Residential Project, Leicestershire

Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS adhesive used to install luxury vinyl tiles and combat solar gain


F. Ball’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS vinyl adhesive, a revolutionary development in temperature tolerant adhesives, has been used to install luxury vinyl tiles in a residential property that is exposed to extreme solar gain, due to having floor to ceiling windows. Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract over time, leading to tenting and gapping.

The innovative formulation of Styccobond F49 limits any movement and holds the floorcovering firmly in place.  Importantly, the adhesive also delivers the instant grab associated with pressure sensitive adhesives, which, until now, hasn’t been available for temperature tolerant adhesives. This makes the installation process quicker and easier.

J & S Flooring of Leicester were contracted to install the 30m2 flooring in a new upstairs extension, where the chipboard floor had been over-boarded with moisture-tolerant plywood.

Firstly, Stopgap 500 Micro floor finishing compound was used to fill in the gaps between the plywood boards. Stopgap 500 Micro is a rapid drying floor finishing compound that provides a smooth surface to plywood, existing floor smoothing underlayments, sand/cement screeds and other rigid dry absorbent surfaces, prior to the installation of floorcoverings.

J & S Flooring then used Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS vinyl adhesive to secure the luxury vinyl tiles in place. This new pressure sensitive adhesive offers instant initial grab, combined with ultra-high bond strength, providing contractors with the familiar reassurance of high initial tack and, when fully cured, it develops the strength to hold vinyl sheets and tiles securely in place across a huge range of temperatures.

The water-based adhesive has been specifically developed for use in conditions subject to extreme temperature fluctuations as low as -20°C and up to +60°C, such as conservatories or heavily glazed areas, and is suitable for use over normal underfloor heating systems. The pressure sensitive nature of the adhesive allows it to continue to build up strength following initial application. In addition, it provides an extremely strong water resistant bond, allowing it to be used in areas subject to water and high humidity, including wet rooms.

Jon Wells, of J & S Flooring, said: “I have been using F. Ball products my whole career, they are reliable and always do what they say on the tin. We were very pleased that our F. Ball representative recommended we try Styccobond F49 as it was extremely easy to use and allowed us to install an aesthetically pleasing, professional and successful floor in a room that is subject to significant temperature changes.”