Vinyl floor tile glue.

Belongamick

Hi,
Recently started redecorating a terraced house we bought.
The ground floor had old vinyl tiles stuck down with a black glue.
I removed the tiles and the glue remains. I have read on a few sites that this
glue could contain asbestos. Is this possible?
If not, are there any suggestions to remove the black sticky glue.
I have tried boiling water and white spirits to no avail.
We hope to put ceramic tiles in the kitchen and wooden floors in elsewhere.
Thanks.

Rows Grower

Belongamick wrote: »

Hi,
Recently started redecorating a terraced house we bought.
The ground floor had old vinyl tiles stuck down with a black glue.
I removed the tiles and the glue remains. I have read on a few sites that this
glue could contain asbestos. Is this possible?
If not, are there any suggestions to remove the black sticky glue.
I have tried boiling water and white spirits to no avail.
We hope to put ceramic tiles in the kitchen and wooden floors in elsewhere.
Thanks.

Leave the glue and cover the area with self leveling compound.

antiskeptic

Rows Grower wrote: »

Leave the glue and cover the area with self leveling compound.

I wouldn't be confident: a very thin layer of a very brittle material (levelling compound) ontop of a flexible layer of glue strikes me as a receipe for failure.

A primer such as sbr could be tried (which you would use before laying self levelling anyway). When dry, see if it adheres to the glue by picking at it to try get it to separate from the vinyl adhesive. If the primer adheres to the glue then you can use a flexible tile adhesive (which will stick to the primer) and maintain the overall flexible structure sub-tile.

I'd try and scrape the glue off as much as possible using side-swipe, scything action and a long blade at a shallow angle (such as a large chopping knife) to cut the glue off. It'd be a labour but worth it.

Rows Grower

antiskeptic wrote: »

I wouldn't be confident: a very thin layer of a very brittle material (levelling compound) ontop of a flexible layer of glue strikes me as a receipe for failure.

A primer such as sbr could be tried (which you would use before laying self levelling anyway). When dry, see if it adheres to the glue by picking at it to try get it to separate from the vinyl adhesive. If so then a flexible tile adhesive (which will stick to the primer) will maintain the overall flexible structure sub-tile.

I'd try and scrape the glue off as much as possible using side-swipe, scything action and a long blade at a shallow angle (such as a large chopping knife). A little heat applied with a hair dryer might help soften the glue and ease removal. Ventilate well as you don't want to be breathing in fumes from heated glue.

Possibly the worst advice I've seen anyone give on boards.

Asbestos is a very dangerous product, best left in situ and covered with a layer of self levelling compound and then new flooring on top of the levelling compound.

antiskeptic

Rows Grower wrote: »

Possibly the worst advice I've seen anyone give on boards.

Asbestos is a very dangerous product, best left in situ and covered with a layer of self levelling compound and then new flooring on top of the levelling compound.

Apols. Didn't cop the asbestos bit. Nevertheless, I'd avoid brittle, thin layers layed on a flexible under surface. Try the primer/flexible adhesive route.