By Jacqueline Hinchcliffe—Today’s flooring adhesives tout better grab, faster cure times and overall easier workability, among other key attributes. But it’s important not to overlook the emphasis on eco-conscious formulations that are safer for the environment and the installer.
“Environmental concerns have become increasingly prevalent across the industry, dramatically enhancing the appeal for environmentally friendly, sustainable adhesives,” said Nick Mizzone, marketing coordinator, Sika-DriTac Corporation.
Following is a sampling of the latest eco-conscious flooring adhesives.
Custom Building Products
Wood HP4 4-in-1 is a hybrid polymer adhesive suitable for engineered wood plank and parquet, engineered bamboo and solid wood plank that does the job of four products in one bucket. In addition, the product serves as a concrete moisture barrier and crack isolation membrane that also aids in sound reduction. It bridges non-structural cracks up to 1/8-inch and boasts early grab and bond-strength. Wood HP4 is solvent-free, low odor, low VOC, FloorScore certified and LEED compliant. “This particular product does not use isocyanates and it’s safer for the installer,” said Don Munro, product manager, setting materials and adhesives, Custom Building Products.
Sika-Dritac
Sika-Dritac offers a full range of urethane and hybrid flooring adhesives engineered to meet industry standards for eco-friendliness while performing at a high level. Case in point is SikaBond-T100, an all-in-one hybrid polyurethane adhesive that offers unlimited moisture protection, crack bridging and sound reduction for wood floor bonding. SikaBond-T100 creates a strong bond for glue-down installation, contains no water, solvent or isocyanates and features a low moisture vapor permeability. As a plus, its sound protection meets all local IIC and STC requirements.
Laticrete
New from Laticrete is Glass Tile Adhesive, a lightweight glue that contains no respirable crystalline silica levels that exceed the OSHA action level. The product also a high bond strength and features a long open time. With its bright white color, the appearance of clear/translucent tiles remain unaffected. The product also features Microban antimicrobial technology, which is integrated during the manufacturing process. “The safety and wellness of our workforce, not to mention the health of our planet, greatly depends on the components of the products our installers use on a daily basis, including adhesives,” said Mitch Hawkins, senior manager, technical services.
Schönox
Schönox Protect is the newest addition to the company’s lineup of eco-conscious products. The product is a universal resilient flooring adhesive designed for VCT, LVT, sheet vinyl, sheet synthetic, rubber coverings, rubber and cork granulated underlayments, artificial turf and linoleum sheet floor coverings. This solvent-free adhesive is suitable for both interior and exterior use, is moisture resistant, non-shrinking, water-free, heavy-duty, low-odor, easy to apply and temperature-resistant once cured. Schönox Protect also meets LEED criteria for low-emitting materials via the following designations: EQc2, MRc2 and MRc4.
Stauf
The new PUM-950 Power-Mastic wood flooring adhesive from Stauf is a urethane-based product that is moisture-cured, non-etching and requires no moisture testing. The formula, which received an EC-1 Green Certificate, is free of isocyanates, solvents and other hazardous materials, making it safe for the ozone and, by extension, the environment, according to the company. The product earned the highest GEV-Emicode EC 1 ranking by the European Association for Control of Emissions for Flooring, meets some of the toughest green product requirements around the world and qualifies for LEED credits.
Taylor Adhesives
The Taylor Signature Line, which touts advanced performance capabilities, consists of 16 products formulated without solvents or isocyanates, making it an environmentally friendly option for installers. Furthermore, the line is FloorScore, Greenguard and CRI Green Label Plus certified, and is also LEED v4 contributing.
