What Adhesive is Best to Use When a Transition Comes Loose?

Incoming inquiry:

 

I have your engineered floor on gypcrete with in floor heat, Everything is fine except at the transition point between the bamboo floor and the tile.

At that point the floor wants to lift and it has caused a loose transition piece.  It gets a little dangerous as a trip point. I have tried a variety of glue options on the transition but they don’t hold.

Now I have the issue of removing the glue from the back of the transition which is problematic. I thought I would try epoxy unless you have a better idea.

I may need some new trim as well.  Is there a dealer in Colorado?

I appreciate your help.

-Dave

 

Outgoing reply:

 

Dave,

Based on your description it appears that there may be a low spot in the gypcrete when it gets near the tile. This allows for deflection (movement up and down.) Transitions aren’t there to hold the flooring down or in place. They are there to cover a necessary expansion gap, without having it be visible.

Adding additional adhesive will just create a mess of contaminated adhesive. A new transition would provide a clean surface on the trim. Remove the adhesive residue on the gypcrete for the best results. Then apply a small bead of urethane construction adhesive (liquid nails) to the back of the transition. Position and place it, doing your best not to smear adhesive on the surface of the floor. Then place weighted buckets, tool boxes, sand bags; anything with weight that can’t easily be moved around. Leave them in position for 24 hrs to ensure a good hold.

FYI… while the trim is out, you should check for the deflection. You can use a tape measure, ruler or yardstick to measure anything noticeable as you walk along the edge. You can also use a laser pointer. Point it against a wall and when you walk across the floor look for the laser to move.

If deflection is confirmed, it should be remedied before attaching the transition. If your flooring was installed as a floating floor, you can insert roofing tiles, or other semi-solid filler to compensate for the uneven subfloor. This can be done without dismantling the planks, in most cases. If that doesn’t seem feasible, you’ll want to contact your installation company, contractor or myself for other available options.

I hope this helps.

~Teragren Tech