| Wish you knew how to get rid of your existing | | | | you follow instructions and read the warnings on the |
| linoleum? Like all things renovation wise, it can be a | | | | label of whatever product you use and wear skin and |
| tough job, but it is still something that you are | | | | eye protection, such as gloves and glasses. One |
| capable of doing. How difficult your particular linoleum | | | | popular solvent is aptly named, Krud Kutter. Again, |
| will be to remove depends on its age and how it is | | | | proceed by doing small sections at a time. |
| fixated to your sub floor. If the linoleum is currently in | | | | If you prefer not working with chemicals a low cost |
| good shape minus cracks, and soundly affixed to | | | | method of adhesive removal involves just boiling |
| your sub floor, you may be able to leave it in place | | | | water. You can pour the boiling water directly on the |
| and add your new floor materials over it. Most | | | | remaining adhesive, in small sections, allow it to set a |
| people, however, prefer to remove the linoleum and | | | | bit, and then proceed with scraping it. |
| start from scratch when installing new flooring. | | | | If you are working with hardwood floors, that you |
| The removal of your existing linoleum will involve | | | | are worried about damaging, you can try to remove |
| some sweat equity on your part. Removal of your | | | | the adhesive and remaining backing with a hair dryer |
| linoleum is a multi step process. Once you get the | | | | or heat gun. Try a test area such as in the pantry. |
| linoleum up you will have to deal with its adhesive | | | | Simply use the hair dryer to heat up the adhesive |
| material. Also, you may not even know what lies | | | | and then scrape it. Make sure you are not scraping |
| beneath the linoleum until you remove it. The | | | | against the grain of the wood. As this method will |
| underlying floors could be wood or concrete. | | | | result in hot and sticky debris make sure you have a |
| Concrete being easier to work with as it is more | | | | heat resistant container ready for the clean up. If |
| durable. | | | | you choose to use a heat gun make sure you do not |
| The best tip when removing linoleum is to work in | | | | apply to much heat and burn the wood. As always, it |
| small sections. You can cut the linoleum in workable | | | | is best to work in a small section, applying the heat in |
| sized strips or squares as you go and then peel them | | | | a moving motion versus static and scraping each area |
| off. Not only will you remove the majority of the | | | | as you go. |
| surface layer of linoleum but it will assist you in | | | | Unlike when working with concrete your goal is to |
| getting to the adhesive as well. You can further | | | | not remove 100% of the adhesive. Attempt to do |
| attack the adhesive using a paint scraper or razor | | | | so on hardwood floors and you will probably end up |
| blade scraper. The razor blades ones will work much | | | | damaging the wood. Simply remove what you can |
| easier just keep in mind when working with hard | | | | without forcing the rest then clean the area by |
| adhesive or on concrete floors you will likely go | | | | vacuuming or sweeping the debris. Depending on how |
| through several blades. | | | | much of the adhesive backing remains you can |
| Now that you have been able to remove the | | | | proceed by lightly sanding or removing the remaining |
| majority of the linoleum and its backing you can | | | | portions with damp mopping using mineral spirits or a |
| attack what remains. One way to do so is by | | | | similar product to prepare the floor for its new |
| applying a solvent or chemical remover. Make sure | | | | refinish. |