From time to time I receive inquiries regarding my youtube video above where I utilized a floor buffer equipped with a scraping disc designed to remove adhesive from a concrete sub-floor.
Jessica recently sent me an email asking:
I saw your YouTube video where you used the scrape away tool to remove carpet glue from concrete. Do you think that would work on terrazzo, or would it scratch up the terrazzo too much? Any advice/ideas you have would be much appreciated.
Many people ask what tool I'm using. It is called an ez scrape manufactured by Taylor Tools. Pictured below, it attaches to a floor buffer machine with the clutch plate (to protect from sudden stops) and has six square, carbide blades that touch the floor on one of its eight edges. The blades are designed so that you can re-position them in their bracket to take advantage of all eight edges. It can be purchased through most flooring installation supply houses and retails for about $600-$800. This or a similar tool can be rented from many equipment rental locations nationwide.
To answer Jessica’s question-
The smoother, flatter and harder the surface is the more efficient this tool will be. The attributes of Terrazzo flooring make it a good candidate for use of this tool to remove carpet adhesive from its surface. Except, if you click the picture below for a larger view you will notice that the tool does and will scratch the surface to some degree.
Terrazzo is usually a half-inch to three quarters of an inch thick so there is plenty of material there if you want to restore it by grinding and polishing. If you don’t want to go that route, a chemical remover is also an option. Not every tool and technique works every time; here are some other options for removing surface contaminants.