How to Remove Vinyl Tiles and VCT from Floors

Vinyl floor tiles can have several advantages for homeowners. They are flexible, easy to install and can be laid over nearly any substrate. When the time comes to remove old vinyl tiles and vinyl composite tiles, homeowners may experience difficulty.

The adhesive holding vinyl tiles to the substrate grows harder with age. So vinyl tiles that have been down for years are harder to remove than tiles that have only been down a few weeks. It is possible to remove vinyl flooring in a do-it-yourself application if patience and the right tools are used.

Inspecting and Testing the Vinyl Tiles

Before attempting to remove vinyl tiles from a floor, it is important to examine them. Many vinyl tiles and linoleum tiles installed prior to the 1970s contain asbestos in the adhesive.

Removing them could dislodge hazardous materials into the air, making the home unsafe. If the age of the tiles is undetermined, or if asbestos tiles are suspected measure the tiles first. Most vinyl tiles containing asbestos will measure 9-inches or 13-inches in size.

If the vinyl predates the 1970s and is 9 or 13-inches in size, do not attempt to remove them; call a professional instead, or tile right on top of them.

If the tiles do not contain asbestos, perform a check on the adhesive to determine its strength. Insert the edge of a utility knife beneath the seam of a few tiles and try to pull the tile upwards slightly.

If the tile comes loose with a few cuts from the knife, continue to remove as many tiles as possible with this method. If the tile requires a great deal of force, multiple cuts or passes with the knife, or leaves behind a great deal of adhesive on the substrate heat will be required.

Warming the Vinyl Tile Adhesive

Applying heat to the tiles and adhesive can begin to soften and melt the adhesive bonding the vinyl to the substrate. As the adhesive begins to melt, the tiles can be pulled up easier. To use heat to remove vinyl tiles from a substrate, take the following steps:

1. Aim a heat gun directly at the tile to be removed, or place a damp washcloth on the floor and lay a hot clothes iron on top of the wash cloth.
2. Wait approximately 5 minutes and test the tile, if it comes up easily, move the heat to the next tile and begin to scrape up the old tile with a long-handled floor scraper.
3. Hold the floor scraper at a 45-degree angle to the floor, pointing away from the body. Push it in small strokes beneath the tile, pushing upward to pry the tile from the floor.
4. If the tile does not come up easily, apply heat for an additional 5 minutes and try again.
5. When the tiles have come up, remove patches of left over adhesive by holding a heat gun or iron 2 – 3-inches over the adhesive to soften it. Never place the iron or heat gun directly in contact with the adhesive.

The older the adhesive, the more heat and time with the floor scraper will be required to remove them. It is important to make sure that all the old adhesive comes up along with the vinyl to ensure the substrate is able to accept new tiles with a proper bond.

Final Steps

Make a final pass to ensure that all the adhesive or mastic has been removed. Use the shop vac to clean the work area thoroughly. Now, before starting on installing the new finish floor, it's critical to do a careful inspection.

If a wood subfloor has any water damage or creaks, this is the time to make those repairs. It may be necessary to repair saggy, springy floors. Concrete foundations can also have their issues. If water has been leeching up through the slab, find and resolve the reason.

High spots need to be leveled by chipping or grinding and low spots can be corrected with a self-leveling compound. Working with level subfloors is critical when installing laminate floors.

Take up old vinyl tiles safely and completely to transform and ready a floor to receive new materials and get new life from the floor.