Bitumen coming through Parquet flooring

[rob78]

I had my parquet flooring sanded and varnished in my hallyway and front room - area is about 32 square m, about 4 weeks ago.

It all looked great for a couple of weeks then disaster! Bitumen has started to work its way through the gaps of some of the blocks, leaving a sticky residue on the surface. I'm noticing that its coming up in more and more places.

The varnish that was put down is water based. I rang the manufacturer and was advised that this would not react with the bitumen as its not solvent based. Was told that the bitumen would go with a bit of hot soapy water and a scouring pad.

Well I gave that a go last night with limited success but generally its made the problem worse and the warm water seemed to draw more bitumen to the surface and this got further spread around. I'm at my wits end with this flooring and fear that all the work in getting it sanded and varnished will be for nothing.

Please has anyone got any ideas / suggestions?

 

[satansbrother]

Carpet!!

 

[tall paul]

there is so kind of wipes on the market, Called woder wipes,this might remove the bitumin but dont hold me to it, it sound as if the bitumin has been put down too thick under the parquet.

Failing the wonder wipes you might try using a solvent based cleaner paul

 

[rob78]

I might give white spirit a go. I dug out on an old post on someone who used meths to clean their parquet.

It's just bizarre. Flooring has been down for about 25 years. I thought bitumen would have long since set.

Spoke to the guy who sanded / varnished the floor and he hasn't seen this type of thing in 8 years of doing it and to be fair, he was no cowboy, he did a very good job.

 

[rob78]

Tried the white spirit, which seems to have done the trick. Bitumen hasnt come back (yet).

 

[keego]

Sounds like he let the wood get too hot when he sanded it ( friction) the bitumen will soften with the heat & make it's way through the joints.
It should be alright once it's hardened again.

 

[memor maplin]

Bitumen is one of those funny substances.

If you left a cork under a solid block of the stuff eventually the cork would float through the block of bitumen as if it was a liquid. (Several months)

I think it got too hot and was drawn up through the gaps in the parquet by capilliary action. Maybe it'll settle down.

Good Luck

 

[rob78]

Update on this topic. I still have the problem with bitumen coming through. It particular occurs where the floor is covered i.e. feet of my sofas or drawer units. All I can do is keep applying white spirit as it comes through. Worst thing is that some areas of the floor have become pretty discoloured and need re-sanding / varnishing. Any ideas? Is there some sort of top layer laquer / varnish that would seal the floor and stop the bitumen coming through?

 

[Stoday]

I think your 'bitumen' is really an asphalt damp proof membrane.

That's great providing you don't let any petroleum vapours near it. I think that's what's happened with the varnishing. Using alcohol of petroleum products to clean up will only make it worse.

I can't suggest any cure. Sorry.

 

[Burno]

Did you resolve this issue. I have the same problem on my floor. It has recently been sanded and varnished and we have two issues, one is the strong smell of bitumen and the other is the bitumen squeezing out between the blocks. This has taken about two months to come to the surface. Not sure what to do and would like to know how you fixed yours.

 

[ray.birch]

Appreciate that this is a very old thread, but seems to be most appropriate for the situation we are currently in! Having just discovered a lovely parquet floor (hiding under some carpet tiles) where the parquet blocks also appear to have been laid with a bitumen (or bitumenous type substance), I'm also looking to see if there is anything we can do to protect the flooring. I've sanded it all down, and it currently looks lovely, but I'm really after some advise as to whether water based varnish may be the best product (or something else)?