Fitting cove formers
Audio for slide 1 (mp3 |6|KB)
Cove former, or cove fillet, comes in a range of sizes - typically 20 mm, 32 mm and 38 mm.
It is stuck in place with contact adhesive.
Traditionally, a solvent-based adhesive was always used, but these days manufacturers often recommend two-part acrylic contact adhesives.
It is stuck in place with contact adhesive.
Traditionally, a solvent-based adhesive was always used, but these days manufacturers often recommend two-part acrylic contact adhesives.
Audio for slide 2 (mp3 |6|KB)
To fit a cove former into place:
- Apply contact adhesive to the back of the cove former and substrate with a brush or roller and allow it to 'tack up'.
- Carefully put the cove former in place and push it into the adhesive.
- Mitre the joints at corners with a utility knife.
Audio for slide 3 (mp3 |6|KB)
If the room has doorways without architraves (or has very thin architraves), you should taper the last 200 mm of cove former so that there is no gap at the end of the sheet.
This is called fitting a 'reduced cove'.
This is called fitting a 'reduced cove'.
Learning activity
Audio 4 (mp3 |6|KB)The links shown below will take you to two video clips produced by Altro Flooring on the methods used to fit cove formers.
Although these techniques apply to cove formers in general, the products used in the videos are manufactured by Altro.
This is why the narrator refers to the floor covering as 'ASF' - which stands for Altro Safety Flooring.
Installing and laying safety flooring on a reduced cove
Watch the video clips and answer the following questions:
- How does the installer take the tension out of the reduced cove former (first video) after he has cut a V shape in the end?
- What type of adhesive does he apply to the back of the cove former and to the wall and floor (second video)?
Go to Coving field material