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Builders Edge Hold Fast vs Floor Protection® Range
Builders Edge Hold Fast Surface Protection is one of the self-adhesive floor coverings available through Bunnings. It is promoted as a padded, waterproof and breathable surface protector for hardwood, vinyl tiles, marble and stairs.
At first glance, it may appear similar to the Floor Protection® range. Both use a self-adhering backing, both can be rolled directly over compatible floors, and both are intended to reduce the need for loose plastic sheets, tape and conventional drop sheets.
However, builders should look beyond the appearance of the roll.
Builders Edge Hold Fast is a single retail product measuring 101cm × 25.6m. Floor Protection® offers four different grades of self-adhesive protection, each supplied in a longer 1m × 50m roll and designed for a particular level of site activity.
The four Floor Protection® options are:
- Mercury 140gsm for light-duty work
- STD Blue 160gsm for everyday construction and renovation
- Anti-slippery 160gsm for breathable floor protection and improved grip
- Heavy Duty 260gsm for demanding and high-traffic projects
This means the real comparison is not simply Hold Fast versus Mercury. It is one general retail product versus a complete professional floor protection range.
Feature | Builders Edge Hold Fast | Mercury | STD Blue | Anti-slippery | Heavy Duty |
Roll size | 1.01m × 25.6m | 1m × 50m | 1m × 50m | 1m × 50m | 1m × 50m |
Nominal coverage | 25.86m² | 50m² | 50m² | 50m² | 50m² |
Confirmed GSM | Not published | 140gsm | 160gsm | 160gsm | 260gsm |
Estimated Hold Fast comparison | About 140gsm | Similar weight | STD Blue is Heavier | Anti-slippery is Heavier | Heavy-duty is Substantially heavier |
Self-adhesive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Waterproof | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Breathable | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Reusable | Listed as reusable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Main application | General surface protection | Painting and light work | General building work | Fresh floors and busy areas | Heavy construction |
Supply model | Retail | Direct Delivery and wholesale | Direct Delivery and wholesale | Direct Delivery and wholesale | Direct Delivery and wholesale |
Bunnings currently lists Hold Fast as anti-slip, impact-resistant, waterproof, breathable, repositionable and reusable. Its displayed price is $99 per 101cm × 25.6m roll. The Bunnings description also states that the tacky backing does not leave residue.
Floor Protection® supplies all four standard products in 1m × 50m rolls. Mercury is confirmed as 140gsm, STD Blue and Anti-slippery are 160gsm, and Heavy Duty is 260gsm.
Is Hold Fast thicker than Floor Protection®?
It would not be accurate to say that Hold Fast is thicker than all Floor Protection® products.
The Bunnings listing does not currently provide a GSM specification for Hold Fast. Its weight of approximately 140gsm is therefore an estimate rather than a manufacturer-confirmed figure.
Using the estimated 140gsm figure:
- Hold Fast would be approximately equal to Mercury 140gsm.
- STD Blue would be heavier at 160gsm.
- Anti-slippery would also be heavier at 160gsm.
- Heavy Duty would be substantially heavier at 260gsm.
It is also worth clarifying that GSM and physical thickness are not exactly the same thing. GSM measures material weight per square metre. The way a product feels and performs can also depend on its fibre density, film construction, lamination, adhesive layer and manufacturing process.
For builders, the more useful question is not only whether one product is thicker. It is whether the protection is suitable for the expected traffic, floor finish, project duration and risk of impact.
Roll coverage: 25.86m² versus 50m²
Roll length is one of the most noticeable differences between Hold Fast and every standard Floor Protection® product.
Hold Fast measures:
1.01m × 25.6m = approximately 25.86m²
Each Floor Protection® roll measures:
1m × 50m = 50m²
A Floor Protection® roll therefore supplies approximately 93% more nominal material than one Hold Fast roll.
The additional one centimetre of width offered by Hold Fast is unlikely to make a meaningful difference on most building sites. The much shorter roll length is more significant.
A 50m roll can help builders:
- Cover longer hallways without stopping
- Reduce the number of roll changes
- Create fewer end joints
- Carry fewer rolls into apartments
- Reduce packaging on larger projects
- Estimate quantities more easily
- Cover several rooms from a single roll
For a nominal 100m² project, approximately four Hold Fast rolls would be required before allowing for overlap and waste. The same nominal area would require two Floor Protection® rolls.
Actual installed coverage will be slightly lower for any product because adjoining runs normally need to overlap and irregular room shapes create offcuts. Floor Protection® recommends approximately a 7cm overlap between adjoining lengths, without needing separate joining tape in many ordinary applications.
