Installing vinyl floors improve the structure of the home. It helps maintain the solid foundation of the flooring against heavy footsteps, hefty furniture, and opaque appliances. It also provides resiliency and soundproof benefits to reduce noise. When it comes to its cost, it is relatively cheaper than wood flooring or ceramic tiles.
However, vinyl flooring can only last up to 10 to 20 years. It depends on the quality of the material and maintenance of the households. Moreover, the vinyl flooring is vulnerable to sharp objects and worn out easily due to long term use.
You are probably wondering how to remove the old vinyl to replace it with a new one. With this regard, we have prepared the solution to your dilemma. You may consider our DIY guide in removing the vinyl flooring as follows:
1) Prepare the necessary tools and safety gears
Gather all the tools that you need for the removal of the vinyl flooring. To know what the tools to use, here is the summary:
- Pryer tool
- Small woodblock
- Cutter or Utility Knife
- Heat Gun
- Small broom and dustpan
- Sandpaper Machine
- Putty Scraper
Do not forget to wear safety gears as protection for your eyes. You can wear a mask, safety glasses, apron, and cloth gloves before you start with your work. The debris of the vinyl may harm your eyes, or you may accidentally inhale it if you don’t wear a safety gear.
2) Start removing the baseboards (optional)
Some home structures have baseboards on the edge of their walls and floors. This material is typically designed to cover the edge of the walls and floors. Moreover, the baseboard can be also used to cover and hide electrical wiring and cords.
Now, get your pryer tool and wooden block to start the work. First, place the wooden block above the baseboard. Insert the pryer tool in between the edges of the baseboard. Push the pryer tool against the wooden block to create an opening. Carefully pry the baseboard and remove it from the wall.
You can do this procedure in all the edges. However, you should be careful in removing the baseboards to avoid breaking them. Otherwise, you can also replace the baseboards into a new one if you will not be recycling the old one.
3) Trim out the Flooring into Narrow Cuts
According to the Bunnings Warehouse video, you should check first the entire flooring if there are any worn out parts. You can start trimming the vinyl on the worn-out part using the cutter or utility knife. Measure at least 6 inches wide and start cutting the resilient flooring into parallel strips.
As an alternative, you can also create some narrow cuts in square shapes to easily clean and peel away the vinyl flooring. It is not recommended to peel away the entire flooring because it would be heavy to hold.
4) Start Scraping and Heating
Pull away the trimmed cuts and use the putty scraper to remove the glued layer. Use the heat gun to make the glue elastic and easy to scrape.
Perform jabbing strokes as you scrape the glued area and use the heat gun at the same time. This procedure might take a long time because scraping the glued layer is the most challenging part. Do not use water-based solutions to remove the glued layer because it will only create a messy work on the area.
5) Clean Up the Glue and Paper Residue
When you finally pull away from the first layer of the flooring, the challenge gets tougher with the second layer. You'll need to scrape the glued material for a finishing touch.
Thereafter, you can use a sandpaper machine to smoothen the surface and restore its original state. Use a small broom and dustpan to clean up the glue and paper residue. After cleaning up the debris, you can also use a wet floor mop to clean the area and wipe it again with a dry rug. As an alternative, you may also hire someone to do the absolute floor stripping for you.
6) Dispose of or Reuse the Vinyl
Most people disposed their vinyl flooring and fold them in an accordion style to flatten it in the trash bins. While some, they prefer to reuse their old vinyl.
If you are planning to reuse the vinyl flooring, you should at least roll it then store it in a safe place. Otherwise, you can dispose of the material if it is not reasonable anymore to recycle it.
Ask for a Professional Service
If you remove the vinyl flooring by yourself, it might save up some pennies. However, manually doing it may be time-consuming especially if you are a busy person. You can ask for a professional service and let the experts handle the floor removal.
They are equipped with quality machines and tools to finish the floorwork in an instant. If you are hesitant with the pricing, you can always get a quote first before hiring them for a service.
