[stangn99]

Hi all,

We're getting ready to put down our floating vinyl floors. We decided to purchase some soundproofing material (approved for use with vinyl floors with OSB subfloor).

I reached out to the manufacturer for instructions on laying down the rubber type material (which is super heavy recycled rubber). I was advised to only use polyurethane based adhesive.

He recommended Bostik's Best or Franklin 911. Now I'm having a hard time finding these products locally and wondering if there is something similar I can use from my local HD/Lowes store.

I asked about Roberts 1407, but was told it's not polyurethane based and not approved for use with their soundproofing material.

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks!

 

[Chris616]

Can you give us a link to the soundproofing material that you plan to install.

Many companies use “polyurethane” and “urethane” interchangeably, even though they are not the same thing. It is more common to find urethane shown on flooring adhesive labels.

This installation sheet for a rubber-based soundproofing underlayment lists four choices for adhesive. Like the manufacturer of your product, one of their recommended adhesives is Bostik’s Best, but it is a urethane adhesive.
https://www.tmsoundproofing.com/products/underlay/UnderlaymentInstallation.pdf
https://www.bostik.com/us/Bostik-products/bostiks-best-urethane-hardwood-floor-adhesive

I suggest that you rely on the spec sheets from the adhesive manufacturer to decide if it is appropriate for your substrate (what’s underneath) and flooring material. Bostik doesn’t mention rubber as a flooring material to be used with their product.

At many HD stores in Canada and the US you’ll be able find Roberts 1407, 1509 or 1535, all urethane adhesives. Here are the spec sheets for the three of them. Only the 1509 sheet mentions rubber flooring as a suitable material and OSB as a suitable substrate.
https://www.robertsconsolidated.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1407_PDS_F1319-11244.pdf
https://www.robertsconsolidated.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1509_PDS_E2316-9849.pdf
https://www.robertsconsolidated.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1535_PDS_E2316-9849.pdf

If not available at your local HD, most reasonably sized population centres have at least one store where the flooring installation professionals go to get their supplies (not the tile/wood/etc. flooring chosen by homeowners - just the adhesives, underlayment, grout to install those). They will have exactly what you need. The selection and price will beat that at Home Depot, etc. We’ve found the guys at our local store to be very accommodating to DIYers who have done their research beforehand and don’t show up first thing in the morning when the store is busy with pros.

If you provide a locale, someone here can probably help you to locate that supplier close to you.

Chris

 

[stangn99]

Thanks for the informative feedback.

The product I've purchased is made from recycled rubber (tires, I believe). Here are some links to the product:

http://www.qtsoundcontrol.com/Content/documents/qt_spec_sheet_2.pdf
http://www.fourstarsme.com/pdf/qt-ecore/QT_Brochure.pdf

You'll notice they keep mentioning "approved adhesive" - and nothing more.


I did ask the rep about using Roberts 1407, and his reply was "Unfortunately the Roberts brand is not polyurethane". And "You require a Polyurethane base adhesive, like Franklin 911 or Bostik Best"

I did manage to find a seller for Bostik, but man it's pricey at $240 CAD / 5 gallon pail.

 

[Chris616]

As I wrote in my previous message, Bostik says that its product “Bostick’s Best” is a urethane adhesive, not polyurethane.
https://www.bostik.com/us/Bostik-products/bostiks-best-urethane-hardwood-floor-adhesive

Here is a sheet from QT’s website that they provide for writers of bid specification documents to include as a copy/paste. In section 2.3.1 they define the adhesive to use – a urethane adhesive (their own private label product manuafactured for them by an adhesive manufacturer).
http://www.qtsoundcontrol.com/docum...lename=QTrbmGuideSpecificationManual11419.pdf

Polyurethane is a mixture of urethanes than have been polymerized to blend them together. They are close to the same thing, which is why companies and people often use the terms interchangeably.

Chris

 

[ront02769]

If you dig into their website there is a section dealing with adhesives..with the title “polyurethane adhesive”.....but if you keep reading the entire section talks solely about “urethane” adhesive.

 

[stangn99]

If you dig into their website there is a section dealing with adhesives..with the title “polyurethane adhesive”.....but if you keep reading the entire section talks solely about “urethane” adhesive.

I ended up ordering the Bostik adhesive from Lumber Liquidators. The sales rep has been extremely responsive, but insists the approved adhesive is Bostik Best, and that's the one I should be using with their product.

I decided to go with Bostik Best since I have the email exchanges as proof, should it not go well!

The material itself cost me about a $1,000 and another $700 for the adhesive. I hope the rep is right!

 

[carpdad]

It looks like you are using sound deadening dense rubber sheet. I saw its use in a video and sure would appreciate your review after you've lived with it for a while.
From here on I'm guessing since your post is first time I'm reading about dense rubber install. The glue may have a quick set time. The instruction is probably the best to follow. I would recommend cutting the sheet to fit the room, dry fit, then roll it where you can trowel the glue on a small area, unroll the sheet then use a roller to flatten down the sheet. I would guess that you don't have to fit the sheet exactly to the wall. Rubber sheet is not the finish material. Search says polyurethane is oil based so it may take longer to dry than water based materials. Oil base usually means it also depends on evaporation to cure. So it could depend on your temps and maybe humidity.

Polyurethane, at least the tube kinds, used to have a problem curing in the tube because it's been on the shelf too long. Make sure your glue is fresh. Best use date or such.

 

[stangn99]

It looks like you are using sound deadening dense rubber sheet. I saw its use in a video and sure would appreciate your review after you've lived with it for a while.
From here on I'm guessing since your post is first time I'm reading about dense rubber install. The glue may have a quick set time. The instruction is probably the best to follow. I would recommend cutting the sheet to fit the room, dry fit, then roll it where you can trowel the glue on a small area, unroll the sheet then use a roller to flatten down the sheet. I would guess that you don't have to fit the sheet exactly to the wall. Rubber sheet is not the finish material. Search says polyurethane is oil based so it may take longer to dry than water based materials. Oil base usually means it also depends on evaporation to cure. So it could depend on your temps and maybe humidity.

Polyurethane, at least the tube kinds, used to have a problem curing in the tube because it's been on the shelf too long. Make sure your glue is fresh. Best use date or such.

That's exactly what the product is - sound deadening dense rubber.

Thank you for the advice and tips. From my understanding it's normal for the adhesive (the Bostik Best anyway) to have 2" of cured product at the top of the pail. I confirmed this with the seller and was told sometimes it's about 1", but up to 2" can be considered waste/hardened material.

I'll report back the sound deadening performance of the material. It's really dense and heavy. I will be placing Torly's brand vinyl flooring with cork backing on top, which in itself also has some sound absorbing characteristics.

The lower level has two sheets of 5/8 with green glue sandwiched in between.

 

[JonWalter]

I’ve used Roberts 1509 on thousands and thousands of square ft of engineered wood the past 5/8 years. Cleans up poorly but is the stickiest/best I’ve used. Having said that, I haven’t exposed myself to what else is out there lately because I’m happy with the 1509.