[Fixitgeorge]

I would like to know if it would be acceptable to glue down an Armstrong Locking Hardwood floor? The floor that I chose was Armstrong Merbau (EL5M12NALG). I’m asking this question because when my installer laid the floor over a moisture barrier on dry concrete some areas buckled upward. That is, in some areas the floor is raised from the concrete about a half an inch! When you step on these areas - the floor planks “spring” down, when you take your foot off the area – the floor planks “spring” up!!! The installer wants to: remove the planks in the areas where the problems occur, glue down acoustical cork, then glue down the floor planks to the cork. He told me that once this is done it would be impossible for any more “springing” to take place. I’m worried that if local areas are repaired I’ll see the same problems with the “floating” areas. There are other styles that I can use that are suitable for glue down, such as: Bruce Lock and Fold Hardwood and Armstrong Fenton Crest Collection – Natural. Please help. Thank you.

 

[Floorwizard]

The springing is most likely due to lack of acclimation and/or lack of expansion space.
Remove wall moldings to see if wood is pressed up against the wall instead of 1/4 away.
If so, then all you need to do is cut new expansion spaces.
Armstrong can be glued but it can also be floated...your problem is most likely due to install.

 

[poppameth]

Yep I agree. You do not want to glue this down if you can help it. It's not really designed for that. In this case even if he glues cork down and glues the floor to that I'll wager it'll rip loose from the cork and still spring on you. All he has to do is pop off the trim and run the right kind of saw along the edge to trim a wider expansion joint. It's far easier than ripping up half the floor and trying to fix it incorrectly. The correct fix is far easier and makes more sense.

 

[HardwoodGuy]

remove the planks in the areas where the problems occur, glue down acoustical cork, then glue down the floor planks to the cork. He told me that once this is done it would be impossible for any more “springing” to take place.

That makes no sense, unless you're not describing the whole picture or maybe some areas will now become seperate. IE "the installer will fix the problem areas in one room and not another."

If the fix is in the middle of a room how will the adjacent areas work with an increased floor height with cork under it?

 

[26yrsinflooring]

Solving the problem

You cannot glue this plank down it is designed to float.
What you can do is:
Check the expansion and confirm this is not due to over expansion.The end of the wood could be sitting ona sill plate or the drywall and causing this tenting.
If there is no expansion problems, take the offending area out, should be easy since it is a floating floor.
Cut reliefs every 2 inches on the back of several boards these reliefs should go through apox 1/3-1/2 of the board, this will relax the wood and it will lay to the floor.
These style of floors have been forced onto the market because outfits like Lumber Liquidcrapetors have convinced people that second quailty and cabin grade wood is as good as #1 Select.
The mills like Armstrong and others are trying to produce a quality wood at a price that compares to the seconds LL is flooding the market with. With any quality wood comes the Laws of Physics and these laws dictate that would will bow.
The Aluminum Oxide wearlayer plays into this as well. It dissallow thw wood to flex as it is designed so... this in turn will cause the back to flex and not the front, hence the end result is a bowed piece.
I am sure Nestor the Local engineer can explain some of this better.I can only explain it from my simple knowledg base.

 

[jcifjr]

Relief cuts???

"26"....I'm curious about your suggestion to cut relief into the back of the boards.

I installed the Lock and Fold product last weekend in my family room and am very disappointed so far because of how noisy it is.

I've read many posts on this and other sites and I've checked it all out. I have plenty of expansion, nothing is binding and my slab floor is clean and flat. Despite all this, there are still areas that "flex" just enough when you walk on them to cause a clicking sound that is driving me nuts. I've read that many people are experiencing the same issue.

Do you have experience working with this product and if so have you come across this clicking issue? I'd love to hear more about your idea to cut relief because at this point I'll try anything.

 

[26yrsinflooring]

I have heard about the click but no seen it.It is my understanding that the underpaymnet can playa part in this.
What style of underlayment are you using?

 

[jcifjr]

Floor Muffler

I used "Floor Muffler" as an underlayment. The clicking seems to be caused by the slight movement of the boards. Along the long side of the board is sort of a waxy substance that I think is supposed to act like a glue. When the boards move, the click happens when the wood from one board separates from the wax on the other....does that make any sense?

 

[poppameth]

It's most likely the end joints. I've seen numerous reports of problems with the lock n' fold system. For some reason Armstrong decided not to use a spring clip in the end joint, and just leave a loose fold over. It moves too much, period. All the other companies I've worked with that have a fold over end joint are putting a plastic clip in the joint that locks it firmly into place when the joint is pressed together. You have to run a nail or wire into the joint from the side to unlock that clip and pull the board apart. Lock n' Fold doesn't have anything like this.

 

[26yrsinflooring]

I do not use Floor muffler so I cannot say anything negative or positive.
I do use Quiet Walk and no floors are clicking.

I would bring in a rep from the place you bought the floor, if you bought it online, request an inpection from a mill rep, they will get with you quickly.The mill reps are getting trained to handle internet sales issues.

 

[bita]

Noisy Floors

Did you ever find a resolution to your floor noise? I too have a clicking noise and I used a premium underlayment. My floors were clean and level. Did you find a solution? Does this problem go away over time?

"26"....I'm curious about your suggestion to cut relief into the back of the boards.

I installed the Lock and Fold product last weekend in my family room and am very disappointed so far because of how noisy it is.

I've read many posts on this and other sites and I've checked it all out. I have plenty of expansion, nothing is binding and my slab floor is clean and flat. Despite all this, there are still areas that "flex" just enough when you walk on them to cause a clicking sound that is driving me nuts. I've read that many people are experiencing the same issue.

Do you have experience working with this product and if so have you come across this clicking issue? I'd love to hear more about your idea to cut relief because at this point I'll try anything.