Many a homeowner has moved into a new home and immediately begun to renovate the place to make it more their own. Carpeting is often the first thing to go when a homeowner is handed the keys to his or her new home, and many a homeowner has pulled up an old carpet only to discover beautiful flooring beneath.
Pulling up carpet is a relatively simple task, but carpets that were glued down often leave their mark on the floor, turning even the most appealing hardwood floor into an eyesore covered in hardened clumps of glue. Such remnants may be harder to remove than the actual carpet, but with the right approach and a little elbow grease, homeowners will be enjoying their new hardwood floors sooner rather than later.
- Get the glue right. All carpet glues are not the same, so before you can begin to remove the adhesive from the floor you must first determine which type of glue you will be removing, as this can dictate how you proceed with the removal. Tar-based adhesives are dark brown or tan, but if the floor is coated in a yellow-looking substance, then the carpet was glued down with a more general adhesive.
- Choose the appropriate removal material. Once you have determined which type of adhesive was used on the floor, visit the hardware store to buy the appropriate removal material. Tar-based adhesives are best removed with mineral spirits, while general adhesives are best removed with a combination of elbow grease and adhesive remover. When removing a general adhesive, first try to scrape or chip off any glue spots. Be gentle when chipping, as you don't want to scuff your wood floor. Scraping and chipping will likely only do so much, so once you have scraped and chipped as much as you can, you can then use your adhesive remover. Such products tend to be quite flammable, so exercise caution when using them. In addition, adhesive removers can be toxic, so keep the windows open while you're working so you don't get lightheaded or begin to feel sick.
- Follow the manufacturer instructions. When using mineral spirits or adhesive removers, it's imperative that you follow the manufacturer instructions. Oftentimes such products instruct users to apply them with a paintbrush or sponge in an attempt to dampen the glue. Once applied, these removers are typically left to sit for a predetermined period of time listed on the package.
- Use the right tool. Once the recommended period of time for the remover to set has passed, you can then begin to scrape the glue away. When doing so, be sure to use a plastic putty knife. You may not feel a plastic putty knife can be as effective as a metal alternative, but the plastic won't scratch or scuff the floor. A plastic putty knife may or may not remove all of the glue, and chances are it won't. You will still be stuck with some stubborn spots that the putty knife simply can't remove. When such spots present themselves, apply a little more remover, wait the recommended time for it to set and then use an old towel to wipe away the rest of the glue. This can be hard, but stick with it to ensure the floor looks as good and glue-free as it possibly can.
- Allow the floor time to dry. The floor will need time to dry after all of the glue has been removed, so at this point you can call it a day and finish the job the following day. If weather permits, you can expedite the drying process by opening all of the windows. This not only dries the floor more quickly but also allows you to air out the room, which many contain some lingering chemicals left behind by the removers.
- Clean the floor. When the floor has dried, you can sweep and vacuum it to make sure it is free of debris.
- Sand the floor. While the floor may look beautiful, you will probably still need to sand it. No matter how carefully and effectively you removed the glue, you probably left behind a few scuff marks or noticed a few that likely resulted from the carpet installation. Sanding can remove these blemishes and take you one step closer to enjoying your beautiful and now-glue-free wood floors.
