If you are considering remodeling your home and want to know how to
remove linoleum, here are some fairly simple steps to follow. One thing
you need to consider though is that it can be difficult work, depending
on several factors. Should the linoleum be old, the adhesive may not
budge easily resulting in extra time and effort. In certain cases, if
it's not cracking or heaving at all, you may choose to leave it
underneath whatever else will be laid down. However, most home owners
choose to start fresh which means a certain amount of physical labor,
no matter what method of removal you decide on.
For starters, you probably won't be able to completely remove all the
linoleum and adhesive during the first pass. The type of flooring
underneath can contribute to the problem as well, especially if it
happens to be wood. Concrete floors can certainly take more abuse than
wooden ones, particularly if you are using a scraper. Try finding one
with a good razor blade as these are the most efficient, but be careful
using it. It's easy to cut yourself when you are pushing it hard, and
try to have extra blades on hand as you most likely will break some.
One thing we recommend is to split the project up into sections and
concentrate on one at a time. Try to cut the linoleum into these strips
or sections, and peel them back. You can apply more pressure to a
smaller portion, giving you the required leverage to get most of the
backing off. This should also make it easier to remove the adhesive
underneath.
After you have finished the surface materials and are left with the
stubborn stuff, there are a couple things you can do to help your
scraping efforts. Try to apply a solvent or remover product that
specializes in just this type of application. Many home improvement
stores or departments will have several to choose from. Remember to
start with small sections to not get overwhelmed. Finish one and move
on to the next.
If you want to try a homegrown solution, some people recommend using
hot or boiling water instead of the solvent. It can be poured right on
the adhesive backing, left to soak for a while, and finally scraped up.
You can even put a towel down first, pour the water over it, let it
set, then remove and scrape. Proceed cautiously with this method if you
have a nice hardwood floor underneath to avoid warping.
Another technique that has been recommended by do it yourself
homeowners is to first heat the adhesive with a hair dryer, then to
scrape it up with a straight-blade scraper or something with a beveled
edge. Should you be uncovering a hardwood floor, move the scraper in
the same direction as the grain of the wood. Since the shavings will be
hot, be careful moving them and avoid dropping them back on the
uncovered wood. Instead of using a hair dryer, you can also try a heat
gun. We only recommend this if you are experienced with it as it can
damage the flooring you are trying to save. Either way, just keep the
heated area small and constantly move the heat source. Scraping quickly
after applying the heat will be the most effective removal method.
Should you reach a point where you cannot remove any more of the old
adhesive using the techniques described, you can try a light sanding.
Don't use a coarse sandpaper unless absolutely necessary as this may
damage the surface. You can also try to mop the residue off using rags
dampened with turpentine, mineral spirits, or similar types of solvent.
Once you are happy with the way the floor looks you will be ready to
either apply a seal, or some other type of covering.
» left by Cheryl from Dallas, TX (2 years 122 days ago.)
Very helpful. Thank You! Respond to this comment
» left by Anonymous (1 year 149 days ago.)
good, clear info. many thanks jim from Springfield VA Respond to this comment
» left by Debbie Wright from Santa Barbara, CA (1 year 6 days ago.)
Yes very much so, thank you. My husband is away and this flooring we have in the kitchen has probably been here since 1948, I want to surprise it by removing it I have a bad back and neck so being advice on doing small parts at a time and being patient helped me to decide to go forward with the project. Thank you Respond to this comment
» left by barb from pa (193 days 4 hours ago.)
Yes, thank you. I had no idea how to do this. Your awesome
Yes, great advise with several options. I was removing linoleum that had been down in the bathroom for 15 years & was stuck with alot of adhesive. I tried the hair dryer method first, it worked, but was slow & tedious. Then, I bought some stripper from Home Depot, it worked great & within 4 hrs my bathroom floor was stripped. I couldn't have been happier.
» left by Robert from Rocky Mount, VA (34 days 9 hours ago.)
Thanks for the advice, have a 1945 house with about 3 different flooring options in the bathroom over the original hardwood. Then a bad leaking wax seal, what a disaster, still in process of removing the black asphalt/ adhesive stuff, boiling water does work but slow, going to Lowes today to see about the stripper.
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Friday, January 20, 2006 View other articles written by James McDonald(5,454)
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