Adhesive-free flooring can be used in various sectors from offices and retail to healthcare and education. And with different solutions available for different applications, there are options to suit all types of projects. Craig Thornhill, technical services manager from Forbo Flooring Systems explains more here.
With an increasing need for fast turnarounds on refurbishment projects, many flooring contractors are looking for new ways to speed up the services they provide – and this is where adhesive-free flooring comes into play. Due to the versatility and wide range of solutions available in a fast flooring format, refurbishments can be completed quickly and easily, with minimal disruption.
For example, for offices where refurbishments often need to be completed over weekends or even whilst the space is still in use, choosing an adhesive-free option provides plenty of benefits. These include the ease with which adhesive-free floor coverings can be installed, minimising the downtime needed to fit them; and there are none of the negative side-effects often associated with traditional adhesive installation methods, such as odours.
With regards to the options available to contractors, carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tiles are two of the most popular floor coverings for these types of refurbishments, and they can both be installed adhesive-free, thanks to modern material constructions or innovative installation methods, which remove the need for glues or tackifiers.
Additionally, there are fast flooring solutions that are suitable for raised access flooring – something that’s commonly found in office spaces.
Retail is another sector that can benefit from the use of adhesive-free floorcoverings. With long opening hours and very little downtime, selecting flooring that can be installed quickly overnight is important. What’s more, with the rise in popularity of pop-up shops, an easy to install flooring that can be laid down quickly and then lifted and reused at a later stage is also desirable.
As such adhesive-free flooring is the perfect solution. With options available to contractors ranging from stylish luxury vinyl tiles, which help to create beautiful and contemporary interiors, to entrance flooring systems that can prevent dirt and moisture from being brought inside, there are plenty of suitable solutions on offer.
Additionally, fast flooring can be walked on as soon as it has been installed, due to the lack of adhesives required, as opposed to the 48-hour wait associated with traditional glued down installation methods. This is particularly beneficial for retail, where shops can’t afford to be closed.
Fast flooring can be highly beneficial for other sectors too, namely healthcare where spaces are in use 24/7.
With speedy installation times, essential areas in hospitals that are in need of refurbishment, can be completed quickly with minimal disruption to staff, patients and visitors. There are multiple adhesive free flooring solutions available to the healthcare sector, such as vinyl flooring, for circulation areas or waiting spaces, safety flooring for canteens and bathrooms or even anti-static flooring, which can be used in operating theatres and laboratories.
The benefits of fast flooring don’t stop there. With sustainability a concern for many in the industry, using adhesive-free floorcoverings can help reduce your carbon footprint, whilst also aiding in the circularity of the flooring industry.
Without the need for traditional adhesives, the subfloor doesn’t need to be prepped, resulting in the use of less materials across the span of a project. Additionally, with no adhesive on the back of the flooring, used floorcoverings can be easily lifted, recycled or reused.
Forbo’s Fast Flooring collection consists of products from across its wide portfolio of solutions, including its Allura LVT, Tessera carpet tiles and Surestep safety flooring, as well as its Coral entrance flooring systems and much more.
www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/fastflooring
Craig Thornhill is technical services manager from Forbo Flooring Systems
