STIX A600 EVOLUTION – the new high-performance adhesive with outstanding sustainability credentials from Bostik – has helped Unite Flooring successfully install the flooring throughout the new Emergency Department at Walsall Manor Hospital.
The £40 million development has significantly improved the hospital’s emergency care facilities by enabling it to add an Urgent Treatment Centre, a Paediatric Assessment Unit, and an Acute Medical Unit.
Burton-on-Trent-based Unite Flooring was appointed to install the vinyl flooring throughout the 7,000m² building, and approached trusted supplier Bostik for its technical advice and subfloor preparation products.
MOISTURE CONTROL
Once engaged by Unite Flooring, Bostik’s technical team visited the site to inspect and test the subfloors ahead of making recommendations on how best to prepare them to receive the floor coverings.
Aside from residues left behind by other trades on site, the sand/cement subfloors were generally in good condition. However, as is to be expected on a new-build, they exhibited hygrometer readings in excess of 75% relative humidity (RH), meaning they would require the application of a damp-proof membrane (DPM) before the rest of the preparation process could begin.
This was SCREEDMASTER HYTEC E570 ONE COAT, Bostik’s two-part, solvent-free epoxy surface DPM that contains the exact quantities of resin and hardener ready for mixing together. Taking care to ensure that any cracks were filled and there were no pinholes present, the floor layers applied the DPM as a continuous, even film before allowing it to cure overnight.
With the moisture in the subfloors suppressed, Unite were able to prime the cured membrane using Bostik’s fast-track SCREEDMASTER GRIP A526 UNIVERSAL PRIMER. Then, after just one hour, the floor was ready to receive the polymer-modified SCREEDMASTER SL C525 SMOOTH smoothing compound, which provides an extremely smooth and level floor finish.
AN EVOLUTION IN ADHESIVES
Once the smoothing compound had been allowed to dry overnight, it was time to lay the vinyl floor coverings using STIX A600 EVOLUTION, Bostik’s high-performance adhesive that offers enhanced handling and coverage.
The new adhesive features the company’s exclusive Glass Ball technology, which consists of micro spheres of glass in combination with specific dispersions and raw materials, significantly reducing the density of the adhesive while maintaining a high performance. The result is a high yield, and this enabled the floor layers to cover a surface area up to 30% larger than is possible with standard soft floor adhesives.
STIX A600 EVOLUTION’s environmental impact has been reduced as it is made from 35% bio-based raw materials and comes in a bucket manufactured from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. PCR packaging requires less energy than traditional plastic production methods, while helping to reduce landfill and contributing to a circular economy.
In addition, STIX A600 EVOLUTION has an EC1 Plus rating for very low VOC emissions and is compliant with the requirements of green building rating systems such as LEED and BREEAM. It also has an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), underlining the product’s environmental performance over its entire life-cycle, and has been awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel – the world’s first environmental seal of approval.
“While this was a relatively straightforward application, we were very impressed by the quality of Bostik’s products,” comments Tom Waggett, Director at Unite Flooring. “The DPM did a good job of suppressing the subfloor moisture, the smoothing compound produced a perfect finish, and above all, the new STIX A600 EVOLUTION adhesive was a pleasure to apply.
“It was really noticeable that it covered more surface area than other adhesives. It’s also nice to know that it has a reduced carbon footprint – which is rightly an increasing concern in our industry – and that it’s safer for our floor layers due to its low VOC emissions. We will definitely be using STIX A600 EVOLUTION and Bostik again.”
