Greetings My Fellow Installers,

Gary here. A couple of questions, unrelated to each other.
#1. I'm currently installing a custom milled floor where the T&G is just a little sloppy (loose). The plan was to nail only but after installing the hallway, the flooring makes some noise from the up and down movement from the oversize grooves (or the undersized tongues) So my suggestion to the homeowner and builder is to run a bead of adhesive on the subfloor about 3/4" in from the tongue of the previous course. When laying up the next course, the groove side of the board will contact the adhesive and hopefully, adhere the groove side to the subfloor. Now this product is a unique engineered floor. It is 7/16" marine grade plywood with a 1/4" solid sawn face that has been scraped and finished. It is 4" wide. The T&G's are unusually large, a full 1/4". THE QUESTION.
What would be the prefered adhesive. It is over 3/4" plywood over radiant panels. I am considering PL Urethane.
#2. I'll be installing BR-111 solid 7/16" IPE (brazilian walnut) over concrete. Yes, I know. CRAZY But the plan is to use one of the concrete sealants and the matching adhesive. The question is, WHICH ONE? Seems today the choice is getter larger. Perry dislikes Best and prefers BST with MVP, Chuck mentioned the new DRI-TAC urethane, there's Franklin's system, Chemrex, and Perry also said SIKA stinks to high heaven (I don't need that), and finally, STAUF, which I hear doesn't need a sealer IF the MC of the concrete is 10 lbs. (or less) of moisture evaporation over 1000 sq.ft. in a 24 hour peroid of time, as done by a CC test. I need/want an adhesive that will not be real difficult to clean off the wood. So, recommendations? What would you use? And don't just say DON"T DO IT! C'mon, this will work if done properly. I least this is what I'm being told.

I'd like to try that Stauf 960

BST or Parabond 4002, although I have just been informed of 870, and it is suppose to Parabonds new stuff.

I am partial to Bostik's Best...

The guys above me will tell you that it doesn't hhold it's ridges though

I am a bigtime promotor of Stauf. I just really believe in the company. 960 is an awesome adhesive, but it is overkill if you unless you really need to hold down 10 pounds. Is the wood backcoated? If it is, you are going to need to use a MC urethane. That means Dri tac 7400 or 7600, Stauf 950, Bostiks Best or BST. If not, you can use about anything you want as long as it has no water in it. I have actually heard of people using 2071 under solids, but I would not do it. That stuff is almost 20 percent water. No thanks.

I really like Stauf 930. It is a dream to use, it is cheap and it grabs like a friggen bulldog. No clean up hasssles either. The prob with MC urethanes are those dang isocyanates. They are what makes the stuff so hard to clean up. Bostik is coming out with a new one called TKO which is supposed to be very low in isocyanates. Dri tac has one called 7400 that is also supposed to be both easy to spread and a little easier to clean up.

I would advise against PL because of how rigid it is when dry. One of the prerequisites for an adhesive for use under solid wood is adequate elongation properties. Bostiks Best is ahead of everyone else in that regard. I think it is rated at 300 percent. PL would be right around zero.

So Chuck, I always hear great things about Stauf 960 but I never see it. I'd like to give it a shot on this job. Where does one get this magic goo?

I can't find it locally either, Do something about that Chuck.

How the heck would I know? Try calling their 800 numma It is on their website. They don't have a list of distibutors there, but I am sure one of their inside people can tell you where to get it.

http://www.stauf.info/a/index.htm

You too, Jerry.

Gary, we talked about Stauf before, and I told you my source..Tom Duffy as I remember. but we were talking about the 930. I f you use the 960, make sure you get the special trowel.

Gary, we talked about Stauf before, and I told you my source..Tom Duffy 9as I remember.) But we were talking about the 930, maybe theydon't carry the 960. If you use the 960, make sure you get the special trowel.

All Duffy promotes is Bostik's, Parabond and Taylor. I'm in there every week and never seen a pail of Stauf. But I'm gonna ask now. Thanks for reminding me.

I found this a pretty interesting read about stauf or adhesives in general. www.timber-floor-technology.co.uk look in the right hand sidebar for recent articles.