Caberdek Sealfast, the new single-product floor adhesive from Norbord, is now available to contractors and housebuilders following a successful launch to off-site manufacturers last summer.

Sealfast is a high-strength polyurethane (PU) adhesive with a high solids content developed specifically for use with Norbord’s Caberdek tongue and groove P5 flooring panels.

The Sealfast system replaces the existing industry standard method of running PVA glue along the joints and applying a protective tape to keep moisture out of the joint. Sealfast is also used to bond the Caberdek P5 flooring boards to the supporting joists.

This reduces the number of nails or screws required from 12 per board to just three which are used simply to hold the board in place for 40 minutes while the adhesive cures.

Caberdek Sealfast proved an instant hit with companies carrying out off-site timber frame manufacturing. The faster, simpler Sealfast system helps speed up production, improving production efficiency and product throughput.

Now the system has been rolled out to contractors and housebuilders who can enjoy the benefits onsite. The original 600 ml ‘sausage’ pack with its special applicator has been replaced with handier 310 ml cartridges which will fit the standard skeleton gun found on most sites.

“Sealfast will make the job of laying a Caberdek floor much easier for site staff” comments Mike Buick, National Brand Manager for Norbord. “Unlike PVA, it’s a waterproof product – in fact, it absorbs atmospheric moisture during the curing process. It can even be used in the pouring rain.”

Caberdek P5 flooring panels are faced with a slip-resistant, waterproof plastic film which, in addition to providing a safe working surface for following trades, protects the boards from moisture and damage during construction. Tests conducted by the British Board of Agrement show that Caberdek Sealfast can be left exposed to the elements for at least 42 days without any deterioration of the adhesive or board.

Caberdek Sealfast is a paste formulation which is easy and clean to use unlike other PU adhesives which are designed to foam. Since its launch last year, Caberdek Sealfast has been improved with the addition of a natural rubber compound to increase flexibility and enable the adhesive to withstand moderate structural movement in the floor. This overcomes the problem of brittleness which is encountered by foaming PU adhesives.

The system is available from leading builders’ merchants and comprises two boxes of Sealfast adhesive (each containing 12 x 310 ml tubes) for every pack of 22 mm Caberdek boards with 66 boards per pack. Each 66-board pack equates to 95 sq m of floor. One tube of Sealfast adhesive will bond three boards and fix them to the joists.

“Working with our customers, we have developed a system that is quicker, cleaner and more durable than any existing timber floor system” says Mike Buick. “Timber frame manufacturers have been reaping the benefits of Caberdek Sealfast for almost a year, and now the same benefits can be enjoyed by contractors on-site” adds Mike.