Adhesive on Concrete Subfloor? No Problem | Ep. 85
We often receive this type of question: Can I place one type of flooring over another? In many cases, you can, which means you won’t have to worry about removing adhesive on the concrete or wood subfloor.
That’s one topic we’re tackling in this Today’s Homeowner Podcast — specifically, what to do when you want to install ceramic tiles over vinyl flooring.
In this case, the vinyl flooring is stuck directly to the concrete slab, and the homeowner wonders whether there is an easy option for pulling up the vinyl floors.
Just make sure that directions on the thinset mortar you use for installing the tiles state it will adhere well to the vinyl floor.
Scraping off adhesive from concrete is not fun; it takes a lot of time and, in many cases, you just don’t have to do it.
Listen to the Today’s Homeowner Podcast for more home improvement tips!
- [2:26] Danny and Joe talk about how to prepare for a power outage
- [7:01] The surface of concrete steps’ treads and risers is too rough to walk on barefoot — learn how to smooth out rough concrete
- [10:04] Best New Product: Wyze Smart Home Starter Bundle
- [11:37] How to solve an odor problem in the attic.
- [15:55] How to fill cracks in the driveway
- [17:11] How to remove adhesive from concrete surfaces
- [20:50] How to scrape hardened grout off tiles
- [26:41] Simple Solution: 5 ways to properly install posts
- [28:59] Question of the Week: The solution for resurfacing a spalling garage floor
Simple Solutions
Third-Hand Bench Clamp — Here’s how to use metal shelf brackets to hold woodworking parts steady as you’re assembling them:
First, stand the workpiece on the edge of the workbench. Next, set a metal bracket on the workbench and slide it up against the workpiece.
Now, take one spring clamp and clamp the bracket to the workbench. Then grab another spring clamp and clamp the vertical leg of the bracket to the workpiece. The metal bracket will hold the workpiece in place and prevent it from shifting out of position or flopping over.
If necessary, you can clamp in place a second metal shelf bracket, when working with larger workpieces.
The other thing is that if you’re assembling several workpieces, you can screw down the bracket to the workbench to permanently lock it in place. Then, you only need to use one spring clamp. Watch Video
Creating Sturdy Handrails — When installing handrail posts for a deck or porch, it’s important to set the wooden post in concrete. Here are five tips to ensure the post stays rock solid for years:
• Dig the post hole at least three times wider than the post. So, for a 4-by-4 post, which measures 3½ inches square, dig the hole about 11 inches wide.
• To anchor the post to the concrete, drive three 3-inch-long decking screws at an angle into the lower section of the post. That way, if the post shrinks, it’ll still be locked onto the concrete footing.
• Pour concrete all around the post, but keep it about 3 inches below grade, meaning the surrounding ground.
• Use a margin trowel or putty knife to smooth out and slope the top of the concrete away from the post.
• Finally, use two diagonal braces to hold the post perfectly plumb until the concrete hardens.
Question of the Week
Q: “I have a 30-year-old garage floor that is finished smooth (not broomed). It is in pretty good shape, but much of the surface looks like the surface of the moon —many craters. None of these craters are deeper than 1/8 inch.
“I’m looking for a product that can be spread (preferably with a squeegee) over the surface to repair it.”
A: Quikrete Re-Cap Concrete Resurfacer is the perfect product for this job. You just apply it over spalling surfaces with a squeegee.