SUPPLIES
- Sharp knife, preferably one with replaceable blades
- Scrapers of several types
- Broom and/or shop vacuum
- Garbage containers or heavy duty trash bags
- Heat gun
- Hair dryer
- Household iron
- Mop
- Bucket
- Soap-based cleaning product
- Gloves
- Straight edge
- Sand paper and/or sander
Overview
Though it is a time-intensive job, removing old linoleum from a wooden sub floor is possible. Most importantly, allow for a few days to devote to this project and have the proper tools on hand. This job can be difficult if the old flooring was glued entirely to the floor. It is easier if it was only glued along the edges.
Step 1
Remove all furniture and/or appliances from the room.
Step 2
Remove the baseboard from the perimeters of the room. Be patient in removing baseboard if you are planning to reuse it. In older homes the baseboard can be brittle and will splinter if you don't work slowly and carefully. Pry it loose with a pry bar and a hammer working in short spans.
Step 3
Remove the baseboard nails using pliers and pulling nails from the back side of the baseboard. This step assumes that the baseboard was attached with finishing nails. This procedure does less damage to the baseboard. Plus, the nail holes can be filled in with putty when you are ready to re-install it.
Step 4
Cut the linoleum into strips approximately 2 feet wide using a straight edge (metal or a piece of lumber) to guide your cuts.
Step 5
Start the removal by lifting the edge of the linoleum with your scraper. The linoleum will probably tear unevenly and some of the felt backing will adhere to the floor.
Step 6
Heat the linoleum in areas approximately 2-by-2 feet with a heat gun or hair dryer. Then use the scraper remove the linoleum and hopefully the felt backing will come loose as well. If it doesn't remove the felt backing, just remove as much as you can and proceed.
When using a heat gun, do not concentrate the heat too long in one area. The flooring will melt and could smolder. If you utilize a household iron, use and old towel between the iron and the flooring. Use adequate ventilation to avoid inhaling the fumes from the heated flooring.
Step 7
Attack the felt backing and the glue. Continue heating and scraping to remove as much of the backing as you can. Use caution to avoid gouges in the subflooring. Any gouges will have to be filled in with filler and sanded smooth before you can install the new flooring.
In older installations some of the glue used is water soluble. Test an area by soaking it with hot soapy water. Let it set for a few minutes and try scraping up the residue. Some types of glue can only be removed with solvents. Extreme caution should be used if this becomes necessary. These solvents can be flammable or pose danger when inhaled. Remember to keep the area well ventilated. Remove as much of this backing and glue as you can and allow the floor to dry thoroughly.
Step 8
Sand any remaining glue off of the surface. If you have just a few patches remaining the sanding can be done by hand. If you have a large quantity remaining, the fastest way to remove is by renting a floor sander and doing the entire floor. The sandpaper may tend to clog up and become ineffective, so change the paper often.
Step 9
Vacuum the floor thoroughly and wipe it down with a tack rag. Pay special attention to the edges and crevices.
Step 10
Use filler to fill any gouges or cracks. Sand it smooth. This is especially important if you are installing new linoleum or tiles, because these imperfections will eventually show through your new flooring.
