FI123377B - An elastic layer to be fitted under the floor covering and a method of making it - Google Patents

Description

An elastic layer to be fitted under the floor covering and a method of making it

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to a resilient layer 5 to be applied under a floor covering, which resilient layer is formed from a mixture comprising a polymer dispersion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a process for preparing a mass forming a flexible layer to be applied under a floor covering, wherein the mass is prepared from a mixture comprising a polymer dispersion.

Floor coatings used for dry rooms such as living rooms, commercial spaces, offices, shopping malls and the like include ceramic tiles, clinkers, stone, parquet, laminate, plastic and rubber flooring. The material of the subfloor is often 15 concrete, possibly even leveled with screed.

Due to a busy schedule or for some other reason, the floor covering may be installed before the subfloor concrete is completely dry. This causes the problem that, as the concrete dries and thus shrinks, the floor covering attached to the subfloor is subjected to forces which can cause the floor covering to break. For example, if the flooring is tiled, the fixing mortar may fail, causing the tiles to come off the subfloor. Also hard joints made with jointing mortar may crumble and the tiles may even crack. This problem is exacerbated when particularly large floor areas are tiled because the absolute dimensional changes occurring in a single large concrete surface are large and because the floor covering forms a large uniform surface area.

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£ its and its rigid surface. Loose or broken tiles may pose a safety risk and create a negative visual impression of the floor.

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V The shrinkage of concrete is essentially influenced by its composition and 'environmental conditions. Generally, the dry shrinkage shrinkage of a concrete structure in dry indoor areas is about 0.4-0.6 mm / m, but in some concrete grades

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la as high as 1 mm / m. The risk of tile release has been found to be significantly higher if the subfloor shrinks at least 0.5 o mm / m after tiling.

The problem described above has been solved by applying a thin, paste-like, waterproofing layer for the wet room waterproofing layer to the subfloor prior to installing the floor covering.

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This solution creates new problems: waterproofing is not only cumbersome to apply due to its high viscosity, but also prevents the concrete from drying towards the flooring, thus removing moisture to the adjacent rooms or walls. Another problem is that waterproofing 5 is expensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved elastic layer and a method for producing a pulp forming the elastic layer.

The flexible layer according to the invention is characterized in that the viscosity of said mixture is so low that the mixture is self-leveling on the floor surface and that the mixture comprises a surfactant arranged to cause bubbles, pores and pits in the curing mixture so that the flexible layer is water vapor.

The process according to the invention is characterized in that a surfactant is added to the mixture which causes bubbles, pores and pits in the curing mixture so that the elastic layer is permeable to water vapor and the viscosity of said mixture is adjusted so low that the mixture itself self-leveling.

The idea of the invention is that the elastic layer is permeable to water vapor. An advantage of the invention is that excess moisture in the subfloor can be discharged to one side of the resilient layer, so that the resilient layer and the floor covering can be applied over a concrete subfloor containing additional moisture. A further advantage is that due to the low viscosity of the mixture and the self-leveling of the mixture, it is easy and quick to apply it to the floor.

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The idea of an embodiment of the invention is that the base material of the flexible layer is styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). The advantage is that the thin-

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Even the elastic layer becomes very elastic.

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x Detailed Description of the Invention

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30 The present elastic layer is made of a mixture containing

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§ polymer dispersion and surfactants which give rise to a hardener

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g of a mixture of bubbles, pores and pits. The viscosity of the mixture is so low that the mixture can be applied to the floor, for example with a trowel, after which the mixture plays spontaneously. The dried mixture forms an elastic and resilient resilient layer which, by its function, can be called a bearing layer. This 3 allows movement between the drying concrete and the floor covering, which makes it very unlikely that the floor covering will come off its substrate. However, the elastic groove is not so soft that heavy tiles on the tiles would cause indentations that would break the non-elastic grout between the tiles. Excess moisture in the concrete can escape into the room through pores and holes in the elastic layer. The typical elongation of a polymeric dispersion-based flexible layer or film is several hundred percent prior to rupture, depending on the type of polymer and additives.

It should be noted that known aqueous insulators contain a polymer dispersion such as an SBR latex dispersion, but also surfactants of the type which prevent the formation of bubbles, pores and pits in the waterproof insulating layer.

The elastic layer composition is as follows: 15 polymer dispersions 40-60%, filler 40-60%, surfactant 0.1-2%, colorant 0-1%, reinforcing agent 0-2%, and 20 preservatives 0-1%.

It should be noted that the composition is expressed as a percentage by weight.

The polymer dispersion on which the mixture is based may be, for example, a carboxylated SBR dispersion. By caboxylated is meant herein that the dispersion has carboxyl groups at the ends of the polymer chains. This may have a butadiene content of, for example, 30 to 60% and a dry solids content of 45 to 60% with a particle size of, for example, 150 to 250 nm. The advantages of SBR material are

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^ High elasticity, environmental friendliness and relatively low price. Instead of SBR v, the mixture may use, for example, styrene acrylate and other 30 acrylate dispersions, as well as acrylic, vinyl acetate, ethylene, styrene or | dispersions based on their copolymers.

The polymer dispersion may, of course, be a composite dispersion comprising O) g of two or more polymers.

