Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Re: New Install

I'm having wood flooring installed in my kitchen and walkway (approx. 375 sq. feet) and I've been told by the person installing this that it's up to me to decide if I want to remove the existing vinyl flooring or if I want to leave it in place and have the new wood floor layed on top of it. I need some advice/opinions on:

1. The potential problems of removing the existing vinyl. This is very vague and every house is different, but I'm hoping there isn't much beneath the existing floor. The house is 13 years old.
2. Potential problems of leaving the vinyl in place. I'm concerned with the new floor being too elevated. The kitchen and walkway lead into a living room with existing pre-finished hardwood, and a dining room with pergo.

Thanks

Brian in Mass

I'm having wood flooring installed in my kitchen and walkway (approx. 375 sq. feet) and I've been told by the person installing this that it's up to me to decide if I want to remove the existing vinyl flooring or if I want to leave it in place and have the new wood floor layed on top of it. I need some advice/opinions on:

1. The potential problems of removing the existing vinyl. This is very vague and every house is different, but I'm hoping there isn't much beneath the existing floor. The house is 13 years old.
2. Potential problems of leaving the vinyl in place. I'm concerned with the new floor being too elevated. The kitchen and walkway lead into a living room with existing pre-finished hardwood, and a dining room with pergo.

Thanks

Brian in Mass

not sure about whether to leave it down or rip it up, but i can tell you that i just ripped up my linoleum floors and it was very easy. i think the level of this floor compared to the floor it will butt up against will play a major factor.

In my region, 99% of vinyl has particle board under it. It is NOT appropriate to lay hardwood over particle board. It does not hold nails and with time and moisture, it turns to mush. Find an installer who at least knows this, the one you have is a hack.

Concrete or wood substrate?

Wood substrate

Is the vinyl glued directly to the subfloor, or is there a thin, ¼" wood underlayment under the vinyl area giving it a substancial rise from the other substrates. Or is it just the thickness of the vinyl itself?

There is a ¼" wood underlayment under the vinyl area giving it a substancial rise from the other substrates. It's not just the thickness if the vinyl itself.

Remove the underlayment and vinyl, in one demolition.

A saw set to the depth of the vinyl & underlayment, Run across the floor many times and then a prybar.

Don't just remove the vinyl and then the underlayment. Tear it all out at once.

Perry, thanks for your help. One last question. I'm not that experienced in any home improvement work. I want to do this myself, but at the same time I don't want to damage my house. The process you're describing, is it too much for a non-professional to do?

Not at all!!!


You need a circular saw. A circular saw has a flat base that is adjustable to make the blade sit a different depths it will cut beyond the flat base the blade sticks through.

At the edge of the vinyl at the transition across the exit doorway, is the place to set the depth needed to cut, so you don't cut the subfloor beneath. Set the saw on the edge so the blade hangs off the edge. Raise the blade guard so it exposes the blade. Loosen the adjustment screw or lever(some saws are different then others) Hold the base plate and raise the blade. Set it so the blade barely touches the subfloor with the base plate flat on the vinyl. Tighten the adjustment think, to hold the plate in that position, tight so it won't come out of adjustment and cut deeply into the subfloor.


Now make cuts across the vinyl floor in 1 foot increments across the vinyl in bothe directions, so you are left with squares. Some my pop loose as soon as you cut it into a square. This is where you get on your knees and pray! Pray that it is not full spread glued to the subfloor.

Get a flat nail puller bar or a pry bar anything to get under the ¼" underlayment. Hammer it in and pry up. repeat this until all the squares are gone.

Now pull or cut the staples. Don't just bend them over and call it good enough. If you can't seam to pull them, with pliers ir wire cutters(don't try to pull straight up. Grab it deep into the jaws if the tool. Let the nose of the closed pliers sit on the subfloor or a piece of that underlayment you just removed, so you can get a good bite and pry the staples out.

Some will break and some you will just have to cut off as close to the subfloor as possible and tap the head down with a hammer.


I hope I drew a clear enough picture, to get you through it, easily.