How to Remove Adhesive From Concrete Floors - 5 DIY Ways to Get Glue Off Concrete

[@AbbottsAtHome]

You can see the written tutorial for how to remove glued wood floors and how to remove adhesive on concrete in this blog post: www.abbottsathome.com/remove-glued-wood-flooring-concrete/

[@staceyelaine7991]

Ok

[@staceyelaine7991]

Oh wow I wow lol that’s good good job thanks

[@staceyelaine7991]

Oh wow I wow lol that’s good good job thanks

[@alejandropalmabello1116]

M lmq

[@MrMagnaFarce]

When I was doing demolition for kitchen/bathroom remodels we would use an SDS-Plus rotary hammer on the hammer settings with a 1.5in tile chisel for removing adhesive from concrete. Same idea as the oscillating multi-tool scraper, but faster, more powerful, and bits last much longer than the multi-tool blades. Oh, and the longer reach makes it so you don't have to bend over as much, which was a real back saver.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Great tips!! Thanks for sharing. 🙏

[@larslinebarger6712]

One issue is people seem to use way to dam much adhesive

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Yep, there was way to much adhesive on this floor. :)

[@swimdude15005]

way too much

[@superturkeylegs]

Word to the wise: a pneumatic hammer with the right attachment and settings can make the job much more efficient.

[@davefaulkner8156]

Underrated comment......

[@tashawoodson7938]

thanks so much for this video! all the 'professionals' wanna either charge me an arm and a leg, or say it can't be done...guess im doin it myself. your tutorial makes me stress less mentally.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

You can do it. But it is a good workout. 💪 That’s why those contractors either say it can’t be done or want to charge a lot. Good luck!!

[@jrich436]

So did you get about half way through and say “why didn’t I just pay someone to do this”? It’s labor intensive, and labor costs, that’s all there is to it

[@purethoughts3844]

There is also a floor scraper that has an elongated razor blade at the end of it. It comes with a tool that allows you to stand up while scraping, much like your 5th option. The difference is that the one you showed, while effective, does not have a sharp end to it. The scraper I'm speaking about will take that adhesive off like butter without the need for a floor stripper. Hope this helps someone in need. The tool is found in the flooring section of your local Lowe's/Home Depot. Great video by the way, well done!

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks for sharing!

[@joeerickson1967]

I used Sentinal 626 VCT Adhesive remover. Worked great. I used a sharper, long-handled floor scraper and the glue peeled up easily.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Great tip!

[@sybo10]

I removed nearly 2000 sq. ft. of this by soaking in adhesive remover and scraping and cleaning the remainder with paper towels and lacquer thinner, I would do about a 6' by 6' section at a time, finally got done after 3 months, its was a tremendous amount of work.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It can be such a grind getting this stuff up! Good for you for sticking to it!

[@ritabulger9512]

Haha! Yes one section at a time! Love it. Then it’s not so overwhelming and you feel like you accomplished something. I’m not the kind of person that wants to spend a whole day or two on this.

[@davefaulkner8156]

WTH 3 months ......

[@TLyoungs4]

How did you get all the residue up? We have mop and mop and can’t get it clean. Can you give me any ideas?

[@sybo10]

​@@TLyoungs4 keep scraping and applying adhesive remover then remove the goop with paper towels and lacquer thinner, it takes lots of paper towels

[@davidmatias6239]

I bought and used a wallpaper removal steamer along with a Scraper and it worked wonders ( note) I also use a wire bristle on a pole for all the little in between the adhesive

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Steamer? Good tip. Was your adhesive as sticky as mine or more hardened?

[@davidmatias6239]

@@AbbottsAtHome the linoleum flooring has to be about 30-40 years old and it felt like concrete. with the steamer it softened it up like butter. When I was done a 5x5 square I stopped and cleaned all the residue with soap and water to get rid of the stickiness before it dried

[@davidmatias6239]

Lemme add , the top rubber layer I used a hand propane torch to soften it and it easily peeled off (note) 10” at a time . 1. Torch 2. Wallpaper Steamer 3. Scraper with the long pole handle 4. Wire bristle brush with pole 5. Clean soap and water I hope this helps everyone that’s tackling this type of diy project..

[@60secondsguitar]

Thank you for the great tip. It’s awesome to have four ways of doing something. I will try the technique one and two. Keep up the good work.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Good luck, John!

