Removing Adhesives From Hardwood Flooring: What You Need To Do
If you've recently pulled up your linoleum or tile and found beautiful, original hardwood flooring below, don't cover them back up again. Those floors can be refinished to their original beauty. If there is adhesive stuck on the floors, you'll want to remove that first to give you a good look at your floors. Don't let the adhesive stuck to the floors scare you off of this task. You can refinish those floors by following the tips below to help you remove the adhesive.
Scrape It Off
You can use a natural method of scraping off the adhesives by using a scraper. Hold the scraper at a 90-degree angle to prevent gouging or scratching the floors further. Scraping may not work if the adhesive is still sticky. The adhesive should be dry and brittle if you're going to try to scrape it off. A long-handled scraper will help save your back a bit.
Use Paint Thinner
Paint thinner will work to remove adhesives, but it can create a lot of fumes in your home, which may be dangerous to you. Be sure to keep your home well-ventilated and wear a respirator. Spread a paint thinner on the floors and then wipe away the adhesive or try to use a scraper to scrape the adhesive.
Use Detergent
Try using laundry detergent on your floors to loosen the adhesive. The detergent will break down the adhesive, and you'll be able to wipe away the adhesive with rags or with a scraper. You can use cheap detergent, or even mix a solution of half detergent and half water if you have a lot of hardwood floors.
Use A Floor Sander
A floor sander is going to be needed to refinish your floors, and it can also be used to get rid of the adhesive on your floors as well. You may need to use coarse grit sandpaper, which may scratch or damage your floors. If you're using a floor sander, be sure you use it slowly and go over your floors evenly. If you aren't sure how to use this type of machine, hire a professional to refinish your floors for you. You could cause a lot of damage to your floors.
Hardwood floors beneath your tile or linoleum can be salvaged. If you aren't sure how to refinish the floors, hire a professional floor refinishing company rather than attempting to do this job yourself.