Removing Cork Tiles

[Anne Jackson]

Can anyone advise as to the best way to remove cork tiles from a bathroom floor?

They've been down for quite a number of years. (It's not my house, so I don't know exactly how long.)

TIA

[Huge]

Well sharpened garden hoe.

[ARWadsworth]

A scraper and elbow grease.

-- Adam

[e-mail]

[BillR]

Try heavy duty floor scraper, Screwfix have example. Even then its bloody hard work. I just removed same from daughter's concrete bathroom floor. Took me >4 hours. In the end was also using flat prise bar and hammer to get off the difficult bits.

In my own bathroom which is chipboard flooring, I decided to leave cork tiles in place as it was nigh on impossible to get them off without damaging the floor. I just made sure they were reasonably level, even replacing a couple, and laid laminate over them.

[John Laird]

What are they laid on ? If someone put down hardboard first, you need merely prise up an edge and lift it in sheets, pulling up the pins later (they will be left behind most likely). If they are directly on chipboard or (intake of breath) floorboards, try a garden spade with a thin edge. I'd imagine the glue will leave a horrible mess behind (that's why hardboard is usually recommended).

[Anne Jackson]

The message from John Laird contains these words:

Yes, you've guessed it...he laid them on the existing floorboards!

I don't think he'll ever make that mistake again....

[John Laird]

I don't think I've ever owned a house where the floorboards looked even remotely flat enough to take a tiled covering. The ones in my bathroom are not even flat enough for hardboard, but short of removing every single item in the room and emptying the airing cupboard, they can stay there...

Please administer the clue-by-4 gently :-)

[Michael Mcneil]

? Unless you know what you are doing with harboard on the floor ou are best off not using it. It needs to be wetted enough to expand so that when it dries it pulls tight on its tacks. Otherwise it will buckle terribly. Wetting it is a right sod to do too. A garden hose and a fairly stiff broom is required.

[John Laird]

Sounds like a faff. I've usually just left the sheets nearby to come to the same humidity level as the house, and employed *plenty* of nails. It's not going to buckle much if it's held down every 6" or so.

[Martin]

I had this task a couple of years ago and it was a real pain. Like yours someone had laid mine on straight onto floorboards. No the floorboards weren't flat enough but it didn't seem to stop them.

I used brute force and ignorance (and a hammer and chisel) and it took me hours. Typically someone popped by just as I was finishing and told me of a real easy way. His suggestion was to pour white spirit on the floor and let it soak in overnight. Apparently it works a treat at disolving the glue. I'm not sure if I like the idea of pooring a flammable (and smelly) liquid all over the floor so if you do use this method you do so at your own risk. Perhaps try a little bit first to see if it works?

If you do try it, I'd be interested to know how you get on!

Martin.