[@desz2834]

Thanks for the tip not everyone tells you the measurement you have to take an account for. Awesome advice

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ZacchaeusNifong]

Great video. Thank you so much!

[@AbbottsAtHome]

You’re welcome!

[@nicoleschiele4036]

Question on the Adhesive Stripper - we have a large outdoor patio that had carpet glued onto it. We've removed the carpet but are struggling to remove the glue. If we use the stripper, will the runoff kill our plants? We have a landscaped flower bed right in front of the patio.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

When you use the stripper I used, it goes on thick. Kinda like pudding. Apply a thick layer across the adhesive. Let it work for a couple hours before you start scraping it up. Try not to do this when the sun is shining on the stripper, it will dry out too fast. Scrape off the gummy adhesive and stripper with a putty knife (or similar metal or hard plastic tool). Put that residue straight into an empty cardboard box. Work in small sections that you can reach before it dries. Thick adhesive might need a second coat of stripper to completely remove it. Once you finish stripping the adhesive most of the stripper should have been scraped off the patio into the box. Indoors I fill a small bucket with warm water and a little dawn dish soap to scrub the remaining residue off. I don't really get my floor very wet. So, you can do this without it touching your landscaping. Did you try power washing the patio? That stream of water alone might be strong enough to remove the adhesive???

[@SupergamerdaddyGoodgame]

Trade dry ice on a cookie sheet with a Styrofoam cooler over and let it sit for a while in a spot and use a handheld long handle floor scraper the frozen glue chips off easily

[@sylviataylor362]

Excellent video.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks!!

[@danmilosevich]

I used hot water, just almost boiling, let it soak on a section for a minute or two or three and it comes right off with a long handled 8 inch wide or so scraper. While scraping one section the water was heating for the next section. Surprisingly not much soaked into the concrete. Pretty much dry by time everything is cleaned up since the water mixed with the adhesive and became all guumy.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jamescoburn6789]

I've spent multiple hours on a 1.3x1.3 metre entrance. The glue has been down since 1978. I've used nitromorse, turps, adhesive remover, scrapers, chisels, wire wool. Almost there, an not sure if all of the small spots need to be removed before the leveller? Im going to try grinding the remains with my Dremel as I can't bring myself to hire or buy a tool for a one off 1m2 job.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Good luck!!

[@weichengli5212]

What kind of glue solution can you tell us? I can see the picture.

[@jonathanbuehler421]

Also if you let the adhesive remover set in for about 10-12 hours the glue comes off easier with stand up scrapers

[@jonathanbuehler421]

@@MAGAMAN lol 😂 nice profile pic

[@randyrivera1089]

did you check for asbestos on the adhesive?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

That adhesive was installed 10 years ago. It didn’t have asbestos. 👍

[@ubacow7109]

Was the old adhesive a hard like plastic or is it like semi-soft still?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It wasn’t super hard. It was pretty stiff though and tacky. Not soft enough to scrape up easily. I was chiseling it.

[@SupergamerdaddyGoodgame]

I have successfully used the standup scraper, the tape with a slammer on it and dry ice and a cookie sheet covered with a small Styrofoam cooler before removing the flooring you freeze it, and when you scrape it up with the scraper, the glue and everything comes up all together

[@AbbottsAtHome]

That dry ice might have worked on my thick, tacky glue. Good tips!!!

[@VitalVoiceScans]

Can you explain more how to use the dry ice?

[@judymickens4989]

Great information and vedio

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks, Judy!

[@binyammamo6454]

Thank you! Very helpful.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks

[@athomewithsummer1170]

Do you know what caused the black areas on the concrete?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Are you talking about the darker areas of concrete?? The lighter grey is a floor leveler poured over my concrete slab (darker, smoother grey). The adhesive was harder to remove from the leveler. 👍

[@coyturney3713]

I used a grinder with a sanding wheel

[@BlogofTheW3st]

Why no mention of an angle grinder?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

I just covered 5 options, but you can always use an angle grinder too.

[@marco785]

Will this take up epoxy

[@AbbottsAtHome]

I'm not sure what can get epoxy up. I'm guessing an industrial scraper of some sort would be required. I've always flinched when I see people pour epoxy on floors, just thinking about what you'd have to go through to undo it. Sorry.

[@marco785]

Thanks. Luckily for me the guy didn’t know what he was doing so not all of it stuck. Sucks because I wasted my money!

