Concrete sealer and stain help

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Getting my first real dose of home ownership :popcorn:

My 20'x25'ish family room is on slab. I removed the shag carpet and found vinyl tiles. They aren't glued or anything just layed on the concrete which has a coating of some sort too. It is semi gloss black. How do I tell what kind of coating it is? Dependent on what type it is, what method should I use to strip it? It doesn't seem like a penetrating type because when I removed the nails of the carpet fastener thingys and created divots :( , the black coating seems thin.

I know I definitely don't want carpet so I had to pull up those carpet thingys. I was thinking hardwood or tiles. Now, I really like the idea of staining it a natural color. Urban/industrial look. I'm trying to research this seal and stain thing but it's so much to understand. I just don't want to fvck up the slab and have it turn into the ultimate homeowner nightmare. I haven't unveiled the condition of the slab yet because i left the vinyl tiles on so i can paint the room without worry.

So, my post is exactly to seek out if there any experts out there? Considering the conditions, indoors, 40 YO home, and climate changes in our area, I'm not sure what kind of concrete sealer and stain to use? I'm guessing I want a permeable application, right? Water based? Epoxy? AAAAhhhhh! :eek:
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
No help eh? Well, I'm deciding to go with the Behr Concrete & Masonry Paint Stripper. I would try the soy stripper out there but at two times the cost... it's hard to justify.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Either way, it doesn't matter cause I need to retreat this concrete with whatever option I go with. So I might as well try it out.
 

MST.ESQ

New Member
The black coating could be the original glue. I have done renovations in a few homes. In one, the carpet kept in moisture (in addition to improper prep of a dusty concrete base) which totally destroyed the glue - thus the vinyl tiles are just laying there loose. Also, many adhesives used asbestos 40 yrs ago so you are probably better off just covering in. Have someone check it out before you start scraping it off.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
The black coating could be the original glue. I have done renovations in a few homes. In one, the carpet kept in moisture (in addition to improper prep of a dusty concrete base) which totally destroyed the glue - thus the vinyl tiles are just laying there loose. Also, many adhesives used asbestos 40 yrs ago so you are probably better off just covering in. Have someone check it out before you start scraping it off.

Are you f-ing serious! Lovely. Thanks so much. I'll get a kit to test it first!
 

JerseyPete

Well-Known Member
2nd in line. I have a van with tear drop smoked windows I got from JC Whitney. The shag would go well in there.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
I've been obsessing about this asbestos thing all day but based on my 100% trusted online research. I don't think it is asbestos since the tiles nor the coating on the cement is fiber like. And it only seems that the mastic adhesive has asbestos but I really don't think this black coating is adhesive fo the tiles. The tiles are really thin too and they just snap. No fibers with the naked eye. But, to be sure I will still have it tested.

did you throw out the carpet already? pm me a price
I'm all out. Your moms took it for her shag shack.
 

MST.ESQ

New Member
Manny, I spend a good portion of my day litigating asbestos exposures. There is no way to determine what has asbestos by the naked eye as asbestos fibers are measured in microns. Anything you read on the web that says "look for white/grey fibers" is BS. When in doubt, wear a mask (N95 minimum) and wet down the tiles before pulling them up - and try to avoid breaking them. It is dangerous only when airborne. You get minor exposure everyday by simply walking down the street (or while MTB'ing in Valley Forge, as a natural vein exists there) and pulling tiles (after you wet them down) should not be a concern. Older drywall and compound also have asbestos in it and people have been tearing it down in home-renovation projects for decades without any real issue. Prolonged exposure (though Plaintiff's claim a single fiber theory) is usually required. Floor tiles and the older exterior siding are not a real issue - just avoid breaking them unless you have to and don't start doing stuff like ripping down pipe insulation using this method...

I would, however, caution against grinding adhesives off the floor. There are many dark-colored adhesives back in the day that contain asbestos. Remember Bake-lite, the dark brown polymer based stuff the M-16 stock was made of? Also asbestos-based... You would be surprised what is out there.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info. Although I was being sarcastic with the 100% trusted internet sources... But I really don't think it's an adhesive for the tiles since it doesn't stick to anything by the concrete slab. It's probably just a sealer since it is a concrete slab nearly on grade. And I wasn't going to grind it off. The Behr product is a gel like type and you scrap it off. So it actualy holds that black coating together ish.
 
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