How to Remove Old Floor Coverings

Laying down a new floor requires taking out the old floor coverings. You can do this by yourself or with a partner but make sure it gets done correctly. You floor may be damaged from many years of wear and tear so removing it is always the best option before putting down new flooring.

Items Needed:

• Knee Pads


• Putty Knife


• Dumpster

1. Decide on a new floor before you rip up the old one. The last thing you want to do is lift up your floor covering without a plan of action. Make sure you have new flooring or even carpet picked out before you begin ripping up the old floor.


2. Remove the flooring if is very easily done. For example: Your flooring may be ripping up already. This makes it very easy to rip up by getting on your knees and removing the flooring. Linoleum and vinyl are very easy to remove if they have slowly eroded over time.


3. Use different tools to make the process easier. You can use a putty knife to cut away a piece of flooring at a time. This works great for thick flooring and even carpet floor coverings.


4. Use a heat gun to remove sticky floor coverings that are stubborn to remove.


5. Collect all the floor pieces and take them to a dumpster. If the pieces are small enough, you can collect them into a trash bag and then dispose of them.


6. Remove all pieces to avoid injury. You do not want to accidentally step on a piece of sharp wood or plastic so remove all pieces from the floor.