Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

VANITY-Home improvement help needed
me | 4-21-2008 | grellis

Posted on 04/21/2008 8:13:51 AM PDT by grellis

I am having a very difficult time removing 12"x12" vinyl floor tiles in my kitchen.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: flooring
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 last
To: Hazwaste

I was thinking about an answer involving some explosives or a firearm.


41 posted on 04/21/2008 9:18:24 AM PDT by wastedyears (The US Military is what goes Bump in the night.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: knews_hound
knews_hound: Since the Luan is going to be garbage anyway, why not get a skill saw, set the blade depth to the combined thickness of the flooring and luan and simply cut it out?

Malsua: We pulled off the top 3/4 plywood sheets and replaced the works. Was a much better surface afterwards anyway.

I like this idea - just ripping off the upper layer of the subfloor and starting over from scratch.

It sounds like it would make the project much, much easier, both from the point of view of tearing out the old stuff, and from the point of view of installing the new stuff.

Speaking of which, have you thought about what the upper layer of the subfloor is going to look like after you're finished with all of this DRY ICE/BLOW TORCHING/CAUSTIC ACID/HYDRAULIC HAMMERING?

The surface of the moon, maybe? The Gobi Desert? The Bonneville Salt Flats?

Personally, I'd much rather have the new subfloor to work on.

42 posted on 04/21/2008 9:19:41 AM PDT by KayEyeDoubleDee (const Tag &referenceToConstTag)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: KayEyeDoubleDee

great minds......


43 posted on 04/21/2008 9:20:31 AM PDT by knews_hound (Democrats dilemma:Vote for a Nut with 2 boobs or a Boob with 2 nuts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

Same here, since I was a boy. Not to sound gay, but I enjoy watching things being built.


44 posted on 04/21/2008 9:36:50 AM PDT by wastedyears (The US Military is what goes Bump in the night.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: grellis

if you have, or can obtain, a small plumbers propane torch, you might try heating them a bit by passing the flame over a tile for 10 to 20 seconds before you try to pry it up

it may blaken the old tile a bit but should not set it aflame, while it also lossens the glue that is under the tile


45 posted on 04/21/2008 10:02:51 AM PDT by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grellis
I've been there and done that.

If the builder put down luaun, then get a pro to replace it with Fiberrock underlay. Luaun and moisture don't get along at all.

I ended up replacing my entire subfloor. Not what I wanted, but we won't have any more problems.

If you are using luaun, then skimcoat the entire area before you put anything down. I would pull up the tiles that are easy, then skim over the rest. Works great in rent houses and homes you will sell in a few years.

There are also flexible vinyls that are great over wood floors. Just cut to fit and drop it down with tape or the correct glues. Remember to put quarter round trim around the edges.

Do it correctly, spend a fair amount of money. Do it cheaply, then the new owners can cuss your memory in a few years, as I did to our home's previous owners.

46 posted on 04/21/2008 10:46:55 AM PDT by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grellis

47 posted on 04/21/2008 10:51:55 AM PDT by JRios1968 ("If you go over a cliff with all flags flying, you are still going over a cliff"--Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grellis
We had the same sticky mess after when we removed old vinyl tile from oak hardwood flooring. We used a wax cleaner that says “Do Not Use on Vinyl Tile” and it dissolved the glue very quickly. Just make sure you have good ventilation and lots and lots of paper towels to wipe up the mess.
48 posted on 04/21/2008 12:21:28 PM PDT by LSAggie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pistolshot; grellis
That is what you want if the bathroom is big enough. I cleared half of a medium sized basement of tiles in about four hours with a similar tool. It would have taken a lot less time if I had someone to clear the tiles while I worked. (or vice versa)

FReepmail me if you have trouble finding one to rent.

They are also great for getting up that old 'padless' foam rubber backed carpeting. (Do they still make that stuff?)

49 posted on 04/21/2008 12:54:58 PM PDT by magslinger (cranky right-winger)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: CJ Wolf

That is similar to the one I had to use.
It was easy after I got the right tool. :)


50 posted on 04/21/2008 2:39:20 PM PDT by Verbosus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: magslinger; Pistolshot; grellis
A couple of addenda to that:
1. Make sure that you get the right blade for floor tile. They make at least two different sorts. One for tile and one for foam rubber.
2. A little mass and muscles go a long way in handling one of these critters. It's a lot faster than doing it by hand, but strength to guide it and weight to anchor that strength help a lot. Getting it in or out of a trunk or up or down stairs is a bit of a trick, too. IOW don't try to use it without help.
51 posted on 04/21/2008 3:02:33 PM PDT by magslinger (cranky right-winger)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: grellis

1. Move everything out of the house.
2. Put everything in storage under someone else’s name.
3. Buy a random bunch of furnishings at a garage sale.
4. Go out of town, maybe take the family camping.
5. Have the insurance company fix the house up as needed when it just happens to burn down during the camping trip.

