Carpet glue removal

[z28evans]

Howdy,
Moved into a new house, working on getting my shop setup. The previous owner had carpet glued on top of the concrete. I am trying to get the concrete to a condition where i can epoxy coat it. Any opinions on how to remove the mastic? Power washer? Go chemical? Get on my knees and use a scaper? Rent a floor scraper?

ps. just joined, but been reading the epoxy floor posts for awhile - still confused

thanks,
James

 

[PAToyota]

Power washer won't touch it. Wouldn't use chemicals that might soak into the concrete and affect bonding of the epoxy. I'd just go straight to the floor grinder and prepare it that way.

 

[Rowdy Rat]

I used a rotary sanding machine with 80 grit discs to remove the carpet glue from the concrete in the basement of my old house. Took about six hours to do 400 square feet, but was a lot better than the hand held scraper that I was using previously. The sander did a much nicer job too.

Just be certain to use eye protection and a respirator if you plan on sanding or grinding the glue residue as your certain to be sanding/grinding the concrete as well.

Regards,

Stan

 

[z28evans]

I rented a floor ginder this weekend (used 3 #8 grit stones). The glue plugged up the stones very quickly, didn't work well at all. That small area in the photo was several minutes in the making, and then it pretty much stopped working. I thought that i may rent one again after i get the glue up.

Did i do something wrong?

 

[ron in sc]

Any opinions on how to remove the mastic?

Shotblasting is the best, cleanest and fastest way to remove mastic and prepare surface.

 

[Mlynch]

get a profession should use a professional with a diamond grinder... They should make one pass with pcd diamonds then a second pass with 30-80 grit for profile and open pores.

Shot blasting could possibly work. There is some debate as to which is better but that has been talked about on here before.

This should all cost in the neighborhood of a dollar a square foot and by this time you might be better off just getting a quote for the entire floor being done professionally.

 

[Andy S]

Sorry but that grinder you rented is garbage. Doesnt tell which grit the diamonds are either? They diamonds or stones? Big differance.

 

[Mlynch]

he used stones... but to be honest diamonds will gunk up as well unless you use the PCD type for removing coatings. You are not going to be able to easily rent the equipment needed.

 

[z28evans]

thanks for the input guys. I like to do all my work myself, even if it means more labor.

How's this sound:
I'm going to buy an 8in razor scraper and get most of it off. Then use some chemical remover and a power washer after that. Then maybe use a cement grinder with stones?

thanks,
James

 

[Mlynch]

i can respect that but i feel obligated to point out you may end up paying more by the time you buy the scraper chemical and rental than just paying someone a dollar a sq ft...

You wont however get that warm and fuzzy feeling of doing it yourself and no one can fault you for that.

Do a little research and calling around on renting the proper diamond grinder or shotblast equip and maybe you will get lucky and save your back, hands, and a little cash.

 

[RaceDeck1]

The easiest way it to just cover it up with RaceDeck . in about 2 hours you will have a new garage!

 

[Andy S]

Race Deck... no comment. Get a 4in Makita, 4 inch diamond cup, and slowly remove the glue, it will take a bit to do, and if you take it an inch at a time it wont gum up on you. Dont use chemicals. But if you do, just get some Jasco, works like a charm.

 

[z28evans]

thansk for all the advice. Called about race deck pricing, curious about how it will hold up, etc (looking into it).

I do a lot of work on cars, welding, etc. Need something that will hold up.

Went to Home Depot, they sell an 8in razor blade sraper on a pole, but not the blades

During lunch i'm going to visit lowes.

Thanks,
James

 

[Mlynch]

i dont wanna bust any chops but i wouldnt recomend the racedeck for any actual WORKshop. Not to mention that the price is most likely more than a DIY epoxy floor.

Just my personal experience but i have had a couple customers rip it up to have me install a polyaspartic floor but just like anything it works for some people.

If you do get a razer blade scraper try to get a weighted one...

 

[kuhner]

I had to do the same thing in my basement. 20 year old house indoor-outdoor carpet 100% glued to the floor. I tried some mastic remover from Lowes, and found some on the internet. Neither remover did much, maybe a little but not much. I found a Bosch concrete grinder, basically a 4" hand grinder with diamond cup and a boot around the wheel so a vacuum can be attached. Remember this is the family room/basement of my house so I had to get the dust out as I ground. I hooked up a hose to the grinder then set a shop vac out side. Works like a charrm.
Takes awhile you are only getting 4" at a time, but bite the bullet, pay the price and just do it. I think the tool is about 250 bucks..

 

[Jaguar Fan]

thansk for all the advice. Called about race deck pricing, curious about how it will hold up, etc (looking into it).

I do a lot of work on cars, welding, etc. Need something that will hold up.

Went to Home Depot, they sell an 8in razor blade sraper on a pole, but not the blades

During lunch i'm going to visit lowes.

Thanks,
James

I think this is what you need. These photos (cell phone quality) are from a home depot tool rental.

