- 1). Heat the damaged vinyl square to soften the adhesive holding it in place. Use a heat gun or hair dryer set on high, holding the appliance a few inches from the square but not touching the floor. Heat the tile from the edges. Depending on the age of the adhesive, it may take several minutes of heat to soften.
- 2). Insert the edge of a putty knife beneath the vinyl tile, and push forward to begin loosening the tile from the floor. Pull the tile up as you push the putty knife forward in short strokes, removing as much of the adhesive as possible, along with the tile.
- 3). Use a floor scraper to remove any remaining old adhesive. Hold the heat gun above the old adhesive to help soften it, and scrape up the remains. Stubborn spots of dried adhesive can be removed with adhesive solvent. Apply the solvent to the adhesive, wait a few minutes, and use the floor scraper to bring it up.
- 4). Remove the backing from a self-adhesive replacement square, line the square up with the others and press it into place.
Spread a layer of vinyl tile adhesive onto the back of a replacement tile with no self-adhesive backing, using a trowel. Press the tile firmly in place. - 5). Place a heavy weight on top of the tile for 24 hours to secure it to the floor while the adhesive dries. This will prevent curling.
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