How do I Remove Old Vinyl From Concrete Floors?
- 1). Remove any trim on the walls surrounding the vinyl floor with a pry bar. Place the pry bar beneath the edge of the trim where the first nail secures the trim to the wall. Press steadily upwards on the loose end of the pry bar to pry the trim away from the wall and pull out the nail. Move down the row of trim, prying it upwards at each nail point until you're removed the entire board. Place the trim aside for possible reuse later.
- 2). Cut the flooring into strips about 18 inches wide and 36 inches in length with a utility knife. If the vinyl flooring is in tile form, no cutting is necessary. Wear a pair of work gloves during the removal process.
- 3). Place the end of the floor scraper beneath the edge of a tile or strip located near the wall or entrance to the room. Grasp the handle of the scraper firmly and push the blade of the scraper along the concrete floor, prying the vinyl away from the concrete. Move down the tile or strip of vinyl prying it up until you've removed the entire piece. Continue removing each piece of vinyl until you've cleared the floor. There may be small sections that resist prying by the scraper. Remove these sections with hand tools.
- 4). Turn on the heat gun and hold it about 4 inches from the top of resistant vinyl sections. Direct the heat towards the vinyl piece, moving the heat gun in a side-to -side motion above the piece to loosen the adhesive holding the vinyl in place. Turn off the heat gun and set it aside.
- 5). Place the edge of a putty knife beneath the edge of the heated vinyl and pry up the edge, wedging the knife beneath the vinyl piece. Grasp the lifted edge by hand and pull it from the concrete, wedging it upward further, when necessary, with the putty knife.
- 6). Remove the adhesive remaining on the concrete with a chemical stripper. Apply the stripper to the concrete with a brush. Allow the stripper to sit on the adhesive for the length of time suggested by the manufacturer in order to dissolve the adhesive. Remove the stripper and dissolved adhesive from the floor using a rag.
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