The Best Floor Stripper
30/10/2025Whether you’re renovating an office, preparing a retail space, or undertaking a domestic renovation, selecting the right floor stripper can save hours of time, effort, and cost. Effective floor stripper machines prevent damage to the subfloor, making it easy to upgrade your flooring.
This article is for professionals and DIYers looking to quickly and efficiently revamp their floors. We cover the key features of a floor stripper, the various types available, and key considerations when selecting the best floor stripper for your project.
What is a Floor Stripper?
A floor stripper is a piece of machinery used to easily and effectively remove various types of flooring in domestic and commercial settings. It’s predominantly used to remove stubborn flooring materials such as textiles, paint, laminate, vinyl, and old floor coverings while preparing the surface for new flooring.
How to Use a Floor Stripper
A floor stripper makes the task of removing existing flooring quicker, easier, and a lot smoother. Where hand scrapers involve a lot of physical labour, floor strippers have in-built blades and batteries powering them to effectively and safely remove flooring adhesives and materials.
The blade of a floor stripper essentially cuts into the flooring and sits beneath the material, lifting it so that it can be removed. Some devices are purely mechanical (lever, blade, and force), while others use vibrating or oscillating motions to loosen the layers.
Different Types of Floor Strippers
You can approach floor strippers in two ways: by the type of floor stripper or the flooring material they can remove. For example, there are models such as wood floor strippers, floor tile strippers, and floor adhesive strippers that are designed to effectively remove specific types of flooring.
You can also look at the type of floor strippers, such as walk-behind, ride-on, or hand-held models. There are also quiet floor stripper models available, which are ideal for locations where people are still present.
Each type of floor stripper holds its own features, which benefit various flooring materials and projects. For example, where a hand-held floor stripper, such as the Wolff Junio Stripper, works well on small and hard-to-reach places, it can struggle with larger spaces. In comparison, a ride-on model will save time and effort for bigger floor renovations.
The Best Floor Strippers
Product | Image | Type of Stripper | Features | Best For… |
 | Hand-operated with a height-adjustable handle. | Ergonomic handle with foam grip. Voltage: 115V. Power: 2000W. Weight: 16kg. | Universal use for lifting all floor coverings in small to medium-sized areas. | |
 | Hand-operated. | Voltage: 115V or 230V. Power: 1010W. Weight: 3.1kg. 120mm Blade. Includes carry case. | Carpets. Foam. Flooring. Residue. | |
 | Upright, self-propelled. | Voltage: 115V. Power: 1.5W. Weight: 90kg. Pull-back system. | All textiles and floor coverings. | |
 | Upright, self-propelled. | Voltage: 115 or 230V. Power: 3000rpm. Speed: 2.5-17m/min. Weight: 107kg. Extremely Quiet. Ideal for medium-sized areas. | Vinyl. Linoleum. Rubber. Textile floor coverings. | |
 | Self-propelled with a hand-operated clutch. | Voltage: 115V. Power: 2600W. Weight: 157kg. Speed: 60-100m2/h. | Carpets. Vinyl. Lino. Rubber. Wooden flooring. | |
 | Upright. | Voltage: 115V. Weight: 260kg. Speed: 0-27m/min. | All textiles. Elastic coverings. | |
 | Walk-beside. | Voltage: 115V. Weight: 360kg. Speed: 0-30m/min. Ideal for large areas. | Carpet. PVC. VLT. Lino. Rubber. Parquet. | |
 | Ride on or walk beside. | Voltage: 48V. Running time: 5-6h. Speed: 0-51m/min. Max weight: 588kg. | All textiles. All floor coverings. | |
 | Ride on or walk beside. | Voltage: 48V. Running Time: 6h. Speed: 0-51m/min. Weight: 655kg. | All textiles. All floor coverings. |
What Can Floor Strippers Remove?
A high-quality floor stripper can effectively tackle most common flooring materials. The main flooring removals include:
Vinyl and LVT
Linoleum and Rubber Flooring
Textile Carpets (glued or bonded)
Adhesive, Mastic, and Glue Residue
Parquet and Wood Floorboards
Sports Court Flooring
Floor Coatings, Sealants, and Epoxy Finishes
Choosing the Best Floor Stripper
Requirement… | Things to consider… |
Floor Type | From carpets and lino to hard flooring and stubborn adhesives, for effective results, you need to ensure your floor stripper has the blade and power to cut through and lift the floor you’re tackling. |
Material | The type and thickness of the material you’re removing are big considerations. You need to ensure the floor stripper has the correct blade and sufficient power to remove all existing substances effectively. Ride-on and self-propelled models are best suited for these scenarios. |
Noise Tolerance | Locations such as offices and hospitals, where noise is a concern, may benefit from quieter floor scraper models, such as the Wolff Vario Stripper Silent. |
Surface Area | Hand-held floor scrapers work well in small spaces as they don’t take up too much room. For larger areas, a walk-side or ride-on model, such as the Wolff Robo-Stripper, will save you time and effort. |
Working Conditions | A flooring stripper can only remove what it can reach. So, if there are awkward spaces, corners or edges, smaller models may be more effective. |
Operator Needs | It’s important to know who will be operating the floor scraper. They may prefer a hand-held floor scraper, such as the Wolff Junio Stripper Battery-Powered, which is lighter to use but involves more physical effort. Alternatively, they may need a more heavy-duty, powerful floor scraper with quicker results. |
Budget | Will you be reusing your floor scraper, or is this for a one-off project? With multiple floor scrapers available, there is a suitable option for every budget. |
Storage | When investing in a floor scraper, size is a significant factor. Where will you store your floor scraper? This may influence the type of model you choose. |
Why Use a Floor Stripper?
Easily removes layers of old floor adhesives and flooring materials
Prepares a clean, even substrate for new floor installation
Reduces manual labour, time, and risk of damaging the subfloor
More efficient solution for large areas than hand scraping
Find out more about other flooring tools and accessories:
Ready to Invest in the Best Floor Stripper?
If you cannot find what you are looking for on the website, please don't hesitate to contact our team on 01604 915243 or email your queries to [email protected]. We'll be happy to assist you with all your flooring and floor removal needs.