Advice needed on removing bitumen residue on concrete floor.

gareth75 · 24 Sep 2008

Need some advice please! I've removed an old parquet flooring that has left a bitumen residue on the concrete floor. I now want to lay a stuck down solid oak flooring on top of it, do I need to remove the bitumen or is there a less time consuming alternative? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Gareth

WoodYouLike · 24 Sep 2008

Read this guest post by mattysupra on the very subject

gareth75 · 26 Sep 2008

Thanks for the link, I've spoken to a local shot blaster who said this might damage the subfloor meaning it would have to be screeded. I have only removed the flooring in one area and a tradesman I had doing some other work suggested laying ply over the remaining parquet and somehow raising the level of the floor in the room i've cleared (thicker ply or batons?) and then nailing the floor boards to this, would that work? I know that will raise the floor considerably but in principle is it an option? The prospect of removing all that bitumen is causing much stress!!!

WoodYouLike · 26 Sep 2008

Is an option if you don't mind the extra height.
Just make sure the bitumen is 'vacuumed' or somehow loose bits are removed: you don't want to end up with a 'crackling' underfloor every time you walk over it.

gareth75 · 26 Sep 2008

Thanks again, I've actually now sourced a solvent from a paint stripping company that I've put down for about 3 hours and the thick bitumen is just scraping right off, it's left the concrete black but I think (hope) this will scrub off when i mop up the residue! I'm assuming I can then have my wood simply stuck down as per my original plan. Just not looking forward to the mess and smell when I come to do the main area.

Ballie · 23 Jan 2009

gareth75,

how did your oak floor over the bitumen work out? if it is fine what is this bitumen remover you found please

gareth75 · 23 Jan 2009

In the end had a total change of plan, went for a floating engineered walnut and covered the bitumen with ply. It looks brilliant as well! The product I bought was called NB-510 and I got it from stripperspaintremovers.com I'd already bought the product before my change of plan but the sample I used really worked. I'm now stuck with 27 litres of the stuff so if anyone wants it at a bargain price and can collect let me know!!!

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Advice needed on removing bitumen residue on concrete floor.

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