Anyone ever sand a linoleum floor to remove the design on top?

Taffetal
by Taffetal
My kitchen floor is very solid linoleum squares with an ugly motif. In some places the scraping of a chair has rubbed off the orange design - which has inspired me. Why not simply sand the 11 X 12 space and then seal it???
  15 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Dec 06, 2015
    I would research painting the floor. Heres one post for you. www.hometalk.com?2555012/diy-painted-and-stenciled-lineoleum-floor
  • Lisa Falkenthal Lisa Falkenthal on Dec 06, 2015
    I can't tell you how to do it, but just a cauyionary note, if it's real linoleum and old enough it may have asbestos.
  • B. Enne B. Enne on Dec 06, 2015
    Asbestos is very dangerous, get it tested first. If the colour is orange, it sounds like it may be from the 60's or 70's, and most likely contains some....you may not even be able to remove it. It can be in the floor itself, the adhesive, and /or the ''underpad'' type thing my vinyl floor had. I have to either go over it with a floating floor or bring in an abatement team. ($$$) I just lost a friend to Mesothilioma, so I can tell you that it is not an overreaction to avoid disturbing asbestos. You could paint it, but don't sand it first...and it won't last forever. That is what I did, until I put the floating floor in.
  • LaJean Dowty LaJean Dowty on Dec 06, 2015
    agree with the others, it may just be vinyl flooring
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Dec 06, 2015
      @LaJean Dowty Vinyl flooring from before the 80's can have asbestos too...mine did.
  • Taffetal Taffetal on Dec 06, 2015
    O.K. thanks.
  • Taffetal Taffetal on Dec 06, 2015
    Wow. Good thing I asked about this. Thanks for your input.
  • Wanda.ll Wanda.ll on Dec 07, 2015
    You can just paint the floor and leave it alone. Must clean first( ask guys at Home Depot what to use) and prime it good then coat with a good paint . After words put on several layers of some kind of protective coating that doesn't yellow. My mother did this over 20 years ago and the floor in bathroom still looked good when she sold the house.Yes it takes awhile but better than having to get sick from what might be in the stuff. I painted my daughters floor in bedroom and it was concrete. She was allergic to carpet and didn't want wood at the time.Just used several coats of paint then sealed with the kind of wax they use at hospitals to cover. Never had a problem. Sponged painted it green then did wisteria in the corners and made them look like growing toward each other. Looked like a large rug .So go for it .
  • Taffetal Taffetal on Dec 07, 2015
    Thanks Wanda. That's good information. I'm scared off sanding it now re: "asbestos".
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Dec 07, 2015
      @Taffetal you will need a good primer...see my comment to Lisa MW for details.
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Dec 07, 2015
    If tile has asbestos it is likely not 'friable, so not to worry. Also try on the space under the fridge, if it works, or not, no harm. Also, sanding will likely leave you rough surface, so you will need to paint and seal well with a couple coats to fill and smooth.
  • Lisa M W. Lisa M W. on Dec 07, 2015
    I'm actually painting my ugly vinyl floor this weekend! I painted a section and it looks GREAT! not sure yet what kind of top coat i'll use but its definitely a quick fix as opposed to spending money right ow on a new floor!
    • See 1 previous
    • Lisa M W. Lisa M W. on Dec 08, 2015
      @B. Enne Thanks for the info!!! Appreciate it!
  • Marsha J. Mitchell Marsha J. Mitchell on Dec 07, 2015
    If you do need to sand, to smooth any rough spots, be sure to wear a dust mask. The vinyl dust is not something you want in your lungs
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Dec 07, 2015
      @Marsha J. Mitchell a dust mask won't help if there is asbesotos in it. The particles are very tiny and stick to everything. It is not worth the risk.
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Dec 07, 2015
    I agree....just clean well,and paint......then seal multiple coats. Get creative with your painting,whenever will you get another chance to do something like this? Be sure to let us know ......
  • Marsha J. Mitchell Marsha J. Mitchell on Dec 07, 2015
    Thanks, but I'm not stupid. No one said anything about asbestos tile. Of course one would not sand asbestos, but linoleum with a pattern is not made of asbestos.
  • Taffetal Taffetal on Dec 07, 2015
    I appreciate all the input. I will have the tiles tested for asbestos before I do anything. This is a great website.
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Dec 08, 2015
    I am 75 and do not think I would tackle that.