How to Repair & Remove Vinyl Flooring

For vinyl flooring scratch repair, use a vinyl floor cleaner to clean the scratched area thoroughly, ensuring that it has been well-rinsed. Then, allow the area to dry fully.

If some scratches remain, you can fill them in with a vinyl scratch filler kit. These kits include scratch removal pastes, which can be spirited to the scratch using a sting or putty knife and then leveled with a plastic scraper.

Lastly, let them set completely. The filler normally takes about 12 hours to dry. The scratch spot should now be free of damage.

The repair process is slightly more complex when the vinyl is cut all the way down through the clear top layer.

First, clear away any dust, grime or loose wood chips from the affected area. Use a brush and water to clean it. Ensure that the surface is dry before proceeding. With a sharp utility knife, cut away any loose flaps or jagged edges around the cut line. Now, using a small applicator tip bottle, paint a thin line of clear vinyl seam sealer into the gouge.

Next, you leave the sealer to dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions, which often takes about 30 minutes to an hour. After that, you cover the cut with a vinyl patch compound and spread it evenly. When it has dried, the mixture will fall into the affected area.

Apply this mixture smoothly using a plastic scraper. Let it dry thoroughly, then rub with some suede to smooth the edges of the patched area and adjoining floor. Wipe away dust. Brush one more thin layer of seam sealer on the sanded patch and let the patch dry. The patched area should be smooth, and the patched material should match the original material.

Burns can easily harm vinyl floors. To repair these burn marks:

First, remove the melted vinyl and any charred areas using a utility knife. Scrub it thoroughly, rinse it and then ensure the area is dry. Using an applicator tip bottle, apply a thin layer of seam sealer down into the hole and leave it to dry.

Then, apply the vinyl patch compound to fill the hole surface and scrape it to make it even. Allow the patch to dry, after which you can sand the edges of the patched hole using finer grades of sandpaper.

Wipe away all sanding dust. Spread a thin layer of the vinyl seam sealer over the sanded patch and part of the area around it. Allow to dry completely. The burn marks are now repaired.

Sometimes, vinyl floors are so damaged or worn out that repairing them is impossible. In such circumstances, it is best to install a new full vinyl floor.

However, stripping the old vinyl floor is difficult, as it takes time and effort. The preparation involved involves lifting the floor, removing the existing glue, which may require slicing the subfloor with a chisel and then fixing the new ones. Follow the next steps to learn how to remove vinyl flooring.

The first step of removing vinyl plank or tile flooring is to use a floor scraper machine equipped with a blade to raise small portions of the flooring materials.

Gradually move the scraper sideward and below the floor pieces so the floor pieces may be let go of by the adhesive.

After that, use the floor scraper to scrape out all the vinyl adhesive, seam sealer and old carpet tack strips on the floor. Sweep or vacuum all dust and pieces to leave a blank, clear and clean subfloor.

Lastly, determine if the revealed subfloor needs rectification before installing new flooring. Search for concave or convex areas or any gap filled with leveling compound that requires reinforcement. Also, look for any moisture or stain problem that needs to be sealed. Refurbish the problematic subfloor areas before installing the new vinyl floor.

Once the old vinyl is removed and the subfloor prepared, the place is ready to be covered with a modern, updated vinyl floor or any new floor type. Be patient when carrying out the vinyl removal process to ensure that the space is fitted without further harm that will require repair.