Thursday's #MAPEITechTip: Can all wood floors be glued-down?

Contrary to what you might expect from an adhesives manufacturer, the answer is NO, not all wood floors are designed to be glued-down. Depending on the type of hardwood flooring selected, there are three approved methods for installation (consult the NWFA website for specific installation methods) nailed down, glued down, or installed as part of a floating floor system. Because wood is a natural product, much consideration must be given to the type of adhesive used in its installation. Most all engineered wood floors can be set using any of the three methods, however, solid wood flooring presents more challenges—requiring a urethane adhesive that holds its trowel ridges well, and has great initial grab that allows for maximum contact between the adhesive and wood. Because solid wood products require a strong bond, urethane based adhesives, such as MAPEI’s Ultrabond 980 or for an all-in-one choice (Moisture-Control, Sound-Reduction and Wood Adhesive) Ultrabond ECO 985 is an excellent choice for your ‘green attribute’ project since it is formulated without water, solvents, amines, isocyanates, phthalate plasticizers or epoxy resins, and has an extremely low emission level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Once cured, both of these high quality adhesives provide the needed flexibility and superior bond strength that solid wood installations demand.

Before beginning any wood product installation, always consult the wood manufacturer to determine if their product is recommended for glue down, because some engineered woods must be installed as floating or nail-down systems only. For your next project, see MAPEI’s full line of wood flooring products.