Prehistoric carpet glue

[Mack]

So today was the day I decided to remove the 1950s wall to wall carpeting in the kitchen. Why would anyone carpet a kitchen floor?

The floor underneath appears to be oak; however, the black adhesive must be remnants of the dinosaurs and stuff found in the La Brea tar pits.

Any ideas on how to remove it? The circa 1909 wood floor looks worthy of restoration.

 

[Floorist]

Kitchen carpet was a decorator idea. About the only was to remove the black backing is to scrape it.

 

[Mack]

Thanks for the reply. Can you tell me what that black tar like sticky material is?

 

[Floorist]

It is either black rubber backing or cutback adhesive which contains asbestos. I don't think I have ever seen that kind of adhesive used on carpet. Daris will probably know.

 

[Mack]

Another view

 

[DarisMulkin]

It could be the rubber backing is turning gummy. Not using the photo upload on the site it is kind of hard to tell. Another guess is I wonder if it could be tar paper? Has the hardwood been finished. The finish on the wood used to react to the rubber be it rubber backed carpet or rubber padding. Usually turned it to powder though.
If using the upload from the site it would allow us to enlarge the picture.

Daris

 

[Mack]

Here is a closeup.

 

[Floorist]

Don't think that is 50s carpet. More likely 70s-80s.

 

[Mack]

There is a carpet layer, then a ru bed cushion layer, followed by a hard backing material, then fiber mesh, and then the super black adhesive...

 

[DarisMulkin]

By any chance was there white threads running through the rubber. If so it is probably Viking carpet and it is a real bitch to take up. The rubber stays down and a stripper will float right over the top.
I'm also seeing lino and a jute backing which would be Battleship linoleum. Another tough take up.
The rubber backed carpet is 60's and the lino would be 50's and before.
Good picture by the way.

Daris

 

[Jon]

By any chance was there white threads running through the rubber. If so it is probably Viking carpet and it is a real bitch to take up. The rubber stays down and a stripper will float right over the top.
I'm also seeing lino and a jute backing which would be Battleship linoleum. Another tough take up.
The rubber backed carpet is 60's and the lino would be 50's and before.
Good picture by the way.

Daris

Good spotting there Daris
Maybe the old Marmo was glued directly to the timber floor with a spirit based glue, browny colour and brittle. If that is correct that should part company from the floor with water?

 

[Mack]

No white threads through the rubber. Here is a better shot.

 

[Mack]

I should also say that the black stuff is very very sticky. It even gums up the scraper. Mineral spirits does clean up the tools but does not do a good job cutting through the adhesive on the floor.

 

[Ernesto]

When you get down to the wood you can use a diamabrush to get off the adhesive residue. They make different ones for over wood and concrete. They have a website.

 

[Incognito]

The carpet appears to have been laid over linoleum. "Back in the day" linoleum would not have been adhered directly to wood floor boards. There would have been a layer of felt adhered to the wood to absorb expansion and movement so the lino doesn't crack.

I can't see well enough from the photo but they might have used an asphalt saturated felt and glued it down with cutback. Lino paste on top of that would be brown, crusty and as Jon states fairly easy to dissolve with water. Hell, they might have glued the felt down with lino paste as well. Try pouring a small amount of piping hot water on a small spot to see how it reacts.

As you peel back those layer there's a very high probability of asbestos in the backings, felt underlayment and adhesive. You'll only know if you send samples to a laboratory. Dont raise a lot of dust,

 

[woodfloorplanet]

Apply dry cleaning fluid or paint thinner to the remaining residue and blot with a thirsty cloth; repeat as necessary as it will take time to pull out all the residue. Next, apply dish detergent diluted with 20 parts water; blot; rinse; and blot dry.