Have you witnessed it—gapping in glue-down luxury vinyl flooring? You’re not alone. This issue started catching our attention years ago when pressure-sensitive adhesives became the norm. The appeal was undeniable—no more wet setting? You could glue an entire room and install it at your own pace? Sign us up.

A while later, you start noticing it—gapping in other people's projects. Your first thought, “They must not know what they’re doing.” But then, it happens—you revisit one of your own projects, and there it is, gapping everywhere. Suddenly, you’re questioning yourself. "Do I suck, too?" Instead of shrugging it off as "just the nature of the material," we took action. We went back to basics, revisiting how the old systems worked—those jobs still looked great. We also reached out to industry experts, gathering insights and advice. 

Though it wasn’t a requirement, we started semi-wet setting luxury vinyl, knowing that these adhesives were more transitional in nature. It gave us peace of mind, knowing that our floors would look good not just for a few months but for years to come. 

Fast forward a few years, and now we’re hearing that most manufacturers are reconsidering pressure-sensitive adhesives and leaning back toward semi-wet setting. Why? Because their products aren’t "performing" in the eyes of the customers. Those unsightly gaps aren’t just because of a material that sucks; they’re a preventable issue. 

Does it suck that we might have to go back to semi-wet setting? Yes. Is it more labor-intensive and time-consuming? Absolutely. And we need to charge more for it. Unfortunately, a salesman who has never installed a floor doesn’t get that. Will there be some fights? Probably. But we need to start these conversations now, educating those around us about the changes on the horizon. 

We know that some installers will resist the new standards, clinging to the old "we’ve done it this way for years" mentality. We are better than that. That’s right—“we.” If you are reading this, that means we’re in this together! It’s up to all of us to ensure that the proper methods are known, understood and implemented. Let’s stop doing what’s easiest and start doing what’s right.