1. What happens in cold weather ?

At temperatures lower than +10°C, adhesives evaporate much more slowly and so waiting times are increased. The road is also more likely to be damp and this causes difficulties with adhesion.
At temperatures lower than +10°C, the tape becomes stiff and difficult to manipulate and it can break. In addition, it does not conform well onto the paving and may leave air pockets into which rainwater can run, causing it to become detached.

2. Why is dampness dangerous ?

Water is an enemy of all adhesives and makes them totally useless.
If the relative humidity level is very high when the strips are being laid, a film of water may condense on the strip treated with adhesive, because of the local cooling effect caused by the evaporation of the solvents, and this will prevent the glue from sticking.
If the dampness is actually in the paving itself, the heat from the sun will cause it to rise to the surface after the strip has been laid, and if it has no other means of escape, it tends to detach the sheet from underneath. This can be observed by putting a layer of transparent polyethylene on the ground and sticking the edges down with adhesive tape. With the sun's warmth the inside will steam up in a short while and this condensation is a result of the dampness rising up from the paving.

3. What happens if it is laid on top of a layer of paint ?

The most common paints (e.g. Chlorinated rubber paint) dissolve in the usual solvents and this also happens with the solvents contained in the DUSTFIXER and the PRIMER.
It follows that, having been laid on a soft surface, the strip can then slip with the movement of the traffic.
At other times the strip may adhere well on top of the paint, but then this, over a period of time, separates from the paving, taking with it the strip itself.

4. What if there are oil or grease stains ?

Obviously oil and grease are the enemies of adhesion. If they are not permanently removed the strip will not adhere to those areas, and, with the movement of the traffic, it will move, often taking with it other pieces nearby.
Particular attention should be paid to places where buses and lorries are likely to stop and spill drops of oil from the engine (e.g. at traffic lights).

5. What are the effects of cracks or unevenness in the paving ?

Cracks are a source of dampness coming up from underneath and frequently act as channels for rainwater. Unless they are sealed completely, laying of the strips should not continue in that vicinity in order to avoid increased possibilities of their becoming detached in the future. The same thing happens with very uneven surfaces: then, in addition to the problems with water, there is some difficulty in making the material fit, and this can cause rips.

6. Why must the road surface be thoroughly cleaned before laying the strips ?

Apart from the oil and grease stains on the road and the dampness (see above), there are also small stones and dust. The stones prevent perfect adhesion and form sharp points which may pierce the strip, so allowing water to enter. Dust prevents adhesives from working properly and makes them ineffective.7. Why must the adhesives always be well shaken before use ?

Liquid adhesives are made with rubber and resins dissolved in solvents: when standing they tend to form a sediment, that is they solidify at the bottom. If they are not vigorously shaken to mix them well, the first part used will be very liquid, made up almost entirely of solvent without any adhesive capabilities, followed by a part that is too thick, difficult to spread and which takes a very long time to dry.

8. Why must the DUSTFIXER be applied with great care ?

The DUSTFIXER is a surface treater, that is, as its name suggests, it binds the dust (make sure that there isn't too much!) remaining on the paving after it has been cleaned and forms a film on the road that the strip will easily adhere to. If this is not properly done, the strip will come away from the ground, taking with it the layer of DUSTFIXER when subjected to traffic.
It must not be poured directly onto the base, as it would be difficult to spread being so thick and in some areas would make too thick a layer.
The correct way of doing it is to soak the roller lightly and spread the solution over small areas to cover all perfectly.
If small pools form because of the roughness of the paving, these must be "drained" by using the roller to disperse the liquid.

9. How must the DUSTFIXER be dried ?

In order to have a perfectly prepared surface, the DUSTFIXER must be allowed to dry completely, as with a varnish.
If there are some very thick areas where the DUSTFIXER has formed a skin and there is still liquid beneath, this skin must be broken by going over it with a roller without any adhesive on it, at the same time taking great care not to separate the whole from the base.
The surface should look "crackled" and not shiny, and not feel tacky.
If the skin remains, and therefore the solvents underneath also, this solvent will try to seep out as the strip is being put in place, so causing:

• softening of the strip which will lead to it becoming dirty and distorted
• blistering and consequent tearing
• movement of the strip as a result of vehicles turning and braking

