Is there life after laminate? – A unique surface finish from Kinnarps.

This spring Kinnarps is excited to announce the release of a unique, cost-effective surface finish for furniture called Lamine™. This new technique is a low risk, environmentally advanced, paint-type finish, using no glue or veneer, to achieve a high quality finish. Indistinguishable from real wood, and available in birch, beech and oak effect, this is all achieved without compromising the recycling potential of the material at the end of its life.

Specially developed by Kinnarps, the Lamine™ process involves 14 separate layers of lacquer, applied individually to an untreated chipboard base and dried by UV light before the final finish and texture is achieved.  Manufactured on a 200 metre long, state-of-the-art production line it is very difficult to spot where the wood effect pattern begins and is repeated, maintaining a natural look over long runs.

Hardwearing and durable, tests show Lamine™ withstands the ageing process up to 75% better than veneered surfaces, greatly reducing the effects of direct sunlight and pressure. To further prove its durability, abrasion tests have shown Lamine™ to be two and a half times more resilient than melamine.

The Lamine™ process proves that being environmentally-friendly can be both cost and resource efficient. As the only wood involved in manufacturing is chipboard – itself a recycled product - the need to stock different types of veneer or melamine is eliminated and waste produced during manufacture is kept to a minimum. The process also uses only solvent-free fluids, ensuring significantly less environmental impact than traditional finishing methods, says Marc Bird, Head of Marketing.

The new name Lamine™ came from Kinnarps’ founder Jarl Andersson, 93, who couldn’t remember the difference between laminate and melamine so created his own name . . .  Lamine™!