In this article we will analyze the advantages of digital decoration on wood. The focus is on its derivatives in particular: when decorative digital printing becomes imitative. Follow us on this journey of ancient and modern stories in the world of wood. 

Il legno è un materiale organico che, proprio come la pelle, viene usato in modo massiccio nel settore dell’arredamento e dell’edilizia, ma trova impiego in numerosi settori, dagli strumenti musicali ai giocattoli.

I produttori di oggi stanno investendo in tecnologie digitali avanzate per soddisfare le richieste in costante crescita di efficienza, automazione, affidabilità e personalizzazione che i clienti hanno. 

The desire for mass customization is manifested in the choice to adopt technologies that improve capacity and extend reach, while remaining eco-sustainable.

Anche il settore dell’arredamento e dell’ interior design è coinvolto in questo cambiamento in cui il legno e i suoi derivati diventano la “tela bianca” su cui il produttore andrà a costruire la sua comunicazione per rendere unici i suoi prodotti.  Unici e più appetibili sul mercato.

 

How woodworking changes

Advances in technology and the growing demand for customization and customization offer the woodworking industry an interesting opportunity for expansion. 

Consumers are looking for new ways to customize floors, furniture, panels and wall coverings. Infotrends' surveys confirm that the demand for specific products - such as wood laminates - is increasing. Demand is growing both nationally and internationally. 

Are you ready to "sculpt" new opportunities for your company?

 

Physics and mechanics of wood: what you need to know before decorating

"To make a table you need wood. To make wood, you need a tree." We'll start right here: from the trees.

The wood serves the plants at the top door, in the light, the green parts where the chlorophyll photosynthesis takes place. 

The tree trunk is used for furniture and construction. The foliage is used as firewood. 

From a physical point of view, wood is a porous material: about 50-60% of its volume is made up of cavities, called capillaries, which run through the whole trunk determining the hygroscopicity of the wood. 

Il legno, infatti, assorbe acqua dall’aria e la trattiene in forma liquida. La sua struttura porosa può, dunque, essere sfruttata anche per impregnarlo di liquidi protettivi, coloranti o adesivi. 

 

The ennoblement of low-value panels

For decades, the practice of finishing low-quality materials - chipboard, plywood or wood fibreboard - has been widespread. 

With the advent of digital decoration, made directly on the material, good performance is guaranteed in terms of resistance and print quality. 

In MUCHCOLOURS già dal 2012 è stato avviato un laboratorio ben attrezzato per eseguire tutti i test di resistenza di stampa su materiali utili a certificare un buon processo di decorazione che garantisca nel tempo affidabilità e resistenza a qualsiasi agente atmosferico, in particolare i laboratori garantiscono test di routine come:

1. UV resistance test
2. Humidity resistance test
3. Salt fog resistance test
4. Abrasion test
5. Delamination test
6. Heat/humidity test

 

There are many advantages to decorating wood and its derivatives: 

working on demand, warehouse costs can be cancelled; endless patterns and imitation wood designs can be created; with some technologies the wood grain can be reproduced. 

In all cases, post-treatments can be added to increase resistance to abrasion, scratching, trampling and humidity. 

 

Create the wood effect

Nell’industria dell’arredamento e dell’ interior design una delle sfide più grandi è creare l’effetto legno. 

In addition to colour rendering, made possible by metamerism, it is vital to restore the tactile effect of wood. 

 

The revolution of MUCHCOLOURS

Thanks to the advent of digital decoration, the woodworking sector is now able to manage the customization of designs, just-in-time production, production based on volumes involving direct printing on the surface. 

After all, consumer preferences are constantly changing, and consequently also the opportunities that the sector offers its players.

Among the services offered by MUCHCOLOURS to customers, the one that is certainly of greatest interest is the color profiling service that the company performs with particularly high-performance tools and techniques dedicated to each type of material.

 The end result is definitely the best in terms of print quality, quantity of ink used and durability of the decoration over time.

Tell us about your project.