I don't doubt that cold would make the tiles brittle, but would it help the glue to let go? That is the real problem, making the glue release from the particle board or at least the tiles. Also, what might the extreme cold do to the underlaying particle board? Would it cause it to break up and come up with the glue?
Will it also shatter the particle board?
Big SNIP
Naw, I'm a liberated man (cough--cough). Yeah right! But it was my job to keep the cloth wet, and the iron filled with water. She handled that weapon all on her own. I was just the ammunition bearer. Besides, there was only about 600 square feet of it. How bad could that be, dear?!?!
Take care.
Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.
Have you considered trying a power plane? I've used this to remove the last bits of carpets and glue....
NH> >> On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 06:11:53 -0400, Nick Hull >> wrote: >> >> >About 20 years ago my wife laid our living-dining room in floor tiles, >> >12" squares of linoleum glued down. Now we need to remove the tiles and >> >it is becoming a major PITA. Some areas of the tiles come up pretty >> >easy, but a lot of areas have to be chipped up at great labor. I'm >> >using a shovel-like METAL tool designed for the purpose with a >> >resharpenable blade about 7" wide and in the tough areas it takes maybe >> >20 hard strokes to move an inch. Last night I tried heat, a 60 watt >> >bulb in a 10" reflector laid on the floor. It helped a bit, in 15 min >> >it would soften the circle under the reflector with only a hint of >> >scorching of the underlaying particle board. 30 min would definitely >> >scorch the floor. >> >
NH> Thanks to all you guys for the many helpful suggestions, I'm working on NH> several of the heat solutions now.
NH> The Harbor Freight Air Scraper sounds very interesting, but I'm worried NH> about it's effect on the underlying particle board. What are the NH> particle boards chances of surviving such a powerful tool? Yes, I know NH> I never should have used particle board anywhere in the house,, but the NH> original plan was to put a rug over it and it's done now and can't be NH> easily undone.
NH> -- NH> Free men own guns, slaves don't NH>
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 09:02:50 +0100, "John Manders" calmly ranted:
Stan's tech buddy must be a brilliant dude if he couldn't handle a simple heat gun without smokin' out the house. I wonder if he even opened all the windows before doing the job, or if he put a fan in the bathroom window to blow the small amount of smoke out, or tried holding the gun a wee bit farther away from his work so it didn't smoke... 'Taint rocket science.
---------------------------------------------- CAUTION: Driver Legally B l o n d (e)
Try a CO2 fire extinguisher or dry ice and freeze those bad boys. They will come off with ease.
SNIP
Just why, pray tell, are you trying to salvage particle board? Your hourly rate must be much lower than mine and I have been retired ten years now. Just rip out the whole damned mess and start with new, clean, smooth underlay. Gerry :-)} London, Canada
Anything effective that you try to remove the tiles is going to damage the particle board. Methods designed to attack the glue holding the tiles will also attack the glue holding the particle board together. Any mechanical means you use will also damage the particle board.
So the solution is simple, tear out the particle board with the tile still attached. The stuff is cheap, and ripping it out is the fastest and easiest method of accomplishing your task. Then put down a decent underlayment before putting down new tile.
Gary
I'd love to do just that but the particle board goes under the wall footers and all built in cabinets, etc. Stripping the house would be a night mare, and trying to cut the particle board at the exact edge of the walls, fireplace, kitchen cabinets etc wouyld be worse.
It isn't that bad. I recently did a partial kitchen remodel because of water damage to the old flooring. I cut out the old flooring where it went under the cabinets with a chainsaw. The bar nose will get into places you can't cut with a conventional saw. I had to do some chisel work where the joists went under the cabinets, but otherwise it was quick. The cut edges don't have to be perfect, just use lots of caulk to seal where the new underlayment meets what's left of the old.
Gary (Wood butchers R Us)
Didn't you have trouble when the chainsaw hit nails?
You only have to cut the parts you can't rip up, in other words, only the partial sheets that extend under something you don't want to move such as cabinets or walls. You can see where the joists are at that point, so you know where the nails are. Don't cut there because a) you might hit a nail, and b) because you don't want to cut the joist.
The narrow strips on top of the joists up to the cabinet lip are removed with a chisel after you cut out the rest (where there are no nails) with the saw.
Gary
Would LOVE to do just that, but the 5/8 particle board is firmly nailed to a good 3/4" exterior grade plywood and goes under EVERYTHING in the house, walls, cabinets, wood stove etc. There would be major problems at the interface of what I rip out and what I cannot (afford) to rip out.
as long as the PB isn't glued to the ply you can get it out of there. cut around the edges with sawzall, sharp chisels nd a big hammer, whatever. use a BIG crowbar to rip up the sheets.
Are the tiles still tight? I.e., not lifting at the corners? If so, just carpet over them! There's really no good reason to pull up the tiles, if they're tight.
The ones that you've already pulled up: use floor leveler to fill in.
Bob
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 06:11:53 -0400, Nick Hull vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
As a liver in a house that has some shitty bases, You have a choice; stay with the shit (listen to the guys who say fill the bits that will come up and lay the lino) or attack the shit (cut out the particle board and start again with something decent.
Not being judgemental. Mine goes under all the walls and everything.
I live in a house that has PB floors. They are shit. I was bust and laid some el cheapo layers of melamined PB over the top to stop the swelling and people's feet going throigh because their boots were wet. Now the melamine is wearing off. I know that even in the bits that are covered, any damp underneath is causing a sort of furry underside.
OK. Long story. It's not really a house. It's a half-finished transportable that will never be more than a shed. I stay here. my wife escapes to our "investment property" at every opportunity.
My take. If you want to live there and live long and be happy, lose the PB. I know it's a major PITA, but it's also a statement of commitment. PB flooring sucks. If you now have more resources than then, use them.
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