skip to main content

Acura max glue down or floating.

6 years ago

I don’t like the feel of the floating planks when walking on it. Is there any way to install so that it feels more like a solid surface?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
Absolutely! Preparation, preparation and a little bit more preparation. The "movement" that people complain about is due to POOR subfloor preparation. If you have a wavy subfloor, you will have a bouncy floor. End of story.

Pay the price (could be MORE than the floor itself) to have the subfloor dealt with PROPERLY (smooth, flat, even, level = $1-$5/sf depending on your situation).

Once you have the SUBFLOOR perfect, you can float any floor and it will feel rock solid.

And a very very good subfloor prep is STILL needed for glue down. Why? Because vinyl CONFORMS to every hump/bump/lump and it looks AWFUL when finished.

So...to get a good LOOKING floor and a floor that FEELS solid, you need to invest (heavily and financially) in a near-perfect subfloor surface.
Chessie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Adura can be installed glue-down. Adura Max is only floating.

As far as having a "perfect" floor for vinyl, I currently have sheet vinyl. No bumps. No bulges. Are you saying that glue-down LVT would need additional prep to look as good?
Related Discussions
Cork over radiant
Q
Comments (22)
Sure the recommended maximum operating temperature of a radiant floor heating system under a cork floor is 28°C or 82°F across the board. What I had issue with is that you were suggesting that this was also the magical point at which everything starts to melt and furthermore that putting cork over a radiant floor is a very bad idea and a waste of money. Those are incorrect assertions. I know how to successfully install cork over radiant floors. I have several installations over 2 decades to prove it. When the heating system is well designed and the floor is installed according to specifications, there is absolutely nothing wrong with installing cork tile over a heated floor. If the system creeps up over 28°C once in a while - it's not the end of the world and the heating controls should be adjusted. So if CorkArt doesn't want its cork on radiant then that's up to them- it just doesn't represent the position of most of the major cork producers. So I wouldn't use their product, but that's OK I have other manufacturers to choose from. To answer your question: 23 years ago and today I use 3M Fastbond 30NF (and occasionally D3540) My 23 year old cork floor over a hydronic system is still fine and still hasn't melted.
...See More
Adura Max - Sausalito Bridgeway
Q
Comments (5)
Hi, did you end up installing Sausalito Bridgeway? We are considering this for our kitchen which has SW Alabaster cabinets.....wondered the same if it's too dark....
...See More
Waterproof glue failure
Q
Comments (59)
Lisa, Mrs. S is correct. You feel a strong need to "do something", and are in the middle of a mess. You need an expert, but not another flooring person. Glennsfc points out one reason why, your results might not support your case. And as far as "expert witnesses" go, I would be unable to tell you what a court considers the most reliable in your case. Whichever examiner is used, I would want that person to be most valued as a resource for the education of the court. A good attorney will examine the situation in detail so that they can see how to win before they start a case. By not engaging the problem personally, you give them more options. The installation instructions on the glue product were approved by a legal department or attorney. The more you touch the floor without consideration of a court recognized party involved, the more opportunities you are creating for the other parties to point to what you have done as a contribution to the costs of the liability and you might be risking a shared liability or other situation you did not intend. Also, through the simple notifications and letters an officer of the court produces, insurance policies become activated and therefore become a force and a resource for support focused on your situation. A letter asking for a financial sum goes into a insurance potential liability account, which offsets income and decreases profit. They get busy trying to reverse that situation. I have had insurance pay customers at my direction, but when everybody is denying everything, an officer of the court sets a path toward a real resolution in a short period of time and creates a real situation in the minds of vendors that real decisions have to be made, one of which is their option to engage their insurance to solve the problem for you. It is past the time character was the question you were asking of them.
...See More
floating floor adivice
Q
Comments (12)
Oana...it would take me a year of writing to explain the "sound" requirements they are asking about. So I won't get into it "too much". The SUBFLOOR PREP is what stops the 'hollow sounds' from happening. A 'dip' in a subfloor will mean a 'dip' in the underpad and that will mean a "hollow" sound every time you step on that area. Do the prep and you won't need to worry about "hollow". Skip the prep and the hollow sounds will haunt you. The STC/IIC ratings on materials are bung. Sigh. Sad but true. The testing parameters are SO FAR OUTSIDE OF NORMAL that NO ONE achieves the numbers they "achieve" in the lab. Your building's construction (the concrete or the plywood) will give you as much as 90% of the acoustic value. Yep. "59 dB" means absolutely NOTHING unless you know how your building was built. So that's why they are bung. The 1/4" cork underlay is a great way to continue a floating floor install. But prep is required. And fixing gypcrete is a MASSIVE battle. Huge. Frightening. Expensive and has been known to be made worse than if they didn't touch it in the first place. You ask your installer if they know how to (and have successfully performed) gypcrete repairs. If they look at you like you have two heads, simply thank them for their time and offer the "Don't call us; we'll call you" statement. And then find someone else. Gypcrete is a pain in the butt. That's the whole reason I suggested sticking with carpet. If you want a REAL opinion, remove the carpet to expose what is there and THEN bring someone in to give you an honest opinion of how much this is going to cost you. And it won't be pretty. Or get new carpet, list the home and sell it quickly.
...See More
Cara Mcclure
6 years ago
We have 2800 square feet of Adura Max floated in our home and about 6000 square feet of it in our commercial buildings. There is no movement; we had it professionally installed, and I agree with the poster who stated prep is key.
SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
@Chess - Yes, I'm saying that glue down LVT can require more money to achieve a good looking floor. The approach may be different but the monetary amount will be about the same or most likely more. Remember: glue is MORE sensitive than "vinyl" that just sits there.

