A precision guide to pressure-sensitive adhesives
Given customers’ high expectations for Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) installations, it is worth taking the time to ensure optimum results when installing them. Certain adhesives can help with this, including achieving precise alignment. Tim Green, head of training at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence, provides a guide to adhesive selection, including formulations with a range of additional features.
Pressure sensitive adhesives are ideal for the installation of LVTs because they form an instant grab upon contact, so, once positioned, tiles or planks won’t move about as contractors work. They also offer an extended open time, reducing the risk of late placement and making them ideal for installations where more complex designs or patterns are being created. Some pressure sensitive adhesives are also formulated to reduce the incidence of trowel serrations showing through thin vinyl floorcoverings, referred to as ‘grin through’, affecting the appearance of the finished installation.
Temperature tolerant requirements
There are specific applications where additional performance characteristics will be important to maintain the long-term aesthetic appearance of an installation. For example, when installing floorcoverings in areas subject to extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations, it is recommended to use a temperature tolerant adhesive.
High temperatures or extreme temperature fluctuations can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract significantly, which may lead to unsightly tenting in floorcoverings and gapping at the edges of LVTs over time. This can be the case in conservatories or rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, which are subject to ‘solar gain’, such as extensions with bi-fold doors.
Temperature tolerant adhesives develop the high bond strength required to hold floorcoverings securely in place in such environments, ensuring a long-lasting flooring finish. However, temperature tolerant adhesives have traditionally been ‘wet-lay’, and contractors requiring this type of adhesive have had to forgo pressure sensitive benefits.
Hybrid solutions
Advancements in hybrid polymer adhesives have enabled the development of high performance vinyl adhesives with revolutionary combinations of properties, including combined pressure sensitive and temperature tolerant characteristics.
Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS combines temperature tolerance and pressure sensitive and moisture resistant properties.
For example, F. Ball’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS is a water-based, pressure sensitive vinyl adhesive that develops the extremely high bond strength and dimensional stability required to hold vinyl floorcoverings firmly in place in areas exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations (from -20°C to +60°C). Whilst providing high initial tack, the adhesive allows contractors to lift and reposition floorcoverings in the initial stages of drying, making it a great choice for installing tiles and planks, intricate patterns and bespoke designs that need precise alignment. Styccobond F49 is also resistant to moisture, meaning it is suitable for use in areas subject to water and high humidity, including kitchens and bathrooms.
Checking floorcovering compatibility
As well as selecting adhesives suited to the requirements of a particular project, it is always advisable to check the compatibility of particular floorcoverings and adhesives. For these purposes, F. Ball produces its industry-leading Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG). It’s available on the F. Ball website and as a free app, as well as a printed booklet. So confident is F. Ball in the recommendations featured in the guide that it guarantees the resulting bond performance for the entire lifetime of the flooring installation, as long as the advised subfloor preparation and installation procedures are followed.
Alternatively, F. Ball’s technical service department are on hand Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5.00pm, to answer your questions about F. Ball products and how to use them via phone and email.
The F. Ball Centre of Excellence training and demonstration facility at F. Ball’s Staffordshire headquarters hosts training courses on achieving optimum results when installing LVTs that are free to attend for both flooring contractors and retailers. You can find details of upcoming courses and book a place for yourself or colleagues on the F. Ball website.
