Stripping asphalt adhesive from floor
Waters
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m working on a place with original fir floors under linoleum tiles put down with asphalt gum (or that’s what I think it is).
HO wants to get down and save the floor. We’re down to the asphalt stuff and I remembered a FHB sidebar on a 3M product called “Safest Stripper” used in this exact circumstance–describing an overnight application followed by an easy session with putty knives to to scrape up the softened tar.
I gave the article to him and he went right out and ordered 2 gals of it, schmooed it on left overnight under plastic to keep it wet and guess what?
It didn’t even touch the black stuff! It’s as gnarly as ever..
Any thoughts?
What is the best/only way to remove this crap from hell?
Thanks,
Pat
Replies
Waters,
I had a similar situation some years back. A friend of mine scraped off as much as he could using various scrapers and chisels and then sanded the floors with a drum sander. He went through a lot of sandpaper if I remember correctly. The end result was well worth it the floors were beautiful when finished.
To your recollection, the paper didn't immediately clog? I too attacked my own floors with 20 grit after the 40 clogged immediately--but mine were only painted--no tar.
We've got two large rooms to do.
Definitely worth it whatever we have to do.. pretty well committed to it. The floors underneath are original, in a home on the local historical registry and are in great shape...except for the 1/8" of hard tar on top of them!
Sigh...
Thanks,
Pat
Waters,
Not sure, my buddy did the job. It's a summer home so he had all winter to do it <g>. I do remember him saying how tedious it was.
Two possibilities to try: cold and heat.
Cold: Dry ice to make it brittle, then chip it off with a stiff scraper.
Heat: Heat gun to soften it and scrape up with a scraper. In this case it might be worth using a bunch of cheap plastic scrapers rather than stopping to clean a lot.
I saw this posted in another forum.
"We found a "safe" product called Bean-e-doo made by FranMar Chemical. This stuff is amazing when it comes to black mastic. It is soybean based, and has no odor...it is like cooking oil. Pour some onto the floor, spread it around with a broom, wait about 1 hour, and the black mastic turns into liquid. Squeegee into a pile, use oil dry to pick it up, and scrub the floor with a degreaser. We were amazed at the results.
Our floor is nearly spotless and ready for the next step! Beanedoo was like a magic potion. I highly recommmend it for stubborn black mastic!"
No quarantees or warnanties.
Thanks Bill,
I was looking on the franmar site--pretty amazing stuff!
But--they say not to be used on a wood surface. Was your floor wood? Perhaps they just don't want staining?
We'll be sanding agressively anyway, so perhaps it doesn't matter?
Thanks again,
'tarbaby' waters
I got that off of another site and that is all that I know about it.
Is the floor older then 20 years?
Did you check for asbestos?
Yes the house is 1920's but HO took out all the old flooring before I came in.
His deal.
Thx
pat
The glue also contains asbestos.
I'll be sure not to eat it.
Or sand it. The 3m "Safest Stripper" seems actually to be softening it considerably after 23hrs...
We'll see.
Thx,
pat
the asphalt can be a fire hazard when sanding so keep an extinguisher in the work zone residue on the sanding belt can light up, so tip machine and snuff it right away tar has to be completely removed or the polyurrethane will blister from contamination sharp scraper does inside corners
Fire hazard noted.
Very good advice.
Thanks,
Pat
'nother poster recently mentioned using D-limonene (leftovers from industrial orange juice production, sort of) with good luck...I posted back looking for more details from him, haven't seen a response...
I Googled it, & there are industrial supply houses that stock a formulation of it specifically intended for removing mastic, but it's pricey & large amounts...I've been meaning to stop by the local janitorial supply house & see if they have a smaller size, with similar ingrdients, & give it a try....
Hmm, thanks!
Pat
I don't recommend this, but a buddy took up his tar from hel. with gumout carburetor cleaner. It was very quick acting. The flamable nature and smell would make me nix the idea.