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How to Remove Floor Tiles

Before you can install your new flooring, you need to get rid of the old one. Learning how to remove floor tiles quickly and efficiently will save you lots of time and money, even if you choose to have the floor installed by somebody else. Depending on the type of tile, this process can take from a few hours of light work to over a day of hard work, lots of noise and dust if you need to remove ceramic tiles attached to concrete.

Removing Vinyl Floor Tile

If you are removing a vinyl floor, whether it is made of self adhesive vinyl floor tiles or vinyl planks, the job is usually relatively easy. In many cases, you can use a utility knife to cut the tiles into strips, and cut the adhesive below to separate the vinyl sheet from the floor. However, this won’t get rid of the adhesive glue and if you want to install a new type of flooring on top of it you’ll need to clean it up scrapping, or using chemical solvents to remove old vinyl.

Removing Vinyl Adhesive Video

Removing Ceramic Floor Tile

Depending on the base to which the tiles are glued, the process will be more or less difficult, but keep in mind that invariably you will produce lots of noise, dust and flying particles, so make sure you wear the right protective gear and warn your neighbours before they call the police to complain.

Recommended Protective Gear

Don’t leave anything to chance and protect yourself from damage when removing porcelain or ceramic floor tiles.

Leather gloves, thick long pants and a thick long-sleeve shirt that will protect your body from flying bits of porcelain (which are very similar to glass and can cause deep cuts).
Wraparound safety googles
Ear protection if you are using power tools (and you should).

Ceramic Tiles On Concrete Slab

This is the most difficult type of floor tiles to remove, as the tiles need to be broken in order to remove them from the concrete slab. You can do that with a small sledgehammer, or rent a power scrapper or chipping hammer to pulverise the tiles in a fraction of the time.

To remove ceramic tiles on concrete slab start with breaking up the tile using one of the above tools. Then loosen any remaining tile fragments with a hand-held scrapper on a long pole or with a putty knife, using a hammer to hit the handle. The result will be sharp shards of tile everywhere (particularly with porcelain, which reacts pretty much like glass when struck), which you will need to either sweep using a broom or vacuum.

Watch This Video To See How To Remove Ceramic Floor Tiles

Ceramic Tiles On Cement Board

If the ceramic flooring you are trying to remove is attached to a cement board, the best and quickest option is to remove both at the same time. To do so, you will need to start removing the flooring at the place where it ends and a different type of flooring (carpet, wood) starts, and you will be able to use a spade to separate the cement from the wood substrate by lifting it.

Start by using the hammer to pulverise the tiles on an area that is as wide as your shovel and a few inches into the vinyl floor. You can try to use a putty knife and a hammer to chip out the grout, and prying up the tile by wedging the knife under it. Once the tile and tile fragments are removed, you will need a hammer to pulverise the cement board.

Once you have enough room to push the spade under the board, you can use a pry bar or a flat spade to pry up the cement board. If the board was installed with screws, you may need to remove them separately.

How to Wax Vinyl Composite Floor Tile

Filed Under: Maintenance

Applying wax to vinyl composite tile flooring is a great way of protecting the vinyl and enhancing its aesthetic appeal by giving it an elegant light shine. You don’t need to be a professional in order to learn how to wax vinyl composite floor tile, and doing it yourself can save you some money. However, if your vinyl floor is very damaged or too much wax has accumulated over long years of use, you may need to first strip the original finish before applying wax. If this is the case, you will need to use harsh chemical substances and buffing

What is Vinyl Composite Floor Tile (VCT)

Vinyl composite floor tile, or VCT for short, is a synthetic floor covering made from coloured vinyl chips shaped into square tiles. It is low cost, easy to maintain and comes in any imaginable colour and pattern, which makes it a favourite for high trafficked areas. This type of vinyl commercial flooring is easy to install, and can be refinished as many times as necessary to extend its useful life and keep it looking good, which makes it perfect for commercial and public locations, but it has also found its way to the floors of many consumer houses along with vinyl plank flooring. Vinyl composite floor tiles are glued to a smooth and level sub-floor using vinyl adhesive.

Preparing to Wax Vinyl Composite Floor Tile

The first thing to keep in mind if you are learning how to wax vinyl composite floor tile is that wax will seal in any dust, dirt or particles on top of the vinyl. You will need to first wash or strip away the existing finish, using a low power bufferer or a chemical stripper depending on how much finish has accumulated. Use your regular vinyl composite tile cleaner and a damp mop to thoroughly clean the floor, and let it dry before using a VCT stripping product and a floor buffer to fully remove any trace of the old finish. Use a dry mop to remove the liquid and mop the floor again with really clean water before letting it dry thoroughly. Once the floor is fully dry it’s time to wax vinyl composite floor tile.