Oh, sorry, just tryin’ to help.


52 posted on 04/21/2008 7:07:14 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_____________________Profile updated Saturday, March 29, 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv; magslinger; Pistolshot; Verbosus; LSAggie; JRios1968; texas booster; Wuli; ...
An update for y'all...

First, let me again thank all of you for your responses. Is there anything freepers don't know?

Next, the job...ongoing. I should have said at the start that cost is prohibitive, that I am handy and earnest but not necessarily skilled, and that I didn't have the car so running up to HD to rent an illegal was out of the question. All I had to work with was what I have on hand, which is pretty much the basics. I gave the blow dryer a try which sped things up, but it was still slow going. By dinner time last night (with several interruptions) I had only removed 14 tiles.

Last night, at CCD, I asked one of my fellow teachers if he had any ideas on how to speed up the process. He said he had great success using an old bedsheet and an iron--get the tile nice and steamy and it slides right up in one piece. Well, not always in one piece, not for me, because I am the impatient type and I have a hard time waiting for a uniformly heated tile. I worked on it for a few hours this afternoon and removed 42 tiles. Once the kids are asleep I'll be back at work.

In response to a few other issues raised: From the looks of things, the luaun is in great shape. It looked so good, in fact, that I took a closer inspection of the area by the dishwasher. There is no sign of moisture on the luaun, even there. I now suspect that the tiles loosened at the washer because that is the only area, on the entire perimeter of the kitchen, in which I did not use any kind of 1/4 round or threshhold piece. Live and learn.

Yes, I will again be using vinyl tile. It's what I can afford. Once all the tile is removed, I will quickcrete any problem areas I find and then use one or two coats of killz to seal up. I did this in a bathroom several years ago and so far it is holding up well. I know a lot of folks can't stand vinyl, but again, it is what I can afford. What I am removing now had a 3-year warranty; the tile I have picked out has a 25-year warranty. I don't have a lot of other options for this space. We can't do wood because the kitchen is open to the dining room, which has a very distinctive (and no longer available) plank floor. A different wood floor on an adjoining space would look weird. Same problem with pergo. I would love ceramic but it is far beyond my skill level, and the local labor rate for ceramic install is a whopping $6SF, materials not included.

So there ya go! Thanks again!

53 posted on 04/22/2008 5:40:22 PM PDT by grellis (By order of the Ingham County Sheriff this tag has been seized for nonpayment of taxes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: grellis

The ceramic is actually deceivingly simple.
Get a flip through paperback book with full color pictures either at home depot or lowes that gives step by step. May cost a few more bucks, but you can drop a full bottle of catsup on it and simply mop it up. For the next 30 years, as long as it is occasionally resealed.


54 posted on 04/22/2008 5:48:23 PM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: grellis

http://www.howifixthings.com/InstallingCeramicandMosaicTile.html


55 posted on 04/22/2008 7:23:53 PM PDT by The Mayor ("A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Prov. 16:9))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: grellis
I still think this would have worked faster


56 posted on 04/22/2008 10:22:00 PM PDT by JRios1968 ("If you go over a cliff with all flags flying, you are still going over a cliff"--Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: grellis

These are very important. If the tiles came loose in front of the refrigerator have you thought about moving it around the room till they all came loose. If this might take too long see if you can get a group of 7-12 year old boys with scrapers. Get your wife to film it and make a memory that will last. I looked at your profile to come up with this plan.

57 posted on 04/22/2008 10:36:09 PM PDT by ThomasThomas (The night ThomasThomas wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another ....")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ThomasThomas
LOL...I am the wife. Hubby is freeper ashfieldK.

I posted an update on #53.

58 posted on 04/23/2008 5:20:06 AM PDT by grellis (By order of the Ingham County Sheriff this tag has been seized for nonpayment of taxes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: grellis
I would love ceramic but it is far beyond my skill level,

No it isn't. Ceramic tiles are easy. I thought the same way you did once, until I actually started doing the work on my kitchen and bathrooms. Now I have tiled bathrooms, kitchen, closets and patios and porch! We went to the class that HD gives on ceramic tiles and went to work. It just looks hard, but it's not..........

59 posted on 04/23/2008 6:04:05 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson