Organic wood products we expect in Romania

It's Vermont Natural Coatings wood finishing products. Products that havethe durability of oil-based finishes and the advantages of water-based finishes without any of their disadvantages. Their proprietary formula - PolyWhey - uses whey protein to replace toxic ingredients in wood finishing products. The result is a durable, safe and easy-to-use natural finish that has set the highest performance and environmental standards.

From a product that polluted local lakes, whey became the raw material for ecological lakes

Their products are the result of a successful environmental project whereby the whey left over from cheese making is turned into wood finishing products. Products with very good coating properties and good strengths for both floor finishing and exterior use.

The starting point was primarily a concern for transforming local resources - theirs, Vermont USA's - into value-added products. It may seem implausible, but whey can pollute the waters of lakes and rivers if dumped into them, due to the high BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) index, whereby oxygen in the water would be consumed by bacteria to break down the waste.

Researchers at the University of Vermont have discovered whey's ability to make a film and have modified its chemical structure to produce a tough, almost odourless film-like product. How they arrived at this result seems disarmingly simple, but it takes years of work: they took the protein molecules in whey and put them one after the other to create one large molecule, a polymer. This polymer has the ability to form a hard, tough film with very good transparency and smoothness.
The result of the University of Vermont's research was taken up by a local entrepreneur, who was also involved in the research process, and turned it into a premium eco-friendly wood finishing product. They have achieved a professional product free of toxic chemical compounds with performance like those on the market.

Options for finishing kitchen furniture, flooring or wood used outdoors

Product name created by Vermont Natural Coatings (also appears in the study on the global market for paints and varnishes) is PolyWhey and comes in versions for finishing flooring, finishing kitchen furniture and impregnating exterior wood.

The natural strength of whey protein makes Vermont Natural Coatings an environmentally friendly, protective finish for all wood surfaces. It is non-toxic and contains no biocides, fungicides or antimicrobial agents. Pigments act as a natural UV barrier. By using recycled whey protein, Vermont Natural Coatings eliminates the need for heavy metals and solvents found in some wood products.

Whey floor varnish is odourless, easy to apply and dries quickly. Basically, in one day you can completely varnish the floor of a room with all 3 coats, including sanding between coats. Because of the lack of odour, the home can be used immediately, without taking weeks to get rid of the strong, lingering smell in the house.

And the version for kitchens is also odourless, with a satin finish, hardness, transparency and a pleasant tuft. What's extraordinary is that the product is totally eco-friendly and risk-free, and food can be placed directly on the freshly lacquered table immediately after the lacquer has dried.

They started on the shelves of a single store in Vermont and ended up selling their products in stores across the US and Canada. Today, Vermont Natural Coatings has developed three categories of wood finishing products and they have interior wood finishing and flooring products, exterior wood products, and professional flooring and sports hall products. What is remarkable about this project is that, in addition to transforming a residue into a natural wood finishing product with very good qualities, it makes products that are totally dependent on oil and its processing industry obtainable from a renewable source. It would be good to see them in Romania soon.

I hope you find the information useful. As usual, additions are welcome. And if you have any questions or queries, please leave them in the space below. I'm sure I'll reply.