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A WORK OF ART FROM F.BALL


During refurbishment work at one of the UK’s oldest tourist


attractions, contractors looked to F.Ball to provide an attractive yet hardwearing flooring solution.


When renovating one of the UK’s oldest, and most popular, tourist attractions, it was important contractors used products that would promote an aesthetically-pleasing and hardwearing finish while maintaining the historical integrity of the site.


F. Ball and Co. Ltd provided the perfect solution when several of its high- performance products were used by Floors Truly of Tonbridge, after the flooring contractor was tasked with installing 400m2


at the National Gallery in London.


Based in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to a collection of 2,300 paintings, dating from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century, and has been open on its current site since 1838. The gallery is open 361 days a year and recorded 2.3 million domestic visits last year.


As part of the extensive refurbishment programme, the floors in five of the building’s lower galleries were upgraded. Contractors started by removing the existing floors in all designated areas and a new sand/ cement screed was applied and


36 | WOOD & LAMINATE


primed using F. Ball’s Stopgap P131. The general-purpose primer was ideal because it prevents smoothing underlayments drying out too quickly and promotes adhesion to the subfloor.


of new timber flooring


Stopgap Green Bag 128 smoothing underlayment was then installed directly onto the primed subfloor at a 3mm thickness to create a smooth and level surface. Due to its excellent flow and self-smoothing properties, Stopgap Green Bag 128 was perfect for facilitating the fast and simple installation over the flooring areas.


After the smoothing underlayment was installed, Styccobond B95 adhesive was used to secure the 20mm thick prime grade oak planks to the subfloor. As a high-performance flexible wood flooring adhesive, Styccobond B95 is designed to accommodate the natural movement that occurs in wood flooring over its lifetime. The product is solvent-free and non-flammable, and is quick-setting and develops a high bond strength. Styccobond B95 is also protected against biodegradation and is suitable for use over most under- floor heating systems.


Due to the high levels of foot traffic at the National Gallery and the strict heating and moisture regulations implemented at the attraction to protect the paintings, Styccobond B95 was the best product for securing the floor panels to the subfloor.


Glen Fisher, Director of Floors Truly, said: “We use Styccobond B95 adhesive for the majority of our wooden floor installation projects. A proven track record and our familiarity with the product’s moisture-curing times made it the ideal choice for the National Gallery.”


To ensure the long-term performance and compatibility of an adhesive with a specified floorcovering, contractors should seek advice from manufacturers. F. Ball annually updates its Styccobond Recommended Adhesive Guide (RAG), following ongoing meticulous testing of its adhesives with every type of floorcovering listed in the guide. The current RAG features over 5,500 adhesive recommendations for floorcoverings from over 200 leading international manufacturers, and is a valuable tool for flooring contractors.


www.f-ball.co.uk www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com


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