Jackrabbit carpet puller

Electric walk behind flooring removal machine/scraper.

Chemicals will inhibit the bond of the new flooring your planning on installing.

Sharon---There is a new product out ad HD that is tailor-made for your situation. It is called Allure vinyl plank flooring...$1.69 at HD. I just put some down in my new laundry room (formerly a glorified closet)...and so far, so good.

Here is a pic before:

It is a product similar to (actually--I think it is the same as) the low-end Konecto.

I've got to run, but will try and check back with a photo of the finished product. If you do a search on Konecto on the flooring forum you should find out lots of info...there have been several threads.

melanie

Did they say anything in the specs, about requiring you encapsulate that old black asbestos cutback adhesive???? It is a big time "bond breaker"

You where aware the tiles that use to be there, were asbestos tiles. The black glue, gives it away and tells me, they were asbestos.

Floorguy--

If you are addressing me...yes, I knew they were asbestos tiles. They were vintage 1967 9"x9"--pretty much guaranteed to be asbestos.

In NC one is allowed to do one's own removal/disposal of this sort of tile. I took the tiles to the dump, double bagged in heavy-duty black plastic bags. The waste guys took them at the "hazardous household waste" shed...and told me that they aren't really considered hazardous waste when they are in tile form.

During removal I wore a respirator. When I was finished I stripped into the washing machine, and then damp mopped the area. Additionally--the tiles all came up "of a piece." Asbestos, according to my research, is primarily a problem when it is friable. These tiles don't fall into that category. It is, however, one of the reasons I chose to use a floating floor solution. That way I didn't have to disturb the mastic. It's probably fine...we had it tested and the mastic came up negative for asbestos...but I chose not to take chances. I asked about encapsulation for mastic and was told it wasn't necessary...but that if I tried to use self-stick tiles the remaining mastic could cause bonding problems. Hence my delight in finding the Allure product. I'll probably use Konecto for the rest of the floor.

Do you have any other wisdom? As you can see in one of the photos, the old tiles have begun to fail. I need to do SOMETHING. I probably have 1500 square feet of basement left to do. Most of the flooring people I've contacted have recommended the disposal method I'm using....but I'd be delighted to hear if you have any other suggestions.

melanie

Should have added---

I would much rather pay someone to do this...but none of the flooring people I've talked to will touch my floor. They all tell me I must get rid of the asbestos tile first. So that is what I'm doing. I may pay someone to put the Konecto down...if I can get the cash together. I'm a HUGE believer in paying for such things...but it's a lot of square footage. I may not have a choice...once I remove that much tile I'll be so sore I won't be able to move for a week.

melanie

Melanie-thanks for the product info. Will check it out today. I'll be interested to see if I can lay that on top of my carpeting. Good luck on your project..and keep the icy hot nearby for those 'aching' muscles'!!

sharon--

I'm fairly certain you can install over carpet. I've linked to the Konecto site at the bottom. You can view the installation video from there...they show it going over carpet.

I found the Konecto Installation PDF much better than the instructions that come on the Allure box. You can find it on their website as well. Good luck!

melanie

Here is a link that might be useful: Konecto USA

Well heck, if it says you can go over carpet, that black cut back isn't going to be a concern. I saw the wax paper and thought it was a peel & stick plank.

Floorguy--

It is peel and stick--but only to itself. That's what drew me to the product--it floats. I knew the black mastic was an issue with anything that needed to adhere to the surface. The contact adhesive is on the little tounges...and the underside tabs. I di put down a line of carpet tape around the perimiter to keep the first course from sliking--but once they are all in place they aren't going anywhere, so I'm hoping that the fact that the adhesive on the carpet tape is going to dissolve won't matter.

Check out the Konecto site... it's pretty interesting stuff.

melanie

sharon fl, Konecto is supposed to be a real good product. But is your Florida room climate controlled? Konecto will not tolerate extreme swings in temperature and humidity levels. Porcelain tile is about the only hard surface floor covering that is not affected by either.

Jerry-no-there's not a bit of climate control! The room has 2 walls of slider windows w/screens. Other than sheer curtains up at the windows & a ceiling fan-that's it. As you come up 2 steps from the carport-you enter onto this 12x12 room. At the far end of the room, you go down 2 steps to a hall leading to the back door & our storage shed...all of which is under our double wide mobile home's roof over. A 10' wrought iron railing edges the main floor from the lower area.
Thanks for your imput folks!

About allure flooring: how to install!

That's pretty good Martina, dam near exactly 8 year old post..............