Fair Price Comparison: Hold Fast vs Mercury 140gsm
To compare prices fairly, the products should first be matched by material grade and intended level of protection.
Builders Edge Hold Fast does not have a published GSM specification on the Bunnings product page. However, based on the apparent product construction and market positioning, its estimated weight is approximately 140gsm. Mercury is a confirmed 140gsm self-adhesive, multi-layer floor protection product. It is also the most affordable option in the Floor Protection® range.
This makes Mercury the most appropriate Floor Protection® product for the initial price comparison.
Price per roll does not show the full cost
Hold Fast Price
At the time of comparison, Bunnings lists Hold Fast at $99 including GST for a 1.01m × 25.6m roll. That roll provides approximately 25.86m² of nominal material coverage.
The calculation is:
1.01m × 25.6m = 25.86m²
This gives Hold Fast an approximate material cost of:
$99 ÷ 25.86m² = $3.83 per m² including GST
Mercury Floor Protection Price
The clearest comparison is the amount a builder must purchase to protect roughly 50m².
Product | Roll coverage | Rolls required | Material purchased | Comparative cost |
Builders Edge Hold Fast | 25.86m² | 2 rolls | 51.72m² | $198 including GST |
Mercury 140gsm | 50m² | 1 roll | 50m² | Approximately 50% less under current builder pricing |
Mercury covers the same nominal project area with one 50m² roll. Based on current Floor Protection® builder pricing, Mercury is approximately 50% more affordable than Hold Fast when compared over equivalent coverage.
By purchasing more Floor Protection range, you will have better pricing.
Hold Fast vs Floor Protection, do they leave Residue?
The customer-supplied photograph appears to show a darker brand or strip-like imprint remaining on the timber surface after the protection was removed. According to the customer, the mark would not come off through normal scrubbing. (Reference)
How does Floor Protection® approach clean removal?
Floor Protection® products use a self-adhesive backing designed to hold the material in position during temporary work while allowing clean removal from compatible surfaces when installation guidelines are followed.
Mercury is designed to remove cleanly from most suitable surfaces after temporary use. Floor Protection® has not received the same reported imprint complaint relating to its products to date. However, no responsible floor protection supplier should promise that an adhesive product is incapable of reacting with every floor, coating or site condition.
Retail convenience or wholesale supply?
Hold Fast has the advantage of retail convenience. A builder can check local Bunnings availability and purchase a roll for an immediate small job.
Floor Protection® serves a different need. It is an Australian specialist and wholesale supplier focused on builders, painting contractors, fit-out companies, flooring businesses, renovation teams and resellers requiring regular or higher-volume supply.
Which option is better for builders?
For a small emergency purchase, Hold Fast may be convenient. It is available through a major retail chain, has a self-adhesive backing and is promoted as waterproof, breathable and reusable.
For builders concerned with coverage, material cost and ongoing supply, Mercury has several advantages:
- A confirmed 140gsm specification
- A 50m roll rather than 25.6m
- Almost twice the nominal coverage
- Fewer rolls required for larger projects
- Builder and wholesale pricing
- A broader product range for different site conditions
- Clean-removal performance when used according to instructions
The strongest advantage is not that Mercury is "thicker". At an estimated 140gsm, the two products would be in a similar weight class. The more defensible comparison is that Floor Protection® supplies substantially more material per roll and can cost around half as much per square metre under current builder pricing.
For newly finished or moisture-sensitive floors, the comparison should instead be made against Floor Protection® Anti-slippery Breathable, not Mercury. The breathable Floor Protection is visibly and by the test is notably breathable than Hold fast.
Final verdict
Mercury is its closest estimated GSM comparison. Anti-slippery is its closest breathable comparison. STD Blue provides a stronger general-purpose alternative, while Heavy Duty provides a substantially heavier option for demanding jobs.
The main differences are clear:
- Hold Fast covers approximately 25.86m².
- Every Floor Protection® standard roll supplies 50m².
- Hold Fast’s GSM is not published by Bunnings.
- Floor Protection® offers confirmed grades from 140gsm to 260gsm.
- Mercury can be around 50% cheaper per square metre for builders.
- Anti-slippery provides a breathable alternative.
- Heavy Duty provides a much stronger option.
- Floor Protection® offers direct free delivery and wholesale supply rather than only a single retail product.
Hold Fast may be convenient for a small one-off purchase. For builders who want better roll coverage, several performance grades, wholesale pricing and a product matched to the actual project, the complete Floor Protection® range provides a more flexible solution.
