Glue-Down Wood Floor Installation

You want to have a new wooden floor installed in your home or office space. Wonderful, however, you are maybe wondering what would be the best installation method for your project. In today’s article, we will share more about the glue-down wood floor installation method and when to pick the most efficient one for you. So let’s walk you through the glue-down wood floor installation method and how it works.

Preparation

Before the glue-down installation project is started, it is important to start with good preparation. Of course, an important part of the preparation process is having a thorough on-site inspection performed by an experienced wood flooring specialist. In addition, you must make sure the HVAC is operational and that the wood flooring floorboards are completely acclimatised to the indoor humidity level and the temperature of the room, where installation is planned. Now, the subfloor would need some extra attention and care to make sure it is in perfect condition and ready for installation. At the end of the day, when it comes to a glue-down wood flooring installation, the wooden floorboards are glued directly to the subfloor, therefore the subfloor is a very crucial part of the whole project.

Subfloor

As you already know, the right and efficient preparation of the subfloor is crucial for the glue-down wood floor installation project. Depending on the type of subfloor and its current condition, there are many services and treatments that could be done for preparing the subfloor and making sure it is in its best condition and shape, including wood floor sanding, scraping, leveling, filling some low spots, or even installing a whole new subfloor is the old one cannot be improved to a condition where it is ok for a glue-down installation. The subfloor should be leveled as much as possible so it is even and it can help for achieving a very stable and uniform wooden floor.

When it comes to a concrete subfloor, it is extremely important to make sure the moisture content of the concrete subfloor is within the recommendation for a wooden floor installation. In addition, a concrete subfloor would also require proper moisture vapor protection underneath and also proper drainage away from the building. All these are crucial when you are installing a wooden floor onto a concrete subfloor, otherwise, the increased content of moisture can easily damage the wooden floorboards and make them unusable and beyond repair. Now, once you are done preparing the subfloor, it is about time to choose the best adhesive for the project too.

Adhesive

There are different wood floor adhesives available on the market. Whenever it comes to an installation project, you definitely want to get an adhesive that is designed for hardwoods. This is extremely important because the product will be strong enough to keep the wooden floorboards fixed and the whole floor construction very stable and solid. On the other hand, a specially designed wood floor adhesive is flexible enough to allow the natural contraction and expansion of the wooden floorboards that are affected by increased moisture and humidity and temperature fluctuations.

Therefore, you should definitely buy an adhesive that is designed for the installation of a wooden floor as the product will embrace the natural characteristics of wood and how it reacts to potential changes in its environment. High-quality wood flooring glues provide you with great elasticity, when need, but also great durability and lasting power. A high-quality product won’t crack, separate, or get weaker when the wooden floorboards start contracting and expanding.

Installation

Now, when the glue-down installation method is utilised, a big enough expansion gap should be left for allowing the wooden floorboards some room to expand without getting damaged. Next, a specialised trowel is used for applying and spreading the hardwood floor adhesive onto the area where the wooden floorboards will adhere. Doing small areas at a time and slowly moving your way forwards is the right way to perform the project.

Pre-spreading adhesive before you are done with the area you are working on currently is highly not recommended. Make sure to also periodically lift a board after you have placed it to make certain you have achieved full coverage of the adhesive to the back of the floorboard as this will ensure the stability, durability, and long-lasting power of your floor in the years to come. Once the flooring is finally installed and every floorboard is right in its place, you need to leave the floor like that overnight and you will be able to use it no earlier than after twenty-four hours.

Glue-Down Floor Installation – Pros

• A permanent and durable method of installation according to professionals
• Least likely method to have deflection between the floorboards and the subfloor
• Lower risk of squeaking
• Ensures a feel of stability and solidness
• Sound-proofing
• Allows the use of flush mount transition mouldings

Glue-Down Floor Installation – Cons

• Wood floor adhesive is an additional cost to the project
• Not great for a DIY project, better left in the reliable hands of experienced professionals
• More in-depth and serious preparation of the subfloor must be required
• May require increased labour costs