Demolition of Flooring & Tile

Professional demolition (demo) of flooring is a critical first step in a renovation project, involving the systematic removal of old materials to prepare the subfloor for a new installation. While the specific methods vary by material, the general goal is to create a clean, level surface.

Corey Walker Flooring realizes that although this is a job and worksite that it is also your home and respect it as such. Work must carry on through the day to achieve the desired outcome but at the end of the day Corey Walker Flooring cleans up and makes your space as usable as possible during the process.

Tile Flooring Demolition

Demolishing tile is often the most labor-intensive and physically demanding type of flooring removal due to the strong bond of the adhesive.

  • Removal: A professional demo typically involves using a jackhammer or a floor scraper with a heavy-duty blade to break up the ceramic or porcelain tiles and the underlying thin-set mortar.
  • Challenges: The process creates significant dust and debris. Professionals often use specialized vacuums and dust containment systems to protect the rest of the home.
  • Subfloor Prep: After the tile is removed, any remaining hardened mortar must be scraped or ground down to ensure the subfloor is perfectly level for the next flooring choice.

Hardwood Flooring Demolition

The method for removing hardwood depends on whether it is solid or engineered.

  • Solid Hardwood: This is typically nailed down. A professional demo involves using pry bars and floor strippers to lift the planks, often perpendicular to the direction they were installed to leverage the nails out of the subfloor.
  • Engineered Hardwood: If it was glued down, the removal process is similar to tile, requiring heavy-duty scrapers to break the chemical bond with the subfloor.
  • Disposal: The heavy, bulky wood planks are collected and hauled away, often requiring a roll-off dumpster.

Laminate and LVP Flooring Demolition

Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) are generally the easiest materials to demolish, especially if they were installed as "floating floors".

  • "Click-Lock" Removal: For floating floors, a professional simply needs to remove the baseboards and then "unclick" the planks from one another. This process is fast and creates very little mess compared to tile or hardwood.
  • Glued-Down LVP: If the LVP was glued, it must be scraped up, which requires more effort to remove the adhesive residue from the subfloor.

The Importance of Professional Demolition

Corey Walker Flooring knows how to remove old flooring without damaging the plywood or concrete subfloor underneath. Specialized tools can complete in hours what might take a DIYer days to finish. Proper demolition ensures a smooth transition, which is especiallymportant for materials like LVP that are sensitive to subfloor imperfections and can "telegraph" bumps through to the surface. For precision and quality even in demolition of your interior space call, text or e-mail Corey Walker Flooring. We only demolish what we are supposed to.