Belbien Limitations
Belbien – as well as all other decorating products, has limitations with regard to its application. One of the major problems associated with marketing Belbien is the lack of knowledge regarding these limitations.
The following is a list of limitations that may or may not apply to the many applications for Belbien. It’s obvious that it is very important for sales persons to be fully aware of each and every benefit; however, the limitations are just as important. If Belbien is specified for a project that is not suitable – the customer more than likely will not use the product again.
Shading
Shading or pattern variations are possible especially when Belbien is installed as a “wall covering.” This is because most all Belbien patterns convey natural aesthetic expressions of stone, marble, sand, wood grains, etc. Shading may be avoided by using decorative trim moldings or graphics to separate each panel “by design.” It is preferable to install Belbien on panels that are separated either by a reveal or some other artificial stopping point.
Installation Temperature Range
All Belbien installations must be applied between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t go outside the range! This is because the bond strength of Belbien’s adhesive system is highly affected by both hot and cold temperatures. If the temperature is too hot—Belbien’s adhesive becomes too strong to work with. If the temperature is too cold—the Belbien will not bond properly. The ideal temperature range is 60 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. See the chapter on The Working Environment for more information.
Dust Free Environment
Belbien must be installed in a clean dust free environment because the adhesive system will not bond to a surface contaminated with dust or oily residues. Also, Belbien will attract dust and other contaminates because of the static electricity associated with the makeup of the materials. Belbien installations should almost always be one of the last phases in the construction or remodeling schedule. The construction manager and/or the property owner need to be aware of this upfront. See the chapter on The Working Environment for more information.
High Select (Metal layer)
Belbien HS can only be applied to flat and two-dimensional surfaces because its makeup consists of a metal layer. This prohibits it from being stretched. The HS series can be formed around right angles such as the edges of a cabinet door. Note: Belbien HS is for interior applications only.
Exterior Temperature Range
The warranted temperature range for Belbien EX is from 14 -122 degrees Fahrenheit following the proper application. Therefore, if Belbien EX will be subjected to temperatures outside this range continuously, it should not be specified.
Interior Temperature Range
Interior Belbien Series including HS (once installed) should never be exposed to temperatures that drop below 0º or exceed 140º Fahrenheit. Interior applications should always be in an indoor controlled environment. This means that columns, doors, panels, etc. which are under a canopy or other roof structure on the exterior of a building must utilize the Belbien EX materials.
Adhesive System Shelf-Life
The shelf life of Belbien’s adhesive system is affected by its storage environment. This is mainly due to the expansion and/or contraction that occur to the release paper during storage. To preserve and maintain Belbien’s adhesive system, it should never be stored in temperatures below 20º or in excess of 100º Fahrenheit and when the relative humidity is higher than 80 percent.
Belbien Repairability
As discussed previously, Belbien should be specified for smooth, solid, and non-porous substrates such as HPL (high pressure laminates), metal, or baked-on enamel finishes as much as possible. By utilizing these surfaces, a damaged piece of Belbien can be easily removed and repaired without damaging the substrate and having to reinstall the entire surface. Belbien is not easily repaired on drywall or other porous substrates such as MDF (medium density fiberboard) or plywood. This is because Belbien’s adhesive system is much stronger than the substrate itself.
Belbien’s Width / Length
Belbien’s width and/or length may not be perfect for some applications. Applications requiring strips in excess of 1.2 meters (48 inches) wide will require seaming. In most cases, this is very acceptable; however, a seaming performance test should be conducted for visibility of shading and/or pattern misalignment because of the natural aesthetic patterns that Belbien convey.
Column Shapes
Only round columns with straight, parallel shafts can be installed easily and with a minimal amount of problems. Avoid belly-shaped or hourglass shaped columns because of the degree of difficulty required during the application. Also, the final effect of excess stretching may not be satisfactory or the labor will be too cost prohibitive.
Pattern Stretchability
Most all Belbien patterns can be stretched from 20% to 30% without causing too much distortion or discoloration. However, Belbien may be stretched to over 100% in some rare cases especially with shiny marble and pebble-stone patterns. A performance test is highly recommended for any application that requires more than 30% stretching to approve the final outcome effects. It is recommended that only very experienced installers should attempt three-dimensional applications.
Note: Patterns with matte or low gloss finishes are generally not suitable for stretching.
3D Applications
Belbien should be specified on dome shapes (concave or convex) or other three-dimensional applications only on a case per case basis. This is because excess pattern distortion occurs when the material is stretched in excess of 30% during the application. Also, the labor intensity generally makes the application too cost prohibitive. Again, only very experienced installers should determine whether or not to even attempt to install these three-dimensional applications, and remember, don’t forget the performance test.
