I had to choose between a full glue-down or a perimeter-only install for a huge vinyl plank job

The job was 2,500 square feet of LVP in a new office space in Boise, and the spec sheet gave me the option. I went with full glue-down, which added a full day and about $800 in extra adhesive cost. The client was not happy about the extra time or money at first. But after seeing how solid and quiet the floor is, they admitted it was the right call. I've had zero callbacks for movement or noise in the six months since. Anyone else had to argue for the more expensive, labor-intensive method and win the client over after the fact?

3 comments

3 Comments

taragibson27d ago

Full glue-down is basically future-proofing the floor against furniture changes. Heavy desks and rolling chairs will wreck a perimeter install over time. You saved them a much bigger headache down the road.

derek_burns8726d ago

Honestly, how many times have you seen a floating floor get that rippled look after a few years? I did a full glue-down in a busy cafe once and the owner fought me on the cost. Took him about two weeks of chairs scraping and heavy tables getting moved around to come back and say he finally got it. That floor is still dead flat and silent three years later. You just can't beat that solid feel.

tara_palmer8d ago

My buddy's rental property had a floating floor buckle after just one humid summer. The tenants kept moving a big couch around and it looked like a wave pool. Derek_burns87 is totally right about that solid feel being worth the upfront argument. I read a whole forum thread where installers said glue down is the only way for any space with rolling loads or heavy furniture. The floor can't shift so it stays flat under pressure. People forget that a floor is a long term investment, not just a quick cover up.