8 Simple Steps for Carpet Mastic Glue Removal

Tuesday, July 14, 2020 Travis McCutchen

Carpets have been a popular floor covering for a long time. The warm and soft feel that comes with carpet flooring is the main reason why carpets are popular. Although carpets are comfortable for both house occupants and pets, they end up getting torn or worn out, which necessitates their removal. There's also a trend whereby homeowners are ripping up their old carpets in favor of the underlying concrete or wood.

If you're in the construction/contracting industry and would like to expand your business into concrete grinding and polishing, part of your new service offering will involve carpet removal. In your line of work, you will most likely run into mastic. As such, it's important that you have an understanding of the carpet mastic glue and how to remove it effectively.

What is Mastic Glue?

Mastic is a resin-based adhesive that is derived from the mastic tree. Compared to the average glue, mastic is more viscous and super sticky. In fact, it's so thing that it's a cross between a liquid and a solid. It is used to set and stick top flooring to the base underneath. It is commonly used to bind carpet, tile, or vinyl to the foundation floor of wood, steel or wood.

Why Remove Mastic Glue?

If you've been hired to provide a carpet removal service, your work will not end after ripping the carpet off the floor. You will need to clean up after removing the carpet to ensure that the flooring will look sparkling clean. Removing mastic glue from the floor is part of the cleaning up process.

Mastic glue removal is not only required after carpet flooring is removed but it is also required before grinding or polishing the floor. If you've been hired to grind or polish concrete or wood flooring, you'll need to remove any contaminants on the surface before grinding work begins.

Preparatory Steps before Carpet Mastic Glue Removal

1. Gather necessary tools

Just like with any other task, you'll need various tools to accomplish the task of carpet mastic glue removal efficiently. The most basic things that you should have ready include:

Scrapper or putty knife
Push broom
Mop
Bucket of hot water or a portable steam cleaner
Heat gun, hair dryer, or hot iron
Adhesive remover
Grinder/Sander
Asbestos testing kit
Personal protective equipment (PPE) (goggles, rubber gloves, and rubber boots)

With everything you need for the carpet mastic glue removal ready, you can proceed to the next step.

2. Inspect the floor

Before the carpet mastic glue removal process commences, you need to carefully inspect the floor. Look out for screws, staples, nails, and other objects that could cause injuries or damage your tools.

3. Test any older adhesives

Up until the 1980s, most adhesive makers mixed mastic with asbestos. As you already know, asbestos is a toxic substance with serious health consequences when inhaled. As such, it is important to test any older adhesives before you start the carpet mastic glue removal process to ensure that the adhesive does not contain asbestos. You can use an asbestos testing kit to carry out the test. Also, be sure to wear personal protective equipment.

Steps for Carpet Mastic Removal

1. Heat the adhesive

Stubborn adhesives like mastic soften or melt and become much easier to remove when heated. When it comes to heating the adhesive, there are several ways you can do it. One of them is by soaking the mastic in hot water. Adding white vinegar to the hot water can allow the water to further penetrate and soften the adhesive. Using a portable steam cleaner can make this process much easier.

Another way to heat the mastic glue is by the use of a heat gun. Move the heat gun evenly back and forth across the area with mastic glue for a few short minutes or until the mastic glue melts. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a hot iron to heat the adhesive.

2. Scrap the mastic glue

Once the carpet mastic glue is soft, whether it is after softening it using hot water or melting it with a heat gun, hair dryer, or hot iron, you can start scrapping. You can use a scrapper or a patty knife to scrape off the mastic glue. When using a scrapper or putty knife, be sure to gently work underneath the mastic glue to avoid damaging the surface.

3. Apply mastic glue remover

For particularly difficult spots that do not melt or soften after applying heat, you should consider using a mastic remover or any other heavy duty glue remover. Adhesive removers are formulated to chemically soften adhesives, thus will help you to remove stubborn glue without much effort. When handling adhesives, be sure to read all product labels, including warnings, cautions, and directions.

Alternatively, you can make use of unconventional solvents to remove carpet mastic glue. Some of the unconventional solvents that most people use include denatured alcohol, paint removers, WD-40, and vegetable oil. Note that these unconventional solvents carry a risk of discoloring or damaging flooring surfaces (especially wood) when used excessively.

4. Sand the floor

If you are performing carpet mastic glue removal on a concrete floor, this is a step that you should take. Sanding the floor will ensure that you have also removed any mastic glue that may be on the pores of the concrete.

To undertake this process, you will need a sanding machine or a floor buffing machine with a sanding disc to get the job done. Be sure to use an aggressive grit to get most of the adhesive off, and then switch to a finer grit to finalize the sanding across the concrete floor. While at it, be careful not to go overboard with the sanding as you could go deeper and possibly expose the aggregate.

5. Clean the floor

After successfully removing the carpet mastic glue, you should clean the floor to ensure that it is clean. Use a mop to clear away any excess water and leave the floor to dry. You can then use a broom to sweep away any remaining debris to leave the floor clean and ready to use.

There is no denying that removing carpet mastic glue, whether it is from concrete floors or from hardwood floors, can be a pain. With the right tools and adequate knowledge, however, you can carry out the task easily, quickly, and satisfactorily. The key is to experiment with different tactics and take all the necessary precautions.

Get Tools for Carpet Mastic Glue Removal Today

Like previously mentioned, getting the right tools is a prerequisite for any carpet mastic glue removal project. Without the right tools, you will end up wasting precious time on the job. For any business, time is money, so you need to save precious time by using the right tools for the job.

If you are in search for vacuums, machines, and tools for coating removal, look no further than OnFloor Technologies. We are a trusted manufacturer of high-quality equipment, tools, and accessories for use in a variety of applications, including grinding, polishing, and coating removal.