetics for damp foils include polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyisobutylene (PIB).

The foils are available in rolls in various widths. They need to be fitted with an overlap of 30cm and run up at the edge against the wall to 2cm above the final floor height. Any damage to the foil must be repaired or else the entire subfloor loses its value (you could compare it to a leaky bucket). Apart from foils, there are also some chemical treatments to safeguard the substrate. We make a distinction here between primers and epoxy screens/moisture barriers. The primers include the most popular primers based on polyurethane. Some of those primers serve primarily as screen reinforcement, but they are also applied in two coats as moisture barriers. Apart from these PU primers, there are also damp screens which operate on a dispersion basis. The best guarantee against surplus residual moisture is still an epoxy moisture barrier.

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Floor Forum International 73

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Special

Epoxy moisture screens

Epoxy as a raw material Epoxy is a thermo-hardening synthetic which can be used to help produce composites. In combination with glass fibre or clothing they are applied as sturdy, lightweight materials. During production, the material is liquid thin and lends itself to impregnating fibre material. The composites made in this way are weatherproof and waterproof and are used to produce items such as sailing boats. Epoxy is also used as a basis for many products. A few examples include epoxy glue/epoxy resin, paint (wet paint and powder paint), floors, and print plates for electronic switches. Epoxy has a compressive strength and tensile strength twice that of concrete. Due to its liquid density it can be used in many operations, including as a floor application. Epoxy floors have become popular for industrial applications due to their durability and waterproof qualities. At present, epoxy floors are used for several applications such as in offices and homes for a modern or industrial ‘look’. Epoxy floors are available in all colours.

Epoxy as moisture protection The best guarantee against residual moisture is still an epoxy moisture barrier. Epoxy moisture barriers can usually be deployed with a residual moisture percentage of up to + 4 to 4.5%, but there are also moisture barriers for higher moisture percentages (up to 9%). As a rule, moisture barriers can be deployed on most current subfloors with the exception of excessively damp anhydrite screeds. On a cement covering floor which contains more than 2.5% residual moisture, a concrete floor, or an existing tile floor there are few reasons not to fit a moisture barrier. The crucial factor is that the moisture barrier must form a continuous barrier and a completely sealed film. For covering floors which show a residual moisture percentage of a maximum of 4.5% the moisture barrier is generally applied in two coats. The second coat (in many but not all) cases is sprinkled with quartz sand. For covering floors with a residual moisture percentage which is higher than 4.5% you can apply a high quality epoxy ‘shield’ in one single coat. Here, too, we are talking about dual component products which have to be mixed carefully. With these moisture barriers the makers usually recommending applying them with a notched trowel. It is also important that the moisture barrier is applied only a few centimetres upwards over the entire floor and along the walls so that the moisture barrier becomes, as it were, an impenetrable tray.

What is quartz sand?

Sprinkling quart sand may be necessary to improve the mechanical adhesion (anchoring) of the parquet adhesive. Quartz sand, silver sand, or white sand is a fine-grain, white, and extremely pure sand with a layer of iron content. It consists almost entirely of quartz (SiO2). That’s what makes it particularly suitable for the glass industry. It forms 60-65% of the glass mass and is used in large quantities in that industry. The less pure sand emitted during the reaping finds a use as raising sand.

It’s used not only in the high quality glass industry, for instance to produce television screens, until recently the most important component of a television screen, but also finds an application in the fine-ceramic industry as a raw material for enamel and China, the chemical industry, and in foundries. To that end it is used as a raw material for heat-resistant materials. Moreover, it is applied in detergents, abrasives, and adhesives. The fact is that it is a raw material for silicium carbide (abrasive), for instance. The most important quality criteria for quartz sand are the percentages of quartz (SiO2), aluminium oxide (Al2O3), and the iron content Fe²O3). The more quartz, and the less aluminium oxide and iron, the purer and better it is. Furthermore, the mother material must not contain any grains which are bigger than 2000 micrometres (2mm). for most glass applications the maximum grain diameter is 500 micrometres (0.5mm).

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A selection from the range Adesiv The nature of the epoxy resin is suitable for the creation of a primer that can serve as a vapor and residual moisture barrier that can be stopped if it is between 4% and 5%. Of course our products, when are used according to the Instructions, can prevent the bending of the wooden floor. The epoxy primer once hardened have a smooth surface such as glass. In this case the use of the sand is always advised to allow a good gripping of the adhesive on the surface where the parquet will be applied. An epoxy primer when cured practically is eternal.

Bostik Bostik Eponal 336 is a 2-component epoxy resin primer and a moisture barrier. The resin Eponal forms a solvent-free dual component coat of epoxy on cement-based substrates or old tile floors loaded with capillary rising damp. After that, you can apply a levelling agent, a parquet adhesive, or a tile glue. Eponal 336 can also be used as reinforcement for the substrate (covering floor).

Bostik Eponal 336 is the solution par excellence for safe and durable fitting of floor coverings on a substrate subject to rising damp (moisture percentage up to 10CM%). Moreover, Bostik Eponal 336 prevents the emission of radon. Radon is an odourless, colourless, and radioactive gas of natural origin. Due to its gaseous condition, radon can escape from the soil or from building materials. The lifespan of this Eponal 336 is unlimited and it can withstand negative pressure of 10 bars.

Chimiver Chimiver has a large range of sealants suitable for subfloors with a residual moisture content of no more than 5%. The best seller is Prymer SF1105 which is a 2-components water-based epoxy primer suitable for dusty, very dry and crumbling subfloors and for preventing rising damp in absorbent subfloors. It has excellent penetrative properties and can also be used on anhydrite covering floors. The residual humidity allowed during the installation of a wooden floor is 5% in a 6cm thick substrate.

Devomat Devomat Industries NV offers its clients three solutions to counteract residual moisture. Devo Primer HE 2C is a solvent-free dual component epoxy primer for insulating residual moisture in cement covering floors.

Devo Primer Hydro Block 3C is a triple component primer which is highly waterproof. It is also suitable for non-absorbent floors such

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Special

Epoxy moisture screens

as marble, old tile floors, and such like. Devo Primer Express PU is a very fast-drying PU primer, which contains no water or solvents, for fixing dusty covering floors and screeds and as an insulation layer for the residual moisture.

Sprinkling quartz sand may be necessary to improve the mechanical adhesion (anchoring) of the parquet adhesive. However, most of these primers/adhesives with the right combination offer such strong chemical binding (within 36 hours with parquet glueing) that in many cases there is no need to sprinkle quartz sand. However, at all events sprinkling quartz sand on top will improve the adhesion.

Henkel/Thomsit Thomsit R 755 is a dual component epoxy moisture barrier to treat porous mineral substrates, especially where intensive use is expected. This moisture barrier is also suitable as isolation against capillary rising damp or residual moisture in concrete or cement floors, up to max. 6%, and can be used for floors with floor heating. To block capillary rising damp or residual moisture: Apply two coats of R 755 to the substrate crosswise to each other. Distribute about 2 kg/m² Thomsit of quartz sand into the last coat (thickness 0.3-0.7 mm). The processing time is 30 minutes. This time is shorter at higher temperatures, and longer at lower temperatures. Setting depends on the surrounding temperature and relative air humidity.

Mapei The moisture barriers from Mapei can be deployed up to residual moisture percentages up to 5%. The epoxy puts a strong membrane on the covering floor. At Mapei we find moisture barriers in single and dual component products, all with a clear and specific purpose for which they have been formulated. The Primer EP is a primer which contains solvents and is based on epoxy resins in two components. Primer MF is also a dual component epoxy resin, but it doesn’t contain any solvents. Eco Primer PU 1K is based on polyurethane. Finally, the Triblock P is an epoxy cement system consisting of three components.

Rectavit Rectavit 2K Epoxy Moisture Barrier is an extremely reliable, durable system, which achieves strong adhesion on both a large number of substrates and with a number of adhesives. Moreover, it also creates a virtually impermeable layer for water. In the event of excessive capillary pressure of the water it is better to us a floating system. The residual moisture percentage in concrete and cement-bound covering

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floors can be as high as 7%. With anhydrite covering floors this must not exceed 5%. These tolerances are lower if there is floor heating.

By adding quartz sand to the Rectavit 2K Epoxy Moisture Barrier, you increase the mechanical adhesion of the adhesive on the system. This is strictly necessary if the adhesive cannot be applied within the overcoat time. This time is about 72 hours for Rectavit 2K Epoxy Moisture Barrier.

STAUF Epoxy Primer with residual moisture barrier STAUF VEP 195 The new STAUF epoxy resin primer VEP 195 replaces the tried and tested VEP 190 - with an optimised composition and reliable STAUF quality. 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 secondary application is for unstable subfloor: STAUF VEP 195 penetrates deep into the subfloor and strengthens it so that it can be reworked with fillers and adhesives afterwards with no problems. 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.

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

Special

Producers of Cross-cut floors

CROSS-CUT WINS DESIGNER HEARTS SPECIAL FLOOR REQUIRES SPECIAL PREPARATION

Photos – Parketfabriek Lieverdink

Whenever you see a dark cross-cut wooden floor fitted in a modern and light interior, you realise at once why designers and interior architects now enthuse over such an outsider. Those floors are somehow different, certainly not just run-of-the-mill. Cross-cut wooden floors provide a lively and light-hearted setting; a concerto of growth rings, dependent on the wood sort in different shades; a floor which moves and fascinates at the same time. Then there’s the fact that these floors were fitted originally in workshops where there was a lot of noise, traffic, and walking around.

People opted for cross-cut wood for its sound absorption, its capacity to absorb vibrations, and its huge compressive strength.

The origin Various architectural applications, which once had a purely functional purpose, are now being rediscovered due to their exclusive character.

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The world of wooden flooring has many such examples. Think, for instance, of the mosaic pattern, which was designed originally in order to procure a stable subfloor. End grain blocks are another example. By fitting parquet strips on their side, you get a thick solid wood floor, which can bear heavy loads and can be sandpapered infinitely. And so, engineered or end grain block parquet is rightly called ‘industrial parquet’. Strictly speaking, cross-cut parquet tells a similar story. Cross-cut wooden floors, too, can trace their origins back to an industrial setting. They were ‘discovered’ as floors specially for workshops, ateliers, and engine rooms. They played that role partly due to their extreme hardness, which means they can cope with very high pressure. Trolleys and other internal means of transport in an industrial setting are no problem at all for a cross-cut wooden floor. Moreover, these floors absorb the vibrations of the machines very well and they also have a very high sound absorption capacity.

