Surface Prep & Underlayment
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Primers and adhesive residue isolators are foundational for surface preparation. They ensure strong adhesion, prevent adverse chemical reactions, and mitigate moisture damage.
Primers promote adhesion, control porosity in substrates like concrete, bind dust that can create a barrier between your subfloor and the flooring you are installing, and protect moisture-sensitive adhesives and flooring materials from concrete alkalinity (pH) that can degrade the bond.
A floor installation primer like ROBERTS FS400 is ideal to prepare dry substrates, creating a uniform finish that promotes adhesive bond performance.
Residue isolators are formulated to manage stubborn reactive substances including old black asphalt-based cutback, cutback adhesives, or pressure-sensitive glues that are usually left behind when old floors are removed.
They also create a protective, neutral polymer film over these residues to stop chemical interactions, yielding a clean base that allows subsequent adhesives and flooring materials to anchor properly.
A residue isolator like ROBERTS FS410 isolates old, multipurpose, pressure sensitive, acrylic-based, and cutback adhesive residue, ensuring proper bonding of the new adhesive.
Underlayment is an essential foundation between your subfloor and your new flooring. The main functions of underlayment are moisture protection, impact shock absorption, reduction of footstep noise, smoothing minor subfloor imperfections, and providing a crucial barrier against moisture migration.
Underlayments like ROBERTS 70-115, (designed for use with vinyl, laminate, SPC and engineered wood flooring) protect finished floors against moisture damage, and ROBERTS 70-198 (for use with staple and nail down installations of solid, engineered and laminate wood floors, or floating vinyl plank floors) provide excellent moisture protection.
Natural Cork Underlayments like QEP 72003Q, QEP 72008Q, QEP 72005Q, QEP 70-175, CAPITOL 110622, and CAPITOL 110650, provide outstanding sound absorption, and thermal insulation, with the additional advantage that they are naturally hypoallergenic, as well as mold and mildew resistant.
To eliminate minor subfloor imperfections and help to smooth the subfloor, ROBERTS 70-102-1 is your best choice. It features a cushioning middle layer of styrofoam beads that spans minor dips and bumps, providing excellent compression resistance and leveling properties under floating floors.
Other excellent ROBERTS underlayments for subfloor correction include:
- ROBERTS 70-105: A 5-in-1 underlayment that features thousands of stabilizing polyshims in its middle layer specifically designed to eliminate minor subfloor imperfections while providing excellent moisture protection and sound dampening.
- ROBERTS 70-025: A 3/32" (2.4 mm) thick polyethylene foam that acts as a great smoothing buffer between the subfloor and your laminate or engineered wood, while also reducing surface noise.
Keep in mind that using the right underlayment ensures your flooring feels comfortable, sounds quiet, and lasts long.
