Putting down laminate, carpet glue in the way....

**Mustonen** · 06-05-2011, 07:52 AM

So, the house we've recently moved into has carpet in the kitchen, dining room and guest restroom. It's gotta go - it's gross. We just picked up some laminate that will float over the subfloor. It's an all in one kind of deal, with foam underlayment built in.

Most of the carpet is a low nap industrial type stuff, and upon pulling it up, it was all glued down. Trying to figure out what to do about the hard glue on the subfloor. It's all pretty flat, it just makes for a kind of textured surface. Getting it up looks like it will be a bitch, and I'd rather avoid putting down an additional layer of subfloor. I'm working with about 630 sq. ft.

So, what should I do? Any thoughts on just putting the laminate on top? Any tips?

**Gone Skiing** · 06-05-2011, 08:41 AM

Would it come up with a orbital sander and some 60 grit?

**legallyillegal** · 06-05-2011, 09:13 AM

plastic barriers and a respirator

get to work!

sucks that the original contractor didnt think ahead and didnt just glue the edges

you could put the laminate on top, but someone is going to have to deal with the glue at some point

**bigt** · 06-05-2011, 10:54 AM

sawsall and one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CFsQ8wIwAA

sorry to slow to post pic

and a few hours. Did the same thing with linoleum glue.

**Crock** · 06-05-2011, 02:38 PM

blow torch and scrape it off?

**RootSkier** · 06-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Stand up floor scraper. Rent one.

If this fails, and it might, you are fucked and will probably need to put another layer down. Do not, under any circumstances, put laminate down on top of a non-flat surface.

60 grit in an orbital, LOLZ.

**Mustonen** · 06-05-2011, 03:50 PM

About 25% of the area had vinyl (not the bathroom, oddly enough) and I just found that under that is a layer of 1/4 inch plywood put down with approximately a dozen staples per sq ft. So, new plan is to just buck up and put a layer of 1/4 inch plywood on the rest of it rather than spend the next week pulling staples.

**cl1953** · 06-05-2011, 08:07 PM

If you add another layer, use construction adhesive between sheets. Check to see what adding height will do to doors and other transitions.

Cost and effort, but the end result is much better than you can ever achieve trying to smooth it out.

**Jethro** · 06-05-2011, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

Stand up floor scraper. Rent one.

If this fails, and it might, you are fucked and will probably need to put another layer down. Do not, under any circumstances, put laminate down on top of a non-flat surface.

60 grit in an orbital, LOLZ.

I was going to say belt sand it with the coarsest grit you can get, but a floor sander trumps that.

**Obstruction** · 06-06-2011, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Mustonen

About 25% of the area had vinyl (not the bathroom, oddly enough) and I just found that under that is a layer of 1/4 inch plywood put down with approximately a dozen staples per sq ft. So, new plan is to just buck up and put a layer of 1/4 inch plywood on the rest of it rather than spend the next week pulling staples.

Bingo. +1 on the adhesive (in addition to the staples or underlayment nails) and checking the height so you know where you are going to stand vis-a-vis doors and thresholds etc.

**brice618** · 06-06-2011, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Jethro

I was going to say belt sand it with the coarsest grit you can get, but a floor sander trumps that.

No. Not a sander.

this:

To do it right, you'll still want to get the glue up before putting the 1/4 ply down.

**DJSapp** · 06-07-2011, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by brice618

No. Not a sander.

this:

To do it right, you'll still want to get the glue up before putting the 1/4 ply down.

Thirded. Floor sander isn't going to get the glue up, it's going to fuck up the subfloor.

**Mustonen** · 06-08-2011, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by brice618

No. Not a sander.

this:

To do it right, you'll still want to get the glue up before putting the 1/4 ply down.

Help. I'm afraid I don't understand. I can't figure out how that attaches to my hammer drill, small 2 cycle engine, or lawn tractor.

Do I put the long skinny end directly into the PTO, or?

**DJSapp** · 06-08-2011, 11:58 AM

Yes, put the skinny end into your PTO, put the front wheels up on blocks so the sharp end is angled at the floor and rev it up. Once your floor is destroyed, you can replace it with a new unglued subfloor. Problem solved!