Hi actually I cant find the link to ask a fresh question but I am just about to have my first try at tiling my bathroom floor.
The bathroom used to be an old ladies wet room. I ripped up the vinyl no problem but there is a rubbery adhesive left around the edges which I am guessing I need to remove so the ceramic tiles will stick properly.
How do I remove the adhesive? I know there will be some sort of solvent that would do it but the bathroom is downstair and there is no door so I wont be able to keep the dog from being nosy and anyway I avoid using anything noxious if I can. I have gradually been removing it around the edge using a wallpaper steamer. Does anyone have any other suggestions to make it a quicker process. Would a paint stripper work but then I don't actually have one!!!

Your quickest way to do that would be to remove the excess and skim over with 3mm of latex screed. It will take about 8 hours before you can tile it, but it's normally walkable in 1-2 hours.

I assume the adhesive is waterproof? Do I need to remove it?

Am I right thinking that the remains of the 'rubber' adhesive would stop the ceramic tile cement 'adhering properly?

If its only for 5-8 cms round the edge when I will have about half a 33 cm tile round the edges should I even care!!!???

I'm assuming that it's a concrete floor, for peace of mind, I would completely screen off the old adhesive, you may get away with leaving it under the tile, but I wouldn't do it. It will take you a short time to screed the floor with latex, and you will get a very nice finish to tile on without any comebacks later.

Yes sorry I should have said its a concrete floor.

I have never come across the latex stuff before. What's it like? Does it look and behave like self leveling compound? There is no wall at one end at the moment to form the other edge (if that makes sense) as when the plumber comes in he intends to fit the bath before the stud wall is built!

The existing 'bathroom' is directly off the kitchen so I am having part of the bathroom sectioned off with a stud wall to make a small lobby between the two.

I hope that makes sense.

I was fairly happy steaming the floor to gradually undermine the latex adhesive but there seems to be more where the loo is and that will be impossible to deal with until the loo is removed and it is the only one I have as there is not a cloak room........ short of using a bucket!!!

Use a hot air gun to soften the glue and scrape it up.. then use a degreaser to clean and then latex slc as ken says.

Does it need to be a hot air paint stripper or might a hair dryer on the hottest setting that burns the scalp do???

I don't have a paint stripper.

Originally Posted by Elaine 329

Yes sorry I should have said its a concrete floor.

I have never come across the latex stuff before. What's it like? Does it look and behave like self leveling compound? There is no wall at one end at the moment to form the other edge (if that makes sense) as when the plumber comes in he intends to fit the bath before the stud wall is built!

The existing 'bathroom' is directly off the kitchen so I am having part of the bathroom sectioned off with a stud wall to make a small lobby between the two.

I hope that makes sense.

I was fairly happy steaming the floor to gradually undermine the latex adhesive but there seems to be more where the loo is and that will be impossible to deal with until the loo is removed and it is the only one I have as there is not a cloak room........ short of using a bucket!!!

You are correct in thinking that latex and slc are the same thing, there are two types - one is single part where you just add water to cement like powder, which you then pour onto the floor and trowel it with a screeding trowel, or a two part, where you pour a latex milk in with a bag of powder (usually 1 bottle , 1 bag) and apply in the same manner. It's best to enclose the area you are screeding with wooden battens or some kind of edging to stop the screed running away until it's dry enough to walk on, then you can remove them, and there you have a prepared floor with a great surface on which to tile.

Originally Posted by Elaine 329

Does it need to be a hot air paint stripper or might a hair dryer on the hottest setting that burns the scalp do???

I don't have a paint stripper.

You could try a very hot hair dryer, but it's unlikely to be hot enough I would have thought.

I may as well give it a go anyway tomorrow.... Nothing ventured, nothing gained....

Go well, best of luck