A host of Bostik subfloor preparation and adhesive products have been used for the installation of the floor coverings at Wixams Retirement Village, a recently opened care community in Bedfordshire.
Contractor Unite Flooring was appointed to install luxury vinyl tiles and carpeting throughout the apartments and communal areas of the complex, contributing to its pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. Unite then selected a range of products from Bostik, and benefitted from the company’s technical advice throughout the project.
HOT TIPS FOR A WET FLOOR
Early in the project, James Rosher from Bostik’s technical team visited the site to carry out a close inspection of the subfloor, including moisture testing. This revealed high moisture-levels in the village centre, or main communal area, which was to include the reception as well as a shop, hairdressers and fitness suite.
Based on this, Bostik recommended that to help dry the screed, the site’s underfloor heating should be commissioned to meet British Standards and CFA guidelines – but this still left residual moisture levels above 75%RH.
As a result, Unite then applied Bostik’s two-part, solvent-free Screedmaster One Coat Membrane, which is designed to suppress residual construction moisture in cementitious subfloors and is compatible with underfloor heating systems.
“James and the Bostik team were great to work with,” says Ben Hinchliffe, Operations Director at Unite Flooring. “They had no problem with visiting the site soon after we got in touch, and were not fazed for a moment by the high moisture levels in the village centre. Their advice about using the underfloor heating was really helpful and without it, we could have run into problems.”
PROCESS AND PRODUCTS
With the moisture under control, Unite followed Bostik’s recommendations to prepare the subfloors in both the village centre and apartment buildings. This involved thoroughly priming the cured membrane using Bostik’s multi-purpose Universal Primer, and allowing it to dry for the recommended hour. The company then applied Bostik’s two-part Screedmaster Ultimate smoothing compound, which has excellent workability characteristics and can be trowelled to a feather edge, making it an ideal choice for a wide variety of jobs.
Finally, Unite bonded the floor coverings throughout the complex using Bostik Laybond HT adhesive. The high-strength Laybond HT has been specially formulated to give excellent performance over a large temperature range, ensuring it performs strongly in close proximity to underfloor heating.
Ben at Unite Flooring was delighted with how the job went: “The final flooring looks great, and Wixams were really happy with the job we did. I am especially grateful to Bostik for their support and advice throughout the project. The products they supplied were great, and show how they have a range that caters for lots of needs.
“Bostik are true professionals. They come at short notice whenever needed, and it feels great to be in the hands of experienced experts who know exactly what they are doing – because they’ve done it before. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”