Here's another pic:

 

[Floorguy]

I have never done removal of carpet glue but I did remove a mastic that was used to hold down vinyl tiles. I used a pole scraper to remove as much as possible and then shotblasted the floor. I was a little nervous applying the coating but it has been 4 years and have never heard a word back so it must have held up well. I did check back after abouat 6 months and all was well.

I really don't want to start any sort of debate on which type of prep is best as this has been beat to death a couple of times. I am simply sharing what I did and that it worked.

Hope this helps.

I would be happy to talk with you anytime. Just drop me a PM and give me your number if that has interest.

 

[WolverineCoatings]

I would advise against stones and for the diamond grind.

Wolvie $0.02

 

[Mlynch]

stones don't work... but most diamonds will gum up as well. You need a specific kind of diamond (PCD coating removal diamonds) OR a lot of patience. If you go slow enough and keep enough of the diamond over clean concrete it will clean the diamond grit and keep it cutting. If you have the PCD's you can go to town. The pictures somewhat resemble PCD's but it is hard to tell.

Hope that helps.

 

[z28evans]

I called a paint place in town that a person in our local car club recommended, and talked with a very knowledgeable person. They have a several rotating head diamond concrete grinder that they use for just these types of floors, and they rent it for a reasonable rate - a one day rental that starts on friday afternoon and goes to monday morning. I also decided to go with their bengimin moore industrial epoxy that he recommends. If everything goes well i will have a busy and productive weekend

Thanks guys - very helpful forum.

James

 

[z28evans]

This work is no fun:

And i'm not done yet, need to grind the edges, clean and epoxy the floor, etc.

Photos of the fun:

James

 

[WolverineCoatings]

If you didn't get the 100% solids coating... I would recommend taking what you got back and exchange it for 100% solids!

 

[z28evans]

If you didn't get the 100% solids coating... I would recommend taking what you got back and exchange it for 100% solids!

Why? I bought the Benjamin Moore M36 / M37 Polyamide Epoxy Gloss coating (55% solids)

Please educate me.

thanks,
james

 

[z28evans]

This has taken much longer than i had originally thought - been much harder.

This weekend i spent several hours with an angle grinder going around the edges of the garage, getting up the remaining glue. Covered in dust (wore masks).

Some more cleaning (dust got everywhere), a few more passes with a power washer tonight, and i hope to be able to coat it tomorrow night.

My only concern, is that when it is wet you can see some areas where the floor has some patches where there is still some glue in the pores. I'm hopeing that i am being parniod and that there is plenty for the epoxy to bond to.

Thanks,
James

 

[Mlynch]

your a trooper...

 

[Jaguar Fan]

This has taken much longer than i had originally thought - been much harder.

This weekend i spent several hours with an angle grinder going around the edges of the garage, getting up the remaining glue. Covered in dust (wore masks).

Some more cleaning (dust got everywhere), a few more passes with a power washer tonight, and i hope to be able to coat it tomorrow night.

My only concern, is that when it is wet you can see some areas where the floor has some patches where there is still some glue in the pores. I'm hopeing that i am being parniod and that there is plenty for the epoxy to bond to.

Thanks,
James

Good luck! & post some "after" pics as well!

 

[z28evans]

Thanks guys!

tonight i finished cleaning out the garage, power washed it again. Took a leaf blower and pushed out most of the water. It is drying nicely, but i put on the ac to help dry it out. I'll give it a couple of days and then epoxy the floor.

Then paint the walls, organize and make shelving, etc.

I've forwarded this forum to a few other forums where the topic of garage floors have come up. A huge wealth of information here

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Thanks guys!

tonight i finished cleaning out the garage, power washed it again. Took a leaf blower and pushed out most of the water. It is drying nicely, but i put on the ac to help dry it out. I'll give it a couple of days and then epoxy the floor.

Then paint the walls, organize and make shelving, etc.

I've forwarded this forum to a few other forums where the topic of garage floors have come up. A huge wealth of information here

Depending on how humid it is, you might want to give it more than "... a couple of days..." to dry, especially since you are using a high-solvent content system. Given how well you are doing the prep, you might want to give it a week to dry, and then do the moisture test (tape down a 1 square yard plastic tarp for 24 hours and see if the concrete is at all damp when you pull up the tarp... if so, it isn't yet dry enough to coat).

Good luck!

 

[waxoffwaxon]

Hi all. I know this is older post but hope this helps as I have done thousands of feet of glue and mastic removal.

1. A diamond grinder can work, but types that you rent usually gum up right away because of the heat. You can try to use sand to help, or use continuous flow of water.

2. If your uses a hand razor scrapper, Unger is the best. but buy a lot of them

3 New products such as franmar mastic remover or Mastaway work great. Forget the stuff at home box store, these products you will find online or at a local local contractor supply place, all natural, no fumes and easy to use. Downside is the can be very expensive

4. I usually take my 175 buffer (small areas) a set of diamond and get it down, then switch to a strata grit brush for the last bit and use an orange mastic remover, large areas, my bigger grinding machines or shot blast.

Hope this helps,
Clint
www.waxoffwaxon.com

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Buffer with a mastic removal tool is a great way to do it.
Similar to Clint's idea only easier.
Link: http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/mastic-tool-p-165.html