home improvent question

[DarkManX]

we are in the process of finishing the laundry/basement area which was covered with old vinyl tile (house is about 50 years old and the tile is prolly original) now we were able to remove the old tile, but the adhesive that kept it on there is still stuck to the concrete now im hearing that trying to set the new tiles on it will not stick, what?s the best way to remove this old glue? I dunno what its made out of, so its hard to explain but I can take pictures if that would help anyone.

 

[imported_Imp]

Not sure if you want to use chemicals on an unknown substance in an enclosed basement with little to no windows. Other than using a blowdryer to 'lightly' melt the glue, and wiping it off, I'd look into just installing a new base layer. Oh, and again, watch out for fumes or you'll be emitting some pretty strong ones in a week.

 

[DarkManX]

i actually did try one of the chemicals, and it didnt help, my dad says this glue is like tar.

 

[iamwiz82]

Asbestos was a major ingredient in old vinyl. Google it

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

is the glue black? if so, it is likely asbestos mastic. were the tiles you remove 9"x9"? at that age they are most likely asbestos.


this will remove it with some scraping.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Asbestos was a major ingredient in old vinyl. Google it

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[bGIveNs33]

muratic acid maybe??

 

[dullard]

That old tar like stuff is nasty. It'll stick to anything (expecially your clothes). I never did find anything that could get rid of it easilly, but I really didn't try hard. I just carpetted right over that stuff without problem.

Don't worry too much about what people above are saying. Yes, you are probably dealing with asbestos tiles, but it isn't really too harmful. Asbestos is mildly harmful if you inhale massive quantities (it can cause cancer, but no more than any other particulate in the air). It just got a bad rap. Be careful with it, use protection, and keep the area ventillated. And when you dispose of it, tell the landfill so they place it in the asbestos section of the landfill.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: dullard
That old tar like stuff is nasty. It'll stick to anything (expecially your clothes). I never did find anything that could get rid of it easilly, but I really didn't try hard. I just carpetted right over that stuff without problem.

Don't worry too much about what people above are saying. Yes, you are probably dealing with asbestos tiles, but it isn't really too harmful. Asbestos is mildly harmful if you inhale massive quantities (it can cause cancer, but no more than any other particulate in the air). It just got a bad rap. Be careful with it, use protection, and keep the area ventillated. And when you dispose of it, tell the landfill so they place it in the asbestos section of the landfill.

actually, it is surprising how little asbestos can cause health issues in some people. removing asbestos tile and mastic is pretty benign, but you should never grind, sand, or cut it in a way that produces dust. and it's a good idea to wet it down first.

 

[AlienCraft]

Getting all of that mastic up is practically impossible.
You've already been exposed by ripping of the tileage , so the best thing is to encapsulate it. Skim coat it with concrete and start all over again.

 

[DarkManX]

the gunk is black and pretty sticky, the guys a lowes also told me its asbestos, and i tried some smelly adhesive remover from there, which did nothing.

 

[bctbct]

If the tile were 9X9 likely you are dealing with cut back asbestos adhesive. You can skim over it with floor stone, do not use concrete it will not stick.

The other options are like Mikey linked, bean oil. Apply it, scrub it with a stiff broom, use saw dust to absorb the liquid. Then you have to mop it and possibly use a nuetralizer on it.

You may also be able to scrap it off with a 4" razor scraper. Probably depends on how gummy it still is. I would try this method first.


btw how many sf ft are you talking about?

 

[DarkManX]

we contacted several people about doing the new tile for us, and all of them said nothing will stick.. except one guy said its not a problem, so i just dont know what to do with it.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: DarkManX
we contacted several people about doing the new tile for us, and all of them said nothing will stick.. except one guy said its not a problem, so i just dont know what to do with it.

as i posted, I have actually used the Bean-e-doo product to remove cutback mastic. It works pretty well.

 

[mattpegher]

Have you considered one of those thick garage floor paints to encapsulate the whole mess. I layed pergo over my basement floor over a moisture barrier, much nicer than tile.

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: mattpegher
Have you considered one of those thick garage floor paints to encapsulate the whole mess. I layed pergo over my basement floor over a moisture barrier, much nicer than tile.

Epoxy wont stick. This is a bonding issue. It has to be removed or skim coated with floor stone. We do this at work all the time.