How to Remove Vinyl Adhesive Over Concrete to Install Ceramic
- 1). Remove the old vinyl flooring. If the vinyl is in one piece, cut it into strips. There is no easy way to remove old flooring. Just pry it off. Use a wide-blade utility knife to cut and pull it away in strips or by tile.
- 2). Pour boiling hot water over the concrete after removing the old flooring. Allow the water to sit on the floor for 10 minutes. This will soften the adhesive stuck to the concrete.
- 3). Scrap the softened adhesive with a long-handled floor scraper. Push loose material to the side into piles as you work. Work one area at a time. For example, you might scrap a four-foot square. Push the debris away, then move to the next four-foot square.
- 4). Reheat stubborn areas with more hot water and attempt to scrap again.
- 5). Clean as much of the floor as possible and clear the debris.
- 6). Apply chemical stripper to any areas where adhesive remains stuck. Follow the instructions provided with the product you purchased. Open all windows and doors in the room to ventilate as you work with the stripper.
- 7). Wash the floor well once clean. If a small amount of adhesive remains, just leave it. You will be laying down ceramic tile. The mortar used for tiling will level out the concrete even with some residue still on it.