Hardwood Floors June/July 2024

contractors with the majority of the features and benefits they were looking for in a finish without the financial strain associated with two-component products. Once the economy came back, everyone just rushed back to all those two-component products, right? Not necessarily. During the last five to seven years, there has been significant work done in the way of single component products. Some of these are even being touted as offering several of the benefits of two-component products without the waste or expense. This has resulted in a shift in business to the point it could be said that there are more gallons of single

REVISITING SINGLE COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY In 2007/2008, the U.S. started to see a small influx of finish manufacturers that were from outside the U.S., and these manufacturers were not opposed to unconventional thinking and revisiting single component technology. They brought with them clear single component finishes that were much easier to apply. They offered improvements over the original class of single-components in the form of greater durability, clarity, and cure. Their arrival during this time period was quite fortuitous. Anyone remember what else happened in 2008? For those of you that aren’t

During the last five to seven years, there has been significant work done in the way of single component products. Some of these are even being touted as offering several of the benefits of two component products without the waste, or expense. This has resulted in a shift in business to the point it could be said that there are more gallons of single-component waterborne vs. two-components being sold today.

history buffs, money got a bit tight in 2008 as the U.S. entered the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression. This inspired contractors to find ways to save on their overhead, all the while maintaining the

component waterborne vs. two-components being sold today. Besides being the more economical choice, the new generation of single-components are the pragmatic choice. Let’s put that another way: Some of your clients want a nine-passenger SUV to take two kids to school and the grocery store. Do they need it? Probably not. Why do they want it? Someone told them that they needed it, and anything less was not up to the task. However, that’s only one cynic’s point of view. What it all boils down to is this: When you are selecting a finish, keep in mind that there is no longer a huge disparity between single-components and two-component products. While you may think you want a product that will protect a floor from a meteor shower; often, all you need is one that can protect it from a dust mop, the stray ice cube, and everyday life. Did I just tell you that, in some scenarios, a single-component finish is a better option than a two-component finish? Maybe, maybe not.

quality of their finished product. Did I just say that these new single

component finishes were better in every way than the two-component finishes that had taken the industry by storm? I did not. What I am saying is these new single-component products checked a lot of the boxes for contractors: durable, clear, quick cure time, low VOC/low odor, and a much longer shelf life, reducing waste. More importantly, they really closed the technology gap. While they were not everything that a two-component product is/was, they were providing

Gene Jarka is the Eastern regional manager for Pallmann. He can be reached at gene.jarka@uzin-utz.com.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

71