In previous editions we have covered on a few occasions how CSP approaches the market with elements such as its filler machines and how it has concentrated deliberately on the niche market of parquet production since 2008. CSP is the world leader in the automatic filling of cavities in wood by means of the Par-filler machine with CosmetiWood wood filler. In this article we consider in more depth the wood filler, which can be applied both mechanically and manually. For more clarification we called on their managing director Geert Van Loocke.

‘We’ve long been renowned for our filler machines for the wooden flooring industry. To sum up, you can say that we sell machines ranging from narrow-lane machines over classic machines for wooden floors to wide-lane machines inclusive,’ Mr Van Loocke tells us. ‘We can cope with widths of 70mm and even narrower up to about 1.5 metres. In the length we go from 500mm up to endless; in the length there are literally no limits. We also go from low to high capacity and we can offer any wooden product manufacturer a machine to meet the required capacity.’

For great and small
We’ve already explained how CSP Engineering responds to the demand for filler machines for clients with a diverse capacity. It starts with the smallest in the series, the PAR Filler Mono, a starters design equipped with one applicator. Depending on the capacity need, machines are extended by several heads (>4) and/or machines are positioned in parallel.

‘Our machines can fill gaps of 0.2mm and more,’ Mr Van Loocke continues. ‘We stand out from our competitors because we know how to fill both very small and very large cavities and technology is progressing all the time. You notice here that capacity is increasing all the time and that wood fillers are improving step by step. Similarly the green aspects and the packing technology are advancing rapidly. What it comes down to is that anyone with questions about how to fill wood can best contact us. You also have to see wood in its broadest form. We fill much more than just solid or engineered wood and we also like to stimulate new developments in the market towards other wooden components. Think here of items such as veneer or other wood products which have to be filled.’

CosmetiWood wood filler
Mr Van Loocke wants to talk mainly about CosmetiWood wood filler, a mono-component and water-based product. This wood filler is ideal for machine applications, but it is often used manually as well. Cosmeti Wood behaves the same as real wood. As a filler it has outstanding adhesion properties, shrinks far less than all other products on the market, and is easy to sand and plane. Moreover, the product absorbs oils and varnishes equally easily, so an attractive finish is guaranteed.

‘It’s important to mention here that this wood filler dries rapidly and it’s no longer necessary to use drying slats. And so, you don’t need to use spacers any more, but obviously the planks do have to dry out somewhat first,’ he explains. ‘We see with the application that you only have to wait a very short time, about two minutes, until the surface is “touch dry”. And so, you can stack without drying slats. Here? I would also like to point out the indisputable benefit for clients, who get a combination in a one-stop shop with both a machine and the accompanying wood filler at the same address.’

We know that there are lots of products on the market with diverse properties. Geert Van Loocke stresses here in particular that you certainly shouldn’t confuse cheaper wood fillers from, say, the DIY trade with the requirements which are prescribed for a wood filler which can be processed perfectly well both mechanically and manually: ‘If you note all the demands of a flooring manufacturer, you’ll see that it can be quite a long list. CosmetiWood, which consists for over 70% of natural ingredients, meets those many and diverse demands excellently. Technically, you have to regard CosmetiWood as a fairly complex product with a complex composition, which meets a lot of demands.’

Cartouches with a new dispenser
‘Finally, I’d like to come back to the fact that our filler is soon touch dry. This means you can work without drying slats. To offset the drawback of rapid drying, we’ve created a pneumatic dispenser. This means that the person who works with the filler always uses good and fresh material.’

‘To be precise, these are cartouches which consist of a synthetic film and allows the product to retain its good characteristics to the full. Rapid touch dry means that you get a fast surface drying, so the use of a bucket, for example, isn’t a good idea. You get surface hardening and granular formation because the processing is too slow. With a bucket, the product also dries out and users will tend to add water, something which will result in loss of the favourable shrink properties. Apart from the fact that with a bucket you get a troublesome dry crust, you also have to realise that this is hardly an ecological form of packaging. You cannot recycle a bucket.’

www.cosmetiwood.com