Thank you everyone in advance for your help. We have some questions that we need answered.

Brief history - We have a 5 year old house with tile, carpet and hardwood on a concrete subfloor. We are taking up all of the old stuff and installing hardwood and have some concerns about floor preparation before laying all the new hardwood. I tend to be very anal and want everything just so. Please help

1. What is the best solvent to take up old adhesive from both hardwood and tile which will not interfere with the laying of new hardwood?

2. This was a new build and when they painted they splattered paint (small amounts) and I was wondering if all that needed to be taken up before laying of new hardwood?

3. In areas where we had carpet the tacking strips when pulled out from concrete left small chip areas. Do those areas need to be filled prior to laying of new hardwood?

4. We have a product here call De-Solvit which is supposed to be used to take up old adhesive. Has anyone heard of or used this product?

Thanks again for everyone's help!!!

1.) No solvents!!! A 4" flooring razor scraper, several packs of replacement blades, knee pads and safety glasses.


2.) See 1.) above


3.) Only when they are huge, or if the go across a doorway.


4.) If you plan on gluing down engineered hardwood, your going to shoot yourself in the foot, if you use a chemical remover.

Mechanical removal is best. De solv-it is a citrus oil concentrate,if I remember correctly. Bad idea. You would be better off using laquer thinner than something oil based.

Adhesive residue can be a bear. I use a scrape-away attachment affixed to my buffer. Lowe's rents my attachment up here. I bet you can find one for 50 bucks a day if you call around. I bust ass for a living,I do not seek out new forms of exercise. Rent a machine.