We are about to install 3/4 inch southern yellow pine flooring over 3/4 inch plywood sub-floor. A neighbor is doing the same and he is gluing the planks down. Is this a good idea?
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Replies
Bob:
What is the width of the planks?
John
6" true width 5 1/8
Bob;
I've put down lots of wider width SYP plank flooring--up to 12". In those applications I face nail with nails from Tremont nail company for an old-timey look. Lately I've heard people talking about gluing down 4-6 inch wide stock and nailing through the tongue. I think the idea may have come from the engineered flooring which is often glued down to slabs.
I'm not crazy about the idea, if only because if you restrict wood movement across the grain then something will give sooner or later. Either the glue gives up the ghost or the wood cracks. Nailing allows the wood to move a little bit. On the other hand, six inch wide SYP could cup under certain conditions.
If face nailing is out, I still think it is possible to nail through the tongue and forget the glue provided the moisture content of the wood is very low, you put down felt between the subfloor and the planks, and the humidity in the room is pretty stable. You might even consider back-priming with shellac, which dries quickly and acts as a moisture barrier. That all said, you may get a slight cupping or an occasional creak.
The gluing might make for a more solid initial installation, but I just don't know about the long term.
John
Can you provide additional details.......
is this a ground floor install?
over crawlspace?
tougue & groove? installed across the joists or in parallel?
flooring nailer?
any face nails?
solid pine (not engineered)?
new install or remodel?
Can you provide additional details.......is this a ground floor install? GROUND FLOOR- THREE-QUARTER INCH PLYWOOD SUBFLOORover crawlspace? OVER CRAWLSPACE WHICH HAS A VISQUEEN VAPOR BARRIER ON GROUNDtougue & groove? THREE-QUARTER INCH THICK SIX INCH WIDE SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE TONGUE AND GROOVE FLOORING WITH SINGLE GROOVE DOWN CENTER OF BACKinstalled across the joists or in parallel? ACROSS JOISTSflooring nailer? PNUEMATIC FLOORING NAILER WITH STAPLESany face nails?NO solid pine (not engineered)?SOLID PINE TONGUE AND GROOVEnew install or remodel?NEW
I would pretty much agree with enduringcharm........
I too would be a little concerned that humidity differences above and beneath the flooring might cause cupping, which is the reason we usually specify a moisture barrier (15# felt or impregnated craft) when installing over a crawl space. If you seal the underside of the planks before laying them (whether with shellac or some other clear wood sealer), you could use an adhesive that remains flexible, which might help alleviate some of the cupping problems. Of course you need to be careful applying the advesive so it doesn't smooge up between the joints and just make a big mess.......
Good luck!
About 10 yrs. ago, I installed 3/4" prefinished oak flooring for my nieghbour at the cottage. The boards were 2 1/4" wide. The material and adhesive were supplied by client (friend). I'd never glued down flooring before, but He did give me a video from the adhesive manufacturer. I followed the instructions to a "t", and that floor is still 100%. The glue was a rubber type (don't remember the details) very gooey, and placed only about 20" ahead of the working area, let tack, place wood. All done by hand, no nails, slight tapping to fit. The subfloor was a hodge podge of material, including a small section of partical core! I brought this to his attention but he didn't care. The house also has a crawlspace, lots of concerns but he said "go ahead" so I did and as I said ,its still fine. I credit the success of this project with the adhesive, it was specially made for hardwood floors. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the adhesive, but I'm sure its out there.