CONTROL THE
SITE, CONTROL THE PERFORMANCE
Martin Cummins, UK Technical Support Manager at Bostik, takes a look at the importance of having good site conditions to work in during the winter months.
We were delighted to hear that our new Laybond Carpet Adhesive has been nominated for this year’s Tomorrow’s Contract Floors awards.
This issue really comes to the fore on newbuild projects where there may be no heating, windows or even roofs in place, with foot traffic bringing in lots of moisture and contamination. In truth flooring should not be installed at this
stage; however modern day working practices sometimes dictate that the flooring is no longer the last thing to be installed on a building project.
Available in a 5kg or 15kg tub, the new adhesive provides extra grab, which helps to combat carpet curl on larger projects. This ensures a fast and permanent bond, helping installers to deliver a high standard of work on time and in budget.
The new adhesive is suitable for use over normal under floor heating installations and can also bond rigid and semi-flexible vinyl tiles, as well as selected sheet vinyl.
The nomination is recognition of the product’s level of innovation, and we’re hoping to build on last year’s runners up prize for our Screedmaster Flex self- levelling compound.
YOU CAN’T CONTROL
THE WEATHER Although as a manufacturer we continue to develop market-leading solutions for professional flooring contractors, we unfortunately have no control over the weather. As we’re in the midst of the cold, wet, winter months, this led me to look at how poor site conditions can affect the performance characteristics of flooring products.
16 | COVER STORY
As a precursor I would like to add that, in my experience, construction sites are improving year-on-year. By this I mean that the clutter, the trades on top of trades scenarios and the dark unlit areas to work in as historically experienced are lessening, and in some cases the site conditions are very well controlled with good warmth, lighting and airflow - everything you could need to install flooring. It can be done and the first attack must be to pressurise the main contractors to get these optimum conditions.
“Rapid curing smoothing compounds, such as Bostik’s Screedmaster
Speed 30 are designed for fast turnaround
projects allowing flooring to be done in a day.”
Here’s my advice on what may happen with flooring products if site conditions are poor, and what you can do to limit these difficulties.
Damp proof membranes (DPMs): As we all know, the best DPMs consist of curing or reactive products such as epoxy and PU systems. The laws of chemistry determine that reaction rates are directly correlated to temperature (without catalytic assistance). Most manufacturers will quote curing times based on a known temperature such
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