How To Remove Laminate Flooring?
QUICK ANSWER
Remove laminate flooring by working backwards from a wall, unclicking each plank from its neighbor and lifting it free. Laminate floats above the subfloor with no adhesive, so removal is fast. Most planks can be reused if the click-lock edges did not get damaged.
Laminate flooring is one of the easiest floor types to remove because the planks float above the subfloor and click together with their own tongue-and-groove edges. No glue, no nails. Done carefully, the planks come up clean and many can be reinstalled elsewhere or saved as spare replacement pieces. Here is the right method and what to do with the underlayment underneath.
Is laminate flooring easy to remove?
Yes, much easier than tile, hardwood, or glued vinyl. Laminate is a floating floor, meaning the planks are not attached to the subfloor or to the walls. They lock together at the tongue-and-groove edges and rest on top of a foam underlayment. Removal is mostly reversing the installation in the opposite direction it was put down. Most homeowners can remove a typical room of laminate in a few hours without any special tools.
How do you remove laminate planks?
Find the row that was installed last (usually along a wall opposite the doorway). Remove any quarter-round or baseboard trim that overlaps the laminate edges. Lift the last installed row at an angle to unclick the long edge joint, then slide the row sideways to disengage the short edge joints. Work backward through the room, lifting each row and disengaging the joints. Stack removed planks in piles for easy handling. Watch for the click direction so you do not force joints the wrong way and damage them.
Can you reuse the laminate after removal?
Often yes, especially if the planks come up cleanly and the click-lock edges did not get damaged during removal. Inspect each plank as you stack them. Discard any with broken tongues or grooves since those will not lock back together. Save the rest. Reused laminate can be installed in another room, used as replacement pieces for the same floor if damage occurs later, or sold cheaply on Marketplace if you do not need it. Quality laminate sells for 50 to 75 percent of new price used.
What about the underlayment?
Once all planks are removed, you have the foam underlayment exposed on the subfloor. Roll it up and discard it. Underlayment is cheap (around 50 cents per square foot) and not worth reusing since it compresses over time and loses cushioning. If the underlayment had a moisture barrier built in, double-check the subfloor for any signs of moisture damage before installing new flooring. Sweep or vacuum the subfloor thoroughly and address any uneven spots before the next floor goes down.
Laminate is the easiest floor type to remove because it floats and unclicks rather than coming up in pieces. Work backward from the last row installed, lift at an angle to disengage joints, stack planks for reuse if they came up clean. Roll up and discard the underlayment. The whole process is usually a half-day job for a typical room and most homeowners can do it without help.
More Flooring Questions
Mystery Question?
Mystery Question?
Mystery Question?