More than 10 years durability for wooden windows finished with Arborea Bio

Any wooden structure exposed to the outdoors needs protection against weather and solar radiation. If not well protected, wood can be attacked over time by mould, fungi and insects and eventually rot. Windows and shutters are such structures. Their resistance over time is due to the correct construction solution and the materials used to finish the wood. The products used to protect windows must be highly resistant to external conditions, without compromising on aesthetics or the protection of the environment, the health of those who use them for finishing or the beneficiaries. Arborea Organic, developed by ICA Italy and distributed in Romania by Lomiluxis such a range of products, already appreciated on the market.

Features of Arborea BIO range

Arborea Organic this part arange of organic products developed by the Italian company ICA in response to environmental and human health protection requirements and the need to replace oil in the production of resins used in paints and varnishes. In the search for an alternative source for obtaining them, the manufacturer turned to the use of renewable organic waste materials. Years of research and testing have resulted in BIO-grade finishes with very good wood protection performance.

To protect windows and shutters, finishing materials must provide an elastic film that prevents water penetration into the wood and acts as a barrier to UV rays. The Arborea BIO range of products are formulated on the basis of acrylic resins obtained from renewable organic residues and are qualitatively superior to similar alkyd products on the market, both in terms of resistance to yellowing and drying time.

Main features and advantages of the outdoor products in the range Arborea Organic are:

• Excellent resistance to UV radiation and weathering
• Superior hardness compared to alkyd products from renewable sources
• Resistance to successive coatings
• Ideal for high output industrial cycles
• Has between 30 and 40% renewable content, calculated on dry resin
• Extremely low volatile organic compound (VOC) content
• It does not emit unpleasant odours, ensuring a healthy and pleasant working environment.

Combining strength with aesthetics has resulted in a wide range of quality products

Window finishes must meet both the aesthetic criteria required by the exterior architecture and those related to resistance to environmental factors. Sometimes, aesthetic requirements can lead to a decrease in the durability of the finish. Therefore, a wide range of products is needed to satisfy even the most sensitive demands.

Arborea Organic combines aesthetic and strength requirements in one of the most diverse range of finishes that can meet even the most demanding requirements. The strength of the products is guaranteed by ICA Group's more than 20 years of experience in the research and manufacture of outdoor products.

Finishing cycles can be transparent or opaque. Transparent cycle comprises a first coat of coloured impregnating agent, a transparent intermediate coat and a final coat of lightly coloured transparent douglas varnish (a more reddish honey) with a gloss level of 20 or 30. The impregnator can be applied by dipping, flow-coating, spraying or brushing. Consumption is 40 g/m² of impregnant, 50 g/m² of intermediate (applied by dipping or flow-coating) and 300 g/m² of varnish (applied by spraying).

Staining the initial impregnating layer offers a lot of finishing possibilities. There are 4 main sub-categories - Arborea Color Classic, Arborea Natural Matter, Arborea Pastel if Arborea Metal - which can be used to achieve classic, natural, antique, romantic or metallic finishes. The colours in the Arborea Color classic range have a special transparency, which makes it possible to obtain "clean" finishes that are highly appreciated by professionals. Arborea Pastel includes a series of warm semi-transparent colours, reminiscent of the shutters of Mediterranean houses. Arborea Metal colours, applied to structured wood, give windows and shutters a wonderful patina of time.

To obtain a opaque white finish initially apply a transparent insulator with a consumption of 50 g/m², then a coat of white primer and a coat of white enamel. Consumption is 150 and 300 g/m² respectively. Starting from this base, an infinite number of pastel colours can be obtained by tinting the white enamel, but also strong colours can be obtained starting from the transparent varnish. Using colours from the Arborea Metal range, opaque metallic colours can be obtained.

The quality of Arborea BIO products is validated by testing in independent laboratories

To ensure the durability and water and light resistance of products Arborea OrganicICA has collaborated with independent testing laboratories in different parts of the world. Finishing cycles were tested in partnership with Q-Lab in the USA, Catas in Italy and WKI and IFT Rosenheim in Germany.

Project Arborea SUN testing of organic outdoor products started in 2010 with Q-Lab. Q-Lab was established in 1956 in the US and has facilities in Germany, England and China. Its QUV accelerated ageing test is the most widely used worldwide. To verify product performance under even more extreme conditions, ICA has implemented with Q-Lab an even tougher accelerated ageing programme called Q-TRAC - sunlight concentrator. The results of these tough tests form the basis of the guarantee of over 10 years finishing cycles with products Arborea Organic. To achieve this durability, however, windows must be correctly executed and the finishing cycles must follow the application technology exactly.

With the product range Arborea Organic increased customer demands can be met while maintaining a healthy and clean working environment. And the long-lasting durability of the products will make your customers happy.