Roll-Cote™

It is important to read and understand technical and safety data sheets completely before beginning installation. Follow industry standards and flooring manufacturer’s recommendations for design, layout, and application of flooring materials, including test methods, jobsite temperature, and relative humidity. Always do a test area to ensure product satisfaction, including adhesion to substrate, and/or to become familiar with proper application techniques prior to use.

If you have further questions, please contact your Bostik Sales Representative, or Bostik Technical Service at (800) 726-7845.

How strong is the bond of Roll-Cote to the subfloor?

Adhesion to the substrate will vary depending on the nature of the substrate and its surface preparation. Normal adhesion values to concrete (including green concrete) should be superior to 300 PSI, and can range between 200 and 500 PSI, depending on the concrete quality and environmental conditions, even after many months’ aging over a 100% RH concrete slab. These results are supported by certified third-party test reports as measured per ASTM D7235.

What type of surface profile do you need?

Roll-Cote has demonstrated superior adhesion to a variety of concrete surface profiles. However, a minimum CSP of 1-3 is recommended to optimize coverage.

When can I install my flooring?

After you have correctly installed one coat of Roll-Cote, the floor is walkable in 30 min and ready for flooring installation in 1 hour. After two coats of Roll-Cote, wait 2 hours before installing your flooring.

How many coats of Roll-Cote do you need to apply?

For hardwood flooring or tile applications on concrete, Roll-Cote is rated for unlimited moisture. Apply two coats at a totalcoverage rate of 100 square feet per gallon. For applications upto 90% RH, or over wood subfloors, apply one coat at 200 square feet per gallon. For applications up to 99% RH, apply two coats at a total coverage rate of 100 square feet per gallon. For sheet vinylflooring applications, PVC-backed carpet tiles, and some resilient flooring adhesives, self-leveling underlayments or floor patches may be required for compatibility and to prevent telegraphing of substrate and surface imperfections. For more information, see the Technical Data Sheet or contact Bostik Technical Service.

How does Roll-Cote compare to epoxy?

The appeal of Roll-Cote is multifaceted, with many benefits to your advantage.

• As an all-in-one product that serves as a primer, a moisture mitigation tool, and is alkali resistant, no additional steps are needed with Roll-Cote. For that alone, the labor and materials cost savings are significant.
• Epoxies are much more challenging to spread, may require sand broadcasting or primer to facilitate adhesion, have limited working times, and can be sensitizing to the user and applicator. Some epoxies require an installer to be on their knees to apply. Roll-Cote can be applied at a standing position, using a long-handled, 3/8" nap roller.
• Roll-Cote requires up to 1 hour of dry time before it is walkable compared to traditional epoxies, which often require 6 hours to a full day to cure. This is great news on the jobsite when time is money.
• Roll-Cote does not contain any skin or respiratory sensitizer.
• Roll-Cote is a one-component product. There is no limited pot life, and it doesn't require a highly specific mixing process.
• Roll-Cote does not require sand broadcasting to accept cementitious products. (NOTE: Roll-Cote is not suitable for situations where negative hydrostatic pressure is present.)

I notice that Roll-Cote is dry after 15 minutes. Can flooring be installed then?

No. It is important to give each coat the full amount of drying time listed before applying additional coats or starting the next phase of your flooring installation.

Do you need to install other surface preparation products on top of Roll-Cote?

The beauty of Roll-Cote is that it serves as a primer and provides moisture mitigation and alkali resistance protection so no other products are needed. When Roll-Cote is installed correctly, 2 hours after applying the second coat, you can safely install your self-leveling underlayment or flooring materials.

Can you direct-bond resilient flooring to Roll-Cote?

• For wet set, water-based adhesive installations with resilient, or ‘non-breathable floor coverings,' a blotter coat of a self-leveling underlayment or cementitious patch, must be installed at a minimum 1/8" layer on top of Bostik Roll-Cote High-Performance Moisture Barrier Coating according to label instructions. Failure to apply this cementitious layer will result in the adhesive not drying and remaining wet/uncured.
• If using pressure-sensitive adhesives, a cementitious layer is not required to be placed over the Bostik Roll-Cote™ if the products are used properly (according to label instructions) and allowed adequate time to “flash off” prior the installation of the floor covering. Failure to allow these adhesives to reach their intended high-tack state will result in the adhesives not drying and remaining wet/uncured. A cementitious layer may be necessary for a smooth finish to prevent telegraphing through the surface of certain flooring types.

