How to Effectively Remove Floors When Renovating Your Home From the Scratch?
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: January 20, 2022
Table of Contents
How to Effectively Remove Floors
As a home renovator, you should anticipate needing to replace all of the floorings in your house at some point or another. This is because no matter how well you maintain your floors, they get worn down over time and will reach a point where getting rid of them completely and starting from scratch is necessary not just for looks but also for your health.
Prepare the tools
To remove or take up a floor, you will need various tools. The size of the trowels will vary based on the type of material used for the floor covering.Sometimes, it can be very inefficient to try to remove tiles with handheld tools when there are better solutions such as using power tools or industry-grade equipment. This is worth considering depending on the size and scale of your renovation project. Nevertheless, before starting any work, always wear protective equipment such as safety boots and gloves. Also, use face masks to avoid breathing in dust that is produced by removing floors. The basic tools you will need are the following:
- trowels (glass trowel, porcelain trowel, etc.)
- chisel for removing adhesives/glue (floor scraper for large projects)
- hammer
- jigsaw
- screwdriver
Removing tiles
When removing tiles make sure you start with the outer edges and carefully pull them away until you’ve loosened all tile adhesive or glue. Remember not to remove tiles unless you are sure that you know where they came from. Once all adhesive has been removed the tiles can be lifted and disposed of. If you have any broken or chipped tiles then these should be replaced with new ones before re-laying the floor.
Removing wood floors
When removing old sticky wood floors, start by pulling up each end to see if it can be done without breaking. If stubborn boards refuse to come away, use a hammer and chisel to cut along the line of nails (if there are no visible nails simply scrape around the area until you hit solid wood). When this is completed carefully cut through the board using a jigsaw or circular saw. Also, make sure never to pull out floorboards until they’ve been marked out for replacement boards.
Removing rubber or cork floors
If the flooring is rubber or cork, use a flat-headed screwdriver to remove staples fixing it in place.. Then, wedge a chisel between the flooring and the wall to loosen all the floors. Finally, remove any old adhesive or glue that may have stuck to your wall and caused damage.
Clearing up the surrounding area
Remove doors by removing hinges very carefully so that they do not chip paintwork when doing so (if hinges are in bad condition replace them with new ones). Old screws can be taken out using either an electric drill or screwdriver. Be sure never to tighten when unscrewing as this may strip the screw head. If screws are too tight to be removed by hand it is a good idea to use a rubber mallet and gently tap the flat end of the screwdriver against the screw head. This will break or loosen it enough so you can pull it out with your fingers.
After completing the removals, ensure thorough sweeping to remove any remaining pieces of flooring hidden behind objects like radiators. Use a hammer and chisel to free any trapped nails, then carefully remove them with pliers or tweezers to prevent injury. Always dispose of all waste materials responsibly in a scrap yard or landfill site. Finish by sanding and re-varnishing (depending on the material of the finished floor) before replacing boards as needed.
Installing a new floor
Depending on your desired surfaces, prepare for installation by clearing everything above the new floors’ height. This involves cutting crown molding and trim pieces, as well as removing ceiling attachments like drop ceilings or fixed lighting systems if necessary to avoid interference during renovations.
Floor replacement considerations
Consider the materials for your new floors, which may include carpets, tiling, or waterproofing materials depending on the extent of work needed. Waterproofing is particularly beneficial for addressing past moisture issues that could lead to difficult-to-repair damage after renovations.
When removing floors, remember that it’s a time-consuming and labor-intensive task, so consider hiring a professional if you’re not confident in doing it yourself. Also, decide on the new flooring materials beforehand to streamline the renovation process. And don’t forget to clear out personal belongings to prevent damage during demolition.
Thank you for reading!
