50
INTERIORS
The benefi ts of hardened wood fl ooring – how it’s made is the key
I
n a wood fl ooring market which is not known for innovation, the pioneering approach of Välinge Innovation, sister company of Bjelin, stands outs strongly. Darko Pervan, founder of Välinge, developed the world’s fi rst mechanical locking system which enabled wood and laminate fl ooring to be locked together for a secure and durable fi xing. Indeed, the company has been primarily a technology and innovation company, rather than a manufacturer, for the following 30 years.
Patented Woodura® technology from
Välinge is critical to the manufacture of hardened wood fl ooring, known as Woodura Planks. The unique manufacturing process involves fusing a thin sheet of real wood veneer with a Compositek™ wood fi bre core through a powder mix layer. The powder mix completely fi lls the natural gaps within the wood, while also enhancing the wood’s appearance. It eliminates the need for a wood- fi ller and creates a signifi cantly stronger surface with a hardness three times greater than a traditional solid wood fl oor – more solid than a plank! Compared to traditional wood fl ooring, the durability of the wood wear layer is massively increased. In addition to Woodura, to give outstanding durability and sustainability, the Bjelin range of hardened wood fl ooring includes 5G Dry® technology, also developed by Välinge. This is a water-resistant fold-down system unique among hard wood fl ooring products because
of its ease of installation. These are the next generation
of highly innovative hardened
wood fl oors. In fact, the Välinge technology for locking
fl oorboards mechanically has become the world standard. The company has pioneered a technological revolution for the fl ooring industry and led the transition from traditional glued tongue-and-grooved fl ooring to today’s modern adhesive-free click technology. Bjelin has production facilities at Viken in
Sweden and also several factories in Croatia, including the most modern Ogulin 2 factory near to the FSC®
-certifi ed Spačva forest,
from where a lot of its timber is sourced. This facility will be the world’s largest wood fl ooring factory. The Swedish and Croatian factories together will have a production of millions of square metres annually when completed in 2027.
Bjelin hardened wood fl oors are made with oak, ash and walnut from sustainable sources of timber with FSC certifi cation. Woodura technology makes the manufacturing process much more effi cient and environmentally friendly in terms of timber usage than traditional processes. Only a tenth of the material normally used in hardwood fl ooring is required for the timber used in Woodura planks.
The technique used by other companies to produce the surface layers for wooden fl oors is done by sawing about 4.5 mm thick layers which are then sanded to a top lamella. This technology is used by many manufacturers to produce parquet fl oors, and the process creates a lot of waste, mainly in the form of sawdust. Bjelin on the other hand uses a knife cutting process instead of sawing when manufacturing hardened wood fl oors. The surface layers end up being approximately 0.6 mm thick, which is how it can manufacture ten times more fl ooring from a single log than traditional parquet fl ooring. In this way hardened wood fl ooring meets the multiple objectives set by Bjelin for the technology – fi rst and foremost to be highly sustainable and economical with resources, something which is increasingly demanded by clients and specifi ers. Secondly it is highly durable, hard-wearing and long- lasting, while fi nally allowing for the creation
of a stunning aesthetic, where every plank is different and the beauty of the natural woodgrain is maximised. Bjelin hardened wood fl ooring meets all
the aspirations of specifi ers, who want to use environmentally friendly wood fl ooring products. They can choose a wood-based click fl oor that can be reused, is locally produced and where the raw wood comes from FSC-certifi ed forests. The hardwood surface layer of the fl oor is thin at 0.6 mm and reinforced, so that large amounts of fl ooring can be manufactured from one log, but it is also sure to be highly durable. In order to test the durability of its new
fl oors, the company operates the world’s largest testing facility for wooden fl oors, containing advanced laboratories with large climate chambers and instruments to test fl oors for impact resistance, durability and noise levels.
Bjelin can be sure that its fl oors are durable and longlasting, which is a key factor in eliminating disposability and enhancing sustainability. It can be seen that, by focusing on innovation, it is possible to develop products in the hardened wood fl ooring sector, which meet all the aesthetic requirements of a timber fl oor, as well as being much more durable and also meeting sustainability goals.
richard.banham@
valinge.co.uk 07500 758364
www.bjelin.co.uk
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF MAY 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
