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Showing posts from June, 2009

Urethane vs. Acrylic adhesives

If you are about to install engineered hardwood using the glue down method, I recommend that you read this article. One of the most important factors when installing engineered hardwood is the adhesive. Using the proper adhesive is critical to a successful installation. In this article I will briefly cover the differences between Acrylic and Urethane based adhesives. Let me start with acrylic adhesives. Acrylic adhesives are resin based and contain a certain percentage of water in them. The main problem with resin based adhesives, is the lack of tensile strength. In order for Acrylic adhesives to perform at their optimal level, the sub-floor needs to be well prepared and extremely flat. If the sub-floor is not level and flat and you choose to use an acrylic adhesive, I guarantee you will have hollow spots once the job is complete. Hollow spots are areas in which the wood floor is not adhered properly to the substrate. This problem is common and can be recognized by a popping or hollow