The "just a little more glue" advice that ruined my afternoon

Old timer named Gary told me to always hit the seams with extra spray adhesive so they never peel up. Tried it on a big living room job in a new build last Friday. Ended up with glue bleeding through the seams on three different rows before I caught it. Had to rip out 12 feet of carpet and redo it because the stuff wouldn't dry clear. Gary felt bad but I should have known better than to double up on a humid day. Anybody else get burned by advice that worked great for one guy but not for your situation?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_simon6d ago

Man, humid days really mess with glue drying times. Did you check the humidity level before you started or just figure it was close enough? I bet knowing that number could have saved you that headache.

wesleyb206d ago

Stopped over applying glue and switched to tack strips after a similar mess ruined my Saturday.

hannah4005d ago

Do you think people forget that tack strips also mean you're committing to nail holes in the subfloor that might show up later if you ever pull the carpet? I've seen that happen in rentals where they went with strips and the next owner ended up with a bumpy mess under new flooring. Glue is messy and can fail in humidity, sure, but at least you're not punching holes through the whole foundation if you ever change your mind. Plus tack strips have those nasty sharp points that love to grab your socks or a pet's paw if the carpet shifts. I'll take a glue headache over tetanus any day.