Got stuck on a 1960s parquet floor with tar paper under it.

The homeowner in Portland wanted it saved, but the old adhesive was like concrete. What should have been a two day demo turned into a full week of chiseling and grinding. Anyone have a better method for that kind of mess?

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3 Comments

park.adam6mo ago

Oh man, I feel that. Had the EXACT same thing in a 70s kitchen. That black mastic just turns to rock. We ended up using a floor scraper with a long handle and a ton of replaceable blades, but it still destroyed my shoulders. A full week sounds about right for that nightmare.

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jamieperez6mo ago

My neighbor used a wallpaper steamer on his mastic and it came up in sheets. The heat softens that old glue so you don't fight it as much. Have you tried a heat gun or steamer yet?

5

eva_garcia565mo ago

My 80s bathroom mastic basically welded the tiles on.

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