Threw away $200 on a bad glue job for luxury vinyl plank

I tried using a cheap pressure-sensitive adhesive from Home Depot to install LVP over concrete in a basement remodel in Phoenix. Within 3 weeks the planks were lifting at the seams and the homeowner was furious. Had to rip it all up and redo with proper pressure-sensitive glue from a local floor supply house. Anyone else learn this lesson the expensive way?

2 comments

2 Comments

valwest12h ago

3M's 90 Contact Cement in a spray can from Lowes is actually the way to go for LVP over concrete in a dry climate like Phoenix (I've used it on three jobs here). The cheap stuff from Home Depot is basically just water and glue that never fully cures in low humidity. You probably didn't let the adhesive flash off long enough before laying the planks either that's a common mistake with pressure-sensitive glues in Arizona's dry air. Most people blame the glue when really it's about following the cure time chart on the back of the can to the letter (and that includes accounting for concrete moisture content).

jade2219h ago

Wait, @valwest, you're actually saying the cheap stuff is basically water and glue?