Innovation Drivers | Sustainability | Floor Covering Weekly

Sustainability

Friday, May 3, 2024

Locking system companies meet in-demand looks & features

Innovation in the floor covering market happens quickly and to keep pace with market demands, locking system companies are developing the technology required to support this innovation. Waterproof and water-resistance capabilities, digital printing and ease of installation of on-trend patterns remain top of mind.

“Most of the products we will see in stores over the next 10 years do not exist today. A new wave of innovative technologies will blur the lines between core materials,” said Eddy Boucké, CTO, i4F. “Digital printing and digital embossing will open up new, almost limitless, possibilities for new decors and surface structures. Of course, ease and speed of installation will always remain a core attribute, as installers becomes an increasingly scarce resource.”

Locking system companies are meeting new requirements through continuous optimization of all its technologies, said Laetitia Kimblad, director of floor locking, Välinge Innovation. For instance, Välinge’s portfolio of its new PRO technology is an upgrade for the performance of resilient floors.

“Thanks to the upgraded profile, we can successfully improve the locking strength and lifespan of all types of resilient products, maximizing the performance of angling, push-down and fold-down installations,” said Kimblad. “Testing shows that 2G PRO, 5G-i PRO and 5G PRO all enable vertical connections that are up to twice as strong, and they can increase the floor’s lifespan by up to three times. Since both manufacturers and customers [have] experienced issues related to the longevity and locking strength of the new generation of resilient products, PRO certainly is something the entire product segment will benefit from.”

An update of Välinge's 5G Fold Down technology 5G NXT was designed to make wood floors even more sustainable.

Guaranteeing that a product performs has moved beyond simply testing it and now even includes technology centered on quality control. ClickControl by Unilin, for example, focuses on quality assurance with intelligent control, ensuring precision in click profiles.

“This user-friendly device, catering to operators of all skill levels, provides in-house expertise and the option for additional remote support from Unilin,” explained Floris Koopmans, sales director IP, Unilin. “Beyond delivering precise measurements, ClickControl enhances the production process by enabling more checks, promoting efficiency and safety.”

This heightened product reliability empowers retailers, distributors and installers to confidently offer customers the guarantee of premium quality locking systems.

“We want to offer as much support as possible for our licensees to help them produce top-tier products,” Koopmans stated. “Our locking systems have an unmatched locking performance and with ClickControl we can confirm that they are consistently up to the highest standards. That way we can ensure that customers and end-customers enjoy the best flooring experience from day one.”

Meeting Waterproof Demands

Hard surface floors with waterproof and water-resistant properties have become table stakes and according to i4F’s Boucké, the company’s i-Click4U is a water- resistant one-piece drop-lock system flooring installation system that makes laminate floors watertight.

“i-Click4U has exceeded all NALFA requirements relating to water resistant flooring including the requirement that panels must withstand water for a minimum of 24 hours,” he shared, adding, “i-Click4U technology eliminates the need for any chemical sprays or additional sealing substances, like wax or paraffin, normally required on the edges to prevent water leaking into flooring panel joints.”

Another technology i4F offers is AquaProtect, an impregnation technology that protects laminate-core HDF boards from water swell by up to 75 percent, ultimately increasing the floor’s overall water-resistance, Boucké said. “The technology applies a hydrophobic impregnation agent, avoiding unnecessary overspray, and seals the joint edges of both V-grooved and non-V-grooved laminate panels. Laminate treated with AquaProtect meets all recognized international laminate water-resistance standards and tests, including NALFA and ISO 4760.”

5G Dry is the watertight update of Välinge’s 5G Fold Down system. “These days, a lot of focus is on waterproofness,” stated Kimblad. “Many floor options offer water-resistant surfaces, but to prevent water from leaking through the joints and creating real harm the locking system needs to be watertight, which is why we developed 5G Dry. It has the same fast and easy installation as 5G Fold Down but with a leakproof joint that successfully stops liquids from seeping through the seams of the floor panels without the need for extra coating or chemicals.”

