How do you remove a vinyl floor?

Still a vital video in 2022! After starting a section of the underlayment with hammer and prybar, I used a square sod shovel to get back under the large piece to pry it up. Also another video showed how nippers are the best tool for pulling up the staples left in the plywood, and that worked for me. Thanks again.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

I’m glad I could help. I usually drive the leftover staples down instead of pulling them out. Either way works and I’m glad your project is progressing. Thanks for watching.

When I pull up old vinyl with underlayment I always use my skill saw to cut through the old vinyl and underlayment and cut one foot lines to remove super easy and you won't damage the walls and doors jams with those big pieces of pull up.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

I just don’t like the amount of dust it creates doing it that way.

Thank you for this video! I stripped half of my kitchen in twenty minutes with this technique.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

3 жыл бұрын

I think this is far cleaner and more efficient than using a circular saw to do it. I’m glad I could help you out. Thanks for watching!!

Best technique I've seen for removing it yet. Thank you so much for this video it made my kitchen flooring easy to remove

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

That’s awesome, I’m glad we were able to help make your project easier.

Great video! Thank you very much! Excellent tips.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for the compliment.

Great video - very clear with great tips! Thank you. Are all vinyl sheets always glued to an underlayment? Are there situations where the vinyl sheet is laid directly in the subfloor? I am having a heck of a time pulling up my old sheet vinyl floor in my bathroom. It just doesn't pull off - so if they are always glues to an underlayment - your strategy should solve my problem! I am a new DIYer and want to avoid damaging my subfloor! Thanks

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

Жыл бұрын

If your vinyl is installed over a wood subfloor there should be an underlayment beneath it. If you have a floor register in the room lift it out and look there. That should tell you for sure.

​@EJ Flooring... Excellent video, thanks. I found the videos with the circular saw first and am glad I persevered to find this one... Question: Any help you can give us... Do you think your method will work with nails, not staples? I remember watching when my original vinyl was installed with the 1/4" underlayment. (Something like a "wheat board." ) The installer (30years ago?) nailed every 6 inches, I mean @6inch square. At the time, I thought it was overkill, but he said it was required for the warranty. He hand-nailed them! I am faced with removing this underlayment. Will we be able to pry those nails out of there? I've been wracking my brain trying to remember the nail size -- maybe 6's, I would hope not bigger than that, maybe the size of a roofing nail with a smaller head? Won't know until we lift a piece up. I do believe at least the nails were not glue-nails. Fingers crossed. If the underlayment is too tough to remove, should we consider just removing the vinyl on top of it? I can't remember if it's only glued at edges/seams, or all over, which would be troublesome to flatten, right? (I remember the old "Interflex" floors that were more flexible vinyl, designed to be laid on top of other vinyl that had embossing in them, to keep the embossing pattern from translating up thru the new layer. They were only attached with glue at the edges. I just can't remember about ours. )

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

That is an awesome memory on the installation. The nails will be a smaller diameter and head, you shouldn’t have much difficulty pulling them up with the vinyl still attached. Actually, in my experience you will have much better luck as the nails will be less likely to pull through the plywood and will be easier to deal with once the vinyl is removed. Typically about half the staples come up with the vinyl and it’s much more difficult to pound them in or pull them out after the underlayment is removed.

@rwind656

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for the reply, EJ... that's very hopeful news! I've been sweating that floor underlayment removal for many years. We're still trying to decide on flooring -- I'll definitely get back here and comment on how it went. Will take some time... still trying to decide on flooring, and it's not always easy to get what you want right now. Thanks!

Should I worry about asbestos in a floor that was put in ten years ago?

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

Asbestos has been outlawed a lot longer than 10 years. If you have a different floor covering up an asbestos floor you have nothing to worry about. Asbestos is only harmful if it’s cut or grinder (must have airborne dust).

@kingbee4474

6 ай бұрын

​@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguyMy home in Canada was built in 1994. There are green 12x12 vinyl tiles with black glue underneath. On top of those green tiles, there is a sheet vinyl with white glue underneath. Knowing the home was built in 1994, any chance any layer contains asbestos? Thanks

That was easy because it wasn’t glued down!

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

3 жыл бұрын

1/4” underlayment is never glued down, just stapled. At least I’ve never seen (nor would expect) a vinyl underlayment to be installed any differently.

This is fine... except that the floor I'm trying to remove was installed 4x9 plywood. No luan. I've spent an hour and a half and have gotten hardly nothing accomplished. The vinyl pulls up but the glue and paper is sticking :(

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

What are you installing? Sometimes you can just go over the linoleum.

Looks like your pulling up wood with your flooring

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

I’m pulling up the vinyl and the wood underlayment it’s glued to. Both layers have to be removed before tiling can commence. Thanks for watching I appreciate it.

@ericastier1646

2 жыл бұрын

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy You should have said that in the description. So this is different floor than linoleum rolls.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericastier1646 linoleum is glued to a wood underlayment when installed over wood subfloor. This is rolled linoleum, just like you’ll find at any home improvement store. The 1/4” underlayment doesn’t work under tile floors, it must be removed. Removing only the vinyl does no good, both layers need to be removed. I’ll try and think of a better title to avoid confusion.

where are your gloves!!!!

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

My hands are the gloves 🤣🤣

I totally don't understand what flooring this is. It does not look like sheet vinyl, it has this wood looking underpanel and nails ! wth is this. A roll of sheet vinyl does not have wood underneath it. I am confused by this video.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

A common (and best) practice when installing sheet vinyl is to install it over 1/4” underlayment that is staples or nailed to the subfloor. I’m a tile installer, I only install tile floors. 1/4” underlayment has no place in a tile job, it must be removed and a suitable underlayment installed. Removing both the underlayment and linoleum at the same time is the most efficient way of completing the prep work.

@ericastier1646

2 жыл бұрын

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Thanks for your clear answer, i now understand but you should absolutely have said the same in the video.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericastier1646 I will try to do better in the future explaining what’s going on better. What you’re asking for is a great request, it will only make my videos better. Thanks for asking a great question and watching my videos. If there’s anything else I can help with, please don’t hesitate to post again.

@Cattywompusx

2 жыл бұрын

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy I'm assuming the same goes for laminate too, remove the 1/4 inch subfloor or else my floor is going to be way too tall.

@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy

2 жыл бұрын

@@Cattywompusx typically there isn’t an additional underlayment below laminate flooring. If there is, I would remove it.