Old timer on a job in Raleigh taught me something I still use

Back in 2019 I was doing a big commercial install in an office building off Capital Blvd. This older guy named Frank was showing me how to do the glue-down seams without any overlap. He said "stop rushing the tuck, it's the only part people actually feel with their feet." Stuck with me ever since, I think about it on every seam I cut. Any of you guys got a tip from an old hand that just clicked?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_adams21d ago

Frank's tip works every time for me, but @hugo_robinson25 you might need a different adhesive for that slam method.

hugo_robinson2521d ago

Disagree completely with the old timer mindset honestly. I've seen guys try that super slow careful tuck and it actually makes the material bunch up more in my experience. You gotta slam that seam home fast and clean with a good roller behind it or the glue starts setting before you even get the material down right. Frank probably learned that trick from some 1970s job where the adhesive was different and the floors were already failing anyway. Speed and pressure matter way more than some mystical respect for the tuck.

alexk6021d ago

It's the same thing I see everywhere now honestly. People act like there's some magic trick when really it's just understanding that materials and conditions change over time. I tried that slow careful method my first few times and ended up with wavy garbage that looked like it was breathing. Slamming it down fast with a heavy roller never lets the glue tack off on me.