Things You'll Need:
- Small pry bar Utility knife Large pry bar Putty knife Leather work gloves Eye protection Heavy duty cardboard boxes
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Step 1
Lift off the quarter round molding that sits against the baseboard around the perimeter of the room by prying it gently away from the base with a small pry bar. Be careful not to break the quarter round or mar the baseboard, and number the pieces consecutively in the order that you remove them.
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Step 2
Remove a heat vent cover from the floor by pulling it straight up. This will be your starting point; if there is no vent, then cut two 12-inch slices into the floor in a corner of the room, making a square.
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Step 3
Pry the edge of the vinyl up from the edge of the vent, or corner of the wall, by inserting a small pry bar under the edge and lifting. The vinyl will tear, exposing the sub-floor beneath.
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Step 4
Tear up the rest of the flooring, using a large pry bar to rip a starter piece and then tearing the piece off in as big a chunk as will come loose. If the installer used an abundance of glue, this will be a tedious process.
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Step 5
Throw the loosened pieces into boxes to keep your work area uncluttered. Use the pry bars for larger areas, and use the putty knife to scrape up stubborn or hard-to-reach areas until the floor is cleared of the sheet vinyl.
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Step 6
Sweep the floor thoroughly and check for pieces that you might have missed. Scrape these off with the putty knife, and the job is finished.
