Saint Paul, MN · Member since 2015 · 24 posts · 5 votes
Hello BP,
I recently took out some plastic tiles from one of the rooms. There are quite an amount of adhesive off the floor underneath to get rid off and I was wondering what would be the best way to get rid of all the adhesive on the floor? I can scrape all of it off, but is there a better way to get rid of it? Any advise would be nice.
Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 296 posts · 243 votes
10y
@Xu Som - one trick I have used is rather than scraping all that junk up, go get the cheapest thin Luan plywood you can find and just cover it. Nail it off, then carpet or laminate right over it. The stuff is like 6mm thick, and no one can tell the difference when it's done.
One time with flooring stripper and a scraper and you'll quickly see the wisdom in $9 sheets of thin plywood.
the adhesive has most likely worked itself down into the wood grain of the subfloor, and will be next to impossible to remove all the way.
Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 296 posts · 243 votes
10y
@Xu Som - one trick I have used is rather than scraping all that junk up, go get the cheapest thin Luan plywood you can find and just cover it. Nail it off, then carpet or laminate right over it. The stuff is like 6mm thick, and no one can tell the difference when it's done.
One time with flooring stripper and a scraper and you'll quickly see the wisdom in $9 sheets of thin plywood.
the adhesive has most likely worked itself down into the wood grain of the subfloor, and will be next to impossible to remove all the way.
Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 296 posts · 243 votes
10y
@Lee Scarlett - chemical strippers are one example, yes. There are some citrus based products which will work OK, but they still require scraping, wiping, and make a heck of a mess.
My preferred method of dealing with concrete is a grinder with a diamond wheel and a vacuum attachment. Doing a room takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and will leave you a fresh concrete surface that can be sealed, or preferably, epoxy coated for a good looking, basically bombproof floor. Lots of local rental places also rent diamond polishers by the hour or the day. Worthwhile investment in my book.
If you do go the chemical route, make sure you have good gloves, a respirator, glasses (a splash or drop in your eye will be a memorable experience) and a strong back.
Acetone is the wrong chemical for adhesives, a better (and usually) cheaper option is MEK, or Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone. Don't get it on your hands, and it'll eat most plastics as well. Goof-Off works on small areas, but it's expensive.
Overall, if its just one room, I'd grind it down and epoxy over it, and have a 10+ year floor for my rental that would look great with area rugs.