"wood"

Case study for cavity wall insulation upgrade at St James Wood apartments, Dublin.

Specifiers looking for a high quality gloss exterior varnish with a true clear finish can lift the lid on a new launch from the superior woodcare brand Sadolin. Sadolin Yacht Varnish has been developed in response to customer demand for a clear, traditional, high gloss varnish for use outdoors on windows, doors and conservatories. The product is ideal for use on new wood and previously coated surfaces, with a translucent finish which maintains the natural colour of the wood.

Ateliers C.Eco.Bois got their hands on this ecological Bed & Breakfast. The wonderful Red Cedar cladding on the outside of the B&B is finished with our all-rounder product for exterior wood: Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Wood Protector, colour Teak.The guys from Ateliers C.Eco.Bois are specialized in the construction of timber frame houses. The know-how and the quality this craft company brings to their clients is now recognized by the profession. Each project is unique and the requirements and budget of the customer are ‘key’.

This client had an untreated deck that had degraded due to UV exposure and needed it restored and finished. this was achieved by using Net-trol Wood Cleaner & Colour Restorer followed by D1 Pro Saturating Oil.Cleaning and preparing an IPE Deck for FinishingBefore using Net-Trol you need to ensure that your surface is cleared of debris – a good sweep should suffice.The surface then needs to be made wet and Net-Trol should then be scrubbed into the surface. We recommend using a stiff brush, then leave it to stand for approximately 20 minutes.Then it should be rinsed whilst scrubbing ,again with a stiff brush. Try to use the highest pressure water source you can (a pressure washer is ideal but a hose will suffice).Your surface then needs to be left for at least 48 hours to dry completely before applying your finish.Why use Owatrol’s D1 Pro?In this case, the client has chosen to finish their IPE deck with Owatrol’s D1 Pro, a product from our Professional Range which is a saturating wood oil for hardwoods giving a long-lasting natural finish and advanced UV protection.This product is well-suited for use in heavy-traffic areas such as decking and areas exposed to harsh weather. This is because it has a long-lasting finish that will protect in the years to come with minimal maintenance.It’s also perfect for dense, oily or greasy woods which are difficult to impregnate with saturating products. D1 Pro delivers excellent wood penetration and can protect even these more difficult woods from within.As such it was perfect for this project as it is made from IPE Decking which is an extremely hard wood decking (approximately 3 times harder than oak!).Many high street products would not have been able to provide adequate saturation in a wood as hard as this and therefore would not provide the long-lasting protection offered by D1 Pro.Finishing a deck with D1 ProOwatrol’s D1 Pro is a saturating wood oil protection. This means that its place is inside the wood not on top of it.To apply a saturating oil you need to apply ‘wet on wet’ coats. This means that the surface cannot be allowed to dry in between coats. If this was to happen then the D1 Pro that had been absorbed so far would start working and prevent any further moisture from penetrating the wood!This sounds a little scary but it really isn’t.The key is to work on small sections at a time (an area which can be completed in around 15 minutes). You need to apply the first coat and allow it to be absorbed for around 15-20 minutes but do not allow it to become surface dry.You then continue to apply coats until no more oil can be absorbed and the wood is saturated. At this point be sure to brush away any excess D1 Pro sitting on the surface to prevent shiny patches.Be sure to work along the length of your decking boards and always work an entire board at once. Never stop mid-board to prevent uneven coverage.Once this is completed you will have a deck protected for the long-haul with minimal maintenance required.Regular washing with Net-Trol is optional but will help to maintain the look of your deck. The look of the deck will gradually lighten over time; when it returns to a grey colour it is time for a maintenance coat. You apply it in exactly the same way but usually only 1-2 coats is necessary.You can also apply a maintenance coat in just a small localised area if that’s all that is necessary. No sanding or stripping required!The finished resultsAs you can see the results are stunning! The client can be safe in the knowledge that their deck is protected for years to come from damage caused by UV rays and moisture.On top of this, they know that they will need to do minimal maintenance. If the deck begins to look worn in high traffic areas, they’re able to carry out touch-ups easily.

A leading European mail-order company for work wear and protective equipment, wanted to use a building material that was ultra durable and therefore reflected and complemented their brand image. Accoya® wood, used as screening for the building, illustrates to perfection the hard-wearing and practical elements of this work wear brand. Roggemann, Accoya’s German and Polish distributor, supplied 500 m2 of Accoya® for the project. The Accoya wood was additionally coated with a transparent stain to highlight its natural beauty.

