HOW TO adhere to a metallic sub floor
Always take into account the condition, potential movement, contamination and keeping in mind the final floor covering to be installed. There are several types of metallic sub floor but each is usually treated the same as they have very similar characteristics.
GOOD PREPARATION
In the UK we usually encounter metallic surfaces to be adhered to in one of the following scenarios. A steel or aluminum stair case, A raised access floor, or a computer floor in an I.T. Suite. Each subfloor is by its nature flexible, none absorbent and likely to have contaminates on the surface. Therefore, general rules apply to each circumstance but you can always call us for more advice.
Firstly, clean the metallic surface with a degreaser that contains acetone. This will stop the spread of any contaminates and hopefully the removal of any oily substances. The metallic surface should then be abraded with an appropriate abrasive to form a key for future bonding. If necessary, a further cleaning process can take place with the degreaser. At the very least, any sanding dust and debris should be vacuumed but additional cleaning is recommended.
INSTALLING THE FLOOR
Once the surface is suitably prepared, The wooden flooring can be installed with the relevant Wakol adhesive. Wakol MS228 is generally recommended for engineered wooden floors and Wakol MS260 is generally recommended for solid wooden floors up to 180mm in width. However, we would recommend Wakol PU225 2k for all solid wooden floors that are to be installed on top of a metalic surface. Please refer to data sheets for specifics or call us with any questions at this stage.
Additionally, we see many contractors needing to compensate for mild surface undulation in metallic sub floors or to reduce sound . In this case, we recommend the use of Wakol TS102 sound suppression matting. This product is a 2mm Cork foam mat that comes in a 30 m roll. It is glued to the subfloor before the wooden floor covering is then subsequently glued to its surface.
The main benefits are the decibel reduction (17db) and the secure under foot feeling. The TS102 should always be glued with the same adhesive that will be used later for the final wooden floor covering. Therefore, it is important to keep that in mind before starting. As an example, if you were intending to install engineered plank with Wakol MS230, THEN THE SAME PRODUCT should be used to glue down the Wakol TS102 mat first.
This is by no means and exhaustive list of metallic surfaces but these are the most common we come across in the UK. If you need help and advice on something that is not covered, please contact us and we will try our best to answer your questions.
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