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See how to use our adhesives to maximise quality finish and ease of applicationFrequently Asked Questions
To help you with our products, below are some of the questions we receive most often.
If your issue isn't listed, you have a general technical enquiry or require more information on any answer, contact our technical department with our handy online form.
questions
Is priming a subfloor necessary?
In general the answer is yes, although there are some instances where priming is not necessary as explained below.
Priming of absorbent floors reduces the absorbency. This will increase the open time of the adhesive thus reducing the possibility of late placing. In addition, it will reduce the possibility of pin holing that can occur when smoothing underlayment is applied.
Priming of non absorbent subfloors with a suitable primer such as undiluted Stopgap P131 will act as an adhesive promoter for the smoothing underlayment.
Priming is not generally necessary when applying reactive adhesives such as polyurethane of epoxy systems.
How important is it to use the manufacturers specified trowel notch size?
Adhesive manufacturers spend a great deal of time developing adhesives for installing specific floor coverings. It is essential that the correct amount of adhesive is applied and the method of application is normally the “V” notched trowel. If the notches are worn, the amount of adhesive applied is reduced and the open time of the adhesive is also reduced. The combination of these two factors makes it more likely to have a flooring failure, and the financial consequences can be horrendous.
What adhesive should I use to stick vinyl flooring to a floating chipboard floor?
F. Ball and Co. Ltd would recommend that the chipboard is overlaid with a minimum 6mm thick plywood to stabilise the chipboard. The plywood should then be primed with dilute Stopgap P131 prior to installing the vinyl using the recommended adhesive.
Which smoothing underlayment should I use over old asphalt tile adhesive (blackjack) residue?
Thermoplastic and vinyl asbestos tiles were very often laid on ground floor subfloors that did not incorporate a damp proof membrane. The adhesive was unaffected by moisture and the tiles allowed the passage of moisture vapour. Modern formulations of vinyl tiles are considerably more sensitive to moisture vapour. It is therefore essential that the presence of a damp proof membrane is confirmed. If not then it will be necessary to remove all of the adhesive, apply a suitable waterproof surface membrane, prime and apply a smoothing underlayment.
If the subfloor is protected by a membrane it will be necessary to expose about 70% of the base screed, then prime with neat Stopgap P131 before applying a minimum 3mm thick skim of a suitable underlayment.
Do you need to prime smoothing underlayment prior to the application of adhesives?
No, most smoothing underlayments are polymer modified and have a controlled level of absorbency.
Can you apply smoothing underlayment over expansion joints?
No, the expansion joint should be taken up through the floor finish and a suitable expansion joint/cover fitted.
