F BALL and Co’s Stopgap 300 heavy-duty smoothing compound and Stopgap Micro Rapid floor finishing compound, have been used to meet exacting subfloor preparation standards required ahead of the installation of a sprung dance floor in a performing arts centre in Sydney, Australia.
Contractors from Sydney-based Symmetry Flooring prepared the concrete subfloor before installing Harlequin flooring at Glenwood High School.
To meet the precise standards required by Harlequin Floors, the substrate needed to be level within a tolerance of 5mm over 5m. This was achieved by scraping away material from the surface and vacuuming away dust and debris, with a laser level used to check the floor height. Afterwards, the subfloor was primed with F Ball’s Stopgap P131 general-purpose primer to promote the application characteristics of a subsequently applied smoothing compound.
Stopgap 300 heavy-duty smoothing compound was then applied at a thickness of up to 15mm over the 270sq m area to create a ‘perfectly smooth and level surface. The product was chosen for its excellent self-levelling properties, as well as its high compressive strength, which will enable the floor to withstand significant stresses and high levels of traffic that it is expected to be subject to’. Gauging pins were used to ensure the same level of smoothing compound throughout the entire area. Contractors then installed Harlequin Flexity sprung dance flooring. The edges of the panels were sanded to removes lips, and the gaps between them were filled with F Ball’s Stopgap Micro Rapid.
Continues the company: ‘The ultra-smooth, flexible, rapid-drying floor finishing compound can be applied to a seamless feathered edge to fill gaps between wood and cementitious panels and is ready to receive new floorcoverings from just 20 minutes after application. It’s ideal for use where a flawlessly smooth surface is required.
‘Stopgap Micro Rapid is also used to fill indentations formed by screws securing plywood and hardboard sheets, as well as to repair minor surface defects in a wide range of other absorbent surfaces, including sand/cement and calcium sulphate screeds.’
F Ball’s Styccobond F44 was then used to adhere dark grey Harlequin Cascade Performance vinyl sheet flooring on to the surface, in accordance with F Ball’s Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG). Adds the company: ‘The solvent-free, acrylic emulsion adhesive provides high bond strength, strong initial tack and a long open time. It’s protected against biodegradation and suitable for securing a wide-range of vinyl sheet and tile floorcoverings, rubber floorcoverings and some PVC or polyurethane-backed textile floorcoverings.’
Commenting on the project, Adam Marling from Symmetry Flooring, said: ‘We chose to use exclusively F Ball installation products from the bottom up, as part of a system, so that we would be guaranteed that the flooring would live up to high expectations and perform as required for the lifetime of the installation. Fast-track properties also helped us work to a tight time schedule.’
www.f-ball.co.uk