Nowadays, designers and architects have discovered these floor due to their unusual look.

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Producers of Cross-cut floors

What is cross-cut wood?

Whilst traditional parquet sections and wooden plank floors are sawn lengthwise from the grain, cross-cut wood is sawn across the grain.

That’s the difference between quarter-sawn and cross-cut wood. The surface of a cross-cut wooden floor is a vivid play on growth rings and gives a completely different appearance to that of traditional floorboards. The floor consists of several small and square (or elongated) blocks, not planks. The sawing direction makes cross-cut wood much harder and much more resistant to pressure than quarter-sawn wood.

This is all due to the fact that the wood fibres stand upright.

The wood and the wood sorts When choosing the wood sort, it is necessary from the very beginning to take account of what the floor will be used for. In some cases the appearance and the vivid colour arrangements are important (e.g. in a home, hotel, or shop), whilst in other cases the priority feature is the hardness of the floor (e.g. in a workshop or atelier). For architectural applications it is best to choose a floor which is highly stable and therefore swells and shrinks as little as possible. For workshops, for example, you could opt for the much cheaper pine wood because in a workshop it doesn’t matter so much if the floor shows signs of cracks in the winter or in other dry periods. Cross-cut wooden floors in virtually all wood sorts almost certainly show some small cracks in the winter, which then seal up again in the summer. If that’s not to your taste, it’s best not to choose crosscut wood. Unlike other parquet floors, cross-cut wood swells and shrinks in all directions because it is much more sensitive to damp and temperature fluctuations than quarter-sawn wood.

Oak is king For cross-cut wood, too, oak is still the most popular sort. This takes nothing away from the fact that tropical hardwood sorts have also made some progress here. Wood sorts such as merbau, kambala, and larch are popular in this domain. Larch scores highly for its stunning array of colours.

Thermally treated Another development has been the emergence of thermally treated wood. The thermal treatment primarily keeps the nervousness of the floorboards in check, but also offers aesthetically attractive results.

Dimensions Cross-cut wooden floors are available in a wide variety of dimensions.

The shape can be square (e.g. 70 x 70mm or 90 x 90mm) or rectangular (e.g. 35 x 70mm or 90 x 55mm). Cross-cut wooden floors can be fitted in every imaginable pattern. The smaller sizes are particularly suitable for fitting in rooms with a lot of obstacles. You can easily fit these floors around such obstacles.

Separate or assembled As is the case with a lot of other pattern floors or marquetry, cross-cut floorboards can be purchases separately or supported by some medium or other. We identify three different methods.

Separate blocks In this case the floor fitter receives wooden blocks in bags which contain one or more square metres. The floor is glued and the blocks are simply pressed into the glue and tapped into place. Nails are not required.

On foil, gauze, or paper Subject to higher prices, some suppliers offer to put together the crosscut wood in the required size in advance with a special foil on the top.

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This obviously ensures faster fitting (except in rooms with lots of obstacles). At BJ Parket (Belgium) they advise clients not to fit cross-cut wood on gauze as there is a risk of the gauze pattern showing up visibly as the floor swells and shrinks.

In tiles or on panel A typical application for offices is the pre-fitting of cross-cut wood floorboards onto aluminium tiles. These tiles (in tin) are fitted onto the base of an MDF panel onto which the cross-cut wood sections are glued. The tiles can still be dismantled, for example, if it is necessary to install (or remove) wires for computers, telephones, or electrical installations.

The fitting – step by step There are some special points for attention when fitting cross-cut wooden floors. They are not fitted in the same way as traditional parquet floors. Only pre-fabricated multi-layer floors are fitted in the same way as other engineered floors.

Substrate preparation As regards the substrate, there are two aspects which need special attention, namely the moisture resistance and the flatness. The substrate has to be dry when the floor is fitted. If there is no guarantee that the subfloor will stay dry, a moisture barrier will also have to be fitted.

The moisture content has to stay below 2%, even in the lower layers.

If the floorboards get the chance to absorb moisture from below, they will swell with all the related consequences. In case of doubt, it is most certainly advisable to apply a waterproof epoxy primer. In some cases screed reinforcement may be necessary or even a combination of screen reinforcement and a moisture barrier. The powers which are generated as cross-cut wood swells and shrinks are so great that a weak screed could be torn loose. Furthermore, it is essential for cross-cut wood that the covering floor is perfectly level.

Glueing Cross-cut wood is usually glued. The blocks are pressed into the adhesive without nailing. Once the glue has set, the floor is sandpapered (several times, if necessary). As we have already said, it is essential for cross-cut wooden floors that the covering floor is perfectly level and that the floor fitter is absolutely meticulous in tapping in the wooden blocks. To glue cross-cut wooden floors, you need an adhesive which guarantees not only outstanding adhesion, but also the greatest possible degree of elasticity.

Sandpapering Whenever the floor is glued, its biggest strength immediately presents the floor fitter with a ‘problem’. The vast hardness and durability obviously means that these floors are not so easy to sandpaper. And so, it is best to use the belt sander with a grain which depends on the extent to which the floor has been fitted level or not. The floor needs to be sandpapered several times with an increasingly finer grain. After sandpapering with the belt sander, it is necessary to sandpaper again using a disc sander. The final sandpapering is done using a gauze disc with 120 grain.

Finish Although the finish of a wooden floor helps to determine the look of the floor, it is protection from moisture which has to take priority in the choice of finish. Since the wood fibres are upright, the surface of a cross-cut wooden floor has open pores, so it is sensitive to fluctuations in humidity. Specialists usually advise finishing the floor with oil. A lacquer or varnish entails the risk of the surface showing cracks as the

wood swells and shrinks. On the other hand, an oil finish does not cover the surface with a sealed film and allows the wood to move and return to its place without damaging the finish.

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.

A selection from the range:

Parketfabriek Lieverdink

BJ Parket Our thanks are due to BJ Parket for once again sending us extensive documentation and information for this article. When choosing the wood sort, it is important to take account of what the floor will be used for. If the floor is to be fitted in places where the architecture is important, it is essential to choose wood sorts which by nature do not show too many signs of swelling and shrinking because a cross-cut wooden floor, in contrast to other wooden floors, swells and shrinks in four directions. However, if the cross-cut floor is to be used in a workshop to absorb vibrations from machines or reduce sound, it is better to use cheaper pine wood because here it is only the durability of the cross-cut wood which counts, and not the fact that the floor is exposed in the winter or in other dry periods. BJ Parket mainly offers oak cross-cut wood in various sizes: 23 x 69mm, 35 x 70mm, or 70 x 70mm. In addition, for architectural applications, the range also includes merbau, wenge, and guatambo in 70 x 70mm. For industrial applications BJ Parket offers larch in sizes of 90 x 55mm. As we have already said, this wood sort is also chosen for its attractive array of colour shades. At BJ Parket they offer as an option the aforementioned possibility of floorboards on a foil.

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.

Design Parquet

Timberline International BV

For Design Parquet, oak is still the most important and most popular wood sort for cross-cut wooden floors. The floorboards are held together by a thermoplastic foil along the top side and joined at the bottom for perfect glueing.

Floors in cross-cut wood are glued using an MS polymer adhesive. An outstanding substrate and favourable fitting conditions are essential for successful fitting.

Parket 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

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 cross-cut 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.

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Company visit

Impertek (IT)

IMPERTEK: INNOVATIVE SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR TERRACE AND TILE FLOORS

Italian

QUALITY TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION

the right support

The Italian company Impertek, based near Venice, specialises in pre-fabricated components for all areas of the construction industry e.g. products for waterproof roofing, foundations, and innovative support systems for raised indoor and outdoor floors.

For our sector the company has a full and effective range of solutions for self-supporting indoor and outdoor floors and for both wooden or composite floors, but also for tile floors.

EASY KEY is a handy key for setting the floor support from above and which also keeps the subfloor accessible in a simple manner.

The LEVELLERS can be used for the entire range of supports (fixed and adjustable) and ensure precise setting in the event of any unevenness.

Last year, Impertek also launched the Mini Elastic and the Elastic Plus, which both make it possible to carry out small adjustments under 22mm.

For outdoor terraces and outdoor swimming pools The wide range of top pieces offers solutions for any use with both tile floors and wooden floors. These items are suitable for large outdoor terraces of bars and restaurants, but also for the boards around swimming pools. Impertek has a perfect solution for any field of application.

For tile floors Impertek develops solutions not only for terrace floors, but also for a similar use with tiles from 2 to 16mm. Moreover, here, too, it is easy to remove everything with one click.

ADJUSTABLE TERRACE SUPPORTS (22 > 1020MM HIGH) Impertek adjustable terrace supports are suitable for any self-supporting floor for tiles, wooden floors, or composite floors. These supports are adjustable in height and also keep the subfloor accessible. They also provide adequate protection for the waterproofing.

TERRACE SUPPORTS WITH FIXED HEIGHT (12 > 19MM) For projects with little space Impertek has developed a full range of solutions: fixed supports between 12 and 19mm in height, which are also ideal for tile floors on a covering floor.

To ensure efficient work in specific cases, Impertek also has at its disposal some ingenious and effective solutions: EASY FLAT ensures that you can adjust the floor gradient precisely to the millimetre. This guarantees a perfectly level floor at an angle of 90째 in relation to the ground.

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Speedy deliveries and high quality service (ISO 9001 certified)

Choosing Impertek also means an outstanding ISO 9001 certified service with speedy deliveries and customised solutions. The company provides efficient and ingenious technology combined with perfect service with speedy deliveries.

Successful export company Due to its high quality standards, Impertek is also hugely successful on the export market. 60% of its production is sold abroad, mainly in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, but also in the United States and Canada.

For more information contact us at +39 0421 322 525 or visit us www.impertek.com

Special

Waterless adhesives

90% OF PARQUET GLUES ARE WATERLESS CHEMICAL BONDS DON’T NEED WATER

Photo – Pallmann

The main task of water in adhesive is actually to disappear. The disappearance of water from a glue in which water acts as a thinner brings about what we call a physical bond. In the case of wooden floors, water obviously involves a certain risk at any time. Nowadays, most parquet glues no longer contain water.

They harden as a result of a chemical adhesive reaction. It’s now only water-based dispersion adhesives which still contain water, and although they are still used, they are nevertheless having to make way for waterless adhesives.

