By Ken Ryan
Pity the poor adhesive. It’s not enough just to be proficient at adhering to a surface. These days, top-performing glues have to be multi-taskers, flexible enough to work with dozens of flooring types, environmentally responsible and cure quickly enough so businesses can return in 24 hours or less.
Thanks to technology advances and proprietary formulas, manufacturers are coming to market with adhesives that can do all these things and so much more.
Following is a list of new adhesive products designed for the most demanding installation environments.
Bostik
Bostik’s Ultra-Set SingleStep2 is a multi-use hardwood flooring adhesive offering high-performance adhesive, moisture control and sound-reduction membrane all in one. Ultra-Set SingleStep2 offers a lifetime warranty for unlimited moisture vapor protection and also contains a proprietary thickness control spacer technology intended to maintain the proper membrane thickness during installation. Ultra-Set SingleStep2 is VOC free and features Bostik’s Blockade antimicrobial protection, which inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold or mildew on the surface of the cured membrane.
DriTac Flooring Products
DriTac 7700 Easy Clean is a premium-grade, “green” sound and moisture control MS polymer wood flooring adhesive. Its single-component product can be used as an adhesive only or a 5-in-1 system solution that allows for a one-day, one-step installation. Installers can accomplish in one day what it typically takes two or more days to complete, according to Sean Collard, an installer with Costen Floors in Richmond, Va. Collard said Easy Clean has been “easy to use on the job site and offers superior grab in adverse job site conditions. We’re very happy with the results and performance.”
Easy Clean is used to apply solid wood plank, bamboo, multi-ply engineered plank, acrylic impregnated wood, plain-back parquet and recycled rubber. Made without isocyanates, this low-odor adhesive helps contribute to LEED credits. Easy Clean has been independently tested and certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Green Label Plus Program for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
Mapei
Ultrabond ECO 373 is a high-performance adhesive for the installation of LVT and has been one of Mapei’s best sellers, according to Jeff Johnson, Floor Covering Installation Systems
(FCIS) product manager. “What makes Ultrabond ECO 373 so special is its performance package. Ultrabond ECO 373 starts with quick dry times and adds a full 12-24 hours of working time. This makes for very efficient LVT installation.”
Johnson said installers trust the product’s aggressive grab and resistance to high-humidity conditions, which is ideal for fast-track construction practices. “This product allows for flooring installation on concrete slabs that would otherwise require a moisture mitigation system or to wait for the slab to dry out for additional months,” Johnson said.
Mohawk
Performance accessories by Mohawk provides a one-stop shop that makes it easy for retailers to offer shoppers a complete solution. With a variety of differentiated products, retailers also have access to innovative tools developed to make the job easier and faster with better results. Products such as Mohawk V-One are multi-functional. This 3-in-1 adhesive can be used as a releasable bond for sheet vinyl and residential LVT. It can also be used as a permanent bond for more robust LVT installations. Mohawk V-One is capable of withstanding high moisture (99% RH) in concrete slabs.
Schönox
Schönox Protect is a universal resilient flooring adhesive that offers a bevy of benefits. First, the product is flexible and can be used with sheet vinyl, VCT, LVT, sheet synthetic rubber coverings, sheet linoleum, rubber cork granulated underlayments as well as artificial turf. In addition, Protect is moisture resistant to 95 RH and safe with qualities such as low VOC.
The product is also solvent-free and low odor. What’s more, Protect is non-shrinking even in thicker layers, temperature resistant after curing and heavy duty with high strength ratings. It also offers easy application as well as the ability for indoor and outdoor use.
Stauf
Stauf’s leading adhesive is WFR-930, which is popular among installers because it is so forgiving. “It totally eliminates hollow spots and it grabs so quickly,” said David Ford, vice president of sales and marketing for Stauf USA.
The solvent-based adhesive qualifies for LEED points and cleans with any alcohol-based product. Ford said mineral spirits, acetone and rubbing alcohol are all acceptable cleaners even after cured and will not etch the finish. “WFR-930 increases productivity and resolves issues with bowed boards, low spots in subfloors,” he explained. WFR-930 has an alcohol odor that dissipates very rapidly. “A painted room carries more odor for longer than does WFR-930,” Ford noted. “It does not require rolling and spreads like a water-based adhesive. Our installers absolutely love it. This is by far our most requested adhesive.”
Taylor Adhesives
Dynamic, a top seller at Taylor Adhesives, has been lauded by distributors and flooring contractors for the number of flooring surfaces it works with. Dynamic installs on over 30 flooring types—among them LVP, LVT, rigid core, rubber, sheet vinyl, VCT, broadloom and carpet tile, cork and even stair treads. Installers benefit from its cross-linking chemistry, ColorReady technology and fully repositionable installation with up to 12 hours of working time. Property man- agers and owners can benefit from Dynamic’s immediate access to light traffic following installation.
Dynamic provides high-moisture tolerance (99%) and a waterproof bond. How good is Dynamic in a wet condition? The Taylor technical team subjected a sample of Dynamic holding LVP to concrete for over eight months—under water—and it’s still holding with no re-emulsification of the adhesive, according to the company.
