Apply a 1/4 –inch continuous line (bead) of construction adhesive such as LIQUID NAILS® Subfloor and Deck Construction Adhesive (LN-902) along joists before laying your chosen flooring. When laying hard floors, you will need to apply the adhesive as you work across the floor, one board at a time.
Liquid Nails LN-602 Subfloor and Deck Construction Adhesive is the perfect adhesive for subfloors, flooring and decking. It can be used inside or outside and all the extreme weather. LN-602 is perfect for bonding building materials such as wafer board, plywood, lumber, etc. and also helps with the squeaking boards.
The most popular type of wood flooring glue is urethane glue. This floor adhesive is in a solid form and won't evaporate in the air. This flooring adhesive forms a solid rubber structure between the surface and top of the subfloor.
While construction adhesive does have its own benefits, it might not be the best solution when installing hardwood floors. Construction adhesive is a great product to use when you want to permanently fuse two pieces of material together. It creates a strong and rigid bond. However, wood floors move.
For most DIYers, liquid nails and wood glue might sound interchangeable. After all, they serve the same purpose: to stick things together. But aside from their adhesive function, they pretty much have nothing in common. Liquid nails is actually a brand for a wide range of construction adhesives.
The strongest adhesive by far was the Loctite PL Fast Grab Premium. It held 115 pounds on the wood block and 92 pounds on the PVC block. The next strongest adhesive, Liquid Nail's Fuze It All Surface, held 100 pounds on the wood and 64 pounds on the PVC.
In a separate experiment that pitted Gorilla Glue against Liquid Nails, Gorilla Glue performed better than Liquid Nails HD. Liquid Nails HD was able to withstand 441lb, while Gorilla Glue construction adhesive held 846 lb. Using these results, we can deduce Gorilla Glue bonds better than Liquid Nails Heavy Duty.
If you have a concrete subfloor, then you should glue your hardwood down, if you have a wooden subfloor then you can choose either method of installation. However, if you are planning on fitting your hardwood floor to joists, then you will need to secret nail them into place.
Don't Glue Tongue and Grooves
This is because wood flooring needs room to move as it expands. If the wood is glued both to the subfloor and between the planks, there's no room for movement. In the long-run, limited movement leads to cracks, disfigurement and warping of your wood flooring.
LIQUID NAILS® Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive (LN-903/LNP-903) is a multipurpose, low-solvent, high-strength construction adhesive.
Homes with a concrete subfloor should glue down hardwood floor, while a wooden subfloor allows for either option. Subfloor prep is especially critical for gluing hardwood floors.
Best Overall Glue Choice: BOSTIK GreenForce Adhesive
The Bostic GreenForce Adhesive is a urethane glue and is by far the best glue on the market to use for bonding hardwood floors, especially on concrete substrates.
Yes, you can use liquid nails to join pressure-treated wood together. However, in most cases, liquid nails dry out over time and tend to lose their adhesive strength.
While most Liquid Nails products require 24 hours to dry, some set in just 4 to 6 hours, while a handful of products require up to 48 hours to dry. Some types are designed to dry and cure rapidly. Certain polyurethane-based construction adhesives will dry and cure in just 10 minutes.
The groove of the plank should face the wall and the tongue should face outward. This makes the tongue accessible for nailing, but not the groove.
All it takes is 1⁄8″. The joint should be a firm press fit: If you have to knock the pieces together, then struggle to pull them apart, the joint's too tight. A tongue that's a hair too fat for the groove may actually seat, but it will stress the groove sidewalls and may, in time, prompt them to split.
A staple will give a stronger, less-forgiving hold because of its two-pronged construction. Nails allow for a more natural expansion and contraction of the hardwood floorboards with fewer problems.
Hardwood strips that are on the wider range, four to seven inches in width, will need nails four to six inches apart. Strips that are from three inches to less than four inches in width require nails every six to eight inches. Narrow strips of less than three inches wide need nails every eight to ten inches.
Hardwood flooring will not stabilize the OSB subfloor, so all movement must be remedied prior to hardwood installation. Ensure that no fasteners are exposed or raised and that there is at least an 1/8-inch gap between OSB subfloor panels.
For another, a product like Liquid Nails Fuze*It creates a bond that's two times strong than fasteners alone.
LIQUID NAILS® Outdoor Repair Adhesive (LN-209) is a clear adhesive bonds almost everything indoors and out and in any weather condition. Its low-odor, waterproof formula works on wet surfaces, and stays flexible to absorb impacts.
Make sure the adhesive is rated for the type of trim you are installing as well as the surface you are installing it to. These Liquid Nails products are rated for use with most interior trim and molding types.