Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.

The only way I seem to be able to get it off is by using a belt sander,
which clogs up the sand paper after a few suare feet. The floor is
over 250 square feet so I don't really want to do this over the entire
floor. I can also scrape it off with a flat head screwdriver, but I
really don't want to scrape 250 square feet with a screwdriver.

My question is, is it okay to install peel and stick vinyl tiles over
this smooth glue surface? I tried putting a test tile down on the
floor, standing on it for a few seconds and then trying to peel it off.
I could just barely get it off with my fingers, and I have pretty
strong hands. I tried the same test in an area where I had cleaned off
the glue with a belt sander and I couldn't really get it off with my
fingers, the tile was breaking off in chunks and I had to use a
scraper. Is it normal for you to be able to get a peel and stick vinyl
tile off the floor with your fingers 30 seconds after you laid it down
and stood on it?

My other options is to just put down a sheet of vinyl, which should go
down fine over the surface as it is right now, but it would be a little
more expensive and since this will be a rental suite I like the idea of
being able to replace individual ruined tiles for about $1.00 each.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Tony.

thelooch wrote:
Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.

The only way I seem to be able to get it off is by using a belt sander,
which clogs up the sand paper after a few suare feet. The floor is
over 250 square feet so I don't really want to do this over the entire
floor. I can also scrape it off with a flat head screwdriver, but I
really don't want to scrape 250 square feet with a screwdriver.

My question is, is it okay to install peel and stick vinyl tiles over
this smooth glue surface? I tried putting a test tile down on the
floor, standing on it for a few seconds and then trying to peel it off.
I could just barely get it off with my fingers, and I have pretty
strong hands. I tried the same test in an area where I had cleaned off
the glue with a belt sander and I couldn't really get it off with my
fingers, the tile was breaking off in chunks and I had to use a
scraper. Is it normal for you to be able to get a peel and stick vinyl
tile off the floor with your fingers 30 seconds after you laid it down
and stood on it?

My other options is to just put down a sheet of vinyl, which should go
down fine over the surface as it is right now, but it would be a little
more expensive and since this will be a rental suite I like the idea of
being able to replace individual ruined tiles for about $1.00 each.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Tony

If it were me I'd scrape the adhesive off with a solvent - just to be
sure. I pulled the carpet off a concrete apartment floor once which
left glue residue. The glue softened when I poured kerosene on it, but
if you want to spend a few dollars, carpet suppliers have glue solvent
which would probably work better. I then scraped the stuff off with a
wide flat scraper and lots of elbow grease. Gets rid of any lumps &
bumps on the floor and gives the new adhesive a better surface to stick
to.

Having said that, if your happy with the result without scraping the
old adhesive off then you can be the judge.

thelooch wrote:
Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.


I feel your pain. Last summer I finished the flooring job from Hell
at our cabin in Flagstaff. Wife said the nasty old carpet in the hall,
bathroom, and kitchen had to go, replace it with peel and stick tile.
First layer, 20 year old carpet, stapled down, nothing easy like
tack strips. Second layer, some nasty industrial-looking carpet
tile. Of course, the carpet tile was old enough that when you
pulled it up, the glue and part of the backing foam stayed stuck
to the floor. Under the carpet tile, a layer of old linoleum tiles.
Decided to leave the old tiles there. Several weekends of back-
breaking labor scraping of the foam/glue leftovers from the carpet
tile. Filled in any gouges or low spots in the old tile, sanded
down any high spots. We bought the thickest peel-and-stick
tile we could find, there were 2 or 3 different grades, figured the
thicker tile would not telegraph the irregularities underneath as
much as a thinner tile.

After 6 months, still looks good. Our application was a weekend/
summer cabin, didn't care if it wasn't perfect, so I scraped and
leveled it the best I could, and let it go at that. Tile sticks just
fine. I would probably have the same attitude about a basement
apartment, YMMV.

Jerry

That sounds encouraging Jerry. My floor is quite smooth, I'm not
worried about any bumps showing through the tiles. I'm more concerned
about the tiles not sticking hard enough on to the old glue surface and
popping off. It sounds like your floor was in even worse shape than
mine though, and your tiles are sticking okay.

I could barely pull a tile off with my hands after 30 seconds and I
would imagine the bond gets even stonger after a bit of time, so I
think it should be alright. I really wish they had just used tack
strips though, this glue is brutal!

"thelooch" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.


SNIPS

I had this issue many years ago after removing some sheet vinyl from a
downstairs bathroon floor.

Note: No water heater or furnace in basement when I did the following.

I got 5 gal. of paint thinner and soaked some old terrycloth bath towels in
the paint thinner. Laid the towels over about a 3 foot by 3 foot section
for a couple of hours. Softened the glue remarkably well and it just came
up with the scraper. Thoroughly washed the floor with hot water and
degreaser (think "Simple Green" clone). Some areas needed two rounds with
the paint thinner towels.

