Removing laminate tile adhesive from hardwood floor.?

Question

After pulling up the old laminate tiles in the kitchen I found there to be hardwood floor underneath. I think the hardwood floor would be very nice to keep if there was a way to get the adhesive off the wood without damaging it. If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
Cannot use stripper as there is pets and children in the house.

Answer 1

Without using chemicals, I'd have to say just renting a floor sander and starting with a coarse grit. Paint stripper wouldn't remove the glue anyway. And sanding is just as messy, even if not as smelly. The dust can cause respiratory problems all by itself. Best thing is move the family to your mom's or to a hotel for a couple of days while you resurface the floor...

Answer 2

Adhesive Laminate Flooring

Answer 3

That is a tough one - but I think it can be done with a good bit of elbow grease. The first thing I would try would be scraping the floor with a sharp floor/wall scraper. I know from experience that this will get the glue off - but I would be concerned as to how easy it is to scratch the wood flooring. If you can get away with scraping the glue off - without significantly damaging the floor - I would scrape as much as possible and then sand. Light scratches will not be a problem b/c you will have to sand the floor anyway. Start with a relatively course sand paper and work your way towards a fine grit paper. A good floor sander will cost about 40 bucks a day (rental - depending on location) but it will yield the best results. When finished - chose a stain color and proceed to staining the floor. If by chance you cannot scrape the glue without causing damage - your best bet (unfortunately) would be to reallocate your family for a night or two and use a chemical application. Although heating the glue will help - in some cases the heat just makes the glue more difficult to work with. Be advised that in any case - sanding will be messy. Good luck.

Answer 4

Try a product like Goof Off first. They sellit at Home Depot or Lowes. It cost about $4.00 for a 16 oz can. Wipe on liberally with a cloth and wait a few minutes and scrub off with same cloth. It does have a somewhat harsh smell at first, so make sure adequate ventilation is available especially for a child. I am a contractor and have used this on several types of floor adhesives, but of coarse there are some that will need to be sanded.

Answer 5

I hate to say it but there is no way to remove the residue w/o damaging the wood floor. We recently had our floors refinished professionally. They did approximately 1100 sq. ft. and 13 steps at a cost of $2000 (virtually the whole house). It was a hassle and took 4 days but it would have taken me much longer. They sanded (3 steps), applied 3 coats of gym quality sealer, packed up, and were gone. Now pet and child accidents wipe up effortlessly. They look great but can be damaged if anything "harsh" is dragged across them.
D.I.Y. sanders can be difficult to use and you could develop ridges and high and low spots. It was fairly pricey but well worth it.
I see I have a dissenting vote but I have to call it like it is. The worst thing anyone can do is get into a DIY'er project that is over their head.
I'm a DIY'er,too, but I know what my limitations are.

Answer 6

try a heat gun and a 2' scraper. be careful, that you don't burn the wood.
after heating glues frequently get brittle and will be easily sliced off with the scraper leaving a much smaller spot to sand.
regardless of what you do, some sanding will be required before varnishing.

Answer 7

When I removed mine I put a towel over it and rubbed the iron over it and it peeled right off.

Answer 8

call your local tile dealer to purchase glue remover