Physical versus chemical To understand why makers are increasingly excluding water from parquet adhesive, we have to remember the difference between physical and chemical adhesive bonds. Various mechanisms are possible with the type of glues which operate on the basis of a physical reaction. For example, the adhesive reaction can occur as a result of the loss of thinner. This is achieved by evaporation. Sometimes, the thinner is allowed to evaporate for a certain time and the glueing sections are then attached to each other (e.g. bicycle glue, wood glue, or paper glue). Another physical adhesive reaction is created by cooling. The adhesive mass is applied as hot liquid to the glueing surface. Adhesion to the second glueing material is achieved by cooling. With dispersion adhesives, as we have already said, the adhesive bond is created by the evaporation of the water in the glue. Chemical adhesive reactions occur when two or more substances enter into a chemical reaction. With dual component adhesives, the components react to each other. With single component

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adhesives, the second component needed for the adhesive reaction is found in the surrounding air. This is usually the moisture which is present in the air. Examples of glues which extract the second component from the surrounding air include urethanes, silicones, and cement adhesive.

Adhesive for stable wood sorts It’s only an acrylate binding agent which needs water. Most other forms of adhesive technology do not need water since they create a chemical adhesive bond rather than a physical one. Dispersion adhesives contain water. Dispersion adhesives set by means of the extraction of water from the glue to create an adhesive film (water disappears, whilst solid substances remain to create the bond). This means that one of the sections to be glued has to be capable of absorbing water. It is preferable to use water dispersion adhesives to glue stable wood sorts, but even then preferably for wood sections in small sizes such as mosaic parquet or mosaic subfloor, boards, and such like. It is best to use a water dispersion adhesive on absorbent substrates so that the water which is extracted from the glue is absorbed not only by the wood, but also by the absorbent subfloor. At all events, with a water dispersion adhesive, water is added to the wood and this does affect the stability of the wood. It is not possible to apply a finish immediately if a water dispersion adhesive is used. The wood needs a little longer to stabilise, but this problem doesn’t arise with dual component polyurethane adhesives. This is precisely why the makers are zealously committed to reducing the water content in water dispersion adhesives considerably.

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Special

Waterless adhesives

Waterless adhesives Silane adhesives, PU adhesives, and MS polymers form the basis of chemical adhesive reactions. Their biggest advantage is that they contain no water, so they cannot emit any water to the wood to make it swell. This also means that these sorts of adhesives, depending on their composition, are usually suitable for broad and long solid wood floorboards.

A selection from the range: Adesiv Adhesives without water as the name implies are adhesives without water!

Instead of this there are plasticizers and additives that make more fluid the glue.

These adhesives can be used for any type of bonding, for any sector. Adhesives without water - in case of parquet - are considered valid because they aren’t transfer moisture in the support and in the floor. In the market there are many types of adhesives without water which may be based on polyurethane resins, epoxy polyurethane resins or MS resins. The range Adesiv includes both types.

Blanchon As regards waterless adhesives the Blanchon range includes two spreadable adhesives, one sausage-shaped adhesive, and one ship deck sealant. All these products have the A+ label with regard to indoor emissions. AB 2000 is a hybrid polymer adhesive for the full glueing of solid wood parquet in widths of up to 200mm and multi-layer parquet up to 400mm wide. This glue is flexible and elastic and suitable for use with floor heating. The AB 1300 is also a hybrid polymer glue. This extremely effective adhesive makes it possible to glue wide solid wood sections up to 130mm and multi-layer sections up to 260mm. This adhesive, too, is flexible and elastic and offers outstanding adhesion on most substrates. Both adhesives are easy to apply and provide sturdy adhesive grooves. Both glues are in class EC 1R of the GEV Emicode. The packaging is also very handy and restricts waste as much as possible – the adhesive is sold in aluminium 6kg packs, which are practical and easy to handle. The sausage-shaped glue is recommended, amongst other things, for fitting skirting boards.

Bostik Bostik offers adhesives in various adhesive groups.

Apart from dispersion adhesive, none of them contain any water. Some polyurethane adhesives from Bostik are Parcol PU 1K, Parcol PU 57, and Parcol PU 56. Parcol PU 1K is a single component polyurethane adhesive for glueing all unfinished parquet. Parcol PU 1K is also suitable

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for all varnished parquet on a porous substrate, strip parquet, solid parquet with tongue and groove, wood-engineered parquet (2 or 3 layers), mosaic, end grain blocks, laminate floors, wooden panels, OSB, and such like. Parcol PU57 is a 2-component adhesive. Parcol MS Elastic is an elastic 1-component, very low emission EC1 MS Polymer Adhesive.

This adhesive does not contain any solvents, water, or isocyanate. Parcol MS Elastic offers excellent adhesion and reduces sound. The dispersion adhesive Parcol D 38 contains very little water, so it can be used for glueing strip parquet or mosaic subfloors, except for beech and maple.

Those wood sorts are so sensitive that they swell excessively at the slightest contact with a water-based adhesive.

Devomat At Devomat it is only the Devo Glue DSP490 (dispersion adhesive) which still contains water. The other Devo adhesives do not contain any water at all and have a broad scope for use. There are MSP adhesives for multi-layer and pre-finished floors and parquet. The single and dual component PU adhesives are mainly for solid wood floorboards, even wide ones. All adhesives can be deployed on both cement-bound and anhydrite screeds, tile floors, Fermacell, and such like, and with or without floor heating. Devomat’s range of waterless glues consists of single and dual component adhesives. The single component adhesives include the semi-elastic polyurethane adhesive Devo Glue PU 300 1C and three MS polymer adhesives, namely Devo Glue MSP 150 1C (semi-elastic), Devo Glue MSP 200 1C (light-elastic), and the Devo Glue MSP 250 1C (hard elastic). As regards dual component adhesives, Devomat offers Devo Glue PU 570 2C and Devo Glue PU 650 2C. Both of these are polyurethane epoxy adhesives for glueing wooden floors onto cement-bound subfloors or onto existing floors.

Emfi Emfi recommends its hybrid polymer adhesives for glueing all sorts of parquet. This collection includes two spreadable adhesives (Emfi parquet Pro Plus and Emfi parquet Pro Eco) and the tube glue Emfi mastic PS Parquet.

Emfi’s ‘star product’ is Emfi Parquet Pro+, a parquet adhesive based on silanated polymers and suitable for the full glueing of all types of parquet. Thanks to a great deal of research and development, Emfi Parquet Pro+ conforms to the strictest environmental standards.

This adhesive contains no solvents, silicones, or isocyanates. It is suitable for glueing very wide floorboards in oak. It adheres rapidly and is very easy to apply. Emfi Parquet Pro+ is a 1-component glue. The high resistance to moisture and fluctuations in temperature make this adhesive ideal for fitting parquet onto floor heating. Emfi mastic PU Parquet, finally, is suitable for the cordon glueing of all types of parquet. Emfi mastic PU Parquet is a coloured putty which is available in cylinders of 310 and 600ml respectively. This adhesive is classified as Habitat Sain A+.

Henkel/Thomsit As regards waterless adhesives, Henkel has both PU adhesives and silane adhesives under the Thomsit trademark. P675 Elast (ready-to-fit parquet), P685 Elast Universal (solid wood and ready-to-fit parquet), and

P695 Elast Universal Strong (for all wooden floors) are based on FLEXTEC technology, which has been developed by Thomsit.

P675 and P685 are soft-elastic adhesives, whilst P695 is a hard-elastic adhesive. Thomsit hard-elastic adhesives are extra strong and fast-working adhesives, so they are also suitable for more critical parquet sorts which can normally be glued only with a 2-component PU adhesive. Soft-elastic adhesives are not suitable for this. The best-seller under the Thomsit trademark is the P695 Elast Universal Strong. The benefits of this adhesive include the following: it is waterless and solvent-free so there is no chance whatsoever of the wood swelling, it is permanently elastic, it reduces tensile stress on the substrate, and it is suitable for just about all substrates without the need for a primer. Henkel also presents the Thomsit P 625, a dual component polyurethane adhesive which has low emissions and contains no solvents or water.

Mapei Mapei presents a number of single component polyurethane adhesives, namely Ultrabond P 980 1K, P990 1K, and P 992 K. Ultrabond P990 1K, for instance, is a single component polyurethane adhesive which contains no solvents and offers elastic glueing for all wood sorts.

Mapei also has some silane adhesives, namely Ultrabond Eco S940 1K, S 955 1K, and S965 1K. Ultrabond Eco S955 1K, for instance, is suitable for wooden floors, pre-finished floors, and laminate materials. These adhesives are suitable for a variety of substrates e.g. cement covering floor, subfloors onto which Mapecem, Mapecem Pronto, Topcem, Topcem Pronto, or similar products have been applied, old wooden floors, marble, ceramic tiles, and anhydrite subfloors. The adhesive may be used for glueing floors onto floor heating. The latest offshoot in the range is a single component adhesive based on silane polymers, namely the Ultrabond S 968 1K. This adhesive is highly versatile in its use.

Pallmann Pallmann presents three waterless adhesives. Pallmann P5 is a single component parquet glue with a hard-elastic adhesive groove and a long working time. Pallmann P6 is also a single component glue.

Pallmann P9 is a waterless and solventless 2-component PU adhesive in line with DIN EN 14293, for all parquet sorts, specially for moisture sensitive wood sorts and sizes and for glueing onto parquet-conducive UZIN bottom layers. Pallmann P9 is a pasty, solventless, and waterless polyurethane parquet glue, which does not affect the swelling of parquet since there is no moisture extracted from the wood. The adhesive is suitable on sufficiently strong substrates such as on sand-cement, calcium sulphate and mastic asphalt covering floors, chipboard, suitable UZIN under-layers, and on warm water floor heating.

Rectavit Rectavit has various waterless adhesives in its assortment. As regards silane adhesives, these include 248 multi-layer, 248 cordon, 255, 248, 249, and 249 express. Amongst PU adhesives they mention 1K PU 247 and 2K PU 245. Rectavit 255 Fibre Tech is a universal, elastic, fibre-reinforced, parquet adhesive based on Fibre Tech Reinforced MS polymer specially for the full surface glueing of all types of parquet with a tongue and groove system. The 2K PU 145 is a 2-Component parquet glue based on polyurethane. For the chip resistant glueing of moisture-sensitive parquet, plank parquet in large sizes, mosaic, solid wood, exotic, and ready-made parquet on substrates such as screed, concrete, stone, tiles, wood, and metal, as well as on anhydrite substrates and with floor heating.

Stauf Waterless adhesives are based on chemical reactions between resin, hardener and air humidity. These adhesives are also called as reactive adhesives. The most advantage with water- and solvent free adhesives means no danger of wood swelling.

