F BALL and Co’s Styccobond B95 high performance wood flooring adhesive has been used to install new oak blocks over an area of 195 sq m, as part of the refurbishment of the floor of a school hall at Alleyne’s Academy, in Stone, Staffordshire after it was damaged by floods.

Says F Ball: ‘Fast-track products, including the company’s Stopgap 1200 smoothing compound, enabled the work to take place during the exam season without disruption to students.

‘Contractors from Basford-based B&P Flooring first carefully prepared the subfloor to optimise the appearance and performance of the newly-installed flooring, beginning by removing existing wooden blocks from the floor and used a mechanical scabbler to remove old adhesive residues left behind.

‘Lifting the wooden blocks resulted in minor damage to the building’s existing concrete screed, causing holes up to 25mm deep to appear. These were repaired using F Ball’s Stopgap 1200 smoothing compound mixed with Stopgap graded aggregate.’

Continues the company: ‘Stopgap 1200 is a fast setting, fast drying two-component smoothing compound, which can be used directly over old adhesive residues, in which case there is no need to prime beforehand. It can also be filled up to 30mm to repair damaged subfloors when mixed with aggregate.

‘The smoothing compound is moisture resistant, allowing it to be applied before a waterproof surface membrane where a moisture management solution is required to stop the adverse effects of excess subfloor moisture on subsequently installed floorcoverings.

‘Once the repairs to the subfloor were complete, contractors applied F Ball’s Stopgap P131 general-purpose primer, diluted with seven parts of water to every one part of primer, over the subfloor. Once the primer was dry, Stopgap 1200 smoothing compound was applied at a thickness of about 5mm over the primed subfloor.’

Before the project began, it was determined moisture levels in the subfloor exceeded the maximum threshold for installing wood floorcoverings, which are particularly susceptible to damage from moisture.

Where subfloor relative humidity levels exceed 65% relative humidity (RH) and wood floorcoverings are to be installed, a moisture management solution is essential to stop excess subfloor moisture attacking adhesives and damaging floorcoverings, potentially resulting in complete floor failure.

For this reason, contractors applied F Ball’s Stopgap F77 one-part waterproof surface membrane to create a barrier to impede the passage of excess subfloor moisture to the level of the floorcoverings.
‘Stopgap F77 allows a barrier against moisture values of up to 98% RH to be created with a single coat application in as little as three hours,’ says F Ball.

‘After the waterproof surface membrane had cured, another layer of Stopgap 1200 was applied to create a perfectly smooth base for the receipt of new wooden floorcoverings. If the product is applied to Stopgap waterproof surface membranes within 24 hours of the membrane curing, there is no need to prime the surface beforehand.

‘Contractors went over the smoothing compound with an F Ball spiked roller to dispel any trapped air to avoid pinholing occurring.’

The company adds: ‘When the smoothing compound had cured, contractors used F Ball’s Styccobond B95 high performance wood flooring adhesive to install new oak blocks over the entire floor area in a herringbone pattern. Styccobond B95 is a one-part, flexible, moisture-curing adhesive for installing a wide range of wood floorcoverings. It is designed to accommodate the natural movement of wood over the lifetime of the floorcoverings, solvent and isocyanate-free, quick to develop a high bond strength and provides good grab, an advantage for contractors creating the parquet design.’

Commenting on the project, managing director of B&P Flooring Mark Stevenson said: ‘Using Stopgap 1200 allowed us to complete the project to a high standard, quickly, meaning no work was ongoing while the students were taking their exams.’

www.f-ball.co.uk