Why Glue Down Hardwood Flooring

The glue down method of engineered wood flooring installation is typically the most common and creates a highly stable floor.

Why glue down hardwood flooring.

Reduces but does not eliminate wood movement. Engineered hardwood floors can be glued or nailed into position but they also have the option of being floated over an underlay. While a glue down installation is the most expensive and labor intensive of the three options it s also considered the most stable method of installation. The adhesives used to glue wood down to a subfloor make for an extremely strong bond.

If installing glue down hardwood flooring in a new house completely close the building in with all outside doors and windows in place. Solid hardwood floors must be fixed into position by either gluing or nailing down to the subfloor. Glue down hardwood flooring often sounds more like real solid hardwood flooring than floating floors do. Applications are more prominent with residential construction in sunbelt areas commercial locations and high rise dwellings.

When working on a clean concrete subfloor the glue down method is often the go to choice. Glue down hardwood floor installation. All wet work such as concrete masonry framing members drywall paint etc should be thoroughly dry. The wall coverings and painting should be completed before the installation of the hardwood flooring.

The installation of hardwood floors by the glue down method is used predominately on concrete slabs. Subfloor preparation is critical on all job sites but especially for glue down. Newer adhesives are elastomeric. With that said one of the most important factors while dealing with glue down installation is going to be your subfloor.

They allow the wood board to expand and contract but they do not grow or shrink nearly as much as they would with a floating or nail. A glue down floor is usually a better choice in high traffic areas like commercial buildings and industrial spaces because the glue provides extra holding power. That s because of the elastic quality of glue which allows the floor to expand and contract naturally with the seasons. Boards adhere well to the rough surface of the concrete subfloor and therefore lead to less gaps or planks lifting and buckling.

The glue down method. Around the house the rooms with the most traffic such as the front hallway the kitchen and the recreation room are better served by glue down flooring than floating flooring but if you re considering a whole house. Because of the way it is installed there isn t a hollow sound when walking across the floor or a spongy feel this is something that can be an issue with floating floors if they aren t installed perfectly and with optimal conditions.