After I was all done, I Put the towels outside on a concrete slab, washed
them well with water, soap and a brush, then tossed towels in garbage.

YMMV.

--
Jim McLaughlin

Reply address is deliberately munged.
If you really need to reply directly, try:
jimdotmclaughlinatcomcastdotcom

And you know it is a dotnet not a dotcom
address.

I've used both self stick tile, and non self stick in quite a few
applications both on jobs, and in my own homes.

Things I've noticed about the two, is self stick comes in a myriad of
colors/patterns, but I've had issues with self stick not sticking well,
particuarly when something heavy was placed on top of the Tile, like a
stove, refrigerator, or a bed. Edges would lift up.

It's not easy finding pleasing colors, or patterns with non self stick,
but once that tile is properly laid down, it ain't ever coming up! (Even
if the Basement flooded) Mark

Hello
I would use a floor floater (liquid that floats over floor and makes
perfectly level.

The vinyl is good idea, as long as you seal all the lil
seams,nooks,crannies.

You can also use the 1' sq. , just more places to use seam sealer.



On 8 Feb 2006 12:33:01 -0800, "thelooch"
wrote:

Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.

The only way I seem to be able to get it off is by using a belt sander,
which clogs up the sand paper after a few suare feet. The floor is
over 250 square feet so I don't really want to do this over the entire
floor. I can also scrape it off with a flat head screwdriver, but I
really don't want to scrape 250 square feet with a screwdriver.

My question is, is it okay to install peel and stick vinyl tiles over
this smooth glue surface? I tried putting a test tile down on the
floor, standing on it for a few seconds and then trying to peel it off.
I could just barely get it off with my fingers, and I have pretty
strong hands. I tried the same test in an area where I had cleaned off
the glue with a belt sander and I couldn't really get it off with my
fingers, the tile was breaking off in chunks and I had to use a
scraper. Is it normal for you to be able to get a peel and stick vinyl
tile off the floor with your fingers 30 seconds after you laid it down
and stood on it?

My other options is to just put down a sheet of vinyl, which should go
down fine over the surface as it is right now, but it would be a little
more expensive and since this will be a rental suite I like the idea of
being able to replace individual ruined tiles for about $1.00 each.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Tony.

On 2/12/06 6:50 PM, in article ,
"NatlHomeServices" wrote:

snip

Hello, I'm building a kitchen in my basement and would like to put down
peel and stick vinyl tiles for the floor. I pulled out the old carpet
which was glued down, and it came off fairly easy. However, there is a
layer of glue on top of the concrete which is not easy to remove. It's
about 1mm thick. I bought a 14" floor scraper which isn't good for
taking all the glue off the concrete, but it does a good job of
knocking the ridges off the glue so I'm left with a smooth surface of
old glue on concrete.

I went through this same thing. I was at first concerned about the leftover
mastic. I used a 6" scraper screwed to a broom handle and scraped the whole
thing best I could.


My question is, is it okay to install peel and stick vinyl tiles over
this smooth glue surface? I tried putting a test tile down on the
floor, standing on it for a few seconds and then trying to peel it off.
I could just barely get it off with my fingers, and I have pretty
strong hands. I tried the same test in an area where I had cleaned off
the glue with a belt sander and I couldn't really get it off with my
fingers, the tile was breaking off in chunks and I had to use a
scraper. Is it normal for you to be able to get a peel and stick vinyl
tile off the floor with your fingers 30 seconds after you laid it down
and stood on it?

Different brands have different adhesion. When I did mine the manufacturer
recommended priming the floor with vinyl adhesive. I used a roller and found
out about a year later that you want to use as little as possible (don't
just splash it down). Eventually the extra glue comes up through the seams
of the tiles and everything that hits the floor gets stuck to it making
black seams. I think now I would try latex primer/sealer. The last floor I
did recommended using that but I used the glue (and got it right that time).

My other options is to just put down a sheet of vinyl, which should go
down fine over the surface as it is right now, but it would be a little
more expensive and since this will be a rental suite I like the idea of
being able to replace individual ruined tiles for about $1.00 each.

Good tiles are just short of indestructible when they are installed
properly. And if you can get one off should it become damaged you save a lot
of money. You'll be using that flat screwdriver and a hammer to do it
though.

Thanks for the replies guys. After spending hours scraping the glue
off of about 1 tenth of the area, I've decided to just put down a
floating laminate floor. Most people think they look better, it costs
about the same, and in my situation it's a lot easier to install. It
recently rained for 25 days straight and there was no moisture at all
in my basement, so I think the laminate will be fine.

Tony.