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COVER STORY SET YOUR O BAL, specialist in full tiling solutions, talks us through its new, enhanced adhesive technology,


With ever-larger tiles growing in popularity; complex designs required; possibly difficult or irregular backgrounds on-site and even hotter temperatures being experienced in the summer months, the use of even improved rapid-set adhesives may not provide enough open, working or adjustability time for a fixer.


Whilst a number of ‘semi-rapids’ have been launched in the UK market to try and remedy this issue, they are essentially based on over-retarded, rapid-set formulations.


When traditional rapid-set chemistry is retarded to get a longer open and working time, there is a limit on how much the cement chemistry can be retarded before strength development is adversely affected.


Heavily-retarded rapid-sets may also have performance limitations or suffer in on-site conditions where the required working and open times may not be achieved, as the product increases in viscosity and application becomes more difficult.


However, the new BAL technology is the first truly enhanced, standard-set technology - developed from traditional standard-set chemistry as a basis.


Long open and working time performance will always be achieved more consistently using a standard set adhesive, or a product using this chemistry as a basis.


In response to customer demand, BAL’s R&D team has developed two enhanced standard-setting adhesives with long open times, excellent non-slip properties and can be grouted in as little as four hours.


Less Mixing – More Fixing


BAL Flex One and BAL Flex Fibre Plus give fixers longer working and open times – but still a faster setting time prior to grouting.


With pot life from 2.5 to 3 hours, and 45 minutes to an hour open time at 20°C, this allows more time to fix in warmer conditions (and less wastage in buckets).


Using BAL Flex One or BAL Flex Fibre Plus you have more time to adjust larger tiles and more time when working on particularly complex installations.


Setting from four to six hours, the new adhesives allow fixers to grout in the evening or early the next day – significantly reducing installation time compared to traditional standard-setting products that require from 16 to 24 hours to set.


Freedom to Perform


Fixer friendly, BAL’s new standard-set technology also provides outstanding usability – helping to overcome the many obstacles that fixers face on a modern project.


With some of the thickest bed depths on the market for — 12 —


standard sets up to 20mm, the formulation helps fixers to overcome some background irregularities where isolated building out may be required.


What’s more, it utilises technology first developed by BAL, including super smooth gel rheology, a thixotropic formulation with shape memory, and full wettability where there is no need to adjust the water content to get the full performance benefits whether you’re tiling on walls or floors.


The new adhesives also have superb non-slip performance, easily exceeding the requirements of EN 12004 for “T” rated adhesives.


Available exclusively at Topps Tiles, BAL Flex Fibre Plus is enhanced with BAL Fibre Strand Technology (FST). BAL’s unique FST technology combines the use of certain microfibres with high-quality, super-smooth, spherical fillers.


The microfibres deliver greater adhesion strength, grab and non-slip properties, bringing improved performance alongside extended open times. The improved consistency and smoothness mean the powders are easier to mix, simpler and faster to trowel out and apply.


www.tomorrowstileandstone.co.uk


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