STAUF offers various waterless wood flooring adhesives. All these wood flooring adhesives are very low emission certified (Emicode EC1-R or EC1-R plus).

STAUF SMP 950: Still the one and only 100% silane based SMP wood flooring adhesive without any kind of migresives (no VOC, SVOC, VVOC) and therefore suitable for all sub floors and wood flooring types.

STAUF SPU 570: STAUF SPU 570 enables one to achieve bonding which had previously only been possible using shear-resistant, single-component PU adhesives. It can also be used as universal parquet adhesive to bond solid or multilayer types of parquet.

Tover The use of water-based adhesives to lay wooden floorings is becoming more and more marginal: indeed a vinyl glue like Tovcol TP 3RF still finds application to bond on sub-floors mosaic under-floors and panels, before the parquet laying. Tovcol TP5 in bottles of 500 ml is suitable for floating laminate or wooden floorings as transparent and water-resistant (Class D3). However, the glues which carve the lion’s share are waterless. They can be epoxy-polyurethane (Tovcol TP 2C), pure polyurethane (Tovcol PU 2C or PU/F1) or MS polymers (Tovcol MS); all of them guarantee a secure laying on any type of support. Moreover the waiting time before sanding the wood is from 48 to 72 hours in comparison to the 15 to 30 days required by a water-based adhesive.

Such a time saving has inevitably speeded up their decline.

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Project

Buzon/Colruyt Jambes (BE)

COLRUYT GROUP ACADEMY GETS PADOUK TERRACE ON STABLE BUZON PEDESTALS

On the banks of the River Meuse in Jambes (near Namur) Colruyt is building a brand-new shopping centre.

That’s where, later this year, they will be opening a new supermarket, a Dreamland, a Dream baby, and, on the top floor, a Colruyt Group Academy. The roof terrace attracted our attention because the sloping roofs are getting five padouk roof terraces (460m² surface area in total) in combination with a roof garden. The terrace on the sloping roofs is supported by an ingenious terrace structure with Buzon terrace pedestals.

Technical floors The major building project, which, apart from a shopping centre, also includes the construction of service flats and apartment blocks, has been entrusted to the contractor Cobelba (subsidiary of the BESIX Group). The inner space on the top floor will be furnished with technical floors resting on pedestals. All utilities, including water supply and drainage, electric wires, and computer cables, will be housed not in the covering floor, but under the technical floor.

This means they will still be easily accessible. And so, it will always be easier in the future to carry out adjustments to the building and

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the possible usages are maximised. This also ensures that the floor level on that top floor will be at the same height as that of the outdoor wooden terraces.

Lightly sloping roofs The building has lightly sloping roofs with several smoke hatches.

To make meaningful use of this huge area and give it a stylish finish, Colruyt opted for terraces which are both functional for Colruyt Group Academy visitors and offer a magnificent view of the Meuse Valley and the nearby Pont des Grands Malades bridge.

There is space for some greenery between the terraces and smoke hatches. This gives the whole area a pleasant green shade and provides natural extra roof insulation.

Buzon terrace pedestals with exceptional strength Due to the sloping roofs, Cobelba opted to build the terraces on a base structure supported by terrace pedestals which can be adjusted in height. The choice fell to the Buzon terrace pedestals due to the unique qualities of the pedestals. In 1987, Buzon Pedestal International was the very first European company to make floor pedestals of the screw jack type, which were produced using

recycled polypropylene-co-polymer (PPC) and were 100% recyclable. The terrace pedestals come in various sizes and most models can be adjusted in height to the millimetre at any time. Buzon terrace pedestals can withstand loads from 650 to 1000kg per pedestal. These floor pedestals are suitable for supporting and raising both tile and wooden floors.

PB range – adjustable in height and 1000kg load capacity On the site in Jambes they opted for terrace pedestals from the Buzon PB range. This range is characterised by a bigger fitting surface and an exceptional load capacity of about 1000kg per pedestal. This means that fewer pedestals are required than with other systems, so the fitting can be done faster. The floor pedestals are fitted with a simple click system with beam supports, so the base structure can be applied quickly and efficiently.

Future visitors to the Colruyt Group Academy will certainly echo this view when they can take a break on the terraces with a view of the Meuse. The Colruyt Group Academy is a centre which will offer the 25,000 or so Colruyt Group employees facilities for extensive training. However, at the same time, the Academy also offers a range of workshops and courses for private individuals and clients.

Encounter and inspiration are central in an open learning environment. And so, here in Jambes they also have a beautiful framework setting.

40 to 45cm intervals The workers fitted pedestals at intervals which varied between 40 and 45cm, depending on the gradient of the roof and the position of the terrace. On site they used the entire series of terrace pedestals from PB-4 to PB-9 inclusive, depending on the differences in height on the roof. The PB-4 is a terrace pedestal which can be adjusted in height and can vary between 145 and 245mm in height, whilst with the PB-9 the height varies between 537 and 725mm. The other models used are within that range in terms of height. The terrace pedestals at the top were also equipped with a kit where the support beams could easily be secured. And so, once the terrace planks were fastened in place, they had a perfectly level, durable, and stable roof terrace.

Padouk The choice fell to padouk for the five roof terraces (460m² in total).

Padouk is a highly durable and exceptionally stable wood from Central and Western Africa with a handsome coral colour and a slender even grain structure. As with all wood sorts, padouk wood does turn grey over time. The terrace planks were fastened to the support structure using the renowned B-Fix invisible terrace fastening system. The support beams were made of keruing wood, a tropical wood sort which is often used for support structures.

Workshops in a unique framework setting The finished result was magnificent. Fitting the terraces with the green roof means that the roof gives the entire project added value.

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Preview of Ligna Hannover (DE)

GLOBAL TRADE FAIR PRESENTS LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FOR WOODWORK MACHINES

From 11 to 15 May, Hanover in Germany is once again hosting LIGNA, the biggest machine trade fair for the wood industry.

Over 1,500 exhibitors from 40 different countries are expected at the show and the total fair surface area is 120,000 square metres. This is a trade event not to be missed by anyone wanting to keep abreast of the latest developments in the woodwork industry.

Fourth industrial revolution for machines The LIGNA trade fair is concerned mainly with more efficient and better integrated production. Visitors can admire the latest trends and developments in the fields of computerisation and digitalisation at the fair. The organisers are expecting a lot from the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ in which machines supply all sorts of data which to be applied optimally by the manufacturer or producer. All machines will be able to communicate with each other via digital information technology, and that offers lots of possibilities for new product development and greater efficiency.

‘Crossover’ applications One other interesting trend at the forthcoming LIGNA is that a number of exhibitors will be showing that their woodwork technology is now also suitable for lots of applications on materials other than wood. Several machines at the fair can also process synthetics, composite materials, insulation, light aluminium, and other building materials as well as wood.

Exhibitors from our sector LIGNA is obviously very important for our sector. Visitors will meet several companies from the world of parquet and laminate. Here we give a brief summary of exhibitors from our sector:

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CEFLA Finishing Group The Italian machine manufacturer is presenting the Smart Parquet, a versatile machine for applying a finish with diverse products: natural oil, UV lacquer, urethane oil, stains, and dyes. They are also presenting the new generation of UV R-LED technology based on LED technology for a faster and more efficient UV lacquer finish.

Kleiberit Kleiberit is presenting a number of new parquet adhesives. There’s the parquet adhesive 350, an emulsion adhesive which has no VOCs, is easy to apply, and is suitable for absorbent subfloors; the 2K PU adhesive 546 contains no softeners or water and is suitable for absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. It is also suitable for ceramic tiles and natural stone floors. There’s also the Kleiberit 529, a moisture barrier which can be used in combination with quartz sand and protects the parquet fully from the porous substrate.

Wintersteiger Woodtech With the DSG Notum Wintersteiger is launching a new frame saw for fine wood layers. The machine can saw the wood into strips with a thickness of only 0.7mm. Read more on page 6.

Sherwin Williams Sherwin Williams is a global player in the field of coating technology for diverse materials and supplies scores of floor manufacturers all over the world. At their stand they will be presenting a new generation of wood coatings, which can be dried using LED drying technology as an alternative to UV drying. This means considerable energy savings and a reduction in maintenance costs. The products are ecological and technologically extremely efficient.

Boere The Dutch machine manufacturer Boere is presenting a new brushing

machine for wooden floors, namely the X-Line. This machine with vibrating brushes offers scores of new possibilities to create scores of new possibilities and new and natural finishes on the wood surface, including scarving. Read more on page 4 .

Logica H&S This Italian company is presenting its moisture and temperature measuring technology. The new LG43 operates on the basis of the

Alfred

resistance-measure method and with the use of needle electrodes.

The appliance is also equipped with a precise measurement of other materials and, at the same time, can also be used for the moisture measurement of concrete, something which makes it ideal for the parquet sector.

The box contains: • 1 Alfred Spray Mop • 1 microfiber “CLEAN” cloth • 1 liter of maintenance product

SPRAY MOP Your personal butler for cleaning all types of flooring

Quality in sanding solutions for any material Ease of use Latest technology Heavy engineering Manufactured in Holland

designed by

chimiver.com - info@chimiver.com

Boere Machinefabriek bv T +31(0)182 614400 - F +31 (0)182 618349

www.boere.nl

AVAILABLE VERSIONS

Visit us at Ligna, Hall 11 booth D16 LACQUERED OILED WOODEN FLOORS FLOORS

LAMINATED FLOORS

VINYL FLOORS

CERAMIC FLOORS

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Special

Decking in bamboo & composite

BAMBOO AND COMPOSITE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TERRACE WOOD CAST-IRON, ROCK-HARD, AND UNDENIABLY ECOLOGICAL

Photo – Silvadec

In many respects bamboo is an outsider when it comes to floors. Some people do refer to it as the ‘ hardest wood’ around, yet in fact bamboo is not wood at all. Bamboo is a type of grass. Various parts of the bamboo production process also show big differences from the ‘wooden’ floor production process. You can’t just saw planks from a hollow stalk, so the designation ‘engineered floor’ is more appropriate than ever. Bamboo is certainly rock hard, but its strength and durability also come from the production technique. In the meantime, bamboo has been gaining ground in the garden for a few years now.

Ecological Bamboo has grown vastly in popularity in recent years in tandem with people’s increasing environmental awareness. More and more consumers now attach great importance to the way in which people approach the planet’s natural sources, and bamboo is certainly ecological! It is easy to demonstrate the credit environmental balance of bamboo, and the cutting and growing methods play a vital part here. The mother

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plant brings forth new stalks each year. Each year, the five-year-old stalks in a mature plantation can be reaped without the plantation size diminishing. Regular cutting even increases the growing power of the plants because this stimulates even more growth of new shoots.

