An easy guide to removing glued vinyl flooring
When tearing up old floors to prepare for a new installation, you want to avoid mindlessly ripping them up and leaving a mess to deal with.
After all, you’ll be using the subfloor as the base for your new flooring. Vinyl floors can last for years, but once their time is up, you want to know how to remove them quickly and as cleanly as possible.
That’s why we’ve put together our simple guide to removing glued vinyl flooring, ready for your next upgrade. We’ll show you what to do so you can remove glued-down vinyl like a pro and avoid any sticky situations.
Safety first
Before jumping into removing any type of flooring, you want to make sure that you’re wearing gloves to avoid any injuries when handling tools.
It’s also best to wear hard-toe boots and safety glasses to protect your eyes from any flying debris and your feet from any falling objects, just in case. Old vinyl flooring and adhesives can give off dust when disturbed, so wear an FFP3 dust mask if possible (if not, a normal mask will do).
For the sake of your beautiful and clean furniture, remove any objects you don’t want to ruin or are in the way before ripping up your old vinyl flooring. It’ll make the process a whole lot smoother.
Gather the essential tools
Once you're fitted and kitted and you’ve removed everything from the ‘danger zone’, it’s time to put all the tools you’ll need in one place so you can grab and go.
This list of tools you’ll need includes:
- Utility knife
- Floor scraper
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Oscillating multi-tool (optional)
- Hammer and pry bar
- Buckets, rags, and mild detergent
- Bin bags for waste
Step 1: Clear the space
Before we do anything else, make sure all obstructing furniture is moved out of the room and any rugs are rolled up to provide easy access to the floor and prevent any tripping hazards.
It’s also best to get some fresh air in by opening any windows or doors. This will come in handy once you start using heat tools and chemical adhesive removers.
Then, use your pry bar to gently lift skirting boards, door trims, or metal threshold strips, as this will help avoid leaving behind any ragged strips. Take a look at what subfloor you’re dealing with: Is it concrete, plywood, or chipboard?
The type of subfloor will affect how stubborn the glue may be and how careful you’ll need to be during removal. At this point, look for signs of any mould or damp spots, and if you find any, deal with them before removing and replacing your floors.
Step 2: Score and cut the vinyl into strips
Using a sharp utility knife, start from around 8 inches from the wall and make long, straight cuts across the room, dividing the floor into strips around 30–50 cm wide. Doing so will make the sections narrower and easier to handle.
If the vinyl is particularly stubborn or thick, reduce the strips to 20 cm so you can lift them with less resistance. For larger floors, you can snap off the top layer first, then come back to scrape off the backing and glue separately.
Step 3: Loosen the edges first
Corners are easier to lift first, so choose any edge of the room and start from there.
Insert your floor scraper, putty knife, or pry bar under the cut strip and gently lift to expose the adhesive underneath. If it’s only lightly glued down, you may even be able to pry it up with just your hand.
Try not to yank the vinyl up in one go, as you risk tearing the sheet or damaging the subfloor.
Step 4: Apply heat
If you’re dealing with any stubborn areas, a little bit of heat goes a long way.
Grab your heat gun and place it on a low setting to warm the strip you’re working on. Hold the gun a few inches away from the vinyl floor and keep it moving to avoid scorching the vinyl, subfloor, or skirting.
The direct heat will melt the hardened glue, making it easier to pry away without excessive pulling. Focus on a small area at a time (no more than half a metre) and scrape while the glue is still soft.
Alternatively, you can use your household hairdryer to get the job done if you don’t have a heat gun on hand.
Step 5: Scrape and pull in small sections
Once the strip is warm enough, pull the vinyl back with one hand and gently slide the scraper underneath (we suggest a long-handled scraper for this).
Work in short bursts rather than trying to lift long lengths in one go to reduce stress on the subfloor. If you’re working on a concrete subfloor, use a stiff, sharp scraper, and for wood subfloors, go slowly to avoid gouging the timber.
Reapply heat when necessary.
Step 6: Use power tools for tough glue (if necessary)
If you’re not having much luck with a manual scraper, then it may be time to go one up and bring in the power tools.
In this instance, an oscillating multi-tool fitted with a wide scraper blade can cut through the glue quickly, saving you hours of scraping and pulling until your back and knees hurt.
When using this tool, keep it flat to avoid gouging the subfloor, and let the machine do the work; pressing too hard will wear out the blade.
We recommend only using this on stubborn areas or in cases where you’re installing a premium product like Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), as the subfloor will need to be smooth for a flawless finish.
Step 7: Remove underlayment (if required)
Some glued floors are bonded to a thin plywood underlayment instead of directly onto the subfloor.
If this is the case for your vinyl floors, then it’ll be quicker to remove the underlay and glued vinyl at the same time. To do this, use a circular saw and set it to the correct depth (vinyl + underlayment thickness = depth) to cut the floor into squares around 30–40 cm.
Then, pry these sections up with a crowbar or floor scraper and inspect the condition of the subfloor underneath; sanding or patching may be required before installing your new floors.
Handling adhesive residue
Now, adhesive residue is the one thing that causes the most nuisance when removing glued vinyl flooring.
Once the vinyl itself is up, you’re usually left with a stubborn layer of adhesive clinging to the subfloor. Luckily, there are a few ways you can get rid of it:
1. Mechanical removal (scraping by hand)
- Start with a heavy-duty floor scraper or a wide putty knife to remove as much glue as possible.
- Push hard across the subfloor while holding the scraper at a shallow angle.
- Work in sections, as it won’t all come up in one go.
- Be careful not to gouge the surface of hardwood subfloors. You can use a little more force with concrete.
2. Heat-assisted scraping
- Use a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the adhesive before scraping.
- Heat small patches at a time (around 30 cm square).
- Once warm, scrape quickly before it cools.
This is especially useful on older adhesives, which become brittle and difficult to shift when cold.
3. Warm water and soap method
- Try soaking the water-based adhesive with warm water and soap.
- Mop warm, soapy water over the area and let it sit for 10–15 minutes.
- Scrape while the glue is still damp; it should peel away more easily.
This method minimises fuss and limits the use of chemicals!
4. Adhesive removers or degreasers
- If the glue is too tough to budge, use a commercial adhesive remover.
- Apply the adhesive according to manufacturer's instructions; most require spreading over the residue and leaving it to soften the glue before scraping.
- When using chemical removers, always leave windows open and wear a mask and gloves.
- To be sure there is no residue left that can harm your new flooring, rinse the subfloor with clean water afterwards.
When to skim instead of remove
Sometimes, especially with very old adhesive, full removal can be unrealistic.
If your floors have been around for a while and they’re fairly flat already, it may be best to just apply a floor levelling compound or smoothing underlayment directly over it.
That way, you're left with a clean, smooth surface that’s ready for your new flooring, without all of the extra fuss. Skimming is also safer and quicker than hours of chiselling at concrete.
Prepare your new floors with Mersey Flooring
Now that you’ve removed your old glued-down vinyl, it’s time to choose a long-lasting floor that will offer a beautiful finish and remain sturdy for years to come.
Luckily for you, you’ve come to the right place. At Mersey Flooring, we supply a wide range of luxury flooring options, from herringbone LVT to waterproof SPC, designed to look stunning in bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens.
You can visit our Liverpool showroom for a closer look at the quality of our floors or browse our online collection to find a floor you’ll love.