How to remove thinset from top of vinyl tile?

Question

Laid down vinyl tiles using thinset on a concrete basement floor. The basement is not too humid and the thinset is a premixed - quick dry that is supposed to dry in 24 hours.

It's been 24 hours and there is still sticky thinset that seeped out from underneath and is extremely annoying and hard to remove. It also just doesn't seem to be drying as quick as it should - Any ideas?

Answer 1

If it's truly a portland-cement-based thinset mortar, it'll be a job for a razor blade and patience.  If the stuff is too sticky, wait for a while; stuff that's supposed to dry in 24 hours often doesn't.  But I wonder if you used thinset or simply tile adhesive, which would have made more sense.  If it's the latter, you can buy tile-mastic remover/thinner, or try lacquer thinner.

Answer 2

did you seal the floor with acrylic sealant before laying? normally you would not use a pre mixed adhesive for laying any tiles they are just not good enough..  was there any paint etc on the concrete floor prior to laying?  ...

Answer 3

With no offense meant at all, I TILE every day of my life, and in the common, standard sense, "Thinset" is like a concrete kind of mortar. It's pretty much a trade name for the substance.

   If you used it for anything other than "TILE" you were either misled, or ill advised,,,Hmm maybe the same???

   Even on RAW concrete you should have used a Poly blend, or water resistant MASTIC, similar in substance to a GOOEY adhesive with a consistency similar to Peanut butter.

   YOU need to know the formulation of what you used now, albeit after the fact,,,sigh, and perhaps too late.

   Finally, and again with no offense meant I get so many calls from DIY'rs asking for help, and often wonder why they don't do all the research before the fact.

Just my two "sense"

Answer 4

If you mean thin spread vinyl tile adhesive, you should be able to remove dried adhesive with mineral spirits.

There is some confusion here because there is such a thing as "thinset" mortar for setting ceramic tiles, but I think you are referring to the vinyl adhesive, not mortar.

Answer 5

check the thin set container it should identify what can be used to remove excess material.