Take a fresh look at spray adhesive

In the construction industry, time is seldom on a contractor's side. To complete a new-build or refurbishment project to an agreed deadline requires a lot of things to fall their way. The weather needs to behave; other trades need to finish their part of the programme before the roofer can begin; the client or architect needs to have confidence in the original design and not have a mid-project change of heart.

Special bond

With so many variables to contend with, it's no wonder products which guarantee a fast, reliable application have become something of a Holy Grail for contractors within the construction industry. Sika-Trocal C400 spray-applied adhesive is helping reduce adhered roof installation times.

It's not only twice as fast to use than traditional methods, which involve applying high solvent content mixtures to a substrate with a squeegee, with Sika-Trocal C400 the easy spray  application via a canister means it's less labour intensive, and reduces wear-and-tear on the operative.

In C400's case, quality hasn't been sacrificed for speed as the adhesion is assured and has been proven by rigorous lab and on site testing. Sika Limited does not bring these products to market until they have passed the highest testing benchmarks. So bonding Sika-Trocal SGK, fleece backed membrane could not be any easier.

As well as being time and cost-effective, C400 spray-applied adhesive is kinder to the environment. It contains fewer solvents than poured-applied adhesives and creates less material waste. With poured-applied solutions, a residual amount of substance invariably remains and needs to be disposed of as hazardous waste, which costs time and money. Once used, a canister used in C400 applications can be decommissioned as scrap metal, making the packaging recyclable.

Benefits of Sika-Trocal C400 spray-applied adhesive

• Works twice as fast as other adhesive methods
• Less labour intensive and reduces operative wear-and-tear
• Contains fewer solvents than other adhesive solutions
• Incurs less waste material – application canisters are recyclable

 Stress-free adhesion

There is a perception within the roofing industry that adhered systems are not as quick to install as mechanically-fixed ones. C400 will do much to dispel that notion, because the truth is, bonded membranes are as quick to fit as the mechanical alternative. Also because C400 is a contact adhesive it also means installers can now bond vertically, providing a flexible option for the installation of upstands.

C400 has been received warmly by the Licensed Trocal Roofing Contractors who have used it – for reasons already outlined – following its use on several Trocal roofing projects across the UK. Contractors have also been impressed by the robustness of the spray tooling.

Sika Trocal C400 Spray has removed one less stress from the installer, and its speedy application will solve at least one of the many time-related issues faced by today's Trocal roofing contractors.

By Dean Grady, Product Manager at Sika