How to Remove Linoleum From Plywood

Old linoleum floors can be hard to remove.

Linoleum is similar to vinyl but is an old material. Linoleum that's been glued to plywood probably has been there awhile, and it is not going to come up easily, especially if it is in a single sheet (as opposed to individual tiles). The trick to getting it off is to divide it into manageable pieces, then scrape the pieces up intact, so you're not ripping away small sections of it.

Things You'll Need

• Utility knife
• Hard metal putty knife (or 4-inch drywall knife)
• Floor scraper
• Wide paint scraper

Instructions

1. Use your utility knife to slice the linoleum from wall to wall, about 4 feet from one side of the room. Cut clear through the linoleum but not into the plywood beneath.

2. Repeat the process, cutting additional lines across the floor, side by side, making them about 4 feet apart.

3. Run your hard metal putty or drywall knife along the edge of the of the lines, under the linoleum, loosening a few inches of it all along the length.

4. Use your floor scraper to get under the loosened edge of the linoleum strip and separate it from the plywood all the way across the width of the strip. Then push the scraper toward the length of the strip, rolling it up as you remove it. Get the whole strip up.

5. Repeat the process for each strip of linoleum, working the floor scraper under it and rolling it up. Get all the strips up in this manner. Discard the linoleum.

6. Use a paint scraper to take up any residual material from the plywood, scraping with the direction of the grain.

References

• Guide4Home: Floor Surface Removal