# glue and clamps for tongue & groove floor?



## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

I am floating Johnson ForeverTuff tongue and groove engineered walnut flooring. I bought a gallon of Titebond II Extend Wood Glue at Woodcraft to glue the tongue and grooves together. However after reading the install directions more carefully they recommend Titebond Tongue & Groove Flooring Glue. Will either work fine or is there a real difference? They only sell the latter in 16oz bottles and it is much more expensive per ounce. Do I even want an extended dry time or is a faster one better?

Also they mention flooring clamps? Are they necessary? I didn't really want to spend a bunch of money on clamps I will only use once.

I am nervous about installing this flooring as it is expensive and I have never installed a floor like this. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Wood flooring moves with changes in the room temp. You need a glue that allows for that movement, and some type of clamp that will hold the pieces while the glue sets up.

Floating a wood floor would not be my first plan. I'd rent a flooring nailer and nail it down with a bead of construction adhesive under each of the planks, or use urethane glue spread over the entire old floor if putting it down over concrete.


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## bentwood (Jan 26, 2012)

Franklin has great tech support at the toll free # on the Tite Bond container.
You should be able to improvise a method of keeping the material in firm contact until glue sets. The fast setting glue would be an asset in that case.


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## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Johnnie, actually I am installing it on the 2nd floor on an old plywood subfloor and the reason I am floating is to reduce sound transmission to downstairs. It will be floating on 1/4" cork underlayment.


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## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Bentwood. I will give them a call.


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## wooddude (Jun 14, 2011)

having done a few floors,instead of clamps i use a good duct tape at each seam,most manufactuers recommend a certain glue for warranty purposes there glues are to be water resistent but so is the titebond you have.when starting a floor i dry fit 3 rows lightly taped together.move the starter rows to the starting wall keeping the starter rows as square as possible to the room.if the wall is irregular it will be necessary to scribe to the wall to reach a desired 3/16 to 1/4" gap to alow for floor movement and or expandtion and contraction.once your first row is scribed you can then glue up the first 3 rows,let the glue set up an hour or so,use a damp rag not soaked, to much water is not good it may get in the seams and cause problems ,you just want to get the excess glue off.there might be some residue left from the tape when removed but mineral spirits will remove,again damp not soaked.if you are not into the tape idea, stap clamping will work but thats alot of clamping,ive had nothing but great results with tape.hope this helps.happy woodworking


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## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Wooddude! The tape sounds like a brilliantly simple solution! I just want to clarify...you glue and tape just 3 rows at a time and wait an hour before gluing the next 3? Or is the 3 rows only at the beginning and then you just glue and tape each row as you go? If they are wide rows (about 20') would you do less than 3 rows at a time to ensure you get it all set before the glue starts setting up?


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## wooddude (Jun 14, 2011)

yes glue and tape the 3 starter rows first to give a stable beginning then its 1 row at a time,i think ur going to do just fine send pics on process and completion


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## wooddude (Jun 14, 2011)

oh by the way i will be insalling a floor on monday and tuesday but its a snap together ill take pics


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## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

So I got in contact with Franklin and they said there isn't much difference between the two glues other than the T&G glue is white and has a faster set time. They said what I have should work fine. I guess I will be starting this weekend. Thanks again for all the advice and I will post pictures when I have something to show.


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## egeorge1 (Dec 18, 2009)

removed


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