[@lot5953]

Oh wow the white stuff that you have on the concrete just like what I have now. I bought a model home as they had carpet installed in garage for the guest room so when I moved in, they removed the carpet. Unfortunately they tried to remove glue carpet and but the garage floor is still looking terrible so I did pressure washer but nothing changes. Still white looking

[@AbbottsAtHome]

That sucks. You might need to scrape the adhesive with a standing power scraper if it’s really tough to get up. You can probably rent one at a local tool rental place. Although, since this is a garage and you won’t be laying flooring over it, you might need to put a poured garage surface over the scraped up glue to make it look nice.

[@lot5953]

@@AbbottsAtHome thanks. I thought about scraping off the surface of the concrete then pour new cement over it but the project was too expensive done by contractor. Instead I went to Lowes and got epoxy to paint over the concrete but epoxy is slowly peeling off. So I may use hand tool with cohesive removal like in your video to scrape off the glue.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

@@lot5953 Isn't home ownership fun. It's just an endless series of unexpected jobs. :) Good luck!

[@debs0228]

@@lot5953 I'm now dealing with a basement floor full of carpet glue, it's been a bear to remove the carpet alone but I'm about finished. I just had someone estimate for grind and seal and was shocked at how much they charge after reading that it was supposed to be a cheaper method of flooring. I also have read a lot of strippers do not work and at 570sq ft not sure I can take much more scraping labor.. ugh.. what a mess !! Maybe I'll try a stripper and rent the smaller scraping machine from Home Depot but to spend money not knowing if it will work is a gamble.

[@eb9844]

@@debs0228 did you have any success with removing the glue? I have removed most of the glued on carpet tiles from my basement due to the dampness and poor air quality. These carpet tiles have been there for almost 20 years. In some areas the glue came up easily like powder using scrappers from Dollarama. Other areas required more laboured scrapping as the glue was thicker and dry and no longer sticky. I’m now trying to figure out what to use for the areas that have that stickiness that ranges from very thin to much thicker just like in the video. I had to stop removing anymore tiles for a couple of weeks because I found the dampness was affecting my breathing. In the meantime I had dehumidifiers running for that section in my basement. Yesterday, to my surprise, the very thin layer of sticky glue was easier to remove then it was a couple of weeks ago. My floors have 2 different layers of concrete paint under the glue and I’ve found that if I can get underneath the layers of paint, the glue is much easier to scrape away and will come up in strips. However, I’m trying to find an economical solution for about 200 sqft.

[@letaynichols1505]

Question can I use the flooring adhesive striper on my drywall?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It's not designed for drywall. Sorry. You'll probably need to cut the drywall out and patch in new. I have a video with beginner tips for installing drywall, if you need it:kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpTRXnqMa5WkY7c

[@timkoss1029]

adhesive on concrete.....2nd time outdoor carpet laid so maybe a little more glue than a 1 time carpet job. i have used mineral spirits, ammonia, acetone and jasco paint and epoxy remover (getl) . none worked great but the acetone and Jasco worked best. Meaning: paint on a coat , with Jaco wait 15 minutes, and with a razor blade, scrap. In my case i had to repeat 4 times to get close enough to clean concrete where i then used an angle grinder with a diamond wheel to get to absolute clean smooth concrete. chemical costs: about $6/sq ft. Razor baldes $40, My labor ......well man hours............40..........size of job .......about 25 SQ FT. Maybe one of the pdts such as sentinel 620 works but at $26/gal i didn't want to spend that much on an experiment. the question to ask yourself: how clean of concrete do you need. In my case i am going to paint so it needs to be very smooth. if your just relaying carpet or something else getting to smooth concrete may not be necessary.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Sounds like a rough one. Good tip about deciding if you really need perfectly clean concrete. Carpeting over a little adhesive, that is smooth, is probably fine. I installed tile on my floor. So, I needed clean concrete to ensure my thinset wouldn’t pop off old adhesive. Thanks for telling us everything you used. 👍👍

[@smilejesuslovesyou8108]

Would this work for carpet adhesive?

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It should work on most flooring adhesives. 👍👍

[@smilejesuslovesyou8108]

@@AbbottsAtHome thank you

[@46singledad46]

In my bathroom wood floors is this the same process

[@AbbottsAtHome]

If the glue is on a concrete slab, it should be. If someone glued wood floors to a plywood subfloor then you probably have to replace the subfloor. But, I'm not sure. Maybe someone else will see this and answer. 👍

[@46singledad46]

@@AbbottsAtHome it's not glue it's the traditional mudd mixture.

