Anyone,

I need some advice or I want to see what everyone else is doing.. First of all, let me start with underlayments and adhesives.

Does anyone have strong feelings about which underlayments to use with different adhesives. I have always used Ardex to skim coat and level concrete slabs -the adhesives I use are Bostick's Best.(I might want to mention that I am laying down solid wood) A major wood flooring company that I get most of work referred to me from, suggested that Ardex is not compatable with Bostick's Best. The went on to furture state to my potential customers that Ardex will fail over time. My understanding is that as long as it a Portland Cement based product it should work.
I have worked in the Commercial side of the business for many years and Ardex is all that is basically used. That is what I have been using with my residential customers.
I need more opinions. This wood floor company does not sell any type of underlayment so it is hard for me to say if their claims are true or not.
You would think they would have the supplies there for customers to buy especially for the d-i-y.

Thanks,
Dadof2

This same wood flooring company says that the Bostick's Best adhesives will work as a moisture barrier. That is great but some of their representatives are also trying to push the Bostick's Best MVP.

What are others thoughts on wheter to use the MVP or not.
Will the adhesive itself be enought moisture barrier. Because I get different opinions I don't know what to do.
We are talking about a very humid city.

Thanks,
Dadof2

Ask Adrex and ask Bostik's.

If this guy is telling you potential clients that Ardex, is not approved, He is blowing smoke to get the installation away from yopu to line his pockets deeper.


No, Bostik's Best, nor BST are moisture barriers. That is why they make MVP.

Now if you want to glue solid, try Stauf 960. It is a moisture barrier and adhesive in one application.

Dado2,
A little logic can go a long way in matters such as these. Let us start with patch. Narturally, if an adhesive company also happens to produce floor patch, they would want you to use them in tandem. As far as compatibility goes, that is a load. Bostiks best is 100 percent pure urethane. There exists nothing to my knowledge to which it will not bond. Concerning Ardex, I would opt for a less expensive alternative were it me. Why pay good money for nothing more than branding? As to warranty, I would take a minute to check out the Bostik Findley site. All of that sort of info is there.

It sounds to me like you have been getting advice from people who should bite their tongues and do some reading up instead. The term "moisture barrier" is one you should get out of your head. While it is quite true that Bostiks Best can behave as a vapor retarder, no one guarantees(by itself) it to do so. MVP in conjunction with either BST, Best or EFA offers the strongest warranty in the industry without a doubt. Even so, it is only guaranteed to limit emissions to 3 pounds, not eliminate them. All MVP really is is Bostiks Best with a couple of additives. People had been skimming slabs with Best for years before MVP was even imagined.

I spent some time recently on Bostik's website researching the capabilities of the MVP4. I did not find a whole lot of information on how much MVE it will withstand. I did find that they have a product called Durabond D-261. They state that if the slab measures under 3 lbs per 1,000 sf at time of installation, after the application it is warranted to withstand up to 25 lbs per 1,000 sf. Can also be applied to green concrete.