F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has launched Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, the latest addition to its range of high-performance, water-mix smoothing underlayments.
Stopgap 1500 AquaPro uses the latest technology to create the next generation of water-mix smoothing underlayment and can be applied over old adhesive residues, including bitumen, carpet tile tackifiers and ceramic tile adhesives, eliminating the need for mechanical preparation. In such applications, there is no need to prime beforehand, saving further time and expense. Fast-setting and fast-drying, it is walk-on hard in as little as 60 minutes after application and ready to receive floorcoverings from just four hours.
The smoothing underlayment is suitable for use over a wide range of subfloor types, including sand/cement screed, concrete, granolithic, terrazzo, asphalt, steel, old vinyl asbestos tiles, epoxy and polyurethane resins, ceramic and quarry tiles, as well as Stopgap waterproof surface membranes.
Stopgap 1500 AquaPro is also moisture resistant, meaning that it can be applied to damp subfloors prior to the application of a waterproof surface membrane. This is ideal where a rough or uneven screed would result in a liquid waterproof surface membrane pooling in undulations on the surface, often requiring a greater quantity of the product to achieve full coverage.
Furthermore, its low-odour, protein-free formulation makes it suitable for use in biologically sensitive settings, such as hospitals and laboratories, and allows installations to proceed while adjacent areas remain in use.
As a water-mix smoothing underlayment, no bottle is required, meaning less plastic waste is produced by the flooring industry.
Commenting on the launch of Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, F. Ball sales director Darren Kenyon said:
“Advancements in cement technology have enabled us to expand our range of high-performance water-mix smoothing underlayments for specialist applications so that contractors can choose exactly the right product for a particular situation, including when working to tight deadlines and where old adhesive residues are present. There is also an environmental benefit of not having to supply plastic bottles, reducing waste and the need to dispose of them responsibly.”
Stopgap 1500 AquaPro is available in 20kg units, which will achieve coverage of an area approximately 5m² applied at a thickness of 2-3mm.