Podcast 1 Décor | Burned Planks Laminate Flooring
IAN: Have you always thought that a black floor makes a room appear smaller? Think again! According to Dave and Theresa, Black is definitely back!
DAVE: In the world of fashion as well as in interior design and decorating, black has definitely made a comeback: timeless and elegant, yet rugged.
THERESA: To heighten the luxury appeal of any room you can nowadays use black in your interior decorating scheme to make a definitive statement.
DAVE: I agree, a deep colour will give your room a dramatic flair. But what if you choose a black floor? What is the impact on décor and design and is that available in SA?
THERESA: A black floor in combination with light colours or eye-catching details can exude an aura of serenity and produce everything but a narrowing effect. FloorworX is a certified Quick-Step agent and they are pulling out all the stops with a very special black floor: a floor with the wood grain texture of believe it or not – burned wood.
DAVE: Burned flooring? How awesome is that? Tell us a bit more…
THERESA: The practice of burning wood is as old as the road to Rome. The result? A unique texture, and as black as coal.
Its application has its origins from a Japanese technique. Shou Sugi Ban – do yourself a favour and Google this – you’ll find various YouTube videos showing and explaining the process.
Either-way, in those days, burned wood was used as a natural protective layer against pests and fire. The finish can differ, depending on how long the wood is exposed to fire and carbonisation. This age-old technique provided the basic inspiration for many burned black floors. In fact, Quick-Step started to experiment in the same way and created their burned planks range, with the difference being that they created a laminate floor with a true-to-life texture and look to a burned floor.
The pattern was designed by making use of reliefography, to scan in the composition of burned wood.
DAVE: Isn’t this the same technique that is used for replicas of paintings?
THERESA: Yes, a good example would be some of Van Gogh’s masterpieces that have been reproduced that go by the name of Relievos. Each Relievo is numbered and certified by a curator from the Van Gogh Museum.
DAVE: Sorry Theresa, we digressed, but now I understand how Quick-Step managed to design the film for their laminate burned range. So by making use of reliefography, the result is a black floor with the unique texture of burned wood.
THERESA: Correct! You mentioned earlier that a dramatic, black floor in combination with light, neutral walls can create a stunning contrast and even brighten up a room considerably. Combining this floor with walls painted in white or pastels will create a stylish and contemporary space: the addition of a dark floor will lend your home a touch of drama and charisma.
IAN: Theresa, What do I ask for when I want to enquire about this burned range from Quick-Step?
THERESA: Quick-Step Impressive is the newest range of Laminate Flooring form FloorworX. The range has 16 colours and comes with the new Quick-Step HydroSeal that is exclusive to the Impressive range. It is resistant to regular water exposure (and other liquids). It is guaranteed in Bathrooms, Kitchens, Laundry Rooms, and Entrance Halls to name a few heave traffic but also areas exposed to moisture.
To enquire about the burned planks specifically, you need to phone our wood and laminate division on 0861 833 338 and ask about the Quick-Step Impressive IM1862 burned floor. This is an 8mm laminate floor and is supplied with 7 planks per box or 1.835m2 per box. This colour is currently regarded as a special “to order” item which means we only import stock per confirmed customer order.
You are always welcome to visit our website at www.floorworx.co.za but you’ll note when you open the Impressive web page, we only show 8 colours which are stock colours kept in Steeledale. Seeing as the range has 16 colours, it obviously implies that an addition 8 colours are “to order’ items. We are able to show you these colours in our brochure on online on wwww.quickstep.co.uk (English version)
DAVE: How long do I wait for a special “to order” product?
THERESA: Anything between a min of 6 to a max of 8 weeks for delivery from Europe to SA.
IAN: Where can people read more about this new black trend?
THERESA: We featured the burned floor in the 2016 May edition of Designing Ways magazine. Alternatively send an e-mail to infor@floorworx.co.za and we can supply you with a whole list of black flooring stocked by FloorworX in more than one product category.