An apparatus spreads flowable materials such as adhesives and/or sealants on a surface such as a floor and/or a wall. The apparatus has a pad retainer for a removable spreader pad and a reservoir chamber for flowable material pivotally attached to the pad retainer to permit pivoting of the reservoir chamber frontwards and backwards. The reservoir chamber has an adjustable gate through which the flowable material may exit. The gate is proximal the bottom of the reservoir chamber and complementary to the width of the pad retaining means to permit more uniform spreading of the flowable material. A handle is attached to and extends from the reservoir chamber. The handle may pivot from side to side on the reservoir chamber and may be hollow to house a cable associated with the means for opening the gate.