By Sarah Zimmerman
Flooring is an installed product. Therefore, the adhesives, tools and techniques utilized play the lead roles in a floor’s performance and success story, experts say. And, there are several things to consider for every job.

“The selection and application of the installation tools and techniques used on a job is the number one determination of a product’s ultimate success or failure,” said Greg Wood, president of Advanced Adhesive Technologies ( AAT).

“The correctly specified product that has been incorrectly installed will not produce the desired result for the end user. Conversely, a superior installation of a less-than-adequate flooring product can often times result in a much better outcome for the consumer.”

Art Palmer, technical services consultant for Mapei, took this notion a step further stating the company believes the key to ensuring a cost-effective, long-term, well-bonded installation— one that minimizes the risk of callbacks and costly repairs—lies strictly in choosing the appropriate combination of adhesive and trowel for the desired floor. He said in this industry, “trowels function as metering devices for applying the right amount of adhesive.”

Similarly, Mihir Gandhi and Charlie Nielsen, marketing coordinator and technical support for W.F. Taylor, respectively, noted the reasons adhesives, tools and techniques differ so greatly from project to project—porosity, quantity, and composition and texture. They also listed three important factors when choosing an adhesive: compatibility with substrate and product, quality of glue matches expectations of product an installer and customer friendly product.

Cathy Panagakos, vice president of Parabond Products for Para- Chem, added to this list. “The flooring to be installed, conditions of the job site, substrate conditions and the flooring manufacturer’s recommendations all are huge factors in choosing a glue,” she said. “One of the biggest mistakes made by installers is the assumption that all jobsites are exactly the same.”

Educating the masses

So, to keep installers, general contractors, sales teams and end users informed, these industry leaders say continual education is key.

Mapei’s Palmer noted rapid advances in flooring products, installation techniques and adhesives make the proper combination of trowel and glue crucial for installation success— therefore constant education is required. He gave six tips to stay informed and successful:

1. Purchase a high-quality adhesive.

2. Maintain the cleanliness of your trowel.

3. Follow the manufacturer’s trowel recommendations.

4. Do not put down too much adhesive.

5. Do not put down too little adhesive.

6. Do not keep using worn-out trowels.

Wood said failure to understand and use the correct adhesive in the proper manner is inviting dissatisfaction with the flooring no matter its quality. Therefore, AAT provides training through its partnerships with local distributors. He also said manufacturers are a great source of information on adhesives, tools and techniques, and listed several industry organizations available for training— FIANA, NWFA, WFCA, INSTALL and CFI to name a few.

Also pointing to manufacturers and the many helpful industry organizations, Gandhi and Nielsen said bottom line is if you don’t know or are unsure, pick up the phone and ask. They also suggested making sure your installer is experienced with the products being used, and if not, that he gets the proper training.

“There is an amazing selection of products available. It would be extremely difficult for any one person to know all the specifications. So, don’t make assumptions. Taking the time to investigate unfamiliar products and the recommended adhesive will minimize failures.”

Panagakos added though typically flooring products and adhesives are engineered to overcome shortcomings acquainted with improper trowel size or technique, often there are multipleissues on a jobsite, which is where failure can occur. Therefore, she said, most manufacturers— including Para-Chem—provide installation information, education and training via sales reps, product pamphlets and the Web.