FLOOR COATINGS

Floor coatings may be categorised under three headings — PRIMERS, SEALERS & CEMENTITIOUS COATINGS

PRIMERS
Primers are generally water based and used to condition a cementitious sub floor or plaster wall for further application of a coating or adhesive.

The use of a primer such as Roberts 370 Floor & Wall Primer is vital for the following reasons:

  1. Settles dust.
  2. Inhibits adhesive soaking into the sub floor. This is particularly important for
    pressure sensitive adhesives.
  3. Increased spread rates.
  4. Enhances bond strengths.

Note:

  1. The use of a primer, in the long term save money.
  2. Primers do not function as floor sealers to stop moisture penetrating a sub floor.
  3. All Roberts water based vinyl and carpet adhesives may be applied over
    Roberts 370 Floor & Wall Primer.
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SEALERS
Floor sealers may be categorised under three headings, Sealers, Moisture Barriers
& Vapour Barriers

SEALERS
The use of a Sealer such as Roberts Medi-Seal Plus is vital for the following reasons:

  1. To help prevent fluids and most common chemicals dispersing into a sub floor causing staining and compromising its appearance.
  2. In nursing homes, special accommodation and medical facilities, sealers such as Roberts Medi-Seal Plus prevent human fluids, blood and urine dispersing into the sub floor.
  3. A sealed sub floor will allow easy extraction of fluids and improve the building environment and occupation.
  4. Floor sealers such as Roberts Medi-Seal Plus are one pack, modified acrylic water based compounds with a white milky appearance. Medi-Seal Plus is easy to apply and cures to a clear impervious film.

Note:

  1. Roberts Medi-Seal Plus is not a moisture or vapour barrier.
  2. Some adhesives will adhere directly to Roberts Medi-Seal Plus. For more information contact your nearest Roberts distributor or RLA Polymers Pty Ltd.

MOISTURE BARRIERS
The use of a moisture barrier is vital for the following reasons:

  1. Inhibits hydrostatic moisture in a cementitious sub floor rising to the surface and compromising an adhesive or floor covering installation.
  2. A Moisture Barrier may be applied to both "Above Grade" and "Below Grade" sub floors including those with or without a moisture resisting membrane.
  3. Moisture Barriers such as Hydrocoat and other proprietary brands are generally water based two pack epoxy sealers.
  4. Moisture barriers will, under normal circumstances protect sub floors from spilt fluids.

Note:

  1. Air Conditioned Areas. It is most important that advice is sought prior to floor coverings being installed.
  2. Some adhesives will adhere to moisture barriers. For more information contact your nearest Roberts Distributor or RLA Polymers Pty Ltd.

VAPOUR BARRIERS
Cementitious coatings such as those manufactured by Roberts and other proprietary brand products serve two main purposes.

  1. Cementitious coatings such as Super Level 30, self-levelling compounds provide a smooth and level substrate over which floor coverings may be installed.
  2. Inhibits retained moisture contained in a new (green) cementitious slab from rising to the surface and compromising an adhesive or floor covering installation.
  3. Vapour Barriers are generally a latex based liquid and cement based powder mixed and trowelled on to a cementitious slab. Some manufacturers recommend the application of a solvent free acrylic emulsion floor primer before applying the vapour barrier.
  4. As a "rule of thumb", it has been found that under average conditions with good ventilation, a 100mm thick slab of normal concrete drying from one face only, will take approximately five months to dry to a moisture level to allow floorcoverings to be installed. The application of a vapour barrier will reduce the waiting time before installation can commence.

Note:
Some adhesives will adhere to vapour barriers. For more information contact your nearest Roberts Distributor or RLA Polymers Pty Ltd.

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CEMENTITIOUS COATINGS
Cementitious coatings such as those manufactured by Roberts and other proprietary brand products serve two main purposes.

  1. Cementitious coatings such as Super Level 30, self-levelling compounds provide a smooth and level substrate over which floor coverings may be installed.
  2. Roberts Super Level 30 and other proprietary brand cementitious coatings applied over a moisture barrier or vapour barrier will provide a substrate to which most adhesives will adhere.

All floor preparation and floor covering installations should be carried out in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards.

Further technical information is available from:
RLA Polymers Pty Ltd Australia
Customer Service Free Call 1800 242 931

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