So I decided to proceed with the carpet removal and acid staining of the concrete floors. You guys were right... it's been an undertaking.
The removal of the carpet was about as expected. Fully mopped down carpet that required a few gallons of Goof Off, a 4" scraper blade and a solid seven hours of scraping. That was followed by a hard scrub with a citrus degreaser which was followed by a concrete floor cleaned solution.
Then came the Acid Stain. Went with Shore Gray. Sprayed it down and left it on for about four hours. That was the easiest part of the whole thing. The cleanup was not quite as bad as the glue, but it was a different type of misery.
You gotta neutralize this acid that has been hooping up for four hours. That require water and baking soda. Lots of baking soda. Which means cleaning up goopy acid with baking soda water all over it. Used a shop vac for that but still had a ton of residue which I just cleaned hands and knees.
That left the final stage... sealing it. This is where things went from bad to worse.
As of today I have officially closed the office space next to us and have seven fans and two negative air machines running at full blast. The clear Acrylic coating I got from Home Depot may have the most noxious fumes I've ever smelled. It's pretty difficult to describe.
Anyhow... candles are lit everywhere and thank god it's not the dead of winter or we would be freezing our asses off. Floor looks pretty good, though. Will post pics later.
The removal of the carpet was about as expected. Fully mopped down carpet that required a few gallons of Goof Off, a 4" scraper blade and a solid seven hours of scraping. That was followed by a hard scrub with a citrus degreaser which was followed by a concrete floor cleaned solution.
Then came the Acid Stain. Went with Shore Gray. Sprayed it down and left it on for about four hours. That was the easiest part of the whole thing. The cleanup was not quite as bad as the glue, but it was a different type of misery.
You gotta neutralize this acid that has been hooping up for four hours. That require water and baking soda. Lots of baking soda. Which means cleaning up goopy acid with baking soda water all over it. Used a shop vac for that but still had a ton of residue which I just cleaned hands and knees.
That left the final stage... sealing it. This is where things went from bad to worse.
As of today I have officially closed the office space next to us and have seven fans and two negative air machines running at full blast. The clear Acrylic coating I got from Home Depot may have the most noxious fumes I've ever smelled. It's pretty difficult to describe.
Anyhow... candles are lit everywhere and thank god it's not the dead of winter or we would be freezing our asses off. Floor looks pretty good, though. Will post pics later.