I originally planned to install new 12 x 12 self-sticking vinyl floor
tiles over the 50 year old 9 x 9 tiles in my bathroom. I thought I
could re-glue the few loose original tiles. Once I got started
pulling up the ones I KNEW were loose, I discovered almost all the
others were also loose enough to where they would easily pop up if I
ran a putty knife under their edges. So, wearing a 3M fabric face
mask and gloves, I easily took up all the tiles. What I have now is a
bare concrete floor with a thin, dry coating of old black mastic
firmly attached to it. I'm not wild about trying to scrape it off
because of the possiblilty that it contains asbestos. The mastic is
relatively smooth; it doesn't have the high ridges from notched
trowels like you see behind wall tiles.

What is the chance that the premium Cryntel Self-Adhering Vinyl Floor
Tiles I bought at Lowe's will satisfactorily stick if I lay them
directly on top of the old black mastic?

The Cryntel instruction sheet mentions priming concrete subfloors with
Latex Floor Primer. But it also recommends scraping subfloor first to
remove "materials that might prevent adhesion". Like I said, I'm not
wild about scraping the old mastic.

So, what should I do.....try applying the new tiles to the floor as is
(over the old black mastic), or buy some Latex Floor Primer to paint
over the black mastic?

Josh wrote:
....

So, what should I do.....try applying the new tiles to the floor as is
(over the old black mastic), or buy some Latex Floor Primer to paint
over the black mastic?

Neither until you prep the floor properly...

--

Neither until you prep the floor properly...



That advice is as useful to me as tits on a boar hog, and is exactly
the kind of arrogant, snobby BS I hoped I wouldn't receive. Would it
kill you to perhaps elaborate as to HOW to prep the floor properly?

dpb wrote:
Josh wrote:
...

So, what should I do.....try applying the new tiles to the floor as is
(over the old black mastic), or buy some Latex Floor Primer to paint
over the black mastic?

Neither until you prep the floor properly...

--
Agreed- self stick tile (which I would never use, personally- seen too
much float around), needs a smooth floor to work. Any irregularities
will telegraph through, the joints won't be tight, etc. Anybody know if
self-stick will stick to self-leveling floor compound?

--
aem sends...

Josh wrote:
Neither until you prep the floor properly...



That advice is as useful to me as tits on a boar hog, and is exactly
the kind of arrogant, snobby BS I hoped I wouldn't receive. Would it
kill you to perhaps elaborate as to HOW to prep the floor properly?

Well, you know the answer you're just trying to avoid doing it.

It's either take the old mastic off and smooth the floor down to a clean
surface or cover it w/ a suitable subflooring. One could try one of the
leveling compounds but it's likely more trouble over the entire surface
than simply taking the mastic off would be.

Whatever has to be flat and smooth as any imperfection will telegraph
through a thin tile.

--

Since this is a bathroom, why not return the vinyl tiles and install
ceramic tiles? The floor just needs to be resonably smooth, not
perfect. The thinset will take care of irregularities. I had the same
situation in my den, had 9X9 tiles that came up and left black mastic
on the floor. Installed ceramic tiles over it with thinset, no
problems after 5 years. Rock solid.

why not return the vinyl tiles and install
ceramic tiles?

Judging from other houses I've seen lately, I must be the only person
in the U.S. who is not a fan of ceramic floor tiles. Never liked it!

But I appreciate your input about putting thinset (or, probably more
appropriate in this case) Armstrong vinyl tile adhesive down over the
black mastic. I had considered relaying the 9x9 tiles I took up,
since 90% of them are intact. It's good to know the thinset will hold
them to the black mastic. That would keep whatever asbestos is down
there in check. Then I could lay the new self-stick vinyl ones on top
of the secure old tiles.....my original plan anyway.

On Jul 13, 12:33*pm, Josh wrote:


.snip

*I'm not wild about trying to scrape it off
because of the possiblilty that it contains asbestos.

snip

Odds are the old tiles were compounded with asbestos, not the mastic.
Easy to test if you care to. Pot a dab on a stainless steel teaspoon
and light it off with your propane torch. The residue will clearly
display the characteristic fiber structure of asbestos if there is
any. An anonymous white powder would likely be limestone, silica, or
clay mineral filler.

Joe

On Oct 21, 10:50*pm, (mockingbird)
wrote:
mockingbird had written this in response tohttp://www.thestuccocompany.com/maintenance/Laying-Self-Stick-Vinyl-T...
*:
Josh, what did you end up doing? *I have the exact same situation-- I
pulled up some of the existing tiles, only to find the black mastic
underneath, and am wishing I had never pulled them up so that I could just
install the self-stick tiles over the previous tiles. *I also don't want
to try to scrape up the black stuff--- it's practically become "one" with
the concrete. *Please-- tell me what you did and how it's worked so far.. I
don't know WHAT to do!!!
--
Mockingbird

I had some old linoleum tiles in my basement and they too were coming
loose. I did not have black mastic underneath them but some yellow
snot-colored stuff, so I didn't have the exact same situation. What
got that up was pouring some "floor stripper" bought at the Despot in
a 10 gallon container full strength on the floor then scrubbing and
rinsing with hot water. Had to suck it up with my shop vac as no
floor drain. What a mess! I had a fire extinguisher nearby just on
the off chance that the stuff lit off because it obviously contained a
lot of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons and also kept all the windows
open so as not to get a contact buzz off the stuff.

I'm not looking forward to doing the other half of the basement, as I
expect that the carpet was laid over the same crap, and eventually I
think we want to go to tile and rugs rather than permanent carpet.

nate