Can You Remove and Reuse Vinyl Plank Flooring?
One of the best things about Vinyl Plank Flooring is its longevity. Vinyl flooring can handle a lot, so durability is usually one of the top reasons that people choose this option for their homes. Vinyl planks are installed in much the same way as other types of flooring, but there’s no need to add glue beforehand.
Vinyl planking is a bit more forgiving than some other types of flooring, making for a great DIY option. Vinyl planks can be reused if they are still in good condition, but only if the glue has not been used to attach them permanently to the subfloor.
If your vinyl planks have been attached with the recommended adhesive and you want to remove them, it will be difficult to reuse them. Vinyl planks are difficult to remove because the adhesive causes the flooring to rip and peel. Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring can usually be removed by heating it but this can take hours using a heat gun or blow dryer.
Vinyl plank flooring is great for renters or anyone who does not want the work involved in removing the existing flooring. Vinyl plank planks can be reused by simply sticking them back down again where they were before, however it’s a good idea to take a little time to clean and prepare your sub-floor before you do this.
Vinyl planking is great for people who are looking for a way to improve their flooring with little time and effort. Vinyl planking is easy to replace if it gets damaged, but if you’re looking for a way to improve your floors long-term, vinyl planks are a great option.
How to remove vinyl plank flooring without damaging it
If you are trying to remove vinyl flooring without damaging it, make sure you properly prepare the surface before you begin. Remove any baseboard moldings along with the quarter-round corners.
Use a chisel or flat bar to carefully pry them loose; avoid breaking or cracking the moldings by gently tapping them with a hammer instead of pulling them with brute force.
You’ll need:
- Five-in-one tool
- Flat pry bar
- Heat gun
- Mallet or hammer
- Utility knife
- Woodblock
- Work gloves
Follow these steps -
- Remove Any Quarter-Round Trim
- Remove the Baseboards
- Remove the Center Flooring Section
- Roll up the Flooring
- Scrape Up Glued-Down Flooring
- Use a Five-In-One Tool
How to fix vinyl plank flooring Seams
More than likely, separating vinyl plank flooring seams are caused by the planks being forced apart when heavy objects are dropped on them. This is especially true if you have small children or pets that can be accident-prone.
Regardless of what causes separating vinyl plank floors, they need to be quickly serviced before they become worse. Fix separating vinyl plank flooring seams yourself by caulking the separating cracks.
To fix separating vinyl plank flooring seams, you need:
- disposable gloves
- a rag or cloth
- a utility knife
- an exterior caulk tube that is compatible with vinyl planks
- a caulking gun
What to do:
- Wear disposable gloves to protect your hands from caulk or any other debris that could get stuck under your fingernails.
- Use a rag or cloth to wipe the separating seams with rubbing alcohol to clean away any dirt, grime, dust, or other particles that may hinder caulk adhesion.
- Slice open the caulk tube with a utility knife to create a hole big enough to fit it into your caulking gun.
- Place the caulking gun tip as close as possible to the separating seams and use even pressure on the trigger to dispense caulk into separating seams.
- Allow time for the caulk to dry, then paint over it with latex or oil-based paint to camouflage separating vinyl plank flooring seams.
A separating vinyl plank flooring seam is most likely caused by the planks not being glued together tightly enough. Because of this, you can also fix separating seams by re-gluing them together.
Final Thoughts
Vinyl flooring is a great addition to any home because it’s durable and easy to maintain. Vinyl plank flooring in particular is very easy to remove and reinstall, which means that you can remove it without damage and reuse it multiple times.
However, removing vinyl plank flooring isn’t as easy as simply picking up the remove and reinstall kit at your local hardware store. Vinyl flooring can be reused multiple times if it’s removed without any damage, but the process will take patience and skill.