10. How does the ACTIVATOR work?

The ACTIVATOR is a special adhesive that combines with elements contained in the strip itself by dissolving them in its solvent.
In order to obtain a good result it must be made to penetrate right into the strip by "working it in" with the roller, going backwards and forwards over the same spot many times.
It is very runny and must be applied with care, ensuring that it does not overflow onto the underneath side of the strip: it must not be poured directly onto the strip or it will form a pool. It should be applied with a partially saturated roller.
It is essential that the entire surface of the strip be coated, particularly the corners and the edges, otherwise these areas will not stick and will allow the strip to be easily removed by traffic movement.

11. When is the ACTIVATOR ready ?

The surface should be tacky and almost dry and should not look shiny.
Because of its special qualities, this adhesive works only in these conditions and so must be put in place immediately as soon as the conditions are just right.
If it is still wet, this means that there is still some solvent remaining which needs to evaporate as this would cause the strip to "slide about” on the surface and to soften (getting dirty and out of shape).
If it is too dry it loses all its tackiness and will not stick at all.

12. How does the PRIMER work ?

The PRIMER is to be used with the self-adhesive strips and prepares surfaces in the same way as the DUSTFIXER (see above). As with the DUSTFIXER, it must be evenly applied and allowed to dry completely. However, it differs from the DUSTFIXER in that it retains a certain tackiness even when dry, so the only way of deciding when it is ready is by looking at it.
A bond is formed between the two adhesives when the self-adhesive strip is laid on top and compressed.

13. Why must the strip be compressed immediately after laying ?

This kind of adhesion is called “pressure adhesion" because in order to obtain the required result there must be perfect contact between the two surfaces to be joined. If the strip is applied to the road surface only, there is no bond and the action of the traffic and the rain will easily dislodge it.
It is absolutely imperative that compression occurs immediately after installation, by all available means (feet, hands, vehicles, but above all with the roller).
Since the road surface is usually rough, particularly if the weather is not very warm, the strip must be pressed down thoroughly so that it makes good contact with the surface. If this is not done, the strip will only stick to the higher points of the rough surface and the hollow parts will remain empty.
In this way rain gets in underneath the strip and the up and down movement of wheels over it causes the whole thing to become detached.

14. When is the road ready to be opened up to traffic?

As we already know, the adhesive process occurs when dry, so after the strips have been thoroughly pressed down, the road can be opened up to traffic immediately. In actual fact, vehicular traffic usually has a beneficial effect, pressing the strips down even more firmly and making them stick even more closely to the road surface. Therefore, when using DUSTFIXER/ACTIVATOR in the laying process, the road should be opened immediately, before the ACTIVATOR dries out completely and loses its effectiveness.
Only in places where a lot of twisting is likely to occur, particularly with heavy vehicles, is it necessary to wait a few moments and to carry on compressing with a specific vehicle in a straight line. This should continue until such time as the ACTIVATOR is completely set and there is no risk of the strips shifting and becoming misshapen.

15. How close to the edge of the pavement should they be placed?

It is advisable to keep the strips at a distance of at least 0.5 m from the edge of the pavement (e.g. at pedestrian crossings) for several reasons:

• this area is usually dirty
• rainwater collects there, sometimes forming puddles of stagnant water
• it is usually impossible to press down the strips sufficiently well in such close proximity to the kerb

16. What safety measures should be taken?

Adhesives contain harmful inflammable solvents and so, in general:

• do not use in confined spaces
• wash hands before eating or touching the face
• do not smoke or light a flame near the containers of adhesive
• follow the instructions on the label and refer to the safety data sheet

17. What environmental safety precautions should be taken?

All products containing solvents are harmful to the environment and so any excess product remaining should never be dumped on the road or down drains, but should be disposed of properly with special waste

18. How should these products be stored?

In closed containers away from extremes of temperature, in a cool well-ventilated place. The effectiveness of the product must, in any case, be checked after 12 months from the date of manufacture.

Snoline s.p.a.
R&D Department
Via F. Baracca, 23 20056 Trezzo s/Adda MI Italy
Phone: +39 02 909961
Fax: +39 02 90996 200
e-mail: ricerca@snoline.com