EDUCATION
FAST-TRACK SOLUTIONS FOR INSTALLING FLOORCOVERINGS IN EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Neil Sanders, Technical Service Director at one of the UK’s leading subfloor preparation products and flooring adhesives manufacturers, F. Ball and Co., provides a step-by-step guide on how to achieve a long-lasting professional flooring finish in educational settings.
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ubject to high levels of foot traffic, flooring in educational settings requires hardwearing characteristics to be able to withstand the demands placed upon it on a daily basis. With pressures to complete installations as quickly as possible, frequently requiring completion over a weekend or during a holiday, the latest fast-track subfloor preparation products and adhesives for floorcoverings have been designed to enable flooring contractors to do in a day what would have once taken a week. Installing floorcoverings in any environment requires proper subfloor preparation to avoid the potential for floor failure, leading to costly recalls and remedial work. Before undertaking any flooring installation, a thorough assessment of the subfloor should be completed to ensure it is sound and free of dust and contaminants. Damaged subfloors should be repaired with an appropriate floor repair compound. If the subfloor is a newlyinstalled screed, laitance – a crust of fine aggregates and
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cement formed on the surface of the screed as it dries – may still be present, and floors that are being refurbished may be contaminated with old adhesive residues. To avoid costly floor failure, both laitance and contaminants should be mechanically removed before proceeding with a flooring installation. The floor’s intended use should then be taken into account as this will inform the choice of products used. In an education setting, it is likely that it will be expected to endure high volumes of daily foot traffic, whilst remaining secure and hygienic.
Safeguarding against moisture Unmanaged moisture, whether residual construction moisture or rising damp, is one of the leading causes of floor failure, causing adhesives to de-bond, carpet underlays to rot, wooden floors to warp, and resilient floorcoverings to blister – all of which have the potential to form a trip hazard. It can also lead to the movement of floorcoverings and the growth
of mould and bacteria, which can potentially cause a health risk to people in the immediate environment. For these reasons, F. Ball recommends that a moisture measurement test is conducted as part of any flooring installation. The method of moisture measurement advocated by British Standards is to use a pre-calibrated hygrometer. If subfloor relative humidity (RH) levels exceed 75%, or 65% when installing wooden floorcoverings, a moisture management solution will be required to stop excess subfloor moisture damaging floorcoverings and adhesives and potentially causing floor failure. Liquid waterproof surface membranes are the usual moisture management solution. The best-performing epoxy waterproof surface membranes will isolate excess subfloor moisture where RH values are up to 98%, with a single-coat application, which will fully cure in as little as three hours. Quicker, two-coat systems are available that will create an effective barrier against residual construction moisture where RH values are up to 95%.
The first coat cures in 15 to 20 minutes, and a further 30 minutes curing time is required for the second coat.
Prime importance Once the subfloor is sound, smooth and dry, or a suitable moisture management solution is in place, it will be essential to prime the subfloor in almost all circumstances to promote adhesion of a levelling compound and prevent levelling compounds and adhesives drying too rapidly. A levelling compound should then be applied to create a perfectly smooth surface for new floorcoverings. In some areas of schools, colleges and universities, such as corridors, floors will be expected to receive high levels of daily foot traffic, so using a high-strength levelling compound is recommended to help ensure long-term durability of the installation. Fast-track levelling compounds that are ‘walk-on’ hard in 30 minutes and ready to receive new floorcoverings from 45 minutes are also available, allowing installations to proceed faster than ever.
