In line with its commitment to offering innovative products, we have extended the Bond It range with GEO-FIX®, a unique jointing compound which delivers game changing benefits for the installation and maintenance of paved and flagged surfaces.
2022 marked a major milestone for Bond It in that the business celebrated its 20th anniversary, making it perhaps one of the oldest and certainly one of the largest independent manufacturers of building chemicals in the UK today. The company owes its continuing success to a number of different factors and arguably none more so than its unrelenting focus on continued innovation. “Throughout its history, Bond It has pioneered numerous advances in sealants, adhesives and building chemicals which have led to a quantum leap forward in terms of capability or performance” explains Kirstie Cooper, marketing manager at the company.
“Our track record includes developing some of the very first hybrid sealants and adhesives which utilise advanced polymer technology to offer the combined benefits of silicone and polyurethane products - but with none of either material’s drawbacks. The recent addition of Geo-Fix® to our range makes absolute sense because it’s of a similar ilk. We may not have developed this revolutionary jointing compound, but its next generation nature means it enjoys massive synergy with our wider product portfolio. As such, we are proud to be the new and exclusive distributor of Geo-Fix® in the UK and Ireland and we have ensured the product continues to be readily available from builders’ merchants across the British Isles.”
The benefit of industry insight
Geo-Fix® has been developed by paving expert, John Andrews and draws on the extensive insight and knowledge he has gained from decades of working in this specialist area of landscaping.
Available in both an Original and an All-Weather formulation, it provides users with a superior means of pointing pavers, cobbles, flags, slabs, and stone setts - quickly and with an enviable ease of use which the competition cannot match.
Unlike other products which require the addition of water or the mixing of separate components, such as sand, cement, water, Geo-Fix® is supplied pre-mixed and ready to use. This saves time, effort and mess both in terms of preparation and cleaning up afterwards. It is also incredibly quick and easy to install. It is applied simply by brushing into the joints and can be finished by compacting with a pointing tool. From there, a completely safe, chemical reaction causes it to cure and harden.
Trials conducted with professional contractors highlight just how effective Geo-Fix® is at saving time and labour. During these tests, which were conducted under real world conditions and on a live project, it was found that it enabled paved areas to be pointed an impressive twenty times faster than they could be with traditional wet mortar.
“In a world where time is money, Geo-Fix®’s speed and ease of installation delivers major commercial benefits” explains Kirstie. “It saves on the associated labour costs of a project and these dividends can be amplified by a project’s size. The bigger the job, the bigger the savings that can be made. In addition, by making projects quicker to complete, Geo-Fix® can allow users to complete more jobs in less time. This enables you to increase the amount of work you take on and the total level of revenue you can make.”
Benefit after benefit
Speed and ease of application aside, there are other equally impressive benefits to Geo-Fix®. This includes the fact that its technical performance surpasses that of both wet mortars and of other dry mortars that use polymeric sand.
As a prime example, the length of time required for Geo-Fix® to cure is much shorter than that for other solutions on the market and it can reach full loadbearing capacity in hours rather than the more usual days. In addition, Geo-Fix® offers greater flexural and compressive strength compared to similar products and is non-staining if any excess is swept off surfaces after use. Plus, as it is supplied vacuum packed in extra strong, sealed foils, which are then placed into an outer tub, Geo-Fix® offers an increased shelf life. The outer tub is also made using post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, diverting waste from landfill and contributing towards greater sustainability.
Geo-Fix® even provides greater flexibility as to when work can be carried out. Geo-Fix® Original for instance can be used at temperatures down to - 5°C whilst Geo-Fix® All Weather, as its name suggests, can be used in all conditions – including the wet.
As a further benefit, Geo-Fix® All Weather is also perfectly suited for use with porcelain paving which is becoming an increasingly popular choice with homeowners thanks to its durability, longevity, and ease of maintenance. As porcelain paving is just 20mm thick, it’s essential that any jointing compound used alongside it can still deliver effective performance in a joint with a dramatically reduced depth. Geo-Fix® All Weather provides precisely that capability and can be used in joints as shallow as 15mm.
To help customers maximise the opportunities being created by the growing trend towards porcelain paving, Bond It will be introducing further complementary and specialist products over the coming months.
Summing up, Kirstie adds: “Geo-Fix® is one of those mould-breaking developments that redefines people’s expectations. Since adding it to the Bond It range, we’ve found that customers who try it wish they had discovered it sooner and are adamant that they won’t go back to using anything else.”