Adhesive companies taking products to next level of performance, new products are eco-friendly, more effective than ever

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Through state-of-the-art technology, research and development, adhesive companies continue to launch better, longer-lasting and more eco-friendly products. The following takes a look at what’s new in glue.

AAT

At Advanced Adhesive Technologies (AAT), Greg Wood, president, said the new Problem Solver Triton series combines “revolutionary technology with cutting-edge delivery systems to help combat the flooring industry’s No. 1 issue: wet slabs and high alkalinity.”

Four unique adhesives are available that can be applied by the traditional trowel-on method or with two distinct spray-on systems. According to Wood, the Problem Solver Triton products can handle the most demanding flooring installations from broadloom to luxury vinyl tile; homogenous sheet vinyl to modular tile.

Bostik

The company recently unveiled Ultra-Set SingleStep, a new formulation in the Ultra Step series that hits the trifecta of superior adhesion with moisture and sound protection in one step, saving contractors significant time and material, noted Phil Pitts, hardwood installation products market manager.

This flooring installation innovation, under development for the last two years, incorporates Bostik’s patent-pending thickness control spacer technology to ensure proper membrane thickness between the hardwood and substrate, he explained. Ultra-Set also features the company’s Blockade antimicrobial protection, which is designed to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold or mildew on the surface of the dried membrane. It also resists stains caused by mold.

“A water-free formulation, Ultra-Set contains zero VOC content and incorporates post- consumer recycled content,” Pitts said. “This is a rare green building innovation that also saves contractors quite a bit of money—labor time and materials—by successfully tackling three jobs at once.”

Ultra-Set protects against any amount of moisture on the subfloor, Pitts noted. “As an acoustical            membrane,            it exceeds related building standards. No other single-step hardwood flooring adhesive possesses the acoustical barrier characteristics of Ultra-Set.”

According to Robert McNamara, director of sales and marketing, Ultra-Set is easy to trowel, develops “incredible” tack and holds a great ridge. “And unlike existing competitive one-step products, Ultra-Set does not require a proprietary trowel that must be replaced after each pail.”

Designed for the installation of all hard- wood flooring types, including solids, bamboo, engineered and parquet, Ultra-Set is available in 4-gallon pails.

Dri-Tac

DriTac’s 7500 Eco-Urethane, a wood flooring adhesive, is the first urethane adhesive to receive an independent third party certification from the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) and Green Label Plus Program for indoor air quality (IAQ), said John Lio, marketing manager. “Our 7500 Eco-Urethane urethane has zero VOCs and zero solvents. It is the undisputed adhesive of choice for all green wood flooring building projects.”

In addition, Lio claims DriTac 1001 All-In-One green urethane wood flooring adhesive is the first glue on the market to control moisture and sound and is a crack suppressant. “It saves one day’s labor for hard- wood flooring installations.”

Like the 7500 product, 1001 All- In-One is a green, zero VOC and sol- vent product that contributes            to LEED point qualifications. “This product will save contractors and installers valuable time and money,” he said. “It will change the way hardwood flooring is installed.”

Mapei

Mapei recently launched Ultra- bond ECO 995, a product that not only provides a superior bond for wood flooring installations but also protects the flooring from moisture vapor emissions coming through concrete sub-surfaces, noted Jeff John- son, product line manager for Mapei’s Floor Covering Installation Systems.

Even better, he noted, it accomplishes both purposes in a single application. “We’re saving our customers time and money in terms of reduced labor by giving them a moisture barrier and bonding system in a single product. Ultrabond ECO 995 is based on a new formulation from Mapei’s research and development group that adds even more benefits to the product’s use. It is manufactured with rapidly renewable materials that make it phthalate-free and virtually odor-free, adding new green dimensions and pro- viding additional LEED points for green building projects.”

Johnson commented on the application of Ultrabond ECO 995. “This is a 100% solids, one- component, moisture-cure urethane wood floor installation system for nearly all types of wood flooring and bam- boo. It can be used by itself for direct-bonding purposes using traditional application techniques. Installers can apply Ultra- bond 995 in a single coat to provide moisture vapor emission control on concrete slabs up to 15 pounds,

in addition to its use as a superior wood bon- ding adhe- sive.”

