Help!: Removing Old Tile Adhesive From Floor

[dfuk121]

We've started lifting the ceramic kitchen floor tiles ready to start laying the new ones (ceramic also). The problem we've got is getting the old adhesive up. Picture attached

P1100310.JPG

The adhesive has a cement quality to it as it is hard. We've tried cold chiselling it, grinding it, hitting it repeatedly with many a blunt instrument but nothing happens. At best a few specks break off.

I think we need to lay self levelling concrete but wondered if there are any suggestions for getting the old adhesive up thus lowering the overall height of the SLC layer?

In terms of the shopping list, I believe I need to coat the floor (once ready) with BAL bond SBR Primer and then lay a layer of SLC, with Concrete Levelling Compound - Level IT one HDB being recommended elsewhere on this forum. Does this sound about right?

[davemul]

Get ready for some pain, that is all I will say!

I had exactly the same. Tiles laid on TOP of lino... I started with a hamer and chisel and nearly broke my wrist in two!

I invested in an SDS drill and armeg chisel bit.. it took off the adhesive but I was left with the sticky residue from the lino to chisel up.

took me 3 solid days and my hands/wrists still ache! Make sure you use a mask, goggles and ear defenders if going my route.

All to save a few mm in floor height aswell!

[dfuk121]

Get ready for some pain, that is all I will say!

Thought that would be the case.

On the plus side, I've been nagging the wife for an SDS drill so now I can get it with a legitimate excuse

[Martyn Leeds]

how stuck are you for the height restrictions?

for the hassle, I'd be going down the levelling route.

I take it its a concrete floor under the old adhesive?

[davemul]

i would level aswell

i've just fitted ufh and am having 20mm thick limestone so needed all the mm I could save

[dfuk121]

I take it its a concrete floor under the old adhesive?

I sincerely hope so ;-)

As far as I can see, the entire ground floor was covered in lino. We've got laminate in the living room that's coming up soon, and I know there's lino under there. The lino is brittle and under this is black tar looking adhesive. Under this I believe there is solid concrete. Definitely not a suspended floor.

What I might do then is (SDS) chisel off the adhesive to get a level, if sticky, surface. I'd then lay SLC. Would I need to prime the floor before laying SLC?

Any brands of primer and/or SLC that have been tried and tested?

[davemul]

I primed with primer G from mapei. Only because I went through the sticky lino backing to concrete in some places, and also took chunks out of the floor with the sds chisel, and patched them back up with mortar!

Horrible job, never doing it again! mind you will be worth it once the stone is down!

[kruger]

Just done my bathroom and i had the exact same floor,tried a bosch sds 3 with a tile removel bit.didnt even touch it.ended up with a hilti tango drill with a chisel bit.did the job but took two days and get some full ear protectors!!!!!
Someone told me after all they do is cut the floor out and lay some new down.

[dfuk121]

Someone told me after all they do is cut the floor out and lay some new down.

From what I gather, if the floor is wooden then it's usually replaced if it's got tile adhesive stuck to it as it takes far longer and more effort than the value of replacing the floor.

We've got concrete floors so I've followed the advice of @davemul and bought and SDS drill and the Armeg tile attachment. It slows me down on using a crowbar to remove the tiles but it's a breeze on the adhesive. Floor is looking good already. Just need to finish it and apply a skim of SLC. Happy days.

[impish]

Try a hire shop like HSS. They have some clever kit HSS Hire - Floor Tile Remover Hire and Rent
Makes a mess but will eat through the adhesive!