How to Remove Mastic, Glue, & Adhesive from Concrete Floors
Latex, adhesives, sheet vinyl, black mastic, and glue-down carpet can be challenging to remove from concrete floors. If there are multiple layers of adhesive or mastic on a floor or if the glue has been on the floor for years, the challenge is all the greater. These thick adhesive residues must be removed in order to ensure proper preparation of the concrete floor for a resinous coating, stain or dye, or polishing.
The best way to remove mastic from floors largely depends on several factors: the condition of the concrete floor, the type of flooring adhesive, and the age and thickness of the adhesive. When it comes to removing floor mastic, glue, and adhesive from concrete, there are essentially two choices: mechanical or chemical.
The mechanical removal method involves scraping mastic off the surface with a mastic removal tool, such as a scraper, or grinding mastic off the concrete using a concrete grinder and specialty tooling, such as a mastic removal block. This process can involve some heavy manual labor and could potentially leave unsightly scrapes or gouges on the floor.
Chemical removal of mastic from concrete floors usually requires less labor and carries less risk of damaging the floor. It may, however, require more time for the chemical to penetrate, or multiple applications if the adhesive residue is particularly thick.
When choosing a chemical for this process, there isn’t necessarily a “best mastic remover” that works for all types of adhesives. Rather, concrete contractors should choose the best mastic remover for the particular adhesive that is on the floor.
Use the chart below to determine which Sentinel remover is recommended for each type of flooring adhesive.
FLOORING ADHESIVE REMOVERS MATRIX
| FLOORING TYPE | ADHESIVE TYPE / COLOR | SENTINEL REMOVER | COVERAGE PER GALLON | SOAK TIME | RINSE | ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9” X 9” VINYL TILE | BLACK CUTBACK | 747 909 SC-170 SC-200 |
100-150 SQ FT | 10-20 MINUTES | 805 ENVIROWASH | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| 12” X 12” VINYL COMPOSITE TILE | BLACK OR AMBER TRANSLUCENT | 747 909 SC-170 SC-200 |
100-150 SQ FT | 15-30 MINUTES | 805 ENVIROWASH | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| CLEAR OR TAN LATEX | 626 | 65-85 SQ FT | 35-60 MINUTES | WATER | ||
| SHEET VINYL | BROWN/AMBER ACRYLIC & BACKING | 626 | 35-55 SQ FT | 2-2.5 HOURS | WATER | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| CARPETING | TAN LATEX | 626 | 65-85 SQ FT | 35-60 MINUTES | WATER | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| CARPET TILE | PEACH/BLUE CLEAR PRESSURE SENSITIVE | 747 909 SC-170 SC-200 |
75-100 SQ FT | 35-45 MINUTES | 805 ENVIROWASH WATER |
Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| OUTDOOR CARPETING | SOLVENT BASED LATEX | 747 909 SC-170 SC-200 |
100-150 SQ FT | 45-60 MINUTES | 805 ENVIROWASH | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent |
| WOOD FLOORING | SOLVENT BASED URETHANE | 922 | 75-100 SQ FT | 35-60 MINUTES | 805 ENVIROWASH | Scrapers, brushes, stripper-pads, mops, squeegees, absorbent 922 wipes |
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![SENTINEL SC‑170 Low Odor Mastic Remover (5 GL)]()
SENTINEL SC‑170 Low Odor Mastic Remover (5 GL)SENTINEL SC-170 Low Odor Mastic Remover is an economically priced, low odor mastic remover made specifically for the removal of black mastic commonly found under 9” and 12” vinyl floor tile.
- Coverage rate of 80–150 sq ft per gallon
- Removes black mastic
- Contains less than 5% VOC content by weight
- Meets requirements of California Air Resource Board (CARB) and Ozone Transport Commission
$100.54 -
![SENTINEL SC‑200 No Odor Mastic Remover (5 GL)]()
SENTINEL SC‑200 No Odor Mastic Remover (5 GL)SENTINEL SC-200 No Odor Mastic Remover is an economically priced, no-odor mastic remover made specifically for the removal of black mastic commonly found under 9" and 12" vinyl floor tile.