Accoya wood has been used to create cladding, windows, doors, decking and guttering in family home in Sweden. Over 20 m3 of Accoya was ordered for the project and was used to create cladding, windows, external doors, decking and even the guttering. The joinery firm and construction company were very impressed with the performance of Accoya on this project. The build time was faster than expected with other wood species, it was easy to use and work with and it allowed to use wider planks of Accoya for the cladding.

The ideal choice for specifiers looking for multi-functional wood protection, Sadolin Classic blends outstanding performance with a beautiful finish. Suitable for all exterior wood, Sadolin Classic delivers long-lasting protection for a wide range of timber, including decking, cladding and fencing. It features a high performance formulation which enables the product to absorb deep into the timber, providing exceptional protection against the elements. And as well as being a versatile choice, Sadolin Classic is also available in over 40 shades.

Amtico Signature in a Hospitality and Leisure sector using three woods and one abstract in a basket weave laying pattern.

Accoya® wood has been selected to provide decking for one of just twenty six gardens on display at Europe’s most renowned garden events the Chaumont-sur-Loire International Garden Show. The garden includes stone monoliths which represent the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues connected by wooden decked paths, crafted from Accoya wood. There are also ‘see-saw’ structures of Accoya which connect different sides of the garden and which symbolise the need for balance in life.

The new washrooms at London's historic Carpenters' Hall feature our full height Alto toilet cubicles, finished with a walnut real wood veneer, and bespoke Corian vanity units with inset waste bins and individually inset square sinks plus bespoke mirror units. Real wood veneer under panels, in walnut to match the toilet cubicle doors, were installed underneath the vanities. We also installed our Concerto integrated duct panel system, finished in HPL laminate in a neutral colour.

High quality wooden gates can make a real statement at the entrance to your home, that is as long as they are protected with a high quality finish and looking great! These Iroko gates are making the right kind of statement with some top quality TLC and a beautiful finish provided by D1 Pro and Owatrol Deco.The Iroko gates in this case study had previously been coated with Danish Oil. It was now not making the right kind of statement and definitely needed to be stripped before a new finish could be applied. Roger at R & A Pressure Washing Services Ltd. set to work stripping the gates using Prepdeck.If your gates are remaining in-situ throughout the project then you’ll need to use Aquanett (for wood oils) or Dilunett (for paints and other finishes) as they are gel formulations which won’t run. In this case, the gates were removed so they could be laid flat for the application of Prepdeck.To use Prepdeck simply apply it to the surface with a brush and leave it to work for an appropriate length of time. When the coatings are lifting scrub the surface and rinse with water to remove the residue. You should then immediately neutralise the surface of the wood with Net-Trol. Roger then left it to dry and then lightly sanded the surface with a 60 grit orbital sander for a super smooth finish – this step is not essential though.Using D1 Pro to protect Iroko GatesWhen Roger had completed the preparation of the gates it was time to apply the D1 Pro. D1 Pro’s place is inside the wood, where it saturates it, feeding the wood with oil to replace those lost. It drives out moisture and air, filling the woods pores with oil, and enriches and stabilises it to provide long lasting protection with high UV resistance. D1 Pro enhances the natural beauty of the wood whilst being easy to maintain, requiring no sanding or stripping.D1 Pro is applied ‘wet-on’wet’ which means that you apply coats one after the other without allowing the oil to dry in between and continue until the wood is saturated and will take no more oil. To apply D1 Pro you start by applying a first generous coat. Work in areas that can be coated in 15 minutes. Allow time for it to be absorbed into the surface (15-30 minutes). Apply a second application as soon as the first has been absorbed. Allow to dry.Continue in this way until the wood will not accept any more oil, i.e. it is saturated. Then wipe off any excess to avoid shiny spots, you should be left with a rich matt finish. Work like this in sections to prevent the surface from becoming touch dry in between coats. Roger needed 3 coats of D1 Pro for his iroko gates.Using Owatrol Deco to protect metal work on wooden gatesRoger then used Owatrol Deco, our rust-inhibiting multi-surface primer and finish. This enabled him to have a high gloss black finish which would also provide long-term protection against corrosion and the effects of the weather. The Owatrol Deco is applied in 2 coats, allowing the first coat 24 hours to dry before applying the second.We think you’ll agree, it’s a pretty big transformation and these gates are now making the right kind of statement!