Hard and strong Bamboo is by nature a strong plant. As regards hardness, strength, and stability, this plant can compete with the best. It is 27% harder than oak and 13% harder than American maple. Bamboo floors comply with the EN 1534 standard, which determines the end uses for parquet and wooden floors. Bamboo fibre has a tensile strength of 40kp/mm², a figure which exceeds most other fibres such as that of wood, and even that of steel used in the construction industry. Wood fibres have a tensile strength of 5kp/mm² and for steel fibres this figure is 37kp/ mm². With this tensile strength, bamboo is still pliable, light, and flexible. Bamboo has a dimensional stability of 0.0144 and is thereby over twice as stable as most wood sorts used in the flooring industry. Its swelling and shrinking index as a result of differences in temperature is very low. Since bamboo is only moderately sensitive to damp and

temperature fluctuations, it can be used perfectly well in combination with floor heating.

Always ‘engineered’ As we have already said, you can’t saw a plank from a hollow stalk. This means that every panel (sheet) with bamboo is the result of ingenious techniques and technology. And so, bamboo panels and bamboo floors always belong to the realm of ‘engineered floors’. It would be helpful to clarify the basic production of panels once again since it differs drastically from the still fairly recent technology for making outdoor bamboo floors.

Bamboo terrace planks: ‘strand woven’ Bamboo planks are therefore produced by pressing bamboo strips together to make wooden panels. Those panels can be used, amongst other things, to produce parquet. For terrace planks in bamboo various aspects of the process are completely different. The bamboo stalk is first cut into thin strips. Those strips are heated at a very high temperature and then left to cool. The strips are finally put into a metal press where certain resins are added. The whole structure is then pressed together cold under very heavy pressure. The panels which emerge from this press technique have a natural structure which bears a perfect resemblance to tropical wood. Each plank is different. The main point is that this method yields the hardest material on the market.

With a hardness of 103.5 MPa, strand woven bamboo is twice as hard as oak. The exceptional mechanical properties of these planks make them perfectly suitable for outdoor parquet. The stability of strand woven bamboo exceeds that of teak.

Alternatives to wood and bamboo Wood composite Wood composite contains real wood. It consists of wood fibres, high-density polyethylene, UV stabilisers, dyes, and various additives to optimise the mechanical qualities. These are usually recycled wood fibres, residual wood, and recycled polyethylene. The ingredients are mixed and undergo an extrusion process at high temperature and under high pressure. Thanks to extrusion technology, you also obtain accurate dimensioning and all things are possible in terms of the shape. In many respects wood composite is an ecological alternative to tropical hardwood. Basically, you don’t need to cut down any trees and the waste wood can just as easily bear the FSC label. Producers make reference to durability class 1, but, strictly speaking, we cannot confirm this until 2022, since this material was first produced in 1997 and class 1 requires 25 years of exposure to outdoor conditions.

Imitation wood Whilst wood composite still contains wood, this is not the case for ‘synthetic wood’. We have seen the same phenomenon as with outdoor joinery about 30 years ago. At that time, makers of PVC windows and doors launched outdoor joinery on the market with the appearance of real wooden windows. That was a lot cheaper and you still had the ‘look’. For terraces, too, planks are emerging which are made of synthetic materials and look like real wood. The word ‘imitation’ is certainly appropriate here. From a technical point of view, these terrace boards obviously sell quite well because they are resistant to wood rot or mould.

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Decking in bamboo & composite

A selection from the range:

Bamboo represents a major alternative to tropical hardwood and offers environ-mentally-conscious people the chance to take good care of the planet’s wealth of natural resources. There are strict rules for producing outdoor bamboo floors. Suitability for outdoor use is determined during the production. People often buy a cheaper product, but later they regret it. Major advantages are the fixed lengths and the high stability. The fitting is comparable to that of a wooden terrace.

This also applies to the lifespan. For these floors Bambootouch presents the HardWood Clip®.

share in the terrace market.

Fiberon is already a substantial part of the Felix Clercx turnover, and that is expected to continue in the future. Colour fastness, stain-resistance, and the opportunity to install a terrace without a slope are benefits which really make a difference as compared to other materials. With bamboo the ecological aspect is of huge importance.

The raw material grows extremely quickly and is inexhaustible. The terrace planks are highly durable and the thermal process means that the planks stay in good condition, despite greying (bamboo is a grass and turns black over time without this treatment). The following points apply to both Fiberon and bamboo: no splinters or cracks, low maintenance, minimal swelling, 100% recyclable (Fiberon), ecological alternatives to hardwood, and continuity in supply and quality.

Felix Clercx

MOSO Bamboo X-treme®

Felix Clercx regards bamboo as a product for the niche market. Those who don’t want tropical wood and think composite is too much like plastic often go for the ecological and durable aspect of Thermo bamboo. By contrast, composite is occupying an ever-increasing market

With the introduction of Bamboo X-treme decking, MOSO offers a truly ecological and durable alternative for increasingly scarce tropical hardwood for use in decking. MOSO Bamboo X-treme is a solid, high density bamboo decking board, made from compressed bamboo strips, which

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is very well suitable for outdoor application. A special, patented heat treatment process provides Bamboo X-treme the highest durability class possible in the appropriate EU norms (Class 1 for EN350-1), enabling a functional lifespan of over 25 years, making it an ideal material for outdoor decking. The same process increases the dimensional stability and density of the product – making it very hard. The result is a very strong and sturdy decking board superior in performance to the best tropical hardwood species, without compromising the environment: Official carbon footprint studies executed by the Technical University Delft, have shown that Bamboo X-treme is CO2 neutral over the full life cycle. Because of the stability, a head side tongue and groove connection is possible (not possible in hardwood), making installation relatively easy. The same applies to the maintenance, as becomes clear through the instruction movie available via www.moso.eu/youtube Furthermore, the Bamboo X-treme decking board has a beautiful dark brown hardwood look and besides the normal size (137mm) now is also available in two broader boards of 155mm and 185mm. For more information and test results please refer to www.bamboo-xtreme.eu

Plastivan

In view of the benefits of composite terrace floors as compared to wooden terrace floors, they are taking more and more of the market share from traditional terrace planks in wood. In contrast to the scarce range of good wood sorts, composite guarantees enough range. Wood composite planks are produced via an extrusion process. The Belgian manufacturer Plastivan NV, with 50 years of experience in the extrusion of PVC building products, possesses a fully integrated production for the creation of the Duofuse garden products (from raw material to finished product). This means they occupy a unique position on the market as compared to the many import products from the Far East.

These composite terraces offer lots of benefits. Specific colours are possible; apart from wood colours, there are also the popular shades of grey. Moreover, there are also some specific structures: traditional planks with a groove, but also smoothly brushed planks (rigid look) or planks with wood grain pattern (more rural). Composite doesn’t rot or splinter and is less slippery than wood. It requires little maintenance and no treatment products. Furthermore, composite is more durable, ecological, and recyclable. Duofuse wood composite is PEFC certified.

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Duofuse offers a 10-year guarantee on mechanical properties of terrace planks and against assault from termites and other insects.

Silvadec

Silvadec offers a composite material for outdoor floors which consists for two thirds of wood and one third of polyethylene. The material is ideal for outdoor use; it doesn’t turn grey, it is impermeable, and it requires no treatment whatsoever. It is fitted in the same way as a wooden terrace. The used material is recycled. Silvadec was the first French manufacturer to be PEFC and ISO approved. This shows that the company is extremely concerned about the environment. For the Forexia composite material Silvadec gives a 25 year guarantee for structural damage caused by fungi or insects.

Taverbel/Nature+Bamboo

The 100% solid bamboo composite Nature+ Bamboo is obtained by means of a unique selection of the correct sort and fully fledged bamboo stalks. There is also a specific processing programme, so that the solid bamboo composite is suitable for outdoor use. Some fully grown bamboo fibre strands and a specific resin are used without any synthetics. The unique combination of dry, hot, and warm pressing creates a 100% solid bamboo panel, which is extremely hard and strong (1200kg/m³). The natural light brown colour and texture also provide the natural look of Nature+ Bamboo. This results in a distinctive look to resemble that of hardwood. The raw material bamboo is extremely durable and ecological. You get an exclusive and highly stable outdoor terrace without having to chop down a tree! That’s the strength of the solid bamboo terrace. It protects the tropical forests and fauna and counteracts illegal deforestation and soil erosion. Nature+ Bamboo is the number one outdoor quality label for solid bamboo composite. As is the case with hardwood, if the material is left untreated, it will turn grey over the years and the surface will get rougher. Its lifespan is certainly equal to that of other hardwood terraces.

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Producers of entrance mats – a must for any project

DOORMATS ARE A BLESSING FOR PARQUET REMOVING CAUSES OF DAMAGE AND WEAR AT SOURCE

Photo – Emco

In some cultures it is customary (appreciated or obligatory) to take your shoes off when you enter a home. The underlying purpose often has more to do with religious faith or respect than with cleanliness, but the latter is a welcome bonus.

After all, it’s annoying if you have to clean your entire house every time you receive visitors. Moreover, in times of foul weather the latter is simply par for the course. However, you can make things much easier by taking proper measures at the front door both in and outdoors. In public areas such measures are customary. Why not in private homes too?

The vulnerability of parquet Many landlords are still hesitant to fit a wooden floor in the house or flat to be let. They are afraid (sometimes rightly) that the tenant will not maintain the floor properly or will even damage it. With the refined finishes of recent years now available, this fear really is dated.

Modern parquet varnishes (or oils) are certainly more durable and abrasion resistant. Over the years, it has become a lot easier to maintain parquet and wooden floors in general. Let’s be honest, however.

Parquet isn’t indestructible! Depending on the wood sort (including the density), parquet is ‘impressionable’. Moreover, even if a varnish is extremely durable and abrasion resistant, strictly speaking, no material

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is ‘scratch-free’. Take the strongest varnish on the market, specially designed for very high traffic floors. With just a small nail or pebble you can easily make a hefty scratch in it. And so, it goes almost without saying that heavy dust and dirt can lead to scratches and damage if they are merely trodden in with a shoe. Shoes off, house slippers on!

That’s the message. Or, alternately, you must make sure that your shoes are clean before you step on a wooden floor. A small, but worthwhile investment.

