A reader comments: "In moving an oriental rug we found the matting underneath is stuck to the VCT flooring. Any suggestions on how to approach this problem?”

Based on the details provided, you should be able to remove the slip resistant matting which has bonded with the VCT. First of all, this is 12” VCT (vinyl composite tile) that is approximately 20 plus years old. Although the owner has periodically had the floor scrubbed and recoated with periodic buffing, they have chosen not to move the heavy table which sits on the rug. This area has not been touched due to the difficulty of moving the table and chairs. When the rug was recently removed for cleaning, the slip resistant pad was shown to have bonded with the VCT floor. There are different possibilities to consider but I must stress that you need to test any theories on a small, inconspicuous area first since there can be different reactions that cannot be foreseen at a distance.

The floor in questions is a combination of black and white vinyl composite tiles that have held up very well in part due to low traffic and very careful maintenance. It is unfortunate that the owner did not have the table removed when the floor was scrubbed and recoated since that would have exposed the problem during a time when the rest of the floor was being serviced.

You have already tested paint remover with questionable results. Not only could this damage the tiles in some cases, it also puts off VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that can irritate eyes, sinuses, etc. Be sure that there are no pilot lights or other sources of ignition and ventilate as much as possible. Finally, be sure workers are wearing appropriate PPE’s (personal protective equipment) for their own safety.

We will continue with this conversation in a future article.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 9/9/2015