This project located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada uses Longboard® 6” V-Groove in the colours Western Cedar & Light Cherry. Designed by Proscenium Architecture + Interiors in collaboration with our product design department this project utilizes a natural effect algorithm that enables architects and designers to achieve a realistic wood look using two different wood grain colours. The architects at Proscenium utilized this algorithm to create a unique look for the Vancouver, Lawn, Tennis and Badminton Club in order to stay true to their design while taking advantage of the performance and capabilities of Longboard®.

The restaurant at Edinburgh's Botanic Gardens features a Douglas Fir floor finished with Bona Traffic HD. The area was sanded back to bare wood using Bona’s ‘dust free’ system so no need to ‘tent’ the adjacent mezzanine area. Traffic HD was specified to provide the required level of durability in such a busy area. It's a very low VOC formulation which protects wood floors in highly trafficked areas. Its fast development time means busy commercial floors can be put back into full use just 24 hours after application.

Accoya was selected for the black coated weatherboards on the front of the house, due to its durability & stability benefits. Because of Accoya’s modification technique it's the ideal wood for cladding. Generally, problems occur with darker coatings on cladding, due to shrink & swell being exasperated by the solar gain. But, Accoya wood’s superior dimensional stability negates this problem & there's very little maintenance. The cladding needed to be aesthetically pleasing as well as highly durable in order to withstand the extreme climates in NZ. Accoya was also chosen due to its rot resistant & insect deterring benefits.

First fully inspired Cradle to Cradle development in the Netherlands uses Accoya Cladding. The Bosch Siemens HOME (B/S/H) office, called The Inspiration House, is the first building designed for Park 20|20 (the first Cradle to Cradle-inspired full-service development in the Netherlands). The Inspiration House 20|20 was designed by architect William McDonough with Michael Braungart, the founder of the cradle-to-cradle movement. Accoya wood was chosen for the external cladding and windows because it is the only wood product that has achieved the prestigious Cradle to Cradle Gold Certification.

A major housing provider wanted their new workspace to reflect its corporate and environmental ethos. Vtec's premium wood-slatted system, SupaSlat, was used in the ceiling design. The beauty of the system was it supported the client's green initiatives, as FSC® Certified (FSC® 160047) wood was used. Vtec's SupaSlat system addressed the need for sustainable measures. The beautiful light-coloured grain complimented the sophisticated soft furnishes infusing warmth and vitality to the space. Read more to explore how the Lift and Shift system enabled accessible locations into the T-24 ceiling grid.

This beautiful building created by FORMA, located in Ukkel, Belgium.Spruce wood was used, alongside our Oil Plus 2C in White 5%.

