RAS and floor cleanup and paint-grit removal

[RonMiller]

In redoing a back bedroom I have removed the carpet and found a very nice oak floor. However there is a black rubbery substance on the floor that appears to either be glue or the remains of an earlier glued foam underlayment. I tried removing this with my Rotex at slow speed and 60 grit but all it did was gum up.

Two questions:

1. Has anyone removed this kind of stuff in the past? If so what worked?
2. Would the RAS work for this?

And on a related subject:

I'm also considering sanding off the "grit" on the bedroom wall (it's part of the final spackle coat throughout the house and has several layers of paint covering it) Again the Rotex didn't work - not strong enough. Would the RAS

 

[Sparktrician]

I'd suggest renting one of those mamoose Clark floor sanders to clean up the floor.  There's also a smaller rotary sander with wheels that is useful at getting close to walls and somewhat into corners.  The final corner work will have to be done with a scraper any way you cut it.  The RO90 with the triangular pad could do the job, if only it wasn't NAINA.  The caution I would issue is that the Clark sanders eat floors in a heartbeat, so be VERY careful until you get a good feel for the tool, and don't let it sit flat until the belt has quit moving or you're going to enjoy additional sanding to remove the damage.  Several coats of matte or semi-gloss polyurethane with light applications of 0000 steel wool pads followed by a meticulous vacuuming between coats will make the floor really pop when you're done. 

The RAS is a great tool, but just not the right tool for the floor job or for getting rid of the grit in the wall covering.  Good luck!!! 

[smile] 

 

[tbellemare]

I'm also considering sanding off the "grit" on the bedroom wall (it's part of the final spackle coat throughout the house and has several layers of paint covering it) Again the Rotex didn't work - not strong enough. Would the RAS

What abrasive, speed, and mode are you using?

I use a Rotex 150 to smooth and shape limestone. It'll eat right through anything on my interior walls.

Tom

EDIT: A Rotex and Deltex should handle anything a floor sander doesn't get.

 

[fdengel]

60 grit what?

Try a coarse-grit Crystal, or if that can't handle it, Saphir.  Just be careful handling them, these abrasives are SHARP and I could easily imagine cutting myself on them...

EDIT: Also, don't rely on these for just stripping the paint; they will eat up the wood -- FAST.  I'm only suggesting trying those for the "rubbery" substance, don't take it too far.

 

[RonMiller]

Using "grinder" mode, tried speeds 3 thru 6, 60 grit Cristal and Rubin. Neither did anything but slowly smooth it out. But after about a minute in one small area, paint still there, all the grit still there.

 

[danrush]

The Fein multi-master works well on the black foam underlayment stuff.  Fein sells a knife blade, but a used regular blade works just as well, after a short time on the grinder.  Re-sharpen often as needed.

If you don't have a Fein, then a sharpened putty knife or chisel works well.  I'm not sure that a ro or ras is the way to go.  It seems to me that the foam (and the glue used to install it) would gum up any grit paper, at any speed.

Dan

 

[AlexThePalex]

If the paper on your Rotex gums up then I'd think it's clear that a sander is not the right machine remove this black stuff. Doesn't matter which sander you use then. Isn't it possible to scrape the stuff off with a paint scraper or a putty knife? I know it's gonna be a hassle to do such a thing all by hand, but if a sander doesn't work then it's gonna be hard to find a machine that will do it.

Festool sells a carpet scraper over here in Europe but I doubt it's available in north America.

 

[tbellemare]

If you have an LS 130, the Scraper attachment might work for the glue.

Tom

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

If you dont have a mm, or ls130 with the scraper, you are looking at some manual labor.

It is good for you every now and then.