PRODUCTS from F Ball and Co have been used to install vinyl safety flooring at the Great Western Railway train depot in Penzance.
The company’s Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane, Stopgap F78 waterproof surface membrane, Stopgap 1200 Pro smoothing compound and Styccobond F46 vinyl adhesive were used to create what’s described as an aesthetically pleasing floor finish that will stand up to many years of tough conditions.
Contractors from Contract Flooring in Cornwall were subcontracted to install 400sq m of flooring in the newly built depot, which is being used to house sleeper trains that will run from Penzance to London.
Contractors conducted subfloor moisture tests and found moisture levels to be higher than 75% relative humidity (RH) and, therefore, the application of a waterproof surface membrane would be required to prevent excess subfloor moisture attacking adhesives and floorcoverings and potentially leading to costly remedial work.
Contractors used a combination of F Ball’s Stopgap F77 and Stopgap F78 waterproof surface membranes to suppress varying levels of excess subfloor moisture in different areas.
Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane is a two-part, epoxy resin system, which is applied in a single coat and reportedly fully cures in as little as three hours to isolate residual construction moisture or rising damp where RH values are up to 98%.
Stopgap F78 is a one-component system, which is applied in two coats, reportedly requiring 15–20 minutes curing time for the first coat and a further 30 minutes for the second to create a barrier against residual construction moisture where RH values are up to 95%.
Stopgap 1200 Pro smoothing compound was then applied over the entire area.
Says F Ball: ‘Stopgap 1200 Pro is a fast-setting, two-component smoothing compound, designed for use over a wide range of subfloor types. It’s suitable for use over old adhesive residue, including bitumen and carpet tile tackifiers, without the need for priming beforehand, and can also be used in clinical and biologically sensitive areas, such as hospitals.
‘As little as four hours after application, Stopgap 1200 Pro is ready to receive floorcoverings, so contractors were able to return a short time later to install Altro Reliance 25 safety flooring in the depot using F Ball’s Styccobond F46 solvent-free, pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive.’
John Hudson, managing director of Contract Flooring, commented: ‘We always use F Ball products and often work very closely with our local F Ball representative. We’re very pleased to say that, as expected, the range of F Ball products that we used at the Great Western Railway depot enabled us to create an aesthetically pleasing, durable floor finish of vinyl safety flooring.’
www.f-ball.co.uk
