Removing laminate flooring costs an average of $400, but the overall cost depends on the amount that needs to be removed, your location, and the cost of haul-away fees.
The cost to remove laminate flooring is typically between $200 and $1,000, or $2 to $3 per square foot. This material is often used as a cost-effective alternative for homeowners who like the look of hardwood—but not the price tag. Though it’s durable, it does not have the same longevity. Even if you maintain your floors meticulously, there may be a time where you eventually need to remove it. Let’s weigh the costs, whether you’re looking for a replacement floor or an upgrade.
You can’t refinish laminate like you’d refinish hardwood floors. Though homeowners can swap out damaged laminate planks with relative ease, you may need to replace your floor if it requires more extensive repairs. That said, there are a wealth of reasons you may want to get rid of your laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring is vulnerable to water. Though it can withstand a spill that’s quickly mopped up, planks can bubble and warp when the water starts to penetrate the surface. Water can also seep below the gaps between planks, damage the subfloor, and harbor mold.
Most often, the only way to fix a water-damaged laminate floor is to replace any affected planks and subflooring.
If the previous homeowner incorrectly installed laminate flooring, you may have to replace your floor to fix the issue. Signs of a poor installation include:
Large gaps between planks
Buckling planks
Planks with lifted corners or frayed edges
Uneven or loose planks
Soft spots
Unlevel floor
Excessively creaky floor
Laminate flooring, especially the kind that uses adhesive, can off-gas voluntary organic compounds (VOCs). One of the most prevalent is formaldehyde, but it depends on the specific product.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), formaldehyde exposure can cause irritation and breathing problems (especially for children, older adults, and people with asthma). It’s also linked to an increased risk of cancer. The good news is that VOC levels do taper off over time, and it’s more of a concern when the product is new.
Because of the potential health effects, some homeowners choose to remove their laminate flooring and install linoleum flooring or hardwood.
If you have the budget, wanting a new floor with a different look is enough of a reason to remove your existing laminate. Many homeowners replace their flooring during a home remodel—and you can even save money on the demolition if you’re demoing multiple rooms at once.
The average cost to remove laminate flooring is typically around $2 to $3 per square foot, but certain factors will impact the final price tag.
The larger the area, the longer it will take to remove your flooring and the more it will cost. Since laminate flooring clicks and locks together, installing or removing planks is relatively simple for someone with experience—especially if you don’t need to remove the subfloor.
For this reason, contractors may charge a day rate of around $200 to remove laminate in a very small area. That said, it can take a full day of work to remove a large area of flooring. The typical 200-square-foot floor costs $400 to $600 to remove.
| Room | Typical Cost to Remove Laminate Flooring |
|---|---|
| Small Kitchen | $200 – $600 |
| Large Kitchen | $480 – $900 |
| Small Bedroom | $400 – $600 |
| Primary Bedroom | $600 – $900 |
| Living Room | $680 – $1,020 |
Labor is usually the most significant laminate floor repair cost. Most flooring contractors charge $25 to $35 per hour, though floor removal is usually wrapped into a larger project like a floor replacement.
It’s not just about disposing of your old floors. Contractors will move furniture and remove baseboards, molding, and thresholds. They’ll also reinstall those elements and clean up the area when they’re finished.
You can expect to spend more to remove laminate flooring in an area with a high cost of living. For example, a contractor in New York may charge up to $120 per hour, whereas a contractor in Charlotte, North Carolina may charge $30 per hour.
Disposal is typically an additional fee. Your contractor will need to haul away the debris when they’re finished. Expect to spend $150 to $400. If you’re demolishing an entire room, a small residential dumpster rental costs $100 to $300 per week.
Floor removal isn’t typically a stand-alone project. It’s usually part of a larger remodel or replacement—and it can incur some additional costs.
| Laminate Flooring Removal Add-Ons | Average Cost (Per Square Foot) |
|---|---|
| Mold Removal | $10 – $25 |
| New Flooring Installation | $2 – $22 |
| Asbestos Remediation | $5 – $20 |
On average, mold testing costs $250 to $300, and mold remediation costs $10 to $25 per square foot. Mold is common in water-damaged laminate flooring. Floating laminate floors are not glued or nailed down to the subfloor. Rather, the planks snap into place above the subfloor, which leaves room for moisture to settle in the space between.
Most homeowners remove laminate flooring because they’re replacing their floors. On average, new flooring installation costs $2 to $22 per square foot, depending on the type of floor. Most homeowners end up spending $1,500 to $4,500 for a 500-square-foot room. The cost to install new laminate flooring averages about $3,000.
Old laminate flooring—particularly glued-down tiles—can contain asbestos. If your home was built before 1980, you may want to have your flooring tested before you remove it. An asbestos test costs $230 to $800, while asbestos remediation costs $5 to $20 per square foot.
Handy homeowners can remove a laminate floor in an afternoon (or a weekend if it’s a larger space). You’ll just need to have the right tools. You can typically pull up the planks using a pry bar, with help from a utility knife and pliers. You’ll also need a hammer and a screwdriver to remove trim. The largest expense is usually a dumpster rental.
Most of the cost to remove laminate flooring is labor, so you can save hundreds by doing the work yourself. That said, demolition is only really a good idea if you know what you’re doing. Pipes and electrical wires can hide beneath flooring, and damaging them could cause injury or lead to expensive repairs.
It’s also important to have a professional evaluate the integrity of your flooring if you’ve experienced significant water damage that could have caused structural issues. Since most contractors wrap floor removal into the cost of installing a new floor, it’s often just easier to call a flooring company near you. Be sure to talk to at least three flooring pros and request estimates to get an idea of the going rate.
Alexandra Frost contributed to this piece.
Removing laminate flooring is fairly straightforward compared to removing other types of flooring. The planks click and lock into place, so you can usually pry them loose without much fuss. If you plan to reuse your flooring, you need to be careful to not damage the plank or the locking mechanism that keeps it in place. If it’s in good condition, you can reuse it in another room.
Most laminate floors are floating laminate, which locks into place above the subfloor. You’ll need to use a pry bar (preferably with a straightedge and a claw at opposite ends) to pry up the planks. You’ll also need a utility knife, a drywall knife, and pliers. If your laminate floors are glued into place, use an orbital sander and floor scraper to get rid of the glue.
You can remove glued-down laminate floor by prying up each individual tile with a pry bar, then scraping off the glue with a scraper. A heat gun can help soften the glue and make it easier to peel away. Keep in mind that old laminate floor tiles may contain asbestos, particularly in the adhesive. If your home was built before the 1980s, consult a pro.
Whether it’s more inexpensive to install carpet or laminate flooring actually depends on the specific material, since luxury carpeting can get rather pricey. Carpeting generally costs $3.50 to $11 per square foot, while laminate costs $3 to $10 per square foot.
Though the two materials are close in price, the average homeowner does save a few hundred on carpet. The cost to replace carpet with laminate is $2,870, while carpet installation costs about $2,200, including floor removal.
