SAMPLES?
The samples sent to you by Valchromat® SA have been sprayed on one side with two coats of clear lacquer. The other side has been left unfinished so that you can see what the product looks like in its natural state.

DOES VALCHROMAT COME LACQUERED?
The boards are supplied in their natural state i.e. unlacquered. Valchromat® can accept many different types of finishes such as clear lacquer, tinted lacquer, oil, wax, duco or even no finish at all. It is up to the designer or architect to specify the type of finish they prefer. We recommend that a sample test finish be carried out for approval by the client as Valchromat® SA does not accept any responsibility for the finishing of the boards.

WHAT LACQUER SHOULD I USE?
The type of lacquer that should be used depends on the product's application. If the product is being used in a vertical application then 2-3 coats of a standard acrylic lacquer will suffice. If Valchromat® is to be used in a horizontal application then 3 coats of a good quality polyurethane lacquer such as acrylac is recommended. Each coat must be allowed sufficient time to dry in between applications and a very light sanding is also recommended between coats. For an extremely durable finish (High traffic table tops) Glatex 8 can be used.

WHAT IS THE BEST PROCEDURE FOR SPRAYING OUR ROUTED BOARDS A DIFFERENT COLOUR?
Herewith our recommendations for a really good finish when spraying our routed Valchromat® boards WHITE or ANOTHER COLOUR:

1. First apply 2 coats of Chemspec Woodline White primer with a very light sanding in between using a 400 waterpaper...these coats dry very quickly.
2. Then apply 3 coats of Chemspec Woodline Sheen in white (or any other selected colour)...also a very light sanding in between each coat but switch to using a 600 waterpaper for the final sanding before the last coat is applied.
   For a shinier look you would need to use the Woodline gloss range.

HOW DO I ACHIEVE A HIGH GLOSS FINISH?
If Valchromat® is finished with a high gloss lacquer it can resemble granite. To achieve this finish use 3 coats of a gloss polyurethane lacquer and lightly sand in between coats. Buff after the final coat if further shine is required.

CAN I GLUE IT TO THE WALL LIKE SUPAWOOD?
One of Valchromat's® biggest applications is wall cladding. The boards can be fixed in the same way as any wood fibre board or panel using silicon based glues or mechanical fixers.

WHAT GLUE SHOULD I USE?
See table below showing different glues and their bonding capabilities.

BONDING VALCHROMAT
ADHESIVE	TYPE	RESULT	COMMENT
Alcolin Cold Glue	Poly Vinyl Acetate	Good	Slow setting
Alcolin Fast Set	Poly Vinyl Acetate	Very Good	Quick setting with good fibre tear
Alcolin Professional	Aliphatic Resin	Fair	High wet tack
Alcolin Xtreme	PolyUrethane	Good	Bonding to differ ent surfaces
Alcolin Wood Mate	Acrylic	Excellent	Gap filling
Alcolin Quik Wood	Epoxy	Good	Suitable as filler
Bostik Mount It	Assembly Adhesive	Very Good	Good wet tack

CAN I USE VALCHROMAT OUTSIDE...IS IT WATERPROOF?
Valchromat® is not water proof but it has a very high moisture resistance unlike fibre boards. The reason Valchromat® is so moisture resistant is due to the high melamine content in its specially formulated resin - this also adds to its unique strength. Valchromat® can be used in kitchen and bathroom areas.

HOW DO I HIDE THE NAILS WHEN I AM FIXING IT...DO YOU HAVE THE SAME COLOURED PUTTY AVAILABLE?
Shopfitters should treat Valchromat® as they would a solid. Edges should be brought together at 90 degrees and mitered. Internal cleats can be used and the product can be glued. We do not have the same coloured putty to cover nails, although some professionals mix the accumulated coloured dust with clear silicone to form a coloured paste.

DOES VALCHROMAT REQUIRE EDGING?
Valchromat® does not require edging. After machining an edge may require a bit more sanding and an extra coat of lacquer.

IS IT AVAILABLE IN WHITE?
No....Valchromat® is a non-toxic, ecofriendly wood fibre board. It is rated E1 in terms of formaldehyde emission which makes it very safe to use in the manufacture of children's furniture. The pigments that are used to dye the pine wood fibres are all organic. To produce a white board would mean the wood fibres would first have to be bleached which would make the production toxic.

WHAT IS THE LEAD TIME FOR ORDERS?
Routed boards take 7-10 days as the boards are machined to order. We aim to deliver within a week where possible. The delivery time for plain boards is 7 days but generally only takes 1-3 days depending on colour/quantity and thickness. Should stock not be available locally, lead times on larger orders could be 6 – 8 weeks. This should be confirmed with the marketing team.

IF WE WANT OUR OWN SPECIFIC CNC DESIGN CAN YOU CREATE IT?
We have developed a range of over 60 standard CNC designs and will continue to add to our range. If you would like a different design we will do our best to create it but there will be a development charge which will depend on the intricacy of the design and the amount of machining time required.

VALCHROMAT IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN MDF - WHY WOULD I WANT TO USE IT?
Although it is more expensive in its raw state, there are many reasons why Valchromat® works out more affordable in its finished state than MDF. You are using a totally different and unique product. It is probably the only ready-to-use wood based panel that doesn't intend to imitate wood. It has created its own look with a universe of decorative possibilities. It is coloured all the way through which means that it can be repaired very easily and because of the high quality and extra strength of the board it machines beautifully making possible our amazing range of CNC designs - take a look at our CNC design library. A quality duco'd finish on MDF can be very expensive due to high labour costs and longer lead times. Since Valchromat® requires far less sanding and finishing than MDF, these production costs are significantly reduced. Many people also choose to paint Valchromat®... especially when choosing a white finish - its unique qualities and excellent cutting surface for design work guarantee the user a superior finished product in the colour they require.

IS IT NORMAL FOR THE ROUTED BOARDS TO BE SLIGHTLY BOWED?
When a board is manufactured, due to the manufacturing process which involves heating and cooling, there are tensions and stresses in a board. When a board is cut these tensions and stresses are released and can cause some movement. When a board is routed the face on one side of the board is effectively removed or altered which releases the tension unevenly. It is difficult to predict the amount of movement there will be due to each board being slightly different as well as different designs having different effects on the surface of the board. The larger the size of the board, the more exaggerated this would become. If they are to be “hung” from a rail, this problem is generally overcome by building a frame on the back of the boards which helps to keep the boards flat.