Article Number : 4933 |
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| Date | 10/6/2009 9:01:26 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4933 |
| Abstract | Adhesives were first used as an installation method in the wood flooring industry more than a half century ago. The process was simply a matter of spreading the molten asphalt onto the prepared subfloor, then embedding the wood flooring into the asphalt before... |
| Article | Adhesives were first used as an installation method in the wood flooring industry more than a half century ago. The process was simply a matter of spreading the molten asphalt onto the prepared subfloor, then embedding the wood flooring into the asphalt before it began to set. The work was difficult, messy and dangerous. Things have changed a bit since then. Today’s advanced technologies make adhesives an ideal installation method for most types of wood flooring. Determining when and how to use adhesives properly will be the difference between a quality installation that will last for years and one that will cause headaches for the customer. Here are eight things to know about adhesives: 1. Adhesives work by creating a bond between the subfloor and the wood flooring. While all adhesives work on the same principle of changing chemically from a viscose liquid to a solid, they differ in the carrying agents or catalysts that activate them based on the chemical properties of the adhesive. 2. There are three types of wood flooring adhesives on the market today: water-based, solvent-based and moisture-curing. Because each has different application and performance characteristics, do your research to find the product that will best fit your installation needs. Some considerations are ease of product use, product performance span and VOC regulations where the installation will occur. 3. All wood flooring adhesives require the same degree of jobsite preparation to ensure a successful installation. In fact, thorough jobsite preparation is crucial in the long-term performance of the floor and becomes even more critical if the installation will occur over concrete. 4. Make sure the wood is properly acclimated to the jobsite. While this takes place, turn your attention to the subfloor. Make sure it is flat. In addition, the subfloor should be cleaned thoroughly by removing anything that could negatively impact the bonding characteristics of the adhesive. 5. Be sure to use the adhesive specifically recommended by the flooring manufacturer. Different adhesives have different chemical properties, which impacts their spread rate, flash time and long-term performance. Certain types of wood work better with certain types of adhesives. 6. Be certain to use the trowel type specifically recommended by the adhesive manufacturer. Trowels have different teeth, different widths between the trowel teeth and different depths in the gaps between the trowel teeth. Both the size and shape of the trowel teeth and the notches between the teeth will influence the effectiveness of the adhesive as they determine the spread rate. 7. As a general rule, you only want to put down about as much adhesive as you can effectively work with in a 15 to 20 minute period of time. Any longer than that may cause the installation to fail as the bonding reaction may already have begun before the wood is installed over the adhesive. 8. Once the installation has been completed, the floor should remain untouched for at least 24 hours to allow the adhesive to cure properly. The absence of foot traffic during this process will greatly improve the long-term bonding performance of the adhesive. Source: National Wood Flooring Association |