- Economical formula
- No-odor formula
- High coverage rates (80–150 sq ft)
- Removes black mastic
- Flashpoint: 200°F
$113.24 -
![SENTINEL 747 Adhesive Remover (5 GL)]()
SENTINEL 747 Adhesive Remover (5 GL)SENTINEL 747 Adhesive Remover is a powerful, biodegradable formula designed to safely and effectively strip adhesives left behind after removing vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, indoor and outdoor carpeting and wood flooring.
- Coverage rate of 25–70 sq ft per gallon
- Removes adhesives from vinyl and sheet vinyl, carpeting & more
- Biodegradable formula
$153.95 -
![SENTINEL 626 Carpet & Sheet Vinyl Adhesive Remover (5 GL)]()
SENTINEL 626 Carpet & Sheet Vinyl Adhesive Remover (5 GL)SENTINEL 626 Carpet & Sheet Vinyl Adhesive Remover is a powerful water-based biodegradable formulation designed specifically for quickly removing latex, acrylic, and pressure sensitive adhesives from concrete, terrazzo, ceramic and vinyl tile, or wood substrate.
- Quickly removes latex, glues, and other adhesives
- Biodegradable and non-hazardous
- Non-flammable and water-based
- Ready to use
- Coverage: 70 sq ft/gal for adhesive removal
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![SENTINEL 805 Envirowash (5 GL)]()
SENTINEL 805 Envirowash (5 GL)Specially formulated and highly concentrated, this product has been designed to meet both HUD guidelines and phosphate rules for Maryland and New York. It can be used for lead clean-up and for final surface preparation of subfloors.
- Cleans lead dust
- Asphalt adhesive cleanup
- pH: 11.0 - 12.0
- Variable dilutions
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![Crain Big Scraper]()
Crain Big ScraperThe Crain Big Scraper is designed for floor preparation work. It features an 8-inch-wide, heavy-duty replaceable blade and 59-inch telescoping twist-lock handle.- 8-inch heavy-duty scraper blade
- 59-inch max handle length
- Telescoping twist-lock handle
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![4‑Inch Scraper with 4‑Foot Handle]()
4‑Inch Scraper with 4‑Foot HandleThis double-sided 4-inch-wide scraper features a razor sharp blade designed for stripping hard-to-remove floor coverings and adhesives. A 4-foot-long handle (48 inches) gives you the leverage you need to put lots of power behind the scraper. The heavy-duty aluminum construction stands up to the roughest scraping jobs.
- 4-inch, heavy-duty scraping blade
- Great for removing mastic and adhesive
- 4-foot-long handle gives you powerful leverage
- Heavy-duty aluminum construction
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![Floor Scraper 5-inch with 5-foot Handle]()
Floor Scraper 5‑Inch with 5‑foot HandleFive-inch heavy-duty scraper with ergonomic handle for removal of ALL types of thick film coatings.
- Designed for the professional for everyday use
- Single grip handle
- Great for epoxy and adhesive removal
- Replaceable blades available
$106.95 -
![Non‑Marking Squeegee, Gray, 24"]()
Non‑Marking Squeegee, Gray, 24"This 24" gray non-marking squeegee features a heavy-duty metal frame and EPDM rubber blade that is rigid with just the right amount of flex to conform to the floor.- Heavy-duty metal frame
- 24-inch length
- EPDM gray rubber blade
- Accepts tapered handle
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![Utility Knife]()
Utility KnifeThis utility knife features heavy-duty die-cast zinc or aluminum housings with ground and honed high-carbon steel blades. It has a thumb knob for easy opening and the blade stores internally for safe keeping.
- Ground and honed high-carbon steel blades
- Internal blade storage
- Die-cast zinc or aluminum housings
- Thumb knob for easy opening
