The evenness of wood floor glue application directly affects the adhesion and aesthetics of the installed flooring. Different floor textures present varying requirements for glue penetration, adhesion, and distribution. For common textures such as straight grain, mountain grain, wavy grain, interlocking grain, and hand-carved patterns, application strategies need to be optimized in terms of tool suitability, direction control, pressure adjustment, and auxiliary processes to achieve both even glue coverage and texture protection.
Straight grain flooring has a uniform and regular grain direction, allowing glue to easily penetrate along the fiber direction. However, localized accumulation may cause raised areas after drying. For this type of texture, a plastic scraper with a moderate tooth spacing should be used, tilted at 45 degrees and dragged at a uniform speed to distribute the glue evenly along the grain. Too narrow a tooth spacing will result in a thin glue layer, weakening adhesion; too wide a tooth spacing may cause excessive glue to accumulate in the grooves. Maintain a steady pressure during application to avoid uneven glue thickness due to hand tremors. Also, pay attention to covering the small chamfers at the edges of the flooring to prevent edge lifting due to insufficient glue.
Mountain-patterned flooring has an undulating texture with significant variations in elevation. Adhesive tends to dry quickly at the peaks but accumulates in the troughs. In this case, a flexible rubber roller should be used to apply pressure, pressing the adhesive into the recessed areas of the texture while avoiding excessive adhesive at the peaks. Apply a coat horizontally first, then roll vertically, using the roller's elastic deformation to fill in the texture differences. For areas with deeper troughs, a syringe can be used to apply adhesive at specific points to prevent hollow sounds after installation due to insufficient adhesive.
Wave-patterned flooring has a continuous curved texture, and adhesive tends to break at points of greater curvature due to surface tension. For this type of texture, atomized spraying is recommended. High-pressure gas atomizes the adhesive into tiny particles, allowing it to adhere evenly to the floor surface. During spraying, keep the spray gun perpendicular to the floor and move it at a uniform speed to avoid uneven adhesive layers on one side. After spraying, immediately press lightly with a scraper to remove air bubbles and ensure the adhesive fully penetrates to the base of the texture.
The complex grain direction of interlocking wood flooring can cause uneven glue distribution due to the greater resistance at fiber intersections. In this case, a two-way application method is necessary. First, apply glue in one direction, and after initial curing, apply a second coat perpendicular to the original direction. Two-way application utilizes the glue's fluidity to fill gaps at fiber intersections, while preventing over-compaction of the grain due to unidirectional application. For grain intersections, a needle can be used to gently separate the fibers to ensure deep glue penetration.
Hand-carved wood flooring exhibits significant variations in grain depth, causing wood floor glue to accumulate in shallow areas and be insufficient in deeper areas. For this type of flooring, a segmented application process is required. First, use a scraper to cover the entire surface, then use a syringe to replenish glue in deeper areas. When replenishing, control the needle insertion depth to avoid damaging the carving details, and use a small brush to spread excess glue to adjacent areas to prevent localized over-thickness. After application, press down on the carved areas with a heavy object to ensure the wood floor glue fully fills the grain gaps.
Regardless of the grain, ensure the floor surface is clean and dry before applying glue to prevent dust or oil from affecting glue adhesion. After applying the adhesive, the floor should be installed promptly to prevent the adhesive from forming a skin on the surface, which would reduce bonding strength. For special textures, a test application should be done on scrap material first to adjust the process parameters before formal application, ensuring the final result meets expectations.