Public versus private Personally, I’ve always been a supporter of making use in my interior of materials and products which are actually designed for projects or commercial or public areas. A varnish is a good example of that. When we finish the living room floor in a private home with a varnish designed for ‘high traffic’, it gives a solid guarantee of durable protection. In some respects this is a way of ‘over-dimensioning’. Make things stronger than that for which they will be used. You can apply this principle to an infinite number of examples. If you compare a dish washer for domestic use with one for a catering establishment, you will discover that the latter actually costs only 50% more. The difference? The industrial dish washer is actually almost indestructible with domestic use. It’s an extra investment, certainly, but, as we’ve already said, it

more than pays its way. We can also make that comparison in the use of doormats.

the aforementioned durability of the floor, there is also a considerable saving on cleaning costs.

Mats for public areas

Preventing damage

Following on from the above, you can simply buy a doormat in any interior shop whatsoever or you can organise a system. Floor fitters are perfectly placed to recommend, sell, and justify such a system to their clients. That means more business! Let’s consider some public areas.

When we talk specifically about wooden floors or other vulnerable floor coverings, we can state with some justification that the 3-zone theory actually can prevent damage. If a visitor enters a shop with a wooden floor wearing footwear with a sharp stone lodged between the ribs of the soles, there is an extremely high risk of damage. The mats in zone 1 are designed to prevent this.

3-zone theory The 3-zone theory (source: Emco) is an ingenious concept where the different sorts of dirt (gross, fine, and damp) are absorbed by mats attuned to each other. And so, the theory is that you first remove gross dirt on a solid entry mat. Then, you wipe your feet on a second mat, which absorbs finer dirt. After that, any damp dirt is absorbed by a (dry) entry mat. For zones 1 and 2 mats usually include larger functional inlays (brush/coconut) in profiles so that gross dirt is removed and falls into layers between the profiles. The doormat has special fibres to absorb residual dust and damp.

Architecture Mats don’t have to be a decorative eyesore. Depending on the interior, mats can be fitted with curves, inclines, and recesses. Moreover, mats appear in a wide variety of colours and patterns. Scores of options can provide special effects. For example, mat casing can be illuminated (attractive and safe) or you can opt for a stainless steel profile with the company name inserted. The mat itself can also be personalised with logos, the company name, mottoes, slogans, and such like.

Clean and safe

What about private homes?

A system of successive mats in public areas ensures that the floor in places such as shops or offices stays clean. This certainly has a beneficial effect on the appearance of the floor, but also, and more importantly, it gives it a longer lifespan. Moreover, there is also the safety aspect. The fact that doormats also remove as much damp as possible from shoes means the floor stays dry so that it is not slippery. The investment in these mats more than repays itself. Apart from

What we have outlined above for public areas applies no less to private homes. Very often, careless visitors cause damage to wooden floors or premature ageing to (varnished) wooden floors. The best remedy against this is to use a system of mats. That doesn’t necessarily have to be a 3-zone system, but a 2-zone system does appear to make sense. A mat on the outside of the house and a doormat in the hall or entrance can prevent a lot of woe (and cleaning). It’s also quite clear

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Producers of entrance mats – a must for any project

that floor fitters can earn extra business here. Offering at least a limited range would appear to be a ‘must’.

A selection from the range: Basmat

Basmat is a new concept in aluminium entrance matting, thanks to its click assembly process, similar to laminate flooring. Basmat is more than a mat, it is an anti-dirt flooring. Its revolutionary assembly system lets a quick supply and installation. Adaptations can be made during the installation. Thanks to its unique patented assembly system, Basmat made to measure mats can be manufactured and shipped in only 24 hours. Basmat is the only entrance matting system that allows to stock profiles and, after a simple operation of cutting, sending the mat to the final customer. Thousands of Basmat installations worldwide are the best proof of the originality and success of its products.

Emco

The German manufacturer is promoting the 3-zone cleaning concept.

This reduces the amount of dirt by up to 90% and obviously that makes cleaning easier and reduces wear and tear on the parquet floor. Each of the three entry mats has its own function. An entry mat for the entrance door, still in the outside zone, removes the initial dirt, and then a second mat just beyond the entrance also removes dirt. In the third zone the mats reduce damp dirt so that no footmarks are left behind. In places where ‘three-zone’ cleaning is not possible, one large mat (at least 1.5m long) for damp dirt offers the best alternative. For example, there is the Emco Maximus, which is made from elastic and durable covering of tufted velor. The Maximus is available in various colours or with any corporate identity image or logo as required.

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Hamat Hamat identifies two sorts of mats, namely entry mats and (washable) doormats. Entry mats are usually produced from polyamide or polypropylene threads and therefore scrape dirt from the underside of the feet. A (washable) doormat is produced from cotton. Cotton absorbs a lot of damp. And so, a feature of this mat is that it has a high damp absorption. Hamat fits in with parquet and laminate floors in terms of colours. There is a mat for every floor. The cost price depends largely on the material; a polypropylene mat is cheaper because those threads are cheaper. Polyamide threads have an open fibre, good damp absorption, and scraping capacity and are therefore more expensive.

Rosco For over 30 years, ROSCO has been producing its own mat frames and high quality entry mats.

With an extensive range, ROSCO ensures a variety of designs for all applications and situations: rectangular, square, round, or fully adapted to the bizarre shape of your entrance. They are the perfect solution for any entrance, both private and commercial buildings. Apart from this complete range, ROSCO also offers personalised logo mats, so companies can stamp their identity on their entrance and reception areas. These mats are produced from nylon brushes, coconut fibres, or polyamide fibres and involve few cleaning costs. ROSCO offers system solutions for floor and wall covering and many creative solutions for bathrooms, sanitary facilities, and wellness.

The choice of a good entrance mat is more important than people think. That mat ensures that the floor always looks presentable and protects it from premature wear from sand and dust. The extensive range of types and colours means that everyone can find something to their taste. ROSCO also offers perfect floor mat frames in aluminium, messing, or stainless steel. All these floor mat frames are available in the standard sizes or can also be supplied tailor-made.

Special

Multi-layer parquet with a genuinely old top layer

THE MARRIAGE OF OLD WOOD AND NEW TECHNOLOGY MULTI-LAYER FLOORS WITH REAL ‘ANTIQUE’ TOP LAYER … WHY NOT?

Photo – Flamingo Parket

One of the reasons for choosing multi-layer parquet is the fact that so called engineered floors pose less of a burden to expensive and sometimes threatened wood sorts. This is both an ecological and economic reason. Obviously, the same reasoning applies when we produce multi-layer floors with a top layer in old wood. The ecological aspect is quite clear: Old planks or other wooden building materials get a new lease of life so that for those floors it is not necessary to chop down a tree. The economic aspect is also clear: Old wood is becoming rare and, therefore, more expensive.

Why multi-layer?

In contrast to solid wooden floors, multi-layer floors consist of several layers. With the knowledge that solid wooden floors have been fitted for centuries, you might wonder why engineers spend time and energy to bring about change, certainly when we consider that the visual result is the same. We can give three good reasons at once, namely stability, ecology, and rapid fitting.

Stability Damp is every parquet floor fitter’s biggest foe. Depending on the air humidity, wood absorbs moisture and then releases it again. During

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Multi-layer parquet with a genuinely old top layer

that mechanism, the wood will expand somewhat only to shrink again after the emission of damp. These are the natural movements of wood and every professional knows what measures to take to ensure that the status quo is maintained (read ‘absorbed’). The more wood, the more moisture absorption. If the wood absorbs too much moisture, it can bend. It’s precisely for that reason that the width of the floorboards in solid wood floors is limited. Multi-layer floors are constructed in such a way that they absorb the movements of the wood. The principle is derived partly from traditional parquet floors where the solid wood is glued and nailed onto an oak mosaic subfloor. The extremely stable (small) mosaic blocks swell and shrink only minimally and partly absorb the movements of the finishing floor.

Ecology Another good reason for developing a multi-layer floor arises from ecological considerations. Wood is expensive, and some wood sorts are hardly affordable for ordinary men and women. Considerably less expensive wood is used by glueing a top layer of 2, 4, or 6mm of noble hard wood onto a birch multiplex panel, for instance. In other words, with 1m² of solid oak 22mm thick, you would usually be able to make 11m² of multi-layer (top layer 2mm) with the same visual result. The base (core) of the multi-layer floors (both two and three-layer) is designed in a much cheaper material which is often made from waste wood or recycled wood.

In this sense multi-layer floors are ecological in many respects. Moreover, manufacturers carry out strict checks to make sure that the products which they purchase for the manufacture, such as the adhesives, for instance, comply with all environmental standards and legislation.

Photo – Parketfabriek Lieverdink

Rapid fitting Labour is expensive enough, but expertise considerably more so. Any reduction in time spent on site means a considerable saving for the end client. In other words, anything which can be done in the factory or the floor fitter’s workshop means a reduction in the final price. In the case of fully glued two-layer floors, it is possible to miss out a number

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of steps as compared to the traditional fitting. In the case of floating three-layer floors the fitting is just as simple as that of laminate. We will see below that the benefits from fitting multi-layer floors as compared solid wood floors probably constitute the strongest sales arguments.

Old floors and old wood The love for ‘classics’ abides eternally, irrespective of the trends, and irrespective of the time-related building styles. It’s been simmering for a while, but the demand for old wooden floors nowadays is so great that the natural supply of ‘old wood’ can hardly keep pace. The reason for this success lies completely with the qualities and appearance of old wood. Over a century ago, wood was left to dry for much longer and in a more natural manner. After a century of use, the wood is hardened and takes on its greatly appreciated ‘weathered’ appearance. By withstanding the ravages of time, the wood has proved its quality and durability. The appearance provides ambiance, changing atmospheres, a varied set of colours, and, especially, an extremely exclusive look.

This is unique, but, sadly, increasingly uncommon. The same reasons emerge as for with tropical hard wood: If we make only the top layer in old wood, it is possible to produce many more m² from the same m³.

Old wooden floors emerge from the re-use of existing floors or, simply, from old wooden building materials.

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!

Recycling of floors This means that an old floor ‘somewhere’ is expertly dismantled and can be used for a different purpose. In the past, we though almost instinctively of ‘castle floors’. Nowadays, there are various possibilities, as regards the origin. In many places in Europe the powers that be have put a stop to the ‘dismantlement’ of historical heritages. In the restoration of old castles planners are endeavouring increasingly to restore the wooden floors or the parquet professionally. Thankfully, traders have been able to tap into other sources. Used floorboards emerge from old warehouses, cloisters, and even church buildings or old trains.

We also find splendid old (oak) floorboards in old farms (e.g. Brabant).

