thanks for taking the moment to read through my post>>>


i just bought 770sq ft of
Natural Elm E3494 3" Plank Anderson Hardwood. the plan is to install the hardwood floor myself over next weekend. this is my first time doing this but from every website i've been to regarding the glue down method over concrete, it appears relatively easy - am i missing something here or is it really not that difficult?

here are some factors:
1. the house is a new home and the concrete slab appears to be very level with the exception of a couple of spots i need to fill (1 inch by 1 inch little divets where concrete appears chipped)
2. i live in southern california and the temperature around here year round probably averages 73-80 degrees.
3. i plan to use Anderson "Duck Glue" DG4 (5 pails)
4. i'd like glue directly over the concrete
5. the floors will cover two living rooms...one room is a full square, the other is a square with the addition of one 45 degree angled wall measuring around 4 feet.

i don't want to blow this job and regret it months from now. i've read moisture can be a huge problem...but everything around here is so dry year round, i can't imagine moisture being a problem - but i don't know and that's why i'm here...to get advice.

this hardwood is also engineered and figure this is more resistant to water moisture than regular hardwood - is this true?

i want to avoid any creaks - what should i look out for?

is contractions and swelling a problem with engineered hardwood floors? the hardwood floor is comprised of 3" wide panks about 36 inches long.


any help would be GREATLY appreciated... i would more greatly appreciate help with my specific scenario and not other hardwood types.

thank you SO much!

steven

Steven:

I don't know what websites you've been to, but one thing is for sure gluing an engineeerd floor is not easy! It may look easy but don't overlook the mess involved. 5 pails? That sounds like a BIG layout. Level is not the issue but a flat subfloor is. A few of the biggest reasons for failure include lack of floor prep and not enough adhesive used.

Have you seen our pages on gluedown tips? Most of your questions are answered there. If not come on back



http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwoodinstaller/gluedown-prep.htm

It ain't easy, but watching someone that is experienced, they can sometimes make it look easy, but what you don't see, is the installer thinking 10 steps ahead at all times, so obsticles and problems are totally avoided.

Lack of floor prep, is the #1 killer of a gluedown. That includes proper moisture testing of the concrete.

Darned Perry!

That's a classic statement. You're absolutely right.

i appreciate the quick responses guys...

i've read through the glue down procedures listed on this site...and it appears that, yes, there is careful prep involved before beginning the project. i think this is true for most home improvement projects...i plan to take my time in the preparation of the subfloor...

what i'm looking for are definite "be careful with this" type of advice

i plan to order 5 pails which says each pail covers 160 sq/ft which is 800 sq/ft -- the rooms measure about 740 sq.ft total.

i'm worried about starting to glue the wood down and then realizing halfway down a room that i have a problem back in step 1. is there anything anyone knows from experience that i should definitely watch out for?

thanks in advance,

steven

PS Does anyone know if anderson hardwood floor is a good brand or not? i did some research on this brand in particular and didn't find anything wrong with it.

Ken's tips can help you get your rows started; I don't do a lot of gluedown, and his tips have helped me a great deal when I do! Anderson is a nice product to work with, the quality is good, and you should be fine. Spread your glue in workable strips, so you can get the wood into the glue before it skins over. Use a chalkline to snap out your "gluelines". I make my line in from the edge by just a bit, so I don't have a glob right where the next row starts. Once you have a section down and secure, you can always dry lay a section to see how it will "layout". Keep a rag handy to clean off the glue while wet, go slow, and don't spread any adhesive until you have each section figured out, and any problem solved.