Out with the Old: How to Remove Glued-Down Vinyl Flooring

The New Year has arrived! That means out with old, and in with the new – especially if “the old” is an outdated vinyl floor that might have been “the new” back in, say, 1978. Removing old vinyl flooring is often the first step to installing the new floor of your dreams, so we’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help the DIY installer get the job done.

Step 1 – First, gather up the proper tools. In most cases, you’ll need a scraper (4” to 6” wide), a bucket of soapy water, a hair dryer and a utility knife. Fortunately, most vinyl is fairly flexible, but the adhesive that secures it to the floor is not. The scraper will help separate the vinyl from the subfloor, but if the adhesive is too strong to pull apart, the soapy water and hair dryer can be hugely helpful. Once you’ve got the tools together and the room is clear of furniture and obstructions, carefully remove any molding or trim along the walls.

Step 2 – Find a corner or edge where the vinyl is not completely glued, and cut the area into 12” strips using the utility knife. Slide the sharp edge of the scraper in between the subfloor and the underside of the vinyl and scrape the adhesive away as you pull up on the vinyl strip. Apply a delicate chipping motion with the scraper to break up stubborn glue patches, but be careful not to damage the subfloor. Work your way across the room in this way. If you encounter a section that won’t budge, proceed to step 3.

Step 3 – Sometimes the glue is too solid to be scraped, and chipping at it can cause irreparable damage to the subfloor. Here’s where the water and dryer come in. Spray or pour the soapy solution onto the stubborn glue spots, allow it to soak for a few moments, then heat the area with the hair dryer to soften the glue. When the adhesive softens, continue to scrape away, a la step 2. The combination of soap, heat and scraping is usually effective at breaking up even the toughest old glue.

Continue using these simple techniques, and you’ll have that crummy old vinyl up in no time. Then, you’ll be ready to lay that new Kertile Bambu, or that Virginia Vintage hardwood you’ve dreamt about. Or, you can even replace the old vinyl with affordable new luxury vinyl floors from Earthwerks or Amitco. If you have any further questions about vinyl removal, or would like to discuss new flooring options for your home, please give us a call at 866-705-1340. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your project!