Ease of Stylish Installs

While waterproof performance is critical, so too are a floor’s visuals. “Installing floors in traditional styles, such as checkered patterns or straight sets, has never been easier or more reliable thanks to our 5G Cross technology,” explained Kimblad. “5G Cross keeps all panels in the correct positions without the risk of panels moving or shifting. It works great with all materials, such as laminate, resilient and wood. Combined with 5G Dry and Decorative Groove you get a leak-proof and worry-free floor with the authentic look of a stunning ceramic floor without using grout or any other time-consuming maneuvers,” she said.

And with a growing demand for easy-to-install stylish patterns such as herringbone and chevron, Välinge developed 5G Herringbone and 5G Cross Chevron to make pattern installations easy and reliable, regardless of material choice. “It is available in wood, laminate and resilient options, and the panels just click together,” said Kimblad. “The result is beautiful floors that stay the same year after year.”

i4F’s patented i4F Click4U Pro drop-lock system was designed for the installation of herringbone floor panels. “Whereby a panel’s short side fits into the long side of an adjacent panel,” said Boucke. “The main advantage of this is that it enables easy installation, disassembly and replacements of panels in a herringbone pattern without compromising on high locking strength and performance.”

Consumers want the look of tile but it isn’t always the easiest flooring product to install. Unilin’s FlinTile locking technology offers a lightweight, clickable rigid (SPC) floor with an authentic ceramic look that is easy to install and 100 percent waterproof due to grouted joints, reported Koopmans. “As the panels are clicked into each other and then grouted, the installation is much faster, and the drying time is reduced to a few hours. FlinTile creates a 100 percent waterproof floor in three easy steps: click, grout, clean,” he said. “Compared to ceramics, this alternative has many other advantages: lightweight, perfect grouting lines without spacers, and fast installation even on top of existing floors.”

What’s more, FlinTile enables the installation of different panel formats, such as square tiles and the combination of tiles of different formats, noted Koopmans. “Because this SPC locking system is used in combination with a real grout the floor panels are perfectly sealed to each other, which finally makes it possible to produce square formats,” he said.

Tiles and panels featuring i4F’s CeraGrout technology mimic the aesthetics of modern rectified ceramics with an integrated grout. “Extremely durable and delivering superior resistance to wear and tear, stains and chemical household agents, tiles/panels featuring i4F CeraGrout are very easy to install as well as replace, especially when compared to traditional ceramics,” stated Boucké. “Beautiful for both floors and walls, this offers a huge opportunity to extend floor collections to wall applications. i4F CeraGrout technology enables the milling of an additional grout line in the middle of a tile or panel, mimicking two pieces on a single panel. This greatly facilitates the creation of staggered patterns and cuts installation time in half.”

Unilin's FlinTile locking technology creates a lightweight, clickable rigid (SPC) floor with an authentic ceramic look that is easy to install and 100 percent waterproof.

Infusing Sustainability

Sustainability is an urgent issue everywhere and something Välinge emphasizes in all its inventions, said Kimblad. “5G NXT is an update of our 5G Fold Down technology, designed to facilitate making wood floors even more sustainable,” she said, adding, “The insert is made from biomass-balanced materials and has a unique fold up feature that enables easier reuse and recycling. 5G NXT ensures the same easy, fast and long-lasting floor installation we all favor, but with the major advantage of allowing the floor to be installed, removed and reinstalled elsewhere just as easily.”

Earlier this year, i4F announced it entered exclusive licensing rights for Amorim’s sustainable rigid bio-cork composite patent portfolio and will represent Amorim on IP related matters associated with those technologies. Amorim’s patented, sustainable rigid bio-cork composite is 100 percent plastic and PVC free; the biocork core consists of a matrix material comprising cork particles as well as other bio and recycled materials, i4F reported.