Article Number : 1917 |
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| Date | 4/19/2007 9:12:55 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=1917 |
| Abstract | By K.J. Quinn While the environment is drawing a lot of attention in the adhesives industry these days—and with good reason—it is not the only factor impacting product development... |
| Article | By K.J. Quinn While the environment is drawing a lot of attention in the adhesives industry these days—and with good reason—it is not the only factor impacting product development. Adhesives manufacturers say they are focusing on producing formulations that fulfill the ever-changing needs of installers as well as flooring manufacturers’ specifications. “We also focus on enhancing the performance of our products and installation systems for the installers who use them,” said Audrey Chapman, Mapei’s assistant product line manager, floor covering installation systems. “As new floor covering materials are introduced into the marketplace, Mapei seeks to constantly develop innovative installation systems for them.” Adhesives companies serving the flooring industry have already transitioned from solvent to low- and no-solvent bonding systems, the result of legislation passed in the 1980s that banned the use of certain solvents. Nonetheless, it remains an ongoing challenge to create bonding systems that offer similar performance and working benefits as the old solvent-based products because they handle differently. While numerous approaches have been taken to manufacture new, low-VOC products, most R&D efforts center on enhancing water-based and polyurethane formulations to comply with indoor air quality issues and are easier to work with. “Product development efforts at Franklin International focus on providing the professional installer with the performance attributes they demand for the toughest jobs, such as outstanding green grab, easy trowelability, rapid strength development and rapid cure rates while offering adhesive characteristics safe for them, the homeowner and the environment,” noted Mark Schroeder, senior brand manager. “Franklin’s Titebond wood flooring adhesives are mold and mildew resistant and moisture resistant. They allow the installer to wet lay wood flooring without the traditional risks of solvent- and water-based adhesives.” The major selling points of polyurethanes are their green grab, adhesion strength, flexibility, long working time and low-VOC emission levels. They contain no water, so are applicable for moisture-sensitive floors such as hardwood. And because they dry rapidly in the presence of moisture, it enables them to be used over a wet subfloor. “Urethanes have higher bond strength, are flexible and are unaffected by moisture, which give them certain advantages,” Mapei’s Chapman said. “Latexes, on the other hand, are more convenient to use because they are water cleanable.” Humidity conditions at the job site often determine how quickly polyurethane adhesives dry as a certain level of moisture is necessary for them to perform as advertised. One new innovation that has reportedly caught the attention of the installation community is moisture-cured urethanes, which some vendors are promoting as being more user-friendly. “Traditionally, moisture-cured urethanes have always been difficult to work with and tough to clean up,” noted John Lio, marketing manager, DriTac Adhesive Group. “Easy-spread moisture-cured urethane adhesives are the newest generation of urethane adhesives, incorporating the outstanding strength characteristics of a moisture-cured urethane adhesive with the additional advantage of easy spreadability and user-friendliness.” Not to be outdone, waterborne adhesives are marketed as providing many benefits to installers, including excellent sheer strength and easy spread and cleanup. While they do not exhibit as aggressive a green grab as their solvent-based counterparts, they offer high solids content and cure through water evaporation, enabling them to outperform polyurethanes in low humidity areas. And similar to polyurethanes, job site conditions—such as temperature, humidity and porosity of the subfloor—affect working times. |