Glue Down - Hardwood Flooring Installation

Glue Down Flooring over ConcreteIf you are gluing down your hardwood floors you will most likely be doing it over concrete and you will be using engineered hardwood flooring most of the time.  Glued down hardwood floors are more prone to failure than other flooring installation techniques.  Proper subfloor preparation, correct amount of glue and using the correct adhesive is critical in a glue down installation - or you run the risk the flooring separating from the sub floor (known as de-bonding).  But when you get it glued down properly you will enjoy your hardwood floor for many years to come and will think it’s just like a traditional solid floor.

Adhesives

Some adhesives are quite expensive but it is better to spend the money upfront rather than risk the floor boards not adhering to the subfloor properly.  You may be looking at expensive repairs in the future should your floor de-bond from the sub floor.  Most of today’s adhesives are urethane based, acrylic, or water based.       

Installation Time

Once the subfloor is prepared (sub floor preparation time is going to depend on the condition of your sub floor).  If you do it yourself you should probably plan on a 2 day job for a 400 or 500 square foot room.  An experienced installer can usually complete a glue down installation in one day 8-12 hours.  Also remember that you should not walk on the floor for 24 hours to allow the adhesive time to set.