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