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How to Wax Vinyl Composite Tile Floors

First of all, vacuum the floor again to make sure no particles or debris remain on the vinyl. Pour vinyl composite finishing liquid on a bucket, and dip a wax mop on it until it’s fully saturated. Never let the mop dry off, as that would make the finish layer too thin. Working side to side, apply the finish to the floor carefully treating a small area after the other to apply an even coat of wax to the entire surface. Leave the wax to dry, making sure that nobody steps on the floor until the finish is fully dry.

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After the first coat of vinyl wax is dry, repeat the process but choose a different wall to work from. This way this coat and the previous one will overlap more and the chances of an area getting poor coverage are much lower. Apply three to five coats following the same procedure, alternating the direction on which you move and leaving the previous coat to dry undisturbed. Do not feel tempted to crank up the heating to speed up this process as the surface of the finish may look dry but the finish isn’t done yet.

How to Wax Vinyl Composite Tile Floors Video

Tips For Waxing Vinyl Composite Floor Tile

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the floor needs to be spotless and free from any residue before you apply a new finish, or you’ll get a patchy finish and trap dirt between the finish and the vinyl tiles. When moping, make sure to refill the bucket with clean water as needed and don’t skimp on cleaning products. The stripper that you used to get rid of the old finish needs to be rinsed out completely before you apply the new finish, or it will just not stick. You may need to change the water a few times, particularly if you are treating a large surface, because the old finish will be making the water grey.

Keep your tools clean and use them only to wax vinyl floors. Any particles left on the mop will end up dampening the shine of your vinyl tiles when they get stuck on the finish, so don’t use just any other fiber mop. Buy a mop that is prewashed and suitable for the application of wax finish to floors, and use it only for that purpose.

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Also make sure you wait the required time in between coats, and don’t let anybody step on the floor when the old finish has been removed or while the new one is drying. If you want a spotless and shiny vinyl floor, be prepared to spend a few hours maintaining it every so often.

And remember to put a sign about the newly waxed floor, as it will be slippery!

Five Home Decorating Tips

Filed Under: Design

They say a change is as good as a holiday. While changing your home does not make you feel like you are lying on a beach sipping Pina Colcada’s, the change will keep your home looking fresh and exciting. Here are five home decorating tips:

Number One – Lights Fittings and Bulbs

One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of a room is by adding a new light fixture. Change both the ceiling light fixture and your table lamps to give your room a new look. Be sure that the ceiling and table fittings match each other and compliment the style of the room. Remember when changing the light fitting, and bulb, to turn the electricity off at the switch board.

Number Two – Add Cushions

Another simple way to give your home a facelift is by adding new cushions to beds, benches, couches and armchairs. Ensure that the cushions compliment the room and the colour of the chair. For example: ensure that only one of the three – room wall, chair and cushion- is brightly coloured, as too many colours compete and end up leaving the room looking uninviting and unattractive.

Number Three – Change the Curtains

Buying new curtains or simply swapping curtains from different rooms is an easy way to give the room a new look. Ensure that the curtains match the room style and design. Furthermore, change the curtain railing, rings and brackets will make the curtains appear new and crisp up the look of the room.

Number Four – Give the Room a Fresh Coat of Paint

Give the room a fresh coat of paint, this will keep the walls looking new, add a fresh layer of protection and hide the marks that have appeared over the years. When painting the inside of your home, remember to choose a colour that matches the furniture, flooring and outside colour of the home. The three best colours to paint the inside of your home are: light pink, baby blue or cream.

Number Five – Paintings and Art Work

One of the best and most cost-effective ways to decorate your home is to move the existing items around in your home. Move paintings and artwork into different rooms and watch the room transform. Other items that you can move around in the home are: clocks, glassware, candle sticks and cabinets.

Giving your home a face-lift is easier to do that you think. Use these five tips to give your home a new and fresh look and feel. Remember to change your home every 3-6 months to ensure that you never get bored again.

I am Greg Jones: a gym lover, sports nut and DIY guy. I recently decided to give my home a facelift and these are five of the decorating tips I decided to try. My wife and I bought new homeware items to go with the painting and I feel as if we are living in a completely new home. Make the change and get excited to be at home.

5 Ways To Improve A Room On A Budget

Filed Under: Design

If you’re happier when you’re out of the house than when you’re in it, then don’t despair. Brightening up your home can be fun – and if you have a small budget, remember that making some small changes needn’t cost much at all. You may not be able to completely redecorate and invest in new furniture, but a little creativity and imagination can go a long way to improving any room.