Even if your sun beds have spent the majority of the British summertime inside, it’s still vital to give them a good clean before applying any kind of finish.Net-Trol, is a fast-acting and powerful wood cleaner, neutraliser and colour restorer, that will effortlessly remove any surface or ground-in dirt on your untreated sun beds, leaving the wood looking vibrant and bright. Designed to remove all traces of weathering that have been caused by UV rays, pollution and mildew, Net-Trol’s main purpose is to prepare your sun beds for their finish.One of the great things about Net-Trol is that it is non-aggressive, so it’s harmless to your plants. We think is an essential element of any product that is going to be used in the garden. Plus, it’s biodegradable and doesn’t contain bleach or solvents.Even better, it works in as little as 15 minutes and using it should mean that you won’t need to undertake any time-consuming, backbreaking sanding. You can just sit back and relax while it works its magic.Applying Net-TrolBefore starting, you will need to wet your sun beds with fresh, clean water.Then, simply apply Net-Trol with a synthetic brush or roller and scrub your sun beds with a stiff synthetic brush.Leave it to work for 10-20 minutes. If you notice that the surface starts to dry, you’ll need to dampen it with a mist of water.If your sun beds were particularly dirty, you may need to repeat the procedure.You’ll now need to let your sun beds dry for at least 48 hours before applying any kind of finish.One of the great things about Net-Trol is that you can clean your tools with soap and water. There is no need for any white spirits!Finishing with TextrolTextrol, our penetrating oil finish developed for weathered wood, is available in 7 different colours, so you can give your sun beds a finish to suit your garden.This product has been developed so that it penetrates and protects wood from within, so it won’t form a film that could crack, peel or flake. Additionally, Textrol has in-built UV protection and will also protect your sun beds from moisture damage.As well as keeping your furniture safe from the British weather, Textrol will also enhance the natural beauty of the wood.One of Textrol’s main selling points is that it can be applied ‘wet-on-wet’, so you won’t have to wait for coats to dry during application.The maintenance is also extremely easy, with local touch-ups and no backbreaking sanding necessary.When you first apply Textrol to your sun beds, it will give them a rich, matt colour. This should gradually lighten over time to give you your finished look.Applying TextrolTextrol is applied in ‘wet-on-wet’ coats. Apply your first coat of Textrol then leave it for 15-30 minutes. This will allow time for it to penetrate into the wood but not to dry.Then, apply another coat of Textrol and leave it for another 15-30 minutes.You should repeat this process until the wood of your sun beds will not accept anymore oil. Then, wipe off any excess oil that hasn’t penetrated into the wood. This is important to ensure that you avoid shiny spots.It’s vital that you don’t allow Textrol to become touch dry between coats.That’s it – you’re done!Can I follow the same process if my sun beds are treated?If your sun beds have been treated in the past, you will need to use Aquanett or Dilunett before applying Net-Trol, in order to remove any previously applied treatments.Aquanett is our solvent-free wood oil remover, which will help to prepare your sun beds for their new coating. Aquanett is suitable for environmentally sensitive areas and as it has a gel-like consistency so it won’t run everywhere.After using Aquanett, it’s important to treat your sun beds with Net-Trol while they are still wet. This is because you need to neutralise the wood.If your sun beds have been painted, you should use Dilunett, our solvent-free paint remover, to prepare your sun beds for their makeover. Dilunett has also been developed with a gel-like consistency. This makes it ideal for use on the legs of your sun beds and underneath, as it won’t run onto the floor.Again, after applying and removing Dilunett, you should immediately treat your sun beds with Net-Trol, while they are still wet. This is to neutralise the wood.

Project description: 8 skylights - Repair and Re-glaze in Georgian wired obscured glass.The units were in an awful condition as you can see from the pictures, showing extensive rot. All of them were stripped back to bare wood, the putty removed and glazing taken out. We then used a Sadolin Super Dec in white to bring in the parts under the window and replaced the hooked with more tradition lead ones.  Once puttied, we removed the tape as to give it the best possible line before it dried (Timbabglaze is normally paintable after just 1 hour). Once dry we re-masked and used a Dulux UK weathershield system. This was a supergrip primer, oil based Dulux weathershield under coat and finally 2 top coats of Dulux weathershield gloss. The tape was removed and you have the finished product for the first 6 windows.The last 2 windows proved to be a problem. They had been re glazed previously but had been done very badly. The wood was rotten and had to be repaired. After struggling to get the glass out as it had been silliconed in... We used Timbabuild products again. To start with we raked out all the rotten wood back to a hardish part. We then used a Timbabuild 2 part EWS wood primer to give the wood some structure and a base for the next part. Once the EWS had gone off we applied Timbabuild EHB60 epoxy repair. This was left over night (as it was applied last thing in the day) and sanded back to an edge the following day. We then used the Timbabuild ERC10 Rapid curing epoxy adhesive over the top to fill any gaps that needed it. Then a surface layer of 2 part Timbabuild FINISH. They were sanded using a 180 grit paper and received the same paint system as the other 6 windows. The glass was replaced as well as the hooks and the finished results speak for themselves. 

