F. Ball’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS vinyl adhesive, a revolutionary development in temperature tolerant adhesives, has been used to install luxury vinyl tiles in a shopping park food court that is subject to temperature change and heavy footfall. Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract over time, leading to tenting and gapping.
The innovative formulation of Styccobond F49 limits any movement and holds the floorcovering firmly in place. Importantly, the adhesive also delivers the instant grab associated with pressure sensitive adhesives, which, until now, hasn’t been available for temperature tolerant adhesives. This makes the installation process quicker and easier.
J & S Flooring, of Leicester were subcontracted to install the 45m2 logo-embossed flooring in the shopping park, to replace the existing damaged flooring.
Firstly, the existing vinyl floor tiles were removed and Stopgap 1200 Pro smoothing underlayment was applied, to create a smooth subfloor. Stopgap 1200 is a low odour, fast setting, fast drying, two-component smoothing underlayment suitable for preparing sound internal subfloors prior to the installation of new floorcoverings. It is particularly suitable for use over old adhesive residues (including bitumen and carpet tile tackifiers) and does not normally require the application of a primer.
Finally, to fit the luxury vinyl tiles, J & S Flooring used Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS vinyl adhesive. This new pressure sensitive adhesive offers instant initial grab, combined with ultra-high bond strength, providing contractors with the familiar reassurance of high initial tack and, when fully cured, it develops the strength to hold vinyl sheets and tiles securely in place across a huge range of temperatures, withstanding heavy foot-fall typical of a shopping centre.
The water-based adhesive has been specifically developed for use in conditions, which are subject to extreme temperature fluctuations as low as -20°c and up to +60°c, such as conservatories or heavily glazed areas and is suitable for use over normal underfloor heating systems. The pressure sensitive nature of the adhesive allows it to continue to build up strength following initial application. In addition, it provides an extremely strong water resistant bond, allowing it to be used in areas subject to water and high humidity, including wet rooms.
John Wells, of J & S Flooring, said: “I have been using F.Ball products my whole career, they are reliable and always do what they say on the tin. Styccobond F49 was a perfect adhesive to use in this refurbishment as it enabled us to successfully install flooring in an area of heavy foot-fall and temperature change. Using this product alongside Stopgap 1200 Pro smoothing underlayment, enabled us to complete this refurbishment in just two days, despite only being able to work on the floor when the shopping centre was closed.
