Marchand Test Lab
- james42230
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
How New Zealand’s Most Protected Floor Handles Life’s Messiest Moments
When you choose a luxury oak floor, you expect beauty, durability, and peace of mind. At Marchand, we talk a lot about the performance of our engineered European oak boards; especially our signature 20mm planks with a 6mm wear layer and nine-layer UV lacquer. But we also know that real life doesn’t happen inside a lab. Real life happens on busy family floors, surrounded by crayons, vivid markers, makeup, nail polish, and the kinds of accidental spills that make parents wince for a moment before remembering they invested in Marchand.
So in true Marchand style, we wanted to test our flooring in the exact way our customers use it: honestly, vigorously, and with a touch of chaos.
Welcome to the Marchand Test Lab, where New Zealand’s most protected floor is pushed to its limits so you know exactly how it performs in real homes.
We have already completed full KLUMMP Stain Resistance Testing. But this time, we wanted something a lot of busy people, families or office environments find themselves faced with. Below is a detailed breakdown of exactly what we tested and how our flooring responded.
Marchand Test Lab. Vivid and Crayons: Testing the Realities of Family Life
Children rarely choose the right place to be creative. Floors and walls become canvases. So we wanted to replicate this exact moment.
Vivid marker and crayons were drawn directly onto a Marchand 20mm flooring sample and left for 10 minutes to dry. Long enough for pigment to settle but still realistic for a parent noticing the mess after making a cup of tea.
Products used: Pledge Cleaner & Jif Outcome: Pledge was used first. It successfully removed the light-coloured Vivid marks and lifted some of the softer crayon wax. However, darker Vivid inks and deeper crayon residue remained. Jif was then applied, and this was immediately more effective. The darker Vivid marks lifted cleanly, and the crayon wax was removed fully, although some of the thicker crayon lines needed gentle scraping with fingernails to break the waxy surface before wiping. After cleaning, only the most minimal Vivid residue remained in some grains. This test perfectly demonstrated why our lacquer system is so protective. The pigment stayed on the surface long enough to clean off, instead of absorbing into the timber.
Nail Polish and Nail Polish Remover: The Beauty Test
Few things cause a quicker panic than a tipped bottle of nail polish. It spreads fast, dries hard, and is infamous for staining porous or soft-coated floors.
To simulate a realistic accident, we applied both nail polish and nail polish remover directly to a Marchand board and deliberately left them for 1.5 hours. Enough time for a drying cycle, school pick-up, or a forgotten spill during a busy morning.
Products used: Pledge Cleaner & Jif Outcome: Pledge was tested first but was not able to lift the nail polish or the nail polish remover residue. Jif was then used and worked quickly, removing the nail polish remover marks almost immediately. The dried nail polish required slightly more effort and “elbow grease,” but it came off without damaging the lacquer. After cleaning, only the slightest residue in the grain.
For customers who ask how can I get lipstick off my floor or whether nail polish ruins oak flooring, the results show that even difficult household cosmetics can be removed from our boards with the right process.
Why We Put Our Boards Through Harsh Household Testing
Open-plan living and modern family life mean floors take the brunt of activity. Children play, makeup bags get opened on the hallway floor, and crafts tend to spill beyond the art table. A floor is not just a backdrop; it is a working surface.
This makes stain resistance one of the most common questions we are asked:
How can I get lipstick off my floor?Will nail polish damage engineered oak? Can crayons and Vivid markers stain high-end timber flooring?
We want our customers to have clarity, confidence, and real evidence, not just technical data. That is why our Test Lab goes beyond traditional testing to replicate the way families actually live.
The Unexpected Hero: Jif
Although Pledge lifted some of the lighter marks, Jif cream cleaner was the standout product for stubborn household stains. It worked on every material we tested — crayons, Vivid, lipstick, nail polish, and nail polish remover, without compromising the lacquer surface.
This does not mean Jif should be used as your everyday cleaner. Our aftercare guide outlines weekly care with Pledge or Bona to maintain long-term floor health. Think of Jif as your emergency rescue product for accidental spills or heavily pigmented mishaps.
Why Marchand Floors Withstand What Others Can’t
The strength behind these impressive results is a combination of engineering, coating technology, and material quality:
• A 6mm wear layer of premium European oak • A 14mm eucalyptus and black poplar cross-laminated core • A nine-layer UV lacquer acting as a protective shield • A coating system designed specifically to resist pigments and household chemicals
This engineered structure is what earns Marchand the reputation for having New Zealand’s most protected oak floor.
What This Means for Your Home
Peace of mind. Confidence. And the freedom to live beautifully.
These results show that even in worst-case scenarios, lipstick, crayons, Vivid marker, acetone spills, or nail polish, your Marchand floors are built to recover beautifully.
Real life happens. Your floors should handle it.
See the Test Results in Person
If you want to see these tests, compare finishes, or learn more about our 9 layers of lacquer, please visit our Marchand Studios. Our team will walk you through everything that makes our flooring New Zealand’s most protected floor.
Living beautifully should be effortless, and with Marchand, it truly is.
