News

Hard Facts on the Prevention of Black Joints

Side effects between adhesives and floor finishes

 

"Connected Systems" von Loba und Wakol

Once the parquet has been laid building owners can expect to enjoy problem-free floors for the next ten years – and they usually do. In isolated cases, however, the parquet layer receives a call within a few short months because the joints appear to be magically attracting dirt and grime. What went wrong? Owing to incompatibility between the elastic adhesive and the varnish, plasticizing substances have migrated into the sealant film causing it to soften, and dust is sticking to the parquet joints. The result: so-called “black joints”.

Connected Systems - A systematic approach for optimal results

This situation can be easily prevented by using compatible products. Loba and Wakol have developed a reliable system of products for ensuring compatibility between adhesives and floor finishes. The name is Connected Systems, and the advantage is a wide product range made up of compatible high-quality adhesives and finishes for parquet and cork flooring – a “security suite” for the parquet layer. Over the past several years the adhesive manufacturer Wakol, Pirmasens, and the floor finish specialist Loba, Ditzingen, have been engaged in intense cooperation, conducting extensive research and developing unparalleled expertise on product compatibility. In the context of its product research work Wakol has discovered that the type and amount of extractable ingredients in the adhesive, such as plasticising resins or plasticisers, determine in part whether the varnish begins to soften. Claus Wissutschek, application engineer for the floor finish manufacturer Loba, has carried out several series of tests on this phenomenon; the results of these tests show that certain floor finishes exhibit a greater resistance to migration problems than others.

Connected Systems – teamwork between adhesives and waterborne finishes

As a result of their cooperative development work Loba and Wakol are able to offer product systems with guaranteed compatibility and optimal reliability during product application and in the years that follow. To date, a total of 14 compatible products have been developed that, when used in combination, guarantee the parquet-layer perfect results. New products from Loba and Wakol are automatically tested in this system and must pass a series of compatibility tests before they are added to the Connected Systems Portfolio. The approved adhesives have no negative effect on the quality of the floor finish because all compatibility problems have been ruled out through the use of optimisedsystems.

Brief information about the two companies, Loba and Wakol

Loba, specialist for parquet and hardwood flooring – since 1922.

Loba is one of the leading manufacturers of floor finishing and floor-care systems for parquet, wood and cork floors in Germany. Loba is the only company in its industry that concerns itself exclusively with these products. This long-standing family-run company has become the technology leader in Europe owing to its strong specialisation and innovative strength – and has recently become the first floor finish manufacturer to focus on the safety issue of fire prevention for parquet flooring. Flooring professionals in 50 countries around the globe swear by the environmentally friendly, waterborne finishing systems from Loba and the unrivalled quality standards. The extensive product range also includes floor oils and waxes, products for industrial use and cleaning and maintenance products. All Loba products are manufactured in Ditzingen near Stuttgart.

Wakol, specialist for adhesives.

With more than 70 years of experience in the development, manufacture and sale of adhesives Wakol is one of the longest established companies in the field of flooring installation products. Wakol has made a name for itself in the trade of parquet and floor laying, especially with its technically superior product systems for demanding floor coverings such as cork, parquet, rubber and needlepunchcarpet. All products are highly sophisticated, cost efficient, ecologically sound, easy to use and extremely effective.