The filler is preferably one or more of the following materials: silica, silicates, talc, bentonite, hectorite, CaCO3, CaMg-CO3, BaSCU, quartz, T1O2, Al2O3, kaolin, aluminosilicate, asphalt, carbon black, carbon black, graphite, limestone, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, metal powders, strontium sulfate, wollastonite, wood flour, zeolite, zinc oxide, zinc sulfide, etc .. The filler may be composed of one or the same material or may consist of two or more different materials, may be homogeneous or heterogeneous in particle size and shape.

Examples of suitable surfactants include surfactant surfactants, silicone-based surfactants, acrylate-based surfactants and their salts, surfactant sulfates, ethoxylate-based surfactants, fluorochemical surfactants, and mixtures thereof. The surfactant creates holes and pores through which water vapor can pass through the elastic layer. The mixture may contain a variety of different surfactants.

The enhancer is a urethane enhancer or an acrylate based enhancer. The reinforcing agent can be used to increase the viscosity of the blend. In addition, they, like surfactants, can act as agents to facilitate application of the mixture. The mixture may contain a number of different enhancers.

Colorants can be used in a manner known per se to color the mixture, while preservatives, as the name suggests, increase the shelf life of the mixture. The mixture may contain several different dyes.

Preservatives are preservatives known to the person skilled in the art and may be present in a variety of compositions.

Example 1 A flexible layer composition was prepared as follows.

«M! 5 To the tank mixer Westerlins 130 kW, 1500 min which was fitted

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^ with a Dissolver-type blender, first an SBR dispersion of Basf Styrofan T D 422 was added immediately after the addition of the SBR dispersion and with constant stirring 00 ^ 30 surfactant Basf Luthensol TO 109 and preservative Bayer Preventol | BIT20N.

co Next, the Ciba Viscalex HV30, σ> g enhancer was gradually added, followed by the addition of Imerys Carbital 60 with continuous stirring.

After the addition of the above-mentioned mixture-forming ingredients, the pulp was stirred for about 5 min.

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The agitation speed was in the range of 400-800 min'1 throughout the agitation. It should be noted that the above mixing sequence is not necessary and further that the ingredients may be combined into pre-mixes prior to mixing in the dispersion.

The proportions of the ingredients of the above prepared mixture were as follows: SBR dispersion 50%, surfactant 0.2%, preservative 0.2%, reinforcing agent 0.3%, and filler 49.3%.

The finished mixture had a viscosity suitable for trowel application. It should be noted that the alloy preferably has a viscosity of about 500 to 5000 mPas.

A suitable layer thickness can be made, for example, using a toothpick whose tooth shape and depth controls the amount of mixture remaining in the subfloor. It is most advantageous to use a sharp-edged trowel, whereby the applied mixture has been found to self-level quickly and safely. Of course, a straight toothless spatula or roller can also be used in the application, but controlling the layer thickness is then more difficult. The tools mentioned herein are all known per se, so they are not described in further detail. A suitable layer thickness of the elastic layer is about 0.2 to 2 mm.

In some cases, the features set forth in this application may be used as such, despite other features. On the other hand, the features disclosed in this application may be combined, if necessary, to form various combinations. The details of the invention may vary within the scope of the claims.

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Claims (11)

An underlayable elastic layer comprising an alloy comprising a polymer dispersion, characterized in that said alloy has a low viscosity such that the alloy is self-leveling at the floor and that the alloy comprises a surfactant arranged to cause bubbles, pores and pits in the curing mixture so that the elastic layer is permeable to water vapor. Elastic layer according to claim 1, characterized in that the polymer dispersion is a SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber) latex dispersion. Elastic layer according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mixture forming it has a viscosity of 500 to 5000 mPas. 15 The flexible layer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surfactant comprises a surfactant, a silicone-based surfactant, an acrylate-based surfactant or a salt thereof, a surfactant sulfate, an ethoxylate-based surfactant, a fluorochemical base. surfactant or a mixture of the above. The elastic layer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reinforcing material which is based on polyurethane or acrylate. 25 The elastic layer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is formed from a mixture of: 40-60% polymer dispersion, 40-60% filler, 0.1-2% surfactant, 0-1 dye. %, reinforcing agents 0-2%, and preservatives 0-1%. CC CL A flexible layer according to claim 6, characterized in that it is formed from a mixture of: CO 50 polymer dispersion about 50%, filler about 49%, surfactant CVJ 35 active ingredient about 0.2%, reinforcing agent about 0.3% , and preservatives about 0.2%. A process for preparing a flexible layer forming an underfloor layer, comprising: preparing a mass from a mixture comprising a polymer dispersion, characterized in that a surfactant is added to the mixture to cause bubbles, pores and pockets to form a vapor permeable to water vapor. , and adjusting the viscosity of said mixture so low that the mixture 10 is self-leveling to the floor surface. Process according to Claim 8, characterized in that the mass of a mixture whose polymer dispersion comprises a SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber) latex dispersion is mixed. 15 Process according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the mixture is made up of a polymer dispersion of 40 to 60%, a filler of 40 to 60%, a surfactant of 0.2%, a reinforcing agent of 0.3%, and preservatives. 2%. 20 11. A process according to claim 10, characterized in that the composition is made up of a polymer dispersion comprising about 50%, a filler about 49%, a surfactant about 0.1-2%, a dye 0-1%, a reinforcing agent about 0- 2%, and preservatives about 0-1%. 25 c \ j δ CVJ CVJ l CO 30 x cc CL CO O) o m co o o CVJ