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lino is a classic and live material , often found in high - traffic outer space like kitchen , john , and hallways . Because the chemical bond between lino and its adhesive material in reality strengthens over metre , you ’ll need a few peculiar tricks up your sleeve — and a just measure of patience — when you ’re ready to rive out out-of-date linoleum coldcock . If you ’re thinking about refresh your place and wondering how to take out lino floor , survey these steps .
Before You Begin
While the term are often used interchangeably ( even by flooring salespeople ) , linoleum and vinyl flooring are not the same thing , and they do not behave the same way during remotion . Before removing any flooring , your first footmark is to sustain that your floor is , indeed , linoleum . Removing vinyl group flooringis a different process altogether .
Though lino is made of natural materials , if your linoleum take aback was installed before 1980 , there ’s a upright chance that it carry asbestos in its backing paper . When asbestos is disturbed , it can issue carcinogenic fibers into the zephyr .
Before pull up linoleum flooring , use a home outfit or hire a pro totest it for asbestos , and engage a dependent contractor to absent it if you find any . Among other demand , slay asbestosrequires wear safety gear and disposal into approved disposal bags . We advise that asbestos removal be done only by professionals ; some municipality even prohibit homeowners from removing the textile themselves .
Photo: iStock
Tools & Materials
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After confirm the linoleumdoes not hold asbestos , follow these step to learn how to remove old lino flooring .
How to Pull Up Linoleum Flooring
Step 1: Score the flooring into 6- to 12-inch strips.
Working in small department with a public utility company tongue , score the flooring into strips about 6 to 12 inches full . If your linoleum feature a tile pattern , you could use the outlines of the tile as general guides to show where to score . Proceed cautiously and do n’t cut all the way of life through the textile to quash damage to the floor underneath , especially if it ’s hardwood that will become the Modern finished floor .
Tried-and-True Advice
“ I find that a hair drier or heat gun really helps to soften glue while liberate the lino from the storey . It serve to have an extra someone [ to draw up floor ] , but you’re able to complete the occupation solo while scoring the floor to remove in humble sections .
Take your time and use a scraper to dispatch mucilage while it ’s soft . The glue is often more difficult [ to take away ] than the blow out of the water itself , and it will postulate some cleaning time even after the floor is cleared . ”
— Zach Lazzari , Contributing Writer
Photo: iStock
Step 2: Remove the top layer of flooring material.
To fully absent lino , you ’ll necessitate to harness both of its bed : The top is a layer of flooring textile that should come off fairly easily , and the bottom is a newspaper backing with adhesive . Removing the latter can be a challenge .
Remove the entire top stratum of linoleum first before going back later to pull up any remaining paper backing or adhesive . Start by working your scraper or the edge of youroscillating multi - toolunderneath one of your score marks . Then , press forward to bring up the top of the lino . Keep working in minuscule sections until you have removed the entire first level .
Step 3: Remove the underlying paper backing and/or adhesive.
To remove any remaining backing , apply heat to the level in small sections using a wallpaper steamer ( aheat gunor even ahair dryerset on in high spirits can also work in a pinch ) . Soften a small division with your chosen heat source , and scrape up the adhesive , solve at a 45 - level angle and being measured not to force out the subfloor as you work . Move section by department until all the mount and adhesive has been removed .
If you follow across specially obstinate spots , apply some isopropyl alcohol orpaint thinnerto the field and admit the solvent to sit consort to the manufacturer ’s pedagogy . Proceed to scrape aside the residuum of the adhesive , again working at a 45 - academic degree slant .
Step 4: Dispose of the old linoleum properly.
lino is made of natural materials . Unless the vintage lino take aback contains asbestos , there is no need to take particular steps to dispose of it . While it can be bagged and picked up by the regular rubbish pickup , there are more sustainable alternatives .
Many areas have local recycling pith that will take linoleum . There also are some compost heart around the country that accept linoleum — or you may add asbestos - innocent linoleum to your backyard composting bin .
Final Thoughts
Updating old flooring like linoleum can have a huge impact on the home ’s trend . While remove linoleum flooring is a DIY project , it ’s best handled by a pro if it incorporate asbestos . If the floor is asbestos - barren , remember that the remotion process is a battle of Marathon , not a sprint . With patience and the right creature , you’re able to rid your room of linoleum and lie the groundwork for a new floor , and a whole young look .
FAQs
An prosperous way to enjoin if a base is vinyl or lino is to look at the surface and thickness . Vinyl flooringis seldom more than ⅛-inch duncish and the pattern is stamped on the top . It ’s unremarkably linoleum if the approach pattern is determine through the thickness of the material .
Isopropyl alcohol or paint thin can serve remove adhesive . However , one of thebest adhesive removerson the market is Goo Gone .
you may , in some instance , lay a Modern material directly on top of your current lino . But be cognisant that this shortcut will raise the level by at least ⅛ in , so the transitions into adjoining rooms may need to be conform .
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