The Best Way to Remove Urethane From Laminate Floors

The Best Way to Remove Urethane From Laminate Floors

Laminate flooring comes from the factory with as durable an end as manufacturers can devise, and it does not need a topcoat — so that the only reason to remove urethane would be if you spilled some. If so, getting it before it dries is your best bet for removing it all. When it dries, it is tough — but not altogether impossible — to remove it without damaging the floor finish.

Utilize Mineral Spirits

When the polyurethane simmer has hardened, it is hard to make it soft, and anything you use to do the job will impact the floor finish, which can be also urethane. One way around this issue is to work with a mild solvent and apply it as gently as possible to this spill. Dab mineral spirits or naphtha on the spill with a paintbrush or cotton swab while preventing the surrounding area. Then cover the spill with sheet vinyl to prevent the solvent from evaporating. Consider wiping the stain off in one hour ; repeat the procedure should youn’t receive all of it.

Scrape With a Pull Scraper

A solvent has more chance of dissolving the urethane spill if the urethane has not cured; once it has hardened completely, you may need to scrape it off. Do not use a conventional thrust scraper for this; instead, use a pull scraper with a brand-new, sharp blade. Draw the blade lightly over the surface of the spill repeatedly to remove the spilled urethane in thin flakes. Keep a sharp eye on your progress and cease as soon as the finish on the area you’re scraping is flush with remainder of the floor.

Sand by Hand

After you get the majority of the finish off with a solvent or scraper, you are able to clean up the finish with sandpaper, but this is not a job to get a power sander. You do not wish to wear through the finish, because below it is a thin paper or plastic veneer — not wood. Any damage you do for this veneer forces replacing of this board. It’s generally safe to sand by hand with 150-grit or finer paper, especially if you maintain the newspaper lubricated with water. Sand in the board management, then touch up the dulled place with any restorative polish recommended by the flooring manufacturer.

Replace the Board, if Required

It may be near impossible to generate a big, unruly spill disappear without damaging the laminate board, especially if the spill is opaque. In some instances, you may need to replace the board. This is easier to do if the affected area is near a wall, which lets you disassemble the floor back the board. If the board is in the center of the floor, cut it out using a circular saw and chisel, and glue in a replacement board. The procedure is not complicated, but it requires skill, so you may choose to hire a pro to do the task.

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