We have an appointment with master parquet trader Han Dorenbos, who has been technical adviser for floor finishes at RIGO Verffabriek since early in 2018. Before Mr Dorenbos joined the company, he had gained a wealth of experience in both parquet floors and furniture making and he now advises and assists professionals at RIGO in the Netherlands and Belgium. For him, colour is more than a job; it’s a passion which means that no two days are alike.

Only oil or finish with two coats of transparent lacquer
‘For colours you have to come to RIGO,’ he laughs, before he explains how his company have two options for colouring wood with oil. ‘We can turn both “left” and “right”. What I mean is that on the one hand we offer the option of colouring solely with the use of oil, whereby you colour and protect in one coat. On the other hand, obviously, you can also apply colour with oil and then finish with two coats of transparent lacquer.’

Mr Dorenbos then explains why clients can sometimes opt for one and sometimes for the other. The low maintenance plays the lead role in this narrative: ‘All products apply some protection, but the great thing is that there are now so many more options than with traditional forms with primers and finishes for parquet in oil, wax, or lacquer, each with their own perspective. That doesn’t happen anymore. If you choose a colour oil which can be lacquered over, you apply a lacquer recommended for that purpose. You can put both options next to each other and you don’t see any difference anymore. Actually, that gives you a lacquer floor, but with the look of oil, so that modern consumers have the option of exceptionally low maintenance. You vacuum clean and/or mop and that’s it. You don’t need maintenance oil anymore.’

45 standard colours
When we ask how RIGO Verffabriek goes to work with regard to colour, the first thing which they tell us is that they offer a pallet of colours in which 45 standard colours have been developed. Those colours are displayed via ranges of colour with a choice of a wood shade range and a grey shade range. These ranges can be recognised by their brown or grey handle.
‘On the site you finish those colours yourself by adding a colour dye to a base. All our colour dyes can be mixed with each other and there’s nothing to stop you from dosing more or less dye. What it boils down to is that you can make anything. If that’s not enough, then obviously you can also pre-colour. Traditionally, that has been done via bleaching or smoking with ammonia, but we offer a way of doing it in a controlled manner via our ROYL reactive stains. Thereby it is perfectly possible to pre-colour even large wood surfaces without leaving streaks. That, in combination with colour oils, gives you an explosion of options for colouring new wood to make it look old. And so, you make your own colours and create a smooth image.’

Latest development: Original Oak or colour C30
One interesting development which RIGO Verffabriek launched on the market not so long ago is the so called colour C30. This is called Original Oak.
‘This most recently added colour oil has been developed in such a way as to preserve the shade of unsanded wood on pale oak wood. And so, you preserve the highly popular untreated look and don’t notice that the oak changes its colour and appearance. The addition of C30 means it is now also possible in our oil line to guarantee the protection which we’ve offered for over 50 years when it came to a deep and impregnating protection.’

Han Dorenbos concludes with a reference to the RIGO line which can give wood a covering finish.
‘This is logical; after all, we were originally a paint factory. Apart from a complete line of covering paints, we also have a colour primer. This can be mixed with all RAL and NCS colours and is available in four standard colours: white, black, light grey, and dark grey. You apply the product (Rainbow Colour Primer) to provide two transparent coats of lacquer. You can also vary the degree of gloss. For those who want it, you can also apply decorative elements in the primers. Think, for instance, of the application of two contrasting colours, something which provides a very special effect.’