With a huge selection of floor coverings in modern building supermarkets, linoleum is still one of the most sought-after finishing materials. It is able to serve flawlessly for many years, is not afraid of moisture, perfectly withstands frequent cleaning and practically does not fade in the sun.
It should be noted that manufacturers are constantly improving the technology of its manufacture, releasing more and more quality material. However, non-compliance with the rules for operating this floor material often leads to the appearance of various defects on it - “waves”, cuts, dents. In this article, we will tell you how to remove dents on linoleum, which are most often formed due to heavy furniture standing on the floor, or from sharp heels.
Causes of dents in linoleum
Indeed, the most dangerous enemy of linoleum is heavy furniture, especially with metal legs. It is enough just to move it inaccurately- and a dent is immediately formed on the coating, and in the worst case, a hole. Therefore, experts recommend that protective caps be worn on such legs, and it is advisable to rearrange it on weight.
In addition, dents are formed if the furniture has been standing in one place for a long time. Such problems most often occur with household coatings, rather soft and thin types of material. Dents appear on linoleum with a soft and thick backing, for example, on a material with a foam or felt base. For legs, this type of linoleum is comfortable, but it does not tolerate heavy furniture on itself.
Can dents be removed from linoleum? This question becomes relevant if you decide to rearrange the furniture in the apartment and find that unattractive dents have appeared in the places where the furniture used to stand. It is far from always possible to hide them - except to cover the floor with a carpet. But this option is not suitable for people who have abandoned fleecy coatings in their home. Not everyone knows how to remove dents in linoleum from furniture using some folk methods and simple tools.
Conservative methods
To cope with this problem, it is enough to have the tools that are available in almost every home, and knowledge of the technology of one way or another. How to remove dents from linoleum so that the result pleases you? All the methods that we will introduce you to in this article are extremely simple to perform, but will require accuracy and patience from you. The result of your work will also depend on how serious the damage is.
Usingheavy roller or kettlebell
The sagging coating with these items just rolls over for some time. This method can be used to get rid of shallow dents. Be especially careful to roll the edges of the recess.
Heavy roller and hair dryer
A hair dryer will be needed to heat the surface - in this case, the coating becomes more elastic and pliable before leveling with a roller. Usually this method is used when the previous option did not give the desired effect. When heating linoleum, be careful not to melt the material. This method is quite lengthy - in order to achieve a result, it is sometimes necessary to warm up and roll the coating for at least an hour.
Iron, ammonia and roller
This method is similar to the one described above, but the heated iron is not placed on the cover. Previously, a thick layer of fabric is laid on the linoleum, which must be soaked with ammonia. This method is considered more effective - sometimes it is possible to do without a heavy roller. It is enough just to warm up the coating well. I would like to tell you more about how to remove a dent in linoleum with an iron.
Before carrying out the work, make sure that you have everything you need for the procedure. You will need:
- iron (any, but preferably heavy and with a steam function);
- seam roller (or heavy weight);
- cotton thick fabric suitable for interlayer.
Preheat the iron to maximum temperature. Must complysafety measures - the device should not be placed on the sole on the floor and on other surfaces that may catch fire or be damaged. The fabric pre-impregnated with ammonia is laid in several layers at the site of the dent on the linoleum. Wear a respirator or mask to avoid inhaling hot fumes.
The iron is placed on the fabric and pressed well against it - pressure should be exerted on the coating. In this case, you can turn on the steam function. The surface is heated for 30-60 seconds, after which the iron and fabric are removed from the damaged area, and its edges are rolled with pressure. Heating and rolling are repeated as many times as necessary. It should be understood that the dent is unlikely to disappear from one warm-up. Such procedures may require from 10 to 15, depending on the condition of the coating.
Using this method, the dent can be completely removed or made almost invisible.
Radical methods
How to remove furniture dents on linoleum when rather gentle conservative methods do not give the desired result? In this case, the defect can be eliminated in radical ways. True, they may not be suitable for everyone, so think carefully before using them.
Dismantling the cover
This is one of the main methods - the complete dismantling of the coating with its subsequent laying in the opposite direction. It will only work if the room has the correct shape, otherwise the piece of material simply will not fit in shape, and the coating will look worse than withsmall dent.
In addition, the use of this method is justified only if the coating is not fixed with adhesives. Linoleum, fixed to the base using adhesive tape, can be removed without damage, and laid on glue will not succeed. Using this method, you can try to change the location of the dents so that they are not too conspicuous.
Partial replacement of damaged areas
If the dent is quite deep, you can try to remove the deformed area. But in this case, you will need a piece of linoleum of the same color and texture as laid before.
With a sharp knife, the deformed area is cut out and removed. With the help of double-sided adhesive tape or glue, a precisely sized piece of new material is placed in its place. After fixing, the joints between the patch and the main sheet are treated with cold welding for linoleum, due to which the seams will become invisible.
