Adhesives are one of the most vital components linking subfloor preparation and flooring installation, and they are also one of the most challenging to master. As the bonding agent between the flooring material and the subfloor, adhesives are uniquely formulated to work with specific types of materials and to perform under precise environmental conditions.
For installers, selecting the optimal adhesive for an installation is just one of many skills required for success. Another is keeping up with the latest adhesive advancements and application knowledge so skill sets continue to match what the market demands.
One example of an adhesive advancement that has changed industry standards and application guidelines is high-moisture tolerant adhesives. These formulations allow for flooring installation on a concrete substrate with 90% or higher relative humidity (RH). Before the development of high-moisture adhesives, standard flooring adhesives could typically handle a maximum RH level of around 75%-85%, depending on the specific product. Today, high-moisture adhesives have significantly raised the allowable RH level of the substrate and in many cases reduced the need for such precautions.
Undoubtedly, advancements like high-moisture adhesives have given the installers who know when to use them some distinct advantages over their competitors who don’t. The question is: how do installers reasonably keep up with new product developments like this to gain these advantages?
Staying on top of the latest adhesive advances as well as other new products, materials and skills essential for long-term success requires a commitment to professional training and certification that are maintained throughout an installer’s career. Organizations like the International Standards and Training Alliance (INSTALL), for example, support an installer’s ongoing professional development by bringing together floor covering industry experts in installation and manufacturing to work collaboratively on curriculum development. As new products are introduced into the field, installers can count on the training and certification programs to reflect the latest advances and prepare them with new skills and experiences.
For installers, organizations like INSTALL offer direct access to best-in-class training on products, tools and techniques that have been vetted by industry leaders. Certification programs also provide valuable real-world experience that can be difficult to come by in the commercial sector where building owners are less likely to take chances on installers without certification and experience. Likewise, for customers, hiring certified installers brings peace of mind. They know the work will be done right the first time, the warranty will be protected, and the flooring will look and perform as expected.
Ultimately, training and certification give installers and their customers alike the confidence in the quality of the workmanship and in the long-term performance of the finished installation.
David Gross is the executive director of INSTALL. He previously served as a full-time instructor at the Northeast Carpenter’s Apprenticeship Training Fund in Hamilton, N.J., and he has also sat on the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America executive board.
The post Adhesives: Training is essential to keep pace with innovation appeared first on Floor Covering News.
Adhesives: Training is essential to keep pace with innovation Posted First on https://fcnews.net
No comments:
Post a Comment