How To Remove Vinyl Flooring - Twenty & Oak

How to Remove Vinyl Flooring

Here’s how to remove vinyl flooring during a renovation or new flooring install.

Step 1: Clear the Space

Before you begin, clear the room or the area. Next, take the flat end of a pry bar and gently remove any quarter-round trim that covers the gap between the baseboards and vinyl flooring. Often, vinyl flooring also runs beneath the baseboard trim, which will require careful removal so as not to damage walls. To remove the baseboards, place a wood block a few inches above the baseboard and place a pry bar’s wider end where the trim and wall meet. Using a rubber mallet, tap the pry bar under the trim and gently pull the trim away, moving along the wall. To reuse the trim, mark their original location.

Step 2: Remove the Vinyl Flooring

Time to remove the vinyl flooring! Grab a utility knife and cut into the middle of your floor. Most vinyl floors are perimeter installed, without glue or adhesive in the middle. With the knife, cut away 12-inch panel strips and roll the vinyl toward the wall. Continue making strips until the vinyl flooring is rolled up.

With the vinyl rolled, use a scraper tool or pry bar to loosen it from the glued perimeter. For vinyl plank and tile flooring, use a putty knife to pry up each corner. To remove the excess glue and adhesive, use soapy warm water, wiping or scraping it away. For tougher areas, heat guns work, too. For concrete subfloors, which are more challenging, scrape the glue with a pry bar or scraper, or soften the glue with a commercial adhesive stripper.

Step 3: Clean the Area

Once the vinyl flooring is removed, sweep or wet/dry vacuum the area. If possible, recycle the vinyl flooring at your local recycling center.

In order to avoid any issues with removal, Twenty and Oak recommends reaching out to a flooring professional. Our team can help you find local experts that will get the job done right.

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