Carpet glue is used to hold down carpets and make sure it stays in place. It can also help prevent moisture from penetrating the subfloor.
But if you’re tired of carpet – and so many of us are – and you’re ready to put down some new vinyl plank flooring, will you need to remove the carpet glue first before installing your new vinyl floor?
Yes, you will need to remove carpet glue prior to laying down any kind of laminate flooring (including vinyl plank). You want to make sure that the installation is as smooth and issue free as possible. Any adhesive or leftover carpet glue may turn this into a problem.
Because of this, we’ll provide you with a handy guide on how you can remove carpet glue before moving onto the main event. It’s important that you remove as much as possible (albeit thoroughly). Luxury vinyl plank floors don’t come cheap so you cannot afford to damage them due to glue residue that can still be sticky.
If you want to install vinyl plank flooring as your new floor surface, follow this guide for removing glue below.
By the way – before we get too far along here, if you want to connect with other homeowners and builders and get more great ideas for your home to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Remodel Reality here.
How To Remove Carpet That Is Glued To The Floor?
To remove a carpet that is glued to the floor, you will need to do the following:
1. Take a utility knife and begin making cuts into the carpet. You want to do this by cutting strips so you can easily peel them.
2. Remove foam backing with a hand scraper.
3. Pull off the strips and dispose of them properly.
Removing glue from a concrete floor
If you are removing carpet glue from concrete flooring, the concept is a bit different. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Scrape off any concrete glue that may be present. Use a scraper that has a razor sharp edge and go at it hard. Once you have scraped off any glue chunks, sweep them up with a broom and dust pan so you can dispose of them properly.
2. Using boiling hot water, lower the pan and pour it on the floor slowly. This is intended to loosen up any hard glue that you may have difficulty removing. Allow a maximum of two minutes for the glue to soften before you scrape it up.
3. Using a concrete floor scrubber, scrub off the glue. You may repeat the process, if necessary.
4. If the hot water method fails, you can move onto using heavy duty glue remover. Before applying, you want to make sure the room is well ventilated to prevent adverse health effects. This glue remover contains toxic fumes. Another alternative can be eco-friendly mastic removers that won’t be as harmful.
Apply in the area where dried glue is and allow it to loosen up. Scrape it using a scraper when ready.
Removing glue from a cement floor can be a challenge. But it will be easy to do once you get the hang of it.
Can a floor sander remove carpet glue?
Yes. If you still have a bit of that stubborn carpet glue, it’s time to sand the floor. You can rent a floor buffer if you don’t have one of your own. For sandpaper, use 300-grit because it’s aggressive and it’s the best kind to use for sanding down concrete floors.
If it’s a small floor, you can get away with using belt sanders since it won’t be a large area that you’re dealing with.
Can Goo Gone remove carpet glue?
Yes. Goo Gone is perfect for when you need to remove carpet glue. To do this, you’ll want to follow these instructions below:
1. Pretest in an area where there is carpet glue. Make sure it’s inconspicuous.
2. Apply liberal amounts of Goo Gone onto the glue itself.
3. Allow it to soak for about 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Scrape up the carpet glue using a putty knife.
5. Wash the removal areas with soap and water.
6. Repeat the previous steps, if needed.
Goo Gone might just be one of the more proven methods if are planning on installing a vinyl floor, but don’t want to deal with any sticky residue that can be a problem.
Can WD-40 remove carpet glue?
Yes. Even WD-40 will get the job done when it comes to removing carpet glue. After all, it’s known for being useful in so many situations. Here’s how to get it done:
Spray WD-40 over the area. Allow it to spread out for about five minutes. After that, use the scraper to get it off. If there’s a large amount of glue, you can remove it in sections.
Before doing this, make sure the room you’re in is well-ventilated. You don’t want to breathe in any fumes that can be toxic.
Can you freeze and remove glue?
Yes. Use a piece of dry ice and place it on a metal tray while wearing gloves. Place the tray in an area where there is residual glue. Let it rest for a minute so it can freeze the glue.
It will become brittle and you can use the scraper.
Can you use mineral spirits to remove glue?
Yes. You can remove glue with mineral spirits. However, the glue itself needs to be tar based.
The mineral spirits themselves can be found in a tar remover. This should only happen if you have to remove hardwood floors and replace them with vinyl floors. Remove any remaining glue with a putty knife.
Do I need to remove carpet glue?
Yes. Because it is critical for anyone to remove glue before vinyl flooring is installed. That’s because you want to create a smooth surface and make it easier to install vinyl flooring or any type of subfloor that you intend to install.
Final Thoughts
Removing carpet glue does not have to be a challenge. So long as you have the right tools and follow any one of the numerous methods above, you should be in good shape. Once you get all the glue cleaned off, you can install vinyl plank flooring anywhere you please.
Replacing old flooring is a fun DIY project. It may be easy to do or it can be challenge depending on the type of flooring you plan on installing. Rest assured, once you get it completed, you will marvel over a project you didn’t think you were capable of completing.
If you have any questions regarding the article, feel free to ask me by leaving your question in the comments section below.
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