Bangkok--15 Aug--Spark Communications
An alternative solution for hardwood floor treatment has been launched into the Thai market especially for health-consious individuals. The wood oil is proven to provide a long lasting, natural finish to hardwood floors.
The wood oil products produced by German brand, IRSA, are a new option for those looking for something other than a synthetic varnish based on Polyurethane (PU) finish.
According to Mr. Peter Kagermeier, Managing Director of Konzept Worx, the sole IRSA products distributor, "Today, as many consumers are becoming more 'green', natural oil floors are being embraced by consumers drawn to the enhanced nature, or 'realness', of natural oil floors."
The general characteristics of oiled floors are as follows;
Natural glow One of the outstanding qualities of natural oil is its ability to enhance the natural beauty of your wood floors. Oiled floors have a more natural look compared to lacquered ones. Oil has a darkening effect that greately enhances the color and grain of the wood. Over time, oiled floors produce a patina that ages with the wood, so it never acquires the dull, outworn look that can occur with other surface finishes. Also oiled surfaces allow for a direct contact with the wood because it does not hide under a layer of lacquer. We touch the real wood when walking on it.Breathing floor Rather than resting on top of the wood and forming a sealed barrier, as PU varnish does, oil finishes soak into the wood and bond with it at a molecular level. The open pores can absorb and release air moisture which is beneficial for the indoor climate. At the same time fluids are prevented from soaking into the surface.Selective repairability All oiled floors can be spot repaired which is impossible for lacquered floors. If the floor has a hard finish of PU varnish, the entire floor must be resanded, resulting in downtime, expense, and a general hassle for the homeowner. If, instead, the floor is a natural oil finished floor, the worn area can be spot repaired by simply sanding the affected area and applying a new coat of oil. If reparability is the new sustainability, then natural oil finishes are the way to go.Easy cleaning The cleaning and maintenance of oil floor is easy, but the correct cleaning product must be used, they contain a small amount of oils that nourish the floor and thus preserve its degree of protection.
Depending on the load of wear and tear, reoiling the surface with maintenance oil refreshes its look.Health and environmentally friendly Wood oil is environmentally friendly during production and also safe for the health of both the workers that apply it onto the floor and for the people who live in the space with the oiled wooden floor. IRSA's products are based on natural raw materials such as vegetable waxes and ethereal oils. They are free from biocides and toxic substances and are therefore recognized as an environmentally compatible building material.
"With IRSA wood oil I found a supplier with great references that offers not only the common wood oils, but also oil-hardener systems that allow for an extremly fast application and hardening time at highest quality. This is a huge advantage of our product for floor renovations especially in commercial environments like restaurants and offices where downtime must be as short as possible. On top of that, the material cost per square meter are considerably lower than widely used water-based lacquer solutions due to its less material usage," added Mr. Peter.
After oiling various residential wooden floors in Thailand, Konzept Worx has completed a project for the German Embassy in Bangkok with stunning results and is now using that as a springboard for new projects that are pushing for a natural product that brings out the true beauty of natural wood flooring.
The most prominent example of an oiled wooden floor under great strain is the airport of Copenhagen, Denmark that has been equipped with the same oiled wooden floor for over 40 years.