My home is 10 years old, I have just recently pulled up my carpet and have started pulling up my linoleum. I would love to stain my concrete but I'm stuck. My slab has glue marks and some sort of leveling compound under the linoleum. I need to remove the leveling compound but I'm not sure how. I tried scraping but that is extremely difficult and time consuming. Is there another way and what do I do about the glue marks?
Rent a sanding machine capable of doing concrete?
I'm thinking that's the ticket.
If it were just glue, some floor stripper and one of those floor cleaner machines with the big pad that looks like a scotchbrite pad would probably do it (I actually did something similar in my last house; there were old linoleum tiles in the laundry room and the concrete underneath was in good shape and bare concrete didn't bother me so long as it was clean) but I don't think it will touch the leveling compound.
It might cost more money but rather than trying to stain concrete that's had flooring put over it previously, some new flooring might be less hassle I'd think.
nate
After I made my post, I thought I should have added that too. I don't have experience with staining concrete, but here are some thoughts to consider. I'm sure you can get concrete stained to the level that it's appropriate for an interior floor. But I bet most times it's done like that, it's probably planned in advance, so the concrete is finished perfectly, then the stain is applied before anything else mucks it up. If this is a typical residential slab pour, I wonder if the finish of the concrete is perfect enough for it to look good. Maybe the sander approach could fix that, but if there are any deep gouges, etc, then what? If you fill them in, not sure how the stain would look, ie would you see that area stand out, etc? And if you sand, what a mess, going to need a respirator, etc.
I agree with you, another flooring choice would be easier and the results predictable.
Apply a concrete overlay to your existing concrete slab:
Use acid stain (not pigment) to achieve desired color/texture effect, then coat with urethane.
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What is Concrete Overlay?
DCI Concrete Overlay is a durable, ultra-strong, and easy-to-apply concrete layer that is mixed with water. Save money and time refinishing existing slabs with concrete overlay. Removing concrete is costly and disruptive. Extend the life of your patio, driveway or porch with a colored or stained Direct Colors concrete overlay.
Complete texture concrete overlay is hardy and strong. It is ideal for stamping, trowel stenciling, or as a primer coat on previously stamped or tiled surfaces. Smooth texture concrete overlay can be troweled down or sprayed with a hopper gun at low PSI for a super smooth texture and high work-ability. It is perfect for smooth finish flooring spray-on stenciling and vertical applications. How to Apply Concrete Overlay
Surface preparation is crucial to a successful concrete overlay project. While an overlay provides a ?clean slate? to work on, the existing concrete slab must in good condition and free on any contaminants before you begin.
e started pulling up my linoleum. I would love to stain my concrete but I' m stuck. My slab has glue marks and some sort of leveling compound under th e linoleum. I need to remove the leveling compound but I'm not sure how. I tried scraping but that is extremely difficult and time consuming. Is ther e another way and what do I do about the glue marks? -- posted from
If applying a concrete overlay as suggested, what is the minimum thickness of the overlay and will it work with existing door heights?
If the existing, exposed concrete is sufficiently cleaned and roughened, it can accept very thin overlays that can be durable and last for years under normal foot traffic.
"Polymer cement overlays, consisting of a proprietary blend of Portland cements, various aggregates and polymer resins, were introduced over 20 years ago. The purpose of adding a polymer resin to the cement and aggregate is to greatly increase the performance characteristics and versatility of conventional cements, mortars and concrete materials.
Unlike conventional cement and concrete mixes, polymer cement overlays can be applied thinly or thickly without fear of delamination or typical product failure. In addition, polymer cement overlays are much more resistant to damage from salt, petrochemicals, UV, harsh weather conditions and traffic wearing."
Most specs I've seen say 1/8", which should be no problem given the OP had a layer of something (linoleum?) on top of the concrete.
The OP should read this to get a basic idea of possibilitites:
Although much of the contents of that wiki page comes directly from various companies in that business, such as this one:
Other links of interest:
I especially recommend this link:
"This decorative stained concrete floor was created using a self-leveling cement overlay installed over old, badly damaged concrete in a basement in NW Portland. The new overlay was then colored using TerraCotta acid stain, and 100% solids epoxy was floated on thick to increase depth and gloss."
From here:
If we are talking about a slab-on-grade, one thing to look out for when sealing a slab with something like acrylic or epoxy is water penetration into and through the slab from the underside, which is particularly acute in basement floor situations. If the structure has proper water-diversion and removal from around or under the foundation, that shouldn't be a problem.
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