October 28/November 4, 2019: Volume 35, Issue 9
By Lindsay Gonzalez
A good-looking floor at a fair price is only half the battle. To ensure a customer is completely satisfied with her new floors, top quality must be achieved at every level—especially the installation phase. That’s why it’s so critical that the right adhesive is specified for the project at hand.
“Every flooring system is only as good as its weakest link,” said David Clarkson, vice president of sales, Eastern U.S., DriTac. “Utilizing a premium-grade flooring adhesive increases the likelihood for a successful installation. Utilizing superior products will always assist in achieving superior results.”
In addition to providing top-of-the-line results, high-quality adhesives can also help installers save time and money. “The quality of an adhesive contributes to the long-term performance of the entire construction project,” said Jay Conrod, senior product manager, Laticrete. “Additionally, they can reduce overall carrying costs on the construction site for the developer. To ensure top performance, high-quality adhesives must undergo a variety of performance tests before they can be accredited with a classification, including the ability to perform well in demanding applications.”
To ensure a top-quality installation for all flooring types, adhesive manufacturers are doing their part to create high-performing products. Following are some must-have adhesives for professional installers.
Ardex
Henry 647 is a water-based acrylic polymer adhesive designed for fast-track installations in both commercial and residential settings. Applied via roller, the adhesive is ready to receive flooring in as little as 10 minutes when applied over Ardex Feather Finish compared to waiting for 30 to 40 minutes—or even an hour—for a typical vinyl flooring adhesive, the company said. Additionally, with 647 PlumPro, an installer may open up the new floor to traffic immediately vs. requiring the end-user/customer to wait 12-24 hours. Its resistance against initial slippage makes Henry 647 ideal to use for tile and plank installations. The adhesive is also well suited for sheet vinyl installations by offering ultra-fast project turnaround time, thereby eliminating the possibility of adhesive trowel-ridge telegraphing, according to Ardex. 
Laticrete
125 Tri Max is a three-in-one adhesive, sound control and crack isolation product that eliminates the need for sound and anti-fracture mats and membranes, allowing for faster, more effective tile and stone installations, according to Laticrete. “Thanks to its three-in-one versatility and lightweight nature, 125 Tri Max saves construction professionals money on labor, storage, freight and logistics,” said Jay Conrod, senior product manager.
125 Tri Max contains 36% post-consumer recycled materials to contribute to LEED points and is Greenguard certified for sustainable building.
Schönox
Schönox Protect, the newest addition to the company’s adhesives lineup in North America, is suitable for bonding vinyl floor coverings—sheet vinyl, LVT and VCT—as well as rubber, cork and artificial turf. Schönox Protect provides a moisture-resistant, non- shrinking, solvent-free adhesive layer for porous and non-porous interior and exterior floors, the company said. What’s more, Schönox Protect is a one-part silane modified polymer adhesive that is ideal for heavy load areas and critical physical and climatic environments. 
DriTac
DriTac 7800 Supreme Green is a sound and moisture control wood flooring adhesive solution for installations of engineered plank, solid plank, recycled rubber flooring, underlayment and more. Supreme Green provides subfloor moisture control with no testing required and a lifetime warranty.
Manufactured in the U.S., Supreme Green is a single-component, multifunctional hybrid polymer wood flooring adhesive also designed to isolate old cutback glue residue and suppress concrete subfloor cracks. According to DriTac, the adhesive allows an installer to apply the product to the substrate and attain as many as five installation solutions with one adhesive application—bond, sound control, moisture control, crack suppression and old adhesive isolation.
DriTac 7800 was created without the use of isocyanates, VOCs or solvents, and has been independently tested and certified by CRI for indoor air quality.
Mapei
Ultrabond Spray RFA is a universal spray adhesive for resilient flooring. The spray adhesive comes in a 22-ounce aerosol cannister, which provides about the same amount of coverage as a one-gallon pail that is troweled on the floor, according to Mapei. What’s more, the adhesive boasts excellent bond strength and is ready for immediate traffic after installation.
“Installers should be interested in this product because it gets them off their knees and allows them to stand and quickly apply adhesive from a standing position,” said Jeff Johnson, floor covering installation systems product manager. “Trowels are no longer required, which will save cost long-term. It also allows them to install LVT/P on concrete slabs with elevated moisture conditions without the need for additional moisture mitigation, also saving them time and cost.”
Taylor Adhesives
Resolute is an adhesive, moisture vapor barrier and sound reducer in one, now requiring no moisture or pH testing. With its advanced moisture-curing chemistry, Resolute will not re-emulsify or lose bond strength even when fully submerged—making it an ideal choice for challenging environments, according to Taylor.
Resolute self-levels into an elastomeric membrane. Its one-part, one-step application can speed up construction timelines by days or weeks, saving valuable time and money, according to Taylor. With reduced traffic times, Resolute offers rapid occupancy at an attractive price. With its dual-direction protection it can withstand punishing substrate vapor and topical liquids. Taylor now backs up its moisture capabilities with a 10-year performance warranty.