The Doctors Laboratory, Salford

Products from F. Ball have been used to create a hygenic flooring finish as part of a refurbishment at The Doctors Laboratory, in Salford, Manchester, which provides highly specialised pathology/clinical laboratory services to clinicians (GPs and specialists), hospitals, community health services and their patients.

How were the products used, and why?

Flooring contractors used F. Ball’s dual-purpose Stopgap Fill and Prime and Stopgap 700 flexible smoothing compound to prepare 1,500m² of metal raised access panels before installing vinyl sheet floorcoverings and coving.

Stopgap Fill and Prime is a cement-based primer with a thixotropic consistency, meaning it is easily applied by hand and sets to a gel-like consistency on standing, enabling the joints at panels to remain filled, preventing depressions resulting from a subsequently applied smoothing compound or smoothing compound sinking into them while setting.

Once the primer had cured, Stopgap 700 flexible smoothing compound was applied to create a perfectly smooth finish for the receipt of floorcoverings. The product is reinforced with tiny fibres that maintain the integrity of the smoothing compound, preventing cracks from forming as a result of subfloor movement, which flexible subfloors, including metal, are prone to.

With the subfloor preparation complete, the flooring contractors could install Tarkett IQ Granit Acoustic Vinyl sheet throughout the entire area using Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive. The high initial tack offered by Styccobond F46 made it ideal for installing floorcoverings over larger areas.

Finally, the contractors used Styccobond F66 contact adhesive to install PVC coving. When the adhesive is applied to both the flooring accessory and the surface it will be adhered to and allowed to become touch-dry, surfaces will bond on contact, making it suitable for installing vertical flooring accessories. It is also solvent-free; ideal for where there are health and safety concerns, such as when working in confined spaces.

Quote

Commenting on the project, Paul Barton, managing director of Paul Barton Flooring, said: “This was the first time we’ve used this particular system of products from F. Ball, and we were pleased with how all of the products performed. Stopgap Fill and Prime meant that we didn’t need to overboard the raised access flooring with plywood, which saved so much time.”