Used to staple tack strip right to concrete, now I glue every piece after a $400 callback in Gary
A stretch job last month popped loose along the living room wall because moisture crept up through the slab and rusted out the staples, so now I keep a tube of adhesive in the van and glue every stick in basements and slabs, and I'm wondering if anyone else here switched over or if you still staple and just seal the holes.
Check the slab for a vapor barrier before you decide, because glue alone won't stop the rust if moisture is still pushing up from below. Gluing keeps the strip from popping, but trapped damp can rot the tack strip itself over a few years, so a roll-on sealer on the concrete first saves you a second callback. Staples plus a good bead of construction adhesive in the holes works fine too, the glue is doing the real work either way.