ON THE BALL: CHOOSING THE RIGHT VINYL ADHESIVE
As there is such a wide array of adhesives available for contractors to choose from, Stephen Boulton, Technical Service Manager for F. Ball and Co. Ltd., provides a straightforward guide to choosing the right vinyl adhesive for the job.
Standard, wet-lay adhesives are available for contractors who are installing vinyl sheet and do not require an immediate bond to hold it in place while they work. The contractor simply applies the adhesive evenly over the subfloor with a trowel and allows it to dry slightly before placing over the floorcoverings and going over them with a roller.
Otherwise, contractors might opt for the qualities of a pressure- sensitive adhesive when installing vinyl tiles or planks. Pressure-sensitive adhesives form an instant grab upon contact, so contractors need not worry about tiles or planks moving about when they are working, making them ideal for where intricate designs or patterns are being created.
Nowadays, contractors can find pressure-sensitive adhesives with additional features, including temperature tolerance, for use where vinyl floorcoverings will be exposed to temperature fluctuations, such as conservatories and areas where floor to ceiling windows result in solar gain. Over time, extreme temperature fluctuations will cause vinyl floorcoverings to expand and contract, which can lead to tenting and gapping if a suitable adhesive isn’t used.
Then there are contact adhesives, which are the traditional choice for installing vertical flooring accessories such as skirting, capping and coving that are made of PVC or have PVC backings. Applied to both surfaces and allowed to dry, contact adhesives form an instant bond when the two are put together, holding the accessory firmly in place. One slight downside is that the immediate bond formed makes it impossible for the contractor to make adjustments to the position of the flooring accessory afterwards.
Epoxy or polyurethane-based adhesives have long been the only option for contractors to use when installing resilient floorcoverings that will be exposed to moisture. These
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adhesives are highly effective at making areas impermeable to water, so they are suitable for installing vinyl floorcoverings outdoors where surface water may collect.
Recent advancements in adhesives technology have enabled the development of high-performance, hybrid adhesives, which combine temperature tolerance, pressure sensitive characteristics and more. One such adhesive manufactured by F. Ball is water-based, has the familiar characteristics of a pressure-sensitive adhesive and develops the extremely high bond strength required to hold vinyl floorcoverings firmly in place in areas exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations (from -20°C to +60°C). The properties of this adhesive also make it water resistant, meaning it is suitable for installing vinyl floorcoverings in damp and humid environments.
This adhesive has also been approved by leading manufacturers for installing vertical flooring accessories, such as skirting, capping and coving. This means it offers an alternative to contact adhesives and allows contractors to use one adhesive to install both floorcoverings and accessories. Unlike contact adhesives, this hybrid adhesive only needs to be applied to one surface and provides high initial tack while allowing contractors to reposition floorcoverings and vertical accessories in the initial stages of drying.
Flooring contractors should always check that an adhesive is suitable for use with a particular floorcovering. F. Ball’s recommended adhesives guide (RAG) lists the adhesives recommended for use with floorcoverings produced by over 200 floorcovering manufacturers. The guide is available as a free app or a printed booklet and an interactive version can also be found on the F. Ball website.
www.f-ball.com/en/ www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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