What's better and why: using a 100-pound roller or placing weighted boxes over glue-down planks? Thanks.

I use 150 Pound roller on every gluedown installation. Most cans of adhesive specify it. They also specify weighting down loose areas, while the adhesive is setting.

Rolling the floor results in even heavy pressure, and excellent adhesive contact. I rarely need to weight anything down after rolling several times during the day.

Floorologist,

First, I'm not sure what you mean by "weighting down loose areas". Does that exclude the use of a roller? What areas do you mean (i.e., the first rows of planks to be laid?)?

Second, when you state that you roll "several times during the day", do you mean that you roll over the same planks several times during the day? How often should one roll over a plank?

My last question is: what is the wait period that you have to have before you commence rolling over the laid down planks? I am concerned about glue oozing through the cracks between planks if I push down with the roller too soon (thus having glue on the plank and potentially on the roller!). Is there any rule of thumb?

Thank you so much again; you guys have been awesome.

Wood & Adhesive manufacturers typically will recommend using weights on an area that may not be laying down in the adhesive, like a hollow spot , caused by a warped or twisted plank, or a slight subfloor varience. This does not replace the use of a roller, but is in addition to rolling, if necessary.

Different installers feel comfortable using different methods when rolling. I will roll initially right after I have installed a section of the floor. I usual spread from 3 to 5' sections ( depending on layout and room size). I roll again before lunch And roll before I roll my truck on home . As the day goes on and I'm rollin along , the adhesive is building more and more grab as it cures, and the woods down big time. Right now I better roll on into bed, so I can roll again tomorrow . OK that's it

If you have an oozing problem when your rolling the floor, your trowel notch is not right, or your puddling the adhesive when spreading. Some adhesives will ooze if you dont let them flash , before setting planks.

Roll and strap, strap and roll.

So, if you are a DIY'er doing your own glue down floor, you need to buy a roller?

Some guys prefer to install on top of the new floor while taping instead. They seem to think this somehow makes up for a roller. To me it does not. And that blue tape is not getting any cheaper either.

However when asked by the inspector (donde está el rodillo) after the floor comes lose what are you going to say?

Install on top of the new floor? do you install from the sub floor side? What do you do when you get to a wall?

It's the right way to install a gluedown. I would say these days the majority of "professional installers" dont own or use one.
Someone should come up with an affordable alternative for the DIY'er, that's striving to do the job right. Some type of gizmo and fill it with dirt or water??? NO not water !

A five gallon sealed water bottle.

The only time I use tape is when I am doing the last rows, maybe on the first few rows, depends. I luv my Crain ratchet straps. You can see them in action on the front page of my website holding the stranded bamboo.

O.K Stephen, is that a dig ! Shoot, just when I was gonna send a customer your way
I guess when it's the only strap clamps you know.
Kinda like eating Hamburger every night and paying 55 bucks, then you get a taste of a Fillet for 15 bucks.
How many times does the staple come loose holding the strap to the clamp, ( when it should be sewn). Or what happens when you need more length and you cant hook strap clamps together, just spend 20 more bucks for an "extension". Or when the thing lifts up your last row, with the U shaped hook? I have a whole list !

Well, I guess I better re-adjust my "signature"

Not unless you are going to go into the installation business! You can rent them out for $35/day at the big box store rental locations.

When you mentioned about allowing the adhesive to "flash", does that mean allow the glue to "dry" for some period of time? In the case of the adhesive that I will be using, Taylor MS+, they say to "install the wood flooring immediately after the adhesive is spread"...does that bar the use of the flashed lay method of installation?

Going back to the rolling issue so I understand how it fits within the overall installation method, here are the steps that I've visualized in my mind (please critique away!):

1. Assume subfloor is prepped to go
2. Lay down the chaulk lines;
3. Affix a starting straightedge (e.g. a long straight wood plank) to the starting line on the floor to keep the first few 2-3 plank rows along that starting line;
4. Dry lay the first few planks to see how they will be laid out, then remove these rows from the area to be glued for later use;
5. Trowel on (using the specified trowel) the Taylor MS+ adhesive to the subfloor where those first few plank rows are to be laid;
6. Immediately after troweling the adhesive (not allowing the glue to flash), I lay down the planks over the glue just as I had previously dry lain them;
7. Place shims/wedges on the perimeter to maintain the expansion gap, as well as to keep the rows in place (additionally apply blue painter's tape across the laid planks every 4");
8. Clean any laid down surface with mineral spirits and a clean rag;
9. Roll over the first plank rows (Guys, how many times do I do this continuously?) and then place floor cartons on top of initial planks along wall perimeter to weigh down the initial rows and then wait the entire cure time before continuing for subsequent rows;
10. After 2 hours of laying down the initial planks, remove the expansion shims and affixed starting straightedge to allow for natural expansion of the wood.
11. Continue with steps 4-10. Question: Should I only lay down only as many subsequent rows as I can roll within the working time of the adhesive? Also, does that mean that I have to wait 2 hours for the glue under the previously laid down planks to cure before proceeding to apply the next 2-3ft section of glue; or can I proceed to continuously lay down 20 ft. of subsequent rows without worrying?

Let me know if how I can improve on this technique (modifying, subtracting, adding steps, etc.). Thanks!

For an engineer yer pretty smart.




Look floor....I'd bet my ratchet straps can pull tighter than yours neener neener, since yours can only be tightened by hand...ratchet...pulling hmmmm So, you made me look at my strap and the older ones are sewed, the newer ones are stapled. I doubt the "staples" will come lose but just in case I think I'll superglue it a tad.

And yes if I need more I can buy extensions or.....just throw one on the opposite end and the ends are L shaped.

May the force be with you.

Hey floor...I guess us old timers can go back to grade school if we want, neener neener FYI I don't think 250 pounds of effortless pulling pressure is too shabby ...hmmmm. I'm glad you inspected your straps...I have a list of Installers that have wrote me horror stories about the stapled strap breaking loose, be careful. Mine are triple stitched in a cross pattern.
I think it's a great idea to purchase more , at what about 50 bucks , with staples, to latch together...perfect
May the force be with you.