POLISHED PERFECTION
Here F. Ball & Co. looks at the use of levelling compounds as wearing surfaces for architectural applications.
Some floor levelling compounds that are designed to be used as a standalone wearing surface have become a popular choice amongst architects and interior designers when working on ambitious modern architectural projects. Often selected for their natural appearance, with varying colours and textures and attractive patina when polished, levelling compounds are considered by some to be a visually superior alternative to concrete.
One such product, F. Ball’s Stopgap 800 Wearcoat has been used to create a high-quality, contemporary flooring finish on the entire ground floor of a newly constructed lakeside residence in Tattingstone, near Ipswich. The house features large windows and so the natural appearance of the wearcoat was desired to create a harmonious transition between the inside and outside environments.
Contractors from The Polished Concrete Co, in Croydon, were called in to install F. Ball’s Stopgap 800 Wearcoat self-levelling wearing surface throughout the building’s ground-floor areas, over a total area of 200m², including in the entrance hallway, two bedrooms and living room with large glass windows. F. Ball’s Stopgap P131 primer and Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane were also used in the installation.
Before any work was undertaken, a moisture test was carried out to ascertain levels of subfloor moisture in the building’s concrete subfloor, and it was determined that subfloor relative humidity (RH) levels were 75–80%. Where relative humidity levels are greater than 75% (65% if wood floorcoverings are to be installed) a waterproof surface membrane will be required to provide a barrier against excess moisture and prevent possible floor failure. Therefore, contractors installed F. Ball’s Stopgap F77 two-part, epoxy resin waterproof surface membrane over all ground floor areas.
Stopgap F77 is applied in a single coat and fully cures in as little as three hours to create a barrier against residual
22 | LEVELLING COMPOUNDS
construction moisture or rising damp where relative humidity values are up to 98%.
With few exceptions, it’s essential to prime a subfloor before the application of a levelling compound, so a single coat of F. Ball’s P131 primer was applied. When used over non-absorbent surfaces, such as Stopgap waterproof surface membranes, primers serve to promote adhesion of subsequently applied levelling compounds. Stopgap P131 typically dries in less than 60 minutes when applied over non-absorbent subfloors and is pigmented green to visually gauge coverage.
Contractors could then proceed to install Stopgap 800 Wearcoat throughout the entire floor. Stopgap 800 is a self- levelling, industrial-grade floor compound used for upgrading and renovating new and existing internal floors in light to heavy duty applications where floorcoverings are not required to be installed. These properties make it ideal for application in storerooms, workshops and warehouses, where floors will be heavily trafficked and subject to heavy loads. While still wet, an F. Ball spiked roller was used to dispel any trapped air in the levelling compound and optimise the appearance of the finished result.
When dry, contractors polished the surface before applying a sealer to protect the surface from water and other liquids.
Commenting on the project, John Butt, Managing Director at The Polished Concrete Co., said: “It’s been great to be a part of this project. Not only is the building architecturally interesting, it’s situated in a very attractive location, and the finish of the Stopgap 800 adds to the aesthetic that has been created. Our customers love Stopgap 800 for its superior appearance to concrete.”
www.f-ball.com
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