I need to remove a small piece of glued on linoleum from a section of hardwood floor. I would like to preserve the surface of the hardwood as much as possible even though I am planning on putting down a glueless laminate. What are your suggestions?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners write in about fire-rated doors, using seven minisplits for cooling, and how to build a second-story addition.
Highlights
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
Heat (clothes iron) or cold (dry ice)
Be aware that linoleum (or do you mean vinyl, or "vinyl asbestos tile" - the tiles used extensively in the 50's and 60s which we call
linoleum") and the mastics used to glue them down can contains asbestos. (newer "straight" vinyl tiles don't contain asbestos.)
Do not abrade the tiles or the matics.
"It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is for the bad to suspect good."
-- Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman, orator, writer (106-43 BCE)
As Bob says age and type will dictate the removal method.
On yinyl sheet goods glued with latex adhesive, you can peel the vinyl layer off of the backing. A spong dampened with warm water will soften the remaining backer and glue enough to scrape it off.
Older solvent based glues can be soften with a heat gun and then peeled/scraped up. Residule glue that remains will most likely have stained the hardwood, but since you are floating a laminate over it, won't be a problem. Several scotchbrite pads work for those stuborn spots that don't want to give up. Sandpaper glogs to quickly to be effective.
Dave
Pulled the linoleum up today and it came right off with minor effort except for the fact I have a 10 day old ruptured biceps tendon, that is a different story. So I will get with the scraper and hot water tomorrow and get the glue and a little of the backing that stayed down off. And as soon as I can get the furniture moved the laminate will be going down.