Anybody have any experience removing cutback adhesive?

Jstas

I have a floor in the basement that had these awful black, asphalt tiles. Lotsa mold too. So I ripped up all the tiles with a floor scraper, disposed of them and then proceeded to bleach the living hell out of the walls and floor to kill the mold problem.

That's all done now and I'd like to lay down these tiles:

http://www.millikencarpet.com/Americas/Residential/CarpetPanels/Legato/product/Pages/default.aspx



I can do this entire room for about $480. Now they say you can lay this stuff down over anything as long as it's free of dirt. But the cutback adhesive (dark brown, looks like used motor oil) is sticky in spots and very uneven.

So for the last few hours I've been **** around with an adhesive stripper that is supposed to be lifting this stuff up. It is, but no where near all of it. The stuff is probably original to the house so it's 50+ years old. Some of it is so dry that it might as well be the concrete.

So if anyone has ever removed this stuff before, is it possible that the adhesive is too old and dry that a stripper won't remove it? 'Cause if so, Imma cut my losses, get some masonry silicon carbide sand paper and just give the floor a scuffing to get all the ridges off, mop and drop the floor tiles down.

Polkersince85

Have you tried a heat gun and scraper?

VR3

I recommend putting 1/8 ply over it

michaeljhsda2

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

I recommend putting 1/8 ply over it

That's what i was thinking.

Jstas

Polkersince85 wrote: »

Have you tried a heat gun and scraper?

Yeah, same results and alot more work. The only thing that works well enough is mineral spirits or naptha. That will take it off but it leaves an oily residue behind and a sealer won't stick to that. So unless I can get something that will clean up the mineral spirits and dissolved adhesive without much todo, I kinda don't want to go that route. I was hoping this stripper would work but no matter how much I whip her, she just can't get all the glue up.

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

I recommend putting 1/8 ply over it

michaeljhsda2 wrote: »

That's what i was thinking.

Makes me glad that:

1.) I don't live in your houses
2.) I'm not listening to half-assed advice like that.
3.) Plywood, on a concrete slab, in a basement? Are you an idiot?

The only way I can possibly see covering it up with something is to spread floor leveler but that'll be just as much work and effort as spreading a stripper and scraping off the adhesive with the same results. Besides, everyone I've talked to says that you should get the cutback adhesive up first because even if the leveler bonds to the adhesive, if you get any moisture coming up through the slab, it'll pop the adhesive off the slab and you're get all kinds of problems. Then, instead of just scraping up adhesive, you're chiseling out leveler.

VR3

I didnt read your post.

I skimmed it and am following the Ron P mantra -

Did not read it was a slab...

Napalm it.

dkg999

Have you tried TSP? I've had good luck in a couple of cases with it loosening old gooey floor glue enough to scrape it up. In other cases it didn't even phase the old glue. Have you tried that orange citrus stripper?

txcoastal1

Done quite a few remodels in my last couple houses....if you had mold you had moisture

A couple weeks ago my wifes office was having problems with there tiles that were put in after Hurricane Ike. The tiles had to all be stripped and yes there was mold, a couple cracks that were not properly filled properly was letting moisture come up so they had to refill fill those and refloat the slab. Then put the new tile down.

Jstas

dkg999 wrote: »

Have you tried TSP? I've had good luck in a couple of cases with it loosening old gooey floor glue enough to scrape it up. In other cases it didn't even phase the old glue. Have you tried that orange citrus stripper?

TSP?

I've tried the orange citrus stripper. that's what's on it now. Also the Sentinel stuff. Neither one is really touching it. The guy at Home Depot said "Goo-B-Gone. That stuff works on anything!" Until I pointed out on the side of the can what it shouldn't be used on. Number one on the list? Cutback adhesive.

Seriously, the only thing that has really pulled this stuff up is the petroleum distillates that stink and make you woozy. Gonna require a ton of elbow grease to get it up too. Then I gotta find a degreaser that can get it up with a mop and bucket. That's honestly what I'm trying to avoid.

txcoastal1 wrote: »

Done quite a few remodels in my last couple houses....if you had mold you had moisture

Thanks, I know. Moisture problems were due to a backed up sewer system long before I moved in and an improperly graded yard. Both have been remedied, moisture isn't an issue anymore. But hey, thanks for stating the obvious. I wasn't actually sure what caused mold. Glad you straightened it out for me.



For anyone else who doesn't want a caustic response from me, I don't need help diagnosing my problems. I have already fixed the water issues and the mold issues. There aren't problems with my slab, foundation or drainage. I have a single section of grading to fix which will be done shortly. I am not going to take any short cuts. The only issue I need some advice on is how to effectively and efficiently get this cutback adhesive up. If you have no applicable advice or experience on removing old cutback adhesive then, don't waste my time. If you post a message that offers no help at all, is just a series of stupid jokes and/or trolling or is a lecture about something I could easily look up on Google then save it. 'Cause I don't have time to waste, I do not suffer fools lightly and if I can look it up on Google, rest assured, I already have.

To those who have offered real suggestions or sensible questions already, thank you. Sometimes all you need is an extra brain to cover a base you missed.

gdb

Have you tried your acid tongue? :rolleyes:

dkg999

TSP - Tri Sodium Phosphate, normally used for cleaning concreate and stripping wall paper. In the past it has loosened floor glue residue to the point of being gummy enough it would scrape up into piles of stuff that was a snot-like consistency. Not a sure-fire remedy, but if you have some around might be worth a test.

michaeljhsda2

Prayers sent.

Gadabout

You might call a janitorial supply company tomorrow. They have all sorts of chemical wonders. Wish I could be more help, but the only experience I have with it we used a industrial floor buffer and very abrasive pad.

Scott

inspiredsports

Be careful breathing that stuff (both the mold spores and the chlorine) without a respirator.

Chlorine will not get the "roots" of the mold, just the surface.

Jstas

fastz28 wrote: »

747 Plus Adhesive Remover

Did about the same as the citrus stuff. That's the Sentinel stuff I mentioned.

Good info on the rest of the stuff though. I'll see if any of it makes better progress than I already haven't.

txcoastal1

The suggestion was maybe to refloat the floor with a new clean surface...not to be little your knowledge.

Good luck

amulford

I had some tiles in the basement at the house I used to live in which were under some linoleum. I used some stripper I had to put some sort of plastic over and the scrape the crap up, then neutralize it immediately. It was a little bit of work but it did work well enough. I got it from HD.

I forget the name of the stuff. Sorry.

drumminman

How about a drum sander such as is used for sanding hardwood floors? Start with 60 grit. You'd need a smaller sander as well to get in the corners and a good respirator, but I be it'd work.

The sanders you could rent at one of the big box stores like Home Depot.

TECHNOKID

michaeljhsda2 wrote: »

Prayers sent.

+1, he needs lots of it! Prayers sent!