O/T Linoleum on concrete

spider · Jan 12, 2012

Nine years ago my wife and I bought this place and it has a 12'X 16' enclosed patio. The patio is approx. 12" thick concrete. The previous owners put linoleum on the concrete which is adhered on real good. However, after nine years there are now small patches where the linoleum is gone and it is starting to look unsightly. I want to remove the linoleum and tried using a brand new wide bladed wood chisel to get it up but it is just too well adhered. I have thought of renting a floor sander with 50 grain belts to try to sand the linoleum off but dont know if this is a good idea. Was wondering if any of you have had a similar problem and what worked best for you. I put this issue on this forum because it probably gets the most reading.

Bruce

glennster · Jan 12, 2012

they now make a scraper blade for a sawzall. looks like it may be the ticket. you may try some heat from a heat gun or heat lamp to soften the adhesive. heres some pics of the blade. also, if you are going back over with sheet goods, they make a floating vinyl floor that works really well. it has an insulating pad that lays down first, then you lay the sheet goods right over it, the base and shoe moldings hold it in place, no glue necessary.
poke here

Old Roy · Jan 12, 2012

If you have a saws all ya may want to look into one of
These

Ellis Kinney · Jan 12, 2012

About your only option is scraping. A sander would gum up so quickly it would be useless. I have used an electric scraper on const. work that is fairly effective. It is heavy and uses a fast ocillating movement. A good many rental places have them. Most that I have used have a 12 inch blade. Ellis

Russ from MN · Jan 12, 2012

Just in case it's old enough to have some asbestos in it you should avoid making any dust. When we scraped one up I made a heavy floor scraper that worked quite well. The next floor we scraped up required heat to come up easily. One of these vibrating multi-tools would probably work but it would be slow. One thing about concrete underneath you don't have to worry about going too deep! If this floor is going to get wet I would put down ceramic tile, if it's going to stay dry I would do a laminate floating floor.

LeoinMI · Jan 12, 2012

Just a suggestion,..but why not try a heat gun to loosen the linoleum and a wide blade long handle scraper to peel it up. I've used a heat gun on linoleum before and it worked real well on softening it up so you can remove it fairly easy.

Kyle in KY · Jan 12, 2012

I have rented a floor tile linoleum scraper several times from our local commercial rental store. They work great and save a lot of time trying to scrape it off the floor. Here locally it costs $55.00 per day rental and $10.00 for each additional blade. The blades are 10 inches wide. Hope this helps and good luck.

smallercrawler · Jan 12, 2012

Had to do adhered linoleum removal on area about twice the size of yous. Tried shovels, ice scrapers, hammer only hammer drill-all very slow and aggravating. Rented wheeled scraper as per Ellis' advice (below) and got her done. Seems it was around $50/day and very heavy but well worth it.

smallercrawler · Jan 12, 2012

Deleted double post.

Janicholson · Jan 12, 2012

Dry ice and a hammer might allow shattering it to bits. Jim
Walk behind rental strippers.

jimva · Jan 12, 2012

I think this topic was discussed several years ago on here and if memory serves me correct, someone mentioned using just plain ole boiling hot water, pour on linoleum and then peel scrape up. Seems to me like it worked too.

May be worth a try before getting out the big guns.

Paul Shuler · Jan 12, 2012

Bless your heart. Been there done that last January. What a job. I was just about done when a friend came by and had one of those sanding tools with the tri angle shaped head from Harbor frieght. He had a scraper atatchment for it that did a bang up job on the 2 sq ft of it I had left. Linoleum will never go back in anything I own ever again. I even tried a propane torch. Didnt ever phase it at all. My hands and arms are hurting just thinking about it. That must be some good glue that puts that stuff down.

PJH · Jan 12, 2012

I'd try a good sharp spud hoe. We've taken up some horrible stuff with a spud hoe.

GordoSD · Jan 12, 2012

Yeah, I was battling a kitchen floor on a slab, Spud hoe, chisels, paint thinner, acetone, atf. Tried everything to get that residue off. Then accidently spilled a small pail of hot water on the floor and the junk came tight up off there. Hot water and detergent.

spider · Jan 12, 2012

Glennster,
Thanks for your post and the link. Told my wife about this attachment and she said, " Oh yeah-I've seen those before !" I'm thinkin DUH and you didn't suggest it. Anyway it looks like just the thing for around the edges at least.

spider · Jan 12, 2012

PJH, Googled the spud hoe for sale in U.S after seeing them only out of the U.K. Cost of about 30 bucks plus shipping from U.K. Home depot and Lowes dont carry them. Not sure who else to check. Thanks for your time on this.

spider · Jan 12, 2012

Paul, If I never see linoleum again it will be waaaaay too soon! I did not want to go the route of a torch as sometimes the heat can pop concrete. The other guys who suggested the scraping machines for rent made me call the local rental shop and they rent them for 42.00 per day. May be just the way I start this but I'm telling ya- this crap is really glued on good and I just hope the blades on those things will bite and getrdone. Thanks to you

spider · Jan 12, 2012

Janicholson, went to that website and watched the video. Pretty amazing little machines. Called and checked local rental prices here where I'm located and will most likely try one of the walk behind models first to see if they will get this stuff up in a reasonable amount of time. Thanks for your input. If this works, first rounds on me !! Bruce

spider · Jan 12, 2012

Janicholson, went to that website and watched the video. Pretty amazing little machines. Called and checked local rental prices here where I'm located and will most likely try one of the walk behind models first to see if they will get this stuff up in a reasonable amount of time. Thanks for your input. If this works, first rounds on me !! Bruce

TonyIN · Jan 12, 2012

On the rental floor scrapers....
Go big. Watched a guy cheap out on a smaller one for some VCT. I think it just about beat him to death. His was also setup with the blade at about a 30 deg angle - because that"s what the directions said.
The bigger ones we"ve used (again, for VCT) we set the blade as flat as possible. Had no problems.
Haven"t heard the boiling water trick, but sounds like something to try. Will have to remember that one.

Good luck.

PJH · Jan 12, 2012

Spider - it's a real common tool in the road construction industry. There's at least one on every asphalt paver I've ever been around. If you have a construction supply nearby, they should have them. Also - any local road contractor could steer you to a supplier. Those heavy rental scrapers that the other guys are talking about sure look like they mean business. I've seen them at the rental places, but never used one.

samn40 · Jan 13, 2012

Glenster, the one in your post with the front wheels assist and cab looks like it might be good at this job! I would leave the lino alone and fit a nice laminate floating floor as some others have suggested.
LOL Sam

Janicholson · Jan 13, 2012

I have experience with radically difficult to remove flooring, and I never will again. Thanks. Jim

O/T Linoleum on concrete

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