According to the National Wood Flooring Association’s latest consumer study, 66% of American homeowners describe hardwood flooring as ideal for their dream homes.
Hardwood floors add enduring elegance to any room if installed correctly from the beginning. The installation process involves several precise steps and is always best when undertaken by a professional, experienced team. One of the most critical stages is securing the hardwood to the subfloor using an adhesive.
Unfortunately, not all flooring companies or contractors do this as a standard practice. They opt to save time and cut corners by simply nailing it down. We refer to this as a “floating floor.” This practice leaves the flooring vulnerable to imperfections that can cause issues later down the line.
Keep reading to discover why gluing your floor down is the preferred method for hardwood floor installation in Kansas City.
1. Gluing Gives Your Floors a Solid Feel
Installers glue each plank to the subfloor using commercial-grade adhesives when they glue down a hardwood floor. This makes a glued-down floor the most permanent type of hardwood floor installation.
As it’s firmly fixed, a glued-down floor doesn’t shift underfoot and won’t create that odd spongy feeling that’s common with a floating floor.
2. Glue Reduces Noise and Eliminates Squeaking
Wood is an excellent sound amplifier, which is why it’s used for crafting musical instruments. This isn’t a desirable characteristic when it comes to wooden flooring, though.
Since a floating floor has a thin gap between the wood and the subfloor, it works like a drum, amplifying the sound of your footsteps when you walk on it.
When your installer fixes your floor to the subfloor using adhesive, it doesn’t transmit much sound.
Wide plank floors are an attractive addition to any home, but are prone to gaps. Wider boards have a greater potential for movement, resulting in squeaking.
These wide planks typically have a longer distance between the tongue and groove on each board. Although staples and cleats may hold the tongue side in place, the groove side only stays in place by design.
Seasonal expansion and contraction can loosen the fasteners and negatively affect the fit on the groove side. The resulting movement causes a squeaky floor.
With a glued-down application, you don’t need to worry about loose planks or squeaking floors.
3. The Glue Acts as an Extra Vapor Barrier
Moisture can warp your gorgeous floors. When hardwood gets wet, it swells. This is called “cupping.”
According to BONA® floor care, using the correct hardwood adhesive helps add an extra layer of protection against moisture to prevent cupping. This can result in cost-saving benefits later.
4. Avoid Loose Floorboards with a Glue-Down Installation
Adhesive manufacturers create hardwood flooring adhesives that embrace the wood’s natural characteristics. They’re more elastic than ordinary adhesives and expand and contract with the wood.
This prevents the glue from chipping and cracking, which can cause your floorboards to loosen.
An uneven subfloor is another factor that can cause loose floorboards. But creating a perfectly level subfloor is only possible if you use a self-leveling compound.
When you opt for a floating floor installation, movements like foot traffic place strain on the floorboards, causing them to flex. This opens the joints, creates noise, and results in loose floorboards.
5. Glued Floors Suit Areas With High Humidity Best
Gluing down reduces the movement of a wooden floor when humidity causes a change in the moisture levels of the wood. That makes it the ideal solution for places like Kansas City, where humidity can soar, especially in the summer.
It’s also a good option for large areas, as it alleviates the need for expansion joints in the center of the floor span.
6. A Glued-Down Floor Lasts Longer
A glued-down floor protects your hardwood from excessive expansion, contraction, and strain from an uneven subfloor. This means they undergo less wear and require refinishing less often.
When you decide to refresh your wooden floor, it’s much easier on a firm, glued-down floor than it is on a floating floor. Thanks to this, you’ll achieve the desired look quicker while removing less wood from your floor’s surface.
7. Glued Floors Allow for Creativity
Gluing your wood floors enhances your creative freedom. With a glued floor, you can choose from different patterns, wood species, sizes of timber, and designs, like parquet.
A glued floor is perfect for an odd-shaped room and works well with tile borders. You can also use flush-mount moldings and transitions on glued and nailed floors.
When you choose a professional glued-down floor installation, you can enjoy the beauty and durability of a wood floor to enhance the look and feel of any room, regardless of its shape and size.
Expert Hardwood Floor Installation in Kansas City
A glue-down installation is the best way to ensure you enjoy the best benefits of hardwood flooring, which is why SVB Wood Floors glues down all flooring material that is 5 inches or wider!
A glue-down floor installation may cost a little extra, but it’s worth it. Choosing SVB’s flooring installation service is the best way to keep these costs to a minimum.
During our 15-plus years in business, we’ve discovered all the best ways to ensure you get excellent value for money when installing hardwood floors. We offer a wide range of flooring solutions, including beautiful custom designs to add dramatic flair to your home.
Contact our team to discover why SVB Floors is the top choice for professional hardwood floor installation in Kansas City.
