So I'm looking on Craig's List at flooring installation services, just to get an idea of what some are doing. I ran across this ad with the following photos. Here's a guy gluing down a solid, 3/4" prefinished plank to a concrete slab. No evidence of a moisture barrier like Bostik's MVP. He/they also appear to be using a putty knife to apply adhesive to the backsides of the boards???? Check out the butt joint spacing. Numerous H-joints and butts right next to each other. No reducer to the entry tile.
Also, looks like he/they found an uneven place along a wall and decided to apply some self leveler but not at the beginning of the job but as they were about to install the wood. The leveler still looks wet. In one of the "finished" photos, the flooring looks like it's cupping already.

So a word of warning to you homeowners looking for "cheap" labor; you get what you pay for. This floor is in for nothing but problems and won't last a month. These homeowners are literally throwing their money away on unskilled, fly by night hacks.

What's even sadder is most people don't realize how bad that job really is.

What's even funnier, if one can say it's funny, is these are the pictures the guy is using to advertise his "business". I checked out his license. He has been licensed about 13 months and it's not even a flooring license. It's a general contracting license.

Oh, then he's a pro and there should be no problems with the job in tbr pics. We all know GC's are smarter than floor guys.

I'm trying to figure out what he's using for a glue bucket? It looks like an antique bathing bowl .......... or maybe it's the homeowners birdbath.......lordy, lordy....

I suspect these pics are part of a forum on how NOT to install floors.
Pretty much every mistake that CAN be made, was done on this install.

I think what this guy was doing was transferring the adhesive from the 5 to a plastic pan affair. Then, using his putty knife, putting dollops of adhesive along the backside of the boards. If you're going to use this method, use a caulking gun! Sika makes "sausages" and one can squirt beads of adhesive using a cartridge gun. This guy either does not own a caulking gun, hasn't heard of them or is too cheap to buy the adhesive in a tube. No matter. I would never glue a solid down to concrete except for Bruce's 5/16" strip and even then, I'd worry. I saw a 1/2" solid quartersawn oak glued down to concrete with Bostik's Best. New house; floors cupped badly. The floor this guy is installing ( butchering ) will be a washboard in a month or so.

The last pic shows that happening already, but cant tell if from improper install or lack of humidity controls.
BTW, we tried gluing that Bruce product down once, against my better judgement. Got bitten badly and established new company policy: throw out the manufacturer's recommendations and do it right, lol.

http://viptilemarble.com/gallery.html


Look at this gallery, It's rediculous when you get to there wood/laminates

My gawd, wonder if he would like to relocate up here. Could use a professional installer like that.

That's not wood, all I saw was laminate click floor. That is how it looks.

No, there's some wood in there as well. It's obvious this guy does a lot of tile work, because he installs his wood the same way. Plenty of H joints and stairstepping.

I did a few 5/8" solids through Dan Cosgrove just about when I started my site on the web. No MVP then and no callbacks, but I did use a 1/4" notched trowel.

Yes nice looking floor prep in the middle of the job.

I didn't see it, I must have quit too early, but I swear I made the loop.

Even as a "rookie DIY'er", I have to say those pics made me really sad.

I can imagine paying someone my hard-earned cash and having it turn out like that... and most homeowners won't know enough to tell how poor the installation is, and that the imminent flaws ARE the fault of poor installation.

The cement leveler is so wet you can see the gloss!