Kitchen floor probs

[jjfresh66]

Hiya all - need help

My wife got a quote for laminate flooring, the real thick good stuff.
Happy with the price etc but the Laminator will not lay the flooring untill
the existing floor tiles are removed (needs a level base) Ok so I start to rip up the old tiles only to find that half the kitchen is floorboard and half is concrete.

The problem is that the tile addisive on the floor boards has bonded so bad its a nightmare to get off, someone suggested using a handlegrinder or a flame to melt the addsive but thats sounds a bit dodgey on wood.

Any ideas please - I would rip the boards up but there quite new and it would mean disturbing units etc.

 

[kevplumb]

heat will usually soften the adhesive

 

[WoodYouLike]

If half is concrete and half is floorboards, your installer still might not want to put the floor down (if he's any good )
You need one type of underfloor, so perhaps it's best to put down hardboard first, saves you also getting rid of those tiles.

 

[jjfresh66]

Thanks for responding - The laminater (Terminator more like) says I`ve
to get the tiles up before he can do the job, I know the addisive underneath will leave a more uneven surface than leaving the tiles on,
But If thats what he wants then I suppose I must do it.

So you guys think thatlaying hardboard down will be ok - It sure will save time hetching away at the rock solid tile addisive.

 

[jbonding]

i cannot see the problem with going over the tiles if its an even surface, does he want them up because their not level, because under neath you would assume it was the same level but slightly lower?

 

[JIM456]

There is no reason why you should lift the tiles. You should latex screed over them and plywood over the floorboards, marrying in the two surfaces with more latex screed.
More to the point there is no reason why you should be worrying about this if your paying a 'professional' to lay the floor! If your floorlayer is a professional then he should take full responsibility for the preparatory work, the floorcovering is only as good as the floor its laid onto!
If you prepare the floor for him, and you have problems later, you can bet he'll blame your preparation!