I currently have some sort of vinyl tile glued down to luan. The tile is coming up pretty easily and the luan was professionally installed and floated level with mortar underneath. It is in really good shape and I'd like to keep if at all possible. My concern is with the residual glue from the old tile installation. How should I remove it, if at all? Is it safe to reglue on top of the old to install new vinyl plank/tile flooring? This is indeed glue and not some sort of mastic, if that makes a difference.
If you do not replace the luan and just try to lay new vinyl over it , the new stuff will conform to the oddities of the surface underneath, gets quite unsightly. Glue or mastic almost impossible to smooth out. Proper way is to replace the luan then add new covering. Some just lay new luan over existing but that build up of material causes other problems in floor level heights at junction with other room/s or hallways.
Would like to avoid building up if at all possible as it will cause some leveling issues with adjacent flooring. I've read a little on adhesive remover but I don't have much experience with it. Need to keep reading.
I had to deal with tile adhesive on concrete floors. Chemicals were not for me. Messy. Very messy. Luan is not too expensive and I would not waste the time to try and remove the old glue. Only realistic approach to try would be some kind of wide chisel that might slice the glue away, kind of like skinning a deer.
If afraid to take the old luan up because it shows mortar/leveling compound on the edges in a few places. Might end up off worse off then when I started if they set in wet cementious material. If it has to be done, then so be it...but I'd rather not go there if I don't have to.
The old glue is still fairly pliable. I think I'm going to try to scrape and sand an area, then decide from there.
Fwiw, masonry is easy to touch up, especially if it merely an underlay/leveling. Mortar and a trowel, better yet thinset. Good luck with it either way...
