The Glue: Floor Installation’s Best Friend

Through the years, there has only been one way of installing floors and that is to use glue floor. Floor installation traditionally consists of basically of putting adhesive on the floor surface, and then placing the planks on top of the adhesive. Nowadays, there are alternatives to the glue-down method of installing floors but most floor panels are attached to the floors this way.

Alternatives to Glue-on Installation

In the recent years, improvements in flooring installation processes have largely limited the use of glue. Floor laminates typically do not require the glue-down method. Instead, these floor panels are just pressed into the floor and they “click” into place.

The Process of Using Glue to Install Floorings

Because it is a very simple process, you only need a few tools when installing floorings via the glue-down method. These tools include a square-notched trowel, a broom and dust pan, a carpenter’s crayon, plywood substrate sheets, rubber gloves and, of course, glue. Floor installation kits come with their own glue, fortunately.

The first step in the glue down method is to tidy up the surface. This is where the broom and dust pan come in. Using these two tools, carefully clean up the raw floors. Make sure that all dust and dirt are removed from the surface. You may have to use clothing to remove signs of grease and oil from the floor. Remember, if the surface is not smooth, it might not bond successfully with the glue. Floor installation might utterly fail if you overlook that requirement.

Once that task is done, the next thing you do is to install the substrate on the floor surface. The plywood sheets are the first layer of flooring. It is on these sheets that you apply the glue. Floor panels are then placed on top of these sheets.

That’s the entire process of installing floor panels using glue. Floor installation, like mentioned, is a very simple process that you can finish in lesser time than you actually expected. Anyone can do floor maintenance and, with its simplicity, there’s no reason that you cannot do it when others were able to.

The Two Types of Glue-On Methods

There are two methods of attaching your floor panels using glue. These are called the Wet Lay and the Walk On Method.

The Wet Lay Method consists of directly attaching the floor panels without waiting for the glue to become tacky. This is recommended for beginners. If the hardwood panels are attached before the glue becomes tacky, you can still adjust the panels if they do not line up. Beginners do not have the precision that experienced and professional installers have, and will benefit greatly if they use this method until they learn how to become precise in their layouts.

The Walk On method, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the Wet Lay. The installer waits until the glue is tacky enough, then the panel is laid on top of the glue. Floor installers prefer this method since it results to better-looking finishes. Since the glue is tacky, you can expect no glue smudges that will ruin the look of your panels.