Remove Vinyl Tile Adhesive From Concrete Floor

Use a hammer to tap a stiff putty knife or brick chisel under the linoleum to break it loose.

Remove vinyl tile adhesive from concrete floor.

Either lift vinyl with a floor scraper or cut manageable pieces to remove as much vinyl flooring as possible. The thing about tile adhesive is that there isn t just one kind. The same quality that makes tile adhesive so reliable can make it a real pain in the rear end when you want to install new tiles especially if the original floor is concrete. Finally wipe up any loose adhesive bits with an absorbent cloth.

Start by scraping the glue with a pry bar or scraper. Start at a broken tile or between tiles where the grout has loosened. Use a 3 4 or 1 in. Pull the linoleum up in strips to reveal the backing or the glue.

Strike the face of stubborn tiles to break them up for easier removal. Keep a small trash can next to you while you are scraping to make cleanup a cinch. Scrape linoleum or vinyl floor glue. If that doesn t get the glue off you will need to use a commercial adhesive stripper to soften and remove the glue.

The glue should easily come off the floor if allowed to sit on the adhesive long enough. With a putty knife peel up a corner of a tile or with a utility knife cut into the vinyl to begin removal of the flooring. For stubborn vinyl and glue that is stuck to the floor use a heat gun to soften the plastic flooring and adhesive. Work the chisel between the tiles and the concrete hammering them up with a 2 lb.

To remove old resilient flooring first cut it into parallel strips about 6 inches wide with a utility knife. Use a mild soap and water solution with a long handled scrub brush to thoroughly clean the entire floor. Masonry chisel and a 2 lb. Additional tips for specific adhesives.

However getting the adhesive off the concrete may prove to be more difficult. There will be excess glue and adhesive remover to throw away. Removing vinyl from concrete is similar to removing it from subfloor. Sometimes heat and water are not enough to soften very old mastic and vinyl tile adhesive.

Step 4 wash the floor. Work the chisel under the tiles forcing them loose. In these cases a solvent is needed to break down the glue so it can be scraped up.