How to Fasten Underlayment to Subfloor

[AStreamJake]

I'm in the process of installing a glue-down cork floor in my 2003 Safari. My subfloor is in great shape, and I don't want to glue the cork tiles directly to it, so I'm now cutting 1/4" Tri-Ply (from Home Depot) to use as an underlayment. My question: How should I fasten the underlayment to the subfloor?

The cork dealer (icorkfloor.com) tells me to use screws spaced every 6". I'm concerned that even these, since they're countersunk, may pop through what little of the 1/4" floor remains after drilling the countersinks. And, should I ever need to remove the subfloor, I'd have to find every one of those screws by scraping the cork and glue off of their heads in order to unscrew them.

The other option is staples. This seems to be what most of the professional floor installers use (and what my local flooring guy recommended) but will the staples hold up to the 'moving floor' of an Airstream as it travels down the highway, or will they just pop/pull right out?

Any suggestions and comments on your past experiences would be appreciated.

[dkottum]

How about a quality waterproof double-sided tape you could scrape off if the floor ever fails, say at six inch intervals. If that would work, and I've never seen it done, why not fasten the cork to the subfloor with it.

[AStreamJake]

Originally Posted by dkottum

How about a quality waterproof double-sided tape you could scrape off if the floor ever fails, say at six inch intervals. If that would work, and I've never seen it done, why not fasten the cork to the subfloor with it.

dkottum - the guys at Lowe's and Home Depot swear by the double-sided tape. Our local Home Depot even uses double-sided tape to hold the large sale signs posted on the walls of their store. They've told us that they have to pry the signs loose when done with them.

I'm not brave enough, however, to be the guinea pig who is the first to use it in for Airstream underlayment. Call me chicken! I'm looking for the tried and true.

[Lance M]

Why don't you want to glue the cork to the sub-floor? To be able to remove it easily later on? I would skip the underlayment and use double sided tape to fasten the cork to the sub-floor like Doug suggests.

[AStreamJake]

Originally Posted by Top

Why don't you want to glue the cork to the sub-floor? To be able to remove it easily later on? I would skip the underlayment and use double sided tape to fasten the cork to the sub-floor like Doug suggests.

Well, I never thought of the double-sided tape, and the underlayment is already cut and is in place now (but not yet fastened). Although double-sided tape is an interesting concept, I don't want to be the first to try it and it's not an approved installation method for the cork flooring I'm buying, which is glue-down only.

Frankly, double-sided tape sounds more like a temporary solution and not the higher quality job I'm looking for. Although I could see myself at some future time wanting to again remodel and put down yet another floor, it won't be anytime soon. This go-around has worn me out, so if I do change floors in the future, it'll be in a decade or two. Probably right before they move me into the nursing home!