London Hilton on Park Lane, an iconic hotel renowned for it’s luxury, elegance and history have recently updated and renewed it’s Grand Ballroom with the pre-function area which now features an extensive wood veneered aluminium privacy & shading screen system by Technowood.One of the challenges that the team at GA Design have faced was the privacy & shading solution for the large windows that are running along the whole pre-function area.Their designers wanted to utilise a rotatable shading system which is both extremely luxurious and fits in with the aesthetic, yet functional and practical.The desired finish was authentic, real Walnut that is heavily stained to a beautiful beige tone while the visible wood grains create a unique texture for the light reflections and touch.The required sizing for both appearance and practicality have ruled out natural solid wood right away. Panel width of 440mm – yes; nearly half a meter! – with only 40mm thickness would have made these elements way too unstable and heavy if solid wood was used.Technowood UK was able to provide a complete bespoke privacy and shading system for this project: Walnut natural wood veneered aluminium profiles for a synchronized, mechanical rotating system of our design with brushed bronze finish elements & cover plates.Our approved installers PSBK Limited did an outstanding job! The complete installation took less than 2 days during the Easter bank holiday weekend.Some of the key advantages of the system:The privacy & shading blades are near 3 meters long unusually wide and slim; while remaining rigid, solid and dimensionally stable. The bespoke nature of the whole system allowed for a perfect and seamless integration between the marble columns. Installation time is unparalleled. 4 separate systems measuring over 6 meters by nearly 3 meters each. Over 72 square meters of area utilising 57 blades in total.

This home located in Vancouver, BC, Canada features Longboard products as both siding and soffit, providing a consistent look that is contemporary and eye-catching. Designed with Longboard as the primary exterior material, the solid panels and windows nicely complement the home creating this modern, upscale space. Many homeowners opt for Longboard products to provide the stunning warmth of wood while also allowing for no commitment to maintenance through the years. With a variety of solid colour, wood grain, and specialty finish options, every home featuring Longboard can have its own unique look with endless possibilities for design.

Designed by Trevor Wilson (Architecture 37 o) & constructed by Harbour City Builders, Accoya was chosen for the cladding of this Orewa beachfront home. The Accoya profiles were created using a custom rusticated board with a bandsawn face, before being painted and finished using Resene Ironsand which provided the overall dark matt effect. The bandsawn face shows off the bespoke natural wood grain of the Accoya wood, giving it a warm texture in comparison to the concrete. Because of Accoya’s improved stability, coatings such as this can last up to two times longer in comparison to other hardwoods.

Accoya has been selected as the ideal decking material for the Oosterdokseiland in Amsterdam. Designed by engineers IPV, Delft in the Netherlands, 300 metres of Accoya was used in total for the project. Each of the Accoya deck planks for the Jetty measured 145x35mm. The benches, (130x150mm) are also made of Accoya wood. After researching Oak and other wood species for the Jetty, De Boer and De Groot civil works chose Accoya due to its dimensional stability, long service life and sustainability credentials. The Accoya planks were screwed onto purlins which were then connected with anchors to the concrete floats.

As part of the project all the Alto toilet cubicle doors and partitions at this Mayfair office were wrapped using innovative architectural film in a dark slate grey textured ash veneer finish - provided as part of Washroom's Refresh Service. As well as being environmentally-friendly and quick to install, architectural film is also extremely hardwearing and durable so will further prolong the lifecycle of the toilet cubicles. The sleek dark wood veneer finish is just one of more than one thousand different architectural films available to choose from including wood, metal, marble, leather and stone.

