How to Remove Linoleum
Before tiles and stone became affordable, linoleum was the most affordable and economical way to cover hardwood or concrete flooring. The problem with linoleum is that it wears thin with age, and the material can get tattered over time. Here’s an easy and affordable way to get rid of old or worn linoleum.
Tools
To remove old linoleum, you need the following tools:
Sharp knife
Plastic scraper
Razor blades
Terry cloth towels
Hot water
Fine sandpaper
Steps
The first stage is to remove the linoleum mat itself from the floor:
To make removing linoleum mats easier, you need to divide the floor into sections that you can manage. Old linoleum can be particularly difficult to remove, so you need to section off the floor into smaller squares.
removing linoleum
If the linoleum does not have tear marks that you can start from, score the linoleum with a knife or a razor blade. Old linoleum mats can be quite tough, so you may need to have more than one razor blade handy.
Pull the linoleum away from the floor. If you’re lucky, the section will come off in one piece. Sometimes the linoleum may be too tough that you need to scrape the remaining linoleum away from the floor.
The next step is to remove the adhesive from the floor. Instead of using chemical cleansers and solvents, you can instead prepare hot water and terry cloth towels to melt the adhesive:
Boil water in a kettle. You may also want throw in two or three terry cloth towels with the boiling water.
Lay a towel on one section of the floor, and very carefully put hot water on top of the towel. You have to be very careful when you’re removing adhesive from hardwood floors, because the material may warp.
Wait for five to ten minutes for the adhesive to be completely removed from the floor.
If there’s still some adhesive remaining, very carefully remove it with fine sandpaper.
You don’t have to completely wreck your flooring if you need to remove linoleum. With these steps, you can remove old linoleum surfaces faster, with a bare minimum of effort.