Page 114 - CFA_SG25

disassembly, specifiers are increasingly choosing
adhesive-free installation alongside their
selected floor coverings, with projects across
UK, Europe, Australia and US becoming more
commonplace.
Leading developers and clients are taking
notice. Developer Landsec prefers mechanical
rather than chemically fixed methods for flooring
within its Material Brief, whilst Google stipulates
‘pressure-sensitive corner tape, tiles or dots that
allow for easy removal and replacement’ in its
global procurement guidelines.
Sustainability accreditations such as BREEAM
and LEED recognise waste reduction and
material reuse with additional credits, making
adhesive-free an attractive option for architects
and their clients.
Making specification even easier, IOBAC’s
adhesive-free Tab-it® and MagTabs® solutions
have been proven in the installation of carpet
tiles, +4mm Luxury Vinyl Tiles and woven vinyl
tiles from 13 leading manufacturers including
Shaw Contract EMEA, Forbo, Burmatex, Tarkett,
Desso, Bolon, Ege Carpets and Milliken.
And in a first for the industry, Shaw Contract
Carpet tile installed on raised metal EMEA have gone one step further by offering a
access flooring using IOBAC MagTabs 15-year warranty when their product is installed
using IOBAC, including the re-installation of
flooring in a second location - a huge leap
CIRCULAR BUILDING Futureproofing flooring forward in facilitating flooring reuse.
Traditional adhesive-based installation methods
SOLUTIONS such as tackifiers, spray and contact adhesives Cutting carbon and cost
The ability to reuse both flooring and subfloors
are designed to be semi-permanent, rather offers significant savings in embodied carbon
The future of flooring: driving circularity than reversible, fixings. When a floor covering and costs.
through adhesive-free installation is uplifted, it is often contaminated by not only Independent whole life embodied carbon
adhesive residue but also some of the subfloor modelling demonstrates that adhesive-free
CIRCULAR Building Solutions Ltd specialise to which it was adhered. It cannot be easily
in modular and reversible commercial interior reused or recycled, rendering it a single-use installation can lead to up to 80% carbon savings
due to material reuse, whilst whole life cost
114 solutions that promote material reuse, protect material. comparisons calculate adhesive-free installation
building assets and reduce waste, embodied Additionally, the sub-floor asset, often to be 40% less than traditional methods thanks to
carbon and costs. Here, they explore the crucial the highest embodied carbon element of the maintenance savings.
role that adhesive-free installation plays in flooring system, is also damaged, and must be Tackifier adhesive costing around £0.50 to
driving flooring circularity. made good before the next installation, adding £0.80 per sqm can render raised access floors
Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK) recorded circa remedial costs for landlords and tenants in worth between £60 to 90 per sqm for light/
462,000 tonnes of carpet and textile flooring between leases. medium grade and £90 to 120 per sqm for heavy
waste disposed of in the UK in 2021. Whilst And in the case of concrete sub-floors, further grade duty unusable (cost data from Gleeds).
around 80% was diverted from landfill, only a cementitious screeds may be needed to rectify Removing adhesive residue, often requiring
small fraction was reused, with the vast majority the surface, introducing additional embodied solvent-based cleaning, can add an additional £9
going for energy from waste recovery, recycling carbon into the building. to £15 per sqm in costs.
or incineration. The rise of adhesive-free installation Beyond this, adhesive-free installation brings
Many flooring manufacturers have made Adhesive-free flooring installation addresses efficiency benefits for contractors. A simple,
significant advancements in developing these challenges by enabling floor coverings intuitive dry-laid method, minimal preparation
sustainable, recyclable floor coverings with low to be affixed securely throughout the life of the material and steps are required with no mess.
carbon footprints and offering material take-back installation, yet cleanly and easily uplifted, ready Multiple trades can work around each other more
schemes for reuse or recycling. However, a to be reused elsewhere. easily during installation and flooring can be
vital part of the sustainability puzzle often gets This reversible fixing mechanism extends trafficked immediately with no cure time needed.
overlooked. product lifecycles, vastly improving flooring This means installs are completed as quickly as
The key to keeping materials at their highest circularity and making flooring manufacturers’ possible, with minimal disruption.
value and developing a truly circular flooring take-back schemes easier to implement. All VOCs associated with adhesives are
solution often lies in its installation method. With a growing focus on designing for eliminated for improved Indoor Air Quality for
both contractors and occupants.
Making flooring reuse reality
As sustainability continues to shape the
flooring industry, specifications are evolving,
and adhesive-free installation is increasingly
becoming standard practice. Forward-thinking
flooring contractors are adopting this approach
- not only to meet client expectations but also to
gain a competitive advantage in an industry that
is rapidly shifting toward circularity.
By embracing adhesive-free installation,
the industry can unlock a more sustainable,
cost-effective and future-ready approach to
flooring, ensuring materials retain their value and
contribute to a truly circular economy.
Circular Building Solutions run regular CPD
sessions for specifiers and training sessions for
flooring contractors, demonstrating best practice
use of reversible installation solutions.
info@circularbuildingsolutions
www.circularbuildingsolutions.co.uk

CFA Guide to Sustainability 2025/26