Labor Intensity
Oftentimes, Belbien is specified for very intricate applications such as crown molding, chair rails, picture moldings, and three-dimensional projects. These types of applications are very labor intense and will be quite a bit more costly to install. Therefore, each specifier needs to have labor estimates prior to specifying Belbien for these types of projects.
Exterior Substrates
Belbien EX must be installed on either steel, metal, or surface covered with HPL. The thermo-expansion and contraction movements of other products, like wood, change the physical molecular structure by warping, twisting, shrinking, swelling, etc. Even though steel and metal products expand and contract during temperature changes, its molecular and physical structure remains stable. Therefore, the Belbien will not be affected by this movement. If HPL (high pressure laminates) are specified as an exterior substrate, it MUST be completely covered by the Belbien EX material (including all exposed edges of the HPL). This is because most HPL products are NOT recommended for exterior use. If it is totally sealed from the elements, then it should be satisfactory for an application.
Warranty Validity
Belbien’s warranty covers the actual composition qualities of the product. Therefore, problems resulting from installer error or defamation to the surface following the application because of wear and tear are not covered. Each installer is responsible for their actions in the field.
In order for the manufacturer to be liable for any labor cost, the problem must be caused by a product failure. The manufacturer’s technical consultant will conduct a performance test to determine if there is a problem with the materials. A warranty card must be registered and mailed to CI Kasei Co., Ltd.’s importer office within 30 days of the installation completion date to be valid.
If the results of this test are satisfactory, the installer obviously did not prepare the surface properly or important procedures were eliminated during the application. For this reason, each installer must use extreme caution to avoid installing Belbien over oily or dusty surfaces. See chapter on Surface Preparation for details involving surface prep for Belbien.
Belbien Physical Abuse
Belbien should not be specified where it will be abused or defaced by sharp instruments such as keys, forks, knives, belt buckles, etc. Extra precautions should be taken when Belbien is specified for horizontal surfaces and/or outside corners that are exposed to high traffic and wear abuse. Don’t forget the use of corner guards will help protect the Belbien in these cases.
Scratch Resistance
Belbien is NOT scratch proof. It is very important to realize that it is impossible to find any decorative material that is “scratch proof.” This even includes high-pressure laminates, marble, stone, stainless steel, etc. Some Belbien patterns are more “scratch resistant” than others just as laminates. Therefore, it is necessary to test a small sample for scratch resistance prior to specifying Belbien for high traffic or abuse areas. On the positive side, Belbien is many times the best solution for even high traffic areas because it can be repaired very easily or installed over in the event of damage whereas other competing products cannot!
Abrasion Resistance
First of all, abrasion must not be confused with scratching. Abrasion is simply a rubbing back and forth abuse. According to the Taber Abrader Test, Belbien receives a 5,000 resolution rating before color wear. This is approximately eight to ten times better than high pressure laminates.
Even though Belbien has such a high abrasion resistance rating, caution should still be taken to predetermine how much abuse it will receive on some highly abused surfaces. Projects such as bank teller counters for example will be subjected to objects including coin trays and other sharp instruments. These items will cut and/or scratch the surface; therefore, these types of applications should be avoided.
Substrate Requirements
Belbien must be installed on a perfectly smooth and non-porous surface. As already mentioned, the best substrates for Belbien applications are high-pressure laminates, steel, or metal surfaces. These substrates are much easier for installers to work on because the degree of difficulty is minimized.
An installer is able to easily remove a strip that has just been set when the Belbien is installed on such surfaces. However, if Belbien is applied to drywall, wood, MDF, or other porous surfaces, there is a much higher degree of surface preparation required and the risk factor during the installation is higher. Also, the repairability factor must be considered for long-term services for Belbien.
Belbien must not be installed on inferior latex paints or skim (floated) drywall mud. These surfaces will not properly support Belbien’s adhesive system and should be avoided. See the Surface Preparation chapter in this manual for details regarding surface prep. The best type of primer to use for non-porous surfaces is either a 100% acrylic latex primer or an alkyd primer.
Even with a good primer on non-porous surfaces such as drywall, the installation techniques are somewhat different in order to prevent an initial strong bond that will otherwise prevent any attempt for repositioning.
Belbien Limitation Summary
It is very important to qualify Belbien for each project. One of the major problems associated with selling Belbien is the fact that Belbien is so diversified.
An important fact to understand is that Belbien is NOT made for all surfaces and projects. However, because of the many benefits listed in this manual, Belbien is often the perfect solution to many decorating problems when sold and specified properly.
If there is a question regarding the limitations of Belbien, the manufacturer’s technical consultant should always be contacted. Once all the benefits of Belbien have been documented along with its limitations, it will become evident that Belbien will stand-alone by providing consistent solutions to most all specifier’s problems with regard to decorating.