Old wood The other way of obtaining a wooden or parquet floor from real old wood is to produce new floorboards from old beams or planks. Here, the origin of the old beams has an effect on the appearance of the end floor. The sources where people obtain that old wood sometimes seem to be inexhaustible. Here, too, beams may originate from old buildings (e.g. cloisters or warehouses), planks from old train carriages, or the trusses and support beams from demolished old farmhouses. The age of the beams helps to determine the appearance. Old beams which originate from Brabant farms can be 70 to 250 years old. Another ‘source’ whereby the previous usage leaves its mark on the current appearance are the beams which have served as old bollards or sheet piles. This wood displays a semblance of light blue, due to the constant exposure to water. Old floors and new floors produced from old wood are certainly sensitive to moisture and air humidity, but considerably less so.

An important benefit of new floors made from old wood is the ‘mechanical’ quality. Whilst with old floorboards the tongue and groove can be lightly (or severely) damaged, this is not the case with new floorboards.

That can make a world of difference for the fitting.

Two specialists Flamingo Parket Flamingo Parket produces multi-layer parquet on a birch multiplex base underneath a hard wood top layer (usually oak) from 3 to 8mm

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 51 Floor Forum International 73

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Multi-layer parquet with a genuinely old top layer

thick. The oak originates mainly from France and Germany and the birch multiplex from Siberia. All floors are always produced ‘custom made’. The floors lie untreated in stock and the final treatment is applied at the last moment. 70% of the floors are treated mainly in the factory. With regard to the use of real old wood, Flamingo Parket produces ‘Raftwood’ sections produced from oak railway sleepers. Old top layers are supplied mainly in oak.

and worn outer side and VSOP is the inner side of the beams. The Da Capo line from Kährs also offers an authentic ‘old wood’ appearance with relief and splits which can hardly be distinguished from genuine old wood! Kährs is a 15mm 3-layer strip with lock joint, Charente is 19mm thick and consists of a birch multiplex base of 15mm with an old wood top layer of 4mm. This has a tongue and groove joint. Planks are 16cm wide, whilst herringbone and Hungarian point are 7cm wide.

The Charente material is 200 to 300 years old and found in Western Europe. The beams come from old buildings, sheds, and train carriages. The Kährs product is produced under licence. Charente floors are available solely by order, whilst Kährs floors can usually be supplied from stock in Sweden.

Parketfabriek Lieverdink Parketfabriek Lieverdink offers multi-layer parquet from Kährs, Moso, Q2 Classic (40 sorts of wood), and Q2 Wide in Oak (up to 24.5cm). The company offers old wood in the Charente product: XO is the weathered

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∂ Industry news MOSO - Bamboo is becoming mature

MOSO leading in worldwide certification of industrial bamboo products Whereas in the past the conservative building industry could refer to several certifications not being available for bamboo as opposed to traditional building materials, MOSO has taken the lead to acquire all relevant certifications for industrial bamboo products relating to the environment, health and quality, including the development of separate EU standards for bamboo. As a result of these certifications, application of MOSO bamboo products (flooring, panels, beams, veneer, decking & cladding) can even lead to a higher score for LEED and BREEAM, the leading green building certifications worldwide.

CE marking for bamboo flooring One of the largest certification developments of recent years is the development of a separate EU standard for CE marking of bamboo flooring. Together with Dutch standardization institute NEN, MOSO has taken the lead to develop a separate Harmonized European Standard for bamboo flooring to meet stringent quality, safety and health requirements. Van der Vegte “After years of leadership in the Task Group Bamboo Flooring under working group CEN/TC 175 WG33, we are extremely satisfied to have a standard ready that can help safeguard the quality of bamboo flooring products on the European market. We expect this new standard will be officially published by the European Commission during Summer 2015. Now that all the required certifications are in order for bamboo, we see no more limitations towards a green bamboo-based revolution in the building industry”.

is credited with the development of the zoo and has a long and rich history which saw her and her husband build many new developments over time, including the existing aquarium and original cafeterias.

It was June’s father George Mottershead who originally founded the zoo, which marks its 80th anniversary this year.

Junes pavilion pine floor was looking in a poor way after millions of pairs of feet through all seasons of the year had worn away the original coating. Mike Philbin from NU LIFE FLOORCARE of Stockport was chosen as the renovation contractor to carry out the work, due to their vast experience in the floorcare market, and was tasked with the job of bringing the floor back to its original glory.

As a PALLMANN Parkettprofi contractor, NU LIFE specified PALLMANN Pall-X Extreme, a 2 component lacquer, fast curing and extremely tough for this very challenging environment. Additionally like other Parkettprofi contractors he was able to offer a 2 year warranty on his work.

The work was carried out using PALLMANN Cobra belt sanding machines and PALLMANN Gecko edge sanders over a 7 day period in January. NU LIFE met the time deadlines and the restaurant was re-opened on time with a superbly renovated floor.

Crucially Mike Philbin with the support of technical services at PALLMANN built an ongoing maintenance programme which will ensure that Junes pavilion floor stays looking great for many years to come.

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Pall-X Extreme saves wood floor in Chester Zoo Chester Zoo is one of the United Kingdoms leading tourist attractions with over 2 million visitors a year. It is amongst the worlds leading zoological, conservation projects and is open 364 days a year.

Most of the visitors will enjoy a meal or a drink at Junes pavilion, named after June Williams, who

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Special

Quebec

A HUGE SUPPLY OF WOOD AND A STRONG ECONOMIC PLAN ‘PLAN NORD’ FOR QUEBEC IS INTO ITS FOURTH YEAR

Almost four years ago, on 4 May 2011, the government of the Canadian province of Quebec unveiled the ‘Plan Nord’, an economic investment programme for the north of Quebec.

This plan includes huge investment and involves extensive territory. The plan was drawn up and launched to increase the prosperity of the region by exploiting its natural sources of wealth more efficiently. Quebec’s huge wood supply is one of those natural sources of wealth. Little wonder, then, that there are various forest management projects in the pipeline.

A glance at the map Canada borders on twelve USA states in the south and Alaska to the west. Its shared border with the USA is 8,893 kilometres, including 2,477 kilometres with Alaska.

Geography The entire coastline of Canada is 243,791 kilometres long. The country has coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.

The biggest province in Canada is Quebec, which has a surface area of about 1.6 million square kilometres, whilst the smallest is Prince Edward Island with a surface area of 5,657km². In the north and west the continent of Canada becomes an archipelago of large, generally low islands called the Arctic Archipelago. The biggest ones are Baffin, Ellesmere, Victoria, Newfoundland, and Vancouver. Over 40% of Canada lies north of the tree line (60° latitude). Hudson Bay (1,220,000km²)

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stretches far inland. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are the youngest part of the West Cordillera, a broad and mountainous strip, which runs from Mexico to Canada.

Politics The ten provinces and three territories of Canada form a federation which is a parliamentary democracy. Canada is an independent constitutional monarchy in the Commonwealth. Like the British (Westminster) model, it comprises a Senate and a Lower House.

The British king or queen is represented by a governor general, who is appointed for five to seven years and assisted by a cabinet (privy council). The governor general appoints and dismisses ministers and members of the Federal Supreme Court, passes legislation, has a right of consultation in the cabinet, and delivers the Queen’s speech. The biggest political party supplies the prime minister and ministers, who are chosen from the members of parliament. The premier is the most important person for the country’s government.

Quebec is the biggest province Quebec is Canada’s biggest province with a surface area of about 1.6 million square kilometres.

Geography Quebec borders on 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 US states of

QUEBEC WOOD EXPORT BUREAU Quebec wood flooring: second to none

Quebec, Canada, has a tremendous amount of forest, and for a very long time, the wood industry has been one of the country’s most important economic sectors.

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In Québec, hardwood forests are both abundant and managed in a responsible manner to ensure they remain sustainable. Forest companies are subject to laws and regulations in this area. Many of these companies adhere to recognized sustainable management principles. This enables them to obtain environmental certification for the products they market. In Quebec, most forests are certified by the CSA, FSC, and/or SFI. It is no coincidence if analyses made using modern scientific tools rank wood products among the most beneficial when it comes to sustainable development, compared with other materials used for the same purposes.

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In Quebec we treasure our public forests for their beauty and abundance. 90% of this land is under public ownership. The forest land in the province covers close to 1.3 M km2. Our varied soils and climate are perfect for growing a variety of trees from Canadian Maple, to Cherry and Oak. The reputation and wide variety of colours of floors made with Quebec hardwoods are second to none. Professionals from around the world seek Quebec’s expertise when it comes to hardwood flooring. The Quebec Wood Export Bureau guides you in your purchase of Quebec wood by putting you in contact with over 200 businesses from various sectors of activity. Whatever your needs, you will find a variety of wood species and widths that will provide a warm and prestigious touch to your projects.

001 418 650 6385 – www.quebecwoodexport.com – www.canadahardwoods.com

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Quebec

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 stretch from east to west is 1570 kilometres and 1970 kilometres from north to south. About 90% of the province is within the Canadian Shield. Half of the province consists of extensive (maple) forests, tundras, lakes, and rivers. Quebec is so long that its northern part lies in the polar region and is part of the eternally frozen Canadian Shield. The highest points are in the south, with Laurentides Park at 1100 metres and Mount Tremblant at 960 metres.

Separatist movement Unlike the rest of Canada, Quebec is French-speaking. Since 1981, Quebec has twice held a referendum on independence. On both occasions the people voted against independence, albeit with only a tiny majority. Since 1995, support for independence has waned somewhat.

Surveys show that most Quebeckers want to remain in Canada, but they do want an administration with more power. A new referendum looks very unlikely in the near future.

Economy of Quebec Quebec has a strong, sound, and versatile economy. Its vitality is based partly on outstanding technology, innovation, skilled labour, its ideal location, the large source of natural raw materials, and soundly developed exports. Quebec is one of the top industrial countries in the field of research and development. It also stands out in a number of highly specialised fields.

Sectors Over 42,000 people work in air and space travel in 236 companies.

Quebec also has top class international calibre in the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology. Eight of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies own research and production centres in Quebec. The province is fourth in North America in the biotechnology sector. Sectors such as environmental technology, information and communication technology, photonics, and multimedia are also very strong in Quebec.

the wood industry, but by 2010 this was a mere 59,384. Whilst turnover achieved in 2006 was $22,753,000, that figure had fallen by 2010 to $17,326,400. Exports have also fallen from $10,916,000 in 2006 to $7,290,000 in 2010.

