Q: I have just install a engineered hardwood floor and I suspect the floor did not adhere to the substrate (e.g. popping noise after I walk over the area in question). I have heard about a kit that might help which involves a syringe and adhesive. I guess you drill a 1/16 inch hole then shoot the adhesive into the affected area.
Questions:
- Is this the only way to fix the popping?
- What adhesive do I use? The same as I used to initially lay the flooring?
- Is the 1/16″ drill bit the correct size?
- How do I fill the hole?
Thanks in Advance,
Chris
A: Typically the noise you are encountering with a glue-down floor occurs when the glue cures and air pockets are under the wood. Since these air pockets exist, the flooring itself can flex ever so slightly, making the popping noises. The method suggested to you is a pretty common fix for both glued down wood floors and rolled out vinyl or linoleum. The 1/16″ size is also common, as this allows for a smaller hole that is large enough to fit an injector, think like a caulking gun, filled with the adhesive used to lay the floor to fit into place to force more adhesive down into the air pocket to fill it and finish anchoring the floor to the subfloor.
To fill the hole, just take a floor putty, colored matches as close as you can and just fill the holes with putty. You could also mix a bit of dust from the holes into the putty to help make sure it color matches closely. Do your best to let the injected adhesive cure before filling with putty to help make sure you can keep it nice and level.
Great post; clever fix.
Mixing the dust with wood glue would also work.