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Gary Scheidker Taylor Adhesives

“Like all adhesive companies, we do our work ‘behind the scenes’ and make the floors you enjoy perform their best in your home or business. . .”

Ask the Expert … Good Advice to Stick With.

A Premier Flooring Retailer exclusive interview

When you think of flooring, most people think of the color, design or comfort that comes with today’s popular styles. But not Gary Scheidker. Gary thinks about what’s underneath—what you can’t see. That’s his job as the director of technical services at Taylor Adhesives.

“Like all adhesive companies, we do our work ‘behind the scenes’ and make the floors you enjoy perform their best in your home or business,” observed Gary. “At Taylor, we’ve been doing that for over 40 years, so we’ve got a long history of success in that regard.”

We asked Gary some typical questions that customers, or even flooring professionals may have about flooring adhesives to get answers from an expert.

Q: What are some common “urban myths” when it comes to flooring adhesives that you’ve encountered over the years?

A: There are several, actually. Here are a few.

If the wood flooring adhesive isn’t in a metal bucket, it must be water-based. That’s simply not true. Moisture-cured urethane wood flooring adhesives that contain isocyanates are typically packaged in metal buckets. At Taylor, we developed isocyanate-free, moisture-cured adhesives that are packaged in plastic buckets. Plastic buckets don’t dent and are easy to reseal, keeping the unused portion of adhesive fresh and ready to go for the next job.

A flooring adhesive has to smell bad to work well. Again, not true. That harsh chemical smell people are referring to are from traditional, moisture-cured urethane formulations, and is simply not indicative of a superior flooring adhesive.

Pressure-sensitive flooring adhesives are susceptible to damage from moisture. At Taylor, that’s not true. Our Transitional Pressure Adhesive uses a proprietary cross-linking technology that changes the characteristics of the adhesive as it cures. It begins as a water-soluble adhesive, then changes to a moisture resistant permanent bond.

Q: Aren’t all flooring adhesives pretty much the same?

A: Yes and no. It’s true that all flooring adhesives are designed to hold the flooring in place. At Taylor, we have developed products that not only bond the flooring to the substrate, but also solve common site related concerns such as high substrate moisture and sound reduction. These products bond the flooring material to the substrate, whether it’s hard wood, LVT/ LVP, VCT, linoleum, sheet vinyl, rubber, cork, bamboo or carpet. So, we’ve developed advanced flooring adhesives to solve common problems and to provide the best possible results for the installer and end-user.

A: The traditional solvent-based and asphalt adhesives (many of which contained asbestos) were eliminated in favor of environmentally friendly and less toxic alternatives. Taylor has a long and proud history of producing environmentally friendly products beginning with our Envirotec line back in 1989. Since then, we have developed adhesives that transition from water-soluble to waterproof, while retaining environmentally friendly characteristics. Also, the patented cross-linking technology in our transitional pressure sensitive adhesives enables the installer to perform a dry-set pressure sensitive installation with the benefit of a permanent bond. And we have continued to develop environmentally conscious adhesives throughout our history especially with our Signature Line. For instance, we have also developed moisture-cured wood flooring adhesives—many of which do not contain isocyanates that can damage the finish of the wood and create long term health issues for the installer.

Q: When someone says “water resistant” regarding flooring adhesives, what is meant by that?

A: We refer to that as a moisture tolerant adhesive, which means that when the adhesive is fully cured, it will not re-emulsify or lose its bond in high-moisture environments. On the other hand, a moisture barrier adhesive will form a membrane that will block moisture coming from concrete substrates. We make both high moisture tolerant and moisture barrier adhesives.

A: We make adhesives for virtually every type of flooring application that utilizes adhesive. Our Signature Line of 13 products are LEED v4 contributing that meet SCAQMD Rule 1168 and CDPH/EHLB Standard Method v1.2. They do not contain methylene chloride or perchloroethylene and contribute to low emitting materials. Most are certified by CRI Green Label Plus, FloorScore, Greenguard and listed on Mindful Materials.

Q: Is there a particular Taylor adhesive that you’re especially proud of?

A: I would have to say Resolute. We developed it for the special needs of resilient flooring installation—particularly the enormously popular LVT and LVP flooring category and it’s suitable for both home and commercial installations. We engineered it to be tough and able to handle heavy rolling loads, while providing an unlimited moisture vapor barrier and withstanding punishment from topical liquids that can seep through. It solves a lot of problems.

Q: How can people learn more about Taylor Adhesives?

A: Ask your distributor rep or visit TaylorAdhesives.com. You can even download for free the Taylor Adhesives Mobile App for Apple or Android devices or contact Taylor tech services department at 1-800- 868-4583 Ext. 2221. ❚