Can you use hardwood flooring adhesive over Roll-Cote?

Absolutely! Roll-Cote offers moisture protection up to 99% RH and is approved for use under polyurethane hardwood adhesives, Axios^® adhesives, or MS polymer adhesives.

Can you install tile over Roll-Cote?

Of course! Installing Roll-Cote prior to the application of tile offers unlimited moisture protection for your ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone installations. Roll-Cote will greatly improve grout color performance in environments where slab moisture may be high and will significantly reduce slab-moisture-driven efflorescence.

Why is alkali blocking important?

The alkalinity of new concrete is expressed numerically by pH readings. The pH of fresh concrete is 12 to 13. It takes approximately 30 days for fresh materials to drop to an approximate pH of 9. A pH of 9 is less alkaline than a pH of 13, and a coating has a greater assurance of success when applied to a less alkaline surface. Once these surfaces are cured, the introduction of moisture into these floors may reactivate the high pH alkalinity, resulting in efflorescence, blistering, and peeling of a primer; degradation of resilient flooring adhesives, or other adhesive product.

Bostik Roll-Cote is uniquely formulated to be effective in blocking the surface alkalinity of concrete slabs, including 5-day-old green concrete. Roll-Cote thus provides a surface pH level of 9 or lower, as recommended by the Carpet and Rug Institute and the Canadian Carpet Institute, making it ideal for bonding with most adhesive products.

Why is moisture protection important?

Simply put, when moisture penetrates your flooring, it can cause swelling or curling, mold, mildew, and have the potential for other types of water damage, like cupping and efflorescence. The innovative formula of Roll-Cote offers moisture mitigation, proven to help control the water vapor's movement and help to protect your floors. Do not apply Roll-Cote to surfaces with visible/standing moisture. Slab moisture testing is not required for the application of Roll-Cote with Bostik hardwood flooring adhesives or cementitious products but may be required for resilient flooring applications. If testing of concrete moisture must be performed per the requirements of the flooring system, use either “Anhydrous Calcium Chloride” testing per ASTM F1869, or “In Situ Relative Humidity” testing per ASTM F2170. If water-vapor transmission rate is above 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet per 24 hours following ASTM F1869, or if RH is greater than 99% following ASTM F2170, please contact Bostik Technical Service.

How does Roll-Cote differ from other premixed moisture blockers/reducers?

In addition to Roll-Cote's low-odor, one-component system with a quick drying time, the rich black color offers an excellent visual indication coverage identification of dust and debris contamination on the job, an attribute that is truly unique in the market. Debris removal is critical for achieving a proper bond with the subsequent system components. This product offers up to unlimited moisture protection for a variety of approved substrates.

Is Roll-Cote environmentally friendly? Does it meet LEED^® OR Red List free requirements?

Based on a review of the product composition, this product is not known to contain substance(s) identified as ILFI Red List Chemicals above the reporting threshold and does not contain any substance listed in Proposition 65. Also, the low-VOC formulation of Roll-Cote (<15 g/L, as calculated per SCAQMD Rule 1113) may contribute toward LEED^® credits under Low-Emitting Materials - Coatings. A CDPH (California Department of Public Health) Standard Method for VOC Emissions certification is available upon request.

Will there be any bubbles or off-gassing from Roll-Cote?

Off-gassing occurs in epoxy-based products due to their slow cure times. Roll-Cote cures very quickly resulting in virtually no bubbles or off-gassing. Any bubbles you might see could be attributed to slab moisture, and so this is where the second coat of Roll-Cote is most common.

Can you install floating floors over Roll-Cote?

Yes. Roll-Cote has a durable finish that allows for use underneath both floating floors that do not require additional surface preparation products and floating floors that need additional patching or leveling.

Do we need to worry about skin irritation with Roll-Cote?

No. Epoxy-based products can yield skin irritation and sometimes can require respiratory equipment for installation. Roll-Cote is water based, low odor, easy to clean, and nonhazardous for the applications listed on the technical and safety data sheets.