adhesive or self adhesive underlay for oak floor

[roytonboy]

Hi all

I have obtained two quotes to lay solid oak flooring to my lounge

The subfloor is asphalt, likely to have some imperfections but nothing major of what I can percieve

One contractor has recommending laying a flexible adhesive, the other a self adhesive underlay.

Despite a considerable cost difference between the flexible adhesive and underlay - both guys are wsithin £50 of each other in their quotes

Assuming each of these guys has goodr eason for thei preferred method of adhesion, what would be the pros and cons of each system?

Any advice would be welcome

Kind Regards

 

[JoinerMike]

I would go for the glue method. personally i hate the self adhesive underlay. It a pain in the ar@e If they are using adhesive it would be recommended that they use a primer first like junkers. This will neutralize any chemicals in the asphalt to prevent it from reacting with the adhesive e.g. sika T54. I haven't used self adhesive underlay just don't trust it and all floor fitters i know won't or don't use it. One of the advantages of the adhesive method is that it won't move, so bad if your planning on moving as you'll need a jack hammer to get it up. But I think that the sound of an adhesive flooring is better than any method, any subfloor. It sounds solid when you walk on it instead of some methods which give you a hollow sounding noise

 

[WoodYouLike]

Remember that adhesive isn't a filler: if there are too many imperfections in your existing underfloor there will be places where the adhesive doesn't bond with the wood: echoing spots.

Wood works, no matter what installation method you use, hence the (Dutch) invention of self-adhesive underlayment - which we don't use ourselves though - any normal movement won't show up so easily because of its flexible underlay.

What are the measurement of your new boards?

 

[roytonboy]

Hi - thanks for your advice

I am not at home to look see the box but it is the Forester? stuff on sale at Costco recently 125 x 19mm I think

 

[WoodYouLike]

Beware of 'cheap' offers of solid flooring: very many short lengths = many joins acting like hinges.
Needs to be glued down if so. But not directly on asphalt.
Read this guest post on how to tackle bitumen underfloors best.

 

[mattysupra]

i would be tempted to use the adhesive underlay method.

 

[WoodYouLike]

We still haven't heard any stories about how the self-adhesive underlayment reacts to bitumen or bitumen residue. I'm rather curious about that.

 

[mattysupra]

it dont react. Its floating the same as a normal foam underlay. The wood is stuck to the underlay but not the floor.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Sorry, matty, that's not what I meant, I know the adhesive is on the surface

Just wondering what the sticky bitumen effect is on the rubber.

 

[mattysupra]

ye i thought it was a strange question from yourself! As far as i understand the underlay is made from a material that does not react with other floors. Its more a plastic not a rubber. I will ask the question tho next time im with the guys who make it. Might do a test myself thinking about it.