Urgent - removing glued on carpet!!

divadee

The reason this is urgent is the carpet fitters are coming tomorrow to lay new carpet.

We today started lifting the old carpet ready for new carpet tomorrow. We have recently moved into this property. On lifting the carpet we find another carpet which is the nasty commercial contract type stuff that normally comes in tiles but this is one massive piece. This in turn has been glued to a load of hardboard and when I mean glued I mean they must of got through tubs of the stuff!!!

Is there any quick way of removing this? The hardboard is massive sheets as well! I'm 6 months pregnant and other half is exhausted and we have only done a third of the room!!

We have been cutting the contract stuff into chunks and then trying to peel it away from the hardboard but it is stuck down solid. We are in a first floor flat so need it done before it gets too late as we don't want to aggravate the neighbours tonight!!

Rachel83

Would it not have been better to keep the base carpet for a good sound proof barrier? Maybe that's why it was glued down.

vansboy

Not sure what the cardboard stuf is, but I'd guess that you wouldn't want to leave that under a new carpet anyway.

so rather than separating carpet/cardboard, maybe lift the lot and then get back to the actual floor, itself. Assuming the new carpet is being layed with an underlay, it'll hopefully cover any imperfections, which the cardboard was possibly hiding.

VB

divadee

Rachel83 wrote: »

Would it not have been better to keep the base carpet for a good sound proof barrier? Maybe that's why it was glued down.

That would sound s good idea if it didn't smell very very badly of pee!!!

We are fitting a wool underlay and then a wool carpet so insulation will be more than adequate when all the new stuff is laid.

divadee

vansboy wrote: »

Not sure what the cardboard stuf is, but I'd guess that you wouldn't want to leave that under a new carpet anyway.

so rather than separating carpet/cardboard, maybe lift the lot and then get back to the actual floor, itself. Assuming the new carpet is being layed with an underlay, it'll hopefully cover any imperfections, which the cardboard was possibly hiding.

VB

We are lifting both but the hardboard is very thick so very very hard to cut through with the carpet.

vansboy

divadee wrote: »

We are lifting both but the hardboard is very thick so very very hard to cut through with the carpet.

If its hardboard, its probably tacked onto the floorbards, so if you can get something under the edges, like a spade - sounds extreme - to lift, it will probably break up easier, with carpet remaining on it.

Then it'll be more manageble

VB

lewishardwick

Is it stuck completely? Why not try an iron (steam off). With any luck the heat might soften the glue.

If it does work, make sure you have plenty of ventilation, those types of glue will have high VOC. Rather unpleasant to be around long term...

Rachel83

divadee wrote: »

That would sound s good idea if it didn't smell very very badly of pee!!!

We are fitting a wool underlay and then a wool carpet so insulation will be more than adequate when all the new stuff is laid.

Ahh if it smells like pee no wonder you're pulling it up, sorry I didn't have better ideas in how to! I just thought maybe it was used as soundproof

divadee

Well after 7 hours of back breaking work we finally got it all up. Then on hands and knees to remove all the small panel pins that had been left in the floorboards from the hardboard. Never ever want to do that job again!!! We also washed and lightly bleached the floorboards with a slightly damp cloth to get all the dust and grime up. And the bleach has got rid of any lingering pee smell!! This morning the room smells lovely.

At least after today when the new carpet is down we will have one room finished completely!!!