I finally changed my mind about the glue down method after a job in Atlanta

Went down to help a buddy on a commercial install last month in Buckhead. He was using pressure sensitive adhesive for this big open office and I always thought that stuff was overkill. But after watching how clean it laid down and how easy it was to swap a damaged tile later, yeah I get it now. Anyone else swear by one method over the other depending on the room?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_chen673d agoOG Member

Man that "how clean it laid down" part really hit me. I used to be the same way, I thought pressure sensitive was just extra work for no reason. But then I did a job in a high traffic hallway and watched how the tiles just stayed put no matter what, and I was like okay I get it now. It really is night and day when you have to pull up a single tile later too, the cleanest repair I have ever seen. Makes me wish I switched my thinking sooner honestly, live and learn I guess.

reed.ray3d ago

Gotta disagree with you there, honestly. Wet-set adhesive has never let me down, and pressure sensitive just feels like an extra step that doesn't buy you much in the real world. I've done plenty of high traffic hallways with regular glue, and they held up fine for years, no curling or shifting. Plus when you do need to replace a tile, yeah the wet-set might be a little messier, but it's not that big of a deal if you know what you're doing. Seems like pressure sensitive is solving a problem most people don't actually have, and it costs more too. Maybe it's just me, but I'll stick with what's always worked.