Comparison of Subflooring Installations Using the DAP Urethane Adhesive and Cartridge Adhesive

Published Monday, December 31, 2012

DAP Products, Inc. (DAP) developed a new urethane adhesive for subflooring (OSB, plywood) installation on wood floor joists. The adhesive is delivered by a reusable dispensing gun loaded with a pressurized canister of expanding urethane that fills gaps as it bonds. Preliminary evaluations by DAP indicate their adhesive has a much higher coverage rate and takes less time to install than cartridge subfloor adhesive and DAP engaged the NAHB Research Center to validate their findings.

This study was a comparison of construction time and adhesive usage in subflooring installation between: 1) traditional cartridge subfloor adhesive and 2) a new urethane-based adhesive by DAP Products. The Research Center designed and implemented a testing program to compare installation times and application rates of the DAP urethane subfloor adhesive and traditional cartridge subfloor adhesive. The study was conducted on a total of seven (7) identical floors, alternating between the two adhesives, while Research Center staff used the Group Timing Technique (GTT) method of time-and-motion study to observe and record labor time.

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