Para-Chem

The company just introduced the new one-step Intelligent Flooring System (IFS) for installation of all types of hardwood flooring. IFS is a patent-pending system, which includes a patented trowel blade.

“IFS is a revolutionary wood flooring installation system offered in two formulas: an acrylic formula for engineered wood installation and the urethane formula for solids, exotics, bam- boo and teak,” said Sonny Callaham, flooring application specialist. “Both provide greater moisture protection and warranty than any two- or three- step trowel-on system and are LEED compliant.”

Callaham added that MS polymer and urethane moisture barriers all require double labor and two jobsite visits. “Since IFS is a true one-step application, the installed cost of IFS is substantially less than any competitive two or three-step trowel-on system.”

The sound reduction of both IFS formulas are superior to practically every installation system on the market, including the expensive and time-consuming double-glue foam and cork underlayment systems used for the single purpose of sound control in multi-level construction, Callaham claims. “One product (IFS) replaces and outperforms these expen- sive, multi-step systems at about half the installed cost.”

Para-Chem is optimistic about the potential of IFS due to its versatility, superior performance and warranties, broad applications, and ease-of-use, he noted. “IFS has been in real world field-testing with out- standing performance for over 30 months. Trowel tip wear is a major issue with all systems that employ a similar special applicator [trowel].”

According to Callaham, IFS has overcome this issue. “A new trowel blade is attached to the lid of each pail,” he explained. “The installer simply throws the old one away and inserts a new blade with each new pail. He is only responsible for the one-time purchase of a trowel handle. It takes the guesswork out of when to replace the trowel, and it eliminates the need to purchase and carry a box full of trowels to a single jobsite.”

Stauf

The company has introduced a urethane-based wood floor adhesive, PUM-950 Power- Mastic, that it believes will not etch the finish of the floor.

“Etching the floor finish has been a problem for urethane adhesives since day one,” said Wolfgang Stauf, president and sixth-generation owner of the 180-year-old, family-owned company. “Installers have an impossible task keeping adhesive off the face of the flooring. When they don’t, traditional urethane adhesives are nearly impossible to remove, especially when dried. Isocyanates in the adhesive etch the finish, leaving marks that cannot be removed. The installer often has no choice but to replace the board.”

According to Stauf, the company’s research and development team has been working on a solution to this industry problem for over three years. “Our PUM-950 Power-Mastic urethane adhesive features a new formula that eliminates harmful isocyanates and still has twice the shear strength of the strongest competitor.”

In addition, PUM-950 is a completely green product. “Our lab made sure we met the strictest European standards for indoor air quality, VOC content and health issues. We received the highest possible rating from the Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation. This ranking meets or exceeds all U.S. environmental requirements and allows specifiers and architects to submit it for LEED points.”

Similar to existing urethane adhesives, Stauf said PUM-950 will permanently adhere to virtually any subfloor, can be used with any width or thickness of engineered or solid wood flooring, and is waterproof when cured.

W.F. Taylor

Never satisfied with the status quo, W. F. Taylor recently introduced Taylor Meta-Tec MS Plus Advance wood flooring adhesive. “With the introduction of this advanced next generation adhesive,” said Jack Raidy, president and CEO, “W.F. Taylor has enhanced its highly successful 100% solids Meta-Tec MS Plus modified silane polymer wood flooring adhesive to offer even higher performance and greater user friendliness.”

In addition to excellent bonding properties for all types of wood flooring and bamboo, MS Plus Advance “now offers excellent concrete moisture inhibition and sound deaden- ing properties in a single one- coat application using the Taylor Glide-On trowel,” he explained.

Further enhancements include extension of the working time to lay adhesive up to 70 minutes dependent on job site conditions, Raidy noted.

“Trowel ridge retention has been improved to create better handling and troweling and

improved adhesive transfer to the back of the flooring. This improved MS-Plus Advance Rheology now offered in 4-gallon pails gives the user the ability to ship 50% more adhesive per pallet, saving on freight and number of units required for the installation.”

Taylor Meta-Tec MS Plus Advance may also be used to install all types of wood and bamboo flooring. MS Plus Advance, along with Taylor 2071 and Taylor 2051, are the only wood flooring adhesives certified by the GreenGuard Environmental Institute for low VOCs,” he noted, “thus meeting all indoor air quality requirements and earning LEED credits.”

-Louis Iannaco

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