Asbestos In Flooring Adhesives

Q: Our current project is replacing the flooring in our sunroom. The sunroom was added in the 1960's and has beautiful avocado green linoleum. The floor is sliced in places, curling at the edges, and there is at least one soft spot in the subflooring. My fear w/ tearing it up is asbestos. I've read the adhesive used to glue the linoleum has asbestos in it and when you tear it up you release the dust into the air, which can be dangerous. Is any of that true? And, if so, is it safe to tear it up? Wet it first? Any advice, experience, or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

A: Yes, asbestos was used in some adhesives for flooring. Once you start removing asbestos you will most likely (depending on where you are) fall under some environmental guidelines for the safe removal. In many areas homeowners are not permitted to remove asbestos products themselves and must hire a licensed contractor.

The best way to solve the problem is to leave the current floor in place and cover it with a layer of 1/4" plywood and place your new flooring on it.

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Removing Glue From Hardwood

Q: The previous owner of my house put some linoleum over a hardwood floor. I have ripped up a big part of it and now have some glue residue left in spots. Could someone tell me a good way to get the glue off or does it just need to be sanded. I cannot afford to have the floor refinished like it needs to be right now and thought maybe if there was a way to make it look a little better for a few months until I get it done I would.

A: Without knowing what type of adhesive was used, you will have to have some trial and error. Use a fiberglass pot scrubber, gently, in circular movements over the adhesive - first try acetone (nail polish remover), if that doesn't work, try alcohol (rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy will work fine), then comes varsol and if none of the above work, anything else will probably damage the wood. After using any of the above chemicals wash that area of the floor with some warm water and dishwasher detergent. Try not to breath in the fumes as you are leaning over the spot and scrubbing, they will give you a good headache. Best if you can pick a day when you can open the windows.

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Carpet Glue‏

Q: The carpet is coming apart at the seams and the edges, mostly from the water and suction from being cleaned by the carpet cleaners. Also wear and tear. It needs to be re-glued or reattached. What is the best way to do this? What type of glue should I get if that's best?

A: The best thing to do is remove the old glue tape and buy some new tape at any of the big box home improvement centers. You place the tape below the seam and then use an iron to melt the glue on the tape.

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