Luxury Vinyl Plank glue failure

[Lisa Thiessen]

I have a concrete subfloor with glue-down luxury vinyl plank (LVP). I did not install this floor, so I don't know the age, brand name, or if the manufacturer's installation guidelines were followed. Most of the floor is in good condition, but in several places, the planks have popped and curled.

The glue under the planks remains sticky, but seems like it isn't strong enough to overcome the curl of the plank. I have attempted to apply new glue and restick the planks, holding them down with something heavy to promote adhesion. Unfortunately, when I remove the weight, the planks curl and pop again. 

Has anyone experienced this issue? Any advice on how to repair other than completely replacing a mostly good floor?

[Joseph Ortiz]

Lisa,

This could be one of two reasons that come to mind. One being that there might be a higher content of moisture on the slab in those particular areas. This could be why the glue refuses to bond if it has been good in other areas. The slab could be sweating in the areas that are giving you trouble. You may have to remove a couple of pieces and the glue to test the moisture on the slab itself. The percentage needs to be between 7%-9% ideally. If you find a high percentage you may need to use some sort of sealer before you reapply an glue. Always use a high quality glue if you want the application to last. The second reason may be that the installers did not let the glue get tacky (also known as "flashing") before they started installing the planks. This will for sure create the issue you are experiencing. Either way I recommend that you call someone local who specializes in floors to inspect the floor and give you some direction.  Sorry you are having to deal with this. We have been there!

Best of luck.

Joseph.