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According to years of professional experience, spring is the best time to insulate walls and roofs. More and more reliable solutions are being offered to construction experts. One of the most popular ones is FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix, the fastest setting foam adhesive on the market.

Building insulation

Spring is the best time to start insulation work outdoors: the weather conditions are optimal, there is little chance of weather changes interrupting the work, and longer days make it possible to work outdoors longer. It is also advisable to insulate the parts of the building that lose the most heat in spring (usually the attic and walls) to reduce the amount of energy needed to cool the house and reduce bills during summer.

For home thermal insulation and weatherproofing, we recommend FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix foam adhesive, which can be used without exception to install all insulation materials, such as phenolic polyurethane foam and polystyrene insulation boards. Most importantly, the foam adhesive speeds up the work — it only takes a minute to hold the insulation boards. The foam adhesive takes 15 minutes to set, and within half an hour it can withstand loads of up to 18 tonnes per square metre. FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix allows you to adhere up to 14 square metres of insulation board and one bottle is enough to blow out up to 95 metres of seams.

Most importantly, however, this 60-second foam adhesive is compatible with other insulation materials according to the ETICS (External Thermal Insulation Composite System) certification in Europe, allowing you to achieve the best thermal insulation performance. In other words, using ETICS-certified products produces the best thermal resistance.

No more mistakes

FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix foam adhesive is also praised for its adhesion to other building materials: concrete, masonry blocks, ceramic and stoneware tiles, metal, aluminium. The foam adhesive can thus be used to bond insulation materials to masonry walls or foundations, gypsum or OSB panels, and plaster. This product can also be used with moving building materials such as timber.

Thanks to its versatility and properties, this foam adhesive also helps avoid some mistakes. The most common mistakes in the insulation of buildings occur when too little adhesive is applied to the surface of the wall insulation material, or when there is inadequate insulation with regard to ventilation, and poor waterproofing of surfaces, which can lead to mould growth. However, with FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix, the elasticity of the foam adhesive and its strong adhesion the likelihood of shifting, gaps and mould growth is reduced.

Although these foam adhesives can be used even in zero temperatures, which allows for more efficient planning of outdoor works, the requirements for the use of the selected building materials must be taken into account. Once the insulation materials have been adhered to using certified compatible products, it is also important to remember to fill in the cracked surfaces, secure the insulation material with pins, and apply the finishing details correctly.

Maintenance check-up

When spring arrives, building experts recommend performing a maintenance check-up on the structure and roofing, as moisture can enter the interior of the house through defects and cracks. In addition, it is important to clean and inspect the gutters and downpipes of the house to ensure that they do not accumulate water which could damage the finish. In spring, it’s also worth checking window sills for wear and tear, and loosening. The foam adhesive can be applied directly to the concrete, but should be shielded from direct sunlight to prevent loss of its properties.

Spring is the best time to assess the exterior of a building: masonry and brickwork, decorative tiles and cladding. The same FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix can seal various cracks thanks to its extremely low secondary expansion and secure decorative details. It is also recommended to renovate the garden, terrace and outdoor kitchen in spring. FOME FLEX 60 Seconds Fast Fix Adhesive Foam can be used in almost all of the above-mentioned finishing and maintenance work, and can be used to obtain the best quality, and to perform work quickly and safely.

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When planning home construction or renovation work, we can’t manage without a wide range of tapes such as reinforced plastering tape, adhesive aluminium foil tape, caulk sealing tape, glass cloth tape, painter’s tape. Before you begin painting, you have to decide which tape to use — masking tape or painter’s tape. So, how to make the best possible decision and what questions to raise before picking up a brush or a roller?

It depends on the type of work

The first question you’ll have to find an answer to when choosing tapes for painting jobs is what kind of work is to be performed. For simple and smaller painting projects that do not require precision, masking tape is often sufficient, and it is usually much cheaper. It also adheres well to protective paper, protects the surrounding area when painting various objects or walls, and is the ideal solution for leaving an unpainted line on the wall. The colour of the tape is also important here — if the wall is being painted white, it is better to go for yellow tape so you can see where the paint has already been applied. If you are painting in a bright colour, you might consider white tape.

Another important aspect to consider is where the work is to be performed. For example, some tapes of the Zoom brand are better suited for interior painting work, such as covering door frames or window frames without leaving adhesive traces on the surfaces. In contrast, Zoom Outdoor tapes adhere well to metal, glass, plastic and plastered surfaces, and being more versatile can be used for outdoor application.

Don’t do the same job twice

If more complex and delicate work is planned indoors or outdoors, and if the surfaces are more sensitive, painter’s tape is a must. This warning should be heeded — when using masking tapes, which have a much stronger adhesive, you can eventually peel off not only the paint, but also the putty or surface that has been prepared for painting, together with the tapes themselves. In general, experts advise always choosing the tape with the lowest possible adhesion if you don’t want to do the same job twice. They also have a straight line, a sharp tape cutting angle and a well-impregnated surface that doesn’t let the paint seep through.

