removing tarpaper backed linoleum

[perryjames]

I have an old hardwood floor that was covered with tarpaper and then linoleum. I've gotten the linoleum up and am looking for ideas on how to get the tarpaper off the wood.

 

[oilman]

Loads of ventilation and white spirit, but I bet you have a different name for it.

 

[nstreet]

Lots of hard work and white spirit defintely works, very messy job though. Just a thought, is the tar paper there to prevent damp from rishing through the floor?

 

[perryjames]

You are right, we probably do call it something other than white spirit. Maybe mineral spirits. And I'm not sure why tar paper was used. There is a full basement, heated, underneath. I think it was something they did 50 yrs ago.

 

[Rus]

Bit of a pain this one. You have to remove as much tar as possible using a heat gun and a stiff wallpaper scraper. Then copious amounts of white spirit rubbed in with a wire brush. As I said, 'bit of a pain'!