Specifying adhesives for different floor coverings

Types of adhesive

Many types of adhesives are available for installing floor coverings, such as carpet, vinyl, rubber, linoleum, and luxury vinyl tiles. These include multi-purpose adhesives or specific adhesives for each type of floor covering. Pressure-sensitive adhesives, high-temperature adhesives, tape systems and contact adhesives can also be used. Each has its own merits and is used depending on the area the floor covering is being installed or user preference. Once the correct adhesive has been selected for that particular area / subfloor, other important factors must be considered, such as choosing the correct notch size. No matter what notch size or adhesive is recommended by the manufacturer, it is also critical that there is sufficient transfer of adhesive onto the underside of the floor covering.

Each type of floor covering has slightly different properties and characteristics. Dedicated adhesives for different floor coverings are tailored to deal with nuance of each specific floor covering. Carpet adhesives such as UZIN UZ 54 have a quick initial grab, for example. Whereas, linoleum and rubber floors need wet-bed adhesives to provide a secure bond and restrict movement whilst the adhesive dries. Specialist adhesives should, therefore, be specified, such as UZIN KE 66 for rubber, which is also fibre-reinforced to provide extra strength and support.  Homogenous and heterogeneous vinyl, on the other hand, are a little more forgiving and don’t necessarily need a quick initial bond, so pressure-sensitive adhesives such as UZIN KE 2000 S can be used to provide longer working time. 

Wet-bed adhesives should also be used for quick, easy, and reliable luxury vinyl tile (LVT) installations. As a wet-bed adhesive, luxury vinyl tiles can also be laid in the quickest time possible and are restricted from moving. Many wet-bed adhesives, such as UZIN KE 66, are fibre-reinforced for increased reliability.

Multi-purpose adhesives provide good overall performance to various floor coverings and allow the flooring contractor more flexibility. Some multi-purpose adhesives, such as UZIN KE 2428 NEW, can also be used to install carpet, vinyl, and linoleum. However, there may be restrictions to the thickness of the floor covering that can be installed. These adhesives are ideal when specifying smaller areas or projects with mixed flooring types.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives are ideal for installing vinyl floor coverings as they are more tolerant of plasticisers (as long as the subfloor preparation is correct, such as 3 mm depth of smoothing compounds). They can also be left to partially dry before the vinyl is installed and allow for natural movement of the vinyl.  Some pressure-sensitive adhesives can also be used as wet-bed adhesives, such as UZIN KE 2000 S, so they can also be used for LVT, linoleum and rubber, depending on the thickness.

High-temperature adhesives such as UZIN KE 66 should be used when installing vinyl or luxury vinyl tiles in areas subject to minor solar gain. There are also new adhesives, such as UZIN KE 49 HT, which can be used either as a pressure-sensitive or a high-temperature adhesive (only when a wet / semi-dry method is used). They not only give flooring contractors flexibility when working, but as they are single components, no wastage or mixing is required, and they generally have longer working times.

If a floor covering is being installed within areas with extreme temperatures, such as a south-facing building with large windows that could magnify the temperature, a specialist two-component adhesive such as UZIN KR 430 should be used.  UZIN KR 430 should also be used when installing resilient floors in heavy-duty or wet areas. However, there are innovative single-component, heavy-duty adhesives, such as UZIN KE 68, which are tolerant to high solar gain and moisture and could penetrate joints if the weld fails. Depending on the area being installed, they can be specified for shop entrances and commercial kitchens.

Safety

Solvent-based products are still used to install some floors, particularly contact adhesives for skirting, capping and coving.  However, due to the ever-changing health and safety rules and a call for certified environmentally friendly adhesives, better, safer alternatives can be used. The safest and easiest method to install skirting, capping & coving is with skirting tapes such as UZIN U-Tack or UZIN Remur. Skirting tapes do not require any special PPE (personal protective equipment) or work protection measures. The flooring contractor must protect their skin and airways with solvent-based adhesives from exposure to the adhesive and its fumes.  Many solvent-based contact adhesives are also highly flammable, whereas with skirting tapes, there are no explosion risks for the installer or client during application. Skirting tapes are also very clean and easy to use. Should a ‘traditional’ adhesive be required, solvent-free and EC 1 Plus contact adhesives, such as UZIN WK 222, can be used. 

Sustainability

Sustainability and the environment are two of the most significant dilemmas facing the construction industry, with consumers and clients requiring safe products that do not pollute the air with odours and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Legislations such as the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) aim to improve the safety of products and create a healthy work environment. LEED & BREEAM certification is also becoming more prevalent to ensure constructions have sustainable building criteria and initiatives.

Solvent-free is not always equal to pollutant-free, many flooring adhesives still contain various non-volatile organic materials, which gradually evaporate from the adhesive over a long time and make their way into the air we breathe. This does not occur with EMICODE EC1 Plus® adhesives, which provide the highest possible protection against emissions and the utmost standards for room air quality in interior spaces. When working on projects that require sustainable consideration, adhesives certified with the EC1 Plus® should be used because they are solvent-free, have very low emissions, and guarantee excellent indoor air quality. Most UZIN adhesives have been awarded EC 1 Plus® certificates, such as UZIN KE 2000 S pressure sensitive, UZIN UZ 54 carpet adhesive, UZIN KE 2428 NEW multi-purpose adhesive and UZIN KE 66 high-temperature adhesive.