Special
Producers of ecological adhesives
GREEN HAS NUMEROUS SHADES WHO PRODUCES GENUINE ECOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE ADHESIVE AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Photo – Pallmann
Fitting wooden and lighter floors is subject to increasing demands, including in the area of health. The type of adhesive used plays a major part in that respect, so in this article we consider how the market is reacting to the types of adhesive on offer. How green and ecologically responsible are the products on offer and which products are the most suitable and when and where?
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technical information on the compatibility between possible adhesive families and various wooden floors and substrates.
Four major groups
One of the hardest things is choosing a suitable parquet adhesive. Parquet floor fitters sometimes have to try quite literally to see the wood from the many trees which obstruct the view. Obviously, professionals will seek advice from the many producers, but we do also advise them to consult the necessary technical reference documents. These include the revised technical sheet TV 218 'Wooden flooring: plank floors, parquet, and veneer floors’ by the BBRI. These documents give you precise technical information about product families and fitting techniques with no commercial bias.
When we talk specifically about adhesives, we can say, broadly speaking, that there are four major distinct groups based on their chemical composition: dispersion adhesives (white adhesives), monocomponent polyurethane adhesives (PU 1K), dual-component polyurethane adhesives (PU 2K), and, finally, polymer and hybrid adhesives (SPUR, STP, MS polymers, etc.). You need to remember that this chart also indicates the compatibility or incompatibility by means of a colour code. For instance, green means that the adhesive is compatible with the substrate and wooden flooring in question. Orange means that this choice of adhesive is possible as long as you observe certain conditions (e.g. substrate preparation, primer, etc.) in consultation with the adhesive and parquet producer. Finally, red means that the adhesive is not compatible with the substrate and wooden flooring in question.
Choosing suitable parquet adhesive
TV 218 rules
The wide range of products means it is not always easy to choose the right type of adhesive for a given work site. A useful aid to that end is a chart issued by the BBRI, which has been drawn up in co-operation with parquet fitters and adhesive makers. The chart gives clear
We must also point out that merely consulting the chart will not suffice. You must also observe the rules of the technical sheet TV 218 at all times. Indeed, apart from the choice of adhesive, other factors could have a considerable effect on the behaviour of the wooden floor
Floor Forum International 113
