I scored an awesome MCM find: oak parquet tiles for under $1 a foot, salvaged from a house before demo.
Most are in great shape, minimal glue on the back (non asbestos, not bitumen)…I am ready to glue them down to my wood subfloor with Bostick MS Grip.
Has anyone done something similar? (glue down reclaimed glued flooring)?
There are concerns that the tiles may not adhere properly or be level due to the old dried glue remnants.
I’m crossing fingers that the glue will handle these issues, and refinishing will fix any others. Any experience or pro installer feedback is appreciated!
Replies
Run them thru a planer glue side up to remove glue remnants. The planer blades will probably have to be replaced but your floor should be great, with no worries.
I like that idea and I’d probably run both sides so the finished side is sanded too.
Before you run the finish side thru, change the blades on the planer
Good idea! They are 6"x6" tiles. Are those too small to run through a planer?
6” is too short for a planer. If you have a drum sander you can use that with very coarse abrasive, or a belt sander with a frame to hold the squares in place.
Agreed, 6" is too short for a thickness planer- you'll get snipe. Might try using a "carrier," a flat, smooth piece of wood, ~~3 ft long and a bit wider than the parquet- particle board might be good. Glue a ledge to one end, ~~6" long, as wide as the carrier, a little thinner than the parquet.
Put 2-3 parquets on the carrier and feed the whole thing through the thickness planer- the ledge will push the parquet through the blades and the long carrier will support the parquet and reduce, if not eliminate snipe. See https://www.toollogic.com/what-is-planer-snipe/ for a good article on the causes and reduction of snipe.
And like someone said, use your crappy blades on the glue side. You'll probably have to sand out the ridges from the nicks in the blades before you do the finish side.
Gluing down reclaimed oak parquet tiles with Bostik MS Grip on a wood subfloor is a common practice. While concerns about old glue remnants affecting and levelness exist, using a reliable adhesive like Bostik MS Grip can often address these issues.
Professional installers often encounter and overcome similar challenges with reclaimed flooring. To ensure the best results, thoroughly clean the subfloor, follow the adhesive manufacturer's guidelines, and consider consulting with a flooring professional for personalized advice based on your specific conditions.