Glue Down vs. Peel and Stick Vinyl Plank

Basics

• Peel-and-stick vinyl planks differ from their glue-down counterparts in that they come precoated with adhesive. This adhesive lines the underside of the plank and is covered with wax paper that is stripped off before the plank is set in place to become a part of a new floor. Glue-down planks lack this adhesive coating and require the use of super glues to keep them securely in place.

Peel-and-Stick Pros and Cons

• The primary advantage of peel-and-stick vinyl planks is that you do not have to use extraneous super glue, which could lead to a cleaner looking floor. Glue could ooze out from underneath the plank if too much is added and could fail to hold the plank securely if too little is added. The primary disadvantage associated with peel-and-stick vinyl planks is that they are difficult to reuse or move around once they have been placed, since the adhesive will stick immediately and be rendered useless once the plank is ripped off the surface.

Glue-Down Planks Pros and Cons

• Glue-down planks are a simpler solution and allow for a little more flexibility with the planks. Super glues usually take a few minutes to completely dry, unlike the adhesive found on the back of peel-and-stick planks that will latch to the floor immediately. This means that you may remove the plank and place it somewhere else shortly after you have set it down. However, you will obviously need to purchase specialized super glue, which adds an extra expensive and a little more labor to your project.

Similarities

• Both types of planks obviously use adhesive, so removing them will require an adhesive stripper. This may be a liquid that is poured down between the gaps in the planks and eats away at the adhesive until the plank can be pulled from the floor. This will essentially turn peel-and-stick planks into standard glue-down planks if you ever wish to use them again. The bare floor must be completely clean and free of any residues before either type of plank is applied or else the adhesive may not stick. The undersides of glue-down planks should be cleaned and dried before they are set in place.