Subfloor adhesive recommendations

[5030tinkerer]

Do you guys have any experience with different subfloor construction adhesives? I plan on installing my 3/4 T&G plywood subfloor on my trusses this week and have noted products from DAP, PL, and Loctite (DAP Subfloor Construction And Deck Adhesive 4000, PL400 and Loctite Power Grab). There is a huge difference in cost between these options ranging from $2 for a 28oz tube to $6.50, but is there a grabbing difference? This is one of those things that you can't go back and re-do later. I want to do it right (and don't want sqeaky floors) , but don't want to throw money away either. Plans are to install deck screws maybe every 2' or so along with this adhesive. Any ideas?

 

[kennyd]

PL400 for me. It has a proven record. I also use the SENCO subfloor srews, they have the extra thread at the top of the shank that really pulls the ply down tight. Lowes sells them...look at the "interior wood to wood" screws here for an example: http://www.senco.com/pdf/catalog/sg_chart.pdf

Also, screw every 8" to 12", not 24".

 

[Marlowe]

I just did that job a few weeks ago and used two different brands of glue with similar pricing. I used some of the stuff from Builder's First Source with their label. It was a pain. It was too thick and real hard to get it out of the tube and it tended to bead up and roll off the wood. Others I asked told me that it worked good though. The other brand I used was something Fastenal sells. It's labeled Builder's First Choice and is produced by Liquid Nails. It was a pure pleasure to use after the other stuff. The gun was easy to operate and the glue stayed on the wood like you would expect. If I were doing it again, nothing but the Fastenal stuff for me.

I put the wood on using only nails as the directions indicated. I'm going back and putting screws in it. Some of the plywood panels were slightly warped and pulled loose before the glue could dry. That wouldn't have happened with screws. In fact, with screws I wonder about the need for glue at all, but would still use it. It's cheap, and like you said, you can't really go back and do it after the wood's on the framing.

 

[Nat]

Liquid nails , hard to beat. Later, Nat

 

[5030tinkerer]

Also, screw every 8" to 12", not 24".

It's funny you mention this...I was wondering if there was a specification out there somewhere on stuff like this. Is there or is just what others have always done? (how do you know how much is enough?)

On the PL400 vs the other stuff, the PL400 is like $5 a tube or so, the DAP was on sale for $1.99/tube. $3/tube extra is cheap insurance if the stuff works better, but then there is the Loctite brand for like $6.50. Sort of hard to know what to choose. It doesn't surprise me that the Liquid Nails product worked well, but my supplier didn't carry that - maybe I need to check with another supply house. Too many choices here. Is there some toughness rating / holding power rating out there anywhere?

 

[Marlowe]

The wood that I put on had a manufacturer's recommendation as to fastener spacing and type. The brand name of the wood is Advantech. They specified six inch spacing on the edges and twelve inch spacing otherwise using 8d nails. Like I said, I'm going back and put screws in. The nails didn't hold the warped boards down. I thought seriously about using 10d nails but decided I didn't want to risk splitting the floor joists. I think I was worried too much. Should have went with the longer nails.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I did not have good results with liquid nail.

 

[5030tinkerer]

I did not have good results with liquid nail.

What sort of trouble did you have with it? In what application? Until your post, I hadn't heard of anyone anywhere that had trouble with it.

 

[EddieWalker]

With screws, you realy don't need glue, but since glue is so cheap and works so well, it's crazy not to use both. As for glue, I've always had good luck with liquid nails. I use it for just about everything with good results. A few times I've had to tear apart two pieces of wood that had liquid nails holding them together and the glue has always held. The wood will give before the glue.

Eddie

 

[5030tinkerer]

That's sort of what I thought. I actually found the Lquid Nails product at my supplier this evening and am planning to use it. The extra hundred bucks or so across my project is well worth not being upset later should a floor squeak.