[@46singledad46]

Then is it possible to remove the substance on the back of the tiles. It's like 12 times not the entire bathroom.

[@patricklandis3910]

The best glue remover is Sentinel 626. Carpet and sheet vinyl adhesive remover. Use this product, move the glue with ease with a scraper

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks for the tip!

[@rayz0rxxx]

So there is no magic liquid that can dissolve the glue residue like an acid on your skin? 😞

[@AbbottsAtHome]

I wish! If someone can invent that they'd make a fortune. :)

[@fatcapital88]

Great video thank you

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks! 🙏🙏

[@amandaclbn8324]

What about sanding it off? My floor has pretty thin layers

[@quantumyear]

We tried that, it really didn't work for us and only filled the whole room with so much dust we couldn't see or breathe!

[@777powderedtoastandcoffee6]

Paint stripper will remove it. Spread it and scrape it off when it curds up

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Good tip, thanks!

[@HeyZeus667]

That liquid stripper costs 30 a gallon, only covers about 200sqft and doesn't work very well. Wasted 60 trying this method, and it's the exact brand pictured in the video. There is another, from the same company, but it's a bit more expensive, and has to be used in a well ventilated area, it works better, but turns that glue into snot, which is difficult to pick up off the floor.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

I think these products work differently on different types of adhesive. It was the only one that worked for me. But, thanks for sharing your tips and experience!

[@moaalv780]

Cómo se llama el líquido

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Here's the link to what I used: Adhesive Stripper - amzn.to/3jW1nNV

[@DsVibe]

I appreciate the video!

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks!!

[@lisaquigley-moon9583]

I'm trying the chisel. 1964 clue is strong

[@AbbottsAtHome]

I bet!!

[@gurjindersingh199]

I used an angle grinder and a quick strip disc.

[@thebarak]

The irony is, no wood, laminate or engineered wood flooring needs any glue. It is a scam and a requirement for the fake unusable warranties. The glue can even cost more than some floors. Some engineered products come up like tiny matchsticks from the old glue when you want to change the floor. You can float any interlocking floor and easily change damaged areas over time, and never have to apply or remove that glue. Seeing you do all that work makes me sad for your poor hands and knees.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks. I just try to look at jobs like that as an extra workout. But, it would have been nice to not have to do it at all. 😊

[@seanstr26m123]

I want a glue remover that does it in like 30 minutes and then I can just scrape it off This stuff is way too thick.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

100% understand. When the glue is that thick and gummy, it’s going to be a massive job no matter what with the options available. 👍👍

[@randallsavage13]

Thank you

[@AbbottsAtHome]

You’re welcome!

[@TheAutumnWind_RN4L]

Nice shoes.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Thanks. I LOVE those shoes.

[@jonathanbuehler421]

I just scraped an entire middle school in 1 week with scrapers from ace even though it took 250-300 blades with 8-9 people working 45000 square feet of glue scraped up. If I knew the name of the scraper I would say. But I don’t

[@AbbottsAtHome]

Good info! Thanks. And, I’m so glad I didn’t have to do a whole middle school. But I’m sure it was a great workout. 💪🤓

[@jupiter7040]

Use an AVS

[@rubenrojas2558]

You need know the right hand tools for scraper the floor. Its easy. Diferent scraper.

[@tripthediff]

Oh my I think I would drum sand it

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It’s a good idea. I’ve used a drum sander on light amounts of adhesive. But with this amount, I would’ve spent a fortune on sandpaper.

[@rubenrojas2558]

Can buy in desoto o Tom duffy.

[@Dan_Ohhh]

Everybody loves a great stripper! 😎💪🏻💪🏻

[@thepsychonaut8212]

o man that doesnt look fun

[@Missymedz]

This is going to take months 🙈

[@AbbottsAtHome]

If you have multiple rooms or a ton of adhesive, renting a power tool might be better. Check with your local tool rental stores to see what they have available.

[@jarule275]

A stripper with no odor? Rare.

[@AbbottsAtHome]

It’s kinda like Citristrip. It has a nice fruity smell. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[@tatts2000]

🤣

[@yzmoto80]

@@AbbottsAtHome 😳✈️

[@taggstir4966]

Don’t use floor adhesive.

[@billyscott7769]

How about a floor scraper.and a Sander