Technical expertise and subfloor preparation products from Bostik have enabled the speedy installation of the flooring at the newly opened Greenhead College in Huddersfield.
One of the first generation of Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCiO) school buildings introduced by the Department for Education’s School Rebuilding Programme, the £25m block offers modernised and sustainable teaching facilities.
Fresco Flooring was appointed to install acoustic underlay and vinyl floor coverings throughout the building and approached Bostik for its full system of products and advice on how best to tackle the installation.
Inspecting the subfloor
As the project was time-sensitive, Bostik’s technical team visited the site at short notice to inspect the cement-based pump screed and identify any issues that needed addressing before the floors could be installed.
The team found patches of dense, shiny laitance on the surface of the subfloor and advised that these required removal, as they meant any products later applied were unlikely to achieve a strong and sound bond.
In some areas, Bostik also discovered crack inducement joints, which would need filling to mitigate the risk of further movement, leading to imperfections or failures in the finished floor.
In addition, relative humidity (RH) testing revealed a damp subfloor that would require the application of a damp proof membrane (DPM) before the smoothing process could begin.
Fast-track solutions
Equipped with Bostik’s recommendations, Fresco Flooring thoroughly vacuumed the subfloors and filled in the crack inducement joints with Bostik HYTEC E570 ONE COAT DPM bulked out with sand.
This was allowed to cure overnight, before the team applied HYTEC E570 ONE COAT as a continuous, even film throughout the subfloor, suppressing the residual moisture. They combined this with HYTEC E570 ONE COAT ACCELERATOR, Bostik’s single-component, solvent-free additive that reduces the cure time of HYTEC E570 ONE COAT from eight hours to just three-to-four.
Next, Fresco Flooring primed the subfloors using GRIP A526 UNIVERSAL PRIMER, which dries within one hour, and applied Bostik SL C540 FLOW, the company’s two-part, protein- and casein-free cementitious underlayment for high-flow and easy trowelling.
With the subfloors smoothed, it was then time to install the acoustic underlay and vinyl. This was done using STIX A640 PRESSURE SENSITIVE, Bostik’s high-performance, solvent-free, pressure-sensitive flooring adhesive that is specially formulated to provide a high initial tack and excellent bond strength.
Finally, for the skirting, and capping and coving, Fresco Flooring used Bostik ROLL solvent-free adhesive tape, which delivers a mess-free installation with no waiting time required.
“Massively useful”
Bostik’s technical advice and market-leading products enabled Fresco Flooring to overcome several tricky challenges and install the flooring to the highest standard and ahead of schedule.
Jamie Allcock, Contract Manager at Fresco Flooring, comments: “The technical guys from Bostik always come in at the beginning of a project and create a technical report, and it’s massively useful for us. They’re so good for technical information.
“Bostik’s products are outstanding – they do everything we need and more.” Jamie Allcock, Fresco Flooring
“This particular project was time-sensitive as the main contractor wanted to finish it not just on time, but ahead of time. Bostik made this possible by coming to the site quickly and providing prompt recommendations.
“Bostik’s products are outstanding – they do everything we need and more. It was great to be able to use STIX A640 PRESSURE SENSITIVE for both floor coverings, thanks to its versatility. And, as everyone knows, Bostik ROLL is a class product that saves on time and labour.”
