Removing old adhesive

[Vicki A.]

I am about to the lay the new sub flooring - then prep the walls for new whatever....
I know I need to use acetone (I think it's my new best friend), question is... do I have to scrub all of the old adhesive off, or just get the lose stuff off?
I did find that an old cotton sock makes a good scrubby and the acetone doesn't melt it!

Good thing I am not going to try to sell this little thing soon, no one could afford the (wo)man hours I've put in

Vicki

The next big hassle will be the door - but that will have to wait awhile...

[HerseyBA]

Vicki,
You might want to read this about your new BF acetone:
http://www.home-air-purifier-expert.com/ac...html#bookmark05
We always used it under a labhood so as to remove the fumes.

[Bud Kennedy]

I don't know exactly what you are removing, but I have found 3M adhesive remover quite effective on most sticky things. An added bonus is that there are hardly any fumes. You can get it at an auto parts store.

Try it you'll like it.

[Robert Johans]

Vicki,

Are you removing the old adhesive from the shell walls? In preparation for insulation or wall covering? Is it sticky or is it all dried up, like mine was?

If it's dry, just take some rough sandpaper to it. Anything that's loose should sand free, anything else can be glued over.

Also, take it from me... Put your floor in last. All that fallout from working on your walls could have some unwanted effects on your new floor.

RJ

[Raya]

Could you explain a bit more what you are removing, and from where, and then what you are going to put on top of said surface(s)?

Raya

[Vicki A.]

OK Gang,
To clarify...I need to remove the old adhesive from the walls. Some of it is dried, but a lot is gummy-not really sticky and not dry.
I'm not ready for insulation but I want to get the walls ready before i have to run new wiring - gettin' smart in my old age, huh?
Vicki

[Raya]

Okay, so this is adhesive that formerly held on the wall covering? That can be a tough one, especially if it is still sticky. There are a number of boat models that have had glued on wallcoverings, and although I have not had to remove adhesive in that large an area (thanking my lucky stars here), I have friends who have had to.

Sometimes there just is no "good" way.

I would probably try a variety of methods, to see what worked best - not necessarily in this order. Note, be very careful and safety conscious. Wear appropriate professional (not paper cone type) respirator, gloves, skin protection, ear protection, goggles, etc. A vacuum to suck dust right from a tool (if you use a tool; not on solvents) is great.

1) Solvents (wear good protection)

a) Acetone
b ) Denatured alchohol
c) 3M makes heavy duty citrus adhesive remover
d) Other 3M removers
e) Other nasty chemicals

2) Scraping

a) Chisel or metal putty knife
b ) Pull scraper
c) Multimaster with scraper blade
d) A or B with the addition of heat

3) Grinding/sanding (sometimes it comes down to this; bcareful not to go through the shell)

a) Various sandpapers/wheels/grits
b ) Wire or flap wheel
c) Grinder (this would be hard to do on our shells without going through unless you are very experienced. last ditch attempt only!)

It's hard for me to put them in order of trying because I can't see/touch the walls to see what kind of glue it is, how dry or sticky it is, etc.

I would probably try denatured alcohol first, and a multimaster scraper blade second. It can be a horrible task. But try a bit of everything to see what might work best on your particular goo.

Oh, and of course figure out how well prepped you need the walls to be. That depends on what you are putting back on the walls and how you are attaching it.

Raya