Recently, our good friends over at R & A Pressure Washing shared with us a customers garden furniture that was in dire need of restoration.They had a garden swing and a BBQ Prep station / organiser that was looking a little worse for wear. Being much loved and used had taken its toll. Luckily, Roger knew exactly what to do to restore them to their former glory.Firstly, Prepdeck was used to strip the previous coatingAs both the swing and the prep station had been previously coated, Roger had to strip off the old finish. This is a very important step and if you fail to do this it will alter your overall finish. Owatrol products need to penetrate into the wood to give the desired finish. This simply cannot be done if there is a previous coating on the wood.Roger worked in areas that could be completed in around 15 mins and applied the Prepdeck undiluted onto the furniture.After about 15 minutes, you can test a small area with a nylon scrubbing brush to see if the finish is lifting. If it is, scrub the area with a stiff nylon brush. Or, alternatively, a pressure washer at 1000 – 1500 psi (70-103 bars). The psi needed will vary depending on the type of wood you are using it on.Once sufficiently scrubbed, rinse with copious amounts of fresh water.Secondly, Net-Trol was used to clean and neutralise the woodRoger then used Net-Trol to lighten and restore the natural colour of the wood – without bleaching it.One of our favourite products, Net-Trol effortlessly removes ground in and surface dirt in as little as 15 minutes, leaving the furniture looking bright and vibrant.Before applying Net-Trol, Roger wet the furniture with clean water.Once both the pieces of furniture were sufficiently wet, he then applied Net-Trol with a synthetic brush and scrubbed the wood with a stiff synthetic brush. Roger worked to ensure that he had scrubbed the Net-Trol thoroughly making sure to get into all the small nooks and crannies.After leaving the Net-Trol to stand for approximately 15-20 minutes (if it started to dry, Roger applied a mist of water to keep it wet), he used a presser washer (max. 60 bar) to clean the furniture. If you don’t have a pressure washer, you can scrub the surface whilst simultaneously rinsing it with water.Lastly, the furniture was finished with Aquadecks in the shade honeyAquadecks is a water-based penetrating wood finish that can be used on both new and weathered wood.It’s easy to apply and maintain, with no labour-intensive sanding or stripping required.Roger applied a liberal amount of Aquadecks with a brush, working in the direction of the grain.As soon as the ‘wet look’ of the first application had disappeared, Roger then applied the second coat and allowed it to penetrate. This took around 15-20 minutes. It’s important not to let Aquadecks become touch dry between applications and to work in sections that will take no longer than 30 minutes to complete.Next, in order to avoid Aquadecks drying as shiny spots on the surface, he wiped up any excess that had not penetrated into the decking.As Aquadecks is water-based, Roger could then wash the brush and cloth in soap and water.Take a look at those beautiful finished results! We think they look absolutely brilliant. It’s just a shame the customer will have to wait for the warmer weather before using them again!You can find out more information about about Aquadecks by clicking here.

Project Type: StairsLocation: Reinfeld, GermanyContractor: Treppenbau VossWood Species: OakProducts: Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C in Super White

‘Flooring by Henton’ opted for F. Ball products to achieve a high quality LVT floor finish in the company’s own showroom. Firstly, contractors removed old carpet, LVT and wood floorcoverings from the 90m2 floor of the showroom. Contractors next applied Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound over the entire subfloor to create a perfectly smooth base for the receipt of floorcoverings. The showroom has a large glass front, therefore, Styccobond F48 PLUS high temperature grade vinyl adhesive was selected to install wood-effect vinyl planks to ensure the floorcoverings would hold firmly in place when exposed to extreme temperatures.

A major part of the project was restoring the building’s original wood windows, which had been covered over with aluminum windows 30 years ago. The aging units—242 in total—had suffered from fogging, failing glass, air leakage, & broken balances that rendered them inoperable. Window manufacturer Re-View, were selected to restore the windows. Re-View restored the windows using restoration epoxies and replicated Accoya wood parts. Re-view chose Accoya due to its durability and 50 year guarantee. As forecasted at the start of construction in 2013, the work will be completed in June 2017.

Thermography tests assessed the differences & compared the thermal gain of uncoated Accoya decking to thermally modified wood & wood plastic composites. Results showed Accoya is superior having a low thermal gain while the other materials attained significantly higher surface temperatures; the Accoya decking remained cool to touch despite being in direct sunlight on a day with an ambient temperature of 32 degrees. This particular Accoya decking benefit is very crucial to the visitors of the Thai resort & further contributing to the barefoot friendly credentials, Accoya decking’s surface remains smooth, resists splintering & grain raising, despite the high ambient temperatures.

Troldtekt 100% wood wool acoustic panels have been used to dramatic effect at London’s famous Open Air Theatre in Regents Park. A newly-constructed rehearsal building, designed by architects Reed Watt, comprises a stunning double-height dance and rehearsal studio in its centre encircled by offices, kitchen and green room. Troldtekt wood wall panelling in natural grey also complement the natural setting while helping to dampen and keep reverberated sound to a minimum. The rehearsal studio has been acoustically rated so that the maximum noise level that can happen in the studio before being audible outside is 100dB.

Volkswagen wanted to create an exclusive visitor experience with wood-clad walls and ceiling tiles from Rockfon Color-all in a deep black tone to make the cars stand out.

