Pulled up an old “peeel and stick floor. I am going back with ceramic. Do I need to remove the sticky goo left behind or will the thinset stick anyway.
What is the best way to remove it. It is not bad at all but i am worried the goo will seal off the concrete and not bond well.
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Replies
I under of people have reported good results with Bean-a-do and similar similar solvents. I forgot which, but they are either citrus or soya based.
For the thinset to work the concrete has to accept water.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
How thick is the base?
base?
Hello Cutawooda,
Do not use solvents to remove the adhesive. A solvent will dissolve the adhesive but then draw it deeper into the substrate, making it even more unlikely that you'll achieve a good bond. Mechanical abrasion is the best method of removal, but take care that the adhesive isn't old enough to contain asbestos. In the event that the adhesive can't be removed entirely, you can either install a sheet membrane over the adhesive, to provide a reliable setting surface for the tile, or you can opt for an extremely aggressive thinset which is going to bond to the adhesive with a vengeance. My "go to" thinset for troublesome issues like this is Laticrete's 254 modified thinset. It'll bond to just about everything.
Best of luck,
Shaughnn
You may want to try what I'll be doing in a week or so.
I'm putting some tile down for a customer over a brick floor that has sealer on it. The floor is level but a bit uneven. I'm going to put a good thinset down in the worst corner and see how well it sticks...then I will use Ditra as my choice of substrate over the brick. It should lay nice and flat as long as I trowel my thinset with the smooth side first tight into all the bricks nooks and cranies then add another layer of thinset and use the notched end gently yet firmly enough to keep even ridges over the entire floor. Lay my Ditra down and with a cpl of different sized pieces of plywood apply pressure to the top of the Ditra down the line while slightly vibrating it back n forth by hand untill I feel it's stuck down nice and secure....then get to tiling the next day when the thinsets dry.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
1. What you're describing sounds like 'skim-coating' the brickwork with thinset to get it level; you might be better off using an SLC. It could wind up being less work, would probably be faster, and would almost certainly come out flatter and closer to level.
2. You must use unmodified thinset under Ditra if you want it to dry in less than a month. Modifed dries mostly by evaporation, and Ditra is waterproof.
2. You don't need to wait till the thinset under the membrane is dry before tiling over Ditra. You can tile right over it as soon as you lay it.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Like I said..it IS level...it's just got some hollows and low creaters typical of a brick floor...nothing especially tough to even out.
I do like using a Henry LC but I prefere not the self leveling type in cases like this. I prefere to hand screed it. Less messy and more managable IMO...not to mention a lot less expensive not that thats a huge factor. In this case I think just thinset will suffice but thanks for the thought. That Henry product even not SL'ing is pretty messy....I just used two bags of it a few weeks ago. I do love the stuff. Gets harder then a rock!!and within less then an hour. I may consider using it now that you mentioned it...ugh...thanks pal...lol. Geezz if I do use it I wouldn't even need the Ditra...although a nice flat even surface of new Ditra is nice to start on....geezzzz...now ya have me talking to myself...lol
Far as using unmodified...well...I doubt Ditra is any different then Kerdi and with Kerdi it's fine to use a thinset thats not heavily modified. Flexbond seems to work real well and dries nicely. Even John Bridges uses it under Kerdi and recommends it.
I doubt Ditra would be any different....wouldn't you say?
I know you can start tiling immediatly over Ditra (or Kerdi) but the reason I say in this case to let it dry over night is because I'd just be more comfortable letting any heay-ish areas in the bricks grout joints to set up b/4 walking on it. Not necessary but I just think it's be a good idea. Just call me Mr. Overkill...lol. No area in and around the bricks will be over say.....3/16" of fill so..........
Knowing me I'll probably start laying the tile the same day but in my head I like to be over cautious...then take it from there.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
AFAIK Ditra and Kerdi are the same in re: the mod/unmodified thinset question.
Some guys solve the dilemma of wanting that nice sticky modified feeling but needing it to set rather than dry by going the old fashioned way and adding a small amount of latex additive to unmodified thinset, just enough to goo up the mix a bit...but not so much that it won't cure until Chanukkah.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Well thats me.. I love the gooey adhesive feel and quality of my thinset and Flexbond so far has worked great under Kerdi. And as long as Johnny B also gives it a thumbs up for Kerdi or Ditra I'm "sticking" with it....lol.
According to John B...he says that Flexbond isn't overy modified which is why he feels its fine to use.
I think tomorrow before I leave for the job I'll take some scrap Kerdi I have lying around and plop a spoonful of Flexbond into the center of it then wrap it up in itself and open it the next day to see what shakes....not that I'm worried being I've used it a dozen times. Just curious to see how long it actually takes to dry.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Flexbond is highly modified. Versabond is lightly modified. I think you have these two confused.
Flexbond is highly modified. Versabond is lightly modified. I think you have these two confused.
You're 100% right. thanks for catching my booboo...I happened to be staring at an empty bag of Flexbond sitting in my garbage when I was typing that
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
One of the floor skim coating products, IIRC, might be made by Henry. Says specifically for cutback adhesive residue. I've used it as a skimcoat for this, as an added insurance, on a concrete floor that didn't have too much goo on it ( maybe 50% overage). Depends on how much goo and what the floor is made of.
There are thinsets that are meant for adhering to cutback and other adhesives. Do a search of the thinset manufacturers websites, or just ask at a REAL tile store. You'll never get reliable info from bigboxes.
Rich
the floor in question is concrete. The adhisive left behind is not that bad. Comparable to dropping a soda on the floor. Shoes "crrriiiick" when you walk on it. Only a 5 x 5 area. I am glad my instincts led me to see that there is a potential problem but I am wondering if, in this situation, that I am being overly cautious.
Should I wet it down and observe the water going into the slab?
Roll on a coat of red Guard over the whole floor, sticky stuff and all."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt