Linoleum floors are common in older homes and apartments. While the retro look is great for some, it’s not so great for others. If you have a linoleum floor in your home, you may want to remove it and get rid of that slippery surface once and for all. If you’re looking to remove your linoleum flooring and take on a new surface instead, you’ll need to know how to get rid of linoleum. However, the process can be tricky since linoleum is an old style of floor that’s not frequently installed these days. The good news is with the right tools and techniques, you can remove that old linoleum flooring quite easily!
How To Remove Linoleum From Wood Floor?
1. Remove the floor covering
First, you’ll need to remove the linoleum from your wood floor. Start by removing any loose nails or screws from the floor. You can use a screwdriver or a utility knife to remove them. Once all of the nails and screws are removed, you can simply pull up on your linoleum and it should come up with ease.
2. Use a carpenter’s square
A carpenter’s square is an essential tool that will help you make accurate cuts on your linoleum flooring. A carpenter’s square has a 90-degree angle that measures 4″ long in one direction and 4″ long in the other direction. When measuring linoleum, make sure to measure both sides of each piece so that you have no gaps between them. If any gaps are present, they could cause problems when applying new glue or paint onto your wood surface later on. Make sure to measure each side of each piece before cutting it out using a utility knife or scissors for precision measurements.
3. Cut out pieces with a utility knife
After measuring each piece of linoleum with a carpenter’s square, you can cut it out using a utility knife or scissors for precision cuts! This will ensure that there are no gaps between pieces when they’re applied back onto your wood surface later on! You don’t have to be super precise when cutting out pieces; however, being too sloppy may cause the linoleum to be too loose and fall apart. If you’re having trouble cutting out your pieces, simply use a utility knife or scissors to cut out the linoleum and then return it to its original position.
4. Apply glue or adhesive
Once all of the linoleum has been cut out, you’ll need to apply a fast-drying glue or adhesive to each piece so that it can adhere back onto the wood surface! You can use a shop-vac with a small floor buffer attachment to apply glue on each piece of linoleum before placing them back onto your wood floor. It’s also possible that you can use hot melt glue on your existing wood floors if they’re already in good shape! However, if there are any cracks or holes in your wood flooring, it’s best not to apply any type of glue or adhesive since this could cause the crack or hole to expand with time! Instead, you should replace the old floor covering with new linoleum using one of our DIY kits instead!
5. Apply new covering over removed linoleum
Once you have applied glue to each piece of linoleum and applied it back onto your wood surface, you’ll need to wait for the glue to dry! Depending on the type of glue you used, this may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If your linoleum is glued back onto your existing wood flooring, be sure to use a large flat-head screwdriver or hammer to push down the edges of each piece of linoleum so that it can be pulled tight against the wood flooring! You don’t want any gaps between pieces or any loose pieces hanging out because they could get in the way later on when applying new paint or floor covering in the future!
6. Sand down and paint over new linoleum
After waiting for the glue to dry and pulling up each piece of linoleum, you can then sand down (if necessary) and apply new paint onto each individual piece of linoleum! The first step when painting over your newly applied linoleum is simply getting rid of any excess material that may remain after sanding down. This could include small pieces of old linoleum that ended up getting stuck underneath one another during installation. However, if there are any stubborn pieces that are still remaining after sanding down, you may need to use a utility knife or scissors to remove them from their original position before applying new paint. You can also use an electric sander with a fine grit sandpaper attachment if you have any stubborn pieces that refuse to budge!
Why do You May want to Remove Your Linoleum Floor?
1. Linoleum flooring is no longer made
You may be wondering why you might want to remove your linoleum flooring from your wooden flooring. The answer to this question depends on the type of linoleum that you have installed. Linoleum is an affordable way to protect your wooden floors and make them look new again! However, if you have linoleum flooring that is over 20 years old, it’s likely that it’s now beginning to fade or show signs of wear and tear. If this is the case, it’s best not to leave this old linoleum in place because it could potentially damage your wooden floors in the future!
2. There are cracks or holes in your wood floors
If you have one or more large cracks or holes in your wood flooring, then you’re probably better off removing the linoleum from your floors entirely since this could lead to serious damage later on! You can use a hot melt glue gun or hot glue gun with a glue applicator tip for this purpose since these tools can apply even small amounts of glue into tight spaces such as between boards on a wooden floor! You’ll also need to apply several small amounts of glue at different points along each crack or hole so that they can be filled up with glue and sealed up with wood filler. Once they’re completely filled up with wood filler, they should be sanded down smooth again before applying new paint!
3. Your carpet needs protecting from spills and other damage
In some cases, your carpet may be in good shape but still needs to be protected from spills and other types of damage that could negatively affect the lifespan of your carpet. For example, if you have a large window in your home that’s being exposed to the elements, it’s likely that your carpet is getting wet! If this is the case, you’re probably better off replacing or repairing your carpet before putting down linoleum floors since it can take up to two years for linoleum flooring to begin to fade from exposure!
4. You’re looking for a modern look with square tiles
If you’re looking for a contemporary look with square tiles instead of traditional rectangular tiles, then linoleum flooring may not be the best choice for you. While linoleum can give off a vintage or traditional look depending on the type of flooring material that you have installed, square tile style linoleum is much more contemporary and modern than traditional rectangular tiles! This is why many people opt out of installing linoleum floors in their homes.
Bottom Line
The good news is that you can remove your linoleum floor and replace it with any type of flooring you like. If your linoleum is in good shape and relatively new, your best bet is to scrape it off. If your linoleum is damaged or old, you might instead want to replace it with a new flooring surface. With linoleum, there are many options to choose from, so you can easily replace it with the flooring of your choice.
FAQ’s
Q. What’s the history of linoleum?
A. The first linoleum was invented in 1858 by American inventor John Wesley Hyatt, who patented the process for making it in 1867. Linoleum was originally used to make flooring tiles for factories and industrial buildings that needed to be easy to clean and durable. Hyatt’s process was also used to make wallpaper and even paper! In fact, Hyatt’s company was one of the largest manufacturers of paper products in the United States at that time!
Q. How does linoleum work?
A. In order for your linoleum floor to work, you need a special adhesive called “resin” that can be found under your kitchen sink! Linoleum is made up of several layers of resin which are put together by a special machine called a “liner.” The liner is then placed onto your flooring surface and pressed down with hot water until it hardens into place! Although this may seem like a complicated process, it really isn’t all that difficult to do if you have all the right tools available!
Q. Will my linoleum last forever?
A. Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are with your linoleum floor, there’s always going to be some wear and tear over time due to normal wear and tear from walking on them or from other types of flooring material in your home. This means that you’ll probably want to re-linoleum your floors every few years to keep them looking new and clean!