Read on to find out how.

Clear that Clutter

Before you get started, have a good look around at what can be updated and what needs to be thrown away. Surveying a room with a critical eye will reveal what you are fed up with, and what can be made new again.

Update your Sofa

As one of the main features of a sitting room, a tired and worn out sofa can let the room down badly; even more so than a man lying around watching football. A really simple way to solve this is by updating it with a throw. If you want something more permanent, you might want to consider reupholstering it, or investing in new covers. This is far cheaper than buying a new one – and if you’re good at sewing you might even be able to make the covers yourself.

Decoration

A lick of paint can make a world of difference. If you have low ceilings, paint them a light colour in contrast to the walls to add height, or vice versa to make the room appear more intimate. You could also wallpaper a single wall which will interest and focus.

Accessorise

There are so many beautiful objects to be found that will make a room sing. Scour second hand shops and online auctions for things that will brighten up your home. An artfully placed beautiful vase of flowers on a table, a pretty rug, jolly cushions, a painting or a pouffe, will enhance your room and give it character. Don’t be afraid of choosing what you like, just make sure that what you buy complements the theme of your room.

Lighting

Clever lighting is essential for creating mood and atmosphere at night, while during the day, the addition of mirrors will increase natural light if placed opposite a window. Lighting can really spark your imagination – design beautiful lampshades by sewing beads onto plain ones, or create table lamps using upturned vases. Ideally, a soft glow using various types of lighting is far easier on the eye than a central ceiling light.

Flooring

Design magazines will tell you that a neutral carpet in a light colour will make the most of your space. But they have obviously never lived with children and pets. Instead, invest in rugs to cover over a boring carpet. A textured pattern won’t give away the fact that you haven’t vacuumed, and a vibrant colour will instantly uplift a room and add an immediate focus. If you are lucky enough to have old floorboards, these can be far more practical and beautiful than any carpet. And if they’re not in a good state, painting them will cover any flaws.

Rob Rudd is a professional journalist who dabbles in DIY in his spare time.

Garage Vinyl Tile Flooring

Filed Under: Information

When thinking about garage flooring options, the main requirements are for a material that is water, flame and stain resistant, slip-proof and durable even in the semi-outdoor conditions of a garage. Vinyl garage floor tiles are a cheap and easy way to fulfil all those requirements, and they also allow the homeowner to be creative and give the garage its own personal twist. Garage vinyl flooring is not your delicate domestic vinyl, though. To be able to endure the heavy usage expected of garage use, industrial vinyl flooring that is manufacturer to be extra resilient is the best alternative.

Domestic Vinyl Flooring tiles are made of three layers: a felt or fiberglass backing that can be glued to the substrate, a vinyl filler and a texture or pattern layer which gives vinyl its looks. On top of the design layer, which is very thin, there is often a protective layer of clear acrylic sealant, which makes vinyl resistant to stains and water and can be treated to be resilient to scratches. However, this treatment is not enough for the features required of garage vinyl flooring.

Vinyl garage floor tiles don’t have a pretty design layer. Instead, they are made from a single thick sheet of polyvinyl, treated to be slip resistant and extremely durable. Garage vinyl flooring can be purchased as a sheet that can be rolled over the existing concrete floor, or interlocking tiles that are more difficult to install but often provide a better visual appeal.

Benefits of Vinyl Garage Floor Tiles

The main benefit of installing vinyl tile flooring on your garage is that is non-porous and as such it won’t be affected by anti-freeze fluids, battery acid or even road salt brought in by the car wheels. Vinyl tile flooring for garages is also designed to be easy to install, and doesn’t require glue. Instead, it is simply laid over the existing garage floor and can be removed as necessary to either replace broken tiles or to clean it using a hose. There are many different finishes available, of which anti-slip is probably the most popular one. Industrial vinyl flooring doesn’t come with a decorative layer, so the patterns available are limited, however you can buy it in many different colours.

Disadvantages of Garage Vinyl Tile

The main disadvantage of garage vinyl tile flooring is the chemicals involved to make it resilient, fire-resistant and slip-proof. Some of them, such as cadmium and lead, are known toxics and associated with a higher risk of cancer. Paraffin, also in garage vinyl tile as fire retardant, is also a known toxic and there have been accusations that the chemicals used to make PVC flexible and suitable as garage flooring have caused asthma, obesity or even insulin resistant diabetes. While this is probably not a major concern for somebody who only uses the garage to store items and vehicles, it may be an issue if you expect to spend more time there, such as those using the garage as a workshop. Research your garage vinyl tile flooring options thoroughly and look for those with an acceptable level of potential toxic chemicals even if they are marginally more expensive.