Q: I am installing a Bruce engineered hardwood floor over a concrete slab. When the house was built and the base board was painted, the painters left quite a bit of overspray on the concrete slab. Does this overspray need to be removed so that the glue will adhere properly to the slab.
My next question is, if it does need to be removed, what is the easiest way to get it up ? I have a floor scrapper, however its not removing the paint.
Thanks,
Rich
A: Overspray is pretty common when it comes to any paint work to be done, and a rare number of painters prep to prevent it from getting on subfloors. You will need to remove the overspray in order to ensure proper bond from your adhesive – so let’s dig into just how to remove it.
Scraping can be a real pain and as you are experiencing does not always do the trick. I would suggest looking into renting a floor sander to grind the paint off or use a chemical paint stripper. Typically any paint stripper found in a local home store will do the trick, but it can help to use an abrasive pad of some form (even something like a Brillo pad) will help to speed the stripping process. If you use a sander, there will be dust, so wear a respirator or at least a basic dust mask.
Once you have removed the overspray, ensure the subfloor is clean, flat and dry before you begin your installation with the adhesive otherwise it will lead to a head ache and repairs in the future.
