Protective coatings extend the life of wood cladding

To keep a wooden surface, such as cladding, in good condition for as long as possible, it is necessary to apply a protective surface treatment. An interview with Maaike de Kroon of Finnpro, importer for the Netherlands and Belgium of coatings, paints and lacquers from the Finnish brand Tikkurila, about the unique properties and benefits of these products.

Expertise in the timber industry

Scandinavia is home to many wooden houses. Not surprisingly, the Finnish brand Tikkurila has enormous experience, knowledge and a good reputation in the field of protective coatings for wood. "The quality of Scandinavian products is very high. Tikkurila is constantly looking for ways to improve and extend the life cycle of a coated wood surface. Therefore, the optimized properties of the coatings we supply offer perfect protection against all kinds of weather conditions." 

Thinking along and advising

Finnpro is a relatively small company, with an approachable and personal character but with international allure. "We have a good stock, use short lines and can switch quickly. In addition, we really have an advisory role and like to think along with our customers in, for example, making samples or coming up with and developing our own colors. This way we really offer a total picture." Peck de Jong, founder and director of Finnpro and Finnpaints, comes from the house building industry himself and thus has a lot of know-how. Also in the field of assembly and construction. "Both functionally and aesthetically, we can advise which coating is most suitable for a specific product or project to achieve an optimal end result. The higher the quality of the wood and the better the design of the construction and diligence of the assembly, the longer the surface treatment will protect the wood facade. The right choice in products and maintenance significantly extend the life of wood cladding." 

Water vapor permeable coatings

Finnpro's Tikkurila coatings come in two variants: opaque coatings and a semi-transparent coating. A big plus here is that both variants are water vapor permeable," says De Kroon and continues: "This allows the wood to breathe, making it very flexible and elastic. Ideal of course, because you don't want any cracks or fissures." The opaque variant, UltraPro, is available in a variety of (RAL) colors and puts a film on the wood, so to speak. These are the coatings that last the longest. There is also the semi-transparent coating, Pinja. Here you can still see the underlying wood structure. Here, grays and browns are often used. These coatings are often used when a natural wooden appearance must be maintained, or when one does not want to wait for the graying process and immediately wants to achieve the graying end result. Then pre-grays are used to make this process as even as possible and also to nourish and protect the wood."

Building with wood is on the rise

De Kroon notes that building with wood is on the rise. "Not just wooden houses themselves, but we're seeing more and more that wood can be a visual accent to a building. We are really focusing on those wooden facade parts. From Scandinavia there is also more and more work with thermally modified wood. A lot of research has been done on that and various tests have been conducted. Tikkurila's coatings are also well suited to this. Both Tikkurila and Finnpro are moving with the market and adapting their products accordingly. So that we can always serve the customer optimally. We now also offer private label products for the facade industry. So there is something for everyone."

De Kroon concludes, "With our products, wood stays in good condition longer, both aesthetically and structurally."