Removing gummy carpet padding from wood floors.
 

I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

Scrape off the gunk. Sand to bare wood. Refinish.

Now that you've used mineral spirits on some areas, you'll
need to do the above to get a consistent finish. No way
around it.

wrote in message oups.com...
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

On 11 Jun 2005 12:55:39 -0700, wrote:

I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

Scrape the padding off with whatever works best - I've used regular
paint scrapers with good effect as long as you are *very* careful of
the corners of the scraper. Once the pad is removed rent a floor
sander and take it all down to bare wood (there is no finish left in
the traffic areas, that is why the water soaks in) before applying
your favorite floor finish.

IMO, trying to preserve any of the old finish on a floor that will
actually be used is a waste of time.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.
(snip)

You have my sympathy. About ten years ago I had to do the same thing except
the kind soul who installed the carpet (It was in one piece and even went
into the kitchen, laundry and toilet!) actually glued it to the floor. I
tried any number of solvents, the only thing that would disolve the glue was
petrol (gasoline). The scraper I used was a spade. I managed to do one room
but gave up on the idea and just put linoleum down and then we sold the
house.

After that I suggested to my local MP that there be an amendment to the
criminal code to create a new offence 'Criminal Renovation' penalty 15
years.

Mekon

wrote:
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

IF the surface is shellac, white stains could be from water. Try very
fine steel wool on those. Some waxes will turn white with food stains
on them, as well.


I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

Don't use water.


We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Blue 3M scrubber might work. May want to start with less abrasive one,
if there is one. I don't recall how many varieties there are.


Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli


An old book on finishing pianos tells of using multiple coats of shellac
to build a glassy coating, with varnish on top for protection from water
and alcohol, both of which will leave rings on shellac. If you get down
to the old coating, a couple of coats of real varnish might be good.
Mineral spririts to remove all wax, first. Fine steel wool with mineral
spirits may dull the shellac finish, but a final finish of whatever
gloss you like should even it out. Be sure to wipe up all steel wool
particles, and let ms dry well.

I've used WD 40 many times to remove all sorts of glue you might test an
inconspicuous area and see if that works
Bob
wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

try Goo-Gone; I have used it to remove old duct tape gum from a wood floor.
Goo-Gone is to gum removal what WD40 is to stuck bolts....

http://www.magicamerican.com/googone.shtml

------------------------------------------

"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...
Scrape off the gunk. Sand to bare wood. Refinish.

Now that you've used mineral spirits on some areas, you'll
need to do the above to get a consistent finish. No way
around it.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

Don't laugh at this idea...try some Pam the kitchen spray...you see I sell
hotwheels on ebay and some of the price stickers from some of the older ones
that I bought were a bear to remove without damaging the card and just a
little pam on a rag and gently rub and the glue comes off the cardboard and
the clear plastic that the hotwheel is displayed in...works every time

Tina

"BoborAnn" wrote in message
...
I've used WD 40 many times to remove all sorts of glue you might test an
inconspicuous area and see if that works
Bob
wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

Put a drop of alcohol on the floor and test it for softening in a few
minutes to confirm it is shellac. If it is use alcohol to remove the
shellac under the padding. Shellac and lacquer melt previous coats
forming a single coat of finish unlike varnish that builds layers of
finish as it doesn't melt previous coats. When floor is clean I'd use
dewaxed shellac as the finish as it was used for years prior to
varnish. Easy repair unlike varnish. It can be obtained in several
"colors" depending on steps during processing. Look for the color
variations of shellac at www.homesteadfinishing.com

On 11 Jun 2005 12:55:39 -0700, wrote:

I have an old (1912) house with pine or fir wood floors
and I think shellac finish over stain. We just removed
some ~20 year old carpet and padding, and the floor doesn't
look too horrible, so we would like to preserve as much
of the original finish as possible.

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily. We have about a 1x4' area
completed in 3 hours, and you can still see some of the spots.
They even seem to look grey or white (dried out) instead of
looking like the surrounding finish.

I tested the finish with water, and in the corners it will
bead up with no white spots, so I do not think there is much
if any wax buildup. The high traffic areas do not bead, but
will soak in and darken the wood.

We have tried plastic scrapers to no avail. Fingernails seem
to do the best job. Acetone removes the finish and lightens the wood.

Eventually we would like to apply a coat of paste wax to add
some protection and shine to the floor.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Jay and Kelli

Everyone, thanks for your replies!

FYI, the Pam and WD-40 did not work,
but the Pam left a nice shiny finish and
a buttery smell :)

The alcohol removed the stain and the finish.

We will try the steel wool and MS tomorrow.

Either way, the finish is "unsound" and needs
repair. I am thinking another coat of shellac
will do the trick. I'll let ya know how things
develop.

On 11 Jun 2005 12:55:39 -0700, wrote:

We are using mineral spirits to remove the gummy pad stains,
but it is not coming off too easily.

I used one of these
http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/al...dile.sized.jpg