How to Get Linoleum Off a Concrete Sub Floor

Linoleum floors can be beautiful, but they're tough to remove.

Before you remove your linoleum floor covering, consider carefully whether it's really necessary to do so. If you're installing a new floor covering, you may be able to lay it right over the old linoleum and save yourself from a time consuming job. If you decide that the linoleum really has to go, cut a small piece and have the backing tested for asbestos before you start. If it tests positive, it's probably best to have a professional remove the linoleum because airborne asbestos can seriously damage your lungs. If there's no asbestos, get ready for a workout.

Things You'll Need

• Utility knife
• Floor scraper
• Bucket
• Towel
• Heat gun
• Paint stripper
• Old paintbrush

Instructions

1. Cut the flooring into 6-inch strips by scoring the surface with a utility knife. Make a lateral cut in one of the strips and try to pry up the ends of the strip with a floor scraper. The glue may be weak enough for you to remove the strips by working the scraper underneath as you pull them off.

2. Fill a bucket with boiling water and pour it on areas that you can't scrape or lift off. As the water softens the glue, pull the flooring up in strips, breaking the glue bond with the scraper as you pull. Soften the glue further in problem areas by soaking a towel in boiling water, then laying it on the floor for 5 minutes. Remove the towel and scrape or lift off the linoleum.

3. Heat the surface of the linoleum with a heat gun to soften the glue even more in problem areas. Pull the strips of flooring away when the glue is soft enough to release it.

4. Remove the adhesive from the subfloor with paint stripper. Spread the stripper with an old paintbrush and scrape it off before it dries. Keep a bucket nearby to collect the stripper as you scrape it. Dispose of the adhesive/stripper mixture responsibly by putting it in lidded containers, like old paint cans, and taking it to the hazardous materials section of your local waste disposal station.

5. Wash the subfloor with hot water and detergent to neutralize and remove any remaining stripper.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find that your old linoleum contains asbestos, consider laying a new floor covering directly over it instead of removing it. Removing linoleum with asbestos is hard work and hazardous.

• It is possible to remove linoleum by placing dry ice on it to make it brittle enough to chip away. Handle dry ice with gloves and keep it in the refrigerator when you're not using it.

• Paint stripper is caustic and a skin irritant. Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses while you are using it.

References

• Demesne: Linoleum Flooring
• The Flooring Lady: Removing Linoleum and Vinyl Flooring
• Guide 4 Home: Removing Vinyl Flooring -- Removing Vinyl & the Adhesive