Luc Wouters has been with Bostik for 35 years and, as Technical Account Manager Construction & Consumer, is ideally placed to explain Bostik's ins and outs. Luc provides training, both individual and group, and always goes on site to give advice. "Within our customer base, we have customers who have been following Bostik for decades, not only because we offer solid products, but also because we take our advisory role very seriously." Every year, Bostik reaches several hundred people in the Benelux thanks to its training courses.

From detailed product knowledge to craftsmanship
"Analyse the substrate and the floor," is Luc's first advice. "The levelling compound to be used depends on the type of floor: ceramic, carpet, PVC, linoleum or parquet... each floor has its own drying time, strength and flexibility. Any unevenness cannot simply be smoothed out with adhesives. Using the right levelling compound is therefore a must."
Each levelling compound also has its own maximum applicable layer thickness. Luc indicates: "In practice, not every substrate is equally flat everywhere, so it can happen that you have to accommodate 4 mm in one corner, while you have a much bigger difference in the other corner." Bostik levelling compound SL C780 FLEX, for example, is suitable for levelling a wooden substrate. It is a fibre-reinforced levelling compound with higher flexural strength.
The next piece of advice for professionals is to always respect the indicated dosage with water. "A powdery end result is not desired. So strictly adhere to the prescribed amount of water to be added. With Bostik, these prescriptions are always clearly indicated on the packaging."
Luc refers to the potential consequential damage when using the wrong levelling compound or when applied incorrectly. "Breaking a floor and reinstalling a new floor are in themselves still surmountable. But such mistakes can cause significant consequential damage. Just think of a hospital that has to be evacuated with all its consequences: relocation of patients, cancellation of operations, and so on. It shows that flooring installation is a delicate profession requiring the necessary product knowledge and craftsmanship."

Product families and new products
Bostik's offering can be divided into the product families of adhesives, primers, levelling compounds and a category of problem-solving products such as moisture barriers, products to repair cracks, reinforce chapes, etc. "By volume, the range of levelling products is the largest. This is not surprising as 3 to 4 kilos of levelling compounds are often needed per square metre," says Luc.

Bostik has recently released a number of novelties. Within the moisture screen range, the Hytec E736 Turbo screen is the most recent addition. This moisture screen is the ideal solution when there is time pressure to lay the floor covering. After all, the drying time is only 4 hours. Hytec E736 Turbo is ideal for those who are in a hurry but do not want to compromise on quality.
There is also a newcomer among levelling compounds, the SL C740 Fiber Maxi, a powerhouse that can be walked on within 3 hours of application. But the product particularly excels in layer thicknesses that go up to 40 mm. "Those changing from a thick parquet to a thinner PVC floor, for example, will need to bridge a thicker layer. In those cases, this levelling compound is the partner of choice," Luc clarifies.

Evolutions and the environment
Bostik continues to make environmentally friendly efforts. "All our levelling compounds have at least emission certification EC1 or even EC1+. They are therefore extremely suitable for use in green projects (BREEAM and LEED)," says Luc.
In that context, the Technical Account Manager refers to the strict Belgian legislation. "Bostik products comply with the Royal Decree of 18 August 2014 on emission values of flooring products, with the strictest German standards and the strictest French standards serving as a starting point for the Belgian rules."

Website: www.bostik.be 
Bostik is an Arkema Company