Heavy duty smoothing underlayments, such as Stopgap 300 HD, are designed to provide an ultra strong, extremely smooth base onto which a floorcovering will be installed. Typically they will be used in areas subject to heavy loads and/or high levels of foot traffic. Examples include hospital corridors that are pounded by heavy medical equipment and hundreds of patients every day, an airport terminal with thousands of people a day passing through, pushing trolleys full of luggage, schools or a busy shopping environment.
In technical terms, Stopgap 300 has an extremely high compressive strength, which is why it is able to deliver this heavy duty performance and cope with high levels of traffic.
This inherent strength is also important when installing a wooden floorcovering. Stopgap 300 HD’s strength enables it to withstand the stresses and strains put on it by the continual expansion and contraction of the wood as it absorbs and loses moisture in different environmental conditions (temperatures, humidity etc).
Lower strength underlayments could start to crack and break up over time given this continual cycle of movement, which could eventually compromise the integrity of the floor.
In addition to its exceptional strength, Stopgap 300 HD offers two further, important benefits: it has excellent self-levelling and self-smoothing properties.
Its formulation means that the underlayment can be applied either by hand or it can be pump-applied. Over a large area, such as an airport terminal, a hotel ballroom or a large, open plan office, the ability to pump-apply the underlayment has a dramatic effect on reducing the installation time.
Furthermore, the self-smoothing properties of Stopgap 300 HD means that the surface finish it creates is extremely smooth. This feature is very important where thin, resilient floorcoverings, including luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs), are being installed. This is because any imperfections in the underlayment are more likely to show through the floor covering and compromise the aesthetic finish of the floor.
The ability of Stopgap 300 HD to deliver a super smooth surface finish avoids this problem, which can become a critical issue for the installation of high cost resilient floor coverings in prestigious settings. The superior strength of the underlayment will also ensure that the aesthetics of the floor are maintained, even when subjected to heavy daily usage.
To find out more about Stopgap 300 HD, visit the F. Ball website.
If you need any advice on which smoothing underlayment to use, just contact the F. Ball technical team on 01538 361633 or use the online contact form. Alternatively, if you’d like to speak to your local technical rep, you can find their mobile number here.