A floating floor can sit over top of just about anything so long as it is hard, flat and level (no carpet...no raw earth...no puff sheet vinyl...etc). The GLUE DOWN version wants and NEEDS an acceptable surface to bind to. That means concrete (or Self Leveling compound), plywood or some VERY nice OSB (must be allowed by the adhesive manufacturer...). And that surface must be clean of any impurities. No left over glue. No left over vinyl or linoleum tiles, etc.

A glue down subfloor prep requires at least the same amount of money to be invested...or MORE. That's why glue down installs are MORE EXPENSIVE. They require glue ($1 - $3/sf); they require a HIGH LEVEL of subfloor prep (more labour and more materials) and then they require the application of the adhesive (more labor again).

Whew! Lots of work = lots of money.
Chessie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I just laid a level on my floor - and yes there are definitely some "humps". Nothing big, probably the floor joists I would guess, but definitely not perfectly flat. So I could have some extra work to prep it, I guess. But honestly, I would rather do that, than have floating. I don't like the sound, and I don't want the issues. Perhaps the very reasons that make glue down more trouble, are the factors behind why I find it preferable. Every installer I have talked to here says that they have FAR fewer problems/ complaints (none in fact) with glue-down installs. And tile/plank replacements are much much easier too. I know the click stuff is appealing because it’s just easier, and DIY’ers can install it themselves. But my extensive research is telling me that is not the way to go - for me. It could be that installers in this area are just more experienced with glue down - I don’t know. I have decided on an LVT product and have 3 estimates being done in the next week. Unless I hear good reasons to do otherwise, it will be a glue down install. I only want to do this ONCE. That’s my overriding factor here.

Related Stories

SMALL HOMES My Houzz: Converted Shipping Container Floats His Boat

By Victoria Harrison

A British designer and TV personality explores creative space-saving solutions and upcycling ideas in his marina home

HOUZZ TV FAVORITES Houzz TV: Life, Love and Purpose Down on the Farm

By Mary Jo Bowling

A Missouri native proves that you can go home again — and discover something entirely unexpected

STORAGE 15 Fun Organizing Ideas for Fashionistas

By Laura Gaskill

Give your clothes, shoes and accessories the home they deserve with these strategies for posh storage and display

REMODELING GUIDES What to Know About Engineered Wood Floors

By South Hill Interiors

Engineered wood flooring offers classic looks and durability. It can work with a range of subfloors, including concrete

MOST POPULAR 6 Kitchen Flooring Materials to Boost Your Cooking Comfort

By Jennifer Ott Design

Give your joints a break while you're standing at the stove, with these resilient and beautiful materials for kitchen floors

MOST POPULAR Pros and Cons of 5 Popular Kitchen Flooring Materials

Which kitchen flooring is right for you? An expert gives us the rundown

REMODELING GUIDES The Case for Linoleum and Vinyl Floors

Have pets, kids and a tight budget? Easy-care resilient floors may be the choice for you

PETS So You're Thinking About Getting a Dog

By Alison Hodgson

Prepare yourself for the realities of training, cost and the impact that lovable pooch might have on your house

REMODELING GUIDES Laminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less

See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Add a Radiant Heat System

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Enjoy comfy, consistent temperatures and maybe even energy savings with hydronic heating and cooling

Sponsored

NME Builders LLC

2 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Water resistant Shaw engineered wood

2

Help with floor colors

7

What are the best brands and types of non-toxic flooring (LVP, laminat

0

Karastan Belhancourt - Linen Wash or Vintage Teak Oak?

0

LVT (tile or stand look) with “grout lines”??

1