How to remove old black lino tile backing from pine floor before sanding?

[bumblebee2560]

I've tried cold scraping, hot water....too messy, think it cools too quickly,have to keep wiping up. hair dryer, last night tried steam iron held just above pitchy stuff, sometimes it worked and I was able to peel a liitle off down to floor boards but mostly some top layer moved but then I'm left with lower layer still. So far it looks unbeatable, then I thought maybe I'm not the only one, so I'm hoping someone has already solved the problem in a manageable way and can offer advice. I understand the sanding man won't touch it as it gums up his brushes/ sander. Hoping Robyn

[Bob F]

Heat gun? Like a hair dryer only hotter.

Ask the sanding man.

Bob

[jJim McLaughlin]

Had a simlar problem about 25 years ago when I had to get glued down carpet pad off a concrete floor in the basement family room. (No, I do not know what the prior owner was thinking. But just to give you an idea, the glued pad was under brown plaid indoor outdoor carpet.)

Despite lots and lots of scraping the black glue crap and final layer of the pad wouldn't come up fully.

I resorted to a solvent. Just plain paint thinner. Lots of it.

Note: Exterior sliding door was open, the water heater in the utility room was electric, not gas, and the furnace was off and the pilot light on the funace was off. (And no, I also do not why the first owner and the builder had electric stove, gas heat and electric hot water.)

Anyway, i put aout a quart paint thinner on a 3' x 3' square and let it sit about 15 minutes, and scraped with a with a 4 inch joint compound / taping "knife" thingy. Scraped up the crud on each pass. Scraped the joint compound thingy off with rags and paper towels and into a bucket. Repeated a lot. Washed floor with a degreaser then with hot soapy water. Took about a week of evenings for a 15' x 24' room.

I'm glad I was a lot younger then. Not sure my knees would take it now.

[Steve Barker]

Get you a block of dry ice and lead the scraper with it.

[Pat]

To get up carpet glue on old wood floors, I use a rug shampoor. I set the bristles all the way out, load the canister with hot water and soap, and take my time. You can control the wetness eaily and you have powered bristles so you don't kill yourself. Don't know if it will work on your type of glue but it might be worth a try.

[poison_1024]

[Big_Jake]

I did this several years ago with Adhesive Remover, bought by the gallon at Menards. It was seriously nasty stuff, containing Toluene and MEK, I believe. Did the trick, but probably causes cancer even in states other than CA.

JK

[BillGill]

I did about the same, except I used mineral spirits. Available in the paint department. I just poured some out on the floor and then started wiping it up. I only had a closet floor, but you sure need to be careful about breathing the fumes or let any kind of ignition source near by.

Bill Gill

[hallerb]

old tile is likekly asbestos and adhesive asbetsos too

[jJim McLaughlin]

Well, you don't *know* that. But even if you did:

So what?

Using solvent, any asbestos is wet. Very wet. Its also encapsulated. It ain't going anywhere, especially airborne.

As a one time project, not an "every day for years job" the health risks approach zero as an upper limit.

[BillGill]

Actually it is probably the old asphalt tile, and does not have any asbestos in it. That was what they put down with the black tar.

Bill Gill

[hallerb]

i know of old ashalt tile that had black tar adhesive tested positive for asbestos

[tksirius]

In the good old days, EVERYTHING was made of asbestos!!

Home Depot also carries a solvent to break up the old black cutback glue. Works OK and smells like hell.

Its going to be a project that's for sure, just make sure to get it all out before someone comes in there to sand down those pine floors.

Get those window fans going and wear that mask!

[hallerb]

have it tested for asbestos, if its asbestos the worst thing you can do is sand it.......

[poison_1024]

Both the tiles and cuttback adhesive probably are asbetsos based but to be honest - so what? Do you know how much it would cost to have someone come in and do the exact same thing that you are going to do? With the stuff being wet - after you apply the solvent to it - it ain't going anywhere.

[bumblebee2560]

Thank you to everyone for their imput.

I've done about half now, bit each day. I'm using a Bosch heat gun and it's softening it enough to scrape off. So $59 aus at Bunnings hardware, money well spent.

What an interesting site Cheers Robyn