How to Remove Sheet Vinyl Flooring

You want to lay a new floor, but you need to remove the sheet vinyl flooring before putting in the new sub-floor. Removing a sheet vinyl floor is not as complicated as it looks.

Things You'll Need

• Small pry bar Utility knife Large pry bar Putty knife Leather work gloves Eye protection Heavy duty cardboard boxes

Instructions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tips & Warnings

• Always protect your eyes and hands when removing flooring material.

• In older houses it was common to install sheet vinyl directly over asbestos tiles. Asbestos tiles can typically be identified by their 8-inch-square dimensions; if you suspect you are dealing with asbestos, do not scrape the surface in any manner. Asbestos is a carcinogen and can be easily inhaled, even through a breathing mask.