Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

By Eric Kurtz, LEED® Green Associate, Bostik’s Market Manager for Hardwood Installation Systems

e installation system is also critical to the value of a hardwood installation. While oating oors install quickly, they will never equal the durability, sound and under foot feel of a solid, bonded oor. While many of the oating oor underlayments prevent some sound transmission through a oor, they do li le for the sound of footsteps within the room. ey cannot provide the solid feel under foot as the ooring de ects with each step, increasing the potential for creaking or popping, and undermining the experience of even the most well-designed interior space.

rate. Self-leveling underlayments, such as Bostik’s SL-100™, SL-150™, SL-175™, and SL-200™, are a very easy and e ective way to achieve a at sub oor. Be very careful in selecting the self-leveler though. Many products on the market have moisture limitations and may break down underneath the ooring over time as they are exposed to moisture vapor, especially in applications where unlimited moisture vapor protection is desired. e Bostik self-levelers listed above have no moisture vapor limitations and will support unlimited moisture vapor protection systems. To reduce the inherent risks of not being able to see that proper coverage has been achieved, many installers prefer two-step systems comprised of a moisture vapor barrier coating and an adhesive. e two most common moisture vapor barrier coatings are epoxies, such as Bostik’s Slab-Cote™ or D-250™, or urethane membranes, such as Bostik’s MVP4®. e advantage of a two-step process is that visual inspection is possible to identify and remedy any voids because the moisture barrier is applied prior to bonding the ooring. Photographs may also be taken before the ooring is installed. e disadvantages of the two-step process are that it increases the project timeline, requires additional installation labor and materials, and the ooring can’t be installed until the coating cures – typically requiring 24 hours and a return trip to the job site for the installer. Moisture vapor moving through slabs is one of the most common causes of failure of hardwood ooring installations on concrete. All-in-one products are an excellent solution if the slab is properly prepared, enough adhesive is applied, the moisture vapor emission rate (or RH) does not exceed the limits of the all-in-one being used, and installation is performed carefully to manufacturer speci cations. First and foremost, the customer will be unhappy if there is an issue with their ooring, whether frommoisture damage, hollow spots, gapping, nish, or other aesthetic problems. Simply avoiding problems will not make the customer happy. ey need to know that the value they are ge ing in their new oor is exceptional – that they are ge ing something special. Hardwood increases home values be er than any other ooring type. In a recent survey, hardwood ooring was revealed to have the same level of emotional connection as ne furniture. Imitation hardwood such as vinyl and tile are ge ing be er at mimicking the appearance of hardwood, but they will never have the character or feel that real hardwood provides. ey are not made from natural, renewable materials. ey will never match the warmth, comfort, sound, or smell of hardwood ooring, making it a truly unique experiential connection. ENHANCING VALUE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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