Reclaimed Parquet Block Cleaning

[Elgie]

I’ve recently bought some reclaimed parquet blocks to put through out my house down stairs. I have 55m2 to do, and I’m now realizing how much work I have to do !

I have found a quick way to remove the pitch from the back of the blocks using a heatgun and I’m not doing too bad cleaning the three groved edges using a sheet sander. I am struggling to clean up the remaining edge that has the tongue on. I’ve been scrapping this edge to get the majority of the stuff off and then using a mouse sander to clean it up, but its painfully slow and I have so many blocks to do…

Any advise on a quicker way to clean of the stuff that’s stuck to side of my blocks would be much appreciated !

Thanks

Elgie (with sore hands ! )

 

[NatalieB]

I am about to finish the mammouth task of cleaning 25 sq m. This is how I did it after trying sanding, NitroMors and chisels. You will have found that any friction causes heat and the bitumen to become sticky and nightmarish.

My preferred method works best in winter:

Take an old hand saw (wood one) with big teeth (we cut a long saw in half). Use the teeth edge to bang the large chunks of bitumen off then use the teeth at angles to saw/scrape off excess. Take a triangular scraper and use this to clean the grooves and then brush off with a wire brush. This was the fastest method. The bitument flies all over the place so be prepared to get covered and wear gloves. This method works best in the winter (when it's cold) or if you have to do it in summer put the blocks in the freezer before cleaning.

 

[topgazza]

Lucky they're not floorboards....big freezer required

Thats an excellent method though.

Turpentine or Turpentine Substitute destroys bitumen but will soak into the wood if too much is used and cause staining but might be useful for those stubborn bits. Put on a cloth and wiped on it should remove light patches left after scrapping. Try it on a small off cut first to see how it fairs.

 

[daviddce]

I am considering buying some parquet that will need restoration. My idea was to run the blocks through a thicknesser to remove the bitumen, then to run through again to prepare the floor surface. Any comments would be appreciated!

 

[rawtimber]

The best way to clean parquet blocks is with a flap wheel placed in a spindle moulder. Carefully pass the blocks past the wheel on all four sides taking care to apply even pressure. This will clean the tougue and groove allowing you to fit with a nice tight joint.

If you wish to remove the tar the best method is to use a thickness planer. This will remove upto 90% of the tar with one pass. However it is best to clean the top surface after you have laid the flooring, to retain as much of the character as possible.

Make sure you have adequate dust extraction facilities and sharp tools and adequate PPE during either process as this will make the job safer and a more pleasurable.


Happy Cleaning!!!

 

[goldy8263]

Hi

There is a company in Liverpool that clean old bitumen off parquet blocks for you, the service i had off them was brilliant and i had 27 sq metres dropped off and they had it ready for me 3 days later.

I tried to do it myself for 2 days and got nowhere except covered in stinking bitumen and a handfull of blocks done

I am not sure how they do it but the blocks came back with 99% bitumen gone. It cost £200 for the 27 sq metres but saved me hours and hours and hours of dirty impossible work.

The phone number of the guy is 07851139802 !

Cheers

 

[roy58]

I'm considering a 60sqm project using reclaimed blocks and had thought of two solutions:
1. can they be dipped, in the way doors are? I gather kerosene is a solvent that might work. Has anyone ever tried that? Is there another solvent that might do it
2. running the blocks through a bandsaw, so I'd lose 1mm of wood but get all the bitumen off, then thickness the blocks top and bottom. Has anyone tried that?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Option 2 has been done by many of our contacts with better result than any chemical solution.

 

[bitumenremoval]

There is also a company called Bitumen Removal in Manchester and they remove the bitumen from parquet and will also clean the tops and sides etc.
I had over 100m2 of blocks cleaned by them and it was fast. My blocks had a screed over the top and that was also romoved.
www . bitumen removal . com

 

[Chumney]

I’ve recently bought some reclaimed parquet blocks to put through out my house down stairs. I have 55m2 to do, and I’m now realizing how much work I have to do !

I have found a quick way to remove the pitch from the back of the blocks using a heatgun and I’m not doing too bad cleaning the three groved edges using a sheet sander. I am struggling to clean up the remaining edge that has the tongue on. I’ve been scrapping this edge to get the majority of the stuff off and then using a mouse sander to clean it up, but its painfully slow and I have so many blocks to do…

Any advise on a quicker way to clean of the stuff that’s stuck to side of my blocks would be much appreciated !

Thanks

Elgie (with sore hands ! )

Do you have by any chance about 10 oak blocks ,I need these to finish off.
Thanks
chumney

 

[Chumney]

I am about to finish the mammouth task of cleaning 25 sq m. This is how I did it after trying sanding, NitroMors and chisels. You will have found that any friction causes heat and the bitumen to become sticky and nightmarish.

My preferred method works best in winter:

Take an old hand saw (wood one) with big teeth (we cut a long saw in half). Use the teeth edge to bang the large chunks of bitumen off then use the teeth at angles to saw/scrape off excess. Take a triangular scraper and use this to clean the grooves and then brush off with a wire brush. This was the fastest method. The bitument flies all over the place so be prepared to get covered and wear gloves. This method works best in the winter (when it's cold) or if you have to do it in summer put the blocks in the freezer before cleaning.

Hi Natalie

I desperately need 10 oak blocks,would you have a few spare ones after your mammoth task,hopefully you do
cheers
chumney