Compatibility test: producing F. Ball’s Recommended Adhesives Guide
A look at the work that goes into making the RAG® the most authoritative publication of its kind.
Each year for over half a century, F. Ball has produced a revised, updated version of its Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG®) to include new compatability recommendations following the launch of new or improved adhesives and the availability of new floorcoverings from global manufacturers. It features over 6,000 adhesive recommendations for floorcoverings made by over 200 manufacturers. But how does F. Ball make sure that flooring professionals can rely on its advice that adhesives are compatible with the floorcovering in question and will perform throughout the lifetime of any flooring installation?
Experts in flooring
This is the task of the company’s Technical Service Department, which is headed by technical service manager Stephen Boulton. The department spends thousands of hours each year rigorously testing F. Ball products in different environments and applications, including checking the performance of F. Ball adhesives with a vast range of different floorcoverings.
Stephen also leads the Technical Service Team, who are on standby from 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, to provide expert advice on how to use F. Ball’s range of subfloor preparation products and adhesives. Together, these functions ensure that people have the knowledge to get the most out of F. Ball products and can always be confident they will perform as required.
What does the testing involve?
Criteria for measuring the bond performance of adhesives with floorcoverings is based on British Standards, and tests measure initial grab, as well as bond performance over time, using state-of-the-art equipment designed to simulate the effects of ageing.
Testing, testing…
Tests are conducted in controlled conditions at the company’s purpose-built laboratory at its Staffordshire headquarters.
‘Shear’ tests measure the ability of an adhesive to resist lateral movement when used to bond a particular floorcovering.
This involves adhering floorcovering samples to a rigid substrate and leaving at 23°C for 28 days. A machine, called a tensometer, is then used to measure the force required to pull the floorcovering from the substrate. Identical samples are kept at a temperature of 50°C for a further 42 days to simulate the floorcoverings being in place for 12 months. The force required to remove the floorcoverings must have reduced by less than 25% to pass the test.
The ‘peel’ test is identical to the shear test, except the tensometer attempts to pull the floorcovering from the substrate at a 90º angle.
Temperature check
When an adhesive’s compatibility with vinyl floorcoverings is being tested, a dimensional stability test must also be carried out to assess its ability to resist the natural shrinkage of vinyl.
For this, samples of a vinyl floorcovering are bonded to a dimensionally stable, rigid substrate and left for seven days at room temperature. Afterwards, the vinyl is measured and held at a constant temperature of 50ºC for a further seven days. The sample is measured again and returned to room temperature before the cycle is repeated twice. The maximum dimensional change throughout the test period allowed by British Standards is 0.2%.
Other dimensional stability tests examine whether an adhesive and floorcovering will stand up to the impact of regular wet cleaning techniques. After initial measurements are taken, a sample is placed face down in a bed of water for four hours. The sample is then measured again before being kept at a constant temperature for seven days. Measurements are taken again and the sample is held at a temperature of 50ºC overnight before a final measurement is taken, and the results are assessed to check if any unacceptable level of shrinkage has occurred.
Simulating real life
Tests are also designed to see how bonds stand up to stresses that they are typically exposed to in real life.
The castor chair test assesses the bond performance of particular adhesives with different floorcoverings when subjected to the movements of chairs with castor wheels, like they would be in an office, for example.
This involves a machine consisting of three castors on a rotating platform applying up to 90kg of force to the floorcovering for 25,000 revolutions, changing directions every 60 cycles. If the floorcovering shows no edge ravel or delamination after 25,000 revolutions, the bond is deemed to have passed the test.
The point load test is used to see how a release bond performs under loading. It involves a piece of floorcovering bonded to plywood being subject to a 30kg weight for seven days via four pressure points to simulate table legs. The floorcovering is then removed from the plywood by hand. This to check for an effective release bond across the whole area and that the loading points have not caused the release bond to fail.
Performance guarantee
Recommendations are only included in in the RAG® if F. Ball’s Technical Service Department is certain that the adhesive will perform for the entire lifetime of the floorcovering and endorsed by floorcovering manufacturers.
This research and steadfast commitment to quality means that flooring contractors can rely on the F. Ball Guarantee, which states that its products will perform for the entire lifetime of floorcoverings, as long as advised subfloor preparation and installation processes are followed.
Staying on the Ball
How do F. Ball keep on top of developments and make sure all of the recommendations are up to date?
This has become a full-time job as the number and type of floorcoverings on the market have grown over the years. Liaison manager, Paul Starkey, maintains close relationships between F. Ball and floorcovering manufacturers. He regularly liaises with the manufacturers to check when backings of floorcoverings change and new products are released so that when this happens, they are in a position to test compatibility and update advice if necessary.
It’s not the only aspect of producing the RAG® that has moved with the times. Now, as well as being available as an A5 printed booklet, a constantly updated version can be found on F. Ball’s website, as well as an app, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple and Google app stores.
To request as a printed version of the guide email mail@f-ball.co.uk or telephone 01538 361633.
