Flooring contractors can access F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s industry-acclaimed Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG®) via a mobile app, which is free to download from the Apple App store or Google Play. This allows contractors to consult the trusted guide for advice on floorcovering-adhesive compatibility via the smartphone in their pocket at any time.
The latest edition of the guide features adhesive recommendations for over 6,000 branded floorcoverings from over 200 leading international manufacturers, helping flooring contractors select the most suitable adhesive for a particular installation and avoid the risk of costly floor failure. The app provides the option to search for floorcoverings by brand name and manufacturer to obtain a list of F. Ball adhesives that are compatible with the selected floorcoverings. It also features a handy coverage calculator, allowing contractors to easily find out exactly how much of an F. Ball adhesive or levelling compound is required for a specific project.
Every adhesive recommendation in the RAG® is only included in the guide after the completion of a rigorous 54-day test programme and endorsement of the recommendation by each floor covering manufacturer. Such is the company’s confidence in the compatibility and performance of the adhesive and floorcovering recommendations that F. Ball provides a 100% guarantee of success of installations using its recommendations, as long as the advised preparation and installation procedures are followed.
The information about floorcovering-adhesive compatibility that can be accessed via F. Ball’s RAG® app is updated continuously by F. Ball’s Technical Service Department, who are responsible for testing the compatibility of floorcoverings featured in the guide with the company’s adhesives and ensure that the latest recommendations are instantly available.
Criteria for measuring bond performance of adhesives with floorcoverings is based on British Standards. Tests measure initial grab, as well as bond performance over time, with temperature used to simulate the effects of ageing, and recommendations only make it into the RAG® if F. Ball’s technical service department can be sure that the adhesive will perform for the entire lifetime of the floorcovering.
The RAG is also available online at https://www.f-ball.co.uk and as a printed A5 booklet. Free copies can be requested by e-mailing mail@f-ball.co.uk or calling 01538 361633.
Online support
The F. Ball website is also a repository of high-quality learning materials, including a library of video tutorials covering all aspects of subfloor preparation and flooring installation. The step-by-step demonstrations show how to use all of the company’s products, including how to mix and apply levelling compounds and adhesives, and provide expert practical tips and advice, such as how to ensure optimum coverage.
There’s also a comprehensive guide to subfloor preparation, as well as an FAQ section, which covers some of the F. Ball technical service department’s most commonly asked queries, for when a quick answer to a flooring question is needed. The technical service department can also be contacted by telephone Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5.00pm, to answer any questions you might have about subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation. Alternatively, enquiries can be made through the company’s social media channels and via email.
And, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the company’s technical service department is also offering virtual site visits facilitated by video-messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Zoom. That means contractors using F. Ball products can guide a Technical Service Officer around a location using a mobile phone or tablet and instantly receive an on-the-spot site assessment and advice on the best course of action for specific flooring projects, including the optimum products for a particular purpose.
Site visits are still conducted in person by F. Ball’s regional technical representatives. H
owever, the time-saving benefits of virtual site visits, and their resulting popularity, has led F. Ball to continue to offer them as part of the company’s industry-leading range of technical support.
01538 361633
mail@f-ball.co.uk
www.f-ball.co.uk
