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I'm moving my studio into an older house nearby. I'm in the midst of removing old floor covering from a wooden floor. Only in one room the linoleum (circa about 1940's- I think) is sticking to the wood in bits and pieces, here and there. Is there anything I can use to get it to turn loose more easily? We've only tried scraping it so far. The floor will be painted when it's finally removed. Anyone know what works best?
-------------------- Nancie W. Phillips White Dove Painting Studio 74 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 678-887-3339
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get one of those roof propane torch things..try the little one you hand hold 1st..if it donr do it get the roofing one
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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First, ensure you aren't working with an asbestos lino floor! If you are, you need appropriate protection from it. Most get a professional to remove it properly and safely. Generally, floors older than 25 years have it. Baaaad stuff.
Other than that, I have no idea how to remove it. Have you tried to google your inquiry?
[ August 01, 2007, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: Donna in BC ]
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Quite often the linoleum will stick to flooring due to humidity. If the backing is sticking to the floor, try wetting it thouroughly then scraping. It is still labor intensive, but will save the floor under it. Good luck.
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
This might be a stupid question Nancie, but usually linoleum is glued to 1/4" Luan wood sheets - which is nailed to the underlying base floor material.
Are you sure you're not trying to peel the linoleum off of the Luan substrate, not realizing the actual wood floor is beneath the Luan?
The Luan is usually nailed down as large sheets to provide a smooth surface for the linoleum to be glued to - and it also serves to cover over cracks and other flooring irregularities that might be apparent if a person would otherwise simply apply the linoleum directly to the original floor.
If that's the case, I would usually use a "superbar/prybar" and just pop the Luan and attached Linoleum off in one quick operation.
If that's not the case, I'd say your best bet is to get a strong, wide bladed putty knife and "chisel" it off as best you can. Then, you'll probably have to rent a floor sander to take the hardened adhesive off of the wood floor and refinish the wood floor as the last step.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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...When I replaced my kitchen floor I used a 'spade' shovel to attack the old linolium floor covering. Once I got the sheets starting to come up I was able to pull it up in large pieces with bare hands. ...The glue that held it down was water based, and I scrubbed it up w. water and sponges. ...It was a real mess, but not as bad as removing old wall paper.
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I have seen a tool (probably at Lowe's) that is a long handled scraper. It's about 3' with a straight handle and has a big blade across the bottom. It might allow a bit of leverage. The spade shovel would probably do the same thing. Old linoleum can be a pain! I remember many years ago removing it from the kitchen of my circa 1930 house. It did have a cool pattern, but it had been underneath 1960s ugly gold linoleum and luan. There was no luan underneath, it was over the plain pine floor boards. I just used a regular scraper then, and it took forever. I wish I'd have thought to wet it down. It did look like it had a paper base. Recently I read somewhere...maybe on This Old House's site... that linoleum has been around since the late 1700s when people painted cloth with linseed oil as a floor covering. That's where the name is derived. Love...Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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a wall paper scraper with about a 4 inch razor blade and a propane torch like OP mentioned would work. Becareful to turn scraper the right way or it'll gouge the wood.
-------------------- Roger DiNofa Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 147 | From: Hattiesburg, MS | Registered: Feb 2002
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Thanks for the suggestions. Jill's description fits the picture here. this stuff is glued straight to the pine flooring. I'll try y'alls suggestions and let you know how it turns out. My son and a few of his friends were helping, but IDK if I want him playing with a torch on an old pine floor. He's such a pyro. Looks like it may be up to me to do this part...
-------------------- Nancie W. Phillips White Dove Painting Studio 74 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 678-887-3339
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Nancie. I might have to come back there and straighten this thing out for you.
Jack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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I used Rapid Remover to take up old tile from my bathroom, and it worked! It didn't take too much and loosened all the glue, and with a scraper and rags and a little ventilation, I had it loosened and up in an hour so there weren't too many fumes at all.
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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I was thinking about trying Rapid Remover at first, but I'm gonna be painting the floor with latex floor enamel when it's finally stripped. I figured that it might keep the paint from adhering. Jack... You (or anyone else) are welcome to come help get this thing done. I'm tired of it already. Mostly cuz it seems to be costing so much to get done.
-------------------- Nancie W. Phillips White Dove Painting Studio 74 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 678-887-3339
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I once rented a machine that had a blade out in front of it that either vibrated or had a small movement forward and back. I had alot of floor to do and this did the job easily and saved countless hours. Before we rented it we used scrapers and shovels that seemed to work, but very slow compared to machine. It was about the size of a upright vaccuum cleaner, but much heavier, and did'nt seem to cost that much. Good luck.
-------------------- Rich Stebbing RichSigns Rohnert Park CA 707-795-5588 Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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