F. Ball’s high performance subfloor preparation products and flooring adhesives have been installed at St. Charles Hospital, London. Specified for the main reception area and a number of access and service corridors by flooring contractors Shedon Interiors Ltd., F. Ball’s recently improved Stopgap Green Bag provided excellent smoothing properties and a seamless finish for the hospital floor.
Located in Paddington, London, the facilities at St. Charles Hospital include a minor injuries unit and a rehabilitation department for the elderly. As part of continued maintenance at the Grade II listed building, the floors in the reception area and main corridors were being refurbished. As such, the existing vinyl floorcovering, screed and adhesive residues were removed using mechanical means, prior to priming the subfloor using undiluted Stopgap P131. A general purpose neoprene primer, Stopgap P131 prevents smoothing underlayments drying out too rapidly and promotes their adhesion to the subfloor.
To create a smooth surface for the vinyl floorcovering selected for the hospital, Stopgap Green Bag 114 was installed directly onto the primed subfloor surface at a thickness of 7-8mm. Offering a high compressive strength, Stopgap Green Bag 114 is ideal for heavy-duty areas such as the hospital reception and corridors. Moreover, the protein-free and low odour formulation of the product makes it suitable for use in clinical and biologically sensitive environments. With excellent flow and self-smoothing properties, Stopgap Green Bag 114 provided ease of installation for the 500m² area of the reception and corridors.
Paul Grayling, director at Shedon Interiors Ltd., comments: “St. Charles Hospital is the first project where we have used the new Stopgap Green Bag 114. Providing impressive smoothing characteristics, the product is certainly comparable to a water-based formulation in terms of ease of use, plus the finish it provided was excellent. Stopgap Green Bag 114 minimised the installation time for the large project area, allowing us to keep within the short lead times required by the hospital.”
Following the installation of the smoothing underlayment, Styccobond F46 adhesive was used to secure the chosen Altro Chrysalis and Ethos vinyl floorcoverings to the subfloor. A solvent free, pressure sensitive adhesive, Styccobond F46 dries to a permanent tack and benefits from an indefinite open time, helping to maintain the long-term performance of the floorcovering. Designed specifically for vinyl floorcoverings, the product minimises the effect of adhesive shadowing through the floor surface for a seamless and aesthetically pleasing finish.
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