FLOORING FACTSHEET ADHESIVES

Selection Checklist

The criteria to select an adhesive will cover the following points. Larger manufacturers offer detailed guides to select the correct adhesive – even indexing floor manufacturer’s products by name to ensure an accurate match. For accurate and up-to-date information consult the F. Ball Recommended Adhesives Guide.

Open Time:

The time you have to fit the flooring into the adhesive after which the bond will no longer be ideal. The time until the floor may be walked on should be checked.

Odour:

Low odour, solvent-free and low VOC products are increasingly favoured and now have the same performance characteristics of older products.

Coverage:

How thick and how far can the adhesive be spread.

Application Method: Different adhesives may be applied by roller, trowel or spray.

Strength:

Including how quickly the adhesive will “grab” the floor covering and its strength when fully cured.

Underfloor Heating:

A lot of modern adhesives are suitable for use with underfloor heating but this criteria must be checked where appropriate.

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Adhesive Types

Acrylic/Resin: Ideal for plasticised PVC and most modern flooring.

Bitumen: A tar-like material, bitumen has a high degree of moisture resistance and is used for damp-proof membranes and installing tiles, wood blocks and mosaics.

Epoxy Resin: A two-part chemical curing system that is used in aggressive environments such as conservatories, wet rooms, commercial kitchens and exterior installations.

Polyurethane: An adhesive with rapid bonding characteristics, typically used for wood floors.

Polyvinyl Acetate: Typically used for close fitting joints in timber, laminate floors and panels.

Subfloor: What surface will the adhesive stick to most effectively including concrete, sand cement screeds, levelling compounds, plywood and chipboard.

While there are multi-purpose adhesives, specialist products will be better suited to certain surfaces.

The porosity of the floor is a key determinant of the type of adhesive to be used and its performance during installation.

Special Performance: Certain adhesives are more suitable for damp, humid or high temperature environments.

Air Quality and the Environment:

The old wisdom that the more it smells, the better it sticks is no longer acceptable to modern consumers and solvent-based products are increasingly replaced by water-based adhesives.

Tackifier: An adhesive for carpet designed to increase the tackiness – or the tack range –of an adhesive.

Water-based Adhesive: Many different types of adhesives now use water as their carrier to avoid odours and flammability issues which are common with chemical solvents.

50 YEARS ON AND STILL GETTING YOU OUT OF STICKY SITUATIONS.

We’re celebrating 50 years of the F. Ball Recommended Adhesives Guide. The tested, approved, recommended, guaranteed and trusted go-to-guide for flooring adhesive compatibility. Along with the comprehensive printed book, the RAG® 2023 is available online and by downloading the RAG® App. Get your copy today.