Swapped to a 1/2 inch trowel for vinyl plank and stopped getting callbacks

I used to use a 1/4 inch trowel for all my LVP installs, just like everyone told me. Then last summer I did a big job in Phoenix where the floor started clicking and shifting after 3 months. The distributor told me the glue was too thin on the edges. I switched to a 1/2 inch trowel and make sure to back-butter each plank now. Haven't had a single callback since that change. Has anyone else tried using a bigger notch for their glue-down jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer_chen619d ago

You ever have one of those jobs where you think you got it figured out and then the floor starts talking back to you? I was doing this big commercial space a few years back and used the standard notch like everyone said. Six months later the planks were popping up in the sunniest spots, looked like a wavy mess. Thing is I also started using a hard plastic trowel instead of a metal one for the glue-down vinyl. The metal ones can actually spread the adhesive thinner if you're not careful with the angle. Not saying it's for everyone but it helped me get a more even bed. That Phoenix heat is no joke, really dries out a glue joint if you don't lay it thick enough.

barbaraw1619d ago

Heard that plastic trowel tip before too @spencer_chen6, makes sense for heavy sun.