Hardwood Flooring Adhesives
Let’s be straight on this matter. Always use the manufacturers
recommended adhesive, as failure to do so will result in the voidance
of the manufacturer’s warranty. Most hardwood flooring issues
are a result of poor installation or the failure to use recommended
installation materials. The first thing a manufacturer’s
rep will do when inspecting an issue relating to a hardwood floor
is to remove a few boards in order to inspect the adhesive used.
If it is determined that the recommended adhesive was not used,
then your warranty will be void and you will not be able to submit
a claim, regardless of whether the issue is adhesion related.
VOCs (volatile organic compounds): VOCs contain hazardous chemicals that are
found in finishes and other common household materials. When shopping for an
adhesive, it is important to ensure that the adhesive does not contain a high
level of solvents, and that it is VOC complaint.
Manufacturers recommend different kinds of adhesives based on the construction
of the hardwood floor and the type of existing sub floor. The following are
adhesives that can be used for installing hardwood floors:
Urethane:
A moisture cured urethane adhesive that contains no water. It
cures by absorbing available moisture which causes a chemical reaction.
Once cured, these adhesives are not affected by water. Urethane
adhesives offer the strongest bond and can be used when installing
solid, parquet and engineered wood floors. Urethane adhesives can
be used over the following substrates: concrete, suspended wood
and wood underlayments, existing resilient flooring, primed and
poured in place gypsum sub floors, ceramic, cork flooring and acoustic
cork. Urethane adhesives can be installed over radiant heated floors
provided the surface temperature does not exceed 80-85 deg F. Most
Urethane adhesives are VOC compliant and are low in odor. They
are water proof and dry slowly, allowing for product repositioning.
They remain Electrometric, allowing for movement due to expansion
and contraction of the hardwood floor. Urethane adhesives can be
used in above, on and below grade installations. When using a urethane
based adhesive, it is important to clean any residue promptly,
as once dried, it is very difficult to remove and will require
the use of a urethane adhesive remover. The only down side to urethane
adhesives, is that they are more expensive than other adhesives.
Water Based Adhesives
Water based adhesives do not offer the same bonding strength as
urethane adhesives and are limited in application. Water based
adhesives are generally free of solvents and VOC’s. They
are easier to work with and easier to clean, however they dry quicker
and do not display the same elasticity properties as urethane,
thus not allowing for repositioning of boards. Their range of application
concerning certain types of wood floors construction and sub floor
type is limited. Always refer to manufacturers recommended guidelines
for suitable applications of water based adhesives.
There are many more types of adhesives available to the consumer,
such as: Cross linked Resin Adhesives, Polymeric Resin Based Adhesives,
Tri-lingual adhesives etc, most of which can be classified as water
based, solvent based or urethane. If you are not a scientist, then
most of it means nothing, except for the fact that they are approved
for use with hardwood floors. Each manufacturer carries a selection
of urethane and water based adhesives which they recommend for
use with their floors. |