seal concrete/cement floor

[paulmars]

Removed the tiles that were installed in 1952 when house was built. Removed as much as we can of the glue. Now need to cover the floor and glue with a non toxic low voc sealer. Ideas?

We will then cover the floor with a yet to be chosen flooring. Either ceramic tile, tarpet, or carpet. Just maybe but not likely sticky tile.

Tks,
>p

[MtnDon]

Well, I'm a flooring neophyte, but my first thought was what is the reason for wanting to apply a sealant?

I live in the SW desert, have a home on a concrete slab and everyone here simply applies things like ceramic or porcelain tile to the concrete with something like thinset. That's my whole house, although it originally had some vinyl flooring in places and carpet everywhere else.

Local climate may make a difference on that as well as what the substrate is.


.

[paulmars]

to seal out 60 years of smells

[RTF]

What type of tile did you remove?

[paulmars]

I did not have it analyzed.

[RTF]

Well if it was VCT/ Vinyl Composition Tile either 8" x 8" or 12" x 12" and 1/8" thick and it was glued down, chances are it contained asbestos. You said the house was built in '52, and that puts it in the asbestos era, both the tile & the glue are suspect. Asbestos is only dangerous when it is friable, meaning airborne and breathable. When you disturb this type of tile and glue, by scraping and breaking it up, it becomes friable and a health hazard. If you have a sample you can have tested it will only cost you $50, whenever I come across this stuff during a demo job I have it tested. I hope you have something other than this.