The difference in lvp failure rates after switching to full spread glue is wild

I used to do click-lock lvp over concrete with just the perimeter glue, and i had callbacks every 6 months in winter for joints peaking. Moved to trowel-on full spread adhesive last january, same brand planks, same slab prep. Out of 22 jobs since then, zero have come back with issues. Anybody else notice that floating floors just don't hold up in real world temps?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryantorres24d ago

Yeah I guess physics was optional when they designed those floating floors. Floating floors and real world conditions just don't get along.

taylor.sean24d ago

Floating floors work just fine if you follow the mfgr specs and leave proper expansion gaps... people blame the product when really they're skimping on prep or not accounting for seasonal humidity swings. My last three big floating lvp jobs are going on two years with zero problems, all glued perimeter only, and the homeowners keep their thermostats at whatever they want. Winter temps drop, summer heat kicks up, and the planks still lay flat because I left a full 3/8 gap under the baseboards like the manual says. Most of the callbacks I see come from guys who think they know better than the engineers who designed the locking system and they cram the rows too tight.

adam_patel24d ago

Man that's exactly what I've been seeing too. Idk why but floating floors just seem to hate winter or big temp swings no matter how perfect you think the install is. I switched to full spread glue about a year ago and it's night and day with callbacks, especially on concrete slabs. I mean sure, you can leave the perfect expansion gap and follow every spec, but in my experience the planks still want to move in ways you can't predict. Maybe it's just me but I think the glue solves so many headaches that it's worth the extra cost and cleanup time.