I too am installing a wide plank floor.

I am installing wide plank American Chestnut (4" - 12" width). The floor will be side and face nailed.

I noticed in the other post regarding wide plank an adhesive was recommended. If adhesive is used then I assume I will have to forgo a moisture barrier. What will I be sacrificing by not using a moisture barrier? What will I be sacrificing if I forgo the adhesive and use a moisture barrier?

I will be applying over a radiant floor. Does anyone know of odor if roofing felt is used as an underlayment? Are there other underlayment options?

Finally, the room is 24' x 34' long. Anything I need to be aware of regarding the size of the room? I know the expansion joint needs to be large on both sides.

Thanks in advance.

Ken

If you are face nailing then an adhesive is not needed. It's an either/or situation. Face nail or glue. That is from Carlisile Restoration on their wide plank install procedures. Adhesive is not a moisture/vapor barrier. If you're installing a wide plank over radiant, you can count on wood floor movement, perhaps more than normal. Is this a radiant panel or are there water tubes running through a slab? Also, asphalt felt is not a moisture barrier but just a vapor diffuser. I wouldn't use that over radiant; it could off gas the smell of tar. You need to research this install carefully. Personally, I'd feel more confident about this install by gluing and blind nailing. You will need to select the right adhesive that won't be effected by the radiant and that won't off gas as well. This is why many radiant companies recommend floating floors. This has the potential of failure due to wide solid plank over radiant.

Not sure how Bostick's will do over the heat but I know that the Chemrex we use does great. Not to ever question Gary either, but I also know the Chemrex is (self proclaimed) an adhesive that serves as moisture barrier as well. Again, not sure of the Bostick's on that claim.

I would agree with Gary that adhesive and blind nails is how I'd go. JUST DON'T PIERCE YOUR TUBING!! Go slowly and deliberatly in your nailing.

You may live in an area that certainly has more moisture issues than North Idaho.

Will, I didn't know that. Ya learn something new everyday! Hey, Chemrex works well over radiant? Does it put off any odor after cured? One of my distributor's carries that. I'll use it on an up coming job if you think it will be fine. I've got to glue some engineered down to 3/4" CDX that is over radiant panels. I'll be nailing most of it but some I will need to glue as well. So you think it will work well for that?

Unless my sniffer has been destroyed, I can't smell any sort of odor at all. The first time we ever used Chemrex was over radiant heat in a log cobin (HUGE ONE!) in Troy, MT. We troweled it board by board to avoid squish up between planks (mostly how we do it) and nailed to sleepers with blind nails.

House was hugely un-level as well, but the chemrex didn't care ... if we had to "flood" some into low pocket spots it sucked the wood down tight when cured.

This was 4" Site finished rustic hickory in 6' - 12' lengths. I returned to sand and finish about 3 weeks later. The client let us sleep at the place (100 mi. away) and I recall how nice and warm the floors were and noticed the Hickory didn't do any obscene shrinking and felt nice and solid, certainly had no odor at all ... never even gave smell a thought at the time, nothing to notice.

That was 2 years ago, and I'm certain this cliant (insurance CEO in Sacramento, CA) would've called had there ever been any issues.

Although Chemrex is typically more $ than BB our distributer (Intermountain Wood Products) sells it to us at a slightly better price to keep us coming to him.

GBY,

Hi Will,

I went on the ChemRex web site and they are now called Degussa but still call their flooring adhesive Chemrex CK-941. According to their instructions, it does have moderate vapor reducing characteristics. However, they mention that concrete slabs should not exceed the "industry standard" of less than 3 lbs. per 1000 sq.ft. in a 24 hour period. They mention using their concrete floor primer if it exceeds that up to 12 lbs. per 1000 sq.ft. Here's the info:
http://www.chemrex.com/documents/941_tdg.pdf

It does sound like a good product!