2022 sees Kerakoll launch the next generation of gel-adhesives, building on the success of the first range which took the tiling world by storm when they were launched in 2017. TSJ investigates.
T he H40 range of gel-adhesives builds on Kerakoll’s tradition of research into innovative materials and techniques allowing them to develop products which perform outstandingly and are also very environmentally friendly.
The range is composed of three products which cover any type of tile and all conceivable substrates. The first is H40 Gel, a standard-setting powder form gel-adhesive which is very easy to work with because it is soft and easy to trowel but still supports the tile, keeps it shape, and stops vertical slip on walls.
The second product is H40 Advanced. This rapid-setting powder form gel-adhesive offers long working times and rapid setting; as with H40 Gel, it is easy to spread and holds its shape, supporting the weight of large tiles and stopping vertical slip on walls, making work on site simple. It is non-hazardous to the environment and human health, as its formulation does not include Portland cement and is non-irritating to the skin.
The white versions of both H40 Gel and H40 Advanced are extremely white in colour. This Shock White colour comes from a special combination of cements and natural pure white materials which also contribute to the excellent flow properties of the products, and increase coverage and workability. It makes the adhesives perfect for working with light coloured grouts and all types of natural stone and marble.
The way that the mix flows means that it fully wets the back of the tile, filling voids, and ensuring a full structural bond, while the fact that it does not dry out means that it does not thicken or allow a film to form.
The gel-adhesives contain additives to increase flexibility meaning that they can be used with deformable substrates such as wood and metal. The unbroken structural bond which they form with the substrate and tile absorbs and evens out the stresses caused by movement of the substrate.
The third and final product is H40 Extreme, a hybrid gel-adhesive. This combines extreme fluidity – it is 5 times less viscous than a traditional polyurethane adhesive – with extreme flexibility, as it is ten times more deformable than generic S2 adhesives. It can cope with the most extreme on-site conditions making it the obvious choice for sites with uncommon and/or difficult substrates that cause problems for other adhesives.
Kerakoll’s R&D team has developed their own stringent tests which ensure that H40 gel-adhesives will withstand the stresses suffered by a tiling installation in the real world and not just in laboratory conditions.
Samples of a floor bonded with adhesive are subjected to 20 mechanical stress cycles, 50 thermal stress cycles and 50 freeze-thaw cycles, before undergoing tensile and shear strength tests to measure the strength of the bond. All three H40 gel-adhesives pass these tests with flying colours due to the strength of the adhesive bond.
The range really is universal: suitable for use on all substrates and in all situations, be it in residential or heavy duty commercial settings, internally or externally.
Externally it can even be used on areas subject to significant temperature changes and in constant exposure to water. Talk to Tilemaster Adhesives Ltd commercial team for more information on the new products.
Tilemaster Adhesives – Kerakoll Group
T: 01772 456831
E: [email protected]
W: www.kerakoll.com