DFV Company realises all their finishes only using Qualicoat approved non-toxic polyester powders. In this regard, the continuous collaboration with suppliers of powder coatings is fundamental, such as Sherwin-Williams, strategic partners in the creation of excellent products and in the research and development of cutting-edge solutions, capable of responding promptly to the changing needs of the market.DFV is an Italian Company with an important international relevance, a leader in the sector of painting for architectural and industrial use.Founded in 1972, today DFV has 3 production units in Italy (Lecce, Venezia, and Agrigento) and 2 abroad (Brazil and Australia). All production sites are equipped with modern painting systems, both vertical and horizontal, and with wood-effect decoration systems that allow DFV to offer a wide range of high-quality colours to several thousand customers as window fabricators, distributors of aluminum profiles, producers, and systems engineers for residential and industrial architecture. The product range of DFV varies from classic and special RAL colours to wood-effect paints and decorations. The core business is represented by the DFV patented EZY and EZY HD2 wood-effect decorations, made using powder on powder technology.

We worked with the architectural team at Sparcstudio to deliver unique contemporary washrooms and changing areas for the Reebok Sports Club. We installed our highly engineered Marcato toilet cubicles, featuring a flush front and rebated finish, ensuring division panels and doors meet edge to edge for maximum privacy, in the washroom areas. Manufactured from solid grade laminate, the cubicles feature wood veneer doors complemented by yellow partitions. The same wood veneer was used for the Concerto integrated duct panelling system and urinal modesty panels. Our Luminoso glass shower cubicles were manufactured with a green coloured layer beneath the toughened glass.

The new washrooms created for this sophisticated office development in the heart of Mayfair were designed to blend classic and contemporary styles seamlessly, reflecting the building’s new unique interior design. Washroom's full height Alto toilet cubicles were finished in real wood dark oak veneer and were complemented by the bespoke Corian vanity units with integrated waste bins and bespoke Corian recessed duct bag shelf. Its Concerto integrated duct panelling system was faced with toughened back painted glass. For the staff shower and changing area, Washroom installed its Octave lockers, finished in the same dark oak real wood veneer.

How to incorporate a fire or stove installation into a self-build project.By Niall Deiraniya, UK general manager, DRU FiresAlways ask for the fireplace specification at the design stage. Modern gas fires and wood stoves require careful planning in order to work as part of the general home heating system.Gas, wood or other fuels?Decide which fuel type best suits your home. Modern gas fires have realistic flame pictures and are much more energy efficient than older models.Wood stoves and fires also have greatly improved energy efficiency due to Ecodesign regulations. The only downside is that there is much more work involved with buying and storing the wood and cleaning the stove after use.Both gas and wood have room sealed options. This means that no air from inside the home is used for combustion and all waste emissions are expelled outside, resulting in clean burning and high efficiency.Finally, sustainable fuels such as Bioethanol produce a very attractive flame picture, burn cleanly with no smell or emissions and are available in a large selection of design formats. Built-in or freestandingIf you are converting a house with an existing chimney, you may wish to retain the chimney, to incorporate a more modern fire. Conventional flue gas fires are designed to fit seamlessly into standard chimneys and require minimal building work. The chimney will almost certainly need sweeping before installation and the fire may require a chimney liner for essential safety.Most wood fires are also designed for chimney installation and make full use of the air circulation properties to provide visually attractive and energy efficient fires. You can either elect for a basic ‘insert’ fire, which matches the dimensions of a Class 1 chimney or a widescreen model, which will require some structural changes.Freestanding stoves are very popular, as they offer greater flexibility of location and provide dramatic room features. They are available in gas, wood or bioethanol and generally need a flue connection to an outside wall or through the roof. No chimney optionsContemporary balanced flue gas fires are designed to be installed without a chimney, so you can incorporate them almost anywhere in a self-build project. However, they still need to be specified at the earliest possible stage. A typical installation will require the fire to be flued through an outside wall, with the flue concealed behind a false chimneybreast. Fires can be located in room-dividing walls and other architectural features so they can be seen from both sides. You can also enjoy fires in kitchens, bedrooms, loft conversions and many other places. These types of installations are made possible by extended, fan-assisted balanced flue systems. They allow for multiple fires to be placed in larger properties, with the flues hidden in crawl spaces and other discreet areas, terminating on the roof.In conclusion, the secret to having attractive and energy efficient fires and stoves in any self-build project is design, plan, cost and implement. And always consult a fully qualified Gas Safe or HETAS engineer.For further information visit www.drufire.com

An elegant neutral base give Basilica Salt an artisan porcelain finish, mixed with the sleek look of Limed Grey Wood.Floor design by Dynargh Design, images Eden Flooring & Interiors.