Removing disintegrated lino goo

[lloyd]

Hi all, I’m a newbie here, any advice would be greatly appreciated. :o


My floors had been covered with layers of lino over the years. Actually, I’m not entirely sure if the floor covering is actually lino or something else. I estimate it to be 80-100 years old. It’s black and resinous. It was easy getting it off as it appears not to have been glued down, but merely tacked along the edges. <O:p


The only problem is one patch about 0.5m² where some of the lino has bonded with the wood. Instead of being relatively brittle like the rest of lino sheet, the bottom oif this patch is a bit gummy and gooey. I’m not sure what happened on this section of the floor, but maybe it was as area where a chair with wheels was located for decades or something. It seems as though compression or heat of some sort has melded part of the lino to the wood. I’ve scraped away as much of the excess as possible, but what can I do to remove the residue?<O:p

I plan on using Porter’s Woodwash to get a limed effect and finishing with a poly sealer. Is there anything I should / should not use to avoid problems with these finishes?<O:p


Thanks

Lloyd<O:p

[Trav]

sounds like you need to sand it back. Scrape as much off as you can with a shovel, then get some really coarse sandpaper and get into it. You'll need to work your way up through the different grades of paper.

good luck

Trav

[shagga]

Depending on what the gue is, you might try Eucolypyus oil, turps, method or kero. Some of these work sticky labels and sounds like you have the same sort of thing.

Even try taking some to a paint shop and tell them it's on a wall that was wall papered and see what they might have.

[mic-d]

If it's black goo, I would be very cautious about using a solvent to try and remove it. If you use kero or turps, it's just as likely to carry it into the timber and stain it. You could try scraping most off with a floor scraper/paint scraper and then sand.
The chemist in me saysthat if you can get a hold of some dry ice and lay it over the area, it will make it brittle and you may be able to chip it off (if you've left the ice on long enough).

Cheers
Michael

[ian]

Lloyd
welcome
what you need to get is a SKARSTEN scraper – a scraper with replaceable hooked blade.
When I've used one I've found it worked best if I pulled it toward me.
North Shore Timber & Hardware (stores at Chatswwod, Warriewood, Thornleigh, Waterloo) list one in their web catalogue for $19.23, five blades cost $1.52. You probably have to add GST to these prices.

Don't start sanding until you've scrapped all the gunk off otherwise you'll find your sandpaper will load up in no time and it will take forever.

ian

[Dusty]

Kerosene, sandpaper and a sanding machine will get it off.

For best results, have a guy who knows what he's doing hanging off the said sanding machine. :)

[Dusty]

ohh, and do a test bit to see if the lime wash product is compatible with your finishing polyurethane.