Prior to choosing from a range of painters’ tapes, it is important to answer the question on what surface they will be applied. Also, how long will the paint job take? Once you have found the answers, it is worth looking at the information on the product packaging about the intended use, resistance to environmental exposure and suitability for the paint category.

A solution for extremely sensitive surfaces

For more experienced painters, the Zoom brand’s Sensitive PLUS and Precision painter’s tapes are recommended. The latter not only ensure a straight, perfect paint edge, but also are more versatile and can be used not only for sensitive surfaces but also for exterior applications. Precision tapes can stay up to three months when applied outdoors and are valued by exterior painting experts for their ability to withstand temperatures of up to 125 degrees, which can be reached on surfaces exposed to the sun.

The acrylic-coated painter’s tapes of the Sensitive PLUS series are designed for more sensitive, already-painted surfaces, to protect them from peeling off when the work is finished. Not only do they leave no adhesive residue, but these painter’s tapes are solvent-, moisture- and UV-resistant, so they can be left on sensitive surfaces for up to a week, both indoors and out.

The improved Sensitive PLUS painter’s tapes, launched at the beginning of this year, are designed for even more sensitive surfaces. Like the Precision painter’s tapes, Sensitive PLUS tapes are made from a special Japanese Washi paper, which is traditionally produced and treated by hand, and is praised for its flexibility and sharp paper cutting angle.

Which assistants to choose and how to avoid the most common mistakes?

In the late summer or early autumn, roofing and repair works are often at the top of the list of the tasks to be done before winter. However, this activity requires skills, diligence, and specific knowledge. The question then arises – how to do such work qualitatively, easily and avoiding basic mistakes. We share practical and useful tips for any home craftsman.

Evaluate the condition carefully

There is a common belief that roofing or repair works should be started only when the old roof crumbles on the head or rainwater drips through the holes. However, such an opinion is both wrong and money consuming. This is because the structure of the roof which is leaking or starting to crumble has already suffered a significant damage, the removal of which is likely to thin the wallet significantly. Thus, the evaluation should be done in a timely and appropriate manner.

First of all, calculate how many years the roof has covered the house. Experts say that high-quality materials and quality work ensure peace of mind for about a quarter of a century. However, we do not always know who covered the roof and how it was done. Another method of evaluation is simple. If damages or deformations are visible, this is a high time to start the renovation. It is also worth taking a closer look at the attic after a heavy rain. If you find signs of a water leakage or other damage, get ready for roof works.

Choose the materials

Roofing and repair work requires high quality. Choose energy-saving materials, compare their characteristics, estimate how much and what kind of materials you will need. The choice of roofing material is also important. In Lithuania, the most common roofing materials are tiles, tin and bitumen. The first one has been used for many years, so its technology is already well developed. Tiles are made of clay or concrete, so they give the facade strength and natural look, are durable, non-flammable, sustainable, and even absorb the sound of rain or strong wind.

Tin, to be compared, is perhaps the most popular material used in Lithuania. Such roofs are strong, light and of high quality, they are covered quickly, simply and economically. What concerns the modern bituminous coating, it is very tight, perfectly adapted to slopes of various sizes, airtight, and resistant to moisture. It has many advantages both when covering a new roof and when renovating an old one.

Use helpers

Roofing requires the right helpers. Therefore, the desired result may be achieved not only by experienced and professional craftsmen, but also by high-quality roofing sealant that is highly important, because when carrying out various installation works on the facade side of the building, when connecting rain collection and drainage systems, when installing rainwater pipes, steel or bituminous roof coverings, hermetic sealing should be guaranteed.  

This is an integral part of the work. Sealing of roofs and facades is mandatory, as it gives the house resistance, tightness, and durability. In addition, when working outdoors and exposed to the environmental conditions, it is very important to use the UV-resistant sealant  that makes a strong seam and can be used on both dry and wet surfaces in warm and cold seasons. The line of outdoor sealants FOME FLEX “Kauchuk All seasons” meets all these requirements.

These products are an ideal choice for newly sealed objects: roof tiles, PVC and metal gutters, roof coverings. The FOME FLEX “Kauchuk” line consists of 6 colors that correspond to the RAL color palette recognized in Europe – transparent, red, brown, gray, anthracite, black. This sealant is perfect for sealing places where different materials are joined: concrete-metal, stone-wood, plastic-glass and many others. After solidification, the product ensures the resistance and maintains its physical properties even at a temperature of +100° C.

FOME FLEX “Kauchuk All seasons” is a professional helper for every roofer or repairman. Using it and all the tips, the home will be safe, comfortable and aesthetic.