Best way to pull up layers of linoleum and vinyl tile on floor.?

Question

I'm pulling up what looks like 2 or 3 layers of old linoleum and vinyl tile to lay ceramic tile on the concrete slab. What's the best and easiest way to get the old stuff up?

Answer 1

Try a hand scraper first, sometimes the flooring comes off easy, if it does't rent an electric floor scraper, it's awesome and works wonders if the vinyl is really stuck to the concrete!!!

Answer 2

Unfortunately there is really nothing easy about the job you are doing. They do sell a scrapper, which gets under the tile and helps lift and break it up. Tip for you start by getting to the sub floor in the middle of the room and work out to the edges. Once you get all the layers up, there is a couple of products to help remove to adhesive. Good luck to you

Answer 3

Is the old linoleum guled down? If it won't rip out easily, by hand, you may have to lay plywood down throughout the room (on top of it all) and just start from there. We renovated almost the entire house, and the bathrooms had glued-down linoleum. We had to buy 1/4 in. plywood and start with a whole new floor.

Answer 4

I don't know anyone who has the knees for this job to remove glues layers by hand tools. There is and electric scrapper that cuts and gets under the tile/linoleum. It is noisy though so you'll need ear plugs !!!

Answer 5

I had pretty good luck using a heat gun and a hand scraper.

The hand scraper I used is thicker (stronger) than a putty knife/mud spreader and the tell-tail for identifying it is that it has threads on the inside of the handle (much like a paint roller) to affix to a broom handle for stand-up scraping.

I used it in the hands and knees configuration while heating with the heat gun.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

the best way is to use a heavy duty scraper. The easiest wasy is to level the floor and lay it on top. Good luck.