Guess not........ Sorry about that.

Thanks, floorguy. I would almost be happier with a serpentine bead down the plank, since I KNOW there would be FULL contact with the board all along that bead. With the very thin spread with the trowel, I know it is not getting any contact on the recesses on the back of the board... and on the other parts it is a thin strip. Part of it for me is just the principal also... I chose this installer based on the contract we signed that stated exactly how it would be installed (manufacturer's specs and exact trowel size I specified). If an installer intended to do it however they want anyway they should not sign a contract that states otherwise. I had 3 lower bidders than this guy... If I were to tell a contractor that I changed my mind and will pay $2 less / sq ft... half way though the job, that would never stand... but for him to disregard a signed contract is OK. That probably frustrates me more than the amount of glue. Unfortunately, if I fire him I miss my deadline to move in before Christmas. Oh well..... plus the fact that none of the workers speak a lick of English frustrates the hell out of me when I can't communicate with people.

Laminate floors don't normally use glue....so I'm having a hard time figuring out what this is. When you say "small amount" of carpet to glue, are you talking about 4sf or are you talking 40sf or 400sf??? With 4sf on a NON floor surface (like on a wall or a ceiling)...go for it. If it is 40sf, I wouldn't. If it is 400sf, I definitely would not do it. Carpet adhesives and 'flooring' adhesives are vastly different things. It all depends on the backing of the carpet.

Maybe you only thought that you cut the tip off enough. If this happens to you all the time you are probably not actually cutting the tip far enough and it is breaking out the back of the tube. I have had this happen when resistance to it's being squeezed out the tip is being hampered because I either did not cut the tip enough or the material has set up and has become hardened. What kind of glue are you using? Is it glue or caulk? It looks more like caulking. Get a new caulk gun and make sure that you cut off enough of the tip. Unless somehow you are getting a puncture in the back end of your tubes, the only other explanation is that there is not adequate escape in the tip. It takes a good deal of pressure to make the tube pop like that. I dont see anything of your gun that looks to be out of place. They are pretty simple things and not much to go wrong. One more thing, after you cut the tip do you also use the little puncture tool to actually puncture the tip of the tube? Unless you actually puncture the tip the tube is not open. That, right there, may be your problem, maybe. And, it looks as if your tube is exploding at both ends, so that just might be the source of you problems. Use that little puncture tool that is on the side of the gun.