How to Remove Vinyl Tile From Concrete With a Heat Gun
Removing vinyl tiles from a concrete floor with a heat gun is one of those projects you can do yourself to save a lot of money. Although there's nothing complicated about it, removing the tiles will take time and require some muscle power. The best way to make this job go quicker is to have to a friend help you out. As one person heats the tiles, the other can scrape the tiles off the concrete floor. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Heat gun
- Putty knife
- Utility knife
- Hammer
- Paint scraper
- Mineral spirits
Instructions
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Place the heat gun over one tile over a time. Cut into the vinyl with a utility knife when the heat from the heat gun causes the tile to become soft and bendable.
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Lift up the edge of a heated tile with a putty knife.
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Pry a putty knife under the tile and lift it from the floor. Tap the utility knife with a hammer to help get it under any pieces of tile that are hard to remove.
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Heat and pry up one vinyl tile at a time until they have all been removed.
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Remove the tile adhesive from the floor with a paint scraper until the floor is smooth. Pour some mineral spirits on any hard-to-remove glue on the concrete. The mineral spirits will soften the adhesive.
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Tips & Warnings
Also use a hair dryer or clothes iron to heat the tiles.
Don't apply so much heat that it caused the tiles to melt. A melted tile will emit fumes. Open the windows to air out the room and wear a painter's mask. Vinyl floor that were installed in the 1970s and before may contain asbestos. Have the tiles checked for asbestos before doing this project yourself.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Carrelage image by J-F Perigois from Fotolia.com