The wood industry today Some of the major woodworking activities are carried out by sawmills, manufacturers of panels and wood products, and paper producers. The potential yield from public forests was over 31,712,100m³ in 2010-11, of which about 70% are coniferous trees and 30% deciduous trees. The total capacity was 44,332,000m³. The actual yield for that same period was 20,405,000m³ from public forests and an estimated 5,794,000m³ from private forests.

Certified wood The Canadian government has a forestry programme for over 630,000 hectares of forest. Each year, 100 million new trees are planted. Three trees are planted to replace each tree which is chopped down so that, far from diminishing, the area of forest in Canada is even able to grow.

In 2008, there were over 125 million hectares of forest certified, some of which were FSC approved, and some were SFI approved, but the vast majority were approved by Canada’s own certification system CSA. At all events, Canada has the biggest surface area of certified forests in the world.

Certified wood in Quebec The Certification Status Report for Quebec (2011) shows that the biggest share of certified forests are certified by the FSC (Forest

(13 to 26mm)

Strong partners As a province of Canada, Quebec is a member of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and thereby has access to a market of 440 million consumers, 25% of whom live within a radius of 1,000 kilometres. 75% of international exports are destined for the United States. Mexico is Quebec’s second partner in America with commercial operations worth 3.7 billion dollars. Over 10% of national exports are destined for countries in the European Union. However, Quebec is also developing commercial operations with Asia and Latin America.

Spending power and GDP A study conducted by Statistique Canada shows that Quebeckers in Montreal generally have more spending power than those in other Canadian cities. Various studies and statistics show clearly that the cost of living in Quebec is lower than in other industrialised countries. GDP in Canada is $37,981 per head, whilst in Quebec it is $32,536 per head.

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Forestry in Quebec Quebec has a total surface area of 1,667,441km², of which 1,396,969km² are owned by the state, 153,910km² are sea, and about 116900km² are private property. Over 20% of all Canadian forest area (4,021,000km²) is in Quebec (761,100km²).

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Economy Various economic parameters showed a falling trend between 2006 and 2010. For example, in 2006, there were still 73,447 employees in

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Factory direct : +01-418-522 5355

www.primatech.ca

Stewardship Council). The total surface area of FSC certified forests is 19,742,435 hectares. Officially, 1,418,646m³ of that area may be harvested (chopped) each year. According to Canada’s own certification system (CSA), at the end of 2011, a surface area of 7,468,812 hectares was certified, of which 5,845,350m³ may be chopped annually. Finally, there are also 5,128,222 hectares certified according to the SFI system (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). This results in a permitted wood volume of 8,728,000m³ per annum. The total surface area of certified forests in Quebec is 32,339,469 hectares, good for a permitted yield of 15,991,996m³.

The ‘Plan Nord’ Quebec is certainly no worse off for its participation in the NAFTA free trade agreement. It has given the province access to a market of 440 million consumers. Over 75% of exports are destined for the United States. Furthermore, Quebec has also set its sights on Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. All this has given Quebec greater prosperity than other industrialised countries. Families have greater spending power and the cost of living is lower. Nevertheless, the government is continuing to invest. The ‘Plan Nord’ is a good illustration of this. The

Plan Nord is an ambitious economic and social development project set up in 2011. It will generate investments of over 80 billion Canadian dollars (58 billion euros) in sectors such as energy, mining, forestry, bio-food, tourism, and transport, as well as in the conservation of fauna and the environment and the preservation of biodiversity.

The Plan Nord, which will develop over 25 years, will generate new demand for workers, knowledge, and expertise. Its benefits will be felt all over Quebec and it will offer scores of opportunities for international co-operation.

A huge area The Plan Nord covers the whole area north of the 49th parallel. This covers about 1.2 million square kilometres, 72% of the surface area of Quebec. The area possesses one of the most important reserves of freshwater in the world, with about 500,000 lakes and thousands of rivers. These include vast potential in untapped water, wind, and solar power. This huge territory includes over 200,000km2 of forests to be exploited, houses extraordinary fauna, and forms one of the last regions in the world with huge potential for natural conservation of extensive natural and unspoilt areas.

BOA-FRANC/ MIRAGE

PREVERCO

In 1983, Pierre Thabet took over a small joinery (Sain-Georges).

Initially, the company produced unfinished floorboards and staircase steps. In 1990, the company started producing pre-lacquered floors under the Mirage trademark. Two years later, the floorboards made their way to the United States. In 1997, the sorting line was built. In that same year, the company became the first North American manufacturer of solid wood floors to receive the ISO 9001 certificate. From 1999, the company also began to make multi-layer floors under the Mirage Engineered trademark. In 2002, they built another factory and, in 2007, they presented a new application of the Mirage floors with Mirage Lock. This was a veneer floor with a click system for floating fitting. Today, Boa-Franc is one of the few companies which supply the three different sorts of wooden floor technology: solid wood, engineered, and adhesive-free engineered. Over the past decade, the company has won various prizes. In 2012, they received the Quebec Grand Prix for Quality, the highest distinction awarded by the government. In 2013, the company was laureate for the Gold Award during the Canadian Prize for Excellence 2013. The company employs 375 people. The capacity is 3,700,000m² per annum. New for 2015 is a pre-lacquered floor with the look of an oiled floor. The Flair collection is finished with a new finish from Mirage, namely DuraMattMC. 001 418 227 1182 – www.miragefloors.com

Preverco was formed in 1988 with parquet varnishing as its core business. The name is composed from ‘Préver’ (pre-varnishing) and ‘Co (company). In the following years, the company soon burst at the seams and made several acquisitions. In 1997, Preverco built a new, ultramodern factory in St-Augustin in order to meet the growing demand. From that time onwards, the company managed all stages of production (from raw wood to the finish) on its own. With the construction of another factory in 2000, the company expanded its total corporate space to 10,000m². In 2001, Preverco took over a factory, which specialised in producing and finishing wooden floors (BFS 2002 Inc.). In 2004, the company launched a new line of engineered floors under the name Engenius. In 2007, they inducted a new factory and, in 2009, the company purchased a sawmill and set up the Scierie Preverco Inc. In 2010, Preverco Inc. took over a distribution centre in Vancouver in order to meet demand from the west of Canada. In September 2011, ‘Parquet Royal’ was launched. Preverco now has a unique showroom in Quebec. In 2013-14, the company celebrated its 25th anniversary. Today, about 300 people work for Preverco, including all branch offices. In 2015, Preverco is launching a unique i-Pad application in order to visualise a floor with virtual samples from Preverco.

001 418 878 8930 – www.preverco.com

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∂ Product news CIRANOVA OCULTO is a waterbased PU impregnation oil for parquet and wooden furniture.

The wood maintains its original matt, natural and unfinished look and gives an invisible protection.

Use Oculto as a sealer and topcoat and apply the product in 3 coats. Oculto is an anti-slip finish with addition of the UV-inhibitors, it prevents the wood from yellowing.

An optional hardener may be added for improved durability.

MOSO BAMBOO X-TREME DECKING APPLIED IN MOST SUSTAINABLE OFFICE IN NETHERLANDS The Venco Campus in Eersel, the Netherlands, is the most sustainable office in Europe, measured through the leading sustainable building certification system in Europe, BREEAM, for which it acquired the highest rating “BREEAM Outstanding”. This impressive result was made possible also through the application of MOSO Bamboo X-treme decking instead of tropical hardwood or composite decking.

OSMO DECKING-OILS: NEW COLOUR TONE Various Osmo Decking-Oils not only make it possible to emphasise the natural colour tone of wood, but also to change it. For this reason, Osmo has expanded its assortment of Decking-Oils: the new Decking-Oil Bog Oak lets the wood surface appear in a darker brown tone. It is especially recommended for light-coloured woods which should have a darker colour tone. It protects and maintains decking, garden furniture and screen optimally. The wood surface is then smoothened as well as dirt and water-repellent.

RUBIO MONOCOAT INVISIBLE OIL SYSTEM: SO TRANSPARENT THAT YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN NOTICE IT’S THERE Although everyone loves colour, sometimes we choose certain oak structures for their specific shades. The Rubio Monocoat Invisible Oil System was developed to guarantee a transparent and long-lasting protection for this type of wood surface. This oil system will be launched in March 2015.

For more information on all our products, please visit our website www.rubiomonocoat.com.

COMPLETE COATING IMPOSSIBLE IN JUST ONE DAY? DOABLE WITH SAICOS PREMIUM HARDWAX-OIL! Selected raw materials in our Premium Hardwax-Oil care for a fast oxidative drying and create a high quality two-layer surface in just one day! It penetrates deeply into the wood surface and offers a long durability with easy maintenance. By simply applying the natural oil based Premium HardwaxOil with a roller or brush you can beautify all kinds of interior wood, cork and bamboo surfaces in various gloss degrees and shades and even an untreated appearance. For more information please visit www.saicos.de

NEW PRODUCT – SOUDAL SWIPEX HAND CLEANER The new solvent free Soudal Swipex hand cleaner is the perfect hand cleaner to remove all types of dirt from your hands. The soap has a red color and a granular texture which allows you to scrub off dirt easily and efficiently. Swipex hand cleaner has been developed to gently and easily remove uncured sealant-, PU Foam - and Adhesive stains.

Swipex hand cleaner has been designed for craftspeople applying Soudal products. Of course, the product can also be used for other kinds of dirt like paint, oil, bitumen, rust and grease. In addition to its cleaning properties, the Swipex hand cleaner is effective and safe for repeated use thanks to the protective action of Sericin which smoothens and protects your hands.

Swipex reday to use hand cleaner is sold in a 1 liter plastic bottle with integrated hand pump.

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Multilayer parquet, multiple enjoyment The engineered wooden flooring by Lalegno is more stable than traditional massive wooden floors and is available in oak, exotic species and durable bamboo. The extensive range of different sizes and finishes available offers solutions to suit every style. Therefore Lalegno flooring is the first choice of every flooring professional.

For more information on our products, please check our website www.lalegno.be or contact us via info@lalegno.be

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A New Dimension to Decking Revival Bona Decking System Tired of labour intense cleaning of your deck? Having problems with remaining swirl marks when you finished the oil application?

The Bona Decking System is an fast and convenient solution for deep cleaning and lasting protection of wooden decks. The powerful Bona PowerScrubber and Bona Deep Clean Solution gives your deck a unique and effective cleaning prior to oiling.

The low VOC Bona Decking Oil seeps deep into pores of the wood and protect it from within, giving it a lasting surface. Take a step back and enjoy a stunning result – a deck that looks as new and will stay beautiful for a long time.

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